Category Archives: Faith / Trusting God

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Are You Betraying Yeshua as Judas Did?

Judas’ betrayal of Yeshua was premeditated. He did not do this on the “spur of the moment”. He planned the betrayal and plotted with those who wished to do Yeshua harm. He did it for money.

Matthew 26:14-16

Judas’s Bargain

      14Then one of the twelve, named Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests 15and said, “What are you willing to give me to betray Him to you?” And they weighed out thirty pieces of silver to him. 16From then on he began looking for a good opportunity to betray Jesus.

While many of us will never be faced with something so direct in terms of being tempted to betray Yeshua as Judas, do not quickly pass over these verses saying to yourself, “I would never do that.” Pause and reflect. Pray for the Holy Spirit to reveal to you any areas in your life in which you may be choosing not to follow Yeshua completely because of some pressure or conflict within family or work or social media. Judas betrayed Yeshua for money. Many today may choose not to defend Yeshua for fear of losing their job or not getting a raise or because other people may come against their business.

Just like when Yeshua was walking among us in His earthly ministry, today there are many who wish to silence or destroy His teachings and any who share them. If we are to serve Him, we must stand up to this and boldly proclaim that He is LORD! Many who tell themselves that they would never do as Judas did, are doing exactly that, and often it may be for money.  The situation is just framed in a different context.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to boldly proclaim Your truth and stand firm in my faith in You as Messiah. Help me to live joyfully and gracefully even though others may come against me for my faith in You. Let there be no area of my life in which I am not willing to put You first and above all else. Protect Your people and raise up the righteous that the hearts of the people would turn again to You and away from the paths of wickedness. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Courage / Fear, Discerning / Judging, Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Holy / Set Apart, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Study the Word, Submitted / Servant, Teachable

A Portrait of Righteousness

Josiah became king at eight. He did right in the sight of the LORD and walked in the ways of David. Josiah came after two wicked kings who neglected the ways of Yahweh and led the people in unrighteousness. It was so bad that when Josiah received the book of the law, he was horrified at how far off course their nation had become.

2 Kings 22:1-14

Josiah Succeeds Amon

      1Josiah was eight years old when he became king, and he reigned thirty-one years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Jedidah the daughter of Adaiah of Bozkath. 2He did right in the sight of the LORD and walked in all the way of his father David, nor did he turn aside to the right or to the left.

      3Now in the eighteenth year of King Josiah, the king sent Shaphan, the son of Azaliah the son of Meshullam the scribe, to the house of the LORD saying, 4“Go up to Hilkiah the high priest that he may count the money brought in to the house of the LORD which the doorkeepers have gathered from the people. 5“Let them deliver it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD, and let them give it to the workmen who are in the house of the LORD to repair the damages of the house, 6to the carpenters and the builders and the masons and for buying timber and hewn stone to repair the house. 7“Only no accounting shall be made with them for the money delivered into their hands, for they deal faithfully.”

The Lost Book

      8Then Hilkiah the high priest said to Shaphan the scribe, “I have found the book of the law in the house of the LORD.” And Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan who read it. 9Shaphan the scribe came to the king and brought back word to the king and said, “Your servants have emptied out the money that was found in the house, and have delivered it into the hand of the workmen who have the oversight of the house of the LORD.” 10Moreover, Shaphan the scribe told the king saying, “Hilkiah the priest has given me a book.” And Shaphan read it in the presence of the king.

      11When the king heard the words of the book of the law, he tore his clothes. 12Then the king commanded Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam the son of Shaphan, Achbor the son of Micaiah, Shaphan the scribe, and Asaiah the king’s servant saying, 13“Go, inquire of the LORD for me and the people and all Judah concerning the words of this book that has been found, for great is the wrath of the LORD that burns against us, because our fathers have not listened to the words of this book, to do according to all that is written concerning us.”

The portrait of righteousness is highlighted by Josiah’s desire to rebuild the temple. It is further highlighted by his reaction when he learns that they are not living according to Yahweh’s law. He does not make excuses and rationalize why it is acceptable. He does not put off making any changes for a more convenient or easier time. He does not take time to think about political implications or whether the people want to make this change. He immediately seeks out Yahweh on how to make changes. He recognizes that Yahweh is not pleased. He does not simply assume “God loves us as we are”. He knows that we are called to live God’s way rather than our own and the two are different, then we need to change rather than simply ignoring some or all of God’s law.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead and guide all Your people. Help us seek out the truth of Your ways in Your law. Let us embrace Yeshua as the way to come in deep relationship with You. Help us embrace the Holy Spirit as He leads and guides us in Your ways. Give us discernment and courage to turn away from the ways of men and turn to Your ways. Let us not be satisfied to simply mix Your ways with our own, but rather turn away from all that we should. Let Your glory shine throughout our nation and the world. Amen.

Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Faith / Trusting God, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Forgiveness, Justice / Judgment, Loving / Kind, Merciful, Obeying God, Parables, Submitted / Servant, Thankfulness, Unteachable / Foolish

The Kingdom of God Compared to a Marriage Feast

We can learn a lot about the kingdom of our God by studying the parables Yeshua used in His teaching. Matthew 22 outlines a parable of a marriage feast. I have included the full Barnes notes at the bottom of this article and I encourage all to read through it to get a broader view of the parable and context.

At a high level, Yahweh invited the Jewish people to share in the grace and forgiveness of salvation through Yeshua. He invited them well in advance so they could prepare. In large part, they rejected or ignored the invitation. Thus there were consequences and Yahweh extended the offer to the Gentiles. The Gentiles accepted the offer, but some who are invited to participate in salvation, still insist that they do so by their own works and accomplishments rather than accepting the gift of the garment of salvation through Christ. These will be excluded as none are righteous in their own right. We all need Christ.

Matthew 22:1-14

Parable of the Marriage Feast

      1Jesus spoke to them again in parables, saying, 2“The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a king who gave a wedding feast for his son. 3“And he sent out his slaves to call those who had been invited to the wedding feast, and they were unwilling to come. 4“Again he sent out other slaves saying, ‘Tell those who have been invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner; my oxen and my fattened livestock are all butchered and everything is ready; come to the wedding feast.”’ 5“But they paid no attention and went their way, one to his own farm, another to his business, 6and the rest seized his slaves and mistreated them and killed them. 7“But the king was enraged, and he sent his armies and destroyed those murderers and set their city on fire. 8“Then he said to his slaves, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited were not worthy. 9‘Go therefore to the main highways, and as many as you find there, invite to the wedding feast.’ 10“Those slaves went out into the streets and gathered together all they found, both evil and good; and the wedding hall was filled with dinner guests.

