Category Archives: Faith / Trusting God

Faith / Trusting God, Guide, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional

Wait for God Instead of Rushing Ahead (Exodus 24:12–18)

Leave a comment

When God does not move as quickly as you want, will you continue to wait for Him—or start moving without Him?

Key Verse

“Then Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain for forty days and forty nights.” — Exodus 24:18 (NASB)

Background Context

Israel has formally entered into covenant with YHWH. Moses has read the Book of the Covenant to the people, they have committed themselves to obedience, and the covenant has been confirmed with blood.

Now YHWH calls Moses farther up Mount Sinai to receive the stone tablets containing His commandments and instruction.

Moses leaves Aaron and Hur with the elders and ascends with Joshua. The glory of YHWH settles upon Mount Sinai, the cloud covers it, and Moses waits six days before God calls to him on the seventh.

What follows prepares the way for God’s detailed instructions concerning the tabernacle, priesthood, and worship in the chapters ahead.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 24:12-18

  12Now the LORD said to Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and remain there, and I will give you the stone tablets with the law and the commandment which I have written for their instruction.” 13So Moses arose with Joshua his servant, and Moses went up to the mountain of God. 14But to the elders he said, “Wait here for us until we return to you. And behold, Aaron and Hur are with you; whoever has a legal matter, let him approach them.” 15Then Moses went up to the mountain, and the cloud covered the mountain. 16The glory of the LORD rested on Mount Sinai, and the cloud covered it for six days; and on the seventh day He called to Moses from the midst of the cloud. 17And to the eyes of the sons of Israel the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top. 18Moses entered the midst of the cloud as he went up to the mountain; and Moses was on the mountain forty days and forty nights.

Reflection on Exodus 24:12–18:

God tells Moses, “Come up to Me on the mountain and stay there.” Those final words are easy to overlook. Moses knew God had called him, and he knew where he was supposed to go, but knowing God’s direction did not mean everything happened immediately. Moses obeyed, ascended the mountain, and then the cloud covered it for six days. Only on the seventh day did YHWH call to him from the midst of the cloud.

That kind of waiting can be difficult for us. We are often more comfortable when obedience produces immediate movement or visible results. We want the answer, the opportunity, the resolution, or at least the next instruction. When nothing seems to happen, we can begin wondering whether we should do something ourselves to move things along. Yet Moses did not need to manufacture the next step. God had told him to come and stay, so remaining where God had placed him was itself an act of obedience.

There is also an important contrast developing in the story. Moses will remain on the mountain for forty days and forty nights, while Israel below eventually becomes impatient. Their unwillingness to wait contributes to the disastrous decision to make the golden calf in Exodus 32. Moses waited for YHWH to reveal the next step, while Israel decided that Moses—and perhaps God—was taking too long and created its own solution. Impatience can tempt us to do something similar. We may know what God has said, but when His way seems too slow, we begin looking for another path.

This does not mean that every delay in life is specifically God telling us to do nothing, nor should we use “waiting on God” as an excuse to avoid responsibilities He has already made clear. Moses could wait because he had obeyed the instruction he had received. Biblical waiting is not inactivity when God has told us to act; it is faithfulness to what He has already said while trusting Him for what He has not yet revealed.

From Israel’s perspective below, the mountain was covered by a cloud. Yet within that cloud, YHWH was preparing to give Moses detailed instructions that would shape Israel’s worship and reveal how a holy God would dwell among His people. They could not see what God was doing, but that did not mean nothing was happening. The same can be true in our lives. We should be careful not to interpret a lack of visible progress as evidence that God is absent or inactive.

The appearance of YHWH’s glory also reminds us whom Moses was waiting upon. To Israel, “the appearance of the glory of the LORD was like a consuming fire on the mountain top.” Moses was not casually waiting for advice from a distant God. He had been invited into the presence of the holy YHWH. As Exodus moves toward the tabernacle, this combination will become increasingly important: God is holy and must be approached as He directs, yet this same holy God desires to dwell among His people and provides the way for them to draw near.

There will be times when God clearly calls us to act, and we should act. But there will also be times when we have faithfully done what He has shown us and simply do not know the next step. In those moments, we do not need to create our own path merely because waiting has become uncomfortable. If God has not yet shown us the next step, faithfulness means continuing to obey what He has already shown us while trusting Him with what comes next.

Application

  • Continue faithfully doing what God has already made clear while you wait for direction about what comes next.
  • Resist the temptation to create your own solution simply because God’s timing seems slower than you would prefer.
  • Do not assume that a lack of visible progress means God is absent or inactive.
  • Ask whether you are truly waiting on God or avoiding something He has already told you to do.

Closing Prayer

Father, help me trust You when Your timing is different from mine. When I have obeyed what You have shown me but cannot yet see the next step, give me patience to remain faithful rather than rushing ahead. Guard me from creating my own solutions simply because waiting has become uncomfortable. At the same time, keep me from using waiting as an excuse when You have already made clear what I should do. Help me trust that You are at work even when I cannot yet see what You are doing, and give me wisdom to move when You call me forward. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

Faith / Trusting God, Purposeful / Intentional, Sabbath / Rest, Submitted / Servant, Thankfulness

Build Your Life Around God, Not God Around Your Life (Exodus 23:10–19)

Leave a comment

Does your schedule reflect that God is central to your life, or do you try to fit Him into whatever time remains?

Key Verse

“Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me.” — Exodus 23:14 (NASB)

Background Context

YHWH has been teaching Israel how His people should live. Exodus 23:1–9 focused on truth and justice. Now the instructions turn toward the rhythms of Israel’s life.

God establishes a seventh-year rest for the land, reinforces the seventh-day Sabbath, and identifies three annual pilgrimage festivals: the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the Feast of Harvest, and the Feast of Ingathering.

These weren’t merely breaks from work. God was teaching Israel to organize its work, rest, worship, and calendar around Him.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 23:10–19

The Sabbath and Land

      10“You shall sow your land for six years and gather in its yield, 11but on the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, so that the needy of your people may eat; and whatever they leave the beast of the field may eat. You are to do the same with your vineyard and your olive grove.

      12“Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor so that your ox and your donkey may rest, and the son of your female slave, as well as your stranger, may refresh themselves. 13“Now concerning everything which I have said to you, be on your guard; and do not mention the name of other gods, nor let them be heard from your mouth.

Three National Feasts

      14“Three times a year you shall celebrate a feast to Me. 15“You shall observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; for seven days you are to eat unleavened bread, as I commanded you, at the appointed time in the month Abib, for in it you came out of Egypt. And none shall appear before Me empty-handed. 16“Also you shall observe the Feast of the Harvest of the first fruits of your labors from what you sow in the field; also the Feast of the Ingathering at the end of the year when you gather in the fruit of your labors from the field. 17“Three times a year all your males shall appear before the Lord GOD.

