Category Archives: Study the Word

Discerning / Judging, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Evidence in Scripture, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Seeking God, Study the Word, Wickedness / Evil

Nuggets of Wisdom from Seemingly Unimportant Verses in Scripture

Scripture, even seemingly simple or unimportant verses, has a variety of nuggets of wisdom packed inside if we are to take time to search for them. We will explore a few in 2 Kings 23. We should all go through scripture as carefully and eagerly as we would if searching for gold.

There are certain sections of scripture that do not make sense unless we recognize and accept that this is an historical document. It is not a work of fiction. 2 Kings 23 has some verses that fit this description. As you read, ask yourself, “What would be the purpose of including these verses if not just documenting historical events?”

2 Kings 23:28:37

Jehoahaz Succeeds Josiah

      28Now the rest of the acts of Josiah and all that he did, are they not written in the Book of the Chronicles of the Kings of Judah? 29In his days Pharaoh Neco king of Egypt went up to the king of Assyria to the river Euphrates. And King Josiah went to meet him, and when Pharaoh Neco saw him he killed him at Megiddo. 30His servants drove his body in a chariot from Megiddo, and brought him to Jerusalem and buried him in his own tomb. Then the people of the land took Jehoahaz the son of Josiah and anointed him and made him king in place of his father.

      31Jehoahaz was twenty-three years old when he became king, and he reigned three months in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Hamutal the daughter of Jeremiah of Libnah. 32He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done. 33Pharaoh Neco imprisoned him at Riblah in the land of Hamath, that he might not reign in Jerusalem; and he imposed on the land a fine of one hundred talents of silver and a talent of gold.

Jehoiakim Made King by Pharaoh

      34Pharaoh Neco made Eliakim the son of Josiah king in the place of Josiah his father, and changed his name to Jehoiakim. But he took Jehoahaz away and brought him to Egypt, and he died there. 35So Jehoiakim gave the silver and gold to Pharaoh, but he taxed the land in order to give the money at the command of Pharaoh. He exacted the silver and gold from the people of the land, each according to his valuation, to give it to Pharaoh Neco.

      36Jehoiakim was twenty-five years old when he became king, and he reigned eleven years in Jerusalem; and his mother’s name was Zebidah the daughter of Pedaiah of Rumah. 37He did evil in the sight of the LORD, according to all that his fathers had done.

Aside from reflecting on the Bible as an historical document, there is more to explore in these verse. Josiah was righteous. He was faithful. He still fell prey to evil people in the world who came against him. It would appear that this was some sort of deception and murder rather than a battle. We should remind ourselves that we must be wise and seek discernment for our decisions. We should not consider ourselves invulnerable because somehow Yahweh will keep us from any harm. We can ask that protection, but it is not promises to us. Quite the opposite, Yeshua promises that we will have hardships and difficulties and we are better off if we build our house on the foundation of solid rock that is His teaching.

Matthew 724-27

The Two Foundations

      24“Therefore everyone who hears these words of Mine and acts on them, may be compared to a wise man who built his house on the rock. 25“And the rain fell, and the 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. 26“Everyone who hears these words of Mine and does not act on them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand. 27“The rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and slammed against that house; and it fell—and great was its fall.

We can also see, once again, that among the kings of Judah and Israel, just because you have a righteous father does not mean his children will be righteous. Not one, but two of Josiah’s sons did evil in the LORD’s sight. This is very humbling to me as a father. I must truly recognize that raising my children in the truth of God’s word must be a priority for me, no matter what other important things I feel like I need to get done. I also realize I do well to call upon the LORD for His help in this manner to lead and guide my children to fully embrace Him and His ways.  There will be cultural influences and the basic human instinct to sin, not to mention Satan, that will come against them. I want God’s help and my best effort as a father to lead them in the right ways so they would not soon depart from it.

Proverbs 22:6

  6Train up a child in the way he should go,
Even when he is old he will not depart from it.

I suppose we can also ask why Pharaoh favored one son over another to be king. My guess from what little is specified is that Pharaoh did not want one that was chosen by the people. He preferred one that he chose and established that there may be some more loyalty toward him. However, scripture does not say here “why” Pharaoh did this, so it is speculation.

