Category: Shadows (Page 15 of 25)

What is truth? To be true, something must explain reality. Truth by all worldly standards must point in the direction of what is right. We live in a world where truth seems almost impossible to find anymore. How then, if you are fortunate enough to stumble upon something truthful, do you recognize it? It is easy to blame others in our society. There is surely enough blame to go around. Politics, Government, Education, and Media are the tip of the iceberg when it comes to hatred, deception, and divisiveness. Yet, as our Savior walked this earth, the same issues were true. Can we find answers in God’s Words to help us recognize what is true?

(Luke 6:43-45)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “No good tree bears bad fruit, nor does a bad tree bear good fruit. Each tree is recognized by its fruit. People do not pick figs from thornbushes, or grapes from briers. A good man brings good things out of the good stored up in his heart, and an evil man brings evil things out of the evil stored up in his heart. For the mouth speaks what the heart is full of.”

We live in a rather binary world. Ideas, motives, and people’s lives can be either good or bad. To be indifferent, to be in the middle is never a good place to stand. The Apostle Luke is telling us that you can tell a person’s goodness or badness by the “fruits” they bear. If a person is mean and nasty, selfish, rude, and has no joy, they produce bad fruit. If a person is good, joyful, charitable, and merciful, they produce good fruit. Let’s start with a look at bad fruit.

(Galatians 5:19-23) – “The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity, and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

How might we rewrite the list from Galatians today? Sex trafficking of our children, legalization of drugs, the importation of fentanyl, crime, murder, the failure to educate our children in Godly ways, abortion, and the constant drum beat of name calling (fascist, woke, racist, MAGA, bigot, birther, traitor, fanatic, extremist), lying, bribery, and the list goes on and on. To sum it up, a life, (a tree), is meant to produce good fruit, and a bad life, (either a corrupt or non-productive tree), produces nothing of lasting value. Hence, a tree (our life) will be known for its fruit. You can see right off the bat, that we are left to argue and disagree on what fruit is good and what fruit is bad. You need to decide. Is freedom good? Is socialism better? Is social justice without repentance good fruit or does true justice require a change in direction to be called good? Must a criminal stop committing crimes to become part of society again? Is it wrong to devalue life or is every life, no matter what color, social status, or accumulated wealth worth the same? Before you can tell what is true, you must decide what good fruit looks like. Eve thought the apple looked pretty good until after that first bite! Care must be taken here!

(Mark 4:3-8) – “Listen! A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. Some fell on rocky places, where they did not have much soil. It sprang up quickly because the soil was shallow. But when the sun came up, the plants were scorched, and they withered because they had no roots. Other seeds fell among thorns, which grew up and choked the plants so that they did not bear grain. Still, other seeds fell on good soil. It came up, grew, and produced a crop, some multiplying thirty, some sixty, some a hundred times.”

How the tree is planted and nourished can provide a few more clues. The Parable of the Sower (planter or farmer) gives us our first reasonable clues. The seeds (which produce trees) are all created equal. Each seed on its own contains the hope and joy of becoming a productive plant. It is a safe assumption that the Sower (God) wants to produce a crop and have good fruit from His harvest. But wait just one minute! The quality of the soil is paramount to the health of the tree. What clues can we see on how this pertains to humanity? Good soil might begin with sustaining a healthy family unit, mother, father, and siblings who respect each other. Wholesome work, a safe home and neighborhood would provide a fertile place to take root. Safety, the elimination of crime, and an educational system that provided the necessary skills to live a productive adult life might remain high on the list of “good soil.” While God created all seeds equal, we are responsible for the soil, its nutrients, and where we plant those seeds.

(Jeremiah 17:8) – “They will be like a tree planted by the water that sends out its roots by the stream. It does not fear when heat comes; its leaves are always green. It has no worries in a year of drought and never fails to bear fruit.”

And again the Word of God comes through for us. Our tree needs water. Such an obvious ingredient. Water is life. No life form can exist without it. But where does a nation, bent on self-destruction through sin find water? Jeremiah prophesied a long time ago that “’ Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!’ declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:1). Jeremiah is clear, God will hold our country’s leaders accountable for all their greed, bribery, and corruption. But to live with the joy God has promised in His Covenant requires a very special kind of water. This choice is totally up to us to make! Without Christ, without our Savior Jesus, there is no hope. Without Jesus, there is no water!

(John 4:13-15) – “Jesus answered, ‘Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again, but whoever drinks the water I give them will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give them will become in them a spring of water welling up to eternal life.’”

Finding God’s Truth is all about the rich fertile soil upon which to send our roots and the roots of our families for its nourishment. God’s Truth will correct us when we are wrong if we are not so arrogant as to ignore it! God’s Truth will always explain reality. Remember, God’s sense is the perfection of common sense. When the bias of a sinful world is finally set aside, the presence of God will always be the clearest. And finally, God’s Truth will always lead us to what is right. God’s Truth always leads us to God!

(2 Chronicles 7:14) – “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.”

Contemplations

• Who is dividing the people of our nation, of other nations, so they hate each other?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is it that each group wants something different? Is it the constant drumbeat of negativism in our world?
• What is a good fruit to you?
  • Ideas to Explore: Why would someone say over 2,300 abortions a day are a good fruit? Why would someone say 100K fentanyl deaths a year are good fruit? Will people ever agree on good fruit?
• Why have people divided themselves into two groups that are so opposite of each other?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is there any common ground? Who is provoking each side? Who benefits from discord and who loses with peace?
• Why are our children the brunt of so much destructive and sinful behavior?
  • Ideas to Explore: What does a nation lose if it loses the soul of its children?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

Manasseh was the son of Hezekiah, king of Judah. He became king at the age of twelve years old. His father had a close relationship with God, one who did “This is what Hezekiah did throughout Judah, doing what was good and right and faithful before the Lord his God.” (2 Chronicles 31:20). During Hezekiah’s reign, the prophets Isaiah and Micah ministered in Judah. Hezekiah had undertaken reforms in Judah to rid the land of idolatry. The story of his son, King Manasseh, is told in 2 Kings 21:1–18 and 2 Chronicles 32:33–33:20. He is also mentioned briefly in Jeremiah 15:4. Manasseh, was considered a wicked king, not only reversing his father’s reforms but instituting even worse changes. We find the beginning of King Manasseh’s rule as follows:

(2 Kings 21:3-5)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “He rebuilt the high places his father Hezekiah had destroyed; he also erected altars to Baal and made an Asherah pole, as Ahab king of Israel had done. He bowed down to all the starry hosts and worshiped them. He built altars in the temple of the Lord, of which the Lord had said, “In Jerusalem, I will put my Name.” In the two courts of the temple of the Lord, he built altars to all the starry hosts.”

Manasseh was the child of late marriage. As a young ruler, he was immediately surrounded by a group of court notables who, during Hezekiah’s reign, had gone into hiding. After his father’s death, Manasseh’s weak character and his youthful susceptibility to idolatry made him a willing party in the hands of these selfish people. Despite the ceaseless efforts from the greatest prophets of all times, Isaiah and others, the people of Judea eagerly followed in the steps of their new king. Manasseh not only sinned personally, but he sinned boldly. As the king of Judah, he led his people in abandoning God and worshiping idols. The sins of Judah were so bad that God declared He would wipe out Jerusalem as He had the northern kingdom of Israel (2 Kings 21:13–15). Jeremiah 15:4 notes that it was the sin of Judah, initiated by Manasseh, that brought the judgment that Jeremiah proclaimed (the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple and the exile of the people). Jewish tradition assigns the murder of Isaiah to King Manasseh. The king’s behavior influenced his entire nation.

(2 Chronicles 33:9-10) – “But Manasseh led Judah and the people of Jerusalem astray so that they did more evil than the nations the Lord had destroyed before the Israelites. The Lord spoke to Manasseh and his people, but they paid no attention.”

It is important to pause here for a moment and not miss the history behind what would eventually lead the entire nation of Judah into exile. Hezekiah, and his court, had just led Judah into a period of peace and prosperity. The people of Judah had upheld their end of God’s covenant relationship, obeying God’s Laws. Waiting in the “wings” so to speak, were those who were ready to take advantage of an inexperienced ruler. Pouncing upon the opportunity, a new court of advisors moved in right after the change in leadership. This new group proceeded to undo all that Hezekiah had done. The new advisors convinced the inexperienced king put in place a course of action that eventually led to the collapse of Judah. One needs to reflect on how a nation that had been following God could so quickly, within a single generation, abandon God. It only took a few corrupt people, and an inexperienced king and the rest is history! Whom would you blame?

