27 Pentecost  - Sunday

Ezra 7: (1-10) 11-26,       Ezra’s return to Jerusalem

Acts 28:14b-23,      Paul’s arrival in Rome  

Luke 16:1-13,       The dishonest steward

There were four groups of exiles returning to Judah, the last in about 397 B.C.*, led by Ezra, a descendant of Aaron, the high priest and brother of Moses (Ezra 7:5). He was a scribe, well educated in the Law of Moses. The Lord’s favor was upon Ezra, and God influenced the Persian king, Artaxerxes II to provide all that Ezra asked. Ezra led a group of exiles including priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants. The Persian king gave Ezra a letter authorizing any exiled Jew wanting to return with Ezra to do so. The king and his royal advisors gave Ezra an offering of silver and gold vessels for use in the temple, money to purchase animals, and goods for sacrifices and offerings to God in the temple in Jerusalem.

The king also authorized Ezra to receive funds and materials for whatever else he needed from the treasury of the Persian province which included Judah. The king generously contributed to the temple, so that God’s favor would be upon the Persian Empire. The king also commanded that the temple staff be exempt from any taxes or fees. Ezra was also authorized to teach God’s Law and to establish judges to enforce the Law of Moses in Judah, with death, banishment, fines or imprisonment, as Ezra saw fit.

When Paul arrived in Rome, Christians from as far away as the forum of Appius, forty-three miles** from Rome, on the “Appian” highway, came to meet Paul. Paul was allowed to be under house-arrest, with the soldier who guarded him.

Three days after Paul arrived in Rome he called the Jewish community together, and explained how he had come to Rome. Paul had done nothing against the Jews or the Jewish traditions, but had been falsely accused and handed over to the Roman authorities. The Roman authorities had found Paul not guilty, and would have released him, but the Jews objected, forcing Paul to appeal to Caesar. Paul had no charges to bring against Israel, so he had called the Jewish community together to let them know that Paul was imprisoned because of the hope of Israel (for the Messiah: God’s promised, “anointed,” eternal Savior and King; the word “Christ” is the Greek equivalent of the Aramaic word “Messiah;” both mean “anointed”).

The people said that they had no reports against Paul from the religious authorities in Judea, or from visitors from Israel, but they were interested in hearing Paul’s views on the “sect” of Christianity, because Jews everywhere were speaking against it.

A day was chosen when they again came together, and Paul taught all day, giving his testimony of the kingdom of God and trying to convince them about Jesus (that he was the Messiah) from the Law of Moses and the Prophets (the Old Testament).

Jesus told his disciples a parable of a dishonest steward. The steward’s master heard that his steward was wasting his resources, and ordered the steward to give an accounting. The steward realized that he would loose his job and that he was too weak to do physical labor and to proud to beg. So he decided to call each of his master’s debtors and reduce their debts, so that when he was fired they would be willing to give him room and board. The master commended his steward for his prudence in providing for the steward’s future. Worldly people are wiser in their worldly lives than are those who are spiritually enlightened. Believers should use their worldly resources to gain God’s approval and thus secure eternal habitation when this earthly life fails.

One who demonstrates faithfulness in small matters will be entrusted with greater responsibility, and one who has demonstrated his ability to manage another’s goods can be entrusted with his own. If we have not been faithful to God’s word in managing the temporal resources God has given us, why would we expect him to entrust us with spiritual treasures which are truly and eternally precious. No one can serve two masters; we cannot serve worldly values and God.

God is God and Lord of Creation, whether we acknowledge him or not. His creation ultimately is subject to his will whether we choose to obey or not. The people of Judah, the remnant of Israel, refused to obey God’s word or the many warnings of God’s prophets, so God lifted his providence and protection from them, and they were carried off to Babylonian exile. But God promised that after seventy years, he would bring a remnant of his people back to the Promised Land (Jeremiah 25:11-12).

God’s promise through Jeremiah was fulfilled. The Persians overthrew the Babylonian Empire and Judah began to return after seventy years (587-517 B.C.). Ezra led the last of four groups of returning exiles. Not only did the Persians allow the Jews to return, but returned the sacred vessels which had been plundered from the temple by Nebuchadrezzar,(Nebuchadnezzar) and gave them material resources and authorization to rebuild the temple!

Artaxerxes II, and Cyrus, before him (Ezra 1:1-4), are examples of Gentiles (non-Jew; pagans), worldly people who used their material resources and worldly position to try to gain God’s approval and insure their future wellbeing. They realized that it was in their best interest to try to gain God’s favor, so they accomplished God’s purpose.

Paul, formerly Saul of Tarsus, had, because of lack of knowledge of Jesus Christ, previously opposed God’s will and tried to destroy the disciples of Jesus. After his encounter with the risen Jesus on the road to Damascus (Acts 1:1-17 he was converted and became a “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) disciple and apostle (messenger of the Gospel) of Jesus Christ.

Thereafter Paul used all his material and physical resources to serve the Lord. He had believed and had come to know, from personal experience, the truth of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and eternal life by the indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul wanted to please the Lord in this life so that he would be able to live in the eternal paradise of God’s heavenly kingdom.

Although Paul had not known Jesus during Jesus’ physical lifetime, Paul was proclaiming by word and by example the teachings of Jesus and the Apostolic Gospel taught by the other Apostles and recorded in the New Testament. Paul was fulfilling the Great Commission given by Jesus to his disciples (Matthew 28:19-20), to be fulfilled after they had been “born-again” (Luke 24:45-49; Acts 1:4-5, 8; Acts 2:1-13): to make “born-again” disciples of Jesus and to teach them to obey all Jesus’ commands.

