21 Pentecost

21 Pentecost – Sunday

first posted 10/0805

2 Kings 20:1-21, Hezekiah’s healing

Acts 12:1-17, Peter’s release from prison

Luke 7:11-17 Son of the widow of Nain

Hezekiah, the righteous and faithful King of Judah, became sick and was at the point of death. (Hezekiah’s illness occurred before Sennacherib’s attack on Judah and threat to besiege Jerusalem. See yesterday’s entry.) Isaiah, the prophet, came to him and told Hezekiah to prepare for his death. Hezekiah began to pray, asking the Lord to consider Hezekiah’s faithful obedience to God.

Isaiah had left Hezekiah’s bedroom, but before he left the palace God’s word came to him to return to Hezekiah and tell him that the Lord had heard his prayer and would heal Hezekiah. On the third day Hezekiah would be well enough to go to the temple. The Lord promised to give fifteen more years of life to Hezekiah. The Lord revealed that he would save Jerusalem from the king of Assyria for the sake of David (the great king of Israel) and for the Lord’s own name’s sake. Isaiah told Hezekiah’s servants to prepare a poultice made from dried figs to lay on an infection which was causing Hezekiah’s illness.

Hezekiah asked Isaiah for a sign that his promise of healing was the word of God, and Isaiah told Hezekiah to choose whether to have the day shortened or lengthened by ten marks on the sundial, and Hezekiah chose the latter, because it seemed more difficult for the sun to “move” backwards. Isaiah prayed to the Lord for this sign of assurance, and the shadow on the sundial went backwards ten marks.

Merodach-baladan, the king of Babylon, heard that Hezekiah was sick and he sent a delegation with letters and a gift for Hezekiah. Hezekiah welcomed them and showed them his treasury, his armory, and his storehouses; he kept nothing secret from them. Later, Isaiah came to ask Hezekiah who these people were, why they had come, and what they had seen. Isaiah declared to Hezekiah that all the wealth of Hezekiah and his ancestors would be carried off to Babylon. Also, some of Hezekiah’s sons would be carried a way and made eunuchs in the palace of the king of Babylon. Hezekiah responded accepting God’s word as good, trusting that Hezekiah would have peace and security for the rest of his life

The notable accomplishment of Hezekiah during his reign was to construct the conduit and pool of Siloam inside the wall of Jerusalem from Gihon spring outside the wall. Hezekiah died and his son Manasseh became king of Judah.

King Herod Agrippa I, the Roman ruler of Judea, grandson of Herod the Great, began persecuting Christians. He had James, son of Zebedee and brother of John, executed. The persecution of Christians pleased the Jews, so Herod had Simon Peter arrested and imprisoned during the Feast of Unleavened Bread (the week-long spring harvest festival joined to and beginning with Passover, in and since the time of Jesus), to deal with Peter after the festival. Meanwhile the Church was earnestly praying for Peter.

The night before Herod intended to execute him, Peter was sleeping between two guards and bound with two chains, with two guards at the prison door. An angel of the Lord appeared, and light filled the cell. The angel struck Peter to wake him, and told him to get up quickly. The chains just fell off his hands. He was told to dress and put on his sandals and cloak, and to follow the angel. Peter thought he was dreaming. They passed the guards, and the iron outer gate opened by itself. They went a block down the street and the angel disappeared. Peter realized that he was not dreaming and that the Lord had sent the angel to rescue Peter from Herod’s intentions.

Peter went to the house of the mother of John Mark (the probable author of the Gospel of Mark). Many Christians were there praying (for Peter). Peter knocked on the door and the maid answered. Recognizing his voice, in her excitement she left him standing outside while she went to tell the others. They thought she was crazy, or that it was Peter’s angel (his spirit). When Peter knocked again they opened the door and were amazed to see Peter. Motioning for silence, he told them how the Lord had brought him out of the prison, and asked them to tell James (one of the Twelve original disciples and a relative of Jesus) and the rest of the Christians. Then Peter went elsewhere.

Jesus was traveling with his disciples throughout the region of Galilee, and a great crowd was following him. He came to the city of Nain (about 25 miles southwest of Capernaum; southeast of Nazareth), and as he approached the gate of the city, a funeral procession was coming out. The deceased was the only son of a widow, and a large group of people from the city were in the procession.

Jesus had compassion on her and told her not to weep. Jesus touched the bier, and the pallbearers stopped walking. Jesus called out for the dead young man to arise and he sat up and began talking. All the witnesses were amazed and filled with awe and glorified and praised God. Some said that a great prophet had arisen, and others said that God had visited his people. The news spread throughout Judah and all the area surrounding Israel.

Hezekiah was a faithful ruler who trusted and obeyed the Lord. He became very sick and the prophet Isaiah warned him that Hezekiah was about to die. Hezekiah heeded the prophet’s warning, and prayed to the Lord. The Lord promised to heal him and grant him fifteen more years of life because Hezekiah had trusted and obeyed the Lord and had done what was right in God’s judgment.

Before Jesus’ physical life, the Holy Spirit was only given to certain individuals who were prophets of God. Hezekiah had to receive God’s answer through Isaiah. Isaiah had declared by God’s word that Hezekiah would die, and then a few minutes later returned and told Hezekiah that he would recover. Hezekiah wanted to know which prophecy was God’s word, so Isaiah prayed for the sign Hezekiah chose, and the Lord was able and willing to “turn back the clock” for Hezekiah. (In Joshua 10:12-13, the sun stood still for about a whole day.)

Hezekiah was a good and righteous person, and when he received guests from the king of Babylon bringing a gift and several “get-well cards” he welcomed them and showed them every hospitality. He had no suspicious thoughts about their motives, but after their visit Isaiah knew by the Lord’s word that they had been spying, with intentions of conquest and plunder. Isaiah prophesied that the army of Babylon would one day carry off the people and wealth of Judah to Babylon.

Hezekiah accepted God’s word and trusted that it would ultimately be for good (for God’s faithful people; compare Romans 8:28); Hezekiah trusted in God’s goodness. Hezekiah wasn't threatened by the prophecy of judgment against a coming generation; he was secure in the hope that the Lord had given him, and he trusted in the Lord's promise. Hezekiah was saved by his obedient trust in the Lord.

Hezekiah brought spiritual reform to Judah and that contributed to the security of Judah and Jerusalem more than the civil engineering of the Siloam tunnel and pool within the city walls. God’s word promising to save Jerusalem from the king of Assyria was fulfilled in 701 B.C. (2 Kings 19:1-37; see entry for yesterday). The prophecy that Judah would be carried into exile in Babylon was fulfilled in 588 B.C. by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon.

Peter was saved from execution and delivered from prison by the supernatural power of the Lord. Peter was a “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciple and apostle of Jesus who was saved by his obedient trust in the Lord.

The son of the widow of Nain was raised from physical death by the word of Jesus which is the word of God (John 14:24 Colossians 2:8-9; John 20:28). Through Jesus Christ, God has visited his people (Matthew 1:18-25). Jesus is the fulfillment and personification of the Word of God in human flesh (John 1:1-3, 14). Jesus had compassion on the widow because her only son was her only means of support. Jesus raised the son from physical death to show that he is Lord even over the power of death, and he is the giver of eternal life by the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:32-34; 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). The Lord does what he says he will do.

All of us have sinned and fall short of God’s righteousness (Romans 3:23) and are under sentence of eternal death (Romans 6:23; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). Only Jesus can heal our fatal spiritual illness and save us from condemnation of eternal death; only Jesus can extend our lifespan for eternity. Only Jesus can release us from the chains and prison of sin; Only Jesus can protect and save us from the evil intentions of the enemies of our immortal souls. Nothing is beyond Jesus’ power to save to those who trust and obey him. For those who trust and obey him everything will ultimately turn out “good.”

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 11/01/03

2 Kings 20:1-21

Acts 12:1-17

Luke 7:11-17

Hezekiah became sick and was near death, and Isaiah prophesied that he should get his things in order because he was going to die. Hezekiah prayed to the Lord, and the Lord gave Isaiah a word that the Lord had heard Hezekiah's prayer, and that he would heal him and give him fifteen more years of life. Hezekiah asked for a sign from Isaiah that this was so, and Isaiah asked Hezekiah to choose whether the sundial should advance or retreat ten marks on the dial. Hezekiah chose the retreat, since that was the most unlikely. Then Isaiah cried to the Lord and the shadow on the sundial came backwards as Hezekiah had chosen.

At around that time a delegation from Babylon visited King Hezekiah, because they had heard that he was sick. Hezekiaah welcomed them and showed them every detail of his kingdom. Isaiah confronted Hezekiah and asked him about this, and then Isaiah prophesied that the time would come when Judah would be carried off to Babylon. The prophesy did not trouble Hezekiah however, since it was not going to happen during his own lifetime. In preparation for a possible siege, Hezekiah built a water system which brought water into the city from the spring at Gihon to the pool of Siloam via a tunnel through solid rock. When Hezekiah died he was succeeded by his son Manasseh.