      18“You shall not offer the blood of My sacrifice with leavened bread; nor is the fat of My feast to remain overnight until morning.

      19“You shall bring the choice first fruits of your soil into the house of the LORD your God.
“You are not to boil a young goat in the milk of its mother.

Reflection on Exodus 23:10-19

The passage begins with the land itself. Israel could sow and harvest for six years, but during the seventh year the land was to rest. What grew naturally was available particularly for the needy and even the animals.

Following that command required trust.

Leaving productive land uncultivated could easily feel wasteful. Israel had to believe that obedience to YHWH was more important than squeezing every possible bit of production from what He had given them.

Then God returns to the weekly Sabbath:

“Six days you are to do your work, but on the seventh day you shall cease from labor.”

The Sabbath had already been established clearly in Exodus 20 as the seventh day, rooted in God’s own pattern at creation. Here God highlights another benefit: rest was not only for the landowner. The ox and donkey rested, and servants and foreigners were refreshed.

God’s rhythm of life restrained the endless demand for more work and more production.

Then YHWH turns to Israel’s annual calendar. Three times each year the men of Israel were to appear before Him at His appointed festivals.

The Feast of Unleavened Bread reminded them of their deliverance from Egypt. The Feast of Harvest acknowledged God as the source of the firstfruits of their labor. The Feast of Ingathering celebrated His provision at the completion of the agricultural year.

Notice what God was doing.

Week after week, year after year, He was building reminders of Himself into the lives of His people.

Israel could not simply say, We believe in YHWH, while structuring life exactly like the nations around them. Their calendar itself testified that they belonged to Him.

That challenges us because our lives can easily become organized around everything except God. Work has its place. School has its place. Vacations, appointments, sports, entertainment, projects, and countless responsibilities all claim space on our calendars. Then we sometimes try to fit God into whatever remains.

God’s pattern points in the opposite direction.

We should build our lives around Him rather than trying to build Him into our lives.

That does not mean every moment is spent in a religious activity. Israel still worked six days. They planted fields, raised families, conducted business, and lived ordinary lives. But God established rhythms that repeatedly interrupted ordinary life and redirected their attention toward Him.

Those interruptions also reminded Israel that their prosperity ultimately came from YHWH. They could work diligently, but crops still depended upon God’s provision. They could harvest faithfully, but the firstfruits belonged to Him.

The same is true for us. We should work diligently and steward what God gives us well, but we should never become so consumed with the gifts that we forget the Giver.

A life centered on God doesn’t merely give Him leftover time. It allows Him to shape the rhythm of everything else.

Application

  • Examine your schedule and priorities honestly: does God receive deliberate priority, or mostly whatever time remains?
  • Honor God’s pattern of work and rest rather than allowing productivity to become your master.
  • Build regular reminders of God’s faithfulness into your life so that His past provision is not forgotten.
  • Receive your work, possessions, and provision gratefully while remembering that everything ultimately comes from YHWH.

Closing Prayer

Father, help me build my life around You rather than trying to fit You around everything else. Teach me to work faithfully, rest according to Your wisdom, and regularly remember all You have done for me. Guard me from becoming so consumed with responsibilities, productivity, or possessions that I forget the One who provides them. May the way I use my time demonstrate that You are not merely part of my life, but the One around whom my life is centered. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

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, Revelation, Satan, Spiritual Warfare

Faithful Until the Kingdom Comes (Revelation 20:1–6)

When faithfulness to Yeshua costs you something today, do you remember the kingdom that is still to come?

Key Verse:

“Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.” — Revelation 20:6 (NASB)

Background Context:

Revelation 19 ended with Yeshua returning as King of Kings and Lord of Lords and defeating the beast and false prophet. Revelation 20 continues the story. Satan is bound and prevented from deceiving the nations for a thousand years, while those who remained faithful to Yeshua are raised and reign with Him.

There are differing interpretations among believers concerning the precise timing and nature of the thousand years. Rather than allowing those debates to overshadow the passage, we should make sure we see what John clearly emphasizes: Satan’s authority is limited, Yeshua reigns, and faithfulness to Him is never wasted.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Revelation 20:1-6

Satan Bound

      1Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time.

      4Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years.

Reflection on Revelation 20:1–6:

John sees an angel descend from heaven, seize the dragon—explicitly identified as “the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan”—and bind him for a thousand years. The enemy who has appeared so powerful throughout Revelation is completely subject to God’s authority. He cannot extend his activity one moment beyond what God permits.

This reinforces something we have seen repeatedly throughout Revelation. Satan is dangerous, deceptive, and actively opposed to God’s people, but he is never God’s equal. His power is limited, his time is limited, and his ultimate defeat is certain. God’s people should take spiritual opposition seriously without living as though the enemy determines the outcome.

John then sees thrones and those given authority to judge. He particularly draws attention to people who had suffered because of “the testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God.” They refused to worship the beast or receive his mark even when faithfulness cost them their lives. From the world’s perspective, they appeared defeated. Revelation now shows us God’s perspective: “they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years.”

What a reversal. Those who refused the beast’s temporary power are given a place in Messiah’s kingdom. Those who appeared to lose everything because they remained faithful ultimately reign with Yeshua.

This is why Revelation repeatedly calls believers to perseverance. Faithfulness is not always immediately rewarded in this present world. Obedience may cost us opportunities, relationships, comfort, influence, or even our lives. If we evaluate our choices only according to what happens today, compromise can sometimes appear more profitable. Revelation tells us to evaluate our lives according to eternity.

John calls those participating in the first resurrection “blessed and holy.” The second death has no authority over them. Physical death may have appeared to give their enemies victory, but death itself could not separate them from the kingdom God had prepared for them.

There is also a beautiful description of their future purpose: “they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him.” God’s plan for His people is not merely rescue from judgment. He calls us into relationship and service with Him. The faithful who were rejected by the world’s kingdom are welcomed into Messiah’s kingdom.

Revelation 20 therefore encourages us to look beyond the immediate cost of obedience. Satan’s influence will not continue forever. The kingdoms opposed to God will not continue forever. Even death will not have the final word.

Yeshua reigns, and those who belong to Him have a future worth remaining faithful for.

Application:

  • Remember that Satan is a real enemy, but his authority is limited by God.
  • Do not measure whether obedience is worthwhile solely by its immediate earthly consequences.
  • When faithfulness costs you something, remember those who refused the beast even when the cost was far greater.
  • Keep your hope centered on Yeshua’s kingdom rather than the temporary rewards offered by this world.
  • Let the promise of resurrection strengthen you to remain faithful today.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You that Satan’s power is limited and that Your kingdom will ultimately prevail. Help me not to measure faithfulness by temporary circumstances or worldly rewards. Give me courage to obey You even when doing so is costly. Thank You for the hope of resurrection and for the promise that death does not have the final word over those who belong to Yeshua. Keep my eyes fixed on Your kingdom and help me remain faithful until the end. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

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, Justice / Judgment, Wise

Your Life Is in God’s Hands (Ecclesiastes (9:1-6)

When you cannot understand why God allows certain things to happen, can you still trust that your life is in His hands?