Returning to our biblical story, God continued to reach out to His people. This time, with a heavier hand. God sent the Assyrians who captured Manasseh and took him into exile (2 Chronicles 33:11).

(2 Chronicles 33:12–13) – “In his distress, he sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. And when he prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then Manasseh knew that the Lord is God.”

While in exile, Manasseh finally gets it! He repents, and God returns him to Jerusalem. He begins to rebuild Judah, both militarily (2 Chronicles 11:14) and through religious reforms (2 Chronicles 33:15-16). Manasseh tries to bring the people back to God. Unfortunately, the damage was done, and his people did not follow him in his reforms (2 Chronicles 33:17). After Manasseh died, his son Amon takes over. “He did evil in the eyes of the Lord, as his father Manasseh had done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the idols Manasseh had made. But unlike his father Manasseh, he did not humble himself before the Lord; Amon increased his guilt.” (2 Chronicles 33:22–23). Amon set the stage for exile.

This is just one of the tragic stories of leadership found in the Bible. Even though Manasseh had a personal conversion, he could not change the hearts of his people. The nation of Judah would eventually endure the pain and suffering of exile and slavery again. When Manasseh died, his son Amon did as his father had originally done. Amon worshiped and offered sacrifices to all the old idols his father had made. The story of Manasseh demonstrates that, while any sin may be forgiven when we repent, forgiveness does not necessarily remove the consequences that flow from disobedience.

Contemplations

• Do you see any parallels in this story to that of today’s leaders?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is this a story about our nation today? Are you concerned with the direction of today’s leadership?
• Can you see where our nation is growing away from God?
  • Ideas to Explore: Are we becoming self-centered? Is our leadership corrupt? Are you closer today to God or farther away because of your leaders?
• Can you find places in our nation today where the purpose of leadership, bringing a nation closer to God, is being fulfilled?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is religious freedom greater? Is freedom of expression greater? Do we have personal freedoms? How is our educational system doing in bringing our children closer to God?
• Who was at fault for Manasseh’s failure?
  • Ideas to Explore: Corruption in the king’s court? The people’s failure to adhere to God’s Law and repent? The enemies within the nation? The enemies outside the nation?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

Because our nation is a constitutional republic, its citizens enjoy the privilege of electing those who represent them. That is the entire point of being a republic, citizens appoint others to administer their nation within the boundaries of rights and controls established by their constitution. Because there is evidence of sin’s grip on this world, it is important to understand our responsibilities when we vote. God has given us guidance in His Word. This lesson will look at just a few of the 100 biblical verses that offer guidance on voting.

Does a person have a duty to vote?

About 100 million citizens in our nation do not vote. This represents about fifty percent of eligible voters. Almost half of those who do not vote, claim Christianity as their faith. While God is most certainly in control, that does not mean we carry no responsibility to further His will here on earth. There is evidence in Scripture that at times in history, God has been displeased with the people’s choices for leadership. Anyone electing not to vote is not taking advantage of a gift from our Creator. Every citizen should share in the decision-making that affects their nation. Why? All citizens will be affected by the choices being made by their leaders. Character matters!

(Hosea 8:4) ¹NIV New International Version Translations– “They set up kings without my consent; they choose princes without my approval. With their silver and gold, they make idols for themselves to their destruction.”

Deuteronomy, the final book in the Pentateuch, contains Moses’ last three sermons and two prophetic poems about Israel’s future. Reflecting on the nation’s past mistakes, Moses urges the people not to repeat those errors when they enter the Promised Land. Speaking on behalf of God, Moses commanded His followers with instructions on who they should pick as their leaders.

(Deuteronomy 1:13) – “Choose some wise, understanding, and respected men from each of your tribes, and I will set them over you.”

God lets His people choose their leaders, but God enabled the leaders to rule. This is an example of free will at work. You get to choose who you want to be led by. God, however, gives them their power over you. The role of leadership is to serve God. A leader’s responsibility is both to their people and to God: “’Woe to the shepherds who are destroying and scattering the sheep of my pasture!’ declares the LORD.” (Jeremiah 23:1)

(Daniel 4:17) – “The decision is announced by messengers, the holy ones declare the verdict, so that the living may know that the Most High is sovereign over all kingdoms on earth and gives them to anyone he wishes and sets over them the lowliest of people.”

Why should we Care?

To understand our obligations, the Apostle Paul set out the guidelines of citizenship.

(Romans 13:1–6) – “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God. Consequently, whoever rebels against the authority is rebelling against what God has instituted, and those who do so will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers hold no terror for those who do right, but for those who do wrong. Do you want to be free from fear of the one in authority? Then do what is right and you will be commended. For the one in authority is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for rulers do not bear the sword for no reason. They are God’s servants, agents of wrath to bring punishment on the wrongdoer. Therefore, it is necessary to submit to the authorities, not only because of possible punishment but also as a matter of conscience. This is also why you pay taxes, for the authorities are God’s servants, who give their full time to governing.”

The Apostle Paul believed that the state (nation), the Romans at that time, existed to protect its citizens against attacks from outsiders and local crime. It was the responsibility of the state to also punish people who broke the law but to reward people who followed the law. To Paul, the state gave him the benefits of traveling safely on good Roman roads and the freedom to preach the message of the Gospel. The Christians in Rome followed Paul’s advice until the Roman laws ordered them to serve false gods. They obeyed all the laws that did not oppose their faith. Citizenry should have no reason to fear Godly leadership. Citizens have no responsibility to follow ungodly leadership. “Peter and the other apostles replied: ‘We must obey God rather than human beings!’” (Acts 5:29)

Picking Godly Leaders

Much of the suffering on earth is because of godless leadership, “When the righteous triumph, there is great elation; but when the wicked rise to power, people go into hiding.” (Proverbs 28:12). Those who believe in a Creator, should strive to choose leaders who will be themselves led by our Creator. There is only one Godly purpose for the leaders of a nation, and that is to lead its citizenry closer to God!

(1 Samuel 12:13-15) – “Now here is the king you have chosen, the one you asked for; see, the Lord has set a king over you. If you fear the Lord and serve and obey him and do not rebel against his commands, and if both you and the king who reigns over you follow the Lord your God—good! But if you do not obey the Lord, and if you rebel against his commands, his hand will be against you, as it was against your ancestors.”

The choosing of any elected official should begin with prayer, the study of both God’s Word, and the realities of the choices on the ballot. Candidates or ballot proposals that violate the Bible’s commands for life, family, marriage, or faith should never be supported. “Righteousness exalts a nation, but sin condemns any people.” (Proverbs 14:34). Candidates must be qualified for the office they are running for. Without experience and the proper qualifications, bad decisions made by those in power will affect all the people adversely, and sometimes it can years before they can be reversed. Be wary of those who only seek to enrich themselves. Godly leaders always serve and protect their flock first.

(Hosea 4:6) – “Because you have rejected knowledge, I also reject you as my priests; because you have ignored the law of your God, I also will ignore your children.”

The Important Qualifications of Leadership

Promises that you hear should be overlaid against a person’s past performance. Politicians should be allowed to change their opinions in circumstances where the circumstances have themselves changed. However, there should always be transparency as to the necessity of not keeping one’s word. Our role as citizens is to check for the truth and facts in all matters. For a leader who has a past voting record, understanding their values should be a high priority before any support. Truth is everything! “Truthful lips endure forever, but a lying tongue lasts only a moment. (Proverbs 12:19). To know the truth about any candidate, requires the personal effort of sorting through the myriad of conflicting claims and statements you will hear. To trust others is fine but not trusting anyone is safer.

The burden of fact-checking must rest on your shoulders. Expand your search for information to include the families of those running for office. “If anyone does not know how to manage his own family, how can he take care of God’s church?” (1 Timothy 3:5) Once elections are over, our free society and our constitutional democracy then must work together for success. Our citizens must respect each other’s choices after the votes are counted.

(1 Timothy 2:1–2) – “I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession, and thanksgiving be made for all people—for kings and all those in authority, that we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.”

When There Seems to be No Good Choice

There may be times when there appears to be no Godly choice. The Word of God is very clear that when we agree with God we will be blessed, but when we agree with things that are against His Word, we will receive a curse. Not every good choice is God’s choice and seeking God’s will is the most important part of any serious decision.

