But I Say to You – Matthew 5:21-48

Is what I have been taught and what I have believed correct?

In Matthew 5:21-43, Jesus provides for us five “You-have-heard-that-it-was-said” statements followed by the phrase, “But I say to you.” Jesus made it clear that the correct interpretation of the God’s Word was different than what they had been hearing. Perhaps, they did not read God’s Word for themselves and therefore depended on what others said about it.

In Matthew 5:21-48, Jesus reveals the correct understanding of the sixth, seventh, ninth commandments. He makes straight their understanding of the law of retribution recorded in Exodus 21:22-27 which God made to protect pregnant women and servants from abuse. He corrects their understanding of Deuteronomy 23:3-6 which God spoke specifically against the Ammonites. God told them not to seek the peace or prosperity of the Ammonites, but He did not say to hate them. What’s more, their teachers taught them to hate all enemies.

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment. And whoever says to his brother, ‘Raca!’ shall be in danger of the council. But whoever says, ‘You fool!’ shall be in danger of hell fire. Therefore if you bring your gift to the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar, and go your way. First be reconciled to your brother, and then come and offer your gift. Agree with your adversary quickly, while you are on the way with him, lest your adversary deliver you to the judge, the judge hand you over to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. Assuredly, I say to you, you will by no means get out of there till you have paid the last penny.” Matthew 5:21-26

William Barclay commented on the Greek word translated, “angry,” saying, “So Jesus forbids forever the anger which broods, the anger which will not forget, the anger which refuses to be pacified, the anger which seeks revenge.” [1]

William Barclay commented that “Raca is an almost untranslatable word because it describes a tone of voice more than anything else. Its whole accent is the accent of contempt…It is the word of one who despises another with an arrogant contempt.” [2]

God’s Word teaches us that we are all sinners in need of God’s grace to do and say what is right.

Jesus taught us to be reconciled with a brother, before offering a gift to God at the altar. Our service towards the Lord does not exempt us from loving our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Jesus advised us to agree with our adversary quickly. Don’t hold onto your anger, let it go. Ask him to forgive you for being angry at him and for calling him a demeaning name.

Romans 12:18 says, “If it is possible, as much as depends on you, live peaceably with all men.”

“You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’ But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. Furthermore, it has been said, ‘Whoever divorces his wife, let him give her a certificate of divorce.’ But I say to you that whoever divorces his wife for any reason except sexual immorality causes her to commit adultery; and whoever marries a woman who is divorced commits adultery.” Matthew 5:27-32

In Jeremiah 3:8-9 and Hosea 3:1, God connected physical adultery with spiritual adultery. Proverbs 22:14 says, “The mouth of an immoral woman is a deep pit. He who is abhorred by the Lord will fall there.” Along city streets in Hong Kong, I noticed idols by the entrances of brothels. I noted that spiritual adultery manifests itself in the physical realm.

Did Jesus speak strongly against spiritual adultery? Yes, He said that if your right eye or hand causes you to sin, remove them. “It is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.” Perhaps, it would be good idea to keep a picture of hell’s fire next to the TV remote or the computer screen to be reminded that God condemns lustful thoughts. Pondering them is playing with fire... an eternity in the lake of fire from which there is no escape.

Donald A. Carson wrote, “Imagination is a God-given gift; but if it is fed dirt by the eye, it will be dirty. All sin, not the least sexual sin, begins with the imagination. Therefore what feeds the imagination is of maximum importance in the pursuit of kingdom righteousness.” [3]

Psalm 119:9 says, “How can a young man keep his way pure? By taking heed according to Your Word.” Or as Jesus said in John 15:4, “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.” When we abide in Jesus, He occupies our eyes and heart with that which is best for us.

Jesus segways from the topic of adultery to divorce. In Jeremiah 3:8, God gave Judah a certificate of divorce. Judah had played the harlot with many lovers according to Jeremiah 3:1. Even so, God urged the people of Judah to return to Him. In the Book of Hosea, God had Hosea marry an unfaithful woman to model for Israel His deep love for them despite the fact that they had continuously betrayed His trust.

Jesus urged husbands to remain faithful to their wives except if they had committed physical adultery. This principle applies to wives toward their husbands as well. God faithfully upholds covenants that He makes. He has great delight in seeing couples reconciled with each other.

“Again, you have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not swear falsely, but shall perform your oaths to the Lord.’ But I say to you, do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God’s throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. Nor shall you swear by your head because you cannot make one hair white or black. But let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes,’ and your ‘No,’ ‘No.’ For whatever is more than these is from the evil one.” Matthew 5:33-37

“Having to swear or make oaths betrays the weakness of your word. It demonstrates that there is not enough weight in your own character to confirm your words. How much better it is to let your ‘Yes’ be ‘Yes’ and ‘No’ be ‘No.’” [4] Jesus emphasized building a trustworthy reputation.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘An eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth.’ But I tell you not to resist an evil person. But whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. If anyone wants to sue you and take away your tunic, let him have your cloak also. And whoever compels you to go one mile, go with him two. Give to him who asks you, and from him who wants to borrow from you do not turn away.” Matthew 5:38-42

The eye for eye tooth for tooth quote is from Exodus 21:22-27. God made this law out of love to protect pregnant women and servants from abuse.

Jesus Messiah exemplified for us a life of love, grace, and forgiveness towards others.

Everything that Jesus taught us, He modeled for us. He was slapped on the cheek. His garment was taken from Him. Jesus went the distance that the Romans demanded Him to go and He did it carrying a very heavy cross. Jesus gave to people. Such as healing their sons and daughters. I can’t recall an incident where someone asked Jesus to loan them something, but in Matthew 17:27 when Peter needed to pay His taxes, He told Peter to catch a fish and he would find sufficient money in the fish’s mouth to pay both his tax and Peter’s. We do borrow His Name when we pray for blessings from our heavenly Father.