Key Verse:

“For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God.” — Ecclesiastes 9:1 (NASB)

Background Context:

Solomon has repeatedly wrestled with the apparent unfairness and unpredictability of life. He has seen righteous people suffer while wicked people prosper, and he has acknowledged that even great wisdom cannot explain everything God is doing.

As chapter 9 begins, Solomon anchors us in an important truth: the righteous and the wise are in the hand of God. Yet he also confronts the sobering reality that physical death eventually comes to everyone. That truth should not lead us toward despair, but toward faithfully using the life and opportunities God has given us today.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Ecclesiastes 9:1-6

Men Are in the Hand of God

      1For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether it will be love or hatred; anything awaits him.

      2It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear. 3This is an evil in all that is done under the sun, that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they go to the dead. 4For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion. 5For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. 6Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done under the sun.

Reflection on Ecclesiastes 9:1–6:

Solomon begins with reassurance in the middle of life’s uncertainty: “righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God.” We may not understand everything happening around us, but God’s people are not abandoned. Our inability to understand His purposes does not mean He has lost control.

Yet life “under the sun” does not always unfold as we expect. The righteous suffer and the wicked suffer. Good people experience tragedy, while those who reject God sometimes prosper. We cannot reliably determine someone’s standing with God simply by looking at their circumstances. Prosperity is not automatic evidence of righteousness, nor is suffering automatic evidence of sin.

Solomon then says that “there is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked.” In context, he is speaking about physical death. Everyone eventually dies regardless of wealth, wisdom, righteousness, or social position. He is not teaching that the righteous and wicked have the same eternal destination. Scripture elsewhere clearly speaks of resurrection and judgment (Daniel 12:2; John 5:28–29). Solomon is describing what we observe during this earthly life.

That reality gives urgency to the present. Solomon uses the memorable comparison that “a live dog is better than a dead lion.” However unimpressive our circumstances may seem, while God gives us life there remains opportunity to repent, obey, serve, reconcile, encourage others, and pursue Him. We should not continually postpone what God has given us opportunity to do today.

When Solomon says that the dead “know nothing” and no longer have a share in what happens “under the sun,” he continues speaking from this earthly perspective. Their participation in this present world has ended. The opportunities available during earthly life are no longer available to them.

For followers of Yeshua, we can face that reality with hope. Yeshua declared, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies” (John 11:25). Physical death is real, but it does not have the final word.

Ecclesiastes therefore gives us two truths to hold together: our earthly lives are temporary, and our lives remain in God’s hands. We cannot control how many days we will receive or everything that happens during them, but we can choose to use the days God gives us faithfully.

Application:

  • Trust that your life remains in God’s hands even when you do not understand your circumstances.
  • Do not judge someone’s relationship with God merely by whether that person is prospering or suffering.
  • Treat today as an opportunity God has given you rather than continually postponing what matters.
  • Consider whether there is an act of obedience, reconciliation, service, or encouragement you should stop putting off.
  • Face the reality of death with the hope of resurrection through Yeshua.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You that my life remains in Your hands even when I do not understand what You are doing. Help me not to measure Your faithfulness by my circumstances. Teach me to recognize that my days are limited and precious and to use the opportunities You give me faithfully. Show me where I have been postponing something You would have me do. Thank You that through Yeshua, death does not have the final word. Help me live today with purpose, faithfulness, and hope. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

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, Purposeful / Intentional, Revelation

Two Kingdoms, Two Destinations (Revelation 17-19)

When the kingdoms of this world appear powerful and following Yeshua becomes costly, which kingdom will receive your allegiance?

Key Verse:

“These will wage war against the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, because He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful.” — Revelation 17:14 (NASB)

Background Context:

Revelation 17–19 gives us a broad view of two very different kingdoms and the people aligned with them. Babylon appears wealthy, influential, and attractive. Kings cooperate with her, merchants prosper through her, and nations are deceived by her. Behind this worldly system stand the beast and ultimately the dragon, opposing God and persecuting those who remain faithful to Him.

Yet these chapters also show us where everything is headed. Babylon falls. Heaven rejoices. The bride prepares herself for the Lamb. Then heaven opens and Yeshua returns as Faithful and True, the Word of God, King of Kings and Lord of Lords.

Taken together, these chapters challenge us to look beyond what appears powerful today and consider where our allegiance truly belongs.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Revelation 17-19

Reflection on Revelation 17–19:

One of the great contrasts throughout these chapters is between what the world sees and what God sees. Babylon appears magnificent. She is clothed in purple and scarlet and adorned with gold, precious stones, and pearls. Kings seek her influence, merchants grow wealthy through her luxury, and nations participate in her corruption. From an earthly perspective, Babylon looks successful.

God sees something entirely different. He sees immorality, deception, pride, exploitation, persecution, and rebellion. The very system that appears glorious to the world is destined for judgment. Revelation therefore warns us against assuming that popularity, wealth, influence, or success are evidence of God’s approval. Something can be highly valued by the world while being deeply offensive to Him.

This is why God’s command in Revelation 18 is so important: “Come out of her, My people.” God calls His people to live differently even while surrounded by a culture that rejects His ways. The danger is not merely open rebellion against God. Babylon also tempts through compromise. Wealth, acceptance, pleasure, influence, and security can make participation in the world’s ways seem reasonable or even desirable. Faithfulness requires us to evaluate our choices according to God’s Word rather than according to what society celebrates or rewards.

Revelation repeatedly describes the people who resist this pressure. Earlier we saw the dragon make war against those who keep the commandments of God and hold to the testimony of Yeshua (Revelation 12:17). Revelation 14 again describes the perseverance of the saints as those who keep God’s commandments and their faith in Yeshua. Revelation 15 pictures the victorious singing the song of Moses and the Lamb. Revelation 17 calls those with the Lamb “called and chosen and faithful.” These descriptions form a consistent picture of God’s people: faith in Yeshua and faithfulness to God’s ways belong together.

That faithfulness is contrasted vividly through the two women appearing in these chapters. Babylon dresses herself to display worldly glory, wealth, and power. The bride of the Lamb is clothed in “fine linen, bright and clean,” which Scripture identifies as “the righteous acts of the saints” (Revelation 19:8). Babylon seeks what the world values; the bride prepares herself for the One she loves. One represents unfaithfulness and rebellion. The other represents a people who have remained faithful to the Lamb.