(Deuteronomy 30:19) – “This day I call the heavens and the earth as witnesses against you that I have set before you life and death, blessings and curses. Now choose life, so that you and your children may live.”

Our society today has stressed our “right to choose” but has not balanced it with the message that our choices also have consequences (especially those made in lust and selfishness.) For instance, our world glamorizes many things such as smoking, drugs, drinking, adultery, fornication, gambling, abortion, etc. All choices carry with them the risk that things can get better or worse for us. All choices have consequences. These consequences can be for our betterment or will work to destroy us. It is the duty and responsibility of every Christian to vote for leaders who promote Godly principles.

A Closing Thought

(Proverbs 6:16-17) – “There are six things the LORD hates, seven that are detestable to him: haughty eyes, a lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked schemes, feet that are quick to rush into evil, a false witness who pours out lies and a man who stirs up dissension among brothers.”

This study can be summarized by saying that God has given us the free will to choose who will lead us. He has also established through His Word, the kind of people that should be chosen. Once we make our selections, God will empower our choices to govern. God requires us to fully support our choices with prayer. Make your voice heard and choose wisely! Good choices will lead our nation closer to God!

Contemplations

• Do you trust the integrity of our nation’s voting system?
  • Ideas to Explore: What do you base your opinion on? How trustworthy are those sources?
• Will a godly leader be better for the people than one who chases the world?
  • Ideas to Explore: What is a godly leader? How can you tell?
• In your opinion, what is a godly leader?
  • Ideas to Explore: What issues do they stand for? Have they enriched themselves off the backs of those they rule over? What are their families like?
• Would you trust today’s leaders with your soul?
  • Ideas to Explore: When a godly leader is leading people toward God, that is a good thing, right?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

Bible history is filled with many people. However, the 18 prophets in the Old Testament are no doubt some of the most famous. Their role was not to predict the future. Their prophecies were more of a side effect of their main role and functions. There are four major prophets: Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, and Daniel. All are featured in books from the Bible, and Jeremiah may have written two of those books himself. The Minor Prophets are Hosea, Joel, Amos, Obadiah, Jonah, Micah, Nahum, Habakkuk, Zephaniah, Haggai, Zechariah, and Malachi. The difference between the major and minor prophets is not an issue of importance, but rather the length of material written. Typically, we also add Elijah and Elisha to this list. All gave valuable, biblical insight that foretold important events that were to happen, that had already happened, and how those events reflected God’s plans for His people.

God Himself defined the role and function of the prophets at the beginning of Israel’s history as a nation:

(Deuteronomy 18:18-19)¹NIV New International Version Translations– “I will raise up for them a prophet like you from among their fellow Israelites, and I will put my words in his mouth. He will tell them everything I command him. I myself will call to account anyone who does not listen to my words that the prophet speaks in my name.”

The primary role of the prophets was to speak with the people about God’s Will for them. The prophets served as God’s social media and news channels, declaring whatever God commanded them to say. God chose gifted people with insight into the present and future that was more than the average person had. Their revelations and insights, however, could only be attributed to God and not human intellect. The role of the prophet continues even today. The test to see if God is really behind a prophecy and a prophet is given to us in Jeremiah 8:9, “But the prophet who prophesies peace will be recognized as one truly sent by the Lord only if his prediction comes true.” In other words, history is to show that they were correct. This is just one of the key reasons why teaching history and protecting its integrity is critical to God’s plan for humanity. It is history that continually points us to God. Destroy history and you will lose the breadcrumbs that can lead a nation back to God!

To be called a true prophet, one must be called directly by God. Numbers 12:6 states, “he said, ‘Listen to my words: ‘When there is a prophet among you, I, the Lord, reveal myself to them in visions, I speak to them in dreams.’” Both the prophets of yesterday and those of today must be advocates for the Truth about Jesus. All of God’s prophecies will lead someone to Jesus Christ. When the attention is not on Christ, the message is not of God. The prophetic messages of the past and those of the present have consistency with God’s Word (Scripture). As a result, God’s prophets always bring good fruit.

(Matthew 7:15-17) – “Watch out for false prophets. They come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly they are ferocious wolves. By their fruit, you will recognize them. Do people pick grapes from thornbushes or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit.”

The prophets of history were typically sent to warn God’s people of their wayward behavior. It is always important to remember that God’s Covenant to bless and care for His people came with a caveat. The people had to follow God’s commands and be true to His Word. Fast forward to the New Testament. And what is that message today? Being true to Jesus Christ. Ultimately, that is the only prophetic message that counts! It is a message that supports Christ’s Church and creates disciples to share the Gospel’s message with a fallen world. Any true prophet of today edifies, builds, comforts, exhorts, and uplifts Christ’s Church through her/his testimony and messages.

(2 Corinthians 11:3-4) – “But I am afraid that just as Eve was deceived by the serpent’s cunning, your minds may somehow be led astray from your sincere and pure devotion to Christ. For if someone comes to you and preaches a Jesus other than the Jesus we preached, or if you receive a different spirit from the Spirit you received, or a different gospel from the one you accepted, you put up with it easily enough.”

False prophets have always been around. The Apostle Paul warned those in Corinth of that very fact in his letter noted above. False Prophets prevent people from knowing God and His Truth. False prophets teach people to follow and/or depend on other gods, the gods of denominations, prosperity, worldly riches, money, and even government. Jesus gave the world one plan of salvation to build one church, and that is the only Church He recognizes. The risk we face today is that our intolerance for God is growing. No one seems to be concerned about the consequences of earthly life without God and Jesus Christ. We are busy erasing God’s history, changing God’s Truth, and abandoning the boundaries and authority of our Creator.

(2 Timothy 4: 3-4) – “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.”

To guard against the risks associated with false wisdom and false prophecy, consider these Truths:

1. Jesus did not teach about a Gospel of worldly prosperity; He taught about a new world of service, sacrifice, and eternal prosperity.
2. Jesus never hesitated to call out sin. No one except our God can define what is sinful or not! No one, no church, or no government can redefine what is right and what is wrong in the eyes of God.
3. Jesus preached the need for repentance as one of the steps to avoid eternal separation from God’s eternal joy. No repentance, no joy! Sorry, but there is no easy way out of sin. You need to stop, and you need to change!
4. The true gospel is also very plain, No Jesus, No Salvation! Good works get you stone statues in this world!
5. God’s Word has no “holes.” Any alleged contradictions in Scripture are due to the intellectual limitations of humanity. God passed us His full wisdom. Unfortunately, the nature of our minds has always been to pervert the truth. The real truth is found in 2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.”

“It is my duty to say to you that the need was never greater for new revelation than now…The doctrine of inspiration is lost. Miracles, prophecy, the holy life, exist as ancient history [only]. Men have come to speak of revelation as somewhat long ago given and done, as if God were dead. It is the office of a true teacher to show us that God is, not was; that He speaketh, not spake.” 

~Ralph Waldo Emerson (1803-1882) | The Complete Essays and Other Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson

Contemplations

• Do you know anyone who claims to be a contemporary prophet?
  • Ideas to Explore: Can their role be matched against the five points listed above? What is their score? Is it a job for them, or can you say that it is an “appointment” from God?
• For many years, denominations have been redefining what our Bible has called sinful behavior. How do you personally reconcile with what they are doing?
  • Ideas to Explore: Does redefining a biblical sin to a non-sin get anything for mankind? What forces are driving these changes? Is there any evidence in Scripture that this is OK?
• How does the war against history affect people’s belief in God?
  • Ideas to Explore: Diminishes the value of the Bible. Allows people to repeat mistakes. Affects upcoming generations. What are your ideas?
• What do you think is driving the hatred of history?
  • Ideas to Explore: Racism, atheism, ignorance, and power (the desire for more).

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  NIV New International Version Translations

I checked my notes and found that I had never actually heard a sermon from Solomon’s book called the Song of Songs. Song of Songs is not a book we even read a lot. It is not only hard to interpret, but its subject matter is also of a romantic, sensual nature. The question comes as to whether we can trust that King Solomon who had 700 wives and 300 concubines can offer any advice about a loving relationship between a man and a woman. Even a harder question is whether there is any Godly advice in Song of Songs.