He was fulfilling the meaning of the parable of the dishonest steward given by Jesus to his disciples.  The dishonest steward is an example to Christian disciples, not to be unfaithful with their Master’s resources, but to use them wisely in this age, so that they will have an eternal home in God’s heavenly kingdom. We are to learn to use the resources God has given us in this temporal, physical lifetime as faithful stewards of the Lord, so that we will be able to receive and faithfully use spiritual resources.

Jesus is to be our Master, rather than the ruler of this Age, who ultimately is Satan. We cannot serve both eternal, spiritual values and worldly values; we must choose to serve Jesus, or we will ultimately serve Satan and be destroyed eternally with all evil.

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 (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

*The seventh year of Artaxerxes II; The Oxford Annotated Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce M. Metzger, Ezra 7:1-10:16 n, p. 580, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962.

** Ibid, Acts 28:15 n, p. 1357.

27 Pentecost  - Monday

Ezra 7:27-28; 8:21-36, Exiles return with Ezra

Revelation 20:7-15,      The Final Conflict

Matthew 17:1-13,      Transfiguration

Ezra was a descendant of Aaron (Ezra 7:5). He was a scribe, well educated in the Law of Moses. The Lord had given Ezra great favor with the Persian king, Artaxerxes II,* who granted Ezra everything he asked, and generously provided gold and silver, money and authorization for whatever else was needed for the temple in Jerusalem to be provided by the Persian provincial government. Ezra praised the Lord who had influenced the king to be so generous, and had revealed God’s love for Ezra before the Persian royal court. Ezra was encouraged that God was helping him, and he gathered leading Jews among the exiles in Babylon to go to Jerusalem with him.

The returning exiles gathered at the River Ahava (unknown; probable tributary of the Euphrates), where Ezra declared a period of fasting, seeking God’s guidance for their journey. The group consisted of women and children in addition to men, and they were transporting a large amount of gold, silver and money, as well as food, unarmed and without military escort. They prayed about this and the Lord heard their prayer.

Ezra designated twelve priests and ten of their relatives to be responsible for an astonishing amount of the monetary offerings and sacred vessels of Gold, silver, and bronze. He weighed out the valuables among them, to guard and deliver to the temple staff.

The group left the river and set out for Jerusalem, and the Lord protected them from attack and ambush. When they arrived in Jerusalem they rested for three days. On the fourth day they delivered the sacred vessels and offerings to Meremoth and Eleazar, who were priests on duty in the temple, and several Levites. Everything was weighed out and recorded in the temple storehouse.

The returning exiles offered burnt offerings to the Lord. Twelve bulls for all Israel, many rams and lambs, and twelve male goats as a sin offering were sacrificed. Ezra also delivered the Persian king’s letter of authorization to the provincial officials, and they provided the support that the king had authorized for the people and the temple.

Christ will reign for a thousand years with those who had been martyred during the Great Tribulation. During that reign, Satan was bound in the bottomless pit. At the end of the millennium, Satan will be loosed from his prison to deceive the nations, Gog and Magog (symbolic of the worldly kingdoms, ruled by Satan, and opposed to God) who will gather for the Battle of Armageddon. They will besiege the Holy City (Jerusalem; the Church) and the camp of the Saints. But fire will fall from heaven and and consume them, and Satan will be cast into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet have been cast, where they will be tormented forever.

John, the revelator, saw a great white throne of the Final Judgment, so vast that it blocked out earth and sky. All the dead, great and small stood before the throne, and the heavenly records of their deeds were opened, and also the book of life, the record of those who belong to Christ.  The dead came forth from the sea and from Death and Hades. All the dead were judged according to their deeds. Then Death and Hades and all the dead whose names were not recorded in the “Lamb’s (Jesus’) Book of Life (Revelation 13:8)  were thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second (eternal) death.

Jesus took Peter, James and John up a high mountain by themselves, and Jesus was transfigured in their presence; his face became radiant like the sun and his garments glowed. The three disciples saw Moses and Elijah talking with Jesus. Peter spoke to Jesus suggesting that Peter build three booths, one each for Jesus, Moses and Elijah, if Jesus approved. Before Peter finished speaking, a bright cloud overshadowed them and they heard a voice saying, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased; listen to him” (Matthew 17:5). The disciples fell on their faces in awe when they heard this voice, but Jesus came and touched them and told them to get up and not be afraid.

When they opened their eyes, Moses and Elijah were no longer visible. As they came down from the mountain Jesus told them to “tell no one the vision until after the Son of man is raised from the dead” (Matthew 17:9). The disciples asked Jesus why the scribes say that Elijah must come (before the Messiah). Jesus said that according to scripture Elijah does come to turn Israel back to God before the Messiah appears, and that Elijah had come but the religious authorities had not recognized him, and had done as they pleased. Jesus said that the Son of man (Jesus) would also suffer (similarly) at their hands. The disciples understood that Jesus was referring to John the Baptist.

Ezra is a foreshadowing, an illustration of the promised Messiah (Christ), who led God’s people out of exile in Babylon and into the Promised Land. Ezra was committed to trust and obey God’s word and to teach others to know, trust and obey God’s word also. God glorified Ezra in the presence of the Persian royal court and caused Ezra to have great favor with the Persians.

Who would have thought that the Persians would not only allow the Jewish exiles to return to their land, but would also return the sacred vessels plundered by Nebuchadrezzar from the temple when Judah had been conquered. Even more amazing, the Persian king gave a great offering of gold and silver for the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the temple, and authorized the cooperation, assistance and financial support of the rebuilding of the temple by the Persian Province of which Judah was part.

Ezra had declared his faith in God to keep the exiles from danger of robbery on their journey as they returned to Judah. Ezra and the people prayed for the Lord’s protection, and then set out in faith that the Lord would protect them.

The sacred vessels were entrusted to priests, so that they would not be defiled, and the priests faithfully protected them and returned them to the temple. All the offerings designated for God’s house were accounted for and placed into the temple storehouse.