Importantly, the bride does not earn her salvation through righteous deeds. Revelation says that the fine linen “was given to her.” Salvation and victory belong to God and to the Lamb. Yet the same verse identifies that clothing with the righteous acts of the saints. Once again Scripture refuses to separate grace from faithful living. We are not saved because we obey, but those redeemed by God are called to live like people who belong to Him. Obedience is the fruit of our relationship with God, not the root that earns it.

These chapters also reveal two dramatically different reactions to Babylon’s fall. The world mourns because its wealth, luxury, and opportunities disappear. Heaven rejoices because God’s judgments are “true and righteous.” This contrast exposes where each group’s treasure lies. Those invested in Babylon grieve when Babylon falls. Those invested in God’s kingdom rejoice when righteousness triumphs.

That raises a searching question for us: What would we mourn if God removed it? Our answer can reveal where we have invested our hearts. Wealth, comfort, political influence, reputation, career, entertainment, or acceptance can quietly become more important than faithfulness to God. Revelation calls us to hold temporary things loosely and God’s kingdom firmly.

Then Revelation 19 brings everything into perspective. Heaven opens and Yeshua appears riding a white horse. He is called Faithful and True and the Word of God. On His robe and thigh is written “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” The beast that seemed so powerful is captured. The false prophet who deceived the nations is captured with him. Their defeat is remarkably swift.

That is an important reminder. Revelation spends considerable time describing evil, but evil is never presented as God’s equal. The dragon, beast, false prophet, Babylon, and rebellious nations may exercise tremendous influence for a season, but none threatens YHWH’s sovereignty. Their power is temporary and limited. When the King returns, there is no question about who ultimately reigns.

This perspective changes how we live in the middle of the story. Faithfulness may sometimes appear costly while compromise appears rewarding. Those who refuse Babylon may lose opportunities that others eagerly embrace. Those who keep God’s commandments and hold to the testimony of Yeshua may even face persecution. If we judge only by present circumstances, compromise can appear sensible.

But Revelation allows us to see the end before we arrive there.

Babylon falls. The bride prepares. The King returns. The Lamb overcomes.

That is why God’s people can remain faithful.

The central question of these chapters is not merely whether we can identify Babylon, understand every prophetic symbol, or determine exactly when these events will occur. Those questions may be worth studying, but Revelation presses something much more personal upon us:

Which kingdom has your allegiance?

Every earthly kingdom will eventually pass away. Every system built in rebellion against God will fall. But Yeshua’s kingdom will remain forever. Those who belong to Him are called to live accordingly—keeping God’s commandments, holding firmly to the testimony of Yeshua, resisting compromise, and remaining faithful until the King returns.

Application:

  • Evaluate success, prosperity, influence, and cultural acceptance according to God’s Word rather than the world’s standards.
  • Ask God to reveal areas where comfort or personal benefit may be tempting you toward compromise.
  • Remember that faith in Yeshua and faithful obedience to God are repeatedly presented together throughout Revelation.
  • Hold worldly possessions, status, and influence loosely, knowing that every earthly system will eventually pass away.
  • Remain faithful when obedience becomes costly, remembering that apparent victory for evil is temporary.
  • Live today as part of the bride preparing for the Bridegroom and as a citizen of the kingdom that will endure forever.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for showing us the end of the story so that we can remain faithful in the middle of it. Give me discernment to recognize the values and compromises of the world around me and courage to come out from anything that draws me away from You. Keep me from measuring success by wealth, influence, comfort, or acceptance. Help me to keep Your commandments, hold firmly to the testimony of Yeshua, and remain faithful when obedience comes at a cost. Thank You that evil will not prevail, Your judgments are true and righteous, and Yeshua will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Prepare me to meet the Bridegroom, and let my life demonstrate that my allegiance belongs to Your kingdom. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

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, Faith / Trusting God, Fear / Reverence for God, Protector / Deliverer, Purposeful / Intentional, Repenting from Sin, Strong in Our Weakness

The King Returns (Revelation 19:11–21)

When Yeshua returns, will He find you faithfully following Him—or aligned with a world that has rejected His authority?

Key Verse:

“And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, ‘KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.'” — Revelation 19:16 (NASB)

Background Context:

Revelation 19 has moved from heaven rejoicing over God’s righteous judgment, to the marriage supper of the Lamb, and now to one of the most dramatic scenes in the book: heaven opens and Yeshua returns as the victorious King.

This is a striking contrast to His first coming. Yeshua came first in humility, offering Himself as the Lamb who takes away sin. Here He appears as Faithful and True, coming to judge and wage war in righteousness. The beast and the false prophet, who seemed nearly unstoppable throughout earlier chapters, are confronted by the true King. Their apparent power is exposed as temporary when the One who possesses all authority returns.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Revelation 19:11–21

The Coming of Christ

      11And I saw heaven opened, and behold, a white horse, and He who sat on it is called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He judges and wages war. 12His eyes are a flame of fire, and on His head are many diadems; and He has a name written on Him which no one knows except Himself. 13He is clothed with a robe dipped in blood, and His name is called The Word of God. 14And the armies which are in heaven, clothed in fine linen, white and clean, were following Him on white horses. 15From His mouth comes a sharp sword, so that with it He may strike down the nations, and He will rule them with a rod of iron; and He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty. 16And on His robe and on His thigh He has a name written, “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.”

      17Then I saw an angel standing in the sun, and he cried out with a loud voice, saying to all the birds which fly in midheaven, “Come, assemble for the great supper of God, 18so that you may eat the flesh of kings and the flesh of commanders and the flesh of mighty men and the flesh of horses and of those who sit on them and the flesh of all men, both free men and slaves, and small and great.”

      19And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Him who sat on the horse and against His army.

Doom of the Beast and False Prophet

20And the beast was seized, and with him the false prophet who performed the signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who had received the mark of the beast and those who worshiped his image; these two were thrown alive into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. 21And the rest were killed with the sword which came from the mouth of Him who sat on the horse, and all the birds were filled with their flesh.

Reflection on Revelation 19:11–21:

John sees heaven opened and a white horse appear. The One sitting upon it is called “Faithful and True.” Those names tell us something essential about the judgment that follows. Yeshua does not judge impulsively, selfishly, or unjustly. Everything He does flows from His perfect character. He is faithful to His promises, true in His words, and completely righteous in His judgment.

John then describes His eyes as “a flame of fire” and many crowns upon His head. The beast had crowns, and the dragon had crowns, but their authority was temporary and permitted. Yeshua wears many diadems because His authority surpasses every earthly ruler and every spiritual power. Throughout Revelation, rebellious kingdoms have competed for dominion. When Yeshua appears, there is no genuine competition.

John also tells us that Yeshua bears a name “which no one knows except Himself,” and then identifies Him by another remarkable title: “The Word of God.” This immediately reminds us of John’s Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (John 1:1). The One through whom creation came into existence is the same One who now returns to establish righteous judgment over it.