King Herod Agrippa began persecuting the Christians; he had James, the brother of John, killed by the sword, and he had Peter arrested and imprisoned until he could deal with him after the Passover season. The church was earnestly praying for Peter. The night before Herod was going to bring Peter out to be tried, an angel of the Lord came to him in the prison and woke him. Peter's chains fell from him, and the angel led him out past both guards. When they got to the gate it opened of it's own accord.

Peter did not know that what was happening was real; he thought he was dreaming! Once out on the street the angel left him. Peter went to the house of Mary the mother of John, where many were gatherer and were praying. When Peter knocked the maid who answered the door recognized Peter's voice, and in her amazement she went and announced him, leaving him standing outside. Those gathered thought the maid had lost her mind, but she insisted that it was so. When Peter continued knocking they opened the door and, seeing Peter, they were amazed. He proceeded to tell them how the angel of the Lord had brought him out of the prison.

Jesus went the city of Nain, and as he drew near he encountered a funeral procession. The only son of a widow had died. Jesus had compassion on her and told her not to weep; then he touchd the bier and commanded the young man to get up, and he sat up and began to speak. Fear seized them all and they glorified God. The news spread throughout the area.

Hezekiah was sick and had been told that he was going to die. Nevertheless he prayed to God and the Lord heard his prayer. The Lord responded immediately; Isaiah hadn't had time to leave the palace (v.4) before he had to turn around and deliver the new message. Hezekiah asked for a sign; the fact that he asked for the more difficult sign suggests his faith in the power of God to do the impossible. It is absolutely inconceivable to us how the Lord could have caused time to run backwards for the period of the 10 marks on the sundial, but God is the Lord of Time. Nothing is impossible for him! [In Joshua 10:12-13, the sun stood still for about a whole day.] King Hezekiah was healed and was able to live out the rest of his days as the Lord had promised.

Hezekiah wasn't threatened by the prophesy of judgement against a coming generation; he was secure in the hope that the Lord had given him, and he trusted in the Lord's promise. [Similarly, the born-again Christian has nothing to fear from the prophesy of the tribulation (the seven year period during which the antichrist will be revealed, after the chruch has been raptured and before the the coming of Jesus to judge the earth and establish his millennial kingdom; see Matthew 24:21), I believe, because the church will be raptured before the tribulation.] The church prayed for Peter, and the angel of the Lord miraculously delivered him from prison. Peter saw it happening and couldn't believe he wasn't dreaming. There are numerous accounts of Jesus raising the dead (i.e. Jairus' daughter: Matt9:18-26, Mark 5:21-43, Luke 8:46-51; Lazarus: John 11:1-57) in addition to this incident with the son of the widow of Nain.

Jesus says, "All things are possible to him who believes" (Mark 9:23). This is not "wishing on a star;" it's trusting in the God who is! The prayer of the righteous man (person) has great power in its effect. (James 5:18; see conditions for answered prayer, sidebar, top right)

21 Pentecost – Monday

first posted 10/09/05

2 Kings 21:1-18, Wicked reign of King Manasseh

1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1, Warning against pagan practices

Matthew 8:28-34 The Gadarene demoniacs

Manasseh, the only son and successor to Hezekiah, king of Judah, assumed the throne at twelve years old. Manasseh did what was evil in God’s judgment, following the idolatries of the Canaanites which had caused God to drive them from their native land which he gave to Israel. Manasseh undid the spiritual reform his father Hezekiah had enacted. Manasseh built altars to Baal, and made an Asherah (the Canaanite fertility goddess), as Ahab had. Manasseh worshipped the stars (astrology)and built altars to idols in the temple of God. He sacrificed his son to idols, participated in fortune-telling and every occult practice, and consulted mediums and wizards. He set the graven image of Asherah in the temple of the Lord which God had declared to David and Solomon would glorify God’s name forever. The Lord had promised that Israel would be settled forever in the Promised Land, if they wold faithfully obey God’s word. But Israel refused to listen and allowed Manasseh to seduce them to do more evil than the Canaanites had done, for which the Canaanites were destroyed by the Lord.

The Lord declared by his prophets that his punishment of Judah for their disobedience under Manasseh would tingle the ears of all who heard it, and the Lord would judge Judah with the measuring line and plumb-line used on Samaria and the dynasty of Ahab. The Lord swore to cleanse Israel as one turns over and wipes out a dish. The remnant of heirs of God’s promise would be turned over to the power of their enemies to become their enemies’ prey and spoil, because they had done evil in God’s judgment.

Manasseh actually persecuted those in Judah who trusted and obeyed the Lord, but he eventually died and was buried, and was succeeded by his son Amon.

Paul warned Christians not to participate in pagan practices. Idols are false “gods;” so-called gods who do not exist. They do not have the omnipotent powers of God; but there are demons behind them. Paul taught that the cup of wine of the Lord’s Supper is a participation in the blood of Christ, and the bread of the Lord’s Supper is a participation in the body of Christ, if received in obedient trust in Jesus Christ. Those who share in the bread of Christ’s body are united in one body with Christ. In Judaism, those who eat the sacrifices are partners in the altar. So be warned that those who share in sacrifices offered to idols are partners with demons. One cannot be a partner of demons and also a partner of the Lord. If God were not stronger than humans he would not be God, so let us not imagine that we can oppose and prevail over God.

Our freedom in Christ is not a question of what is possible, but of what is beneficial. We must put the interests of others ahead of our own. We needn’t feel guilty of consuming whatever is sold in the marketplace, but if someone insists on acknowledgment of an idol, then for his sake we should abstain. He is free to believe as he chooses and so should we be. As long as we give thanks to the Lord for what we receive, we should not be condemned by anyone; as long as everything we do is done to the glory of God, no one should have any reason to be offended. We should all try to seek the benefit of others before that of ourselves, so that they may come to salvation from eternal death, following the example Paul who followed the example of Jesus Christ.

Jesus and his disciples crossed the Sea of Galilee to the southeastern shore and the region of Gadara in the Decapolis, where they encountered two demoniacs who lived among tombs in the cemetery. They were so fierce that no one could pass by that way. The demoniacs cried out, “What have you to do with us, O Son of God? Have you come here to torment us before the time” (Matthew 8:29)? There was a herd of pigs nearby and the demons begged Jesus to send them into the pigs. Jesus told them to go, so they entered the pigs, which stampeded down a steep bank into the water and drowned. The herdsmen fled into the city and told everyone what had happened. “All the city came out to meet Jesus; and when they saw him , they begged him to leave their neighborhood” (Matthew 8:34).

The Israelites had seen what happened to the pagan Canaanites whom God had driven out before Israel as they entered to possess the Promised Land. The northern ten tribes of the Kingdom of Israel had been destroyed and ceased to exist because of their disobedience of God and their idolatry. Judah was the last remaining remnant of Israel. They had been saved from similar Assyrian conquest which had destroyed Samaria and the Northern Kingdom of Israel because of spiritual reform and revival led by Hezekiah, the king of Judah, who trusted and obeyed the Lord and did what was right in God’s judgment, But Hezekiah’s son succeeded him and under his leadership he and the people disregarded God’s word and returned to all the evil practices and idolatry of the Northern Kingdom and the Canaanites.

The Lord declared that Judah would be punished by the same judgment which the Northern Kingdom had received at the hands of the Assyrians. The Lord swore to cleanse the remnant of Israel as one wipes out a dish. Judah would be delivered into the hands of their enemies because of their sins against God.

The word of the Lord was fulfilled. Beginning in about 605 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar, King of Babylon began besieging Judah and Jerusalem and carrying off people and plunder. The conquest was completed with the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple in about 587 B.C. The remnant of Judah was carried off to captivity in Babylon for seventy years, a lifetime, for those who were adults at the time of the exile. A new generation returned and rebuilt the city and temple.

The Lord had cleansed his people as he had promised, but they had forgotten the lessons learned from the Babylonian exile and were unprepared for the coming of the Messiah, Jesus Christ. As a result, Jerusalem and the temple were again destroyed, by the Romans, and the remnant of Israel was scattered throughout the world. Israel ceased to exist as a nation, until reestablished following World War II; the Temple has never been rebuilt.

Judaism effectively ended at the cross of Jesus Christ. At the moment of Jesus’ death the curtain of the temple, separating the congregation from the “Holy-of-Holies” was supernaturally torn in two, from top to bottom, signifying that the Jesus had opened the way into God’s presence for us through Jesus (Matthew27:51). Judaism was dependant on the temple sacrificial system. Jesus is, since his death on the Cross (Hebrews 7:23-28; 9:25-26), the only sacrifice acceptable to God for our forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal death (see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

The history of God’s dealings with Israel have been written down as a warning and instruction for us (1 Corinthians 10:11). Paul warned the Corinthian Church not to participate in pagan practices; not to worship idols (idolatry is the loving and serving of anything ahead of or equal to the Lord; modern examples are things like money, power possessions, success, pleasure, career, or family). Christians are warned not to participate in occult practices such as fortune-telling, palm-reading, séances, ouija boards or astrology. There are astrological charts in virtually every newspaper in America today and in most internet portals.

Corinth was a very wealthy and immoral culture at the time. Paul warned Christians not to adopt the idolatries and evil practices of the secular culture around them. Paul warned the Church not to allow altars and statues and offerings and sacrifices to any image within the Church.