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet your brethren only, what do you do more than others? Do not even the tax collectors do so? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:43-48

Jesus demonstrated for us love of His enemies. In John 13:5, 26, Jesus knew that Judas Iscariot was about to betray Him yet treated him as a friend. He gave Judas a position of honor, likely seating him near himself at the Last Supper. Jesus washed the feet of all his disciples, including Judas. He offered him a morsel of bread at the last supper, which was a gesture of friendship. Jesus did not force Judas to be loyal or to accept forgiveness. He treated him with consistent love while allowing him to make his own tragic choice.

In Matthew 26:50, Jesus did not treat Judas as an enemy. Even after Judas arrived with the soldiers to arrest Him, Jesus called him “friend.”

Romans 5:6-8 says, “For when we were still without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die; yet perhaps for a good man someone would even dare to die. But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”

As I meditated on what Jesus taught me in Matthew 5:1-20, the Holy Spirit led me to pray for myself and for many others, “Heavenly Father, please help us to live by Your grace, and not in same old ways we have been living. Apart from Your grace, we will keep on being who we always have been, and I want to be more like You.” I prayed this in the Name of Jesus.

[1] Enduring Word Commentary
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid
[4] Ibid

Glory in the Lord – Matthew 5:1-20

“And seeing the multitudes, He went up on a mountain, and when He was seated His disciples came to Him. Then He opened His mouth and taught them, saying: ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.’” Matthew 5:1-3

Jesus saw the multitudes, but He sat down with His disciples to teach them. The fact that the Scripture says that He opened His mouth to teach them likely indicates that He spoke loud enough for those surrounding them to hear as well. This scene is reminiscent of Exodus 24:9-11 when God met with Moses, Aaron, Nadab and seventy elders of Israel on Mount Sinai to give them His Word.

The ancient Greek had a word for the “working poor” and a word for the “truly poor.” Jesus used the word for the truly poor here. It indicates someone who must beg for whatever they have or get.

In 2 Corinthians 12:9-10, the Lord said to Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Paul responded, writing, “Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”

It is better to rely on God’s grace than to rely on our own limited abilities.

“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.” Matthew 5:4

In Luke 19:41, Jesus, like Jeremiah, wept over Jerusalem. He had done so many miracles among them and yet they did not believe in Him. A day was coming when their city would be destroyed by the Romans. They had not listened to the previous prophets who prophesied such things to them, and they were not listening to Him. In 70 A.D., the Romans totally destroyed Jerusalem.

In John 11:32-36, Jesus wept when He saw Mary and others weeping due to the death of Lazarus. People remarked, “See how He loved him.”

Jesus mourned due to deep love for people. Deep love for people is a blessing. And the Lord does comfort us following times of mourning for others. Psalm 126:5-6 says, “Those who sow in tears shall reap in joy. He who continually goes forth weeping, bearing seed for sowing, shall doubtless come again with rejoicing, bringing his sheaves with him.”

“Blessed are the meek, for they shall inherit the earth.” Matthew 5:5

In Matthew 11:28-30, Jesus said, “Come to Me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

Jesus invited the weary and burdened, not the energetic and carefree to be yokefellows with Him. He assures such people that He is gentle and humble, not harsh and arrogant. Jesus is the kind of yokefellow that is not hard and unrealistic on His partners. Prior to saying this, Jesus had said in Matthew 11:27, “No one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal Him.” Jesus is looking for yokefellows who want to know the Father as He knows the Father.

The meek will inherit the earth. The Greek Old Testament (the Septuagint) primarily uses the Greek word 𝛾𝜂̃ (gē) to translate the Hebrew word אֶרֶץ (erets) to represent the land of Israel.

In Deuteronomy 30:16, God told Israel, “I command you today to love the Lord your God, to walk in His ways, and to keep His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments, that you may live and multiply; and the Lord your God will bless you in the land which you go to possess.”

Praise the Lord! Jesus is willing to walk with us in this humble submission to the will of the Father and ensure that we inherit the heavenly Promised Land.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled.” Matthew 5:6

In John 4:8, the disciples left Jesus to buy some food in the city. While they were gone, Jesus met a Samaritan woman. Jesus led her to believe that He was the Messiah. When the disciples returned from buying food, they were surprised to find Jesus speaking to the woman. In John 4:28, the woman left them to tell her village about Jesus. In John 4:31, the disciples urged Jesus to eat. In John 4:32, Jesus responded to them, “I have food to eat of which you do not know.” In John 4:34, Jesus added, “My food is to do the will of Him who sent Me, and to finish His work.”

The hunger Jesus had was for saved souls. Undoubtedly, He and all the angels of heaven were filled with joy when that woman believed in Messiah, but then, in John 4:39, “many of the Samaritans of that city believed in Him because of the word of the woman.” What joy!

“Blessed are the merciful, for they shall obtain mercy.” Matthew 5:7

Jesus exemplified mercy when He healed the blind eyes of two men who followed Him. They cried out to Him for mercy , and He healed them. Jesus had mercy on the Canaanite mother whose daughter was demon-possessed. She cried out to Him for mercy, and He set her daughter free. Jesus had mercy on a father of an epileptic son. The father asked the Lord for mercy. Jesus healed the father’s son instantaneously.

These were people that Jesus met while walking from one location to another. We don’t know their names. Jesus demonstrated spontaneous acts of merciful lovingkindness to strangers. He taught that we will be blessed (happy) and receive mercy from God when we are merciful.

“Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God.” Matthew 5:8

From time to time, the people of Judah were blessed with kings who purged their land of idols. Jehoshaphat (2 Chronicles 17:6), Asa (1 Kings 15:11-13), Hezekiah (2 Kings 18:4) and Josiah (2 Kings 23; 2 Chronicles 34) cleansed the land of Judah from idols during their reigns. After they purified the land, and their hearts, they saw God move in mighty ways in their nation.