Perhaps one of the most sobering images is His robe “dipped in blood.” The passage emphasizes that Yeshua’s return includes judgment. The Messiah who willingly shed His own blood to provide salvation is also the righteous King who will ultimately judge those who persistently reject God’s authority. Scripture does not ask us to choose between Yeshua as Savior and Yeshua as Judge. Both reveal who He is.

The armies of heaven follow Him, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. Yet the decisive weapon does not come from their hands. From Yeshua’s mouth comes a sharp sword with which He strikes the nations. The imagery emphasizes the authority of His word. The same Messiah who created through His word and taught God’s truth with authority will ultimately judge by that authority. His victory does not depend upon human strength.

Then John gives us the title that summarizes the entire scene: “KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” Throughout Revelation, rulers have exercised authority, Babylon has influenced nations, the beast has demanded allegiance, and the dragon has attempted to oppose God. Yet none of them possesses ultimate authority. Every king rules beneath the authority of the King. Every lord stands beneath the Lord.

The remainder of the passage deliberately contrasts with the marriage supper described just a few verses earlier. God’s people are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb, a celebration of fellowship and victory. The enemies gathered against God face what the angel calls “the great supper of God,” an image of devastating judgment. Revelation presents two radically different outcomes, emphasizing the seriousness of where our allegiance lies.

Finally, the beast and the false prophet are captured. These figures have dominated several chapters of Revelation. They deceived nations, persecuted God’s people, demanded worship, and appeared extraordinarily powerful. Yet when Yeshua arrives, their defeat is almost startlingly brief. There is no prolonged struggle between evenly matched opponents. They are seized and thrown into the lake of fire.

That is an important perspective for believers. Revelation has spent considerable time describing the power of evil, but we should never mistake detailed descriptions of evil for evidence that evil rivals God. Satan and those aligned with him are not equal opponents to YHWH. Their power is limited, their time is temporary, and their final defeat is certain.

This gives God’s people tremendous reason for perseverance. Throughout Revelation we have repeatedly encountered those who keep God’s commandments, hold to the testimony of Yeshua, refuse the beast’s demands, and remain faithful despite persecution. From the middle of the story, their faithfulness can appear costly and even foolish. Revelation 19 shows us the end of the story. They have chosen allegiance to the King who ultimately reigns over every kingdom.

The return of Yeshua should therefore produce more than curiosity about prophecy. It should produce faithful living today. We do not know every detail of how or when these events will unfold, but we know who wins. Our responsibility is to remain faithful to Him, obey God’s Word, proclaim the good news while there is still opportunity for repentance, and eagerly await the return of our King.

Yeshua came first as the Lamb who gave His life for sinners.

He will return as KING OF KINGS AND LORD OF LORDS.

The question Revelation places before us is simple but profound:

To which kingdom have we given our allegiance?

Application:

  • Place your allegiance to Yeshua above every earthly authority, institution, culture, or political power.
  • Remember that evil may appear powerful for a season, but it is never equal to God and will not ultimately prevail.
  • Let the certainty of Yeshua’s return motivate faithful obedience rather than merely speculation about prophecy.
  • Share the good news of salvation while there remains opportunity for people to repent and turn to God.
  • When following Yeshua becomes costly, remember that you are following the King whose kingdom will endure forever.
  • Examine whether your daily choices demonstrate that Yeshua truly is Lord of your life.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You that Yeshua is Faithful and True, the Word of God, and King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Help me never to become intimidated by the apparent strength of evil or distracted by the temporary kingdoms of this world. Give me courage to remain faithful, to keep Your commandments, and to hold firmly to the testimony of Yeshua. Give me compassion and urgency to share the good news while there is still opportunity for repentance. May my choices, priorities, and actions demonstrate that my allegiance belongs to Your kingdom. I look forward with hope to the return of Yeshua, our victorious King. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

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, Praise / Worship / Glorify God, Psalms

Come and Hear What God Has Done (Psalm 66)

When you look back over your life, can you recognize the ways God has been faithful—even through seasons you would never have chosen for yourself?

Key Verse:

“Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul.” — Psalm 66:16 (NASB)

Background Context:

Psalm 66 is a joyful call to praise God for His mighty works. The psalmist begins by inviting all the earth to worship, then looks backward to God’s historical deliverance of His people through the sea. From there, the focus becomes more personal as he reflects on seasons of testing, God’s faithful deliverance, and finally what the Lord has done in his own life.

There is a beautiful movement throughout the psalm. First we are invited to “come and see the works of God.” Later we are invited to “come and hear” what He has done personally. Remembering God’s faithfulness in Scripture gives us confidence during our own trials, and experiencing His faithfulness gives us a testimony worth sharing with others.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Psalm 66

Praise for God’s Mighty Deeds and for His Answer to Prayer.

For the choir director. A Song. A Psalm.

1Shout joyfully to God, all the earth;

      2Sing the glory of His name;
Make His praise glorious.

      3Say to God, “How awesome are Your works!
Because of the greatness of Your power Your enemies will give feigned obedience to You.

      4“All the earth will worship You,
And will sing praises to You;
They will sing praises to Your name.”

Selah.

      5Come and see the works of God,
Who is awesome in His deeds toward the sons of men.

      6He turned the sea into dry land;
They passed through the river on foot;
There let us rejoice in Him!

      7He rules by His might forever;
His eyes keep watch on the nations;
Let not the rebellious exalt themselves.

Selah.

      8Bless our God, O peoples,
And sound His praise abroad,

      9Who keeps us in life
And does not allow our feet to slip.

      10For You have tried us, O God;
You have refined us as silver is refined.

      11You brought us into the net;
You laid an oppressive burden upon our loins.

      12You made men ride over our heads;
We went through fire and through water,
Yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.

      13I shall come into Your house with burnt offerings;
I shall pay You my vows,

      14Which my lips uttered
And my mouth spoke when I was in distress.

      15I shall offer to You burnt offerings of fat beasts,
With the smoke of rams;
I shall make an offering of bulls with male goats.

Selah.

      16Come and hear, all who fear God,
And I will tell of what He has done for my soul.

      17I cried to Him with my mouth,
And He was extolled with my tongue.

      18If I regard wickedness in my heart,
The Lord will not hear;

      19But certainly God has heard;
He has given heed to the voice of my prayer.

      20Blessed be God,
Who has not turned away my prayer
Nor His lovingkindness from me.

Reflection on Psalm 66:

Psalm 66 begins with exuberant praise: “Shout joyfully to God, all the earth; sing the glory of His name.” The psalmist’s vision extends far beyond Israel. He calls the whole earth to recognize the greatness of God and bow before Him. Our God is not merely a local or personal deity. He is the sovereign Lord over all creation, and ultimately all the earth will acknowledge His greatness.

