20 Pentecost

20 Pentecost – Sunday

first posted 10/01/05

2 Kings 17:1-18, The fall of Samaria

Acts 9:36-43, Peter restores Tabitha

Luke 5:1-11 Unexpected catch

Hoshea became king of the northern Kingdom of Israel during the reign of Ahaz, King of Judah, and reigned about nine years. Hoshea did not obey God’s word, but he wasn’t as wicked as the kings before him. Shalmanesar, king of Assyria, forced Israel to become his vassal and pay tribute. Hoshea tried to break Assyrian domination by establishing an alliance with Egypt, and he stopped paying tribute to Assyria. As a result Shalmanesar had Hoshea imprisoned and Assyria invaded northern Israel and besieged Samaria, the capital, for three years. In about 721 B.C. Samaria was captured by Sargon II, successor to Shalmanesar, who had died. Twenty-seven thousand people of northern Israel were carried off to distant cities in the Assyrian empire.

The reason Samaria and northern Israel were conquered by Assyria was because of their disobedience of God’s word and idolatry. God had brought them out slavery in Egypt (and could have delivered them from the Assyrians), but the people of the ten northern tribes had adopted the religious customs of the heathen people around them who they had displaced by their possession of Canaan, the Promised Land. God had specifically warned them not to marry the Canaanites or adopt their idolatry, and he repeatedly warned them by his prophets to obey God’s word and turn from idolatry, but they refused to listen and heed the warnings. They worshiped false gods (idols), used divination and sorcery, worshiped the stars (astrology), and sacrificed their children to idols. “Therefore the Lord was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight; none was left but the tribe of Judah only” (2 Kings 17:18).

There was a disciple (a Christian) at Joppa (on the Mediterranean coast between Gaza and Caesarea) named Tabitha (an Aramaic word; Dorcas is the Greek equivalent; both mean “Gazelle”). She was constantly doing good deeds and acts of charity. She fell sick and died, and the Christian community washed and prepared her for burial and placed her in an upper room. Simon Peter was in nearby Lydda, so they sent for him. When he arrived, they took him to the upper room. All the widows whom she had helped stood by, weeping and showing clothing Tabitha had made for them. He put them outside and knelt in prayer. Then Peter told her to arise. She opened her eyes, saw Peter, and sat up. Peter took her hand and she stood up. Then he called her friends and showed them that she was alive. The news spread throughout Joppa, and many believed in Jesus as a result. Peter stayed in Joppa for many days with a tanner named Simon.

Jesus was on the shore of the Sea of Galilee, and a great crowd had gathered to hear him teach God’s word. The crowd pressed forward to hear. There were two fishing boats beached nearby, and the fishermen were repairing their nets, so Jesus got into the boat belonging to Simon and asked to be taken just offshore, where he sat in the boat and taught the crowd.

When Jesus finished speaking, he told Simon to go into deeper water and let down his nets. Simon said he had been fishing all night and had caught nothing, but he would trust and obey Jesus. The nets were lowered and were filled with a large shoal (“school”) of fish. There were so many that the nets were breaking. Simon called his partners in the other boat to help, and they filled both boats to capacity. When Simon realized what had happened, he fell on his knees and declared his sinfulness and unworthiness to be in Jesus’ presence. His partners, James and John, the sons of Zebedee, were also amazed at the tremendous catch. Jesus told them not to be afraid and said that from then on they would be “catching” people (instead of fish). When they landed the boats “they left everything and followed [Jesus]” (Luke 5:11).

Hoshea was the last king of the ten northern tribes of Israel. He wasn’t as wicked as previous kings, like Ahab, but he didn’t seek the Lord’s guidance and obey God’s word. He and the people of the northern kingdom had plenty of warnings from the prophets of the Lord, but they refused to listen, repent and obey God’s word. If Israel had repented and reformed the Lord could and would have saved them as he had delivered Israel from Egypt. Hoshea hadn’t sought or been guided by the Lord or he wouldn’t have made an alliance with Egypt and precipitated Assyrian conquest and destruction. Consequently the ten tribes of the northern kingdom ceased, for all time, to exist.

Simon, the disciple who had confessed his sin and unworthiness to Jesus (Luke 5:8), had been transformed by his obedient trust in Jesus. Simon was renamed Peter by Jesus, because of Simon’s confession that Jesus was the Christ (Messiah; the Lord’s “anointed” eternal king). Peter (and other believers) was “anointed” with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, on the day of Pentecost, because of obedient trust in Jesus Christ. The power of the Lord to raise the dead was working through Peter by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Peter was living the teaching and example of Jesus.

Jesus is the fulfillment and personification of God’s Word (John 1:1-3, 14). Jesus taught God’s word by word and example (John 14:24b). People were so eager to hear God’s word that they pressed forward, forcing him to teach from a boat offshore to avoid being pushed into the water. Simon Peter and his fishing partners were experienced fishermen who knew the fishery, and had tried all night without success. In earthly terms the tremendous catch was impossible, but Peter trusted and obeyed Jesus’ command, and received results beyond human imagination.

The miracle was intended to be a parable and illustration to the crowd. When Jesus promised that the fishing partners would be “catching” men thereafter. Peter, James and John acted on that promise in obedient trust; they left everything and followed Jesus. Peter’s miracle of healing Tabitha is an example of the fulfillment of Jesus’ promise in Peter’s life. Many believed in the Lord throughout Joppa as a result of Peter’s obedient trust in Jesus (Acts 9:42).

God’s word contains both promises and warnings. The Lord is able to do great things in and through our lives, if we are willing to trust and obey Jesus, but the consequences of disobedience and idolatry (anything we value more than or in place of the Lord) is eternal destruction. The history of God’s dealing with Israel is intended to be a parable, a metaphor for life in this world, and a warning for us.

Are we, as individuals, as nations, even as churches, wasting our time, energy, resources, and heritage pursuing futile alliances with the princes of this world who are unable to save us, while ignoring the prophetic call to repent and return to the one true God who alone is able to save?

“Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help. When his breath departs he returns to his earth (dust); on that very day his plans perish. Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is the Lord his God...” (Psalm 146:3-5). Jesus is the only way. (John 14:6). Peter declared: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name (than “Jesus Christ of Nazareth;” see Acts 4:10) under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

Are we headed for eternal exile in Hell because we refuse to heed God’s word and turn in repentance to him, or are we headed for the Promised Land and eternal life with Jesus in heaven?

Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity?

Alternative Entry

first posted 10/25/03

2 Kings 17:1-18 The Sins and Exile of Israel

Acts 9:36-43 Peter Restores Tabitha

Luke 5:1-11 The Unexpected Catch

Hoshea became the last King of Israel [by overthrowing his predecessor, Pecah (15:30)]. He was not obedient to the Lord, but not as wicked as some of the Kings of Israel who preceded him. He was forced to become the vassal of King Shalmaneser of Assyria. Then he tried to create an alliance with King So of Egypt to enable him to break free of Assyrian domination. But Shalmaneser found out about Hoshea’s treachery and had him thrown in prison.

Then the Assyrian army invaded Israel and after three years of siege, carried off the people to exile in foreign places, ending, for all time, the Kingdom of Israel. The catastrophe was God’s punishment for the sins of Israel. Israel could have avoided the disaster by turning to the Lord and reforming their ways, but disregarded the many warnings of the prophets. Hoshea’s attempt to manipulate political relationships in the region was a futile and misdirected effort.

A Christian at Joppa named Tabitha fell ill and died, so her fellow Christians laid her in an upper room and sent for Peter (one of the original 12 disciples), who was not far away at Lydda (s.e. of Joppa; Joppa is on the Mediterranean coast). Tabitha had been constantly doing good works and acts of charity, and had made many coats and garments for the needy. Peter put everyone out of the room, and then he prayed over the body and commanded her to rise. Tabitha opened her eyes and sat up, and Peter called the others and returned Tabitha to them alive. Peter “…stayed in Joppa for many days with one Simon, a tanner” (v.43)

Jesus was preaching on the shore of the Sea of Galilee (Lake of Gennesaret). They were pressing in on him (in order to hear) and since there was a boat on shore nearby, he had Simon (Peter), the owner, put out a little way, so that he could sit down and preach from the boat. And when he had finished, he told Simon to put out into deeper water and let out his nets for a catch. Simon had fished all night and caught nothing, so he was skeptical, but he did as Jesus commanded, and was amazed, and so were his fishing partners, James and John, at the enormous catch which was produced. Simon recognized that Jesus’ command had been based on supernatural knowledge, and he was humbled at his own human inadequacy. Jesus told them “‘Do not be afraid; henceforth you will be catching men.’ And when they had brought their boats to land, they left everything and followed him” (v.10e-11).