Isaiah 59:2 says, “Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins have hidden His face from you, so that He will not hear.”

1 John 1:8-9 says, “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” Only God can cleanse our hearts from impurities. He does so when we confess to Him that we are sinners in need of His forgiveness.

“Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.” Matthew 5:9

Isaiah 9:6 names the coming Messiah as the “Prince of Peace.” Peace with God comes through His sacrifice. Jesus restores humanity's broken relationship with God, offering justification and peace. When a lost soul hears the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and believes in Him, his or her soul receives a peace that surpasses all understanding.

May the Lord Jesus grant each of us grace to lead people to faith in Jesus Christ. To be called sons and daughters of God, and to work with Him to bring more people into the family.

“Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake, for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:10

The Book of Acts contains stories of Peter, James, John and Paul being persecuted for preaching the Gospel to lost souls. When Jesus preached the Gospel in His hometown of Nazareth, people wanted to toss Him off the side of a cliff.

When have I been persecuted for righteousness’ sake? Almost exclusively when I have been witnessing for Jesus.

Why are the righteous persecuted? Shouldn’t rulers and peoples of the nations be grateful to God for such bright shining stars in the darkness?

The good news is that Jesus Christ blesses those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake. He gives to us the kingdom of heaven. The kingdom of heaven is better than kingdoms people are fighting for here on earth.

“Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” Matthew 5:11-12

In the Old Testament, people behaved in evil ways against the prophets. In Exodus 14:11-12, people falsely accused Moses of wanting to kill them. In 1 Samuel 21-24, King Saul sought to kill David, falsely framing him as a traitor. In 1 Kings 19:1, Queen Jezebel wanted the prophet Elijah dead. In 2 Chronicles 22:10, 23:15, 24:22-25, Jehoiada the priest had saved King Joash’s life when he was a boy. Later, Joash forsook the Lord, and when Zechariah, the son of Jehoiada the priest, confronted him about it, Joash had Zechariah stoned to death. In Jeremiah 37:13-14, Jeremiah was accused of treason, and imprisoned.

What did Jesus do after people reviled, persecuted and said all kinds of evil against Him. In Luke 23:34, He prayed for them, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do.” What did Stephen do when unjustly sentenced to death. In Acts 7:60, “He knelt down and cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lord, do not charge them with this sin.’” Jesus and Stephen are enjoying a wonderful eternity together in paradise.

“You are the salt of the earth; but if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men. You are the light of the world. A city that is set on a hill cannot be hidden. Nor do they light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.” Matthew 5:13-16

The prophetic ministry of God’s Word is the salt and light that Jesus desires from His disciples.

In Genesis 18:32, God told Abraham that He would not destroy Sodom and Gomorrah if 10 righteous people could be found there. The 10 were not found but God rescued Lot and his family from the city.

In Jeremiah 5:1, God told Jeremiah, “Run to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem. See now and know and seek in her open places if you can find a man, if there is anyone who executes judgment, who seeks the truth, and I will pardon her.” He did not find that man. The city was destroyed.

We should never underestimate the value of being salt and light in the earth.

“Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. For assuredly, I say to you, till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled. Whoever therefore breaks one of the least of these commandments, and teaches men so, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever does and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness exceeds the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven.” Matthew 5:17-20

Jesus told us not to think that He came to destroy the Law or Prophets. Sadly, many who claim to be followers of Christ, seldom read the Law and Prophets. Jesus said that the smallest letters of the Hebrew language will not be removed from these prophecies until they are fulfilled. He said that whoever does and teaches the Law will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

In Mark 7:9, Jesus said to the scribes and Pharisees, “All too well you reject the commandment of God, that you may keep your tradition.” In Matthew 15:6, Jesus said to them, “Thus you have made the commandment of God of no effect by your tradition.”

Those who skillfully poison God’s Word with false teaching are more dangerous than those who outright oppose it. Pagans proclaim their opposition to faith in Christ, whereas false prophets claim to be of Christ while stealthily sabotaging and destroying their followers’ faith in Christ.

We need a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ to exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees.

In Philippians 3:5, Paul wrote of being “a Hebrew of Hebrews, concerning the Law, a Pharisee.” But then, in Philippians 3:8-9, he wrote, “I count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in Him, not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which is from God by faith.”

Paul forsook pride in his former life as a Pharisee. Pharisees were professional imposters. They were self-performance oriented. Paul gained his righteous standing with God through faith in the shed blood of Christ which had washed His sins away. Jesus transformed Paul into His likeness by the power of His indwelling Holy Spirit. Paul’s righteousness was by God’s grace, and not by works which he had done.

In whom did Paul boast? In Galatians 6:14, Paul wrote, “God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.” In 1 Corinthians 1:31, he wrote, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” Amen.

The “blessed” in the beatitudes are those who know Christ and walk with Him in His ways.


[1] Abridged: “Dictionaries – Baker’s Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology – Meekness”

Jesus the Son of God – Matthew 4

Twice, the devil tempted Jesus to do something “IF” He was the “Son of God?” Jesus was and is the Son of God. Did He need to prove His identity to the devil? No. The devil knew who He was.

In Matthew 8:28-29, Jesus met two demon-possessed men. They cried-out, saying, “What do we have to do with You, Son of God? Did You come here to torment us before the time?”

The devil knew who he was dealing with Jesus the Son of God.

“Then Jesus was led up by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. And when He had fasted 40 days and 40 nights, afterward He was hungry. Now when the tempter came to Him, he said, ‘If You are the Son of God, command that these stones become bread.’ But He answered and said, ‘It is written, man shall not live by bread alone, but by every Word that proceeds from the mouth of God.’” Matthew 4:1-3

Jesus Messiah is the Son of God! He passed the test the human race failed.