Jesus came to Gadera, and healed two demonics who had threatened the lives and peace of the community, but the community was making their living raising pigs (a symbol of sinful commerce and employment, since pigs were considered ritually unclean by Jews). Jesus spiritually cleansed the demoniacs and restored them to useful life. In Mark’s Gospel account of this incident, the demoniac[s] became Jesus’ disciple, sitting in his presence and listening to Jesus’ teaching. The demoniac wanted to go with Jesus, but Jesus told him to return to his own home and friends and testify how much the Lord had done for him (Mark 5:15; 18-19). Instead of welcoming the spiritual cleansing which only Jesus can provide, the people of Gadera were unwilling to give up the proceeds of sin and evil which they enjoyed, so they rejected Jesus and sent him away.

America and the Church, at least in America, are in much the same condition as Israel and Judaism at the time of Jesus’ first advent (coming). Israel and Judaism were like Gadera; they rejected the spiritual healing only Jesus can provide and sent him away, because they were unwilling to give up their disobedience and idolatry. America is the “New Promised Land” filled with “Canaanites.” The true Church of “born-again” disciples is surrounded by a very wealthy and licentious culture like Corinth at the time of Paul, and by a religious culture which claims to be God’s chosen people without obedience to God’s word; a culture which attempts to manipulate God and people by “religion,” instead of making disciples of Jesus and teaching them obedience to Jesus’ teachings (Matthew 28:19-20).

Alternative Entry

first posted 11/02/03

2 Kings 21:1-18 The Sins of Manasseh

1 Corinthians 10:14-11:1 Food Offered to Idols

Matthew 8:28-34 The Gadarene Demoniacs

Manasseh, the son of King Hezekiah succeeded his father to the throne of Judah. He was more evil than any of the Kings of Judah before him. He rebuilt the high places which his father Hezekiah had destroyed, and he built altars to the host of heaven in the courtyard of the house of the Lord. Manasseh erected a graven image of Asherah in the house of the Lord, and he actually persecuted the followers of the Lord (v.16) As a result the Lord pronounced judgment on Jerusalem and Judah, and they fell to Babylon and were carried off into exile. Manasseh probably reigned longer than any other of the Kings of Israel or Judah. He was succeeded by his son Amon.

Paul warns against actual participation in pagan religious rites. Although idols represent gods who do not exist, demons are behind them. Participation in pagan rites exposes one to demonic influence and attack, and violates our covenant with God.

Jesus crossed the Sea of Galilee to the country of the Gadarenes (a.k.a. Gergesenes; Gerasenes) and he encountered two demoniacs who lived among the tombs, "who were so fierce that no one could pass that way" (v. 28). The demons recognized and acknowledged that Jesus was the Son of God (v.29). They asked to be allowed to enter into a nearby herd of pigs. Jesus allowed them to do so, and the herd stampeded down a steep slope into the sea and drowned. The herdsmen fled to the city and reported what had happened, and the townspeople came out to meet Jesus and begged him to leave.

Manasseh wasn't raised in a family that followed occult practices; his father King Hezekiah had abolished occult practices from Judah. But Manasseh became the worst of the wicked kings and seems to have practiced every form of wickedness. He dabbled in soothsaying and augury (practices of foretelling the future) and consulted mediums and wizards. Probably he started with some small thing, and then one thing led to another until he was fully involved. Under his influence the whole nation was led into apostasy (turning from the true principles of faith) and as a result the Lord lifted his protection from them and allowed them to be carried off into slavery in Babylon.

Paul warned that although there is only one true God, and that idols are powerless in themselves, idolatry is not harmless. There are demons behind the idols, and that participation in idolatry exposes one to demonic attack. Idolatry is also a violation of our covenant with God. The First Commandment requires us to worship God alone. "You shall have no other gods before (besides) me" (Exodus 20:3) Mediums and other practitioners of the occult get their power from demons, and by consulting them one places oneself in the power of the demonic.

Jesus has authority over demons, and he is willing and able to free us from bondage to the demonic. Once we have been set free, we need to be careful not to allow ourselves to taken captive again (Matthew 12:43-45; Luke 11:24-26).

In America today there is a daily horoscope published in virtually every newspaper, and also every internet portal, although consulting such occult practitioners is specifically forbidden for God's people. How many "Christians" check their horoscope more often than they read their Bible? Is it really an innocent and harmless behavior? There are many other pagan and occult practices going on around us. There’s even a psychic medium who contacts the dead on national TV.

Christians are warned that they cannot participate in such practices and also have fellowship with the Lord (1 Corinthians 10:21; Matthew 6:24). Whether or not it seems likely that the Lord will lift his blessing from our land and allow us to be carried of to an actual temporal Babylon, people are being carried off to a spiritual Babylon and eternal destruction. Jesus has promised that the Day of Judgment will come for all the earth. Those who have believed in Jesus and have obeyed his word will receive eternal life with him in Heaven, but those who have rejected him and his word will be condemned to eternal destruction (Matthew 25:31-46). Where will we choose to spend eternity?

21 Pentecost – Tuesday

first posted 10/10/05

2 Kings 22:1-13, Return to obedience of scriptures

1 Corinthians 11:2, 17-22, The practice of the Lord’s Supper

Matthew 9:1-8 Healing a paralytic

Josiah, the great-grandson of Hezekiah, became King of Judah when he was eight years old, and he reigned for thirty one years. He obeyed God’s word and did what was righteous in God’s judgment, as his ancestor David, the great shepherd-king of Israel (and as Hezekiah) had done. In his eighteenth year (621 B.C), King Josiah sent his scribe, Shaphan, to Hilkiah, the high priest, telling him to count the money collected from people using the temple, and use it to pay workmen to repair the temple, and to pay for materials. Josiah told Hilkiah not to require an accounting of the expenditures because the workmen were honest.

Hilkiah told Shaphan that he had found a book (scroll) of law (i.e., “Deuteronomy”) in the temple. Hilkiah gave the book to Shaphan, who read it. Shaphan reported to the King Josiah that the funds from the temple had been given to the workmen, and then he told Josiah about the book Hilkiah had given him, and he read it to Josiah.

When King Josiah heard the words of the book, he tore his clothing (a ritual sign of repentance and mourning). King Josiah commanded Hilkiah the priest, Shaphan and Shaphan’s son, Ahikam, Achbor, a royal official, and Asaiah, the king’s servant, to seek God’s word concerning the book of law, on behalf of the King and all the people of Judah. Josiah realized that Judah had not been obedient to God’s word and was liable to God’s judgment and condemnation.

Paul commended the Corinthian Church for their faithfulness in maintaining the doctrines, teachings, and worship practices which Paul had taught them, but he sharply rebuked them for allowing divisiveness within the congregation and for their lack of reverence in the participation in the Lord’s Supper. Paul was disappointed that there were divisions within the congregation over doctrines and practices, which were apparently due to the fact that some members were only superficial “Christians.” As for the celebration of the Lord’s Supper, some were celebrating gluttony and drunkenness, rather than participating in spiritual communion with the Lord.

Jesus had been rejected and asked to leave the Gadarenes (Matthew 8:28-34; see yesterday’s entry), so he and his disciples returned across the Sea of Galilee by boat to “his own city” (Capernaum). Some people brought a paralytic to Jesus on a stretcher, and Jesus commended their faith, and told the paralytic that his sins were forgiven.

Some who were scribes (teachers of the Law of Moses; the scriptures) thought Jesus had blasphemed. Jesus knew their thoughts and asked them to consider which was easier to say, “Rise and walk” or, “Your sins are forgiven.” It would have been easier and less controversial for Jesus to say, “Rise and walk,” but it was important for people to understand that Jesus had the power to forgive sins (and that Jesus’ primary mission was to heal spiritual rather than physical illness). Jesus told the paralytic to get up, pick up his bed and go home, and the paralytic did as Jesus had told him. The crowd praised God, “who had given such authority to men” (Matthew 9:8b).

Josiah was a righteous and faithful ruler of Judah. He was following the examples of David and of Hezekiah. The religious authorities and the workmen of Judah were honest and trustworthy. But the people and leaders had lost touch with and obedient trust in God’s word. (It may have been that Hilkiah had been preserving the book of Law from the wicked kings between Hezekiah and Josiah, waiting for an opportunity for revival, or the book may have been lost by the general deterioration of the temple allowed by the wicked kings, and not discovered until Josiah began to repair the temple). When the scripture was recovered Josiah realized that Judah was far from obedience to God’s word, and in danger of God’s judgment and condemnation. The temple had not only deteriorated physically but was in need of spiritual repair and healing. Josiah sought the Lord’s guidance with a serious commitment to reform.