Hoshea became King of Israel by plotting with Assyria* to overthrow the reigning King of Israel, Pecah, who was himself under Assyrian domination and who was plotting against Assyria. Soon Hoshea was having the same difficulty with Assyria that Pecah had, and was trying to use regional politics to get out of it. Having come to regret the deal he’d made with one “devil,” he tried to extricate himself by making another deal with a different “devil”, Egypt. (Egypt was the land of bondage from which God had delivered the Israelites; what was Hoshea thinking of, to be placing the Kingdom of Israel back in bondage to Egypt?) What Hoshea and Israel needed to do was to return to the Lord in repentance and start obeying God’s word again, but they refused to listen and follow the counsel of the prophets.

Peter was just an ordinary working guy, uneducated, with normal human weaknesses and failings, but he recognized the truth that Jesus was more that just a man; he saw that Jesus possessed the supernatural power and wisdom of God, so he left everything and followed Jesus and became his disciple. As he followed him, Peter’s understanding of who Jesus was grew. (John 6:68-69; Matthew 16:15-16). The same Peter who had declared that he was ready to face prison and death for Jesus (Luke 22:33-34) and then a few hours later, in fear after Jesus had been arrested, denied Jesus three times (Luke 22:54-62), had become the bold preacher from the Day of Pentecost on, when he had been filled with the promised Holy Spirit (Acts 2). By the power of the Holy Spirit he was able to raise Tabitha from the dead.

Are we, individually and nationally, wasting our time, energy, resources, and heritage pursuing futile alliances with the princes of this world who are unable to save us, while ignoring the prophetic call to repent and return to the one true God who alone is able to save? “Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no help. When his breath departs he returns to his earth (dust); on that very day his plans perish. Happy is he whose help is the God of Jacob, whose hope is the Lord his God...” (Psalm 146:3-4).

Jesus is the only way. (John 14:6) Peter declared: “And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name (than “Jesus Christ of Nazareth”; see v.10) under heaven given among men by which we must be saved” Acts 4:12). Are we headed for eternal exile in Hell because we refuse to heed God’s word and turn in repentance to him, or are we headed for the Promised Land and eternal life with Jesus in heaven?

*The Oxford Annotated Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce M. Metzger, 2K15.30n, p.476, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962.

20 Pentecost – Monday

first posted 10/25/03

2 Kings 17:24-41, The origins and paganism of Samaratans

1 Corinthians 7:25-31, Problems of marriage

Matthew 6:25-34 Today; one day at a time

The northern Kingdom of Israel was conquered by the Assyrians in 721 B. C., with the fall of Samaria, while Sargon reigned in Assyria. The Kingdom of the ten northern tribes of Israel ceased to exist. According to the Assyrian policy of pacification of conquered lands by shifting conquered people from one conquered land to another, the people of the northern kingdom were deported and people from Babylon, Cuthah (in Babylon), Avva (in Syria), Hamath (in Syria) and Sepharvaim (on the Euphrates River in Mesopotamia) brought in to replace them. When they first arrived they did not fear the Lord God of Israel, and the Lord sent lions among them to devour them. The king of Assyria was told that the settlers of Samaria did not know the laws of the God of the land, so he sent one of the captured Jewish priests to Samaria to teach the people the laws of the God of Israel.

The various peoples learned about the Lord God, but they still worshiped the idols of their homelands, and continued to sacrifice to them. They did not fear the Lord God and obey his laws which he gave to the children of Israel. The settlers refused to give up their idols and worship and serve the God of Israel alone and obey his laws, but continued in the manner of their former lives in their native lands. They intermarried with the Jews who remained in the land and became the racially and religiously mixed Samaritans in Jesus’ time.

Paul, the apostle, was discipling the Corinthian Christians. The question of marital relations had arisen. Paul wrote that he had no specific word by the Holy Spirit of the Lord, but his personal opinion, by the mercy of the Lord, should be trustworthy. Since the end of this present creation is quickly approaching, people should remain as they are. The single should remain single; the married should remain married. If believers choose to get married it isn’t a sin, but marriage brings worldly complications which the unmarried avoid.

From an eternal perspective the remaining time in this world is brief, and we would be better off not distracted by worldly concerns. If married, we should try to live as if unmarried. Whether mourning or rejoicing we should not allow our earthly emotions interfere with our eternal hope. We may still have to buy and sell material goods and services, but should not allow worldly concerns occupy us, because the material, temporal world is passing away.

Jesus taught his disciples to trust in God and not worry about food or clothing or other worldly things. God has provided everything necessary for life in his creation, and we are of more importance to God than any other creatures or things. Worrying about physical necessities doesn’t provide them. Worldly people seek worldly necessities. Our heavenly Father knows we need those things too. We are to seek first and most importantly God’s kingdom and righteousness, and all our earthly needs will be provided as well. Jesus taught his disciples not to worry about tomorrow; instead we should live one day at a time in obedient trust in the Lord.

The Lord God is God of all creation. This is his world and if we want to be blessed we must live by his rules. The people of the ten tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel were carried off into oblivion because they didn’t heed God’s call to repentance and obedience. They were removed from the Promised Land because they didn’t trust and obey God. Aliens who didn’t know God’s word were brought into the Promised Land, but were suffering God’s wrath because they didn’t know or obey God’s word. The worldly king of Assyria was wise enough to realize that the people needed to learn and obey God’s word.

This pretty well describes America today. America is the “New Promised Land” and Americans are the “New Israel” who have turned from obedience to God’s word and to idolatry. America is being overrun by heathen aliens who do not know or obey the laws of the Lord of our land and our world. The only thing Christians can do is to proclaim God’s word and to continue in obedient trust in our Lord Jesus Christ, living one day at a time. Jesus will return and judge this world soon!

“For what will it profit a man (person), to gain the whole world and forfeit his life (eternal life; his immortal soul)?” (Mark 8.36). Are we trying to serve more than one master? Do we think we can pursue our own worldly interests all week long, as long as we go to church on Sunday morning? (Maybe we think that as long as we “believe” in Jesus, we don’t really even need to go to church. Even demons know that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God (Mark 5:7; Luke 8:28) and that God is the one true God (James 2:19). We are all immortal (John 5: 28-29); the question is: Where are we going to spend eternity?

Alternative Entry
first posted 10/26/03

2 Kings 17:24-41 The Origin and Paganism of the Samaritans

1 Corinthians 7:25-31 Paul’s Opinion Concerning Marriage

Matthew 6:25-34 Trust in God’s Providence

The people of the Northern Kingdom of Israel were deported after their defeat by the Assyrians, and other people who had been conquered by the Assyrians were brought in to resettle Samaria. Thus the Northern Kingdom ended for all time, and only the Southern Kingdom of Judah continued. The Samaritan immigrants did not fear the Lord, so the Lord sent lions among them, which killed some of them. So the Assyrian King, concluding that the Samaritans had disaster because they did not know the law of the god of the land, had one of the Priests of Israel who had been deported brought back to Samaria to teach them the Law of the Lord. The Samaritans learned to fear the Lord, but they incorporated God into their own religion, and worshiped other gods as well, and apparently never gave up their idolatry. They tried to serve both God and idols.

Paul’s opinion on marriage, and interaction in the world in general, was that believers should maintain their situation at the time they came to faith in Jesus, rather than trying to make any radical changes. Marriage is not a sin, but Paul’s reasoning was that it, like any worldly preoccupation, interfered with the primary objective of a believer which was undivided devotion to the Lord (v.35).

Jesus taught that his followers should seek *first* the Kingdom of God, and not worry about their material needs or worldly situation. God knows your needs and is abundantly willing and able to supply the needs of those who trust and obey him. Man’s belief that he can provide for his needs himself is a delusion and a hindrance his ultimate security.

The Samaritans thought they could serve God and idols at the same time. The first law (the First Commandment) of God is: “You shall have no other gods before (besides) me” (Exodus 20:3) Jesus said “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other, You cannot serve God and mammon” (an Aramaic word generally translated as “wealth;” any material thing.) (Matthew 6:24). Jesus went on to say that because we can’t serve two masters, we cannot seek the Kingdom of God and be pursuing material security at the same time. Therefore we should seek the Kingdom of God first, and trust God to provide the material things we need. We cannot do both successfully; if we wait until we have material security, we will never get around to seeking God’s Kingdom and we will find that what we thought was security was a “mirage.”

Paul’s teaching is in agreement, saying that we should be content to stay in whatever situation we were in when we came to faith in Jesus, rather than making any sudden changes. Instead, we are to trust in God and seek his will, and not allow anxiety about worldly needs or situations distract us from that, believing that God is willing and able to provide for us.

20 Pentecost – Tuesday

first posted 10/03/05

2 Chronicles 29:1-3; 30:1 (2-9) 10-27, Cleansing the temple

1 Corinthians 7:32-40, Consecration to God

Matthew 7:1-12 Personal consecration.