The psalmist then invites us to look backward: “Come and see the works of God.” He remembers how God turned the sea into dry land, clearly pointing back to His miraculous deliverance of His people. Remembering what God has already done is an important part of strengthening our faith. When present circumstances make us uncertain about what God is doing, Scripture reminds us of what He has done before. The God who delivered His people then remains the same God we trust today.

But remembering God’s faithfulness does not mean pretending that His people never experience hardship. The tone changes significantly in verse 10: “For You have tried us, O God; You have refined us as silver is refined.” The psalmist describes being brought into a net, carrying heavy burdens, and passing “through fire and through water.” These were not comfortable experiences, yet looking backward he could recognize that God had been at work even in the difficulty.

The image of refining silver is especially helpful. Refining involves intense heat, but the purpose of the heat is not destruction. It removes impurities and produces something purer. In the same way, God can use difficult seasons to expose what is in our hearts, deepen our dependence upon Him, strengthen our faith, and shape our character. We should be careful not to assume that every hardship is God’s direct punishment or that we will always understand why He permits a particular trial. But Scripture repeatedly teaches that God can work through suffering to refine His people.

Importantly, the fire is not where the psalmist’s story ends. He declares, “We went through fire and through water, yet You brought us out into a place of abundance.” God had not abandoned His people in their testing. He brought them through it. What may have felt overwhelming while they were experiencing it became another testimony to God’s faithfulness when they looked back.

The psalmist responds by worshiping God and fulfilling the commitments he made during his distress. Then the focus becomes deeply personal: “Come and hear, all who fear God, and I will tell of what He has done for my soul.” Earlier he said, Come and see what God has done. Now he says, Come and hear what God has done for me. God’s mighty works recorded in Scripture have become joined with the psalmist’s own experience of God’s faithfulness.

That is an important part of our witness as well. We should certainly tell people what Scripture says about God, but we can also tell them how His truth has intersected with our own lives. We can share how He has answered prayer, carried us through hardship, corrected us, provided for us, forgiven us, or strengthened our faith. Our personal testimony does not replace Scripture, but it can point others toward the God revealed in Scripture.

The psalmist adds an important warning about prayer: “If I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear.” He is not claiming that God only listens to sinless people. If that were true, none of us could pray. Rather, he recognizes the contradiction of deliberately holding onto sin while expecting intimate fellowship with a holy God. Genuine relationship with God includes repentance and a willingness to submit our lives to Him.

The psalm concludes with gratitude: “Blessed be God, who has not turned away my prayer nor His lovingkindness from me.” After remembering national deliverance, personal refining, and answered prayer, the psalmist arrives at the same destination: praise.

Psalm 66 invites us to do the same. Remember what God has done. Trust Him while He is refining you. And when you have experienced His faithfulness, tell someone else about it. The trials we would never choose for ourselves may eventually become part of the testimony through which we encourage someone else to trust Him.

Application:

  • Spend time remembering specific examples of God’s faithfulness, both in Scripture and in your own life.
  • When you are going through difficulty, ask God how He may be using the season to refine your faith and character.
  • Do not assume that hardship means God has abandoned you; remember that He can bring His people through fire and water.
  • Examine your heart for sin you are knowingly holding onto, and respond to God’s conviction with repentance.
  • Share with someone what God has done in your life, allowing your testimony to point them toward Him.
  • Praise God not only for removing difficulties, but also for His faithfulness while carrying you through them.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for the many ways You have demonstrated Your faithfulness throughout Scripture and throughout my own life. When I pass through seasons of testing, help me to trust that You have not abandoned me. Use even difficult circumstances to refine my faith, remove what does not please You, and draw me closer to You. Help me remember what You have done so that I will trust You with what I am facing today. Give me opportunities and courage to tell others about Your goodness and faithfulness. Thank You for hearing my prayers and for never removing Your lovingkindness from me. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

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, Fear / Reverence for God, Repenting from Sin, Revelation

When the World’s Treasures Disappear (Revelation 18:9–19)

What would the loss of the things you value most reveal about where your heart has been invested?

Key Verse:

“For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” — Matthew 6:21 (NASB)

Background Context:

Earlier in Revelation 18, God called His people to come out of Babylon and refuse to participate in her sins. Now John shows us the response of those who did participate in her system. Kings, merchants, and seafarers stand at a distance watching Babylon burn, mourning the sudden destruction of the city that had brought them wealth and luxury.

Their grief provides a striking contrast with God’s perspective. Heaven sees the righteous judgment of a corrupt system. Those invested in Babylon see the disappearance of prosperity, influence, and opportunity. Their reaction exposes what they truly treasured.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Revelation 18:9–19

   9“And the kings of the earth, who committed acts of immorality and lived sensuously with her, will weep and lament over her when they see the smoke of her burning, 10standing at a distance because of the fear of her torment, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, Babylon, the strong city! For in one hour your judgment has come.’

      11“And the merchants of the earth weep and mourn over her, because no one buys their cargoes any more— 12cargoes of gold and silver and precious stones and pearls and fine linen and purple and silk and scarlet, and every kind of citron wood and every article of ivory and every article made from very costly wood and bronze and iron and marble, 13and cinnamon and spice and incense and perfume and frankincense and wine and olive oil and fine flour and wheat and cattle and sheep, and cargoes of horses and chariots and slaves and human lives. 14“The fruit you long for has gone from you, and all things that were luxurious and splendid have passed away from you and men will no longer find them. 15“The merchants of these things, who became rich from her, will stand at a distance because of the fear of her torment, weeping and mourning, 16saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, she who was clothed in fine linen and purple and scarlet, and adorned with gold and precious stones and pearls; 17for in one hour such great wealth has been laid waste!’ And every shipmaster and every passenger and sailor, and as many as make their living by the sea, stood at a distance, 18and were crying out as they saw the smoke of her burning, saying, ‘What city is like the great city?’ 19“And they threw dust on their heads and were crying out, weeping and mourning, saying, ‘Woe, woe, the great city, in which all who had ships at sea became rich by her wealth, for in one hour she has been laid waste!’

Reflection on Revelation 18:9–19:

The kings of the earth are the first to mourn. They had joined themselves to Babylon and enjoyed the pleasures she offered. Yet when judgment arrives, they stand “at a distance because of the fear of her torment.” Their relationship with Babylon was built on what they could receive from her. When the benefits disappear and the consequences arrive, they do not come to her rescue. The powerful system that once seemed so desirable is suddenly something they fear even approaching.

The merchants respond similarly. John gives an extraordinary list of merchandise—gold, silver, precious stones, fine clothing, expensive woods, spices, food, livestock, and much more. Babylon had created tremendous prosperity, and many had become wealthy through her excessive luxury. But in a single hour the system collapses. The merchants weep because “no one buys their cargoes any more.” Their grief is not centered on repentance for participating in Babylon’s corruption. They mourn because the source of their wealth is gone.