The Song of Songs, sometimes also called the Song of Solomon, is one of two books in the Bible that does not mention God. The other is the book of Esther. It was written approximately 940-960 BC as advice for married couples and singles contemplating marriage. The story is about the courtship and marriage of a maiden referred to as the Shulammite and takes place in ancient Israel, in the woman’s garden and the king’s palace. The Song of Songs is a beautiful love story between a man and a woman, bride, and bridegroom. King Solomon poetically declares his love for a beautiful Jewish maiden. She responds to the king’s advances and adds her heartfelt desire for him. It is written as a dialogue, a conversation, between two people who love each other. Let’s meander through the poetry and find a few bits of wisdom for today!

God Will Take the Initiative

(Song of Songs 2:13)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “The fig tree forms its early fruit; the blossoming vines spread their fragrance. Arise, come, my darling; my beautiful one, come with me.”

Solomon is stating that he is taking the initiative. It is just like our God who takes the initiative and comes to us. Just as Solomon refuses to be deterred from the pursuit of his beloved, so is God determined to pursue us with His love. While this is a beautiful image when attributed to human lovers, once we take the time to understand that God is determined to come to us, we should be humbled. In that determination, any obstacles and deterrents are removed. Nothing stands in God’s way except us.

(Psalm 53:2) – “God looks down from heaven on all mankind to see if there are any who understand, any who seek God.”

Grace is God’s favor toward the unworthy (God’s benevolence on the undeserving). In His grace, God is willing to forgive us and bless us, even though we fall short of living righteously. However, grace may be received “in vain” (1 Corinthians 15:10; 2 Corinthians 6:1). If we refuse the grace that God offers or presume to receive it on anything other than His terms, the opportunity for salvation could pass by. There was no greater tragedy than to hear Jesus’s lamenting those in His day who had refused His grace:

(Matthew 23:37) – “Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, and you were not willing.”

Love is a Pursuit

(Song of Solomon 5:2-3) – “I slept but my heart was awake. Listen! My beloved is knocking: ‘Open to me, my sister, my darling, my dove, my flawless one. My head is drenched with dew, my hair with the dampness of the night.’ I have taken off my robe—must I put it on again? I have washed my feet— must I soil them again?”

The above verses could easily have come from a comedy sitcom. In the scene, a wife is pursued by her husband for an evening’s pleasure.  However, she is ready for bed. Hence, the clean feet comment. There is a common theme in the Song of Songs. It involves seeking each other. The husband and wife each have the drive to discover and enjoy the other. From this, we see love is active. It is an attitude to serve rather than be served. Hesitation leads to lost opportunity. The same holds for our God. We need to pursue our God with full energy. Waiting for tomorrow can lead to the loss of eternal opportunities.

By the time the Shulammite overcomes her hesitation, she realizes she is too late. Her king has left the door. Our learnings here are that resentment or just regret is foolish emotion. She instead pursues reconciliation, going to search for him. When God knocks, we should answer. If we have missed the opportunity somehow in life, then pursue, pursue, pursue.

(Psalm 119:2) – “Blessed are those who keep his statutes and seek him with all their heart”

A Healthy Relationship is Protective

(Song of Songs 2:3) – “Like an apple tree among the trees of the forest is my beloved among the young men. I delight to sit in his shade, and his fruit is sweet to my taste.”

The Shulamite woman uses a metaphor, comparing Solomon, her king, and a warrior, to an apple tree within a forest of trees. Such a tree would have been strong and sturdy. Its shade offers protection from the scorching rays of the sun. Its fruit is nourishing and refreshing. She sees Solomon, her bridegroom, In the same way. Strong, protective, and nourishing to their relationship.

(1 Corinthians 13:6-7) – “Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. t always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always persevere.”

The metaphor can be extended to include the love of God and our Savior, Jesus. It is through God’s grace and Jesus’s sacrificial love for us that we are offered protection from our enemies. God loves us more deeply than any experience or expression we can relate to in our life. God’s love is abounding, encompassing, and transformative. There is nothing that can interfere with God’s love except for our obstructions. God came to us in human form and removed all barriers between Himself and us. The young woman simply records “Let him lead me to the banquet hall, and let his banner over me be love.” (Song of Songs 2:4). This is the relationship to be held between husband and wife and between ourselves and Jesus. Jesus, our perfect Bridegroom, shelters us with the power of his unfailing love. God’s Word is there to nourish us!

(Ephesians 5:25-27) – “Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself up for her, so that He might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, that He might present to Himself the church in all her glory, having no spot or wrinkle or any such thing; but that she would be holy and blameless.”

True Love is Worth Waiting For

(Song of Songs 2:7) – “Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you by the gazelles and by the does of the field: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires.”

It must have been the ultimate ego trip to find herself pursued by Solomon. He was King, the world’s wealthiest man, and the wisest too. The Shulamite bride repeats her plea two more times in the book of Song of Songs. She is urging her fellow maidens to wait for love’s perfect timing. The Hebrew word for love in this verse is believed to mean sexual desire. Today, society laughs at this idea. God, however, encourages us to follow His advice:

(Romans 12:2) – “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

Even the best relationships fall short of the glory of God. Human love always falls short. There is One whose love will never falter; whose love will never let us down. The Song of Songs was never meant to focus on the imperfect love of humans, but to direct us to the perfect love of Jesus Christ.

The True Love of God Will Never Fail

The end of this love song concludes with the resounding melody of the strong, unrelenting love of the king and his fair maiden. In (Song of Songs 8) his beloved bride describes the great power and depth of true love. We see the same passion in the greatest love story ever told, the story about the Son of God. The humble human who came to us and carried the sins of the world on His shoulders to His death so that you and I could have a relationship with our Creator. While speculative, it is thought Solomon wrote Song of Songs early in his life. Solomon would later lose much of his tenderness. Too many wives and concubines would corrupt his view of the purity of love. In his book Ecclesiastes, Solomon would claim that life has no meaning. He was right in a sense, without God’s love in the forefront, life has little meaning!

Contemplations

• Where do you think the permissive attitudes come from in our society about sex and marriage?
  • Ideas to Explore: Do we learn them from our parents? Do we learn them from our educational institutions? Do we learn them from social media, news, or the entertainment industry? Are they learned on the street?
• God holds the leaders of a nation accountable for the moral values of that nation. What are our leaders doing to strengthen the institutions of marriage and family?
  • Ideas to Explore: Be specific in your thoughts. Are the people our nation is electing acting responsibly for the moral values of its people? If so, what are they doing? If not, what should they be doing?
• How do these attitudes help or hinder the strength of a marriage and family?
  • Ideas to Explore: Who is supporting the philosophy of living together before marriage? Does this strengthen or weaken family relationships?
• Are churches too tolerant in their attitudes towards marriage and sex?
  • Ideas to Explore: Are churches too concerned over financing? Do churches tolerate ungodly things to keep their congregations together? Are churches just modeling the world today rather than the world God wants for today?
•  Denominations today no longer exclude people from their leadership that would have been excluded just a few years ago. Does this strengthen or weaken the church?
  • Ideas to Explore: Since all people are sinners, shouldn’t our church be a melting pot of society? Should someone who openly disobeys the Bible become a church leader? How does leadership affect the congregation?
• Do weak families impact future generations in negative ways?
  • Ideas to Explore: Does divorce, children born out of wedlock, and children raised in single-parent family homes cause societal issues in later years? How does crime impact families? How do drugs impact families?
• Do you think that people believe there is a loving God?
  • Ideas to Explore: Do people even think about God these days? Why are fewer people going to church? Is the family structure weaker or stronger these days?

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In Genesis, we can find the roots of deception used by Satan when our world was first created. Who’s Satan? Satan is the angelic enemy of God and the enemy and opponent of those who follow God. Although everything God created was good (Genesis 1:31), Satan chose to rebel against God taking other angels with him in his rebellion (Ezekiel 28:15; Isaiah 14:12–17). Satan is a murderer and the father of lies. He promotes false doctrines and craftily seeks to keep unbelievers in spiritual bondage (John 8:44; 2 Corinthians 4:4; 11:14; 1 Timothy 4:1). Let’s look at how Satan handled the first lie!

(Genesis 3:1)¹NIV New International Version Translations– “Now the serpent was more crafty than any of the wild animals the Lord God had made. He said to the woman, ‘Did God say, ‘You must not eat from any tree in the garden’’ The woman said to the serpent, ‘We may eat fruit from the trees in the garden, but God did say, ‘You must not eat fruit from the tree that is in the middle of the garden, and you must not touch it, or you will die.’ You will not certainly die,’ the serpent said to the woman. ‘For God knows that when you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.’”