Hezekiah became King of Judah when he was twenty-five and he reigned for twenty-nine years. He was a good king who followed the example of his ancestor, King David, and did what was right in God’s judgment. In the first year of his reign, he re-opened the temple (which had been closed by Ahaz, who had established altars on high places throughout Jerusalem and Judah for the worship of idols (2 Chronicles 28:24-25).

Hezekiah sent letters throughout Israel, including the territories of Ephraim and Manasseh, commanding them to return to the celebration of the Passover in Jerusalem. The people of the northern kingdom of Israel ridiculed the couriers of Hezekiah’s announcement. Only a few people of the tribes of Ephraim, Manasseh and Zebulun came to Jerusalem, but the people of Judah all responded to Hezekiah’s command. The great multitude that assembled in Jerusalem for the Passover tore down the unlawful altars which had been established by Ahaz.

The priests and Levites confessed their sinfulness and ritually purified themselves so that they could officiate at the Passover sacrifice of the lamb. The priests sprinkled the blood of the lambs slain by the Levites. Many of the people who had come to Jerusalem were not ritually clean, so the Levites had to sacrifice their lambs for them, to make the sacrifices holy to the Lord. The observance of that Passover did not conform strictly to the Law of Moses, but Hezekiah had prayed for the Lord to “pardon every one who sets his heart to seek God …even though not according to the sanctuary’s rules of cleanness” (2 Chronicles 30:19b). “The Lord heard Hezekiah and healed the people” (2 Chronicles 30:20).

All the people of Israel who had come to Jerusalem celebrated the Feast of Unleavened Bread for seven days with great joy and praise to the Lord. Hezekiah commended the Levites for their skill in serving the Lord. King Hezekiah and the princes of Israel had given so many animals for the feast and the people were having such a great time celebrating and giving thanks and praise to the Lord that they all decided to continue the feasting for another seven days. There hadn’t been such a great celebration of the Passover since the days of King Solomon. The Levites blessed the people, and the Lord heard their prayer.

The Apostle Paul was discipling the Corinthian Christians. His directions on marriage and family were based on the conviction that disciples devotion must be first and foremost to the Lord. Marriage and family create anxieties and concerns about worldly affairs. A single person can focus on pleasing and serving the Lord, while those who are married are trying to please and serve their spouses and families.

Marriage is the only acceptable context for sexual expression. Sexual temptation can also interfere with undivided devotion to the Lord, so marriage and family are preferable to sexual temptation and expression outside of marriage. Marriage is not a sin, and celibacy is difficult for many.

Jesus taught his disciples to not be judgmental of others. We will be judged with the judgment we have pronounced on others. We will receive the treatment with which we have treated others. It is easier to see small flaws in others that great ones in ourselves. We should deal with our own flaws before we presume to correct the flaws of others. Don’t give spiritual riches to those who are spiritually like dogs or pigs; they won’t appreciate them and will respond by attacking us.

“Ask and it will be given you; seek, and you will find; knock and it will be opened to you” (Matthew 7:7). God will reward our sincere persistent desire for what we truly need and is in accordance with his will. Human fathers don’t provide for their children’s genuine needs with what will not satisfy or will hurt them. So if human fathers who are sinful provide for their children, won’t our righteous heavenly father much more certainly give us good things if we ask him? So let us treat others as we would like others to treat us, because doing so fulfills all God’s Law and scripture.

The spiritual condition of both kingdoms, Israel and Judah, had been corrupted by disobedience of God’s word and the worship of false gods. The northern Kingdom of Israel had been conquered by Assyria, and most of the people of the ten northern tribes had been scattered throughout the Assyrian empire. There was a remnant who had not been deported.

Hezekiah began to reign as King of Judah, and he chose to trust and obey God and follow the example of his ancestor, King David. Hezekiah’s predecessor had closed the temple, and had erected altars on all the high places in Jerusalem and throughout Judea. Hezekiah began to reverse that. He reopened the temple, he reestablished the observance of the Passover and Feast of Unleavened Bread, and he commanded the remnant of the ten northern tribes to return to obedience and worship of the Lord, but most of them ridiculed the messengers of the king and refused his invitation to celebrate the Passover in Jerusalem.

This was the last chance for the people of the ten northern tribes, and they rejected the opportunity. The result was that they intermarried with the aliens brought into pacify northern Israel from other lands the Assyrians had conquered. They combined the religion of the aliens with Judaism, and, at the time of Jesus, had become the Samaritans, racially and religiously “corrupt;” they were no longer Jews in the racial or religious sense. The ten northern tribes ceased, forever, to exist.

The people of Judah did respond to Hezekiah’s call to return to obedience to the Lord and to worship and celebration, and they were blessed with forgiveness, mercy and joy of worshiping the Lord. The Lord does not require what is impossible from his people; all he desires is a sincere effort to serve and please the Lord. The people were not able to meet the legal requirements of the Passover celebration, but Hezekiah prayed for their forgiveness and the Lord was pleased to forgive them.

Paul was teaching the Corinthian Christians to make devotion to the Lord their first priority. The Lord doesn’t require more than we can do. If we make a sincere effort to make him first in our lives, we will have all the other, material, good things we need in this life as well. When we put the Lord first we can have the good marriage and family (and career) God intended us to have, which will be better than what we might have chosen for ourselves, if we had put ourselves first.

We have all sinned and fall short of God’s righteousness (Romans 3:23, 1 John 1:8-10), so we all need the Lord’s forgiveness and mercy. The Lord wants us to forgive and show mercy to others, if we want the Lord to forgive us.

The Lord promises that if we seek his kingdom and his righteousness we will find and receive it. He wants us to have true eternal life with him in the paradise he has created for us. “Born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) Christian disciples are the couriers of the gospel, the message, of Jesus Christ, the eternal King, calling the people of God’s creation to trust and obey the Lord; to come to the Church of Jesus Christ, the “New Jerusalem” and his temple on earth, and celebrate our deliverance from bondage to sin and eternal death in the “Egypt” of this world.

Those who accept his invitation will come to experience the joy of worship and fellowship in his presence through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Our nations and our churches are in urgent need of cleansing and revival today. Jesus warns that each one of us will have to account for what we have done in this life. When our hope and trust is in the Lord, he will provide everything we need. When he has our undivided devotion we will do what he commands. Will we return to worship and serve the Lord, or will we mingle with the ungodly, combining our spiritual heritage with the worldly religion of idolatry, and perish eternally?

Alternative Entry
first posted 10/27/03

2 Chronicles 29:1-3; 30:1 (2-9) 10-27 Hezekiah’s Passover Revival

1 Corinthians 7:32-40 Undivided Devotion to the Lord

Matthew 7:1-12 Practical Illustrations of Jesus’ Message

In the first year of his reign, King Hezekiah restored the Temple worship, which had declined during the reign of Ahaz. He cleansed the temple and reestablished the Passover festival, which had not been kept by many for some time. Usually kept in the first month of the Jewish calendar (during March-April), it was held a month later, to permit time for the priests to be sanctified and for the people to assemble in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 30:3). Hezekiah sent couriers through all Israel and Judah calling the people to come and keep the Passover in Jerusalem.

The Northern Kingdom had fallen to the Assyrians, and the northern tribes had been deported (2 Chronicles 30:9); there remained a remnant, but only a few people of the remnant of the northern tribes came to Jerusalem for the Passover. The rest of the remnant treated the messengers with scorn and mocked and laughed at them (2 Chronicles 30:10). In spite of the extra time taken to prepare (above) many still were not sanctified according to the Temple rules, but King Hezekiah had prayed for them, asking the Lord to “pardon every one who sets his heart to seek God the Lord…” (2 Chronicles 30:18c-19a). The people who kept the Passover in Jerusalem found such joy in giving thanks and praise to the Lord that they gladly agreed to extend the festival another week (2 Chronicles 30:23). There hadn’t been such a great worship experience in Jerusalem since the time of King Solomon.

Paul wanted his hearers to have undivided devotion to the Lord (1 Corinthians 7:35). For that reason, he urged them to make the Lord their main focus, and avoid becoming entangled with worldly affairs (1 Corinthians 7:33). Marriage is not wrong, and is preferable for those who are otherwise tempted to immorality, but those who marry will then have to deal with other worldly concerns which will tend to draw them away from focusing on the Lord. Marriage is only one of a number of worldly concerns (1 Corinthians 7:29-31) which are not bad in themselves, but which need our self-restraint, if our main focus of serving the Lord is going be accomplished.