Paul was a faithful leader of the Church, a “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) Christian disciple and apostle who wasn’t afraid to correct problems in the Corinthian congregation. He was making disciples of Jesus Christ, rather than cults to spiritual “personalities,” (see 1 Corinthians 1:10-17) and was teaching them to obey Jesus’ teachings. He wasn’t trying to be a “popular” preacher. He wasn’t afraid of offending and loosing “members.” He excommunicated “members” who lived unscriptural lifestyles (1 Corinthians 5:1-5)

We have all sinned (disobeyed God’s word) and fall short of God’s righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10). The penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). Jesus is God’s only provision for our forgiveness, salvation from eternal death, and restoration to fellowship with the Lord (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). Jesus came to die for our sins so we wouldn’t have to die eternally for them ourselves. He came to give us spiritual healing and eternal life, but he doesn’t force us to accept him and receive that forgiveness and salvation.

Jesus healed the Gadarene demoniac of a spiritual illness. The people of Gadara were just as spiritually sick, but they rejected Jesus and sent him away. But those who trust in Jesus and obey his word, like the paralytic and his friends at Capernaum, receive forgiveness and salvation. Some who were “religious authorities” and “experts” in scripture failed to recognize and acknowledge Jesus as the Messiah (Christ), God’s promised Savior and anointed eternal king, the heir to the throne of David. They were not open to hearing God’s word and not interested in or willing to seek reform. Their interest was in maintaining their traditions. They accused Jesus of blasphemy for claiming authority to forgive sins.

Isn’t this parallel to the situation in our nations and our churches today? Haven’t we as a nation (particularly America, but applicable to other “Christian” nations as well) and as church members neglected Church and the word of God? Hasn’t the Church been divided by factionalism? Hasn’t tradition often become more important than God’s word? Haven’t some church leaders become more interested in maintaining tradition and the status quo, than in reform and renewal? Hasn’t worship, for many, become more about “social relationships” and “entertainment,” and less about the sacramental and the spiritual?

I believe that this is all sadly true, but there is always possibility for renewal through Jesus Christ. The solution is individual and personal. Each one of us must, like Josiah, choose whether to follow the path of previous generations away from the Lord, or instead to commit ourselves to follow the Lord, to rediscover, read and apply God’s word in our daily lives and to rebuild the church to the best of our opportunity and ability. Above all, we must turn to the Lord in repentance and seek his guidance and empowerment. Jesus is the only one who has the authority and power to forgive our sin and to restore us to life and fellowship with God.

21 Pentecost – Wednesday

first posted 10/11/05

2 Kings 22:14-23:3, Renewing the covenant

1 Corinthians 11:23-34, The Lord’s Supper

Matthew 9:9-17 The call of Matthew

King Josiah had initiated spiritual reform and the repair and reopening of the temple which had been closed by the wicked kings before him. The book (scroll) of Deuteronomy had been found, and from hearing it read, King Josiah realized that the Kingdom of Judah was guilty of disobedience of God’s word and under the condemnation of God’s wrath.

He sent his royal assistants to Huldah, a prophetess in Jerusalem, to seek God’s guidance. She told them to tell the king that the Lord was going to bring evil upon Jerusalem and Judah because the people had turned from obedient trust in the Lord to idolatry. But the prophetess said that King Josiah’s repentance and mourning to the Lord for the sins of Judah had been heard and the Lord promised that Josiah would be “gathered to his fathers in peace” (2 Kings 22:20) and would not see and experience the punishment of God upon Judah.

The royal assistants returned and reported what the prophetess had said, and the King summoned all the elders of Judah, the priests and prophets and all the people of Jerusalem to the temple. King Josiah read the book of the covenant, Deuteronomy, in their hearing. He stood by the pillar (two bronze pillars stood in the vestibule or “porch” outside the sanctuary; it was the customary position for the king for ceremonial acts) and made a covenant with the Lord to obey all God’s words of the book, and the people joined in the covenant.

Paul had faithfully taught what the Lord had taught him (which agreed with the teachings of the other apostles, the original Twelve disciples minus Judas the betrayer; Mt 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-20) about the Lord’s Supper (“Communion;” “Eucharist”). During the celebration of the Passover meal with his disciples on the night of his betrayal (and arrest), Jesus took bread, gave thanks (to God the Father), broke it and gave it to his disciples, telling them, “This is my body, which is [broken] for you. Do this in remembrance of me” (1 Corinthians 11:24). Jesus also took the cup, after supper, (and shared it with his disciples) in the same way as he had with the bread, telling them, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood. Do this, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as you eat this bread and drink the cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death until he comes (at his “Second Coming” on the Day of Judgment; 1 Corinthians 11:25-26).

Paul warned that anyone who partakes the bread and wine of the Lord’s Supper “in an unworthy manner is guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord.” Each person should examine himself to insure that he is not participating unworthily, because participating in the Lord’s Supper without realizing that Jesus literally gave his body and blood as a sacrifice for our individual forgiveness and salvation from eternal death will bring divine judgment and condemnation upon such individuals.

Paul suggested that lack of self-examination and repentance of their spiritual condition was contributing to physical illness and death among the congregants. Those who practice sincere self-examination and correction will avoid divine condemnation. Christians must be open to the Lord’s correction so that we can be chastened and cleansed by him, so that we are not condemned with the world (the wicked and lost, who reject Christ’s salvation). So Christians should be considerate of the group and the significance of the occasion, instead of seeking physical self-gratification, so that they do not come into condemnation.

Jesus traveled about with his disciples and was followed by crowds, and as he passed the tax office, he called to Matthew (also known as “Levi”), a tax collector, to follow him. Mathew got up and followed Jesus. Jesus and his disciples ate at Matthew’s house with many other guests who were tax collectors, or others considered sinners by the Jews. The Pharisees questioned Jesus’ disciples about Jesus’ fellowship with tax collectors and sinners, but Jesus replied that it is the sick, not those who are healthy, who need a physician. Jesus quoted Hosea 6:6 to show that God desires his people to show mercy to one another, rather than performing religious rituals. Jesus declared that he had come not to call (invite) the righteous but sinners.

Some disciples of John the Baptizer asked Jesus why the Pharisees and John’s disciples practiced fasting, but Jesus’ disciples did not. Jesus compared the situation to a wedding feast. Jesus was like the bridegroom, and while he was with his disciples they were feasting and celebrating their fellowship; their fasting would be later, when the “bridegroom” had left.

Jesus also compared the practices of his disciples and the disciples of John to two different institutions (covenants). John’s disciples were following the old institution which he compared to an old garment or aged wineskin, and the new institution represented by Jesus’ disciples was like new (unshrunk) cloth or new wine. One doesn’t patch an old garment with new, unshrunk cloth because the patch will shrink on washing and will further damage the garment and the new cloth will be wasted. Likewise, one doesn’t put new wine in old wineskins, because the pressure of fermentation will cause the old wineskin to burst and the wine lost. New wine requires new wineskins.

King Josiah was a righteous and faithful leader of God’s people. He realized that the remnant of God’s people had turned away from obedient trust and worship of the Lord, so he began to repair and reopen the temple. He discovered that the remnant of God’s people were guilty of disobedience of God’s word, and he convened the priests and elders of Judah and the people of Jerusalem and proclaimed God’s word to them. He personally recommitted himself to trust and obey God’s word, and the people of Judah joined in the covenant.

Jesus instituted a “New Covenant” of forgiveness of sin and salvation from eternal death, by grace through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus (Ephesians 2:8-9; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right) on the eve of Jesus’ crucifixion. A covenant with God was always sealed with the blood of a sacrifice. Jesus literally offered his body and blood as the sacrifice securing that new covenant.

The new covenant was instituted in the context of the Feast of Passover, which commemorated the deliverance of God’s people from slavery to sin and death in Egypt and from the destroying angel of God, by the sacrifice of a perfect lamb. The celebration of the Lord’s Supper is a commemoration of Jesus’ institution of the new covenant, but it is also a sacrament (a rite instituted by Jesus which is the earthy sign of a supernatural, spiritual reality. It is also, by God’s deliberate intention, a living parable.

Jewish religious law specifically forbade the consumption of blood, because blood was believed to contain the living spirit of the creature from which it came. God doesn’t want us to be filled with the spirit of created beings or demons, but by his Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Jesus Christ (Romans 8:9). Jesus’ word has the creative force of God. Jesus’ word gave life to the dead (Matthew 9:18-26; John 11:1-44) and calmed the wind and waves (Matthew 8:23-27); when we consume the sacramental elements of bread and wine in obedient trust in Jesus’ words we receive what Jesus promised. But please note that the Holy Spirit is not automatically conferred by partaking of the Lord’s Supper. Only Jesus baptizes with the Holy Spirit only upon disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 1:32-24; 14:15-17). Those who partake of the Lord’s Supper without obeying God’s word (and Jesus’ teaching; John 14:24) are storing up God’s judgment and condemnation upon themselves.

All those who are not under the New Covenant of grace through faith in Jesus Christ, who have been “born-again” (John 3:3-5-8), are under the Old Covenant of Law, and are condemned to eternal destruction by God’s word. All have sinned and have fallen short of God’s righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1: 8-10) and the penalty for sin is eternal death; eternal destruction in Hell (Romans 6:23; 2 Thessalonians 1: 5-10; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). Jesus is God’s only provision for our forgiveness and salvation from eternal death.