The above verses in Genesis are the famous “fall of humankind” verses resulting in humans separation from God. We need to use this first deception to understand the strategy used by evil in our world. The analogy of the infamous Trojan Horse²Trojan Horse – Wikipedia is perfect for explaining Satan. Hidden within the wooden horse were enemy soldiers. The horse seemed safe and was brought inside the walls of the city of Troy. Once the darkness of night came, the enemy inside the horse slipped out, opened the gates, and let the Greek army into Troy to destroy the city. Satan’s first lie was a trojan horse! He opens to Eve with a challenge, Did God say you must not eat from any tree? That is the setup, the use of a derogatory challenge to make Eve question her beliefs. To peel back the onion, what Satan is asking Eve is if she believes God’s Words to her were true. Beware, that type of questioning is nothing more than a hollow  wooden horse with evil hiding inside. Satan is always actively working to nullify the effects of the Word of God in our world.

Satan tricked Eve into opening the gates to her beliefs and letting doubt in. Satan is still doing it to people’s hearts today. Eve accepted the challenge and brought the Trojan Horse into her heart. She assumed that God did not mean what He said and did not accept God’s own Words as Truth. The rest is history.

(Matthew 13:3–4, 19) – “Then he told them many things in parables, saying: ‘A farmer went out to sow his seed. As he was scattering the seed, some fell along the path, and the birds came and ate it up. . . . . . When anyone hears the message about the kingdom and does not understand it, the evil one comes and snatches away what was sown in their heart. This is the seed sown along the path.’“

Satan is not some omnipresent power. He oversees a horde of demons, called “the powers of this dark world and . . . the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms” (Ephesians 6:12). He uses this network to tempt and deceive people. Satan actively works to nullify the effect of the Word of God in people’s hearts (Matthew 13:3–4, 19), and he blinds the intellect of those who do not believe so they cannot understand the gospel’s message of salvation (2 Corinthians 4:4). Once the people of Troy brought the wooden horse into their city, they were no longer secure. While they slept, their lives and the kingdom were being set up for destruction.

Metaphorically, a “Trojan horse” has come to mean any trick or strategy that causes a target to invite a foe into a securely protected bastion or place. A malicious computer program that tricks users into willingly running it is also called a “Trojan horse.” This metaphor holds for our acceptance of God’s Word and of Scripture as the Truth. Once you open your heart to doubt, you are no longer safe. You have let the enemy into your beliefs.

It is important to know that Satan is not the opposite of God because only God is all-powerful, and Satan is lower than God. He is a created and limited spiritual being. Satan needs God’s permission to do anything and everything. Satan cannot read our thoughts (Isaiah 40:28; 1 Kings 8:39; Psalm 94:11). Satan does not know the future (Isaiah 46:9-10). And above all, Satan is a coward (James 4:7). Yet humans are still prone to doubting God. Why? Because we fail to see God at work in all our circumstances. We asked, and nothing happened. But God is not some snake oil salesperson or cosmic ATM ready fund to our requests. God sees past, present, and future and knows the right timing for every petition. 

Psalm 119 is the longest of the psalms and certainly the longest chapter in the Bible. In this Psalm, there are at least three essential characteristics we should believe about God’s Word.

God’s Word is the Truth

(Psalm 119:42) – “then I can answer anyone who taunts me, for I trust in your word.”
(Psalm 119:142) – “Your righteousness is everlasting, and your law is true.

God’s word is firmly fixed in the heavens (Psalm 119:89); it doesn’t change. There is no limit to its perfection (Psalm 119:96); it contains nothing corrupt. All God’s righteous rules endure forever (Psalm 119:160); they never get old and never wear out.

God’s Word demands what is right

(Psalm 119:75) – “I know, Lord, that your laws are righteous, and that in faithfulness you have afflicted me.”
(Psalm 119:82) – “All your commands are trustworthy; help me, for I am being persecuted without cause.”
(Psalm 119:128) – “and because I consider all your precepts right, I hate every wrong path.”

We are to humbly accept God’s Word as the Truth. It is not ours to pick and choose how to define our Creator’s rules.

God’s Word provides what is good

According to Psalm 119, the word of God is the way of happiness (Psalm 119:1–2), the way to avoid shame (Psalm 119:6), the way of safety (Psalm 119:9), and the way of good counsel (Psalm 119:24). The word gives us strength (Psalm 119:28) and hope (Psalm 119:43). It provides wisdom (Psalm 119:98–100, 130) and shows us the way we should go (Psalm 119:105).

Keeping the Trojan Horse outside Your Gates

A recent Gallup Poll³https://news.gallup.com/poll/394262/fewer-bible-literal-word-god.aspx shows that a record-low 20% of Americans now say the Bible is the literal word of God, down from 24% the last time the question was asked in 2017. There is a new high of 29% who say the Bible is a collection of “fables, legends, history and moral precepts recorded by man.” Interesting isn’t it, there is record crime, drugs, human trafficking, hatred, and poverty growing inversely to our nation’s lack of belief that God’s Word is True. All God has ever asked is to place our trust in Him first.  It is tough once the enemy climbs out of the Trojan horse and he is in your heart, isn’t it?

Contemplations

• Do you believe that the Bible is the inspired word of God?
  • Ideas to Explore: As a foundational question, does being a disciple of Jesus require this belief? Why is it important to believe that God gave us His Word? Can you exist as a believer of Jesus and His gospel if you don’t believe in the Bible?
• Do you believe in Satan?
  • Ideas to Explore: Where do your opinions come from? Is evil a real thing in the world? Why does evil exist?
• Can we make up our own rules for God?
  • Ideas to Explore: With humankind existing as a flawed creation, can humanity ever make a rule that supersedes God’s rules that make sense?
• If you have doubts about God’s Word, where does that doubt come from?
  • Ideas to Explore: What are the sources of doubt in our world today?
• Is the Church today making up rules contrary to those given to us by God? What do you think the ramifications of that will be?
  • Ideas to Explore: Can you think of a rule that humankind has created that supersedes God? Why would such a rule even be necessary?

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  https://news.gallup.com/poll/394262/fewer-bible-literal-word-god.aspx

“Law” is defined in the Concise Oxford Dictionary as “a rule or system of rules recognized by a country or community as regulating the actions of its members and enforced by the imposition of penalties”. The Law which is most critical to people today should be God’s Law. One first may think of God’s Law as the Ten Commandments. Found in Exodus 20:1-17, God’s Law establishes a set of “regulations” for His people to live by. Ecclesiastes 12:13 states, “Here is the conclusion of the matter. Fear God and keep His commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.” These regulations, our duties, are nicely summarized for us by the Apostle Paul:

(Romans 13:10)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore, love is the fulfillment of the law.”

Jesus did not come to do away with God’s Law because laws offer all of us directions for living. The Apostle Paul also reminds us that we must obey God’s Law in his first letter to the church of Corinth. The city of Corinth was prominent in the first century. It is in Greece on an isthmus between the Aegean and Ionian Seas. This location guaranteed its importance both militarily and commercially. Corinth was the capital of the Roman province Achaia. It was a prosperous city but also known for its immorality. Corinth was a vile place to visit or live. Because of its sleazy reputation, a new Greek word was coined, korinthiazomai, which meant “to live immorally like a Corinthian.”

The Christians at Corinth enjoyed friendly relations with outsiders. Believers dined with nonbelievers (1 Corinthians 10:27), and outsiders might have attended some of their Christian meetings (1 Corinthians 14:24-25). Christianity at Corinth was quite comfortable with the dominant culture surrounding them. It was maybe too comfortable for Paul’s liking. By patronizing prostitutes and participating in pagan cultic meals, the Corinthians were conforming to the behavior patterns of the larger society that surrounded them. In his first letter, Paul urged them to foster a sense of being at odds with the world, giving them perfect advice, to live as Jesus lived.

Paul’s letters to the Corinthians make up his largest body of work directed to an individual congregation. His two letters address problem areas that are still often problems in churches today. The church at Corinth had divided loyalty to different leaders. Paul rejects this disunity, telling the church members to focus on Christ. There was gross immorality in the Corinthian church, and it was being tolerated. Paul tells the church they must exercise church discipline (1 Corinthians 5—6). Also, believers were taking each other to court, and Paul says they should handle disagreements among themselves (1 Corinthians 6). There was some confusion about whether it was better to be married or single, and how married people should relate to each other. Paul clarifies those issues for them and the church today (1 Corinthians 7).