The returned exiles worshiped the Lord with feasting and sacrifices, in thankfulness that they had been restored from exile, had made it safely to the Promised Land, and had the provincial Persian government’s support to rebuild the temple.

John, the revelator, was probably the last remaining original apostles and eyewitnesses to the entire ministry of Jesus Christ. The Lord allowed him to have a series of visions of the end of the age, the return of Christ, and the Final Judgment, to be recorded for the encouragement and strengthening of the Church (John 1:1-4). John was given a glimpse of Christ’s Second Coming in great power and glory, as he had been allowed a glimpse of Christ’s glory on the mountain of Transfiguration before Jesus’ crucifixion.

Jesus took John, with Peter and James, Jesus’ closest disciples, to the mountaintop, where Jesus was transfigured before them.  Jesus’ appearance was changed and his face and his clothes became radiant like the sun. The three disciples saw Jesus talking with Moses and Elijah. Moses was the patriarch who most foreshadowed Jesus Christ, and Elijah was the greatest of the Old Testament prophets, who was caught up into heaven without experiencing physical death.

The three disciples not only saw Jesus transfigured, but heard God’s voice attest that Jesus was God’s Son, who was entirely obedient to God, and that the disciples were to trust and obey Jesus. The three were terrified, as the people of Israel had been when God came down to Moses on Mt. Sinai (Horeb) and gave Moses the Ten Commandments (Exodus20:18-20).

Moses was the mediator between God and the people, and the people were not allowed to come up on the mountain (Exodus 19:12-15, because under the Old Covenant of Law they could not be completely cleansed of sin since they needed to continuously offer sacrifices. Under the New Covenant of Grace (unmerited favor) through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ, his disciples, in the presence of Jesus, were allowed to go to the top of the mountain into the presence of God.

Christian disciples today, who have trusted and obeyed Jesus, and have come into personal fellowship with Jesus through the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit, are allowed the mountain-top experience of the presence of God, and God’s affirmation of Jesus as God’s Son. Jesus opens the minds of his disciples to understand the Scripture (Luke 24:45). Those who have been with Jesus on the mountain-top have the spiritual experience to understand the scriptures, like the prophecy of the return of Elijah before the coming of the Messiah, in a way that worldly people cannot.

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 (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

*The Oxford Annotated Bible, Revised Standard Version, Ed. by Herbert G. May and Bruce M. Metzger, Introduction to Ezra, p. 573, New York, Oxford University Press, 1962.

 27 Pentecost  - Tuesday

Ezra 9:1-15,     Public confession  

Revelation 21:1-8,    New Creation

Matthew 17:14-21,    Epileptic child healed 

In the first month (May-June 516 B.C. *) the returned exiles celebrated the feast of Passover and the feast of unleavened bread (a seven-day festival following the Passover feast on the evening of the fourteenth day). The celebration included “every one who had joined them and separated himself from the pollutions of the peoples of the land to worship the Lord, the God of Israel” (Ezra 6:21b). They celebrated with great joy for the Lord’s blessings, and because the Lord had caused the Persian government (now ruling Assyria, and the land of Israel) to aid Judah in rebuilding the temple.

After Ezra’s group of exiles delivered the sacred vessels and offerings to the temple, the (Jewish) officials told Ezra that the people, including priests and Levites, had intermarried with pagans during the exile and the officials and leaders were the guiltiest. Ezra was appalled by the news and tore his garments and pulled out his hair in ritual mourning, for the faithlessness of the returned exiles, with others who feared God, until the evening sacrifice.

Then Ezra made ritual public confession for the people, acknowledging their sin and guilt. He acknowledged that that Judah’s sins had brought the exile upon them. Now God had shown favor to them and left a remnant secure in their inheritance. Although still under Persian government, the Lord had showed his steadfast love for Israel, had revived his people, and had not forsaken them. The Lord was assisting the remnant in rebuilding the temple and walls of Jerusalem.

But God’s people had forsaken God’s commandments. The prophets had warned Israel when they entered the Promised Land, that the pagan people of the land practiced all sorts of pollutions and abominations (idolatry; human sacrifice; cult prostitution, etc). The Lord had warned them not to intermarry, “and never seek their [pagans] peace or prosperity” (Ezra 9:12b; don’t make treaties with them; don’t adopt their practices) so that Israel could thrive in the land and their descendants could inherit the land.

Ezra prayed, saying that after Judah had experienced the Lord’s punishment for disobedience of his word, God had shown mercy by leaving a remnant (the returning exiles), although God’s punishment was less than they deserved. But now would Israel, after all that, continue to disobey God’s commandments not to intermarry with pagans? Wouldn’t Israel deserve to be completely consumed by God’s anger, without remnant or escape? But God is completely good and merciful, and had left a remnant and allowed Israel to escape full punishment. Ezra acknowledged Israel’s guilt and repentance to God.

John, the revelator, saw a new heaven and a new earth because the first, temporal creation had passed away. The New Jerusalem, the holy city came down from heaven like a bride on her wedding day, dressed for her husband. A voice from heaven declared that God would dwell with mankind, and they would be his people. God will wipe away all tears; there will be no more death, mourning, crying or pain, because these former things have ceased to exist.

The Lord God, the beginning and end of all things makes all things new. God told John to write these things down, because they are true and trustworthy (because they are the word of God). God declared that his eternal purpose had been accomplished. To those who are spiritually thirsty, the Lord freely gives the priceless water of eternal life. Those who conquer (by faithful endurance in Jesus Christ) will receive this heritage (eternal life with the Lord in his heavenly kingdom); God will be his God, and they will be God’s sons (and daughters). But all the wicked, cowards, faithless, polluted (with sin), murders, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and liars will be in the lake of burning sulphur, which is the second (eternal) death.