      11“But when the king came in to look over the dinner guests, he saw a man there who was not dressed in wedding clothes, 12and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless. 13“Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, and throw him into the outer darkness; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’ 14“For many are called, but few are chosen.”

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please open my eyes to the gift of salvation through Christ. Let me not reject your offer or accept it with a casual attitude. Let me not rely on my own ways and my own works, but on the grace and mercy You have already extended through the death and resurrection of Christ for my sins and the sins of others. Help me to be thankful and joyful in embracing Your gift and Your kingdom. Let me not try to cling to my own ways, but embrace Yours. Amen. 

I am including the full notes for this section of scripture below, taken from Barnes Commentary on  BibleHub.com. Barnes does a nice job of laying out context and understanding of many details in the scripture.

Barnes’ Notes on BibleHub.com
Matthew 22:1
And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said,

And Jesus answered and spake unto them again in parables – See the notes at Matthew 13:3. That is, he answered or made reply to the Pharisees, who had been enraged at him for what he had already spoken to them, Matthew 21:45-46. He made a still further statement, to show how the gospel would be received and treated by them. The real answer here, as is frequently the case in the New Testament, refers to what was passing in the mind, or to the conduct of those who were addressed, not to what they said.

Matthew 22:2
The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son,

The kingdom of heaven – See the notes at Matthew 3:2. The idea here is, “God deals with man in his kingdom, or in regard to the dispensation of the gospel, as a certain king did,” etc. This parable refers, undoubtedly, to the rejection of the Jews and to the calling of the Gentiles. The gospel, with all its privileges, was offered to the Jewish people; but through their wickedness and pride they rejected it, and all its blessings were offered to the Gentiles and accepted. This is the general truth. Many circumstances are thrown in to fill out the narrative which cannot be particularly explained.A marriage for his son – Rather a “marriage-feast,” or a feast on the occasion of the marriage of his son. The king here doubtless represents God providing for the salvation of the world.

Matthew 22:3
And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.

And sent forth his servants – These represent the messengers that God has sent to invite people to his kingdom.To call them that were bidden – That is, to give notice to those who had before been invited that the feast was ready. It appears that there were two invitations – one considerably previous to the time of the feast, that they might have opportunity to prepare for it, and the other to give notice of the precise time when they were expected.

The wedding – The marriage-feast. The same word in the original as in Matthew 22:2.

They would not come – They might have come if they had chosen, but they would not. So all the difficulty that sinners ever labour under in regard to salvation is in the will. It is a fixed determination not to come and be saved. See the notes at John 5:45.

Matthew 22:4
Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage.

Other servants – Who might press it on their attention. So God repeats his message to sinners when they reject it.My dinner – This word literally denotes the meal taken about noon. It is also taken for a meal in general. As marriages were, among Eastern nations, in the evening, it refers here to a meal taken at that time.

Fatlings – This word does not refer to any particular species of animals. It denotes any fat animals. As oxen are also mentioned, however, it refers here, probably, to lambs or calves, 2 Samuel 6:13; 1 Chronicles 15:26.

Matthew 22:5
But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise:

But they made light of it – Treated it with contempt, as a thing of no consequence – an exact representation of the conduct of sinners in regard to the gospel.One to his farm – So people are engaged so much in their worldly employment that they pretend they have no time to attend to religion. The world is, in their view, of more value than God.

Merchandise – Traffic; trading.

Matthew 22:6
And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

And the remnant … – That is, a part made light of it; treated it with silent contempt, and coolly went about their business. The others were not satisfied with that, but showed positive malignity. Some sinners seem to be well satisfied by merely neglecting religion; others proceed against it with open violence and bitter malice.Entreated them spitefully – Used harsh and opprobrious words. Reviled and abused them. This was done because they hated and despised the king. So sinners often abuse and calumniate ministers of religion because they themselves hate God, and can in no way else show their hatred so well.

Matthew 22:7
But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city.

But when the king heard … – This doubtless refers to the Jews and to Jerusalem. They were murderers, having slain the prophets; and God was about to send forth the armies of the Romans under his providential direction, and to burn up their city. See the notes at Matthew 24.Wroth – Angry; displeased.

Matthew 22:8

Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy.

Matthew 22:9
Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage.

The highways – Literally, the “exit” or “going out” of the “paths or roads.” It means the square or principal street, into which a number of smaller streets enter; a place, therefore, of confluence, where many persons would be seen, and persons of all descriptions. By this is represented the offering of the gospel to the Gentiles. They were commonly regarded among the Jews as living in highways and hedges cast out and despised.

Matthew 22:10
So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

Bad and good – All descriptions of people. None are good by nature; if they were they would not need the gospel; but some are worse than others, and they have special need of it. None can be saved without it.

Matthew 22:11
And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment:

A man which had not on a wedding garment – In ancient times, kings and princes were accustomed to make presents of changes of raiment to their friends and favourites, to refuse to receive which was an expression of highest contempt, Genesis 45:22; 2 Kings 10:22; Esther 6:8; Esther 8:15. It was, of course, expected that such garments would be worn when they came into the presence of the benefactor. The garments worn on festival occasions were chiefly long white robes, and it was the custom of the person who made the feast to prepare such robes to be worn by the guests. This renders the conduct of this man more inexcusable. He came in his common and ordinary dress, as he was taken from the highway: and though he had not a garment of his own suitable for the occasion, yet one had been provided for him, if he had applied for it. His not doing it was expressive of the highest disrespect for the king. This beautifully represents the conduct of the hypocrite in the church. A garment of salvation might be his, performed by the hands of the Saviour, and dyed in his blood; but the hypocrite chooses the filthy rags of his own righteousness, and thus offers the highest contempt for that provided in the gospel. He is to blame, not for being invited – not for coming, if he would come, for he is freely invited but for offering the highest contempt to the King of Zion in presenting himself with all his filth and rags, and in refusing to be saved in the way provided in the gospel.

Matthew 22:12
And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.

Friend – Rather, “companions.” The word does not imply friendship.He was speechless – He had no excuse. So it will be with all hypocrites.

Matthew 22:13
Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness; there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Cast him into outer darkness – See the notes at Matthew 8:12. This, without doubt, refers to the future punishment of the hypocrite, Matthew 23:23-33; Matthew 24:51. 

Matthew 22:14
For many are called, but few are chosen.