(1 Corinthians 11:1) – “Follow my example, as I follow the example of Christ.”

Paul simply says, if you want to know how to live, if you want to live a life pleasing to God, then look to Jesus. Our Lord was a teacher, a teacher of God’s Truth. He promoted eternal life through His life over the lure of promises coming from our world. Jesus taught us how to pray and exist in tumultuous times. The best part of Jesus’ life is that He defeated death and showed us that the way to eternal life was through Him. Because of His sacrifice on the Cross, our sins are forgiven. Now, as pure creations of God, we can be at peace with God. This relationship with Jesus is meant to bring us hope and joy. We all know these things because Jesus, the Son of God, the Word became flesh and presents to us the perfect model of a holy life.

(John 5:19) – “Jesus gave them this answer: “Very truly I tell you, the Son can do nothing by himself; he can do only what he sees his Father doing, because whatever the Father does the Son also does.”

Jesus reveals what God is really like. He does so by revealing what we should be like. Because Jesus was fully human, fully alive, He teaches us how to live by the way He lived. Jesus teaches us how to pray by the way He prayed. Through Jesus’ examples of mercy, He teaches us to be merciful. By His temptations, Jesus teaches us how to fight temptation, cope with life’s traumas, and find courage. As Christians, we need to model Christ and show people what life in this world is about. Life is not all about taking, receiving, or taking advantage of opportunities. Life is also about helping and serving others. In John 13:1-17, there is the example of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. He gave us this example because life needs to involve service to others, especially service to one’s family.  We need a map to guide our journey through this world. The life of Jesus is our map because He shows us, God, in human flesh.

Our world is fortunate because the map of Jesus’ life is well published. The Word of God is available, in print, multi-lingual, on tape, on CD, in movie form, and found in churches, homes, bookstores, and human hearts everywhere!

(Luke 2:40-47) – “And the child grew and became strong; he was filled with wisdom, and the grace of God was on him. Every year Jesus’ parents went to Jerusalem for the Festival of the Passover. When he was twelve years old, they went up to the festival, according to the custom. After the festival was over, while his parents were returning home, the boy Jesus stayed behind in Jerusalem, but they were unaware of it. Thinking he was in their company, they traveled on for a day. Then they began looking for him among their relatives and friends. When they did not find him, they went back to Jerusalem to look for him. After three days they found him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers, listening to them and asking them questions. Everyone who heard him was amazed at his understanding and his answers. When his parents saw him, they were astonished.”

Here in the Apostle Luke’s Gospel, we get a glimpse of exactly how Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man. He fulfilled all expectations of righteousness and represents the perfect human being. Everything that we would rightly hope to experience and become can be seen in Jesus and how He lived His life. Jesus is completely holy and healthy as a person. That is why Jesus is our example. Luke points out that Jesus had a loving family who took his education on religion seriously. Jesus spent time in church (the temple courts) where he listened, learned, and shared His faith with others. Jesus took His education seriously! What a wonderful adventure and spiritual pilgrimage our life can become if we follow in the steps of Jesus Christ!

Contemplations

• How would you develop a map of Jesus’ life to follow for yourself?
  • Ideas to Explore: Read God’s Word. Avail yourself and your family of the resources of a local congregation to learn about who Jesus is.
• What societal pressures are there today that make it difficult to lead a Christ-like life?
  • Ideas to Explore: The hate and lawlessness in our society. The desire for pleasures. The power of evil. What else can you think of?
• What has personally impressed you about the human side of Jesus’ life?
  • Ideas to Explore: He took no shortcuts because He was God. He was obedient to an earthly mother and father. His life’s journey, map, is not much different than that of many other humans. Jesus was a peaceful person, always obeying God’s Law.
• What do you think Jesus struggled with the most?
  • Ideas to Explore: Same things you struggle with? What do you think those struggles were?
• What is the best way to establish a personal relationship with Jesus Christ?
  • Ideas to Explore: Believe He is alive! Know that He loves you! Know that He knows you!
• How is our environment today like the city of Corinth?
  • Ideas to Explore: Our churches must exist within a pagan world yet must be different than the world. The affluence of our environment often corrupts our religion.

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The tribes making up Israel, twelve, had a history of getting on the wrong side of God! Their propensity to sin offers us a chance to see exactly how God holds nations accountable and to see God’s threshold of patience for sinful behavior. Ten of the northern tribes separated from the Kingdom of Judah and set up their own kingdom in about the 10th century BC.

Less than 2 centuries later they were exiled and punished by God. Today, these tribes are non-existent. The Ten Tribes had become nothing more than a group of barbaric gentiles. Rather than changing the world, they managed to drag the rest of the world down with them. It is important to understand that God had assigned to the tribes of Israel, the task of maintaining the knowledge of who God was and spreading the knowledge throughout the world. The breakup for the tribes was over who was to become their king. It was all about politics! Two of the tribes, Judah, and Benjamin, did not agree with the proposed king of Israel being Rehoboam. As a result, those two tribes gave up their inheritance (lands) given to the tribes by God and became the southern Kingdom of Judah. The northern 10 tribes remained as one group and kept the name of Israel.

Problems for Israel, the northern nation, began when King David ruled the land. It all started when he committed adultery with Uriah’s wife, Bathsheba, before killing him. In 2 Samuel 12:10, God told David that the sword wasn’t going to depart from his house because of this sin. Even though the punishments by God were carried out during David’s reign. Solomon, David’s son, and his grandson Rehoboam experienced problems as well. All three rulers were indirectly responsible for the division that was to come upon the tribes of Israel.

Throughout the Old Testament, these two nations fought with one another. Each became strong and independent and created two distinct lineages of people in history. Each nation had its kings and even its prophets. History documents that both Israel and Judah eventually fell into captivity (slavery). God sent the Babylonians to capture the House of Judah, and He sent the Assyrians to conquer the House of Israel. The Babylonian captivity of Judah lasted for 70 years. Assyria did the same for Israel. However, Israel never fully came out of the Assyrian captivity. The Exile of the Israelites is described in (1 Chronicles 5:26, 2 Kings 15:29, 17:3-6, 23, 18:11-12).

What were their specific sins?

The theme of sinful and selfish leadership is woven throughout world history. Of the many sins to list, the one that comes to mind first is that the kings of both Israel and Judah led their people away from God.  Remember, the covenant given to kings (leaders) by God was to lead their people to Him!

When a nation’s wealth becomes nothing more than the purse for its leaders, God considers that sin. In Judah’s case, there was an argument over the wealth that was due to the priests maintaining the temples for religious teaching.

(2 Kings 12:16)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “The money from the guilt offerings and sin offerings[a] was not brought into the temple of the Lord; it belonged to the priests.”

The Northern Israelites also lost connection with their ancestry, becoming part of the peoples of Western Europe. We find that even in their places of exile, they continued to sin in the same way as they had done before being exiled. Their unique covenant with their God did little to differentiate them from their neighbors.

(2 Kings 17:7-17) – “All this took place because the Israelites had sinned against the Lord their God, who had brought them up out of Egypt from under the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. They worshiped other gods and followed the practices of the nations the Lord had driven out before them, as well as the practices that the kings of Israel had introduced. The Israelites secretly did things against the Lord their God that was not right. From watchtowers to fortified cities they built themselves high places in all their towns. They set up sacred stones and Asherah poles on every high hill and under every spreading tree. At every high place they burned incense, as the nations whom the Lord had driven out before them had done. They did wicked things that aroused the Lord’s anger. They worshiped idols, though the Lord had said, ‘You shall not do this.’ The Lord warned Israel and Judah through all his prophets and seers: ‘Turn from your evil ways. Observe my commands and decrees, in accordance with the entire Law that I commanded your ancestors to obey and that I delivered to you through my servants the prophets.’ But they would not listen and were as stiff-necked as their ancestors, who did not trust in the Lord their God. They rejected his decrees and the covenant he had made with their ancestors and the statutes he had warned them to keep. They followed worthless idols and themselves became worthless. They imitated the nations around them although the Lord had ordered them, ‘Do not do as they do.’ They forsook all the commands of the Lord their God and made for themselves two idols cast in the shape of calves, and an Asherah pole. They bowed down to all the starry hosts, and they worshiped Baal. They sacrificed their sons and daughters in the fire. They practiced divination and sought omens and sold themselves to do evil in the eyes of the Lord, arousing his anger.”