There is a lot to unpack in scripture if we take the time to do so, even in short verses about kings that did not last long or seem to have lasting impact beyond their short reigns.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me as a parent to have wisdom and courage and dedication in leading my children in Your ways. Help parents that seek and follow You to do likewise, putting this as a priority over having both spouses working when it is not needed. Help Your people to truly value the role of parent in its full time nature. Our children have souls that will be eternal. The rest of what we manage will last only for a time, no matter how important we think it may be.

Father, please help me to truly embrace the truth of Your word as an accurate historical document. Help me to pause and reflect on all the verses that I read therein. Open my eyes to understand all that Your word has for me to learn. 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.

 

Compassionate, Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Disobeying, Rebelling Against, Ignoring God, Fear / Reverence for God, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, Justice / Judgment, Learning To Pray Effectively, Loving / Kind, Obeying God, Rebuke Wrong Behavior, Repenting from Sin, Seeking God, Study the Word, Submitted / Servant, Teachable, Through Prophets, Unteachable / Foolish, Wickedness / Evil, Worthy of Fear / Reverence

Repent and Turn Your Ways to the LORD

Yahweh is timeless. As such, He views world events from a different perspective than we do. In 2 Kings 22, we see how a loving Father at the same time holds out punishment for His people for their sin and rebellion, and yet may delay it because of the tender heart of the king. What seems difficult to get my mind around at first, from my limited perspective, is why let those who were rebelling escape punishment for decades and then punish the people in the next generation?

2 Kings 22:14-20

Huldah Predicts

      14So Hilkiah the priest, Ahikam, Achbor, Shaphan, and Asaiah went to Huldah the prophetess, the wife of Shallum the son of Tikvah, the son of Harhas, keeper of the wardrobe (now she lived in Jerusalem in the Second Quarter); and they spoke to her. 15She said to them, “Thus says the LORD God of Israel, ‘Tell the man who sent you to me, 16thus says the LORD, “Behold, I bring evil on this place and on its inhabitants, even all the words of the book which the king of Judah has read. 17“Because they have forsaken Me and have burned incense to other gods that they might provoke Me to anger with all the work of their hands, therefore My wrath burns against this place, and it shall not be quenched.”’ 18“But to the king of Judah who sent you to inquire of the LORD thus shall you say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD God of Israel, “Regarding the words which you have heard, 19because your heart was tender and you humbled yourself before the LORD when you heard what I spoke against this place and against its inhabitants that they should become a desolation and a curse, and you have torn your clothes and wept before Me, I truly have heard you,” declares the LORD. 20“Therefore, behold, I will gather you to your fathers, and you will be gathered to your grave in peace, and your eyes will not see all the evil which I will bring on this place.”’” So they brought back word to the king.

To the extent we focus on the fact that Father views things differently than we do, let us not take to the folly of dwelling on why we think He is wrong. Rather, with humility and appreciation for the greatness of our Father, let us consider how we should adapt our way of thinking to line up with His.

Besides, it is not hard to glean from this scripture that we should all seek to genuinely walk in the Father’s ways and remain set apart and holy, not mixing and mingling with other pagan beliefs. Stick to the ways of God and not of man. Repent and admit with sorrow when we as a nation are lost and far from the LORD.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to focus on Your ways. Let me walk in Your ways. Let me hunger to know Your ways. Let me not be content for the ways of man because they are commonly accepted or have been in place for generations within family and culture. Help us see and know Your word clearly as individuals and as a people. Please have mercy on us and hold back Your wrath. Restore righteousness to our nation through the people and through the leaders. Defeat and displace the wicked who deny You with their actions, regardless of what they claim with their lips. 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.

Arrogance, Jesus (hearing from God), Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Lying / Deceiving, Scripture (e.g. Bible), Study the Word, Teachable, Truth, Unteachable / Foolish

When God Invites You to a Deeper Understanding of Truth, Pursue It

It seems the Pharisees and Sadducees, the religious leaders of the time, those most educated and trained in the formal practices of religion, never tired of spending time and energy trying to trick Yeshua while at the same time never had any energy to try to accept Him for whom He claimed to be… God and Messiah.  The same is still true for many people today. They spend all their effort trying to explain away Yeshua rather than accepting Him as Lord and submitting their lives to Him.