When Jesus returned from his mountaintop transfiguration with Peter, James and John (Matthew 17:1-13), to the disciples that had stayed behind, he found a crowd gathered around the rest of the disciples. A man whose son was an epileptic knelt before Jesus and asked Jesus to heal the son. The man had brought him to Jesus’ disciples and they had been unable to heal him. Jesus healed the boy instantly. The disciples asked Jesus privately why they had been unable to heal the epileptic. Jesus answered that it was because of their “little” faith. Jesus said that if one has faith the size of a mustard seed (a tiny seed) nothing would be impossible for them.

The people who returned to the Promised Land from exile in Babylon were the remnant of Judah, which was the remnant of Israel. Judah’s disobedience of God’s word had brought the Babylonian exile upon them, because God had lifted his favor and protection from Judah and had allowed them to be conquered by their enemy.

God’s word had warned them from the time they first entered the Promised Land that they were not to intermarry or have any dealings with the pagan natives of the land or adopt their customs (Leviticus 18-24-30; Deuteronomy 7:3-5).
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The Church is the New Israel. In that sense we are to be a holy people dwelling in the midst of a pagan culture, living in obedience to God’s word, and not adopting the customs of the pagans around us. We have all sinned (disobeyed God’s word) and fallen short of God’s righteousness (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), and the penalty for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). In Jesus Christ, God has been merciful to us and will not punish us fully for our sin (see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right). We’ve had a reprieve, but will we go right back to making the same sinful ways which brought God’s condemnation?

The people of God are the Church, the bride of Christ, clothed in the pure robe of Jesus Christ’s righteousness, seeking to please Jesus. This temporal creation will pass away, replaced by God’s eternal kingdom, the eternal Promised Land. In the new creation, there won’t be any sin or evil, because no one who does such things will be allowed in; the wicked will spend eternity in Hell, the eternal exile in “Babylon” from which there is no return.

The Church is to be the group of disciples of Jesus Christ, carrying on the ministry of spiritual healing, forgiveness and restoration to a lost and dying world. In one sense, Jesus has ascended to the “hill of the Lord,” and we are to carry on until he returns.

In too many instances the nominal “Church” seems very ineffective in carrying on Christ’s mission, and the reason is that the “Church” has been making “members” instead of making disciples. Church “members” have “little” faith. The disciples who had been unable to heal the epileptic boy had not yet received the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit (they first received the Holy Spirit on Pentecost; Acts 2:1-17). In too many instances the “Church” has been influenced by and has adopted the attitudes, behavior and beliefs of the pagan culture around us, instead of influencing and healing the secular society.

Faith is not like wishing on a star; it isn’t getting whatever we believe if we believe “hard” enough. It’s not like having an opinion, like whether it will rain tomorrow. “Yes” is the “mustard seed” of faith which grows to spiritual maturity as we trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). If we say “yes” to Jesus and begin to do as he says, we will be “born-again” (John 3:3-5-8) by the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit and his power and guidance will reach the world through us.

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 (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

27 Pentecost  - Wednesday

27 Pentecost  - Thursday

Nehemiah 9:1-15 (16-25),     The great confession

Revelation 21:22-22:5,       The presence and glory of God

Matthew 18:1-9,       Warnings of hell

After the fall of Babylon to Persia, Nehemiah had led one of the groups of exiles returning to Israel from Babylon. Ezra had assembled the returned exiles to hear the reading of the Law of Moses. The exiles realized how far they had strayed from the word of God. It was the time of the Feast of Booths*. The Israelites separated themselves from foreigners (Gentiles) and fasted and mourned in sackcloth and ashes. They read from the Law of Moses and worshiped God for a quarter of the day. They made public confession of their sins and their fathers’ sins for a forth of a day. The Levites called the people to bless and praise the Lord, their eternal God.

Ezra led the confession, acknowledging that the Lord is God alone, and the Creator and sustainer of the Universe and everything in it. Ezra recalled how God had called Abram to leave his homeland (Babylon) and gave him the new name, Abraham. God had found Abraham faithful and obedient, and had made a covenant with Abraham to give the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants, and God has fulfilled his promise, demonstrating God’s righteousness.

When Israel came under bondage and affliction in Egypt, God saw, and heard their cry. God performed great signs and wonders against Pharaoh, because he and his people were insolent against God’s people. God earned a great reputation for his power and faithfulness. God parted the Red Sea, so that the Israelites could pass through without getting their feet wet, and then cast their pursuing Egyptians into the watery depths, as a stone into deep waters. God led the Israelites by a pillar of cloud in the day and by a pillar of fire by night, to guide them in the right way, day or night.

God came down upon Mount Sinai to speak with them from heaven and give them God’s commandments through Moses. God taught them God’s holy day of rest. God gave them “manna” (“bread from heaven”) to satisfy their hunger, and water from the rock to satisfy their thirst. God told them to enter and possess the Promised Land, which God had vowed to give them.

But over and over the people of Israel rebelled and disobeyed God’s commands, forgot God’s many mighty acts among them. They appointed leaders to take them back into Egypt, and they made an idol of gold and worshiped it. Yet God is always ready to forgive, gracious, merciful, loving and slow to anger and did not forsake them. God’s Spirit in the pillars of fire and cloud continued to lead and instruct them. God did not withhold his manna and gave them water (from the rock). God sustained them for forty years in the wilderness; their clothes and shoes did not wear out.

God gave them power to conquer the lands of King Og and King Sihon (east of the Jordan River). God fulfilled his promise to make Abraham’s descendants as vast as the sands of the sea, and fulfilled his promise to give them the Promised Land. They inherited a land with houses already built and vineyards and oliveyards already planted, and wells already dug. They had food in abundance and were satisfied and took delight in God’s great goodness.