Many are called, but few are chosen – Our Saviour often uses this expression. It was probably proverbial. The Jews had been called, but few of them had been chosen to life. The great mass of the nation was wicked, and they showed by their lives that they were not chosen to salvation. The Gentiles also were invited to be saved, Isaiah 45:22. Nation after nation has been called; but few, few have yet showed that they were real Christians, the elect of God. It is also true that many who are in the church may prove to be without the wedding garment, and show at last that they were not the chosen of God. This remark in the 14th verse is the inference from the “whole parable,” and not of the part about the man without the wedding garment. It does not mean, therefore, that the great mass in the church are simply called and not chosen, or are hypocrites; but the great mass in “the human family,” in the time of Christ, who had been “called,” had rejected the mercy of God.

Shalom
Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faith / Trusting God, Healer, Learning To Pray Effectively, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant

The LORD Hears the Prayer of the Righteous

Many are confused as to how or when our Creator may respond to prayer, especially as it relates to healing. The simple answer is that there is no formula. We do not control or unlock His power. We build a relationship with Him, we trust Him, we walk in His ways, and we come to Him when we seek His help. We believe that He can heal. The rest is up to Him and we need to trust Him no matter the outcome.

One interesting record of Yahweh healing someone is relating to a mortal illness that struck King Hezekiah in 2 Kings 20. To keep this historical event in context, remember the introduction we read a few chapters back about Hezekiah.

2 Kings 18

 5He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 6For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.

Hezekiah had a meaningful and submitted relationship to Yahweh as Lord. He walked in the ways of David, who was a man after God’s own heart. With this in mind, we see Hezekiah still gets mortally ill. In fact, Isaiah came to tell him to prepare to die. But the heartfelt and passionate prayers of a righteous man, Hezekiah, in this case result in Yahweh healing Him instead. This should encourage us in regards to coming before the LORD to pray and also encourage us to seek out how to lead our lives consistent with the LORD’s instruction.

2 Kings 20:1-11

Hezekiah’s Illness and Recovery

      1In those days Hezekiah became mortally ill. And Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz came to him and said to him, “Thus says the LORD, ‘Set your house in order, for you shall die and not live.’” 2Then he turned his face to the wall and prayed to the LORD, saying, 3“Remember now, O LORD, I beseech You, how I have walked before You in truth and with a whole heart and have done what is good in Your sight.” And Hezekiah wept bitterly. 4Before Isaiah had gone out of the middle court, the word of the LORD came to him, saying, 5“Return and say to Hezekiah the leader of My people, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of your father David, “I have heard your prayer, I have seen your tears; behold, I will heal you. On the third day you shall go up to the house of the LORD. 6“I will add fifteen years to your life, and I will deliver you and this city from the hand of the king of Assyria; and I will defend this city for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.”’” 7Then Isaiah said, “Take a cake of figs.” And they took and laid it on the boil, and he recovered.

      8Now Hezekiah said to Isaiah, “What will be the sign that the LORD will heal me, and that I shall go up to the house of the LORD the third day?” 9Isaiah said, “This shall be the sign to you from the LORD, that the LORD will do the thing that He has spoken: shall the shadow go forward ten steps or go back ten steps?” 10So Hezekiah answered, “It is easy for the shadow to decline ten steps; no, but let the shadow turn backward ten steps.” 11Isaiah the prophet cried to the LORD, and He brought the shadow on the stairway back ten steps by which it had gone down on the stairway of Ahaz.

We also see that Hezekiah asks for a sign as if it is just part of hearing a prophecy. Isaiah does not miss a beat in offering one up and it comes to pass. Compare that to some others who demanded a sign from Jesus in Matthew 12.

Matthew 12:38-39

     38Then some of the scribes and Pharisees said to Him, “Teacher, we want to see a sign from You.” 39But He answered and said to them, “An evil and adulterous generation craves for a sign; and yet no sign will be given to it but the sign of Jonah the prophet;

There would seem to be a contradiction, but then if we reflect back on Moses and Gideon when they first are selected by the LORD for their missions we remember that both were given signs. It would seem the key to unlock this puzzle is not in asking for a sign, but rather in our relationship with Him and in our reasons. Are we looking for God to prove He is God as we stand against Him defiantly? or are we looking for encouragement to accept His word with confidence? This is an area that can be explored in more depth to be sure.

To learn more about prayer consider the following teachings:

You can also review our category of teachings about Learning to Pray Effectively.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead me to draw closer to you. Help me have a deeper, more submitted relationship with You. Help me walk in Your ways and obey all Your statutes and commands and to do so joyfully. Please help me to be confident coming before you when I am in need and help me to trust you whether your answer is “yes”, “no”, or “maybe later”. All praise and honor and glory be to You. You are our healer. You provide us hope of resurrection and life after death even when You do not heal us physically.  Amen.

Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Blessed, Faith / Trusting God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Jesus (hearing from God), Miracles, Parables, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Bear Fruit for His Kingdom and Build Strong Faith

We can read in Matthew 21 and also in Mark  11 about an historical account in which Yeshua cursed a barren fig tree. I will introduce it here and then include reference from  Barnes Commentary on BibleHub.com which provides good background study notes.

Matthew 21:18-22

The Barren Fig Tree

      18Now in the morning, when He was returning to the city, He became hungry. 19Seeing a lone fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it except leaves only; and He said to it, “No longer shall there ever be any fruit from you.” And at once the fig tree withered.

      20Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” 21And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Let us begin by noting that Yeshua was not addressing the fig tree out of anger or because he wanted to give a gardening lesson to His disciples. He was using this as a visual and memorable teaching moment to highlight the state of the people throughout Israel.

The fig tree is a warning for all of us who follow Yahweh. Our purpose is to bear fruit for the kingdom of God. If we are not bearing fruit, then we have lost our purpose and thus may be cursed. This warning aligns well with God’s promise for a blessing or a curse for His people based on our choice in obedience or disobedience.

Deuteronomy 11:26-28

26“See, I am placing before you today a blessing and a curse: 27the blessing, if you listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, which I am commanding you today; 28and the curse, if you do not listen to the commandments of the LORD your God, but turn aside from the way which I am commanding you today, by following other gods which you have not known.

The bottom line is we should take seriously our choices in life to obey and thus bear fruit by living for Yahweh. Do not be complacent individually, as a family, or as a nation. There are consequences. By all means, pray and ask Holy Spirit to help you and others. We do not have to do this alone. Help and encourage one another.

There is also a strong message in Matthew 21 that reinforces the importance of faith and opens up a conversation about promises in the Bible.