We have been discussing the earlier scriptures in Matthew 22 which document a list of questions which were brought to Yeshua and His answers.  He answered every question with clarity and wisdom. Still they are reluctant to consider He may indeed be who He says He is… Messiah. Finally, He asks them a question in return.

Matthew 22:41-46

      41Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42“What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” 43He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

      44‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET”’?

45“If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” 46No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

After responding to the questions He was asked, Yeshua then challenged the Pharisees and Sadducees with a question. They could not answer it and realized Yeshua was much wiser than they… but they still refused to acknowledge Him as Messiah and God. Their minds were already made up and they were not seeking truth and understanding… instead they sought only to discredit Jesus.

The question Yeshua asked them was actually quite important… and it was clear they did not understand it. Yeshua was pointing out that the anticipated Messiah was not just a descendant of David, a secular king or prince. If so, how could David, as an ancestor, call him Lord. No, the Messiah was not only “Son of God” but “God in the flesh”. Hence, David called Him Lord. Yeshua at once opened a door to show these men a deeper understanding of the Messiah and also revealed how little they truly understood. It is also very important to note that He did not simply claim something, like Messiah is God, and say the Spirit revealed it to Him. Rather He pointed to specific scripture to develop and prove the point. We should do likewise.

God invited the Pharisees and Sadducees to a deeper understanding of truth. They rejected the opportunity and instead stopped the conversation. They were unwilling to become humble and seek the wisdom Yeshua offered, but instead remained proud and plotted against Him. They had already made up their minds against Him.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to be humble and to seek You and learn from You. Help me submit to You and learn from You. Let me seek truth and follow evidence, which will lead me to You. May I not be so prideful as to miss what You have for me because I insist that I already know and already understand. Help me challenge and update my current understanding of truth based on Your word and Your spirit. Help me to fully embrace that Yeshua was not just a “good teacher” or prophet, but God in the flesh, come to dwell among us.  Help me to do as Yeshua did and look to Your Torah and the writing of the prophets to confirm the truth about You. 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.

Discerning / Judging, Hebrew Roots / Commands / Law, How do I get started?, Love, Study the Word, Teachable

Yeshua Gives Us Cliff Notes on How to Live

The Bible can seem overwhelming to new believers or perhaps even to those who have been following Christ for awhile. There is so much rich history and instruction that should lead and guide our lives. Sometimes it is refreshing to see where Yeshua has pulled together cliff notes or executive summaries for us start our journey or stay focused along the way.

Matthew 22:34-40

     34But when the Pharisees heard that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, they gathered themselves together. 35One of them, a lawyer, asked Him a question, testing Him, 36“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?” 37And He said to him, “ ‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’ 38“This is the great and foremost commandment. 39“The second is like it, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.’ 40“On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets.”

Yeshua wants us to fully read, study, digest the entirety of His word, but He does give us wonderful ways to get started. I think of them like entrance ramps to an interstate.

However, we must take caution as well. Who defines the right way to love our God and our neighbors? It is not for us to define. Many go astray in that they allow culture, or men, or themselves to define how to love one another and love God. This is not correct. Yahweh has already defined how to live out these two commandments. That is what the rest of the Law and the prophets are about. Yeshua did not point to the New Testament. It did not yet exist. He pointed to the Torah (first 5 books of the Bible) and the writings of the prophets. These in their entirety are based on loving God and loving one another. They are not arbitrary rules God created.
So, if we want cliff notes style reminder of how to live, think about loving God and loving our neighbor. If we want to understand how to do that, then we dive into and study the Torah and the prophets. This is still true today. It has not changed. In fact, Yeshua often pointed back to and reference these in His teaching during His earthly ministry.
I invite you to pray with me:
Father, please help me to focus on loving You and loving others. Help me not dwell on love of self. Please also make me hungry to study your Torah and the prophets as Yeshua Himself tells us that these are based on not arbitrary rules or history but rather based on how we are to properly love you and love others. Help us to have wisdom and discernment to know truth from falsehood, even when the falsehood is commonly accepted in our culture. Give us courage to stand up and make changes to live according to the truth of your word even if that puts us separate and apart from others around us in some way. Help us remember that is the point, that we are to be a holy people, a set apart people, so that we can be a light that draws them closer to You. 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.