Jesus’ point is that each one of us will be personally accountable to God for what he has done in this life. Those who have judged harshly will be judged harshly. Those who show no mercy will receive none. Treat others the way you would want to be treated. Don’t desecrate what is holy. Don’t disregard what is worthwhile. Seek what is eternal. God, who created us and everything, is our good Father, who knows what is best and wants us to have what is worthwhile. He is ready and willing to give us what we need, if we will trust him and ask him to provide it. The problem is that what we think we want and need is not really in our best interest, and we don’t value what God wants us to have.

Hezekiah was a good leader who “did what was right in the eyes of the Lord, according to all that David his father (he was a descendant of King David) had done” (2 Chronicles 29:2). He used his influence to bring about a revival and a return to worship of the Lord. The Northern Kingdom of Israel had rebelled against God and had gone astray into idolatry. Eventually the Lord had removed his protection from their land, and most of their people were deported into foreign slavery.

Even in the aftermath of that disaster, many of the people of the Northern Kingdom rejected the opportunity King Hezekiah offered to them to be restored to a right relationship to the Lord. They disregarded the assurance that their brethren and children who had been deported could yet be treated with compassion in their captivity and ultimately returned to them and that “the Lord is gracious and merciful and will not turn away his face from you, if you return to him” (2 Chronicles 30:9). Instead they mocked and ridiculed the messengers. (As a result, because of intermarriage with immigrants brought in by the conquering Assyrians to colonize Samaria, the Northern Kingdom ceased, forever, to exist, replaced by the Samaritans who were regarded as non-Jews due to their interbreeding and their religious corruption).

But the people of the Southern Kingdom of Judah, who were of “one heart to do what the king and the princes commanded by the word of the Lord" (2 Chronicles 30:12), and the few people of the remnant of the Northern Kingdom who accepted the call to keep the Passover in Jerusalem (2 Chronicles 30:11), joined in the Passover festival, along with the sojourners in Israel and Judah who responded. They were spiritually revived (2 Chronicles 30:20) and blessed by the Lord (2 Chronicles 30:27), and they found that they had so much joy in worshiping and praising the Lord that at the end of the week they decided to do it again for another week!

Paul says to his hearers that undivided devotion to the Lord should be our focus. Jesus warns that each one of us will have to account for what we have done in this life. When our hope and trust is in the Lord, he will provide everything we need. When he has our undivided devotion we will do what he commands.

Jesus is the Lord’s Anointed, heir to the throne of David; the King of Kings. Jesus is God’s Anointed King who invites and makes possible our restoration to a right relationship with God. The Lord is calling us to turn to him. He will not reject anyone who turns to him in sincerity and truth. Those who heed the call will find spiritual healing and great joy and blessing in worshiping and serving him. The Lord is willing and able to free us from our captivity to worldly concerns, to provide for our needs, and to give us eternal life with him in heaven. Jesus is the only way (John 14:6; Acts 4:10-12)! Those who persist in rejecting his call and mocking and ridiculing his messengers will be rejected and condemned to eternal destruction in Hell on the Day of Judgment.

20 Pentecost – Wednesday

first posted 10/04/05

2 Kings 18:9-25, Israel and Judah attacked

1 Corinthians 8:1-13, Food offered to idols

Matthew 7:13-21 Known by our “fruits”

Shalmaneser, King of Assyria, attacked and besieged Samaria, capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel, in the seventh year of King Hoshea’s reign. It was the fourth year of the reign of King Hezekiah, king of the southern Kingdom of Judah. After three years under siege, Samaria was conquered. The people of the ten tribes of the northern kingdom were deported to Halah (a district of Assyria) along the Habor (river of Gozan; a tributary of the Euphrates, in northeast Syria) and “the cities of the Medes” (northern Iran; 2 Kings 18:11), “because they did not obey the voice of the Lord their God but transgressed his covenant… [the commandments of Moses (the scriptures)]; they neither listened nor obeyed” (2 Kings 18:12).

Ten years later Sennacherib, King of Assyria conquered all of Judah. Hezekiah sent a message to Sennacherib in Lachish (the strongest fortress city of Judah; 2 Chronicles 11:5-9), admitting wrongdoing and agreeing to whatever penalty Assyria would impose. Sennacherib demanded three hundred talents of silver and 30 talents of gold (a talent weighed about 76 pounds). Hezekiah gave him all the silver from the temple and royal treasuries, and stripped the gold from the temple doors and doorposts which Hezekiah had overlaid when he had the temple doors repaired and reopened during the first year of his reign (2 Chronicles 29:3). Sennacherib sent three Assyrian officials to Jerusalem and they arrived at the conduit of the upper pool (which Hezekiah had built, from Gihon Spring to the Pool of Siloam, outside the Citadel of David; see 2 Kings 20:20) and summoned Hezekiah, who sent three officials of Judah, the overseer of Hezekiah’s household, the royal secretary and royal recorder to meet with the Assyrian delegation.

The Assyrian leader told the Jewish officials to tell Hezekiah that he could not rebel against Assyria with mere words to assert his independence. The Assyrians asserted that Judah’s reliance on Egypt as an ally against Assyria would be futile. The Assyrians didn’t believe that Judah could rely on the Lord God for victory against the Assyrians because they thought it was God’s altars on the high places which Judah has removed (the Assyrians had knowledge of Hezekiah’s reform but misunderstood its purpose). The Assyrian spokesman offered a wager that he would provide Judah with two thousand horses if they could find two thousand men to ride them. He suggested that Judah couldn’t hope to defeat a single unit of the Assyrian army if Judah had to depend on Egypt to supply chariots and cavalry to oppose them. Further the Assyrian asserted that it was by the word and power of the Lord God of Israel that Assyria was going to attack and destroy Judah.

Everyone thinks he possesses knowledge, but if we feel confident in our human knowledge, we don’t yet know enough real knowledge. Real knowledge is to love God and to be known (acknowledged as his child) by God. Worldly knowledge inflates our self-importance, but love builds up others.

The Corinthian congregation thought they were enlightened in their liberal views, as in the eating of meat sacrificed to idols. Idols are not really gods; there is only one true God, the Father who has created everything and for whom everything exists (Malachi 2:10), and there is only one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom everything was created (John 1:3) and through whom we exist. (Meat for sale was from pagan sacrifices; secular organizations held banquets in pagan temples; Corinthian Christians were divided over whether consumption and participation in such things was right).

Paul taught that the principle of love should override the principle of knowledge. The liberals should not allow their convictions to damage the faith of their more conservative brethren. Neither attitude regarding food is more righteous than the other, but a loving response is superior to unloving knowledge. We must care more for a brother’s salvation than for our own physical pleasure or self-importance. Spiritually injuring one for whom Christ died is a sin against Jesus A true disciple of Jesus would rather give up his freedom to eat meat than to cause another to be spiritually lost.

Jesus taught his disciples that the way to salvation and eternal life is narrow and rigorous, and few will find and endure it. Many will prefer the wide and less rigorous way, which leads to eternal destruction.

We are warned to beware of false prophets, who are like wolves disguised to look like sheep. The spiritual nature of people can be discerned by what they do. As grapevines produce grapes and not thorns, as thistles do not produce figs, so also people of God produce what is righteous and good; not what is evil. Christians will follow the example and teaching of Jesus. People who do what is contrary to God’s word and Jesus’ teachings, will be eternally destroyed, regardless of what they call themselves (Matthew 7:21-27).

The Assyrians thought they had knowledge. They “knew” that Judah had destroyed Judah’s altars on the high places. Assyria professed that the God of Israel was on Assyria’s side and they were doing God’s will by attacking and destroying Judah. Assyria accused Judah of unsubstantiated boasting. Assyria was an example of worldly knowledge and self-importance. Hezekiah’s reign was an example of obedient trust in the Lord.

There was controversy within the Corinthian church over meat sacrificed to idols. The “knowledgeable” faction perhaps even taunted the “scrupulous” faction about their lack of “spiritual maturity” or faith. The “knowledgeable” faction did not know as much as they thought they did, because they had overlooked their responsibility to love one another (Matthew 22:36-40) (They were also only half right about an idol representing nothing. Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 10:19-21 that there are demons behind idols.) The loving thing would be to deny oneself so that others might not be hurt by our actions.

Jesus teaches that the way to righteousness is not the wide road of self-indulgence but the narrow road of self-sacrifice, and he demonstrated that for us on the Cross. He also taught that we need to be careful not to judge by outward appearances; we need to be able to discern truth, and the standard of discernment is to examine the results in the light of God’s word. Jesus said that not everyone who calls him Lord is going to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Those for whom Jesus is truly Lord will be found doing God’s will.

The standard for discerning God’s will is the Bible. If something contradicts God’s word it can’t be God’s will. (In order to be able to use the Bible as our standard of discernment we must read the whole Bible and become familiar enough with its contents that we will know what it says as the need arises.) Sennacherib has boasted that he is doing the Lord’s will in attacking Judah. We’ll see!