Matthew 21:20-22

   20Seeing this, the disciples were amazed and asked, “How did the fig tree wither all at once?” 21And Jesus answered and said to them, “Truly I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but even if you say to this mountain, ‘Be taken up and cast into the sea,’ it will happen. 22“And all things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”

Some promises in the Bible are offered to all that will follow after Yeshua and some promises are directed at a specific group of individuals such as the apostles. It may not always be clear and there may be a difference of opinion.

I believe the promise in these verses about being able to do great miracles with strong faith is aimed at a specific group of disciples, and not everyone who will ever follow Christ afterwards. There is evidence of them being able to do great miracles in the Biblical record. We also can observe that not everyone who follows Christ and believes they can do miracles can do them just by having faith.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to have strong faith in You and please help me to bear fruit for Your kingdom. I want to live a life that is pleasing to You. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit that leads and guides me and thank You for sending Yeshua to teach us, live out an example for us to follow, and die for our sins.  

I encourage those who want to study more context to continue reading the below excerpt from the Barnes commentary on BibleHub.com.

Matthew 21:19
And when he saw a fig tree in the way, he came to it, and found nothing thereon, but leaves only, and said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee henceforward for ever. And presently the fig tree withered away.

And when he saw a fig-tree in the way … – This tree was standing in the public road.

It was therefore common property and anyone might lawfully use its fruit. Mark says Mark 11:13, “Seeing a fig-tree afar off, having leaves, he came,” etc. Not far off “from the road,” but at a considerable distance from the place where he was. Having loaves, and appearing healthy and luxuriant, they presumed that there would be fruit on it. Mark says Mark 11:13, “he came, if haply he might find anything thereon.” That is, judging from the “appearance” of the tree, it was “probable” that there would be fruit on it. We are not to suppose that our Lord was ignorant of the true condition of the tree, but he acted according to the appearance of things; being a man as well as divine, he acted, of course, as people do act in such circumstances.

And found nothing thereon but leaves only – Mark 11:13 gives as a reason for this that “the time of figs was not yet.” That is, the time “of gathering” the figs was not yet, or had not passed. It was a time when figs were ripe or suitable to eat, or he would not have gone to it, expecting to find them; but the time of gathering them had not passed, and it was to be presumed that they were still on the tree. This took place on the week of the Passover, or in the beginning of April. Figs, in Palestine, are commonly ripe at the Passover. The summer in Palestine begins in March, and it is no uncommon thing that figs should be eatable in April. It is said that they sometimes produce fruit the year round.

Mark 11:12-13 says that this took place on the morning of the day on which he purified the temple. Matthew would lead us to suppose that it was on the day following. Matthew records briefly what Mark records more “fully.” Matthew states the fact that the fig-tree was barren and withered away, without regarding minutely the order or the circumstances in which the event took place. There is no contradiction, because Matthew does not affirm that this took place on the morning after the temple was cleansed, though he places it in that order; nor does he say that a day did not elapse after the fig-tree was cursed before the disciples discovered that it was withered, though he does not affirm that it was so. Such circumstantial variations, where there is no positive contradiction, go greatly to confirm the truth of a narrative. They show that the writers were honest men, and did not “conspire” to deceive the world.

And said unto it, Let no fruit grow on thee … – Mark calls this “cursing” the tree Mark 11:21. The word “curse,” as used by him, does not imply “anger,” or disappointment, or malice. It means only “devoting it to destruction,” or causing it to wither away. All the “curse” that was pronounced was in the words “that no fruit should grow on it.” The Jews used the word “curse” not as always implying “wrath or anger,” but to devote to “death,” or to any kind of destruction, Hebrews 6:8. It has been commonly thought that the Saviour performed this miracle to denote the sudden “withering away” or destruction of the Jewish people. They, like the fig-tree, promised fair. That was full of leaves, and they full of professions. Yet both were equally barren; and as that was destroyed, so they were soon to be. It was certain that this would be a good “illustration” of the destruction of the Jewish people, but there is no evidence that Jesus intended it as such, and without such evidence we have no right to say that was its meaning. “And presently the fig-tree withered away.” That is, before another day. See Mark. It is probable that they were passing directly onward, and did not stop then to consider it. Matthew does not affirm that it withered “away in their presence,” and Mark affirms that they made the discovery on the morning after it was “cursed.”

Matthew 21:20
And when the disciples saw it, they marvelled, saying, How soon is the fig tree withered away!

And when the disciples saw it – That is, on the morning following that on which it was cursed, Mark 11:20.

They marveled, saying … – Peter said this, Mark 11:21 Matthew means only to say that this was said to him; Mark tells us which one of them said it.

Matthew 21:21
Jesus answered and said unto them, Verily I say unto you, If ye have faith, and doubt not, ye shall not only do this which is done to the fig tree, but also if ye shall say unto this mountain, Be thou removed, and be thou cast into the sea; it shall be done.

Jesus answered and said … – Jesus took occasion from this to establish their faith in God, Mark 11:22

He told them that any difficulty could be overcome by faith. To remove a mountain denotes the power of surmounting or removing any difficulty. The phrase was so used by the Jews. There is no doubt that this was “literally” true – that if “they had the faith of miracles,” they could remove the mountain before them – the Mount of Olives – for this was as easy for God to do by them as to heal the sick or raise the dead. But the Saviour rather referred, probably, to the difficulties and trials which they would be called to endure in preaching the gospel.

Matthew 21:22
And all things, whatsoever ye shall ask in prayer, believing, ye shall receive.

And all things … – He adds an encouragement for them to pray, assuring them that they should have all things which they asked.

This promise was evidently a special one, given to them in regard to working miracles. To them it was true, but it is manifest that we have no right to apply this promise to ourselves. It was desired especially for the apostles; nor have we a right to turn it from its original meaning. There are other promises in, abundance on which we “may” rely in prayer, with confident assurance that our prayers will be heard. Compare the notes at Matthew 7:7-11.

Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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To Whom Shall We Turn When Defeat Seems Imminent?

We will all face challenges, and sometimes we as a people or nation may face significant challenges. The enemy is not always a foreign nation. It may be evil and wicked people from within our own nation. They come against the truth of God’s word and the freedom to fully live for God. Of course, for many Christians around the world, it may be very real that it is a militia or military or government intent on killing them for their faith. In the United States we are generally not that far gone yet, but we seem to be trending that direction.