Heaven and Hell, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Is the Old Testament Relevant Today?, Marriage, Study the Word, Teachable

Let God’s Word Guide My Understanding and Not My Understanding Limit God’s Word

There is no contradiction between the Torah and the writings of the prophet (Old Testament) and the gospels and letters (New Testament). Yeshua never fell into a trap He could not explain. He often emphasized the Old Testament in His teaching.

Sometimes we have to be willing to change our pre-conceived understanding or bias that we may have when we confront an apparent contradiction. We have to admit we don’t always already have the full understanding and allow ourselves to change or adapt how we think of something. If we do so, we will understand more and draw nearer to God.

Said another way, do we redefine God’s word based on our current understanding? or do we redefine our current understanding based on studying what the Bible actually says, even if it contradicts tradition and common church teaching? Naturally, testing what we understand from scripture is important. The best place to test it is against scripture itself. Remember, that is the source of truth.

In some ways it is a bit like a puzzle.  You take on faith when you open a new box that all the pieces are there and fit together. Knowing that, you work and search to fit them all together.  You do not simply give up the first time you can’t find the right piece and assume the puzzle is defective. You keep looking. In reading the Bible, we start with the understanding that the pieces fit together and then search out how to put them all in place.

Matthew 22:23-33

Jesus Answers the Sadducees

      23On that day some Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) came to Jesus and questioned Him, 24asking, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘IF A MAN DIES HAVING NO CHILDREN, HIS BROTHER AS NEXT OF KIN SHALL MARRY HIS WIFE, AND RAISE UP CHILDREN FOR HIS BROTHER.’ 25“Now there were seven brothers with us; and the first married and died, and having no children left his wife to his brother; 26so also the second, and the third, down to the seventh. 27“Last of all, the woman died. 28“In the resurrection, therefore, whose wife of the seven will she be? For they all had married her.”

      29But Jesus answered and said to them, “You are mistaken, not understanding the Scriptures nor the power of God. 30“For in the resurrection they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven. 31“But regarding the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God: 32‘I AM THE GOD OF ABRAHAM, AND THE GOD OF ISAAC, AND THE GOD OF JACOB’? He is not the God of the dead but of the living.” 33When the crowds heard this, they were astonished at His teaching.

We should keep in mind that in answering the question, Yeshua reflects on the Scriptures. This would have been the Old Testament. The New Testament was not written yet. Yeshua constantly points to that as authoritative truth.

With regards to marriage, we see in the resurrection people do not marry. People react to this in a variety of different ways. Perhaps some are grateful because they have had very complex family relationships, somewhat like the one listed in scripture. Many may feel disappointed as they want to be with their spouse in the same way. This is all we know how to get our mind around. The point is that we do not let the constraints on our understanding define what the word says. Instead, take it in, even if you don’t fully understand it and accept it. Let the scripture change your understanding of what the resurrection will be like, even if it makes you uncomfortable or disappointed at first. Trust in the LORD. Has he not said, there will be no sadness in the resurrection?

Revelation 21:3-4

3And I heard a loud voice from the throne, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, 4and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes; and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first things have passed away.”

Another point to clarify here is that the scripture says we will be like angels in that we do not marry in the resurrection. This is not to say that we will be angels. Angels and people are distinct creations. One does not transition between them. You are either an angel or a person and that never changes. Many mistake this to say that we become angels in heaven, but that is not what it says.

Don’t miss in reading this that Jesus also confirms resurrection is real and those who were in right relationship with God when they died have already been resurrected and are with Him in Heaven. While this may not yet be our physical bodies, which will be resurrected after Yeshua returns, we are none the less alive spiritually and in the presence of the LORD.