John had a vision of the Holy City, the New Jerusalem. There is no temple in the city because the presence of God and the Lamb (Jesus) fill the city. There is no sun or moon because the glory of God is its sun and the glory of the Lamb is its moon. The nations will walk in their light, and the kings of earth will bring their glory into it. There will be no night there, and the gates of the city will never be shut. The glory and honor of the nations will be brought in, but nothing unclean shall enter it.

No one who practices abominations or falsehood will enter; only those recorded in the Lamb’s book of life. The river of life flows from the throne of God and the Lamb through the middle of the street of the city, and each side of the river grows the tree of life, with twelve kinds of fruit, one for each month. The leaves of the tree of life ware for healing the nations. The servants of God and the Lamb will worship him. They shall see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads. There will be no more night, nor lamp nor sun, because the Lord God will be their light and they will reign for eternity.

The disciples asked Jesus who would be considered greatest in heaven. Jesus used a young child to illustrate the standard of greatness in the kingdom of heaven. Jesus said that unless we turn, and become like children we will never enter the kingdom of heaven. One who is considered great must be humble like a child. Jesus said that anyone who shows kindness to such a one (a disciple) in Jesus name, has done so to Jesus himself; but one who causes such to sin (disobey God’s word), will receive punishment worse than death. The world will be punished for temptations to sin. Temptations are part of life, but we will be individually accountable for causing or yielding to temptations. The consequences of yielding to temptation are worse than any drastic measures we need to take to avoid sinning.

During the Babylonian Exile, the people of Judah, the remnant of Israel, both those in exile and those who avoided exile and remained in Israel, were cut off from religious teaching and observance for seventy years. Ezra was a scribe (teacher of the Law), a descendant of Aaron, the brother of Moses and high priest. Ezra had led one of the groups of returning exiles, and Nehemiah had led another. When the exiles returned to the Promised Land, Ezra assembled the people of Israel and read the Law of Moses (the Jewish Scriptures; our Old Testament of the Bible; God’s word). The people heard God’s word, and realized how far from obedience they were, and Ezra led public confession and repentance as the mediator between God and God’s people.

The history of God’s dealings with his people, Israel, is deliberately intended to be a series of parables and metaphors for the meaning and purpose of life. In a sense we are all in the “Babylon” of this earthly life. God calls us, as he called Abraham (Abram), to come out of “Babylon” and be led by the Lord into the Promised Land of God’s eternal kingdom in Heaven. Ezra prefigures and illustrates the promised Messiah (Christ; God’s anointed Savior and eternal King). Jesus is also the “Moses” who leads his people through the wilderness of this present world and into the Promised Land. The Holy Spirit is the “pillar of fire” which gives us light to guide us in the spiritual darkness of this world.

In another sense, we are in bondage to sin and death in “Egypt.” The Lord delivers us from spiritual bondage and death through Jesus’ sacrificial death on the Cross; Jesus is the ultimate fulfillment of the sacrificial Lamb of Passover, whose flesh sustained the Israelites as they were led out of Egypt. We are “baptized” into Jesus in the water of Baptism, as the Israelites passed through the Red Sea without getting their feet wet, while the pagans (the Egyptians) sank like stones in deep water, and perished in the watery depths for lack of God’s salvation in Jesus Christ.

God has given us his Word, in the Bible, and in Jesus Christ, the “living Word;” the fulfillment, embodiment, and example of God’s word in human flesh (John 1:1-5, 14). Jesus is the manna, the bread from heaven, and the water from the rock (1 Corinthians 10:2-6) which God gives us to sustain us through the wilderness of this lifetime, and into the Promised Land and eternal life.

The Israelites experienced all these great saving acts of God, and saw God’s power and faithfulness to do what he said, but they kept turning away from obedient trust in God’s word. They kept wanting to return to “Egypt.” When they finally entered the Promised Land they forgot the lessons of trust and obedience of the Lord which they had learned in the wilderness. The repeatedly ignored and disobeyed God’s word and worshiped idols (anything one loves and serves as much as or greater than God; modern examples are wealth, power, success, pleasure, home, or family), so God lifted his providence and protection from them and allowed them to be carried into exile in Babylon, from which God had originally called Abraham.

Babylon is a metaphor for the sinful worldly kingdom presently ruled by Satan (behind the nominal worldly leaders), and also a metaphor for the ultimate eternal condemnation to Hell for those who don’t trust and obey God’s word, revealed, received, and understood through Jesus Christ, by his indwelling Holy Spirit. Jesus is the only “Ezra” who can bring us out of the “Babylon” of Satan’s kingdom and into the Promised Land and eternal life (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right);  but note that the exile was seventy years, a life sentence for adults at the time of their exile. Ezra (and others) did lead people back from Babylon, but they were not the same people; they were a revived, renewed people, who had learned during the exile to trust and obey the Lord.

John received a number of visions from Jesus Christ, to be written down and transmitted to the Church. This vision is of the eternal, Holy City, New Jerusalem, coming down to us from God, described figuratively. Jesus is the fulfillment of the “ladder” of Jacob’s dream (Genesis 28:12), by which spiritual blessings come down to us from heaven, and how we can ascend into God’s kingdom and presence (John 1:50-51).

God’s eternal kingdom is pure and holy, and his people will be purified from all sin and evil. Only those who have trusted and obeyed Jesus and been filled with the gift (‘anointing;” “baptism”) of his Holy Spirit will be able to enter the kingdom. 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). Only Jesus “baptizes” with the indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (John 14:15-17). Those are the ones whose names are in the “Lamb’s Book of Life.” Jesus is the only source of the water of (eternal) life (John 7:37-39), through the gift of his Holy Spirit.

Jesus’ disciples had not yet received the Holy Spirit. They were still thinking in worldly terms. They were competing among themselves as to which one would be greater by deed and outward appearance. Jesus taught them a different standard than the worldly standard of greatness.