Adam and Eve were in the Garden of Eden with ample food when tested by the devil. The devil quickly broke down their resistance. Jesus was in a wilderness. He had not ate in 40 days. He was extremely hungry. The devil tempted Jesus to turn stones into bread. This would have alleviated His hunger pains. Bread would have tasted good. Didn’t God make bread for the Israelites in the wilderness?

Jesus did not act on the devil’s words. In John 5:30 Jesus said, “The Son can do nothing of His own accord, but only what He sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise.” In John 5:30, Jesus said, “I can do nothing on My own. As I hear, I judge, and My judgment is just, because I seek not My own will but the will of Him who sent Me.” In John 12:50, Jesus said, “So whatever I say is just what the Father has told Me to say.”

In Deuteronomy 5:32 God told Israel, “Be careful to do what the Lord your God has commanded you. Do not turn aside to the right or to the left.”

Jesus did not turn to the right or to the left of God’s commands. His mission was to live a sinless life and to give His life as a ransom for us.

“It isn’t that Jesus refused supernatural help in feeding Himself. He was more than happy to eat what the angels brought to Him when the time of testing was over. It wasn’t a matter of refusing supernatural help. It was a matter of submitting to His Father’s timing and will in all things.” [1]

Jesus did not need to prove His worth. Neither do we! Our worth is found in the Word of God. The Bible says that God created us in His image. He so loved us that He sent His only begotten Son into the world that if we believed in Him we would not perish but have everlasting life.

“Jesus endured temptation both so that He could identify with us, and to demonstrate His own holy, sinless character.” [2]

By way of example, Jesus taught us to: Know the Word of God well, and to be led by God’s Holy Spirit.

“Then the devil took Him up into the holy city, set Him on the pinnacle of the temple, and said to Him, ‘If You are the Son of God, throw Yourself down. For it is written: He shall give His angels charge over you, and In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’ Jesus said to him, ‘It is written again, You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” Matthew 4:5-7

Jesus is the Son of God. To act on the devil’s temptation would be to act on a doubt, and not on reality. The devil tempted Jesus to take a risk. To gamble! To act independently of God and believe that everything would be okay... if You are the Son of God.

The correct response was to not to act on a doubt. The correct response was not to gamble. Jesus did not presume on God’s protection if He willfully acted independently of God.

In Jeremiah 7:8-11, God condemned the lie that people could willfully sin against Him and He would always deliver them. “Behold, you trust in lying words that cannot profit. Will you steal, murder, commit adultery, swear falsely, burn incense to Baal, and walk after other gods whom you do not know, and then come and stand before Me in this house which is called by My Name, and say, ‘We are delivered to do all these abominations?’ Has this house, which is called by My Name, become a den of thieves in your eyes? Behold, I, even I, have seen it, says the Lord.”

“Again, the devil took Him up on an exceedingly high mountain and showed Him all the kingdoms of the world and their glory. And he said to Him, ‘All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me.’ Then Jesus said to him, ‘Away with you, Satan! For it is written, You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.’ Then the devil left Him, and behold, angels came and ministered to Him.” Matthew 4:8-11

The devil tempted Jesus to commit idolatry. From the time of King Solomon until the time of the Babylonian captivity, Israel experienced many humiliating losses due to the sin of idolatry. They built altars to idols in high places (mountains) and bowed down to them and worshipped them. They even sacrificed their children to their idols during extended years of time in their history.

In Matthew 22:37-38, Jesus taught, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” Jesus was not about to take the honor and love that belonged to God alone and give it to the devil.

Worship God and worship Him only!

God is eternal. The devil is temporary.

In John 8:44, Jesus said the devil “was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own resources, for he is a liar and the father of it.”

The majority of addicts and alcoholics that I have listened to have cited a lack of meaningful relationships, or a loss of a meaningful relationship as the starting point from which their substance abuse began.

It is impossible to enjoy healthy relationships with God and people when the devil has you captive to serving his will. He tells people to be proud, perverse, vulgar, idolatrous, bitter, a liar, a deceiver, a thief, a hater, and to be in solidarity with those who stay far from God.

1 John 4:8 says, “God is love.” 1 John 4:18-19 says, “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear... We love Him because He first loved us.” Expressions of love originate with God. Having God’s love flow in and through you yields great joy and peace!

In Mark 8:36, Jesus asked, “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” To have the whole world but lack love for God and love for people is poverty.

The devil attacks our ego to lure us away from the life of God.

Jesus said, “Worship the Lord our God, and serve Him only.”

After Jesus told Satan to go away, the devil left Him, and angels came and ministered to Him. Yes, God did “give His angels” in due season to support Jesus.

“Now when Jesus heard that John had been put in prison, He departed to Galilee. And leaving Nazareth, He came and dwelt in Capernaum, which is by the sea, in the regions of Zebulun and Naphtali, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by Isaiah the prophet, saying: ‘The land of Zebulun and the land of Naphtali, by the way of the sea, beyond the Jordan, Galilee of the Gentiles: the people who sat in darkness have seen a great light, and upon those who sat in the region and shadow of death light has dawned.’ From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.’” Matthew 4:12-17

Jesus did not withdraw from ministry when the government arrested a fellow servant of God. He went to Capernaum.

The people in Capernaum loved darkness. They did not hide themselves under the shadow of God’s loving wing. No, they sat under the shadow of death. A horrible place to rest. They had a highly inflated opinion of themselves. In Matthew 11:23-24, Jesus said of them, “Capernaum, who are exalted to heaven, will be brought down to Hades; for if the mighty works which were done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. But I say to you that it shall be more tolerable for the land of Sodom in the day of judgment than for you.”

Jesus gave the people of Capernaum the opportunity to see the light. In Capernaum, Jesus casted out demons. He healed Peter's mother-in-law, a paralytic, a centurion’s servant, a woman with an incurable health crisis and in Capernaum Jesus resurrected the daughter of Jairus from the dead. In Capernaum, Jesus taught people that He was the “Bread of Life.” In Capernaum, Jesus called Peter, Andrew, James, John, and Matthew to be His disciples.