In conclusion, Yeshua is chastising the Sadducees for misreading the scriptures and adding their own assumptions to them, and then declaring that it did not make sense. Yeshua is, in a sense, saying they should have realized that if they got to a point that did not make sense to them, they should have checked their assumptions and gone back the the scriptures to see what they really say and what was added by the Sadducees, even if they did not do so intentionally. We should do likewise.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to clearly understand Your word. Holy Spirit, please guide me and instruct me. Help me to have wisdom and courage to challenge what I believe as I study and learn new insights and truth. Let the Bible transform my beliefs instead of my beliefs dictating how I read or understand the Bible. Thank You! Amen. 

For some additional study, I have included a portion of the Barnes Commentary on BibleHub.com.

Matthew 22:29
Jesus answered and said unto them, Ye do err, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God.

Ye do err, not knowing … – They had taken a wrong view of the doctrine of the resurrection.

It was not taught that people would marry there. The “Scriptures,” here, mean the books of the Old Testament. By appealing to them, Jesus showed that the doctrine of the future state was there, and that the Sadducees should have believed it as it was, and not have added the absurd doctrine to it that people must live there as they do here. The way in which the enemies of the truth often attempt to make a doctrine of the Bible ridiculous is by adding to it, and then calling it absurd. The reason why the Saviour produced a passage from the books of Moses Matthew 22:32 was that they had also appealed to his writings, Matthew 22:24. Other places of the Old Testament, in fact, asserted the doctrine more clearly Daniel 12:2; Isaiah 26:19, but he wished to meet them on their own ground. None of those scriptures asserted that people would live there as they do here, and therefore their reasoning was false.

Nor the power of God – They probably denied, as many have done since, that God could gather the scattered dust of the dead and remould it into a body. On this ground they affirmed that the doctrine could not be true – opposing reason to revelation, and supposing that infinite power could not reorganize a body that it had at first organized, and raise a body from its own dust which it had at first raised from nothing.

Matthew 22:30
For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven.

Neither marry … – This was a full answer to the objections of the Sadducees.

But are as the angels of God – That is, in the manner of their conversation; in regard to marriage and the mode of their existence.

Luke adds that they shall be “equal with the angels.” That is, they shall be elevated above the circumstances of mortality, and live in a manner and in a kind of conversation similar to that of the angels. It does not imply that they shall be equal in intellect, but only “in the circumstances of their existence,” as that is distinguished from the way in which mortals live. He also adds, “Neither do they die any more, but are the children of God; being the children of the resurrection,” or being accounted worthy to be raised up to life, and therefore “sons of God raised up to him.”

Matthew 22:31
But as touching the resurrection of the dead, have ye not read that which was spoken unto you by God, saying,

As touching … – That is, in proof that the dead are raised.

The passage which he quotes is recorded in Exodus 3:6, Exodus 3:15, This was at the burning bush (Mark and Luke). Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had been dead for a long time when Moses spoke this – Abraham for 329 years, Isaac for 224 years, and Jacob for 198 years – yet God spake then as being still “their God.” They must, therefore, be still somewhere living, for God is not the God of the dead; that is, it is absurd to say that God rules over those who are “extinct or annihilated,” but he is the God only of those who have an existence. Luke adds, “all live unto him.” That is, all the righteous dead, all of whom he can be properly called their God, live unto his glory. This passage does not prove directly that the dead “body” would be raised, but only by consequence. It proves that Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had an existence then, or that their souls were alive. This the Sadducees denied Acts 23:8, and this was the main point in dispute. If this was admitted – if there was a state of rewards and punishments – then it would easily follow that the bodies of the dead would be raised.

 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.

Consequences of Sin, Discipline / Guidance From God, Fear / Reverence for God, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy / Set Apart, Idols / False Gods, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Study the Word, Submitted / Servant, Traditions / Holidays, Wickedness / Evil, Worldliness

Do Not Mix and Mingle the LORD’s Ways With Those of Other Gods

The LORD is to have a singular place of honor and respect and devotion above all else in our lives. The LORD is not satisfied to be one of your gods that you fear and worship. He is to be “THE” God you fear and worship. It matters to Him that we observe the statutes and ordinances of the Law for ever. As you read 2 Kings, focus on verses 36-39.

36“But the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice. 37“The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. 38“The covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39“But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.”