Do we think that God is obligated to answer our prayers as long as we add “…in Jesus name…” to the end (see “Conditions for Answered Prayer,” sidebar, top right). Do we know just enough about God's word to be dangerous to ourselves and others? Do we claim that Jesus is our Lord but do things which are contrary to scripture? Do we assert that, since we are “Christian,” whatever we do must be God’s will? Do we believe that a leader who claims to be “Christian” is necessarily doing God’s will?

Alternative Entry
first posted 10/28/03

2 Kings 18:9-25 Sennacherib Threatens Judah

1 Corinthians 8:1-13 Food Offered to Idols

Matthew 7:13-21 The Narrow Gate

Samaria had fallen to the Assyrians because the Northern Kingdom of Israel had not kept the covenant with the Lord to obey him. A decade later Sennacherib had become King of Assyria and he attacked Judah. Hezekiah agreed to pay Assyria tribute, and was forced to strip all the silver and gold from the Temple. The King of Assyria sent three top officials to Jerusalem with a great army, and when they called Hezekiah to come out to meet them Hezekiah sent out three Judean officials.

The Assyrian spokesman told the Judean officials to ask the King who he was relying on, since he had rebelled against Assyria, because Judah alone was no match for the Assyrian Army; Judah lacked cavalry and chariots. The Assyrian spokesman suggested that if Hezekiah was relying on Egypt, that Egypt was a “broken reed of a staff which would pierce the hand of any man who leans on it” ( 2 Kings 18:21b). If Hezekiah claimed that he was relying on the Lord, then Sennacherib asserted that it was Assyria which was being directed and prospered by the Lord to conquer Judah (2 Kings 18:25).

There was controversy within the Corinthian church over whether it was right to eat meat offered for sale from animals sacrificed to idols. Apparently one Corinthian faction was becoming puffed up with a little knowledge, arguing that since they knew that the Lord was the only true God, and that idols were representations of gods that do not exist, that they had no qualms about eating such meat. For Paul, the Corinthians’ problem was not lack of knowledge but lack of love. Those who thought they possessed superior knowledge were not exhibiting love and concern for their brethren who were troubled by this issue.

Jesus taught that the path to righteousness and eternal life requires self-discipline and discernment. Outward appearances can be deceiving. There will be a Day of Judgment when all people on earth will be held accountable for what they have done.

Sennacherib had become quite arrogant. The Northern Kingdom of Israel had fallen to his predecessor, and he thought that Judah would be no different. Assyria had a great army, and Judah lacked cavalry and chariots. Egypt was in decline and offered no threat as an ally of Judah, and as for God, Sennacherib claimed that the Lord was on his side against Judah. Sennacherib taunted the faith of Judah through their spokesmen. Sennacherib thought he knew more than he actually did about Jewish religion; he revealed his ignorance by suggesting that Hezekiah had offended God by removing his altars and high places and insisting that God be worshiped only in Jerusalem ( 2 Kings 18:22). Sennacherib has boasted that he is doing the Lord’s will in attacking Judah. We’ll see.

Likewise, some of the believers in Corinth had become arrogant in their faith. They thought that they knew that idols were representations made by men of “gods” who did not exist and that “knowledgeable” Corinthians needn’t have any qualms about eating meat from animals sacrificed to idols. There was controversy within the Corinthian church over this issue. The “knowledgeable” faction perhaps even taunted the “scrupulous” faction about their lack of “spiritual maturity” or faith. The “knowledgeable” faction did not know as much as they thought they did, because they had overlooked their responsibility to love one another (Matthew 22:36-40) (They were also only half right about an idol representing nothing. Paul points out in 1 Corinthians 10 that there are demons behind idols.) The loving thing would be to deny oneself so that others might not be hurt by our actions.

Jesus said that not everyone who calls him Lord is going to enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Those for whom Jesus is truly Lord will be found doing God’s will. The standard for discerning God’s will is the Bible. If it contradicts God’s word it can’t be God’s will. (In order to be able to use the Bible as our standard of discernment we must read the whole Bible and become familiar enough with its contents that we will know what it says as the need arises.) Sennacherib has boasted that he is doing the Lord’s will in attacking Judah. We’ll see.

Do we think that God is obligated to answer our prayers as long as we add “…in Jesus name…” to the end. Do we know just enough about God's word to be dangerous to ourselves and others? Do we claim that Jesus is our Lord but do things which are contrary to scripture? Do we assert that, since we are “Christian,” whatever we do must be God’s will? Do we believe that a leader who claims to be “Christian” is necessarily doing God’s will?

20 Pentecost – Thursday

first posted 10/05/05

2 Kings 18:28-37, Assyria’s threats

1 Corinthians 9:1-15, Paul’s apostleship

Matthew 7:22-29 Hearers and doers of Jesus’ words

Rabshakeh was the chief official of Assyria, sent by Sennacherib, the King of Assyria, to demand Jerusalem’s surrender. He stood outside the wall of the city, and after telling the Jewish delegation Assyria’s demands, he raised his voice and spoke to the people of Jerusalem who were on the walls to defend the city. Rabshakeh spoke in the name of the “great king,” the king of Assyria, telling them not to be deceived by Hezekiah, because neither Hezekiah nor the Lord, the God of Israel, could deliver Jerusalem from the Assyrians. Rabshakeh told the people of Jerusalem to come out and make peace with the Assyrians, and they would be free to have their own land and have their own food and water and the fruit of their labor until the Assyrians deported them to a land like their own land, of olive trees and honey, so that they could enjoy life and not die

Rabshakeh told the people of Jerusalem not to believe Hezekiah’s claim that the Lord would deliver them. He told them that none of the lands Assyria had conquered had been delivered by their gods. Rabshakeh named fortified cities Assyria had conquered, including Samaria, the capital of the northern Kingdom of Israel, as evidence that the Lord would not deliver Jerusalem from Assyria.

The defenders of Jerusalem were silent, because Hezekiah had commanded them to make no reply. Then the three Jewish officials tore their clothes (a ritual sign of mourning) and returned to Hezekiah.

Paul was fulfilling the “Great Commission” which Jesus had given to his disciples; to make disciples and teach them to obey all that Jesus taught (Matthew 28:19-20). Paul was discipling the Corinthian church, teaching, by word and example, the principle of self-restraint which Jesus had taught his disciples by word and example (Matthew 7:13-27). Paul was as much an apostle (a messenger of the Gospel of Jesus Christ) as the eleven remaining original disciples (the Twelve minus Judas, the betrayer).

The Corinthian Christians were the evidence of Paul’s apostleship, and should know as well as or better than any, that Paul was an authentic apostle. As an apostle Paul would have the right to have a family and to be fed and housed at the Church’s expense, as the other apostles were, but Paul and his co-worker, Barnabas, did not assert those rights, choosing to work at secular jobs (Paul was a tentmaker; Acts 18:3) to support themselves. Paul was as surely working for and serving the Church as any worker in any secular endeavor, and as worthy of compensation for his efforts as any secular worker.

Paul’s teaching was not his own opinion but based on God’s word, which declared that an ox should be allowed to eat freely the fruits of its labor (Deuteronomy 25:4). God’s word applies not just to animals; people who plow and thresh should hope to share in the harvest. If the Corinthians had received spiritual blessings through the apostles, they should be happy to provide material benefits in return.

Paul had more right than any to receive compensation from the Corinthian congregation, but he waived that right so that no one would be hindered in receiving the gospel. The priests and servants of the Jewish temple, and also those of pagan temples, receive, for their support, a portion of the sacrifices. So the Lord also commanded that those who proclaim the gospel should receive a living from it (Luke 10:2-8; compare 1 Timothy 5:17-18). Paul didn’t want compensation for preaching the gospel. He was obligated to proclaim it, but he took satisfaction in making if freely available to anyone who would listen.

Jesus warns us that it isn’t those who claim that Jesus is their Lord who will enter the eternal kingdom of heaven, but only those who do God’s will; those who obey God’s word. On the Day of Judgment Jesus will be the judge (Matthew 25:31-46). Many will address Jesus as Lord and claim to have prophesied, cast out demons, and done many great deeds in Jesus’ name, but Jesus will deny knowing them and condemn them as evildoers.

Those who listen to and obey Jesus’ words will be like a well-built house on a solid foundation, which can withstand and survive the storms of life. Those who hear but do not obey Jesus’ words will be like a fool who builds his house on sand without any foundation; and when the storm comes, that house will be totally destroyed.

The crowds who heard Jesus were amazed at his teaching because, unlike the scribes (teachers of scripture), he taught by his own authority rather than relying on “tradition.”