“And Jesus, walking by the Sea of Galilee, saw two brothers, Simon called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea; for they were fishermen. Then He said to them, ‘Follow Me, and I will make you fishers of men.’ They immediately left their nets and followed Him. Going on from there, He saw two other brothers, James the son of Zebedee, and John his brother, in the boat with Zebedee their father, mending their nets. He called them, and immediately they left the boat and their father and followed Him.” Matthew 4:18-22

We should not assume that cities which are infamous for being evil are not worth the Lord’s time and attention. Remember what happened when Jonah preached God’s Word in Ninevah! They fasted, repented and God forgave them. Jesus found five of His twelve outstanding disciples in Capernaum. Later, in Galatians 2:9, Paul wrote of James, Peter, and John as being pillars of the Church. Pillars are able to hold up under very heavy loads. Jesus found them in Capernaum. Not everyone in the darkness wants to stay there.

In Acts 14:19, when Paul was preaching in Lystra, Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there. They persuaded a mob to stone Paul and drag him out of the city, supposing he was dead. Paul survived, and later, in Acts 16:1, he returned to Lystra. Would you return to a town that previously stoned you and nearly killed you? Paul did, and this time, he met Timothy. Timothy became like a son to Paul and later Timothy became the pastor of the Church in Ephesus.

“And Jesus went about all Galilee, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the Gospel of the kingdom, and healing all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease among the people. Then His fame went throughout all Syria; and they brought to Him all sick people who were afflicted with various diseases and torments, and those who were demon-possessed, epileptics, and paralytics; and He healed them. Great multitudes followed Him—from Galilee, and from Decapolis, Jerusalem, Judea, and beyond the Jordan.” Matthew 4:23-25

Jesus guest spoke at many synagogues. Synagogues served as religious gathering places as churches do for us Christians nowadays. He preached the Gospel which means good news. He preached the Good News of God’s Kingdom. Not just the bad news of humankind’s kingdom! God’s kingdom was near to them because Jesus was near to them. Jesus is the door to heaven. Those who believe in Jesus enter God’s kingdom.

Jesus performed signs of physical and spiritual healing. Diseases disappeared! Demons departed! Road signs help us to know where we are and where we need to go. Jesus let His audiences know with many confirmations that He was the Son of God and the Savior of the world. They only needed to believe in Him to be saved.

Many people came to hear Jesus speak. They came from great distances to hear His messages.

The Lord leads me daily to pray over enlarged maps of all the countries of the earth that the people of all nations would have faith in Jesus the Son of God. That we would all have ears to hear and eyes to see that Jesus is who He said that He is.

I pray that unbelief will be shattered as when an iron rod strikes a vessel of clay. And that criminal networks of corruption will collapse as the temple of Dagon collapsed when Samson by the Spirit of the Lord pushed over the pillars on which it rested. I pray that God will raise up righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Spirit, for that, wrote Paul, is the Kingdom of God. The Spirit also leads me to pray for laborers for the harvest. Jesus asked us to pray for laborers because the harvest is great but the workers are few. [3]

Please pray for the souls who have yet to hear the Gospel. Please pray that they will hear, know and receive Jesus Christ as the Son of God, and their Savior.



[1] Enduring Word Commentary
[2] Ibid
[3] Psalm 2:9; Revelation 2:27; Judges 16:28-30; Romans 14:17; Matthew 9:37-38

Repent and Believe the Good News – Matthew 3

“In those days John the Baptist came preaching in the wilderness of Judea, and saying, ‘Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand!’ For this is he who was spoken of by the prophet Isaiah, saying: ‘The voice of one crying in the wilderness: prepare the way of the Lord. Make His paths straight.’” Matthew 3:1-3

Repentance is about coming to God. To repent is to leave behind a life without God to gain a life with God.

In Mark 1:15, Jesus preached, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news.” The kingdom of God was near because Jesus Messiah was near. He is the entrance way to God’s kingdom. The door to God’s kingdom appeared before them and urged them to enter God’s kingdom while the opportunity was before them.

In John 8:24, Jesus told the Pharisees, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” The “He” that Jesus referred to is Messiah. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.”

After Jesus had fulfilled numerous Old Testament prophecies about Messiah and given the people numerous signs that He was Messiah, He wept. Luke19:41-42 says that He wept over Jerusalem, saying, ‘If you had known, even you, especially in this your day, the things that make for your peace! But now they are hidden from your eyes.”

Back in 1546, John Heywood recorded a wise saying, “None so blind as those who refuse to see.” And later someone added, “None so deaf as those who will not hear.”

The repentance that John the Baptist preached was about leaving unpreparedness behind to gain preparedness. When Messiah arrived, he wanted everyone to receive Him.

In John 8:24, Jesus told the Pharisees, “If you do not believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” The worst sin of all sins is to reject the remedy for sin, namely, faith in Jesus Messiah.

“Prepare the way of the Lord.” Matthew quotes from Isaiah 40:3 to identify John the Baptist as the preparer of people to receive Messiah.

“Now John himself was clothed in camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist; and his food was locusts and wild honey.” Matthew 3:4

John’s attire was similar to the prophet Elijah’s. In 2 Kings 1:8, Elijah is described as a “hairy man with a leather girdle [belt] bound about his loins.” John the Baptist wore camel hair and ate locusts to fulfill his role as a self-disciplined prophetic messenger in the wilderness. He rejected worldly comforts. He relied on God’s provision. [1]

John’s diet and clothing reflected a restricted lifestyle. He focused more on his soul’s health than his body’s. The soul is eternal. The body is temporal. His diet of locusts (a clean, permissible food) and wild honey was readily available and inexpensive. His camel hair garment was durable. It provided good insulation to keep him warm during the cold wilderness nights.