None of us is righteous, by our own merit, in God’s judgment. We all need forgiveness and salvation; Jesus is the only “physician” who can forgive and save us from our spiritual “terminal” illness. But he can only help those who acknowledge their illness. If we deny our sinfulness, as the Pharisees did, we will die eternally in our sins. We are all sinners like Matthew; and as Jesus passes by, he invites us to follow him. If we follow him in obedient trust we will have fellowship with him like the fellowship of a banquet (see Revelation 3:20). We will have intimate “communion” with him by his indwelling Holy Spirit, through our participation in the Lord’s Supper.

We are ether under the old covenant of God’s law, which brings eternal condemnation and eternal death, or we are under the new covenant of grace through faith in Jesus Christ, which brings forgiveness and eternal life in paradise in the presence of the Lord.

America (and other “Christian” nations) and the Church today are in much the same situation as Judah and Judaism at the time of Josiah. We’ve forgotten God’s word; we’ve turned from obedient trust in the Lord and to idolatries of self-fulfillment, wealth, power, pleasure and worldly success; we’ve abandoned participation in worship in God’s house. Are we willing to hear God’s word, to repent, confess our sins and renew our covenant of obedient trust in the Lord, or are we so sure we’re righteous and don’t need forgiveness and salvation? The Lord is always ready to forgive and save all who acknowledge and repent of sin and turn to him in obedient trust.

Alternative Entry

first posted 11/04/03

2 Kings 22:14-23:3 Josiah’s Covenant with the Lord

1 Corinthians 11:23-34 Directions Concerning the Lord’s Supper

Matthew 9:9-17 On Fasting and Feasting

King Josiah of Judah sent Hilkiah, the High Priest, to Huldah, the prophetess, to inquire of the Lord in regard to the finding of the forgotten and neglected book of God’s word. The prophetess prophesied judgment against Judah for failing to follow God’s word, and for her idolatry; but for Josiah, she prophesied forgiveness, since Josiah had repented in his heart and had turned and humbled himself before the Lord. Then King Josiah gathered all the elders of Judah and all the inhabitants of Jerusalem together in the house of the Lord and read the book of the Law and made a covenant with all the people, in the presence of the Lord, to walk in all the ways of the Lord which were written in the book of the Law.

Paul reminded his hearers of the words of Jesus on the night of his Last Supper, when he instituted the sacrament. Specifically Jesus declared, “This cup is the new covenant in my blood…” Paul reminded his hearers that anyone who participates in the sacrament in an unworthy manner is guilty of profaning the body and blood of the Lord, and eats and drinks judgment upon himself. God’s judgment is intended for our good, to bring us to repentance, so that we might not be condemned along with the world. Therefore Paul suggests that participants examine their behavior and make any necessary changes, so that the sacred meaning of the sacrament can be upheld and appreciated, and that there might be unity in the fellowship of believers.

Jesus called a tax collector named Matthew to follow him and be his disciple. Tax collectors were outcasts in Jewish society, and so Matthew’s friends consisted of other outcasts, who were tax collectors or sinners. As Jesus ate in Matthew’s home with Matthew’s friends, the Pharisees (religious leaders) criticized Jesus for having fellowship with sinners, with whom “righteous” Jews would have no dealings.

Jesus responded: “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick…For I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (v.12b, 13b). Then disciples of John the Baptist asked Jesus why they and the Pharisees fast, while Jesus’ disciples do not. Jesus answer supported the principle of fasting, but suggested that the timing was not appropriate. His illustrations suggest that new institutions require new traditions.

Josiah realized that he had sinned even though his intent had been to follow the Lord. He received forgiveness from the Lord because he sincerely repented and humbly turned to the Lord in commitment to obey God’s word. Then he used his influence to call the people of Judah to repent and turn to the Lord, entering into a covenant (commitment) to obey God’s word. Josiah became the mediator of a covenant between the people of Judah and God, having first purified himself. Jesus went to the Cross in obedience to God’s will, so that he might mediate a new covenant between ourselves and God [Hebrews 8:6-7, (8:8-9:14); 9:15].

God’s judgment is intended to chasten us and bring us to repentance and obedience to God’s word so that we might not be condemned to destruction along with the wicked (1 Corinthians 11:32). Note that under the Old Covenant, based on Law, in the time of Josiah, that individuals did not have direct access to God. Josiah wanted to inquire of God, but in this instance he had to go through the priest who had to go through the prophetess. Under the New Covenant, based on faith in Jesus, believers have individual, personal, direct access to the Lord by his Holy Spirit. [This is the significance of the symbolism behind the tearing of the curtain of the Holy of Holies at the hour of Jesus death on the Cross (Matthew 27:51; Hebrews 10:19-20)].

Before Jesus gave his life on the Cross as a sacrifice for our sin, he instituted the sacrament which we call the Lord’s Supper, in which he declared that the sacrifice of his body and blood were the basis of a New Covenant. In Paul’s time this sacrament was celebrated in the context of a communal meal called a love feast. Jesus came to call sinners to repentance and to be the mediator of that New Covenant between ourselves and God, through which we are forgiven and restored to fellowship with God. Jesus declared that he came “not to call the righteous” (Matthew 9:13b) because “the well have no need of a physician” (Matthew 9:12). The truth of Jesus’ words is that we are all sinners (Romans 3:23) but that only those who realize that they are not righteous, but sin-sick, can receive and benefit from what Jesus offers.

Jesus died for our sins, so that we don’t have to die for them ourselves. “The wages (penalty) of sin is death” (Romans 6:23). He mediates a New Covenant which allows us to be forgiven of all our sins and be restored to a right relationship with God, if we will turn to him in repentance and commitment to obey his word. He’s going to return to judge everyone on earth. Every one dies once, but after that comes judgment (Hebrews 9:27). (There is no such thing as reincarnation.) The death we want to avoid is the second death: eternal destruction [John 5:28-29; Matthew 25:41 (31-46)]. Will we accept the pardon he offers, at the cost of the shedding of Jesus’ own blood, and receive eternal life, or will we refuse to acknowledge our sinfulness, reject Jesus and his word, and spend eternity dying for our own sins with Satan and his angels in Hell? Each one of us must make his own choice.

21 Pentecost – Thursday

first posted 10/12/05

2 Kings 23:4-25, Josiah’s reforms

1 Corinthians 12:1-11, Spiritual gifts

Matthew 9:18-26 Raising the dead

The Kingdom of Judah had turned from obedience to God’s word to idolatry under the leadership of wicked kings. When Josiah became king he began spiritual reform. He ordered the temple to be repaired and reopened, and the book of Deuteronomy was discovered during the renovation. From this recovery of God’s word Josiah realized that Judah was under condemnation of God’s wrath because of their disobedience of God’s word and their idolatry. Josiah assembled the congregation of Judah and proclaimed the word of God from Deuteronomy. He made a covenant with God to obey all of God’s commands in Deuteronomy, and the people joined with him in the covenant.

King Josiah ordered the priests, Levites and officers of the temple to remove all the vessels made for the worship of Baal and Asherah (Canaanite idols) from the temple to Kidron Brook outside Jerusalem, where Josiah had them burnt and beaten to dust and strewn in the cemetery of the common people. Josiah also destroyed the houses of the male cult prostitutes where women wove wall hangings for Ashera which had been within the temple. The altars on all the high places in Jerusalem and throughout Judah were defiled and torn down and all the priests of Judah were brought to Jerusalem where they were provided for, but were not allowed to serve at the altar in the temple. Also destroyed was an altar in the Hinnom Valley (probably south of the city wall of the Citidel of David in Jerusalem) which had been used to burn children as a sacrifice to Molech (an Ammonite idol). Statues of horses and chariots dedicated to the sun god at the entrance to the temple were torn down and destroyed, along with pagan altars in the temple court which the wicked kings, Ahaz and Manaseh, had built.

Josiah destroyed the altar on the high place at Bethel which King Jeroboam had built. There were tombs nearby and Josiah burned the bones from them on the altar to desecrate it, in fulfillment of God’s word spoken by the prophet from Judah to Jeroboam, but Josiah did not disturb the tomb of the old prophet of Bethel and the prophet of Judah (2 Kings 23:17-18; see 1 Kings 13:1-32). Josiah killed all the priests of the high places throughout Samaria, burned their bones on the altars to desecrate them and destroyed the altars.

Josiah returned to Jerusalem and commanded the people to keep the Passover according to the word of God in Deuteronomy. [According to the editor of Second Kings, King Hezekiah’s command to resume the Passover celebration is not mentioned (perhaps because it was not held at the prescribed time; see 2 Chronicles 30:1:5)]. King Josiah is given credit for reestablishing the Feast of Passover.

King Josiah also got rid of all the mediums, wizards, and ancestor worship, as well as all idols throughout Judah. He made every effort to conform Judah to obedience of God’s word as rediscovered in the book of Deuteronomy. He was considered the greatest of the kings of Israel, who trusted and obeyed the Lord with all his heart, soul and might, like none before or since.