Instead of building ourselves up in the eyes of our brethren or the world, we must become humble and obedient, like small children, trusting and obeying their father. We must be servants of others for Jesus’ sake. But we have a responsibility not to do anything that would cause others to sin, and to resist temptation to sin ourselves.

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 (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

*Feast of Booths, or Tabernacles. In September-October; an eight day Harvest Festival, commemorating Israel’s wilderness wanderings. The people erected and lived in outdoor shelters made of palm leaves and leafy branches.

27 Pentecost  - Friday

Nehemiah 9:26-38,       Israel’s confession and covenant

Revelation 22:6-13,       Epilog

Matthew 18:10-20,      The lost sheep; church discipline

Israel (repeatedly) disobeyed and rebelled against God’s word, committed great irreverence to God, and killed the prophets who tried to warn them to return to obedience to God. God (repeatedly) gave them into the hands of their enemies so that they suffered. Then in their suffering they called out to God for deliverance and God would give them saviors to save them from their enemies.

But after the Israelites had rest from their enemies they would again return to disobedience of God, so that God would again have to abandon them again to the power of their enemies until they again turned to God for deliverance. God warned them (repeatedly, through his prophets), but they refused to listen and obey God’s word, “by observance (obedience) of which a man [a person] shall live” (Nehemiah 9:29c, RSV).

For many years God endured disobedience by God’s people, and he “warned them by thy Spirit through thy prophets” (Nehemiah 9:30), but they refused to listen, so God allowed them to fall into the power of their enemies. But God was merciful to them and did not completely destroy them or abandon them, because God is gracious (giving unmerited favor) and merciful (showing undeserved forbearance).

Acknowledging that God is great, mighty, and terrifying, who is faithful in keeping his promises, and steadfast in his love, the prophet intercedes for Israel, asking God to deem their punishment sufficient. The prophet acknowledges God’s punishment as just; God has been faithful to Israel, and Israel has been wicked, not heeding God’s word and God’s warnings through his prophets. They did not appreciate the great blessings God had given them in their own land, did not serve God in their own kingdom (Israel), and did not turn from their wicked ways. The prophet acknowledged that Israel had become slaves in their own land, and their riches go to foreign kings (Persia), who have power over the Israelites as well as their livestock, causing Israel great distress.

The Prophet mediated a covenant with God on behalf of Israel to keep God’s word.

One of the seven angels with the bowls of the seven last plagues showed John (the Apostle) the new Jerusalem, the river of life and the tree of life in the new Creation (Revelation 21:9; 22:1-2). Then the angel declared that the revelation to John was trustworthy and true. The Lord, the God of the spirits has sent his angel to reveal to God’s servants “what must soon take place” (Revelation 22:6). The Lord declares, “Watch and see; I am coming soon” (Revelation 22:7a).  Those who keep the words of this book of prophecy (Revelation; also God’s word; the Bible) will be blessed. John declared that he had seen these things of the revelation. When John saw and heard them, John fell down to worship the angel who revealed them to him, but the angel warned John not to do that; the angel is a fellow servant of the Lord, with all the prophets and those who trust and obey God’s word; we must worship (only) God.

The angel told John that this book was intended for all to read and should not be sealed (or hidden). The wicked will be allowed to continue in wickedness and evil according to their choice; let the righteous and holy continue in holiness and righteousness.

The Lord promises that he is coming soon, bringing repayment for each, according to his deeds. The Lord is the “alpha and omega” (the beginning and end of the Greek alphabet), the “A to Z;” the first and the last; the beginning and the end of all things. Jesus is the root and offspring of David.

We should respect and care for all people, because the Lord cares for each individual and doesn’t want anyone to perish. In the parable of the lost sheep, Jesus used an everyday image of his time to illustrate God’s concern for each individual. The Lord doesn’t abandon the straying to their fate, but actively seeks them to bring them back to safety. The Lord rejoices more when the lost and straying are restored than over those who never went astray. Jesus also gave his disciples instructions concerning discipline among his followers. If someone sins against us we should tell him his sin privately and give him the opportunity to repent. If a believer who has sinned against us doesn’t repent, we should confront him in the presence of witnesses. If he still doesn’t repent, he should be brought before the Church. If he doesn’t heed the pronouncement of the Church, he is to be excluded from fellowship. Jesus gave his Church the responsibility for judgment and discipline within the Church.

God has intended from the very beginning of this Creation, to establish an eternal kingdom of his people who would willingly trust and obey God. God designed this Creation to allow us free choice of whether to obey God or not, but he designed it to be temporal; he has set a time-limit on his tolerance of disobedience. God knew that we would all have to learn by trial and error to trust and obey God.

God’s word declares that all have sinned and fall short of God’s standards (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), and that the penalty for sin (disobedience of God’s word) is (eternal) death (Romans 6:23). Jesus Christ is God’s only provision for our forgiveness, salvation from eternal death, and restoration to fellowship with God (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God’s Plan of Salvation; sidebar, top right). Jesus is not an afterthought, after God found out we would rebel and disobey him; God knew from the beginning that we would rebel and disobey, and he designed Jesus into the very structure of Creation (John 1:1-5, 14).

The history of God’s dealings with Israel is deliberately intended to be a series of parables (experiences of everyday life used to illustrate spiritual truth) and metaphors for the meaning and purpose of life. God’s eternal kingdom started with one person, Abraham, who was willing to trust and obey God. From Abraham came the nation of Israel, the people of God, in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham. From the nation and people of Israel came God’s Messiah (Christ; both words mean “anointed”, in Hebrew and Greek, respectively), God’s anointed Savior and eternal King. Through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus, the Church is the New Israel on earth, and Christian disciples are the New People of God, and the spiritual descendants of Abraham.