In Matthew 11:7–10, Jesus said of John: “What did you go out into the desert to see? A reed swayed by the wind? If not, what did you go out to see? A man dressed in fine clothes? No, those who wear fine clothes are in kings’ palaces. Then what did you go out to see? A prophet? Yes, I tell you, and more than a prophet. This is the one about whom it is written: “I will send my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way before you.” Here, Jesus refers to a prophecy recorded in Malachi 3:1 of which John was the fulfillment. In Matthew 11:14, Jesus said, “If you are willing to accept it, he is the Elijah who was to come.” [2]

The idea to be the Elijah-like forerunner of Messiah did not originate with John the Baptist. God spoke of it in Malachi 3:1 and in Malachi 4:5-6 before John was born. In Luke 1:17, an angel also prophesied to John’s father before he was born, saying, “He will also go before Him [Messiah] in the spirit and power of Elijah.” John was not Elijah reincarnated. God gave to John the same anointing and power as He did to Elijah.

“Then Jerusalem, all Judea, and all the region around the Jordan went out to him and were baptized by him in the Jordan, confessing their sins. But when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers! Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come? Therefore, bear fruits worthy of repentance, and do not think to say to yourselves, we have Abraham as our father. For I say to you that God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones. And even now the ax is laid to the root of the trees. Therefore, every tree which does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. I indeed baptize you with water unto repentance, but He who is coming after me is mightier than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire. His winnowing fan is in His hand, and He will thoroughly clean out His threshing floor, and gather His wheat into the barn; but He will burn up the chaff with unquenchable fire.” Mathew 3:5-12

Many people recognized their need to get ready for the Messiah, and willingly did so.

“Baptism was practiced in the Jewish community already in the form of ceremonial immersions, but typically it was only among Gentiles who wished to become Jews. For a Jew in John’s day to submit to baptism was essentially to say, ‘I confess that I am as far away from God as a Gentile and I need to get right with Him.’ This was a real work of the Holy Spirit.” [3]

Matthew Poole wrote, “What did John the Baptist say, when he saw many of the Pharisees and Sadducees coming to his baptism, he said to them, ‘Brood of vipers!’ These religious leaders believed that one was made righteous by keeping the law, and they believed themselves to be righteous in this way.” [4]

John asked them, “Who warned you to flee from the wrath to come?” Frederick Fyvie Bruce wrote, “Most Jewish people believed in the wrath to come; the difference was the targets of that judgment. The Pharisees and Sadducees conceived of the judgment as concerning the heathen peoples. John thought of it as concerning the godless in Israel.”

John advised his listeners to flee from God’s wrath. John warned them to stop trusting in their Jewish heritage because they must truly repent, not simply trust in Abraham’s merits. [5] God’s wrath is on those who trust in anything or anyone besides His Messiah for salvation.

When John said, “Whose sandals I am not worthy to carry: John recognized his position before Jesus. He is one not worthy to carry the sandals of Jesus, and he did not consider himself far above those whom he has called to repentance, and he knew where he stood in relation to Jesus (instead of becoming proud of the crowds he drew and the response he saw).” [6]

“He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.” God promised to pour out His Spirit on all flesh in Joel 2:28. The baptism with fire increases inward purity.

F.B. Meyer wrote, “John the Baptist is sadly needed to-day. Much of what we call Christianity is but Christianized heathenism…we need that John the Baptist should come with his stern words about the axe, the winnowing-fan, and the fire. Nothing less will avail to prepare the way for a new coming of Christ.” [7]

“Then, Jesus came from Galilee to John at the Jordan to be baptized by him. And John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I need to be baptized by You, and are You coming to me?’ But Jesus answered and said to him, ‘Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.’ Then he allowed Him. When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven, saying, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” Matthew 3:13-17

R. T. France wrote, “It was as if John said to Jesus, ‘I need your Spirit-and-fire baptism, not you my water-baptism.’” [8]

It wasn’t that this one act in itself fulfilled all righteousness, but it was another important step in the overall mission of Jesus to identify with fallen and sinful man, a mission that would only finally be fulfilled at the cross. [9]

“The heavens were opened: It was important for God the Father to publicly demonstrate that Jesus’ baptism was not just like anyone else’s, in the sense of being a display of repentance. It was not a display of repentance, but instead it was a righteous identification with sinners, motivated by love, and was well pleasing to the Father.” [10]

“’This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’ When this voice of God the Father spoke from heaven, everyone knew that Jesus was not just another man being baptized. They knew Jesus was the perfect (in whom I am well pleased) Son of God, identifying with sinful man. By this, everyone knew that Jesus was different. Jesus was baptized so to be identified WITH sinful man, but He was also baptized to be identified TO sinful man.” [11]

In Matthew 3:16-17, the Holy Trinity showed up. Jesus Messiah, Son of God, came up from the water. The Spirit of God descended upon Him in the form of a dove, and God the Father spoke from heaven, saying, “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

Jesus Messiah was among them to say, “The kingdom of God has come near. Repent and believe the good news.”

Some looked for love in the wrong places. Did it boost their ego? Did it gratify their flesh? Did it help them gain a competitive edge ?

Jesus urged them to leave a life without God behind to receive a life with God forevermore.

What about you? What about me? What are we doing with Jesus Messiah. Jesus Christ is the open door to God’s kingdom.

[1] Google Sources
[2] GotQuestions.com
[3] EnduringWord.om
[4] Ibid
[5] Ibid
[6] Ibid
[7] Ibid
[8] Ibid
[9] Ibid
[10] Ibid
[11] Ibid

Jesus God’s Son Savior – Matthew 2

“Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, ‘Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.’ When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So, they said to him, ‘In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: but you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a Ruler who will shepherd My people Israel.’ Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, ‘Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.’” Matthew 2:1-8

King Herod was not from the line of David. He was appointed by the Romans. He was considered more of an occupational monarch than one of their own. He descended from the line of Edom, but did identify, at least superficially, as a Jew. Herod’s mother was a Nabatean Princess—an Arabic tribe in southern Jordan.