To whom shall we turn when defeat seems imminent. Let’s read 2 Kings 19 and study the historical account of Hezekiah. We read in 2 Kings 18 that he was a righteous king, walking in the ways of the LORD. Do not miss that important scene set. We should always come before our LORD with clean and devoted heart, already repenting for our sins and way of doing things or ready to do so as we seek Him. We should not expect much in response from God if we ask Him for help to continue living in our own sinful ways and ignoring Him or blending what He tells us to do with the traditions of men and idol worship.

When Assyria confronted and was on the verge of overwhelming Hezekiah, he turned wholeheartedly and desperately to Yahweh. He knew the situation was beyond his strength to address.

2 Kings 19

Isaiah Encourages Hezekiah

      1And when King Hezekiah heard it, he tore his clothes, covered himself with sackcloth and entered the house of the LORD. 2Then he sent Eliakim who was over the household with Shebna the scribe and the elders of the priests, covered with sackcloth, to Isaiah the prophet the son of Amoz. 3They said to him, “Thus says Hezekiah, ‘This day is a day of distress, rebuke, and rejection; for children have come to birth and there is no strength to deliver. 4‘Perhaps the LORD your God will hear all the words of Rabshakeh, whom his master the king of Assyria has sent to reproach the living God, and will rebuke the words which the LORD your God has heard. Therefore, offer a prayer for the remnant that is left.’” 5So the servants of King Hezekiah came to Isaiah. 6Isaiah said to them, “Thus you shall say to your master, ‘Thus says the LORD, “Do not be afraid because of the words that you have heard, with which the servants of the king of Assyria have blasphemed Me. 7“Behold, I will put a spirit in him so that he will hear a rumor and return to his own land. And I will make him fall by the sword in his own land.”’”

Sennacherib Defies God

      8Then Rabshakeh returned and found the king of Assyria fighting against Libnah, for he had heard that the king had left Lachish. 9When he heard them say concerning Tirhakah king of Cush, “Behold, he has come out to fight against you,” he sent messengers again to Hezekiah saying, 10“Thus you shall say to Hezekiah king of Judah, ‘Do not let your God in whom you trust deceive you saying, “Jerusalem will not be given into the hand of the king of Assyria.” 11‘Behold, you have heard what the kings of Assyria have done to all the lands, destroying them completely. So will you be spared? 12‘Did the gods of those nations which my fathers destroyed deliver them, even Gozan and Haran and Rezeph and the sons of Eden who were in Telassar? 13‘Where is the king of Hamath, the king of Arpad, the king of the city of Sepharvaim, and of Hena and Ivvah?’”

Hezekiah’s Prayer

      14Then Hezekiah took the letter from the hand of the messengers and read it, and he went up to the house of the LORD and spread it out before the LORD. 15Hezekiah prayed before the LORD and said, “O LORD, the God of Israel, who are enthroned above the cherubim, You are the God, You alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth. You have made heaven and earth. 16“Incline Your ear, O LORD, and hear; open Your eyes, O LORD, and see; and listen to the words of Sennacherib, which he has sent to reproach the living God. 17“Truly, O LORD, the kings of Assyria have devastated the nations and their lands 18and have cast their gods into the fire, for they were not gods but the work of men’s hands, wood and stone. So they have destroyed them. 19“Now, O LORD our God, I pray, deliver us from his hand that all the kingdoms of the earth may know that You alone, O LORD, are God.”

God’s Answer through Isaiah

      20Then Isaiah the son of Amoz sent to Hezekiah saying, “Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel, ‘Because you have prayed to Me about Sennacherib king of Assyria, I have heard you.’

21“This is the word that the LORD has spoken against him:
‘She has despised you and mocked you,
The virgin daughter of Zion;
She has shaken her head behind you,
The daughter of Jerusalem!

      22‘Whom have you reproached and blasphemed?
And against whom have you raised your voice,
And haughtily lifted up your eyes?
Against the Holy One of Israel!

      23‘Through your messengers you have reproached the Lord,
And you have said, “With my many chariots
I came up to the heights of the mountains,
To the remotest parts of Lebanon;
And I cut down its tall cedars and its choice cypresses.
And I entered its farthest lodging place, its thickest forest.

      24“I dug wells and drank foreign waters,
And with the sole of my feet I dried up
All the rivers of Egypt.”

      25‘Have you not heard?
Long ago I did it;
From ancient times I planned it.
Now I have brought it to pass,
That you should turn fortified cities into ruinous heaps.

      26‘Therefore their inhabitants were short of strength,
They were dismayed and put to shame;
They were as the vegetation of the field and as the green herb,
As grass on the housetops is scorched before it is grown up.

      27‘But I know your sitting down,
And your going out and your coming in,
And your raging against Me.

      28‘Because of your raging against Me,
And because your arrogance has come up to My ears,
Therefore I will put My hook in your nose,
And My bridle in your lips,
And I will turn you back by the way which you came.

      29‘Then this shall be the sign for you: you will eat this year what grows of itself, in the second year what springs from the same, and in the third year sow, reap, plant vineyards, and eat their fruit. 30‘The surviving remnant of the house of Judah will again take root downward and bear fruit upward. 31‘For out of Jerusalem will go forth a remnant, and out of Mount Zion survivors. The zeal of the LORD will perform this.

      32‘Therefore thus says the LORD concerning the king of Assyria, “He will not come to this city or shoot an arrow there; and he will not come before it with a shield or throw up a siege ramp against it. 33“By the way that he came, by the same he will return, and he shall not come to this city,”’ declares the LORD. 34‘For I will defend this city to save it for My own sake and for My servant David’s sake.’”

      35Then it happened that night that the angel of the LORD went out and struck 185,000 in the camp of the Assyrians; and when men rose early in the morning, behold, all of them were dead. 36So Sennacherib king of Assyria departed and returned home, and lived at Nineveh. 37It came about as he was worshiping in the house of Nisroch his god, that Adrammelech and Sharezer killed him with the sword; and they escaped into the land of Ararat. And Esarhaddon his son became king in his place.

Notice that Hezekiah’s prayer focused not only on the needs of the people but also considered the situation from God’s point of view. His name and reputation were being blasphemed by Assyria.

Also, as we can see in the end, God can bring victory or defeat regardless of seemingly overwhelming odds in the eyes of man.

What challenges do you need to bring before Yahweh today relating to you personally, your family, your community, the body of Christ, your state or nation?