Rabshakeh is an example of worldly rulers who serve the “great king” of this world, Satan; who oppose and attempt to enslave God’s people. Hezekiah is an example of a faithful leader (an apostle) of God’s people, and he is a forerunner and illustration of Christ. Rabshakeh tried to convince the defenders of Jerusalem that it was in their best interest to serve the “great king” of Assyria, rather than trusting and serving the Lord and his anointed king, Hezekiah. Rabshakeh offered the people of Jerusalem freedom and an alternative to the God-given Promised Land.

Rabshakeh proffered the example of the fall of Samaria and the northern Kingdom of Israel by Assyria as proof that the Lord could not save Jerusalem, but it was a false comparison, because the northern Kingdom of Israel had disobeyed God’s word and had been led into idolatry by its “worldly” king, but Judah had returned to obedient trust in the Lord and from idolatry by the leadership of Hezekiah, the Lord’s “anointed.” The northern kingdom represents the false church; the “nominal” church; the apostate church. The members of the false church call themselves Christians, they call Jesus their Lord, but they don’t trust and obey Jesus.

Paul is the example of a modern, “post-resurrection,” “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciple and apostle (messenger sent to proclaim the Gospel,) of Jesus Christ. He was fulfilling the “Great Commission” which Jesus gave to his disciples, whom Jesus appointed to be apostles (Luke 6:12-13). Paul was making disciples and teaching, by word and example, that disciples trust and obey Jesus’ teachings. He had heard and was doing and living Jesus’ words and example. It takes “born-again” disciples to make “born-again” disciples.

Jesus warned that it is not those who call themselves “Christians,” who call Jesus their Lord, who will be saved from eternal condemnation and destruction. Only those who trust and obey Jesus will be saved. Jesus’ word is the word of God (John 14:24); Jesus is the fulfillment and embodiment of God’s word (John 1:1-3; 14).

Only Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit (John 1:32-34). Jesus gives the gift and anointing of his Holy Spirit only to his disciples who trust and obey him (John 14:15-17). The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16). It is possible to know for oneself with certainty if one has received the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Acts 19:2).

Satan is trying to tell us that the place he has for us is just as good as the Promised Land of Heaven. He wants us to think it will be one big party; all our friends will be there, etc. He also wants us to know that it will be a lot easier to get there; we won’t have to do a single thing we’d rather not do. We can spend all our time just pleasing ourselves.

Of course, if we’d rather believe that there is no life after physical death, Satan will be pleased to let us believe that instead. That way we can just “eat, drink, and be merry” right now and not think at all about what is coming next. This is exactly what is pictured for us in the Sennacherib passage for today. The alternative is the Gospel of Jesus. Jesus death and Resurrection is the graphic illustration of the narrow way of self-restraint which leads to eternal life. Paul and countless Christian Disciples since, testify to the truth, the hope, and the joy of that way.

Which eternity will you choose? Are you trusting and obeying God’s word and God’s anointed King, or do you believe Satan’s lies? Is Jesus your Lord? Are you Jesus’ disciple? Are you trusting and obeying Jesus? Have you received the indwelling Holy Spirit since you first truly believed (Acts 19:2)? Are you making disciples of Jesus Christ and teaching them to obey all that Jesus commands (Matthew 28:18-20)? Do you know with certainty where you will spend eternity?

20 Pentecost – Friday

first posted 10/06/05

2 Kings 19:1-20, Hezekiah seeks God’s help

1 Corinthians 9:16-27, Paul’s self denial

Matthew 8:1-17 Jesus heals

Sennacherib, king of Assyria, had sent a delegation to threaten siege and demand Jerusalem’s surrender. When the Jewish officials reported to Hezekiah, king of Judah, Hezekiah tore his clothes and put on sackcloth (signs of ritual mourning) and went into the temple. Hezekiah sent a delegation of his senior civil and religious officials to Isaiah, the prophet, seeking God’s guidance and help. The messengers told Isaiah how Sennacherib’s threat had caused great distress and disgrace and had mocked the Lord God of Israel. . They asked Isaiah to intercede with the Lord on behalf of the remnant of Israel (the northern Kingdom of Israel had been conquered and destroyed by Assyria).

Isaiah told Hezekiah’s messengers to tell the king not to be afraid of the words of the messengers of the king of Assyria. The Lord promised that he would cause Sennacherib to hear a rumor which would cause him to return to his own kingdom and be assassinated there (see Isaiah 37:37-38).

Rabshakeh, the chief official and spokesman of Sennacherib, returned from Jerusalem and found that the Assyrians had moved on from their siege against Lachish (probably having conquered it) to lay siege to Libnah (both were Canaanite fortified cities in the southern coastal plain conquered by Israel). When Sennacherib heard that Tirhakah, king of Ethiopia was preparing to attack, Sennacherib again sent messengers to Hezekiah, with a letter repeating his claim that none of the gods of the lands Assyria had conquered had been able to withstand Assyria.

The messengers delivered the letter to Hezekiah, and when he had read it he took it into the temple and spread it out before the Lord. Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, acknowledging him as the one true God, who was the creator and sovereign ruler of all the kingdoms of earth and heaven. Hezekiah prayed that the Lord would see and hear the mocking words of the Assyrian king against the Lord. Sennacherib had laid waste nations and kingdoms and had destroyed their idols, because they were not really gods, but created by humans from wood and stone. Hezekiah asked the Lord to save Judah from the power of the Assyrians, so that all the kingdoms of earth would know that the Lord is the only true God. Then Hezekiah received a message from Isaiah, saying that the Lord had heard Hezekiah’s prayer about Sennacherib, king of Assyria.

Paul received and sought no credit for proclaiming the gospel; he had a responsibility and a commission from the Lord to proclaim it, and he received satisfaction from doing it willingly and free of charge.

Paul was a free man, obligated only by the commandment to love God and love others, but voluntarily, out of love, became a servant of all in order to attract some to faith in the gospel. Paul became like the Jews in order to attract Jews; he became like those under the Covenant of Law in order to win those who are obligated to the Covenant of Law, although Paul and all Christians are no longer under the Law, if they trust and obey the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:1-9).

Paul became like a Gentile, outside the Covenant of Law, although not violating the Law himself, but guided by the reign of Christ within him through the Holy Spirit, in order to attract Gentiles who aren’t under the Law. Paul had sacrificed his own self-interest and will in order to reach and save some by presenting the gospel in the context of their life situation. Paul’s motive was to share in the blessings of the gospel himself, and to share those blessings with others.

Paul used an analogy of an athletic competition to illustrate discipleship. Runners compete for a prize; not every runner receives the prize, so a runner must practice self-discipline and make every effort to win. The winning athlete receives a worldly prize and recognition which is perishable, but the reward for discipleship is eternal and unfading. The worldly athlete does not win races by running aimlessly, and a boxer doesn’t win fights by pummeling the air. As the worldly athlete wins by discipline and self-control, so must Christians be disciples who obey Jesus’ teachings; they must practice and apply the gospel, not just preach it, if they want the eternal reward.

Great crowds began to gather around Jesus. A leper came and knelt in front of Jesus, and declared his faith that Jesus could heal him if Jesus was willing. Jesus was willing and reached out and touched the leper, who was instantly healed. Jesus told the healed leper not to tell anyone about his healing, except to the priest, presenting the offering required by the Law of Moses.

When Jesus entered Capernaum, a Roman Centurion (military officer) came to Jesus and asked Jesus to heal the Centurion’s servant who was paralyzed and in great distress. Jesus offered to come and heal the servant, but the Centurion said he wasn’t worthy to have Jesus come to his home, but he believed that Jesus could give the command and the disease would obey, as the Centurion’s men obeyed his command.

Jesus was amazed that the Roman officer had such faith, beyond any faith shown by the people of Israel. He declared that there would be many (Gentiles) from the far corners of the world who would come to the banquet with the Patriarchs of Israel in the kingdom of heaven, while the sons of the kingdom (the descendants of the Jewish Patriarchs; the Jews) will be condemned to “outer darkness” (Hell, eternally separated from the kingdom of God and all goodness) of eternal mourning and agony. Jesus told the Centurion he could go home; his servant had been healed at that very moment.

Jesus entered his disciple, Peter’s, house, and found that Peter’s mother-in-law was sick with a fever. Jesus touched her and her fever left, and she got up and served him. That evening everyone in the surrounding area brought the physically and spiritually ill to Jesus and he healed them. Jesus’ ability to heal was the fulfillment of Isaiah’s prophecy, “He took our infirmities and bore our diseases (Matthew 8:17; Isaiah 53:4).