William Barclay wrote of Herod saying, “He had no sooner come to the throne than he began by annihilating the Sanhedrin…he slaughtered 300 court officers.” Thus, the Pharisees hated him.

Herod’s name in Greek (Ἡρῴδης) means either “son of a hero” or “like a hero.”

Herod executed his wife, Miriam, and her mother Salome, in 29 B.C.E. The next year, he murdered his brother-in-law Kostabar. These acts stemmed from his paranoia about relatives wishing to take away his throne. This paranoia only worsened over time, leading to his most famous act, namely the accusation of high treason against two of his sons, Alexander and Aristobolus, and their subsequent execution in 7 B.C.E. To proceed with the trial (which took place in the Roman court in Beirut), he needed to get permission from Augustus Caesar, which he received. The incident led to Augustus’ famous quip, “It is better to be Herod’s pig (Greek: hua) than son (Greek: huia).” The pun is based on the assumption that, as Herod was a Jew, he would not eat pork, and thus, his pig would be safe from the butcher’s knife, unlike his own flesh and blood. [1]

Can you imagine Herod’s face when the wise men told him they were looking for Him who was born king of the Jews? Herod’s been slaying people right and left to maintain his grip on power, and these men tell him a king of the Jews has been born and that they want to worship him. Perhaps, he had to leave the room to scream, and then, return after he recomposed himself. The whole city of Jerusalem is disturbed by this news. There was no telling what the madman on the throne would do next.

Herod called for a huddle with the chief priests and scribes. They told Herod that the Messiah was to be born in Bethlehem according to the prophecy recorded in Micah 5:2. Bethlehem means “House of bread” so the Bread of Life was about to pop out from the bread house.

King Herod released the wise men but requested they report back to him about this new king so he could worship Him. If the wise men had believed that line, they would not have been wise.

“When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way.” Matthew 2:9-12

The Lord provided two witnesses for the wise men: a star and prophetic words from Scripture. When they met Messiah, they fell down and worshipped Him. I like the saying, “Wise men still worship Jesus.”

What’s the significance of the gifts that they brought to Jesus?

Gold is a precious metal. It likely financed Joseph and Mary’s trip to Egypt. Gold is symbolic of God-like qualities. The gift of gold to the Christ child was symbolic of His divinity—God in flesh.

Frankincense is a white resin or gum. It is obtained from a tree by making incisions in the bark and allowing the gum to flow out. It is highly fragrant when burned and was therefore used in worship, where it was burned as a pleasant offering to God (Exodus 30:34). Frankincense is a symbol of holiness and righteousness. The gift of frankincense to the Christ child was symbolic of His willingness to become a sacrifice, wholly giving Himself up, analogous to a burnt offering.

Myrrh, a product of Arabia, was obtained from a tree in the same manner as frankincense. It was a spice and was used in embalming. In Mark 15:23, myrrh was mixed with wine and given to Jesus when He was on the cross. Matthew 27:34 refers to it as “gall.” Myrrh symbolizes bitterness, suffering, and affliction. Jesus would suffer greatly as a man and would pay the ultimate price when He gave His life on the cross for all who would believe in Him.

After the wise men completed their mission, the Lord warned them via a dream to depart from Bethlehem without telling King Herod where the Child Jesus was.

Once, the Lord warned me by a dream. One morning, I had participated in a prayer meeting. I was on my way out the door when a brother in Christ told me that his roommate had a dream about me. In the dream, I was at a crosswalk. The light was red, but I decided to cross the street anyway. In his dream, the brother pulled me back onto the sidewalk just before a car would have struck me. Later that day, I was in China with a team of missionaries. The circumstances of our mission were not going has planned. We stopped and prayed. One person in the group had a vision as we prayed. He told the group, “I saw a stoplight and it was red.” I told the group about the dream. Everyone agreed that we were to abort the mission. Later, we received news that confirmed our decision.

Whenever witnessing for the Lord, we should be in prayer beforehand and in our hearts while in the moment. The Holy Spirit guides us to victories as we ask Him to lead and protect us.

“Now when they had departed, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream, saying, ‘Arise, take the young Child and His mother, flee to Egypt, and stay there until I bring you word; for Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.’ When he arose, he took the young Child and His mother by night and departed for Egypt, and was there until the death of Herod, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying, ‘Out of Egypt I called My Son.’” Matthew 2:13-15

The Lord knew what Herod would do when the wise men did not report back to him. He sent an angel to warn Joseph to FLEE and told him where to GO. He told Joseph, “Herod will seek the young Child to destroy Him.” Matthew connects this event with a prophecy in Hosea 11:1.

“Then Herod, when he saw that he was deceived by the wise men, was exceedingly angry; and he sent forth and put to death all the male children who were in Bethlehem and in all its districts, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had determined from the wise men. Then was fulfilled what was spoken by Jeremiah the prophet, saying: ‘A voice was heard in Ramah, lamentation, weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, refusing to be comforted, because they are no more.’” Matthew 2:16-18

Herod is like one of the beasts described in the books of Daniel and Revelation. He is ready to devour anyone who threatens his throne, even if they are toddlers. Matthew connects this incident with a prophecy recorded in Jeremiah 31:15.

Bethlehem is located in the land that belonged to Benjamin’s tribe. Benjamin was Rachel’s son. Many descendants of Rachel were weeping the loss of their precious sons. The sadness that parents experience when a child proceeds them in death is very deep.