Of course, note the context in the broader scripture below. The LORD brought defeat to the people of Israel because they worshipped and feared other gods and did not walk in the ways of His statutes and ordinances. They did evil in His sight. We pick up in verse 24 as the King of Assyria brings in people from outside Israel to populate the land after carrying off the Israelites.

2 Kings 17:24-41

Cities of Israel Filled with Strangers

      24The king of Assyria brought men from Babylon and from Cuthah and from Avva and from Hamath and Sepharvaim, and settled them in the cities of Samaria in place of the sons of Israel. So they possessed Samaria and lived in its cities. 25At the beginning of their living there, they did not fear the LORD; therefore the LORD sent lions among them which killed some of them. 26So they spoke to the king of Assyria, saying, “The nations whom you have carried away into exile in the cities of Samaria do not know the custom of the god of the land; so he has sent lions among them, and behold, they kill them because they do not know the custom of the god of the land.”

      27Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, “Take there one of the priests whom you carried away into exile and let him go and live there; and let him teach them the custom of the god of the land.” 28So one of the priests whom they had carried away into exile from Samaria came and lived at Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD.

      29But every nation still made gods of its own and put them in the houses of the high places which the people of Samaria had made, every nation in their cities in which they lived. 30The men of Babylon made Succoth-benoth, the men of Cuth made Nergal, the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31and the Avvites made Nibhaz and Tartak; and the Sepharvites burned their children in the fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech the gods of Sepharvaim. 32They also feared the LORD and appointed from among themselves priests of the high places, who acted for them in the houses of the high places. 33They feared the LORD and served their own gods according to the custom of the nations from among whom they had been carried away into exile.

      34To this day they do according to the earlier customs: they do not fear the LORD, nor do they follow their statutes or their ordinances or the law, or the commandments which the LORD commanded the sons of Jacob, whom He named Israel; 35with whom the LORD made a covenant and commanded them, saying, “You shall not fear other gods, nor bow down yourselves to them nor serve them nor sacrifice to them. 36“But the LORD, who brought you up from the land of Egypt with great power and with an outstretched arm, Him you shall fear, and to Him you shall bow yourselves down, and to Him you shall sacrifice. 37“The statutes and the ordinances and the law and the commandment which He wrote for you, you shall observe to do forever; and you shall not fear other gods. 38“The covenant that I have made with you, you shall not forget, nor shall you fear other gods. 39“But the LORD your God you shall fear; and He will deliver you from the hand of all your enemies.” 40However, they did not listen, but they did according to their earlier custom. 41So while these nations feared the LORD, they also served their idols; their children likewise and their grandchildren, as their fathers did, so they do to this day.

We are to remain a pure and set apart, or holy, people, dedicated to the LORD and His ways. In many ways our church has over the past several thousand years and also continues to blend with the culture and beliefs of those who do not follow Christ. A simple example is those that claim Christ and use the Bible, but then support abortion and homosexuality, which the LORD speaks against very clearly in the Bible. Other examples include the mixing and mingling of Christian concepts and teachings on top of pagan celebrations like Christmas or even Halloween. Instead of being set apart, we blend in. This is not what we are called to do. How can we be a light if we blend in with those around us? How can we be the salt of the earth if we bring no flavor? (Matthew 5:13-16)

By contrast, there is widespread ignorance about the feasts and celebrations the LORD has called us to celebrate, all of which focus on our relationship with Him. (For more on this topic, see our category of page Celebrating God’s Holy Days, which includes a list of resources on this subject.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please lead me in wisdom and discernment. Help me to joyfully follow you and only you. Grant me a passion to study and learn your ways and the courage to turn from the ways of man in which I am already accustomed even when it creates conflict with those close to me. Help me to share your wonderful ways with others and help them be receptive to learn alongside me. Help all those called by your name around the world to turn from the ways of men and turn toward your ways. Send more workers to help with 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.

Am I on the path?, Faith / Trusting God, His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Hope, How do I get started?, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Salvation, Satan, Study the Word

Who Do You Say That I Am?

“Who do you say that I am?”

In reference to Yeshua, how we truthfully answer this question frames up how we relate to our heavenly Father. It is a simple question, but one of immense importance.