The history of God’s dealing with Israel is intended to also be a parable, a metaphor for life in this present world. Sennacherib represents the ruler, the “god” of this present age, who is Satan. Rabshakeh represents worldly rulers who are under Satan’s influence. Satan wants to conquer and destroy God’s people and “Jerusalem,” the “Holy City,” the Church. Satan tries to convince God’s people that God can’t protect them. Satan offers a kingdom which he claims is as good as God’s kingdom, and a lot easier to enter (2 Kings 18:31-32).

Hezekiah represents faithful rulers of God’s people and is a forerunner and illustration of Christ, the Lord’s anointed king, who intercedes for his people to God. Hezekiah trusted and obeyed God’s word. When in danger he sought God’s guidance and power to save. In contrast, the northern Kingdom of Israel had been conquered by the Assyrians and deported to oblivion, because the people of the northern ten tribes of Israel had turned from obedient trust in the Lord to idolatry. As a result the northern Kingdom of Israel and the people of the ten northern tribes ceased to exist. The southern Kingdom of Judah was the remnant of Israel.

God’s word is eternally true; it is always fulfilled, over and over, as the conditions for its fulfillment are met. God promised to distract Sennacherib with a rumor which would cause the king of Assyria to return to his own kingdom where he would be killed by the sword, and that is what happened (Isaiah 37:37-38). God delivered Jerusalem and the Kingdom of Judah from the threats and lies of their enemy, because the leaders and people of Judah were trusting and obeying the Lord.

Paul is the example of a person who was spiritually blind and dead, as all of us are until we come to a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Paul had been a persecutor of Christians. He had thought he was serving God because he was a Jew and a Pharisee, he thought he was spiritually enlightened because he was well-educated in Judaism and scripture, he thought he was spiritually alive, but without forgiveness and salvation which is only available through obedient trust in Jesus Christ, he was under condemnation to eternal death, as are we all, apart from Jesus Christ (see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

Paul was confronted by the risen and ascended Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 9:1-20). Paul was struck physically blind so that he could realize his spiritual blindness. Paul was healed of his spiritual and physical blindness by Jesus, through a disciple, Ananias, and re-born (John 3:3, 5-8) from spiritual death to eternal life by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is the seal and guarantee that one is in Christ and has eternal life (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

Paul wanted to share with others the gift of salvation and eternal life which he had received and experienced, but he also had an obligation, a commission from Jesus to share the gospel and salvation with others. Paul hadn’t received salvation and eternal life so that he could keep it a secret! Jesus had given his life to give us salvation and eternal life, and we are saved and empowered by his Holy Spirit to join and complete his ministry to bring salvation and eternal life to others. Paul was teaching discipleship with words and by example as Jesus had taught by words and example.

In many other areas of life in this world people willingly practice self-discipline in order to win a reward which is soon forgotten. How much better it is to apply self-discipline in order to obtain an eternal reward.

The Centurion not only believed that Jesus could heal his servant. He believed that Jesus could do it from a distance, without having to actually lay hands on the servant, and the Centurion believed that it would be done, without having seen it happen.

Jesus healed physical illness, and also provided physical feeding, but his main ministry was not physical but spiritual. Physical healing and feeding were intended to point to spiritual healing and feeding. Physical healing and feeding are insignificant in comparison to spiritual healing and feeding.

Jesus’ power to cast out demons demonstrates his power to heal spiritually. As Jesus healed the fever of Peter’s mother-in-law, he heals us so that we can get up and serve him, fulfilling his mission of forgiveness and salvation for all who will receive it by obedient trust in Jesus Christ. Jesus healed Paul of spiritual blindness and gave him the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit so that he was reborn to new life and empowered for ministry in Jesus’ name.

Alternative Entry
first posted 10/30/03

2 Kings 19:1-20 Hezekiah Consults Isaiah

1 Corinthians 9:16-27 Paul’s Self-Denial

Matthew 8:1-17 Jesus Authority Over Diseases

When King Hezekiah of Judah heard the ultimatum delivered by Sennacherib, King of Assyria, he tore his clothes and went into the house of the Lord. Hezekiah sent a delegation of officials to Isaiah, the prophet, for advice. Isaiah prophesied, in the name of the Lord, that Sennacherib would hear a rumor and return to his homeland where he would be assassinated. When Rabshakeh, Sennacherib’s spokesman returned from delivering the ultimatum, he found Sennacherib involved in fighting a flare-up of hostilities in Libnah, and worried about news that Tirhakah, King of Ethiopia, had set out to fight against the Assyrians. Sennacherib sent a letter to Hezekiah reiterating his argument that no god was able to withstand the Assyrians. Hezekiah brought the written threat into the house of the Lord and prayed, reaffirming his trust in the Lord to deliver them from the Assyrian threat. Isaiah sent word to Hezekiah that the Lord had heard his prayer.

Paul felt that he deserved no credit for preaching the Gospel, since he was under a commission from God to preach it, but he got personal satisfaction from making the Gospel available free of charge. Paul freely chose to become the servant of others in order that he might win them to Christ for their salvation, because of his loving concern for others and the joy which he himself had found in the Gospel. He used a sports metaphor to illustrate the motivation for his self-denial: In many other areas of life in this world people willingly practice self-discipline in order to win a reward which is soon forgotten. How much better it is to apply self-discipline in order to obtain an eternal reward.

A leper approached Jesus in faith that Jesus could heal him, and Jesus was willing to respond to that faith. Jesus didn’t limit his healing just to Jews; the Centurion was a non-Jewish military officer of the occupying enemy government. The Centurion not only believed that Jesus could heal his servant. He believed that Jesus could do it from a distance, without having to actually lay hands on the servant, and the Centurion believed that it would be done, without having seen it happen. Jesus responded to his faith and healed the Centurion’s servant. Jesus healed Peter’s mother-in-law “and she rose and served him” (Matthew 8:15b). Jesus healed all who came to him in faith for healing.

When Hezekiah heard Sennacherib’s threats he turned to the Lord in faith. After he received the word of the Lord from Isaiah that Sennacherib’s plans would be thwarted and his threats come to nothing, Hezekiah kept on believing, even when Sennacherib sent a letter reiterating his threats. Hezekiah took the written threats to the Lord in prayer, reaffirming his trust in God ( 2 Kings 19:15), and Isaiah confirmed that the Lord had heard Hezekiah's prayer (2 Kings 19:20). It was Jesus’ loving pleasure to heal those who came to him in faith. Paul himself had found physical and spiritual healing in his encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts Ch. 9). Paul had subsequently found such joy and hope in the Gospel and in the fellowship with the Holy Spirit that he wanted to share it with all others who were able to receive it in faith.

It is the Lord’s good pleasure to give the Kingdom of Heaven to all those who are willing to receive it in faith (Luke 12:32). The Lord is abundantly able, and he is utterly faithful. What he says he will do will be done. Jesus is the only way (John 14:6). We are all sinners (Romans 3:23) The punishment for sin is death (Romans 6:23). We have a terminal illness called sin. If we realize our need for his healing we can come to him in faith, and ask, knowing that He will be glad to heal us and give us eternal life in the Kingdom of Heaven.

20 Pentecost – Saturday

first posted 10/07/05

2 Kings 19:21-36, God’s word fulfilled

1 Corinthians 10:1-13, Warning against self-confidence

Matthew 8:18-27 Jesus’ calms the storm

Assyria had threatened to besiege Jerusalem, and Hezekiah, king of Judah had sought God’s word and intervention. Isaiah, the prophet, sent Hezekiah God’s word assuring him that God had heard Hezekiah’s prayer. Isaiah prophesied God’s judgment against Assyria, who had scorned and derided the Lord’s “beloved virgin daughter,” Jerusalem. Assyria had mocked and reviled and exalted himself against the Holy One of Israel. Assyria had become conceited by their military might, their conquests and vast empire.

Assyria did not realize that their accomplishments and victories were only by the will of God, who used them to accomplish God’s purpose. God knows every detail about Assyria, and has heard their raging arrogance against God. Therefore, God is going to lead them back the way they came, as by a harness and bit in the mouth, or a hook in the nose.

The Lord declared that the surviving remnant, Judah, would take root again and bear fruit, because God’s will and purpose will be accomplished. Assyria would not besiege Jerusalem but instead would return to their own land, because the Lord will defend and save Jerusalem for the sake of David (the Lord’s anointed king, from whom the Messiah would arise).

That night eighty-five thousand Assyrians died in their sleep by the power and will of God. In the morning the bodies were discovered, and Sennacherib, king of Assyria, returned home to Nineveh. He was assassinated as he worshiped in the temple of his idol, Nisroch by two of his sons who then fled to Ararat (in Armenia). And Sennacherib’s son Esarhaddon his son became king of Assyria.