In a sense we are all God’s people, because God is our Creator, and Israel is typical of us all. We have all rebelled against, and disobeyed, God’s word. We all either refuse to acknowledge God or try to manipulate God to do our will, instead of seeking to know and do God’s will. We all want to be “like” God (Genesis 3:5) and be our own “god.” If we believe in God, we ask for his help when we have trouble, but when things are going well, we turn from obedience of God’s word, and worship and serve idols, like wealth, power, success, career, pleasure, home, and family.

In another sense, America in particular, and other “Christian” nations as well, are the New Promised Land and the New People of God. The histories of the nominal “Church,” and America, have followed the pattern of Israel. When things are going well, we tend to fall away from obedience to God’s word and turn to “idolatry,” but when tribulation happens, we repent and return to obedience and trust in the Lord.

The meaning of this lifetime is to seek and find God (Acts 17:26-27), our Creator, come to personal fellowship with him, and find eternal life, which is only possible through faith (obedient trust) in Jesus Christ, by the gift (“anointing;” “baptism”) of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Only Jesus gives the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (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).

Are we learning from the testimony of Scripture and from our own cultural experience, or are we repeating the mistakes of the past? The Bible was given to us as a warning not to repeat past errors, but have we heeded (heard and obeyed) the Scriptures?

The Apostle John was given the series of visions recorded in Revelation as a warning and encouragement to the Church. Jesus has promised to return on the Day of Judgment, when everyone who has ever lived will be accountable to the Lord for what they have done in this lifetime. Those who have rejected Jesus and have disobeyed God’s word revealed in Jesus Christ, will receive eternal condemnation in Hell with all evil, but those who have trusted and obeyed Jesus and have been reborn through the gift of his Holy Spirit will receive eternal life in the paradise of Heaven in the presence of God and his Son, Jesus Christ (Matthew 25:31-46). Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end of this present, temporal Creation.

God cares for each of the people of his creation. God sent Jesus to save us from eternal death, because God loves each one of us and doesn’t want anyone to perish eternally (John 3:16-17). God has not abandoned any one of us; he uses trouble and hardship to help us realize our need and dependence upon him, so that we may be saved to live eternally.

I personally testify that I had strayed into rebellion and disobedience, and that he used my difficult circumstances to teach me to trust and obey him. He came to me when I was lost, and healed and restored me to salvation, fellowship, and eternal life in the fellowship of the indwelling Hoy Spirit.

The Church is the kingdom of God on earth in this temporal lifetime. The Lord has given authority and responsibility to the Church to discipline its members. God’s eternal kingdom will be holy and sinless by the blood sacrifice of Jesus Christ, and the Church has the responsibility to maintain that standard in this present world, but in many instances the nominal “Church” has failed. The Church has concentrated on building Church buildings and making “members,” instead of making disciples who trust and obey Jesus, and building up the eternal kingdom of God.

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 (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?

27 Pentecost  - Saturday

Nehemiah 7:73b-8:3, 5-18,       Reading the Law

Revelation 22:14-21,     Invitation and warning

Matthew 18:21-35,      Forgiveness

In the seventh month (September-October), all the people of Israel came from throughout Judah and gathered to the square in front of the Water Gate (which was probably in the southeastern wall of Jerusalem). They asked Ezra, the scribe (a teacher of the Law of Moses, who had preserved a book of the Law in exile, and had led a group of Exiles from Babylon back to the Promised Land), to read the book of Law in the hearing of the assembly. Every Israelite old enough to understand listened to the reading of the Law. Ezra read from a wooden pulpit constructed for the purpose. The Levites (Nehemiah 8:9b) stood by and helped with teaching.  

Ezra opened the book in the sight of the people, and all the people stood up. Ezra praised the Lord and the people responded “Amen, Amen, lifting their hands” (Nehemiah 8:6) in praise and then knelt and bowed in worship. The leaders read from the book of Law and explained it so the people could understand the meaning.

When the people heard the Law, they wept (in repentance for not having lived according to it). Nehemiah the governor, Ezra the priest and scribe, and the Levites reassured the people. They declared that day holy, and that the people should rejoice and feast rather than mourn. So the people returned to their homes to celebrate, because they had understood the word of God.

The next day, the heads of the households of all the people and all the priests and Levites came to Ezra to study God’s word. They discovered that Moses had commanded the people to dwell in “booths” (temporary shelters made of palm leaves and leafy branches) during the feast in the seventh month (the Feast of booths). So the people made booths, on their rooftops (of those who lived in Jerusalem), and in the squares and courtyards of the City of Jerusalem and the Temple (for the pilgrims from the rest of Israel). Israel had not kept the Feast of Booths since at least before the Exile (Jeshua, or Joshua, the son of Nun, seems improbable; another Jeshua may be meant, possibly Jeshua who helped Zerrubabel rebuild the temple). There was great rejoicing for the seven-day period of the feast, during which they heard the book of Law read. Then on the eighth day, they had a solemn assembly, in accordance with the ordinance for the festival in the Scripture.

Those who cleansed their robes in the blood of the “Lamb” (Jesus, the sacrificial “Lamb” of Passover; Revelation 7:14) by faith (obedient trust) in Jesus will be blessed and have the right to eternal life, and will be allowed to enter the eternal City of God. All spiritually impure (“mongrels”), sorcerers, fornicators, murderers, idolaters, and untruthful people will be left outside the gate of God’s kingdom.

Jesus himself sent this revelation to the churches by his Spirit (“angel;” angel can be understood as Spirit; compare Acts 12:15b) through John (Revelation 1:1). Jesus is the root and offspring of David (the great king of Israel; the son of Jesse; I Samuel 16:11-13; Isaiah 11:1, 10; Matthew 1:1; thus God’s “anointed” eternal king, Savior, and Messiah, the Christ).