Matthew 16:13-20

Peter’s Confession of Christ

      13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 20Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

Let us keep in mind that even Satan knows Yeshua is Son of the living God. Recognizing this, do not be overconfident that you are on in right relationship with our Father just because you acknowledge Yeshua as Christ. However, if you do not at least get this question right, you will surely not get the right relationship with our Him or our Father.

A second key point would be that the Father has to reveal this to us. We can tell someone over and over and lay out all the evidence, but if the Father does not reveal it to them, they will not see and acknowledge it. So if you want to truly reach someone, be sure to ask the Father to open their eyes to the truth. Once He reveals it to us, it is then that we have the chance to accept Him truly.

Third, and this is important and often misunderstood… the rock upon which the church will be built is not Peter. He was too fallible, as we all are, to be spoken about in this context. In fact, only 5 verses later, Yeshua calls Him out in a very harsh and dramatic way in verse 23. The rock is the fact that Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  Nothing can overcome this foundation of solid rock. It is upon this solid rock that we build our faith and our relationship with Yahweh. It is upon this solid rock that we find our hope and salvation and nothing can come against it.

What is a bit confusing to me is that Yeshua told His disciples not to tell others. This is intriguing. I am not going to try to address this in this article, but encourage anyone interested to do more study. You can consult the commentaries for possible opinions on the matter and can pray and ask Yahweh to show 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.

Doubt / Lacking Faith, Faith / Trusting God, False Prophets / Teachers, Holy Spirit (hearing from God), Jesus (hearing from God), Miracles, Scripture (e.g. Bible), Seeking God, Study the Word

We Already Have Enough Evidence; We Don’t Need Another Sign

To put Matthew 16 in context, this was not the beginning of Yeshua’s ministry. He had been doing many miracles in public, with many witnesses. He returned sight to the blind, the lame walked, lepers cleansed, demons cast out and so on. Yeshua even points to the two times He miraculously fed thousands with a few loaves of bread. Think about how many witnesses there were and I am sure they told others. It is in this context that the Pharisees and Sadducees come and ask for a sign.

Matthew 16:1-12

Pharisees Test Jesus

      1The Pharisees and Sadducees came up, and testing Jesus, they asked Him to show them a sign from heaven. 2But He replied to them, “When it is evening, you say, ‘It will be fair weather, for the sky is red.’ 3“And in the morning, ‘There will be a storm today, for the sky is red and threatening.’ Do you know how to discern the appearance of the sky, but cannot discern the signs of the times? 4“An evil and adulterous generation seeks after a sign; and a sign will not be given it, except the sign of Jonah.” And He left them and went away.

      5And the disciples came to the other side of the sea, but they had forgotten to bring any bread. 6And Jesus said to them, “Watch out and beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 7They began to discuss this among themselves, saying, “He said that because we did not bring any bread.” 8But Jesus, aware of this, said, “You men of little faith, why do you discuss among yourselves that you have no bread? 9“Do you not yet understand or remember the five loaves of the five thousand, and how many baskets full you picked up? 10“Or the seven loaves of the four thousand, and how many large baskets full you picked up? 11“How is it that you do not understand that I did not speak to you concerning bread? But beware of the leaven of the Pharisees and Sadducees.” 12Then they understood that He did not say to beware of the leaven of bread, but of the teaching of the Pharisees and Sadducees.

The Pharisees and Sadducees are supposedly learned men who understand the Torah and the writings of the prophets. Yeshua points out that they should already have enough evidence to know He is Messiah, just as they know how to understand the signs in the sky relating to weather.

I think this may point out that they do not want to accept He is Messiah. They come having already decided He is not, or at least with a strong bias against. They are not openly considering the evidence around them. Thus, they are rebuked.

At this point I think we can all relate to the disciples… Yeshua is trying to teach us or show us something and we just don’t get it at first. We try to figure it out but often we really need to just go back to Him and admit we do not understand and ask for more explanation to understand. I think it worthy to note that he does not rebuke them for not understanding, but rather for thinking it was a comment about not having enough to eat when they had just witnessed great miracles feeding thousands from little food. Yeshua is a bit disappointed that they witness the miracles but still don’t understand they can happen any time He chooses.