Paul warned the Corinthian Christians that the people of Israel had been “under the cloud” (guided by the pillar of cloud by day; Exodus 13:21), they were all baptized into Moses in the cloud (the cloud of God’s presence at Mt. Sinai, when the Covenant of Law was established; Exodus 16:14-15) and in the sea (when they crossed the Red Sea on dry land, escaping from Pharaoh). They “all ate the same supernatural food (manna in the wilderness), and drank the same supernatural drink (water from the rock)…and the Rock was Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:3-4; Exodus 17:6; Numbers 20:7-11), but many died in the wilderness, because they hadn’t obeyed God (Numbers 14:29-30).

Paul said that God’s dealings with Israel happened to them as a warning to them not to desire evil, not to be idolaters, not to indulge in immorality, not to put God to the test or grumble against God, and they were written down (the Old Testament scriptures) as a warning and instruction for us, who are experiencing the fulfillment of God’s promise and plan.

Therefore, guard against overconfidence; watch out for temptation. “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man [mankind]. God is faithful and will not let you be tempted beyond your strength, but with the temptation will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it (without giving in and sinning). (1 Corinthians 10:13).

Jesus was crossing the Sea of Galilee by boat to have respite from the crowds so he and his disciples could have quiet time together. A scribe (teacher of scripture) told Jesus he wanted to follow him everywhere, but Jesus warned him that he would have to give up home and shelter to follow Jesus. Another of his disciples wanted to bury his father before continuing with Jesus, but Jesus told him to let those who are spiritually dead bury the dead; it was more important for the disciple to trust and obey Jesus.

Jesus and his disciples were in the boat and a great storm arose. The boat was being swamped by the waves and the disciples were afraid, but Jesus was sleeping in the stern. They woke him and told him they were about to perish, but Jesus asked them if they were afraid because their lacked faith. Jesus “rebuked the winds and the sea; and there was a great calm” (Matthew 8:26b). His disciples were amazed that even winds and waves obeyed Jesus, and they realized that Jesus more than just an ordinary man.

God’s will is always accomplished, whether we cooperate with his will or not. Sennacherib and Assyria boasted of their great victories and their accomplishments as an empire, but they were only allowed to do what accomplished God’s purpose. Assyria and the Assyrian king were God’s instruments of punishment to destroy the northern kingdom of the ten tribes of Israel. The northern Kingdom of Israel had many warnings and opportunities to repent and return to obedient trust in the Lord, but they refused to heed God’s word and God’s prophets. Their fate is a warning of the ultimate consequences of disobedience of God’s will.

Assyria didn’t understand how God could protect Jerusalem and Judea from the Assyrians, but God’s word was fulfilled. It was recorded by “Herodotus (History, II.141) that the Assyrians suffered a defeat on the border of Egypt because their bowstrings and other leather equipment were chewed by a sudden onslaught of field mice. Mice may be carriers of the plague.”* A similar event, attributed to plague spread by field mice, afflicted the Philistines after they captured the Ark of the Covenant, and was the reason they returned it to Israel (1 Samuel 6:1-6). The “great king” (2 Kings 18:19) Sennacherib’s conquest was thwarted by an army of mice at the command of their creator, the King of the Universe!

Paul warned the Corinthian Christians not to presume that they had salvation and eternal life because they had been baptized and received the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper (Communion; Eucharist), without fulfilling the requirements of discipleship and obedience of God’s word. Jesus Christ is the fulfillment and embodiment of God’s word (John 1:1-3, 14), and the words Jesus spoke and taught are the words of God (John 14:24).

Paul warns that God’s word has been given to teach us to trust and obey the Lord and to warn and illustrate the consequences of disobedience and of putting anything or anyone ahead of or equal to the Lord. The deportation by the Assyrians of the people of the ten northern tribes of Israel is not just history, but also, by intention, a parable and a metaphor of life in this world. It is an illustration of God’s ultimate judgment against disobedience of God’s word and against idolatry, and the punishment of deportation to eternal death and destruction in Hell.

Baptism in the sea and in the cloud corresponds to the water baptism for repentance and the “anointing” with the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit. The pillar of cloud which guided Israel for forty years in the wilderness was a pillar of fire by night, so Israel could be guided at night. The Holy Spirit is given to guide us through the “night” of spiritual sin and darkness of this world. The people of God, the Israelites, were to learn to follow the Lord in obedient trust during those forty years; the ones who refused to learn to trust and obey died in the wilderness and were not allowed to enter the Promised Land.

Disciples of Jesus Christ must be willing to give up their worldly aspirations and their own wills in order to accomplish God’s will and purpose in Jesus Christ. Those who are not willing to give up home, family and career in order to follow Jesus can’t be his disciples. But the Lord promises that those who seek first God’s kingdom and righteousness will also have the good necessary things of this life as well (Matthew 6:33). The difference will be in our priorities; home, family and career will no longer be first, ahead of, or equal to the Lord and his will.

The winds and waves obey Jesus’ words. Even demons obey him. Everything in Creation obeys God’s word. People are the only creatures who have been given the freedom to choose whether to obey the Lord or not. The purpose of God’s creation has always, from the very beginning, been to create an eternal kingdom of his people who will voluntarily choose to trust and obey him. This life is our “wilderness wandering,” our opportunity to come to know God, learn to trust and obey him, and be guided by his Holy Spirit (Acts 17:26-27).

Jesus is the only way to forgiveness and restoration of fellowship with God and eternal life in the Promised Land God’s eternal kingdom (John 14:6; Acts 4:12; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). Jesus is God’s only plan for our salvation from eternal death, and Jesus is not an “afterthought;” Jesus has been “built-into” the entire structure of Creation (John 1:1-3, 14), as Paul taught about the water from the Rock (1 Corinthians 10:4). Jesus is the source of the spiritual water of life in the wilderness of this world through the gift of his Holy Spirit (John 4:10-14; 7:37-39).

Those who decide to follow Jesus in obedient trust will be protected and brought through the storms of life, growing in faith by his Spirit within us, as Jesus was present in power in the boat with his disciples.

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*The Oxford Annotated Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce M. Metzger, 2 Kings 19:35n, p. 484, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962.

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Alternative Entry
first posted 10/31/03

2 Kings19:21-36 Sennacherib's Demise

1 Corinthians 10:1-13 Warning Against Overconfidence

Matthew 8:18-27 Jesus Calms the Storm

Isaiah prophesied, by the word of the Lord, against Sennacherib, King of Assyria, that his arrogance would be punished (v.28). Isaiah prophesied that Assyria's conquest of Judah would not succeed, and that Sennacherib would be assassinated. According to the scriptural account, a plague killed a large number of the Assyrian soldiers, [According to my Oxford Annotated Bible, this was partially substantiated by Herodotus (History, II.141) who said that "the Assyrians suffered a defeat on the borders of Egypt because their bowstrings and other leather equipment were chewed by a sudden onslaught of field mice."*

Mice were known to be carriers of plague. This is similar to the incident in 1 Samuel 6:4-5, where the Philistines suffered a plague of mice after capturing the Ark of the Covenant, and voluntarily returned the Ark to avoid any further difficulties.] Sennacherib returned to his homeland without conquering Judah, and was subsequently assassinated (some twenty years later).

Paul warned his hearers against overconfidence. Participating in religious rites such as Baptism and the Lord's Supper do not guarantee salvation. Christians must exercise self-restraint to avoid participating in sin. Overconfidence can lead one to become careless and vulnerable to temptation.

Jesus warned potential followers that discipleship involved self-denial. They could not follow him and continue to maintain their former lifestyle. As he was crossing the sea in a boat with his disciples a great storm arose, and the disciples became afraid and awoke Jesus. Jesus rebuked the wind and the sea became calm. His disciples "marveled, saying, 'What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey him?'" (v.27).

Sennacherib had been overconfident and arrogant. He had assumed that since his predecessors had had no difficulty overcoming many foreign lands, in spite of the protection of the gods of those lands, that he would prevail over Judah in spite of the Lord (2 Kings 18:33-35). He boasted in the superiority of the Assyrian army. He had even claimed that the Lord God of Israel was on his side and that he was doing God's will (2 Kings 18:25). His spokesman had referred to him as "the great king" (2 Kings 18:19). Note the irony! His conquest was thwarted by an army of mice at the command of their creator, the King of the Universe! The disciples recognized that Jesus was able to command by his word things that only God, the creator of the universe, is able to do. Paul's warning against overconfidence echos Jesus' teaching about self-denial. We must be careful not to become arrogant and overconfident.

Just because we go to church on Sunday, maybe even teach sunday school or sing in the choir, that doesn't make us "Christians" or guarantee our salvation. Just because we call ourselves Christians doesn't guarantee that what we do is God's will. Unless we are willing to give up our self-interests in order to do God's will we cannot be his disciples, and we may be found on the side of the enemies of God's will.

*The Oxford Annotated Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce M Metzger, 2 Kings 19:35n, p 484, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962