Paul was discipling the Corinthian Christians. Concerning spiritual gifts, Paul taught that the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit is not just an emotional response; one can have an emotional “high” during heathen worship. Paul wanted them to be able to discern between the authentic touch and guidance of the Holy Spirit and an emotional response to what is idolatrous or demonic. Paul taught that the test of spirits is the context. The Holy Spirit will never guide anyone to do anything contrary to God’s word (which means that we must read and know God’s word, the Bible; see free Bible Study tools, sidebar top right). Any spirit which glorifies the Lord is of God; any spirit which curses the Lord is Satanic and demonic (see 1 John 4:1-3).

When one is “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, the Holy Spirit empowers the individual for whatever ministry the Spirit invites him to do. The same Holy Spirit gives a variety of spiritual gifts. The same Lord gives a variety of “ministries.” The same God inspires each gift in each individual (note the suggestion of the Trinity). Each is given unique spiritual gifts for the benefit of the whole body of Christ, the Church. Examples of gifts of the Spirit are: wisdom, knowledge, faith, healing, miracles, prophecy, the ability to distinguish between genuine and false prophets, the gift of tongues (languages), and the interpretations of tongues. Each spiritual gift is given by the one and only Holy Spirit according to God’s will for each individual believer (see 1 Corinthians 12: 28-31a).

Jesus was teaching a crowd in Capernaum when a leader of the synagogue (named Jairus, according to Mark 5:21-43 and Luke 8: 40-56) came to Jesus and told him that the man’s daughter had died. But the man asked Jesus to come to his house, believing that Jesus would raise her from death to life again. As Jesus was going to Jairus’ house, a woman from the crowd who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years reached out and touched the fringe of Jesus’ garment, in faith that she would be healed. Jesus turned, saw her and told her that her faith had made her well. The woman had been healed instantly.

When Jesus arrived at the home of Jairus, the synagogue leader, and saw the professional mourners, he told them to leave because the girl was not dead (eternally; spiritually) but sleeping (reversible physical death). The people laughed at Jesus’ statement. But Jesus went into the room alone with the dead girl, took her hand and the girl arose. The news of this resurrection spread throughout the region.

Judah, the remnant of Israel, God’s chosen people, had gone so far from God’s will and obedience to God’s word without their conscious awareness. The reason was that they had lost touch with God’s word. Unless we compare our spiritual condition by the standard of God’s word it is not possible fur us to accurately assess. It took one who was committed to seeking and doing God’s will, like Josiah, to rediscover and recommit to obedience to God’s word.

Josiah, by trusting and obeying God’s word in Deuteronomy, fulfilled God’s word of prophecy which had been proclaimed through the man of God of Judah to Jeroboam (1 Kings 13:1-32). God’s word is always fulfilled. We must choose whether to cooperate with God’s will or to oppose it.

America (and other “Christian” nations) and the Church (at least in America) are in the same situation as Judah and Judaism at the time of Josiah. We have “lost” God’s word! We cannot recognize the extent of our apostasy because we don’t know the Scriptures! We don’t have leaders who are committed to obedient trust in God’s word! We don’t have churches committed to making disciples!

Isn’t America filled with mediums, wizards, astrologers, and false gods today? Haven’t our churches been polluted with false doctrines, idolatries and pagan influences?

Believers in Jesus Christ have to act on their faith in order to be healed spiritually and be raised from spiritual death to eternal life. We must come to Jesus and ask him to heal us spiritually and raise us to true, eternal life. We must reach out in faith to touch him.

Alternative Entry

first posted 11/05/03

2 Kings 23:4-25 Josiah’s Reforms

1 Corinthians 12:1-11 Spiritual Gifts

Matthew 9:18-26 Jairus’ Daughter Raised from the Dead

King Josiah commanded the priests to clear out from the Temple all the items that had been used in idol-worship, and they were destroyed. He also deposed and killed all the idolatrous priests and defiled and destroyed all the altars and high places in Judah. The desecration and destruction of the idolatrous altars and high places fulfilled the prophecy of the man of God from Bethel (recorded in 1 Kings Chapter 13). Josiah also rid the land of mediums and wizards, household idols and all the other idolatrous abominations, so that the words of the book of the Law, which had been found in the Temple, could be established, according to the covenant he had mediated between the people and God (v. 3).

Paul says to his hearers that ecstasy is not proof that one is moved by the Holy Spirit. One can experience emotional ecstasy while participating in idolatrous worship. The real test is whether the results glorify Jesus and build up his kingdom. Individual believers each receive a manifestation of the Spirit for the common good, but there are a variety of gifts distributed to each according to the purposes of the Spirit.

A leader of the synagogue (Mark and Luke identify him as Jairus; Mark 5:21-43; Luke 8:40-56) came to Jesus and said, “My daughter has just died; but come and lay your hand on her, and she will live” (v.18) Jesus got up and went with him, and his disciples followed. On the way, a woman in the crowd who had had a hemorrhage for twelve years reached out and touched Jesus as he went by, believing that if she just touched his garment, she would be healed. Jesus turned and saw her and told her that her faith had made her well, and instantly she was cured. When they arrived at Jairus’ house there was a crowd of mourners. Jesus said, “'Depart, for the girl is not dead but sleeping.' And the crowd laughed at him” (v.24). Jesus went in and took the girl by the hand and she arose.

Josiah read the book of the Law which had been discovered, believed the word of God, and he acted upon it and did what it said. Jairus believed Jesus was able to raise his daughter from the dead; he went to Jesus and asked in faith, and Jesus revived the daughter. As Jesus passed by, the woman acted on her faith that Jesus could heal her; she reached out to touch him and was healed.

Paul points out that people can get an emotional thrill out of sin [but the return (reward) for the fleeting pleasures of sin is death (Romans 6:20-23)]. Instead of living to gratify our selfish passions, we can live in a community of faith and love where the Spirit of God dwells. The Spirit gives a variety of gifts which are to be used for the common good. The power belongs to God; we can access it by faith. The test of whether something (or someone) is of God is whether it glorifies Jesus and is in accordance with God’s word.

Jesus said, “Every one then who hears these words of mine and does them will be like a wise man who built his house upon the rock; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat upon that house, but it did not fall, because it had been founded on the rock. And every one who hears these words of mine and does not do them will be like a foolish man who built his house upon the sand; and the rain fell, and the floods came, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell; and great was the fall of it” (Matthew 7:24-27).

21 Pentecost – Friday

first posted 10/13/05

2 Kings 23:36-24:17, The fall of Jerusalem

1 Corinthians 12:12-26, Members of the body

Matthew 9:27-34 Healing the blind and mute

Nebuchadnezzar (Nebuchadrezzar), King of Babylon (Chaldea) had defeated Egypt at Carchemish in 605 B.C. Judah, the remnant of Israel, had previously come under domination by Pharaoh Neco of Egypt, who removed Jehoahaz (younger son of Josiah) from the throne of Judah and installed Eliakim (older son of Josiah) as his vassal, changing Eliakim’s name to Jehoiakim (see 2 Kings 23:29-35). Jehoiakim did what was evil in God’s judgment. Having conquered Egypt, Nebuchadnezzar made Jehoiakim his vassal. After three years, Jehoiakim rebelled against the Chaldeans, and Nebuchadnezzar sent Chaldean, Syrian, Moabite and Ammonite armies against Judah to destroy it, in fulfillment of God’s judgment and prophecy against Judah (2 Kings 22:16-20; 23:26-27). Jehoiakim died and his son, Jehoiachin (also known as Jeconiah) became King. Jehoiachin also did not obey God’s word.

After only three months on the throne, Jehoiachin surrendered to Nebuchadnezzar’s army as they besieged Jerusalem. He and all his family and his royal officials were deported to Babylon, and all the treasure in the temple and palace were carried off to Babylon, as the Lord had foretold (2 Kings 20:12-19) All the soldiers of Judah, all who were fit for military service, all the elders and princes and all the craftsmen of Judah were deported. Only the poorest and unfit were left in Judah. Nebuchadnezzar made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king of Judah, and changed his name to Zedekiah.

Paul was discipling the Corinthian Christians. He used an analogy of the human body to illustrate the members of the Church, the “body” of Christ, and the gifts (abilities; empowerment) of the Holy Spirit to those who have been “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8). Each authentic Christian is a born-again disciple of Jesus Christ and is given certain spiritual gifts according to God’s will for the individual and the collective benefit of the congregation and the Church at large. Each born-again disciple has a part in the mission of Christ which the Church has been commanded to complete (Matthew 28:19-20); each member is to be filled with, obedient to and empowered by the Holy Spirit. It is that unity of purpose by the anointing of the Holy Spirit which makes it possible for the Church to complete Christ’s mission.

Not everyone is called to be a preacher or ordained minister, but that doesn’t exempt any Christian from the responsibility to proclaim the gospel of Jesus Christ and make disciples. The pastor isn’t the only one who can or should proclaim the gospel. Christians need to be discipled by born-again disciples; we need to be disciples in order to make disciples. We need to seek the anointing of the Holy Spirit before we go out into the world to proclaim the gospel.

We need to have experienced a personal relationship with Jesus through the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit before we can testify to that spiritual reality. We need to have our minds opened to understand the scriptures, we need to learn to recognize the small inner voice of the Lord and be guided by his Holy Spirit. We need to learn to trust and obey the Lord. We need to seek and discover his will for each of us individually (see Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:4-5, 8; the Church is the “New Jerusalem” on earth). Each congregation should work together as a team to accomplish Christ’s mission.