The leaven of the Pharisees about which we are warned is the false teaching they bring. We should continue to be wary not to assume all that is taught by any teacher or minister is correct. We are called to test it against the word in the Bible. Even in regards to the teaching of Yeshua we do well to test against other scripture to ensure our understanding. Yeshua will not contradict Himself or YHWH.

We have enough evidence already that Yeshua was Messiah. I would encourage everyone to seek it out and really test it so that they realize that the facts and history actually provide a sound basis for our faith. We are stronger when we understand the evidence for our faith and we can articulate it to others. I would encourage you to review and study resources recommended on our list for Studying the Case for Christianity as Truth on our Books and Other Study Tools page. It is worth investing in to strengthen the foundation of your own faith for when storms come and also to be able to articulate to others the facts and evidence that support Yeshua as Messiah to help them overcome the lies of the world. For many, it is not a strong foundation to simply say, “you need to accept it on faith”. Our faith is based on strong evidence. I would even more strongly encourage parents to invest time in this way to lead their children in a strong foundation that will not fade when challenged in educational institutions or the workplace.

We must challenge and test what is taught as fact as we learn to follow Him in His ways, rather than the ways of man. There was at that time and remains much false teaching within the church. It is up to us to study and compare teachings and ask YHWH for insight through the Holy Spirit.

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, False Prophets / Teachers, Obeying God, Purposeful / Intentional, Seeking God, Study the Word, Teachable, Unteachable / Foolish

Beware of Those Teaching As Doctrine The Precepts of Men

Beware of those teaching as doctrine the precepts of men. This warning definitely applies today. Religious leaders of all stripes are teaching truth mingled with error, doctrines of God mixed with doctrine of men. We are to test what is taught against the word of God in the Bible, and that includes testing how people interpret scripture to support their view.

The Bible taken out of proper context can be used to deceive or can be simply misunderstood. Consider how Satan approached Yeshua in Matthew 4. He quoted scripture, but in the wrong context.

Matthew 15:1-20

Tradition and Commandment

      1Then some Pharisees and scribes came to Jesus from Jerusalem and said, 2“Why do Your disciples break the tradition of the elders? For they do not wash their hands when they eat bread.” 3And He answered and said to them, “Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4“For God said, ‘HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,’ and, ‘HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.’ 5“But you say, ‘Whoever says to his father or mother, “Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God,” 6he is not to honor his father or his mother.’ And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7“You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you:

      8‘THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS,
BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME.

      9‘BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME,
TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.’”

      10After Jesus called the crowd to Him, He said to them, “Hear and understand. 11“It is not what enters into the mouth that defiles the man, but what proceeds out of the mouth, this defiles the man.”

      12Then the disciples came and said to Him, “Do You know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this statement?” 13But He answered and said, “Every plant which My heavenly Father did not plant shall be uprooted. 14“Let them alone; they are blind guides of the blind. And if a blind man guides a blind man, both will fall into a pit.”

The Heart of Man

      15Peter said to Him, “Explain the parable to us.” 16Jesus said, “Are you still lacking in understanding also? 17“Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated? 18“But the things that proceed out of the mouth come from the heart, and those defile the man. 19“For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murders, adulteries, fornications, thefts, false witness, slanders. 20“These are the things which defile the man; but to eat with unwashed hands does not defile the man.”

At the root of the problem highlighted by Yeshua in today’s scripture is the heart of man. The religious leaders confronting Him were honoring God with their lips, but their hearts were far from Him. They were focused on doing things their own way. They were not seeking earnestly after Yahweh and submitting to Him.

Let us prayerfully reflect on whether we are truly seeking our Father and willing to challenge and lay down all the teachings of men. This takes effort and time to invest in challenging, studying, testing the word. We must set aside time to focus on this or it will just not happen. Do not accept a teaching simply because it is commonly accepted or presented by a religious leader. Even if they mean well, they may be in error.

1 Thessalonians 5:16-22

16Rejoice always; 17pray without ceasing; 18in everything give thanks; for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. 19Do not quench the Spirit; 20do not despise prophetic utterances. 21But examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good; 22abstain from every form of evil.

“Examine everything carefully; hold fast to that which is good” is right up there with “abstain from every form of evil”. That is pretty important.

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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.