The list becomes particularly disturbing when John reaches “slaves and human lives.” Human beings themselves had become commodities in Babylon’s economy. This exposes how far a society driven by wealth, pleasure, and power can fall. When profit becomes more important than righteousness, people eventually become things to be used rather than neighbors created in the image of God. Babylon’s prosperity looked impressive, but underneath its luxury was exploitation and wickedness.

John then turns to those who made their living from the sea. Shipmasters, sailors, and traders also stand at a distance and cry out as they watch Babylon burn. Again the lament focuses on economic loss: “Who is like the great city?” and “in one hour she has been laid waste!” What seemed permanent disappeared almost instantly. Wealth and worldly power can create a convincing illusion of security, but Revelation repeatedly reminds us how quickly everything built apart from God can fall.

Yeshua warned His disciples about exactly this danger. “Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy, and where thieves break in and steal… for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also” (Matthew 6:19–21). The problem is not simply possessing material things. Scripture contains many examples of God providing abundance to His people. The danger comes when possessions possess us—when wealth, comfort, success, or status become the foundation of our security and the measure of a successful life.

There is an important contrast with the command we studied earlier in this chapter. God tells His people, “Come out of her.” The merchants and kings effectively say, “Look at everything we are losing.” That contrast forces us to consider what might make us reluctant to separate ourselves from something God condemns. Sometimes compromise is attractive not because we believe rebellion is right, but because obedience might cost us something we value.

Revelation 18 therefore challenges us to examine our treasures before they are taken away. If our deepest security rests in wealth, career, possessions, reputation, political influence, or comfort, those things will eventually fail us. But the kingdom of God cannot be shaken. Yeshua calls us to store up treasure in heaven and invest our lives in what will endure beyond this present world.

The mourners of Babylon discovered too late that they had invested everything in a kingdom destined to fall. God’s people should learn from their mistake. We can receive His earthly blessings with gratitude without making them our treasure. Our greatest treasure is the Lord Himself, and our greatest investment should be in His eternal kingdom.

Application:

  • Consider what your reaction to losing wealth, possessions, status, or comfort might reveal about your heart.
  • Receive God’s material blessings gratefully without allowing them to become the foundation of your security.
  • Refuse opportunities for prosperity that require compromise with God’s ways.
  • Treat people as those created in God’s image, never merely as resources to advance your own interests.
  • Invest your time, resources, and priorities in God’s kingdom and in things that have eternal value.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for every good thing You provide. Help me to enjoy Your blessings with gratitude without allowing them to become my treasure. Search my heart and reveal anything in this world that I value more highly than I should. Give me courage to walk away from compromise even when obedience costs me something. Teach me to value people above possessions and Your kingdom above worldly success. May my heart be invested in what will endure, and may You always remain my greatest treasure. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

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, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Obeying God

The Heart Behind the Commandments (Exodus 20)

When you think about God’s commandments, do you see a list of restrictions—or the loving instruction of the God who has already redeemed His people?

Key Verse:

“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the great and foremost commandment. The second is like it, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’ On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” — Matthew 22:37–40 (NASB)

Background Context:

Exodus 20 is one of the foundational chapters of Scripture. At Mount Sinai, God gave His people the Ten Commandments, establishing foundational principles that would shape their worship, their families, their relationships, and their lives as His covenant people. These ten commandments were not the entirety of God’s instruction. They form the beginning of a much broader body of instruction that God would give His people concerning how they were to live as a people set apart for Him. In the chapters that follow, God continues teaching Israel about justice, worship, relationships, property, appointed times, care for others, and many other aspects of covenant life.

But God did not begin with a command. Before saying what Israel should do, He reminded them of what He had already done: “I am the LORD your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery” (Exodus 20:2).

That order matters. God redeemed His people first and then taught His redeemed people how to live. As we step back from the individual commandments, we can see that they are neither ten unrelated rules nor the complete collection of God’s commandments. They provide a foundational framework that reveals God’s character and begins teaching His people what it looks like to love Him and love one another.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Exodus 20

Reflection on Exodus 20:

The Ten Commandments begin with grace. Israel was not standing at Sinai trying to earn deliverance from Egypt. God had already delivered them. He had rescued them through the Passover, brought them through the Red Sea, provided food and water in the wilderness, and brought them safely to Himself. Only then did He begin giving them His commandments. This establishes an important biblical pattern: obedience is not the root of our redemption; it is the fruit of it. We do not obey God so that He will save us. Having received His grace, we respond by learning to walk according to His ways.

The first four commandments focus our attention primarily on loving and honoring God. He alone is to be our God. We are not to redirect our worship through images or worship Him according to the practices of the nations. His name is to be treated as holy, and the seventh-day Sabbath He established at creation is to be remembered and kept holy. Together these commands call God’s people to wholehearted devotion. God does not ask merely to be included somewhere in our lives. He calls us to recognize Him as Lord and order our lives around Him.

The fifth commandment provides a natural bridge from our relationship with God to our relationships with others. God commands us to honor our father and mother. The home becomes one of the first places where we learn respect, responsibility, love, and proper response to authority. Our devotion to God is never intended to remain an abstract spiritual idea. It begins to become visible in the way we treat the people closest to us.

The remaining commandments show what love for our neighbor looks like in practical terms. We protect life rather than destroy it. We honor marriage rather than violate it, recognizing that sexual immorality harms others and also sins against our own bodies (1 Corinthians 6:18). We respect what belongs to others rather than taking it. We speak truth rather than damaging others through falsehood. Finally, God reaches beyond outward actions and addresses even our desires: “You shall not covet.” God’s instruction therefore reaches beyond outward behavior and into the attitudes and desires of our hearts.

This helps us understand Yeshua’s summary of God’s Law. When He said that the greatest commandments were to love God and love our neighbor, He was not replacing God’s earlier instruction with something new, nor was He suggesting that these two statements eliminated the many specific commandments God had given. In fact, Yeshua was quoting directly from that instruction—Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18. He was showing us the heart from which God’s commandments flow.

That distinction is important. Yeshua said, “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.” Love for God and love for others are not substitutes for God’s other instructions; they are the great principles upon which those instructions depend. The Ten Commandments clearly demonstrate these priorities, while the additional instructions God gives throughout Torah provide greater detail about what loving God and loving our neighbor looks like in the everyday circumstances of life.

This also corrects the common idea that love and God’s commandments somehow oppose one another. Scripture presents them as deeply connected. Yeshua said, “If you love Me, you will keep My commandments” (John 14:15). John likewise wrote, “For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments; and His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). Obedience without love can become empty legalism, but claiming to love God while disregarding His instruction is equally inconsistent with Scripture. Genuine love desires to know what pleases God and then seeks to walk accordingly.