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, You and you alone are God. There are none like you. Bring me (and your people everywhere) to a point of humility and dependence on you. Help us to turn from our sins and our own ways and embrace your ways fully. Open our eyes to all you would have us do and how you would have us live. Deliver us from the wicked who come against us and against your name. Defeat the wicked and raise up the righteous. Open the eyes of the wicked to convert them so they would become your champions instead of your enemies. Help comfort and protect and lift up your people everywhere. Amen

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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All Powerful / King of All, Blessed, Faith / Trusting God, Faithful, Humility, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Seeking God, Strong in Our Weakness, Submitted / Servant

Rely on Yahweh Rather than Your Own Power

In the first 13 verses of 2 Kings, we discover that Hezekiah was a righteous king. He did right in the eyes of the LORD. He tore down false idols and long held traditions that were not in keeping with the LORD’s instructions. He walked in the ways of his father David. He trusted in the LORD. The LORD gave him success as a result. Wherever he went the LORD gave him victory. Imagine his surprise when he encountered very real and significant setbacks and defeat at the hands of Assyria when he rebelled against them.

Of course, we can note that there is no reference that the LORD told Hezekiah to revolt against Assyria. Nor is there any reference as we read through 2 kings 18 that Hezekiah called upon the LORD for help against the Assyrians. We could speculate that he likely did because he was a righteous man in all he did, but we must also recognize that he may not have.

In either case, he faces defeat by Assyria. He plunders his own treasury to try to appease them and ultimately they still come to lay siege on Jerusalem. It is ultimately in 2 Kings 19, at a point of absolute desperation, that Hezekiah is noted as seeking the LORD and the LORD responds by granting victory.

As we continue in 2 Kings below, Hezekiah

2 Kings 18:13-37

Invasion of Judah

13Now in the fourteenth year of King Hezekiah, Sennacherib king of Assyria marched against all the fortified cities of Judah and seized them. 14Then Hezekiah king of Judah sent messengers to the king of Assyria at Lachish, saying, “I have done wrong.  Withdraw from me; whatever you impose on me I will endure.” So the king of Assyria imposed on Hezekiah king of Judah the payment of three hundred talents of silver and thirty talents of gold. 15Hezekiah then gave him all the silver that was found in the house of the LORD, and in the treasuries of the king’s house. 16At that time Hezekiah cut off the gold from the doors of the temple of the LORD, and from the doorposts, which Hezekiah king of Judah had overlaid, and he gave it to the king of Assyria.

17Then the king of Assyria sent Tartan, Rab-saris, and Rabshakeh from Lachish to King Hezekiah with a large army to Jerusalem. So they went up and came to Jerusalem. And when they went up, they came and stood by the conduit of the upper pool, which is on the road of the fuller’s field. 18Then they called to the king, and Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the household, Shebnah the scribe, and Joah the son of Asaph the secretary, went out to them.

19And Rabshakeh said to them, “Say now to Hezekiah, ‘This is what the great king, the king of Assyria says: “What is this confidence that you have? 20You say—but they are only empty words—‘I have a plan and strength for the war.’ Now on whom have you relied, that you have revolted against me? 21Now behold, you have relied on the support of this broken reed, on Egypt; on which if a man leans, it will go into his hand and pierce it. That is how Pharaoh king of Egypt is to all who rely on him. 22However, if you say to me, ‘We have trusted in the LORD our God,’ is it not He whose high places and whose altars Hezekiah has removed, and has said to Judah and to Jerusalem, ‘You shall worship before this altar in Jerusalem’? 23Now then, come make a wager with my master the king of Assyria: I will give you two thousand horses, if you are able on your part to put riders on them! 24How then can you drive back even one official of the least of my master’s servants, and rely on Egypt for chariots and horsemen? 25Have I now come up without the LORD’S approval against this place to destroy it? The LORD said to me, ‘Go up against this land and destroy it.’”’”

26Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, Shebnah, and Joah, said to Rabshakeh, “Speak now to your servants in Aramaic, because we understand it; and do not speak with us in Judean so that the people who are on the wall hear you.” 27But Rabshakeh said to them, “Has my master sent me only to your master and to you to speak these words? Has he not also sent me to the men who sit on the wall, doomed to eat their own dung and drink their own urine with you?”

28Then Rabshakeh stood up and shouted with a loud voice in Judean, saying, “Hear the word of the great king, the king of Assyria! 29This is what the king says: ‘Do not let Hezekiah deceive you, for he will not be able to save you from my hand. 30And do not let Hezekiah lead you to trust in the LORD by saying, “The LORD will certainly save us, and this city will not be handed over to the king of Assyria.” 31Do not listen to Hezekiah, for this is what the king of Assyria says: “Make your peace with me and come out to me, and eat, each one, from his vine and each from his fig tree, and drink, each one, the waters of his own cistern, 32until I come and take you to a land like your own land, a land of grain and new wine, a land of bread and vineyards, a land of olive trees producing oil, and of honey, so that you will live and not die.” But do not listen to Hezekiah, because he misleads you by saying, “The LORD will save us.” 33Has any of the gods of the nations actually saved his land from the hand of the king of Assyria? 34Where are the gods of Hamath and Arpad? Where are the gods of Sepharvaim, Hena, and Ivvah? Have they saved Samaria from my hand? 35Who among all the gods of the lands are there who have saved their land from my hand, that the LORD would save Jerusalem from my hand?’”

36But the people were silent and did not answer him with even a word, because it was the king’s command: “Do not answer him.” 37Then Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, who was in charge of the household, and Shebna the scribe and Joah the son of Asaph, the secretary, came to Hezekiah with their clothes torn, and they reported to him the words of Rabshakeh.

As I reflect on 2 Kings 18 and 19, I see a message for all of us. It is good for us to walk in the ways of the LORD and reject all others. It is good for us in building relationship with our God and also in inviting His blessing upon us according to His covenant with His people. Even so, we will encounter major challenges and setbacks at times. Yeshua Himself says in Matthew 7:25 that storms will come against us. It is imperative for us to build our foundation on solid relationship and submission to our Father.

24“Therefore, everyone who hears these words of Mine, and [t]acts on them, will be like a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25And the rain fell and the [u]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and yet it did not fall, for it had been founded on the rock. 26And everyone who hears these words of Mine, and does not [v]act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27And the rain fell and the [w]floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and its collapse was great.”

When the storms came for Hezekiah, it appears he got focused on how to solve the problem in his own power, likely hoping the LORD would deliver victory. When we see he had success is when he came desperately before the LORD, recognizing his own inability to address the situation and asking the LORD to fight for him.

I suppose it is also fair to note that the king of Assyria did himself no favors by blaspheming Yahweh. We should make personal note of that also.