The Israelites had a bad habit of absorbing the local gods of the citizens around them, even giving reverence to deities apart from the One God of Israel. The northern nations assumed the customs of their neighbors. Yet, God, Himself drove those same neighbors out so that Israel would gain their land. Many of these practices were of the Canaanite peoples that had been expelled before them.

The people had set for themselves sacred pillars and Asherim on every high hill and under every green tree. These would go on to survive in Britain in the form of maypoles. “Asherim” were sacred groves of trees such as the Druids of the British Isles worshiped in. The groves were also associated with a goddess named “Asherah.” A form of this goddess was known to the Angles and Saxon under the name Eostre. The peoples of Israel made molded images, even two calves, and they also claimed to serve the pagan god of Baal.

The Israelites served many types of idols, even though God had said to them, “you shall not do this thing.” Humanity is still quick to worship anything that sounds good except the one real God. The Israelites did not keep the ten commandments.  God had warned them over and over! It was a simple list of ten and they could not do it. Unfortunately, neither can we today!

They sacrificed their sons and daughters by fire. This was a physical sacrifice, leading to the death of the child. Frightening to think that any society would just destroy the next generation with such barbarism. We are still doing it today. Crime, drugs, human trafficking, and abortion greatly affect today’s youth.

The Israelites also practiced divination and sought omens. They sinned as if they had sold themselves out to Satan.

Translating Sins into Our Contemporary Times

The idea of forgetting their covenant with God, forgetting their ancestry, and becoming a foreigner are interesting sins. God expects us to live in a fallen world but not be overcome by it. That process, it seems, leads to the abandonment of one’s beliefs in God. We can see that trend today. Without the guidance of God’s Truth in society, we become obsessed with consuming rather than serving. God’s commandments become meaningless, and our society sells itself to Satan. We are told every day through social media that sin is fun. Just watch the news, the entertainment industry, and even our educational institutions. That is what we feed to our children. It is no different than throwing them on a burning fire! That should bring us to tears. What is your list? Mine includes abortion, drugs, pornography, an ungodly educational system, gaming, trafficking, and the rampant consumption by society that is spending their future!

God’s Tolerance to Sin

Clearly, history shows us that God has a limit to His patience with a nation’s sinfulness. God loves His Creation! As any loving parent would do, punishment is meant to save. And to save, God sent His children into exile. Exile by the way is not something fun. You will not find it advertised on Airbnb. It is slavery at its worst. To avoid it means going back to basics. God, our Creator, loves us. Our response must be to Love God with all our heart and soul. We are to fear God with all our hearts and soul. We are to serve God with all our hearts and soul. We are to worship God with all our hearts and soul. Do you see any other way than to seek God’s Truth?

Contemplations

• Do you believe in God?
  • Ideas to Explore: What is necessary to maintain a belief in God? How does faith help future generations? What is the evidence that a nation believes in God?
• Do you believe that God would still punish a country that abandoned Him for Satan?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is there any country in history that abandoned God that lasted more than a few hundred years? How do the internal sins of a nation weaken its ability to survive?
• God is very protective of children – Why?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is it the compassionate nature of our Creator? Children are weak, they do not have power. Is it that Jesus came as a child and knew the world’s abuses of its children?
• What can concerned and faithful people do to help a nation with its faith walk?
  • Ideas to Explore: Practice discernment. Learn to recognize God’s Truth. Learn to recognize Satan’s deceptions. Protect children! Hold its leaders accountable to God’s Truth!

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  NIV New International Version Translations

The Ten Commandments have been the foundational structure of many nations of the world for the last several thousand years. They have established the very character of morality and civility for nations. Sadly, our society has been trying to remove the ten commandments from public use and replace them with a culture dedicated to self-interests, excessive indulgences, and sensual pleasures. God’s commands were written on stone for a reason, they are non-negotiable and permanent. They were nothing like the Mosaic Laws written on parchment that has long ceased to exist due to decay. For this lesson, we ask the question, why was the first commandment first?

(Exodus 20:1-3)¹NIV New International Version Translations – “And God spoke all these words, saying, ‘I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. You shall have no other gods before me.’”

To begin with, firsts in life are things people tend to remember! One’s first car, first home, or first date are often easy to recall. Can you remember your 8th date? Yes, we are a society that places an extra emphasis on first-place finishes, and first-time experiences. Being first holds special importance in so many areas. First in sports means you are the best. First in line means you will not be disappointed if there is a limited supply. With that as a backdrop, we can look at the first commandment from our God and assume that He does not want us to ever forget this specific command!

The first four Commandments relate between God and humanity. The last six are about our relationships with each other. This doesn’t mean that the last six are any less or more important. They all are important, but there does seem to be a ranking or prioritizing in the order in which they are given. To put any other god before the one True God is idolatry. Idolatry is all about economics. When reading about the Israelites worshiping the god called Baal in (1 Kings 18), there is a tendency to think of them developing a preference for wooden idol images. However, their attraction to Baal wasn’t about a pretty statue. It was about an economic promise.

The nations around Israel considered Baal the “rider of the clouds,” who brought the rains and blessed the earth. When Baal showed up, the heavens rained oil, the rivers ran with honey, mothers gave birth to healthy children, and even the dead could be raised. Little wonder, then, that when King Ahab (See Lostpine’s Study: Who was Ahab?) chose to marry a woman from Baal territory, the farmers in Israel built a house for this new god and welcomed him to the neighborhood (1 Kings 16:31).

The Israelites never totally rejected God. They continued going to the temple, paying their tithes, and saying a prayer or two now and again, especially on holidays. This was called “hedging your bets.” They just slipped Baal into their worship time to cover their bases. After all, if you’re a farmer, it’s only practical to invest in getting insurance policies in case the clouds didn’t like you. We still worship our idols today. They could be sports, cars, money, or oneself. Anything that supersedes God, is an idol, anything! And we are still hedging our bets!

What are a few of today’s idols?

• Security – The relinquishing of freedom and rights to others for the promise of a more secure world is a falsehood. Only God can make the promise of security! (See Lostpine’s Study: Does the End Justify the Means?)
• Money, Riches, Wealth – The pursuit of opportunity was one of the founding pillars of our country. Through hard work and enabled by liberty, people sought to improve their economic status. God allows for wealth provided that a person’s riches were not gained at the expense of his relationship with God. In Matthew 6:24 when Jesus said, “No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money.”
• The Automobile – For some, the automobile is a symbol of freedom to come and go, get to work, and a useful tool. For others, it is a symbol of money, sex, and power, with a clear hierarchy identifiable by model and price. The automobile has become a divider of those who have from those who have-not.
• Fame through Sports, Media, and Entertainment – Thank the Internet for social media. How many “Friends” do you have? Is becoming a celebrity something to aspire to? Many parents will sacrifice virtually anything for the chance for their child to become famous. Ever seen a child beauty pageant or a little league baseball game?

Take a test of how much time, devotion, and unquestioned loyalty are given to any of the items above. Is there a conflict between prayer, worship, and one’s Tee Times? One’s loyalty can often be tested by a quick audit of your logos, flags, caps, T-shirts, and other clothing items. Or how about this hard question, where does Jesus sit priority-wise with your interests, time and money use, amount, and attention? Is He first, second, third, fourth?

(2 Corinthians 13:5) – “Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realize that Christ Jesus is in you—unless, of course, you fail the test?”

Jesus obeyed every law of God and that includes the Ten Commandments. He too emphasized the first commandment by saying, “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ This is the first and greatest commandment.” (Matthew 22:37-38). The First Commandment is listed first because God knows our hearts.

(Jeremiah 17:9) – “The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?”

It is human nature to create idols that we put before God. Our duty, however, is to place God first and strive to live a life that is pleasing to God. Then leave everything else up to Him, knowing that whatever happens in our life, it’s going to be okay (Romans 8:28-29). Jesus also emphasizes this point in the parable of The Wise and Foolish Builders.

(Matthew 7:24-25) – “Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man who built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock.”

Jesus uses the Greek word “petran”, meaning rock in His parable. The rock Jesus is talking about is not about the house or its foundation. The rock is about the most important choice we make in life, to honor God with all our heart, soul, and strength. The rock (God) is all about where we choose to build our life and about choosing God first as our construction site. It is all about choices, idols, and distractions, that insulate us from our one and only God. Has any human being ever kept the First Commandment? No, because only Jesus was without sin. But without Jesus, there can be no rock upon which to build one’s life. Without the Rock, there is no everlasting life! Need a visual example for a group? See Lostpine’s Study: Rocks and Things.