As Jesus traveled through Galilee, two blind men followed him and, addressing him as the Son of David (the Messiah, and heir to the throne of David), asked Jesus to have mercy on them. Jesus asked the blind men if they believed that Jesus could heal them, and they affirmed their belief, calling him Lord. Jesus touched their eyes, and told them to be healed according to their faith. Their eyes were opened, and Jesus told them not to tell anyone, “but they went away and spread his fame through all that district” (Matthew 9:31). A man who was mute because of a demon was brought to Jesus, and when Jesus had cast out the demon the man was able to speak. The crowds acknowledged that nothing like that had ever been seen in Israel, but the Pharisees (religious leaders) said that Jesus’ power over demons came from demons.

Judah had repeatedly been warned of the consequences of disobedience of God’s word and of idolatry. They had witnessed the obliteration of the ten tribes of the northern Kingdom of Israel by the Assyrians for failing to heed God’s warnings about disobedience and idolatry. Judah was the last remnant of Israel, and they did not listen to the warnings of the prophets and did not continue the spiritual reform of the good kings, Hezekiah and Josiah. Jeremiah had prophesied warning of impending judgment for Judah’s disobedience of God’s word and idolatry since the time of Josiah. Jeremiah also prophesied the return to Jerusalem of the chastened remnant of Israel (Jeremiah 3:18; see also 2 Kings 20:12-19; 22:14-20; 23:26-27). The Lord was able to punish his people for disobedience and idolatry and yet preserve a chastened remnant of Israel.

Paul was teaching Christians to be disciples of Jesus Christ and to trust and obey Jesus’ commands in Scripture and by his indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul was fulfilling the “Great Commission” which Jesus had given to his disciples, to make disciples and to teach them to obey all that Jesus had taught them (Matthew 28:19-20). He was preparing them to work together in the congregation and to be sent out with the gospel message into the world, guided and empowered by the indwelling Holy Spirit.

The blind men had the faith to be healed by Jesus, but lacked obedience to do what Jesus had told them. Jesus already had large crowds following him, and many people were already attracted to Jesus for what he could do for them physically. Jesus main mission was not physical but spiritual healing and feeding. Jesus healed the blind men’s physical vision, but they missed out on all the spiritual blessings Jesus could have given them, including forgiveness of sin and eternal life in heaven, as well as spiritual vision, if they had continued to follow him in obedience. They acknowledged Jesus as the Messiah (Christ) and called him Lord, but did not to as Jesus had told them (consider Matthew 7:21-24; Luke 6:46). They may have thought they were glorifying the Lord and doing his work, but the way to glorify the Lord and build his kingdom is to trust and obey him (consider John 14:21-24). The mute man was spiritually ill, and when Jesus had healed that, the man was no longer mute.

There are spiritually blind and mute people in our churches today because of lack of discipleship, obedient trust in Jesus and the anointing of the Holy Spirit, which is only given by Jesus only to his disciples who trust and obey him (John 1:32-34; 14:15-17).

Alternative Entry

first posted 11/06/03

2 Kings 23:36-24:17 Judah Carried off to Babylon

1 Corinthians 12:12-26 The Body and its Members

Matthew 9:27-34 Healing the Blind and Mute

King Jehoiakim of Judah, the son of Josiah, came to the throne, and he did not walk in the way of the Lord, but did evil. In his reign, Judah, which had been under the control of Egypt, became the vassal of the Chaldeans when they defeated Egypt. After three years, Judah rebelled, but King Jehoiakim died, and his son Jehoichin succeeded him as King. King Nebuchadnezzar (Nebuchadrezzar is the more correct name) of Babylon besieged Jerusalem, and Jehoichin quickly surrendered and was taken prisoner. All the treasures of the house of the Lord were carried off to Babylon, along with all the able-bodied people of Judah; only the old and poor were allowed to remain (v.14b). ”And the King of Babylon made Mattaniah, Jehoiachin’s uncle, king in his stead, and changed his name to Zedekiah” (v17)

Paul compares the church to a human body; both are made of diverse members which function together as a unit. Each member has unique gifts which are necessary to the body, and to be used to benefit the whole. Each member’s contribution to the welfare of the group is valued and regulated in such a way that all are regarded equally and there is no discord.

Two blind men followed Jesus and asked him to heal them. Jesus asked if they believed that he could do what they requested, and then said, “According to your faith be it done for you. He told them not to tell anyone, but they did so anyway. A man who was demon-possessed and mute was brought to Jesus, and when Jesus has cast out the demon the mute man spoke. The crowds marveled at the healing, but the Pharisees said that Jesus power to cast out demons came from the prince of demons (v.34).

The covenant and the reforms which King Josiah had made were quickly broken by his own sons (Jehoahaz; 2 Kings 23:30, 32 & Eliakim; 2 Kings 23:34, 37) and grandson (Jehoichin; 2 Kings 24:6, 9). The writer attributes the (first) fall of Jerusalem to the sins of Manasseh (2 Kings 24:3), but these were revived and perpetuated by Josiah’s sons after the reforms of Josiah. God apportioned and regulated the members of the physical body according to his design, so that the body would work together as a unit and there would be no disharmony. The same thing is true of the world. It was created by God according to his design so that everything would work together harmoniously.

Likewise the same fundamental principles apply to church organization. As in the example of the human body, in the world or in the church we must operate according to God’s rules if we are to expect creation to function well, as it was designed to do. The blind men had the faith in Jesus to be healed of their blindness; they followed (Matthew 9:27) him long enough to receive physical healing. Their immediate physical need was satisfied, but did they then accept Jesus as their Lord and begin to apply his words to their lives? Apparently they did not, because Jesus asked them to tell no one, and they totally ignored his command (Matthew 9:31). “

Well, it was for a good purpose, though,” someone might say; “Surely they were glorifying the Lord.” No! What the Lord wants is our obedience. We glorify the Lord when we are obedient to his word. The blind men obtained the request they made to receive their physical sight; but, unless they accepted Jesus as their Lord and began to keep his word, they lost the many other good things Jesus could have given them in this life and the opportunity for eternal life in Heaven with him. Jesus said, “If your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and throw it from you; it is better to enter (eternal) life with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into the hell of fire” (Matthew 18:9; also Mark 9:47-48; Matthew 5:29).

God has given us the freedom to choose, but we need to realize that the good outcome he intends for each one of us cannot happen if we disregard his rules. One of God’s rules is that you can’t serve two masters; you can’t serve God and mammon [wealth: figurative, personified, or deified; any form of idolatry; any god other than the Lord (Matthew 6:24)]

The Pharisees had accused Jesus of casting out demons by the prince of demons. Jesus answered “Every kingdom divided against itself is laid waste” and invited them to decide for themselves if it was by the prince of demons or by the Spirit of God that he cast out demons. He also said, “He who is not with me is against me, and he who does not gather with me scatters” (Matthew 12 25-30).

Do we pray to Jesus asking for what we want, but not listen to his words and keep them? Jesus said, “If you abide in me and my words abide in you, ask whatever you will, and it shall be done for you” (John 15:7). Notice that the promise is conditional! (For conditions for answered prayer, see Journal archives for Sept 28, 2003.) Do we ignore God’s rules, and yet expect God to make our lives pleasant? Are we part of the solution to the problems of this world, or are we part of the problem? Are we with Jesus or against him?

21 Pentecost – Saturday

first posted 10/14/05

Jeremiah 35:1-19, The symbol of the Rechabites

1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3, Spiritual gifts

Matthew 9:35-10:4 Laborers for the harvest

During the reign of Jehoiakim, son of Josiah, king of Judah, the Lord directed Jeremiah to go to the Rechabites, a strict religious order founded by Jonadab, son of Rechab, during the reign of Jehu (842-815 B.C.). The Lord told Jeremiah to bring them into one of the rooms of the temple and offer them wine, and Jeremiah did so. The Rechabites declined the wine, saying that Jonadab, the son of Rechab, their father, had commanded them never to drink wine. Jonadab had also taught them to live as nomads in tents, and not to raise agricultural crops. They were nomads living in tents, but had moved inside the walls of Jerusalem for protection from the Chaldeans (Babylonians) who were attacking Judah.

The Lord told Jeremiah to confront the people of Judah and Jerusalem for their disobedience of God’s word and instruction. The Rechabites are an example of how a family, a household, had obeyed their patriarch’s word and instruction. Judah (the remnant of Israel) had a similar relationship with the Lord, their Father. The Lord had persistently made his word known by Scripture and by God’s prophets and servants, warning God’s people turn from evil and idolatry and to live according to God’s word, so that they could live in the land God promised to give them, but they would not listen nor answer God’s call to repentance and obedience. Because of Judah’s disobedience and idolatry the Lord declared that condemnation he had warned them about was about to come upon them. In contrast, the Lord promised the Rechabites that because they had been obedient to their patriarch he would always have descendants who worship the Lord; who would stand in the Lord’s presence.