In both cases, remember that no matter how powerful or weak we may be in our own strength, it is ultimately the LORD who brings victory.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me (and all your people) to be humble and submitted to you in all our ways. Show us error and lead us in courage and wisdom to turn from it. Help us build our foundation on the solid rock of your word. Help us to seek and rely on you when we face trials and challenges and defeat. Let us not rely on our own power. Thank you LORD for your hand of blessing for those who submit and obey and walk in your ways. You are King of Kings and Lord of Lords. You alone are God. There are none like you!

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Am I on the path?, Blessed, Courage / Fear, Curse, Discipline / Guidance From God, Doubt / Lacking Faith, Faith / Trusting God, Idols / False Gods, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Obeying God, Protector / Deliverer, Purposeful / Intentional, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Submitted / Servant, Wickedness / Evil

Will We Follow Man’s Ways? or God’s?

We have been reading through 2 Kings about a line of kings who did evil in the LORD’s sight and led the people in false worship. Finally, we get to one who is righteous. Hezekiah becomes king of Judah. As we read through chapter 18-19  we will see that not everything goes his way. He faces significant adversity. However, when he turns to the LORD, He is victorious. As we begin in 2 Kings 18, we can see that the righteousness of Hezekiah is something special compared to all the other kings. We can also directly contrast his success to the failure of Israel, his neighbor, and the Bible clearly specifies that the reason is their refusal to obey God’s covenant with them.

2 Kings 18:1-12

Hezekiah Reigns over Judah

      1Now it came about in the third year of Hoshea, the son of Elah king of Israel, that Hezekiah the son of Ahaz king of Judah became king. 2He was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned twenty-nine years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Abi the daughter of Zechariah. 3He did right in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his father David had done. 4He removed the high places and broke down the sacred pillars and cut down the Asherah. He also broke in pieces the bronze serpent that Moses had made, for until those days the sons of Israel burned incense to it; and it was called Nehushtan. 5He trusted in the LORD, the God of Israel; so that after him there was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor among those who were before him. 6For he clung to the LORD; he did not depart from following Him, but kept His commandments, which the LORD had commanded Moses.

Hezekiah Victorious

      7And the LORD was with him; wherever he went he prospered. And he rebelled against the king of Assyria and did not serve him. 8He defeated the Philistines as far as Gaza and its territory, from watchtower to fortified city.

      9Now in the fourth year of King Hezekiah, which was the seventh year of Hoshea son of Elah king of Israel, Shalmaneser king of Assyria came up against Samaria and besieged it. 10At the end of three years they captured it; in the sixth year of Hezekiah, which was the ninth year of Hoshea king of Israel, Samaria was captured. 11Then the king of Assyria carried Israel away into exile to Assyria, and put them in Halah and on the Habor, the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes, 12because they did not obey the voice of the LORD their God, but transgressed His covenant, even all that Moses the servant of the LORD commanded; they would neither listen nor do it.

I would hope that God would think of me as He describes Hezekiah. I aspire to that, but I know I fall short. We should all aspire to that.  He took on great cultural and emotional change and led the people through it. I am sure it was not easy. So many before him failed to do it. I can look in my personal life and see how transitioning from certain sentimental family traditions or cultural norms to focus more and more on following the LORD have been very difficult, even within my own family. We should not make light of his accomplishments and dedication to the LORD based on the assumption it was easy because he was king. I doubt it was easy. People do not easily give up their traditions and false beliefs of generations.

As a result of his righteousness, he was very blessed as was Judah. By contrast, Israel continued to suffer defeat due to their disobedience to God’s covenant.

Do not think of this as some far off historical event that is interesting but not practical. Recognize how this applies in each of our lives today and forever. The principle is seeking to know the LORD and then leave behind whatever separates us from walking in His ways and His commands, no matter how difficult. We must be courageous and put Him first above all. We must be willing to face and overcome conflict and resistance in many different forms.  We must place our faith entirely in our Father’s hands and obey.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to seek you passionately and diligently… to know, love and serve you fully.  Help me to lay down the bad things that are not your ways and help me to have courage and wisdom in conflict. Lead me in your ways and bless me. Please help all those who are called by your name to do likewise so that we would be a body of Christ that truly shines as a light to the world to draw others to you. Let not the traditions of family or men keep us from walking completely in your ways. Raise up righteous leaders and teachers to lead the people. Bring forth workers for the harvest. Amen.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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There Are Rewards for Those That Follow Yeshua

There are rewards for those that follow Yeshua. We can be encouraged to know this, especially as we sometimes have to walk away from other things we value today. As a caution, I might also emphasize that should not be our primary motive for following Him. If it is, then we are following selfish motives and not really given our heart to Him.

Matthew 19:27-30

The Disciples’ Reward

      27Then Peter said to Him, “Behold, we have left everything and followed You; what then will there be for us?” 28And Jesus said to them, “Truly I say to you, that you who have followed Me, in the regeneration when the Son of Man will sit on His glorious throne, you also shall sit upon twelve thrones, judging the twelve tribes of Israel. 29“And everyone who has left houses or brothers or sisters or father or mother or children or farms for My name’s sake, will receive many times as much, and will inherit eternal life. 30“But many who are first will be last; and the last, first.

Scripture says we will receive many times as much as we had to leave behind to follow Him and inherit eternal life. What an encouraging reminder for those who face persecution or are having strife in their family because they choose to follow Christ and walk in His statutes and commandments.

As a side note, we also see that we should pay close attention to context to understand which promises apply to all believers and which apply to His closest disciples when He was in His earthly ministry. Notice not everyone is promised to sit on thrones of judgment. There are only twelve referenced here. Verse 29 is more broad, and emphasizes “everyone…”.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, thank you for encouraging me with knowledge that I will gain more than I lose by following you. It should be obvious to me, but often I can be so focused on my wants and desires and needs today, in the short term, that I can lose focus on eternity. I ask you to help me and all those who are called by your name to be encouraged by your word and promise of reward, but let us follow you out of love and not for personal gain. Please help me to live my life putting you first, above all other things and people. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

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Starting on a Personal Journey to Walk with Yahweh

The historical record of Naaman in the Bible is quite extraordinary. I have recently covered in a previous article, but as I was sharing the story with another, I realized another significant perspective I had overlooked. This can often be the case as scripture is often so packed with meaning (and sometimes just action in general), that we can read right over certain more subtle parts. To read the prior post on Naaman, use the following link: Do Things God’s Way, Not Our Way.