Contemplations

• What idols in our world today would you add to our list? 
  • Ideas to Explore: Gaming, technology like cell phones, televisions, or what about homes, clothes, jobs? Is the size of your sanctuary important to you? What about electric cars or the Green New Deal?
• Do you think you can get through this world without honoring God?
  • Ideas to Explore: Is that really the point? Do we even care about a few commands on stone these days? What are the true motives of a person who picks God over this world?
• What evidence do you think you should see in someone’s life if they have placed God First?
  • Ideas to Explore: Make a written list of what you do well and where you falter. That could be a game plan for life! Take advantage of your strengths and fix your weaknesses!
• What is your house built upon?
  • Ideas to Explore: List everything you have done to secure your life: then sort them into two lists, sand, and rock. The Rock List are those things that you did solely for God’s benefit. The Sand list is those pursuits you took for your glory.  Now, which is longer?

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  NIV New International Version Translations

The concept of teaching with parables is not a new thing. Parables are allegorical relations or representations from which a moral value is drawn out for instructional purposes. While they are typically simple narratives or short stories, they can be used to illustrate a universal truth. Jesus used 35 parables¹https://abujacatholicarchdiocese.org/catholics/why-were-parables-important-in-the-development-of-christianity.html in His ministry. They represent approximately one-third of His teaching. When asked by the disciples, why He used parables? Jesus replied:

(Matthew 13:11–17)²NIV New International Version Translations – “Because the knowledge of the secrets of the kingdom of heaven has been given to you, but not to them. Whoever has will be given more, and they will have an abundance. Whoever does not have, even what they have will be taken from them. This is why I speak to them in parables: ‘Though seeing, they do not see; though hearing, they do not hear or understand. In them is fulfilled the prophecy of Isaiah: ‘You will be ever hearing but never understanding; you will be ever seeing but never perceiving. For this people’s heart has become calloused; they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise, they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts, and turn, and I would heal them.’ But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear. For truly I tell you, many prophets and righteous people longed to see what you see but did not see it, and to hear what you hear but did not hear it.”

Parables work for teaching because they go directly to the heart of their message. Jesus used them effectively to challenge people in identifying a moral dilemma or a poor decision. A common description for a parable is that it is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus explained to His disciples that His use of parables had a two-fold purpose:

• to reveal the truth to those who wanted to know it; and
• to conceal the truth from those who were indifferent.

In the previous chapter (Matthew 12), the Pharisees had publicly rejected their Messiah and blasphemed the Holy Spirit (Matthew 12:22–32). They fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy of a hardhearted, spiritually blind people (Isaiah 6:9–10). Jesus’ response was to begin teaching in parables. Those who, like the Pharisees, had a preconceived bias against Jesus’ teaching would dismiss the parables as irrelevant nonsense. However, those who truly sought the truth would understand them.

(Proverbs 1:1–7) – “The proverbs of Solomon son of David, king of Israel: for gaining wisdom and instruction; for understanding words of insight; for receiving instruction in prudent behavior, doing what is right and just and fair; for giving prudence to those who are simple, knowledge and discretion to the young—let the wise listen and add to their learning, and let the discerning get guidance—for understanding proverbs and parables, the sayings and riddles of the wise. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and instruction.”

Some guidelines are useful when reading parables. First, try to identify the spiritual truth that is being taught. You might even find hints in the verses before the parable. Jesus often set the stage in verses noted just before the parable. Next, separate the actual lesson from the story. With each parable, there is both a deep spiritual meaning as well as the dressings for an interesting story. You will find facts that lead to truth and information that add window dressing. Seeing both helps with understanding the intended message. All parables are consistent with Scripture. They are illustrations of God’s Truth. You should find a sense of consistency between any parable and the rest of the Bible.

Are parables true stories? Parables, like poetry, were never meant to be taken literally. Remember, their purpose was to teach the eternal Truth of God’s Word to those who believe in God. There are parables in the Bible other than those found in the Gospels. The book of Proverbs is full of them. Many theologians also place the story of Jonah and the whale into the category of a parable. We know that Jesus was probably history’s greatest teacher. Jesus is also God incarnate (in human form). He has no rivals, no equals. Jesus is also our Creator! The lessons of biblical parables are God’s Truth in the form of stories. Jesus made sure His disciples understood the meaning of any parables He used.

(Mark 4:34) – “He did not say anything to them without using a parable. But when he was alone with his disciples, he explained everything.”

Example – The Parable of the Pharisee and the Tax Collector (Luke 18:9-14)

While the parable starts on Luke 18:10, verse 9 sets a pretext:

9 “To some who were confident of their righteousness and looked down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable:”

Jesus is establishing that the teaching within this parable is about self-righteousness and spiritual pride. There are at least three sins that will be brought forward within people of wealth, position, and power.

10 “Two men went up to the temple to pray, one a Pharisee and the other a tax collector.”

Jesus then combines two interesting people in this lesson. One is a priest, a holy man who has been dedicating his life to avoiding sin (so he claims) by following God. The other was the ever-hated tax collector who was granted the power by the Romans to collect even more than was due to expand his profits and wages.

11 “The Pharisee stood by himself and prayed: ‘God, I thank you that I am not like other people—robbers, evildoers, adulterers—or even like this tax collector. 12 I fast twice a week and give a tenth of all I get.’”

Verse 11 and 12 find the Pharisee expressing pride over his spiritual purity, even to the point of comparing himself to a hated profession, like tax collecting and other sinful professions. This might extend the parable to include a lesson on the sin of being judgmental. Surely, everyone would recognize the Pharisee as better than a tax collector! That is the false pride example of sin.

13 “But the tax collector stood at a distance. He would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said, ‘God, have mercy on me, a sinner.’”

Jesus then adds a fact of humility and a request for mercy from the tax collector. We might summarize the essence of this parable as two people, one expressing false pride, bragging of his perfection before God, being judgmental, and the other, humbly accepting that he was a sinful person, begging for God’s forgiveness. If we examine Scripture for other evidence of consistency, we might use:

(1 Corinthians 1:28-29) – “God chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things—and the things that are not—to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him.”
(1 John 1:9) – “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness.”
(Matthew 7:1) – “Do not judge, or you too will be judged.”

14 “I tell you that this man, rather than the other, went home justified before God. For all those who exalt themselves will be humbled, and those who humble themselves will be exalted.”

Jesus sets the point of the parable, humility, repentance, not boasting, not false pride will get you to heaven. He makes sure that the disciples understood the example, the story, and the teachings.

Closing Ideas

What are we to take with us from a brief look at parables? Our Savior chose parables as one of His principal methods of sharing the Gospel’s message. Just as Jesus walked the sinful streets of Jerusalem, so are our streets filled with sin. Sin, evil people, are not waiting around for someone to share the gospel with them. Jesus held an open contempt for the self-righteous religious leaders of his day. He knew that spreading the Gospel in and around the people who needed to hear it was no easy task. His parables were no doubt just silly stories to the leaders of Jesus’ time. They were just out for themselves. His stories would have never passed the fact-checkers. Parables would have been censored had the leaders understood the real purpose and messages.  But the people whom Jesus loved understood His truthful advice to them. That is the power of the parable!

If you think for a minute that our leaders today are not out for themselves, then you have been tuned to the wrong source of news. All get rich at the expense of the people they serve. Over 2,000 years since Jesus walked our earth, we have not progressed very far. The Apostle Paul tells us that we all must put on our spiritual armor (Ephesians 6) and prepare for a spiritual battle! After telling one of His parables, Jesus said, “Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear.” (Mark 4:9, 23). This was our call to listen to the parables of the Bible, not just as one would listen to ordinary stories but to listen as a people seeking the Truth from God!

Contemplations

• Thinking about your acceptance of Jesus, how would you create a parable about yourself?
  • Ideas to Explore: What areas in your life did Jesus affect the most? How did you first become aware of your separation from God? What were the events that led up to your “Ah Ha” moment?
• Which of the parables in the Bible do you like the most?
  • Ideas to Explore: Why were they easy to remember? Why were they meaningful to you?
• Who were the greatest teachers in your life?
  • Ideas to Explore: Why do you still remember them? What was it about the teaching style that made them effective?
• Where in society today are parables still in use?
  • Ideas to Explore: Education. Advertising. Family stories and history.

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  NIV New International Version Translations