“The Spirit (of God; the Holy Spirit; the Spirit of Christ; Romans 8:9) and the Bride (the Church) say ‘Come,’ [an invitation to those who are spiritually thirsty to come to Jesus, the source of living water; John 4:14; John 7:37-39; Revelation 22:17b] and let him who hears say, ‘Come’” [i.e., “Maranatha;” Aramean for “Our Lord, Come!” An invitation to the Holy Spirit to come into one’s heart and life and give spiritual “rebirth” (John 3:3, 5-8), and also a prayer for the Second Coming of Jesus Christ to return and establish his eternal kingdom) Revelation 22:17a].

Those who hear the prophecy of this book (Revelation; also the entire Bible), are warned not add anything to God’s word or take away from God’s word. God will add the curses of this book to those who add to God’s word, and will take away the share in the tree of (eternal) life from those who take away from God’s word.

Jesus, who testifies to the truth of these words, warns that he will certainly come soon, and the saints (“born-again” believers of Jesus Christ) say Amen, Maranatha! “Come, Lord Jesus!”

The grace (unmerited favor) of the Lord Jesus will be with all the saints. Amen!

Jesus had just told his disciples how to deal with grievances among themselves (Matthew 18:15-20). Peter wanted to know if one should forgive an individual as many as seven times. Jesus replied that one should forgive a person every time, as many times as necessary; true forgiveness doesn’t keep score.  

To illustrate forgiveness, Jesus told a parable about a king settling accounts with his servants. When the king began the accounting, a servant was brought before him who owed perhaps ten million dollars. The servant could not pay, so the king ordered the man, his wife, children and all his possessions to be sold to satisfy the debt. The man pleaded with the king to have patience, promising to repay the debt. The king had pity on the servant and released him and forgave the entire debt.

As the servant left the accounting, he passed a fellow servant who owed him twenty dollars. The forgiven debtor grabbed his fellow servant by the neck and demanded immediate repayment. The fellow servant asked for patience and promised to repay, but the forgiven debtor had his fellow servant put in prison until he should repay the debt. The other servants of the king were distressed by the forgiven debtor’s harsh treatment of his fellow servant, and complained to the king.

The king summoned the servant he had forgiven and told him that since the king had forgiven him all his large debt, that he should have shown mercy to his fellow servant concerning his much smaller debt.  The king reversed his decision to forgive the debt, and threw the wicked servant into jail until he could repay his debt. Jesus warned that God will do likewise to those who do not truly forgive others.

The Lord had punished Judah, the remnant of Israel, for disobedience and idolatry, by lifting his providence and protection from them and allowing them to be deported to exile for seventy years. God’s punishment is intended to bring us to repentance so that we can be forgiven and saved from eternal destruction.

During the exile, the people of Israel were unable to hear and study God’s word, or observe the feasts and festivals as God’s word commanded. When they returned to the Promised Land Ezra read and explained God’s word to them so that they could understand it.

It was the time for the Feast of Booths (tabernacles). When the people heard God’s word and realized how far they had gone from obedience they wept and mourned, but their spiritual leaders reassured them. The fact that they had heard and understood God’s word and were committed to live according to it was cause for celebration.

God’s word is intended to bless those who are willing to hear it and live according to it. God’s word is intended to bring us to repentance for sin (disobedience of God’s word) and idolatry (love of anyone or thing as much as or more than God). We need to be convicted of our sins in order for us to receive God’s forgiveness, which is only available through Jesus Christ.

Those who trust and obey Jesus are cleansed by Jesus’ blood, and have God’s blessings now and the right to eternal life in the eternal City of God in Heaven. But those who reject Jesus and refuse to obey Jesus’ commands, who refuse to be corrected by God’s word, who refuse to repent of sin, will be eternally locked out of God’s eternal kingdom, and eternally separated from God’s presence and providence.

We are all sinners (Romans 3:23; 1 John 1:8-10), and the punishment for sin is eternal death (Romans 6:23). God wants us to hear and understand his word and repent, so that he can forgive us and give us true, eternal life in his presence, now and eternally. Jesus is God’s only provision for our forgiveness and salvation (Acts 4:12; John 14:6; see God’s Plan of Salvation, sidebar, top right).

The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God, the Spirit of Christ, and the Church, the Bride of Christ, extend to each one of us the invitation to come, to receive forgiveness, salvation from eternal condemnation and death, and to receive eternal life. Those who hear the invitation are urged to respond by saying “come,” inviting Jesus to come into our hearts by the gift of his indwelling Holy Spirit, which only Jesus Gives (John 1:31-34), only to his disciples who trust and obey Jesus (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).

Jesus has promised to come again, to judge the physically and spiritually living and the dead (John 5:28-29; Matthew 25:31-46). That will  certainly occur within the lifetimes of each one of us, because we will each be accountable to the Lord on the Day of Judgment, for what we have done in this lifetime, whether we are still living physically at the time of Christ’s return or not.  No one can be certain that any of us will live until tomorrow. Those who are “born-again” (John 3:3, 5-8) by the gift of the indwelling Holy Spirit will say “Maranatha! Come, Lord Jesus!” We are praying and working for Christ’s return to establish his eternal kingdom.

The word of God, the Bible, fulfilled, embodied, and exemplified in Jesus Christ (John 1:1-5, 14) is the standard by which everyone will be judged. We are warned not to add to or take anything away from God’s word.

Jesus’ mission was to proclaim and demonstrate the truth of God’s word and God’s unlimited desire to forgive and save us from sin and eternal death. Jesus taught and exemplified obedient trust in God’s word. Jesus died on the cross as the only sacrifice acceptable to God for the forgiveness of our sins, and he demonstrated the truth of resurrection and of existence beyond physical death. If we have accepted and experienced the free gift of eternal forgiveness and salvation, the Lord expects us to forgive others and offer Jesus’ forgiveness to them.

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 (1 John 5:11-13; Ephesians 1:13-14)?