Paul compared the Church to a human body; each believer is a member of Christ’s body, the Church, and each has a function for the benefit of the body. Some are apostles (preachers; evangelists), some are prophets, some are teachers (disciplers), some are miracle-workers, some are healers, some are helpers (deacons), some are administrators, some speak in tongues, and some are interpreters of tongues. All these gifts are needed to accomplish the Church’s mission, but not everyone has every gift. We’re urged to seek the higher gifts (evangelism, prophecy, discipling). The spiritual gifts are to be used with love toward others, rather than to magnify ourselves. None of the spiritual gifts can accomplish their intended purpose for us or others apart from love.

Jesus traveled about, teaching in local synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and healing physical and spiritual illness. Jesus had compassion for people because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus told his disciples that there was a great spiritual harvest to gather, but few people to do the harvesting. His disciples should pray for the Lord to send laborers to work in the harvest.

Jesus called his Twelve original disciples, Simon Peter, Peter’s brother, Andrew, James and his brother, John, Philip, Bartholomew, Thomas, Matthew, the tax collector, “little” James, the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus, Simon the Cananaean, and Judas Iscariot, who later betrayed Jesus. Jesus named them “apostles” (“messengers” of the gospel; Luke 6:13), gave them authority to heal diseases and cast out demons, and sent them out to proclaim the coming of God’s kingdom and to heal physical and spiritual illness.

The Lord desires our obedient trust. His plan and purpose for this present creation has always been to prepare an eternal kingdom of his people who trust and obey him. This life is our opportunity to seek and come to a personal relationship with God (Acts 17:26-27). God is our Father by his act of our creation, and our spiritual Father by faith in him. Jesus is God’s only provision for the forgiveness of our sin (disobedience of God’s word), salvation from eternal death (Acts 4:12; Romans 6:23; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right) and restoration to fellowship with God (John 14:6, 23). This life is our opportunity to learn to live according to God’s word, to discover that it is always true and ultimately good, and to experience God’s faithfulness to reward those who trust and obey him.

Over and over, the history of God’s dealing with Israel showed that God rewards obedient trust in him and punishes disobedience and idolatry (any person or thing which we love as much or more than the Lord). We tend to be more obedient to our worldly parents than we are to God, who, as creator, knows better than any human how to succeed in this world and the eternity to come.

Worldly wisdom emphasizes self. Worldly success is defined as self-fulfillment, self-gratification. Divine wisdom teaches us to put the Lord first and others ahead of ourselves. Spiritual success is knowing God’s will, knowing Jesus personally through his indwelling Holy Spirit, and the assurance that we are in Christ and have eternal life, by the indwelling Holy Spirit who is the seal and guarantee of that assurance (2 Corinthians 1:22; Ephesians 1:13-14; Romans 8:9b, 11, 15-16).

Judah was carried off to Babylon for seventy years because they refused to repent and return to obedient trust in the Lord. Seventy years is a virtual life sentence for those who were adults at the time of the deportation. The people who returned to Israel after the exile were not the same individuals who had been deported. The Lord was able to punish Judah for sin and idolatry, and still bring back a chastened remnant of his people so that his ultimate plan of salvation through Jesus Christ could be fulfilled.

The history of Israel is intended to be a metaphor for life in this world. In a sense, we are all the people of God because he is our creator. Nebuchadnezzar represents the wicked worldly ruler, who ultimately is Satan. Ultimately there will be a Day of Judgment, when those who have refused to trust and obey Jesus will be condemned to eternal exile and eternal death in the “Babylon” of Hell.

We’re all also like God’s children who have been born in captivity in the “Babylon” of this present world, whom God has promised to bring safely into the “Promised Land” of his eternal heavenly kingdom, through obedient trust in Jesus Christ. Those who refuse to trust and obey Jesus, who prefer to live in “Babylon,” will die eternally in “Babylon.”

Christians are “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciples of Jesus Christ, who follow his teaching and example, who trust and obey him, and are filled, guided and empowered by his indwelling Holy Spirit. Only Jesus gives the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:32-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17).

Paul was an apostle of Jesus Christ who was making disciples in the Corinthian congregation, in obedience to Jesus’ “Great Commission” (Matthew 28:19-20). He was teaching them to seek the “anointing” of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and to discover and develop the gifts (abilities; empowerment) given by the Holy Spirit. Spiritual gifts aren’t to be used to give us status and recognition in the congregation or in society, but to work together with other Christians as a team to accomplish the mission of the Church, which is to complete the ministry of discipleship and salvation which Jesus began.

Jesus was demonstrating to his disciples how to carry on his mission. Wherever Jesus went he was teaching and preaching about the kingdom of God. He offered physical and material aid to those in need, but physical healing and feeding was intended to be a sign of who he is and to point to his ability to provide spiritual healing and nurture.

Jesus had compassion for people because of their great spiritual need and lack of spiritual leadership. That spiritual need represents a great harvest potential, and disciples of Jesus Christ should recognize and pray for it. When his disciples recognize the need and pray for workers to gather the harvest, the Lord will empower and send them to do the harvesting.

Jesus demonstrated what happens when his disciples pray for laborers to gather the harvest. He told them to pray, and then he called them, empowered them and sent them out to do what he himself had been demonstrating to them. But before they could be apostles, they had to be disciples, and they had to have Jesus’ authorization and empowerment through a personal relationship with Jesus. While Jesus was in the flesh, his disciples didn’t need the indwelling Holy Spirit, but after Jesus’ ascension, they were told to stay in Jerusalem (the modern equivalent is the Church, the holy city of God on earth) until they had received the empowerment and guidance of the indwelling Holy Spirit (Luke 24:48-49; Acts 1:4-5, 8). I personally testify to this truth; this is exactly how I came to have this internet ministry.

Alternative Entry

first posted 11/07/03

Jeremiah 35:1-19 The Sign of the Rechabites

1 Corinthians 12:27-13:3 The Gifts of the Spirit

Matthew 9:35-10:4 Commissioning Jesus’ Disciples

Jeremiah, the son of King Jehoiakim, was led by the Lord to go to the Rechabites, (a religious order which had assisted Jehu in the destruction of the dynasty of King Omri and his son King Ahab of the northern Kingdom of Israel) and meet with them in the Temple. According to the Lord’s instructions he set pitchers of wine before them and offered it to them, but they explained that they did not drink wine because their father Jonadab the son of Rechab had commanded them never to drink wine. Their patriarch had also commanded them to live in tents and follow a nomadic lifestyle, and they had obeyed the commands of their patriarch.

When the Babylonian sieges had begun, the Rechabites had been forced to seek security in Jerusalem. Then the Lord told Jeremiah to go to the people of Judah and tell them that the Rechabites had listened to their father Jonadab and done what he commanded, but the people of Judah had repeatedly ignored the commands of their Father, the Lord God, and rejected his calls to repentance. Therefore the Lord was going to bring on Judah the disaster which he had prophesied against them, since they had not listened and amended their ways. But the Lord pronounced a blessing upon the Rechabites, because of the example of their obedience to their earthly patriarch.

Continuing Paul’s analogy of the church as the body of Christ, composed of various members like a human body, he says that the roles various members play in the church is determined by the gifts which the Spirit has given to each according to the will and purpose of God for the benefit of the group. It’s alright to desire the higher gifts, but any of the spiritual gifts must be used in love for the good of all. That warning is necessary because the natural human tendency is to desire status and power for selfish personal benefit.

Jesus ministry consisted of preaching and teaching and helping people with every sort of need. He had compassion on the people because there was such great need and there was such a great lack of people who were willing to help. Jesus compared the situation with a harvest. The need was there, the potential reward was great, but there was a limited amount of time, and workers were required. He told his disciples to pray about the need and their response to it, and then he called the disciples together and gave them the commission and the power to join in the ministry that Jesus had begun.

Jeremiah, at the prompting of the Lord, used the Rechabites as an example and illustration of the kind of people God wants his people to be. The specific distinctives of Rechabite sect are not the point; the issue is obedience of the people to the words of their father. If the Rechabites were commended for their obedience to the commands of their earthly patriarch, how much more should the people of God be careful to obey the words of our Heavenly Father?

Jesus came to show us how to live in relationship with God, our Heavenly Father. He calls us to be his disciples and follwo his example. Jesus cares about the physical, economic, material needs of people as well as their spiritual needs. He commissions and empowers his disciples to join and continue in that ministry of caring for the needs of people that he began. Paul’s message is a warning to the people of God that the gifts of the Spirit are not given to be used selfishly to promote one’s own status and interest.

We are all God’s people, in the sense that he has created us, but he gives us a choice. He says, “Obey my voice, and I will be your God, and you shall be my people” (Jeremiah 7:23). He alone is God whether we acknowledge that or not, but if we refuse to recognize him, he will decline to fulfill the responsibility to care for us that being God implies. So he allows us to choose who we recognize as our Father. If we listen and follow God’s word we show that God truly is our Father, but if we reject God as our Father, we show that Satan is our Father, because we do what Satan does (John 8:39-47). Jesus is the only way to the Father. (John 14:6). Do you know who your Father is?