2 Kings 5:1-19

Naaman Is Healed

      1Now Naaman, captain of the army of the king of Aram, was a great man with his master, and highly respected, because by him the LORD had given victory to Aram. The man was also a valiant warrior, but he was a leper. 2Now the Arameans had gone out in bands and had taken captive a little girl from the land of Israel; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. 3She said to her mistress, “I wish that my master were with the prophet who is in Samaria! Then he would cure him of his leprosy.” 4Naaman went in and told his master, saying, “Thus and thus spoke the girl who is from the land of Israel.” 5Then the king of Aram said, “Go now, and I will send a letter to the king of Israel.” He departed and took with him ten talents of silver and six thousand shekels of gold and ten changes of clothes.

      6He brought the letter to the king of Israel, saying, “And now as this letter comes to you, behold, I have sent Naaman my servant to you, that you may cure him of his leprosy.” 7When the king of Israel read the letter, he tore his clothes and said, “Am I God, to kill and to make alive, that this man is sending word to me to cure a man of his leprosy? But consider now, and see how he is seeking a quarrel against me.”

      8It happened when Elisha the man of God heard that the king of Israel had torn his clothes, that he sent word to the king, saying, “Why have you torn your clothes? Now let him come to me, and he shall know that there is a prophet in Israel.” 9So Naaman came with his horses and his chariots and stood at the doorway of the house of Elisha. 10Elisha sent a messenger to him, saying, “Go and wash in the Jordan seven times, and your flesh will be restored to you and you will be clean.” 11But Naaman was furious and went away and said, “Behold, I thought, ‘He will surely come out to me and stand and call on the name of the LORD his God, and wave his hand over the place and cure the leper.’ 12“Are not Abanah and Pharpar, the rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? Could I not wash in them and be clean?” So he turned and went away in a rage. 13Then his servants came near and spoke to him and said, “My father, had the prophet told you to do some great thing, would you not have done it? How much more then, when he says to you, ‘Wash, and be clean’?” 14So he went down and dipped himself seven times in the Jordan, according to the word of the man of God; and his flesh was restored like the flesh of a little child and he was clean.

      15When he returned to the man of God with all his company, and came and stood before him, he said, “Behold now, I know that there is no God in all the earth, but in Israel; so please take a present from your servant now.” 16But he said, “As the LORD lives, before whom I stand, I will take nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused. 17Naaman said, “If not, please let your servant at least be given two mules’ load of earth; for your servant will no longer offer burnt offering nor will he sacrifice to other gods, but to the LORD. 18“In this matter may the LORD pardon your servant: when my master goes into the house of Rimmon to worship there, and he leans on my hand and I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, when I bow myself in the house of Rimmon, the LORD pardon your servant in this matter.” 19He said to him, “Go in peace.” So he departed from him some distance.

In this article I am going to focus on verses 17-19. Naaman humbles himself to call refer to himself as a servant to the prophet. He commits to no longer offer burnt offering or sacrifice to other gods. He commits himself to Yahweh. This is noble and good, an appropriate response.

Notice, however what follows. We now see the struggle of a new believer trying to start on his path to Yahweh without full understanding and surrounded by pagan cult of false religion ‘back home’. I am going to copy here and share from Barnes commentary for consideration.

Two mules’ burden of earth – This earth, Naaman thought, spread over a portion of Syrian ground, would hallow and render it suitable for the worship of Yahweh.

Rimmon is known to us as a god only by this passage. The name is connected with a root “to be high.” Hadad-rimmon Zechariah 12:11, the name of a place near Megiddo, points to the identity of Rimmon with Hadad, who is known to have been the Sun, the chief object of worship to the Syrians.

When he leaneth on mine hand – The practice of a monarch’s “leaning on the hand” of an attendant was not common in the East (compare the marginal reference). It probably implied age or infirmity.

Naaman was not prepared to offend his master, either by refusing to enter with him into the temple of Rimmon, or by remaining erect when the king bowed down and worshipped the god. His conscience seems to have told him that such conduct was not right; but he trusted that it might be pardoned, and he appealed to the prophet in the hope of obtaining from him an assurance to this effect.

There was a lot Naaman did not understand yet about Yahweh. The soil seems right to a new believer coming from history of false religion, but to a mature believer we would recognize that the soil does not make something holy. Yahweh makes it holy and our relationship with Him, setting ourselves apart for His service. None the less, we see Naaman means well to seek after Yahweh. He is already evaluating plans for when he returns home to do so.

Naaman also thinks ahead and realizes there are other conflicts with his return home and his desire to worship Yahweh. He will encounter his master and his master relies on him and still worships Rimmon. Naaman does not yet come to the right answer that a mature believer should. He should completely step away from bowing before idols or participating in this kind of service to a false god. However, He is still very much reacting to a dramatic life change and has not had time to adapt and change his life. Making these dramatic changes is hard. He is on the road and has the desire. He seeks a pardon, but he does not receive one from the prophet. It is interesting to note, that the prophet also does not rebuke him. He gives a neutral answer.

Some may take “go in peace” to be an affirmation that Elisha condones Naaman remaining in false worship.  I take it to be a neutral answer. I do not know if Naaman went on to worship Yahweh and be pleasing to Yahweh or if he fell back into pagan practices. He had going for him enthusiasm and intent to change. He had working against him being surrounded by pagan beliefs even in his master’s home in which he served and that he may not have access to reliable teaching on how to worship and live for Yahweh. I tend to think he may have ultimately come to recognize that he would need to be set apart from false worship and perhaps even later plotted a path out of that lifestyle. Maybe I am just an optimist, but the LORD healed him and I think it was not just so he could turn back to his old ways once he got home.  Even the way the LORD healed him leans into the symbolism of baptism and new birth by dipping in the river.

For each of us, let us remember in our lives that as we identify changes to make to more closely follow Yahweh (such as celebrating the appointed times in Leviticus 23 or turning away from false teaching in the church), we will often face the same challenge Naaman did. We will be surrounded by the people who think our change is wrong and we should remain where we were. It is hard when those people are in our own family or household or perhaps bosses at work. We may want to try to plan a way out of those influences or at least some situations in which those become particularly tough. For example, maybe Naaman could find a way to still help his master but not go in to worship Rimmon. I am not sure if Naaman could simply leave his master’s service.

I believe there are certain situation where the best approach is to remove ourselves from the bad influence as much as possible. However, there are situations where this may not be practical. In these situations, I like the example of Daniel, Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego. They held true to Yahweh even in the midst of strong pressure to do the wrong things.

There is a lot there in a few verses at the end of this scripture in 2 Kings 5. It is easy to overlook, but powerful to prayerfully reflect on how it still applies in our lives today.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

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