The closing verses of Exodus 20 reinforce the relationship between grace, holiness, and obedience. When Israel encountered God’s awesome presence, they were reminded that the God who had rescued them was also perfectly holy. Moses told them that the fear of God should remain before them “so that you may not sin.” God then instructed them how to approach Him in worship. They were not free to invent their own way into His presence. The holy God graciously provided the way.

That pattern ultimately points us toward Yeshua. We cannot earn salvation by keeping commandments because all of us have sinned and fallen short of God’s standard. We need a Redeemer. Just as God rescued Israel before teaching them how His redeemed people should live, He offers redemption to us through Messiah. Yeshua paid the penalty for our sin and provides the way for us to draw near to God. Grace does not then give us permission to disregard God’s ways. Instead, a redeemed heart increasingly desires to know Him, please Him, and walk according to His instruction.

Exodus 20 therefore gives us much more than ten isolated rules, but neither should we mistake these ten commandments for the entirety of God’s instruction. They establish a foundational framework that God immediately begins expanding in the chapters that follow. Through His commandments, God teaches His redeemed people how to live differently—how to worship Him, love one another, pursue justice, walk in holiness, and reflect His character before the nations.

God redeems. God reveals Himself. God teaches His people how to love Him. God teaches them how to love one another. God calls them to holiness. And God provides the way for them to draw near. The commandments are not a ladder by which we climb our way toward God. They are instruction given by the God who has already reached down to rescue His people.

Application:

  • Remember that obedience is the fruit of redemption, never a substitute for it.
  • Examine whether your love for God is reflected in your worship, priorities, time, and choices.
  • Consider whether your love for others is visible in how you treat their lives, marriages, possessions, reputations, and well-being.
  • Resist reducing God’s instruction to the Ten Commandments alone; continue studying the whole counsel of Scripture to understand how He calls His people to live.
  • Ask God to reveal areas where you may profess love for Him while resisting His instruction.
  • Thank Yeshua for providing redemption, and ask Him to help you live faithfully as one who has truly been redeemed.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for loving and redeeming Your people before calling us to obedience. Help me never to treat Your commandments as a way to earn Your favor, nor to misuse Your grace as an excuse to disregard Your instruction. Teach me to love You with all my heart, soul, and mind and to love my neighbor as myself. Give me a desire to study all of Your Word so that I may understand Your ways and walk faithfully in them. Shape my worship, relationships, words, actions, and even the desires of my heart according to Your truth. Thank You for providing redemption and a way to draw near through Yeshua. May my obedience increasingly become the fruit of a life transformed by Your grace. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.

John Golda

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, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Peace / Rest, Wise

Wisdom Knows the Proper Time (Ecclesiastes 8:1-8)

How do you respond when life feels uncertain and you cannot control what comes next?

Key Verse:

“For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him.” — Ecclesiastes 8:6 (NASB)

Background Context:

As Ecclesiastes 8 begins, Solomon continues his search for wisdom by turning his attention to authority, discernment, and the limitations of human control. He observes that wisdom changes not only how we think, but also how we respond to those in authority and to the uncertainties of life.

Although we often long to know the future or control our circumstances, Solomon reminds us that such knowledge belongs to God alone. The wise person learns to live with humility, recognizing that there is a proper time for every matter and that the Lord remains sovereign over what lies ahead.

(Continued and expanded after scripture.)

Ecclesiastes 8:1-8

Obey Rulers

      1Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter? A man’s wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam.

      2I say, “Keep the command of the king because of the oath before God. 3“Do not be in a hurry to leave him. Do not join in an evil matter, for he will do whatever he pleases.” 4Since the word of the king is authoritative, who will say to him, “What are you doing?”

      5He who keeps a royal command experiences no trouble, for a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. 6For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight, though a man’s trouble is heavy upon him. 7If no one knows what will happen, who can tell him when it will happen? 8No man has authority to restrain the wind with the wind, or authority over the day of death; and there is no discharge in the time of war, and evil will not deliver those who practice it.

Reflection on Ecclesiastes 8:1–8:

Solomon begins by asking, “Who is like the wise man and who knows the interpretation of a matter?” He immediately answers by describing wisdom’s effect on a person’s life: “A man’s wisdom illumines him and causes his stern face to beam.” True wisdom is more than knowledge stored in the mind. It transforms a person’s character, bringing peace, discernment, and quiet confidence that become evident to those around them.

He then encourages respect for the king’s authority. In Solomon’s day, openly defying the king could have serious consequences, yet his instruction goes beyond self-preservation. Wisdom recognizes that God has established authority and that responding with humility is generally better than acting rashly or rebelliously. This does not mean that rulers are always right or that believers should obey commands that directly oppose God’s will. Scripture consistently teaches that our highest allegiance belongs to the Lord. However, where obedience to God is not compromised, wisdom encourages a respectful spirit rather than a contentious one.

The heart of this passage is found in verses 5 and 6: “A wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight.” One of the distinguishing marks of wisdom is recognizing that timing matters. Acting too quickly can be just as harmful as failing to act at all. We often want immediate answers, immediate justice, and immediate solutions, but God’s work frequently unfolds according to His perfect timing rather than our preferred schedule.

Solomon then reminds us why humility is so important. We do not know what tomorrow will bring. We cannot tell another person exactly what the future holds, prevent the day of our death, or control every outcome of life. These limitations are not meant to produce anxiety but dependence. They remind us that we are creatures, not the Creator. While we make plans and exercise wisdom, only God sees the end from the beginning.

This truth echoes throughout Scripture. James writes, “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that'” (James 4:15). James is not discouraging wise planning; he is encouraging humble planning. Our lives are safest when we acknowledge God’s sovereignty over every future event and willingly submit our plans to His greater wisdom.

Ecclesiastes 8 invites us to exchange the illusion of control for the peace that comes from trusting God. Wisdom is not the ability to predict the future or manipulate circumstances. It is the confidence to walk faithfully today while leaving tomorrow in the hands of the One who already knows it. When we trust His timing instead of insisting upon our own, we discover that His wisdom is always greater than ours and His purposes are always good.

Application:

  • Ask God to give you wisdom not only in your decisions but also in your timing.
  • Respond to authority with humility while remaining faithful to God above all else.
  • Release the burden of trying to control every outcome in your life.
  • Make your plans with diligence, but hold them with open hands before the Lord.
  • Trust that God’s timing is perfect, even when you cannot yet understand His purposes.

Closing Prayer:

Father, thank You for reminding me that true wisdom is found in trusting You rather than trying to control every circumstance. Help me to walk with humility, to respond wisely to those You have placed in authority, and to patiently wait upon Your perfect timing. When I am tempted to worry about the future, remind me that it is safely in Your hands. Teach me to live faithfully today, trusting that You are working all things according to Your good and perfect will. In Yeshua’s name, Amen.

May the grace and peace of our Lord, Yeshua, be with you.
John Golda

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.