“Now when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, saying, “Arise, take the young Child and His mother, and go to the land of Israel, for those who sought the young Child’s life are dead.’ Then he arose, took the young Child and His mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus was reigning over Judea instead of his father Herod, he was afraid to go there. And being warned by God in a dream, he turned aside into the region of Galilee. And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, ‘He shall be called a Nazarene.’” Matthew 2:19-23

It is good to remember that those who oppose the Lord are but a vapor. They appear for a moment of time and disappear. They built on sand. God bears with them patiently, but they perish just like any other person. Herod was dead. God sent an angel to notify Joseph that it was safe to return to Israel. While enroute to Israel, the Lord warned Joseph again, so he turned from Bethlehem and Jerusalem, and went to Nazareth.

Matthew 2:1 begins with Jesus being born in Bethlehem. This fulfilled a prophecy that the Lord made in Micah 5:2. Matthew 2:23 ends with Jesus in Nazareth fulfilling three prophecies.

Matthew associated the word Nazarene with the Hebrew word netser (“branch or sprout”). In Jeremiah 23:5, the Lord promised to “raise up for David a righteous Branch, a King who will reign wisely and do what is just and right in the land.” In Jeremiah 33:15, the Lord promised to “make a righteous Branch sprout from David’s line; He will do what is just and right in the land.” In Isaiah 11:1, the Lord promised, “A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit.”

Jesus was born in Bethlehem fulfilling Micah 5:2. The gifts that the wise men brought Him were symbolic of His Messiahship. Herod’s massacre of the little boys in Bethlehem fulfilled an ancient prophecy recorded in Jeremiah 31:15. The departure of Jesus from Egypt fulfilled Hosea 11:1. Jesus grew up in a town whose name means “Branch” fulfilling several Old Testament prophecies. And the fulfillment of these prophecies is just the beginning of many more to come in the Gospels. Thus, the testimony of Jesus in the Gospels is the Spirit of prophecy.

The Gospels are composed of words inspired by God which have the power to save and transform those who believe and receive them.

What did I bring to God? I brought my sin. What did I receive from God? His forgiveness and the enduement of His Holy Spirit living in me. He made Himself real to me. I have love, peace and joy that I never had before thanks to Jesus Christ in my life.

What is the joy of salvation? It’s a blessed assurance of being saved by God. Was it because I was such a good person? No, I was a horrible sinner. I reached rock bottom and cried out to Jesus in desperation to save me, and He did.

Salvation is a gift of God according to Ephesians 2:8. My salvation is based on the redemptive work of Jesus Christ on my behalf. When Jesus died on the cross, the just for the unjust, He placed His merits into humanity’s account. We just need to believe and receive Him. He did the work. We just need to be humble enough to admit that we cannot save ourselves. Without Jesus we are absolutely lost for all eternity, but with Him we are absolutely saved for all eternity. That’s why Jesus Christ is called Savior and Lord!


[1] Thetorah.com

Believing in Jesus Messiah – Matthew 1

“The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham: Abraham begot Isaac, Isaac begot Jacob, and Jacob begot Judah and his brothers.” Matthew 1:1-2

In Galatians 3:16, Paul wrote, “The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his Seed. Scripture does not say ‘and to seeds,’ meaning many people, but ‘and to your Seed,’ meaning one person, who is Christ. Thus, Matthew begins his Gospel by connecting Jesus Christ with the Promise of God to Abraham that in his Seed all nations would be blessed. Matthew ends his Gospel with Jesus telling His followers to make disciples of all nations. [1]

Matthew also refers to Jesus Christ as the Son of David. In 2 Samuel 7:12-16, God promised David that his offspring would build a house for God’s Name and that His throne would be established forever. Then, in Matthew 1:2-16, Matthew provides a genealogy that lists the descendants of David until Christ is born.

Matthew places the name Christ (Messiah in Hebrew) after the name of Jesus in verse 1 of His Gospel. Remember, Matthew was living in the land where the rulers had just crucified Jesus, yet Matthew writes the last word those in authority wanted him to write about Jesus of Nazareth.

In Matthew 1:3, 5-6, 16, Matthew included five women in the genealogy of Jesus, which is unusual. He includes Tamar who was impregnated by her father-in-law Judah. He includes Rahab a former prostitute. He includes Ruth a Moabite. In Numbers 25, Moabite women were sent by King Balak to seduce Israelite men to sin. Matthew includes “the wife of Uriah” namely, Bathsheba. David committed adultery with her. Finally, he includes the virgin Mary. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit in Mary. She had not known a man. It is likely, that the religious leaders of Jerusalem did not believe this testimony although it was prophesied by Isaiah.

In Matthew’s day, religious leaders became intensely angry if someone broke their rules about Sabbath keeping. They became angry if someone did not wash their hands properly before eating. The fact that Matthew named Jesus as Messiah and included these women in His genealogy, must have greatly offended them.

Matthew WANTED people to know that Israel’s Messiah ate with “sinners” and tax collectors and included Mary Magdalene, a former adulterous among His followers.

Romans 3:23 says, “All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” Apart from God’s forgiveness no one enters heaven. The worst sin of all is not to believe in Messiah. For apart from faith in Him, there is no forgiveness. He alone is the Lamb who took away the sin of the world. Mary Magdalene and the women in the genealogy of Jesus all came to believe in God.

“And Jacob begot Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus who is called Christ.” Matthew 1:16

Matthew repeats that Jesus is Messiah.

“So all the generations from Abraham to David are 14 generations, from David until the captivity in Babylon are 14 generations, and from the captivity in Babylon until the Christ are 14 generations.” Matthew 1:17

The perfect pattern of 14, 14, 14, indicates that the arrival of Jesus was not random but planned. Seven is consider the number of perfection in the Bible. 14 is doubly perfect. [2]

God preserved Messiah’s family line between Abraham and David, between David and the Babylonian captivity, and between the Babylonian captivity and Messiah’s birth. For example, Esau had planned to kill Jacob. Saul tried multiple times to kill David. Multitudes of Jews died during the Babylonian captivity including all the sons of King Zedekiah. King Jehoiakim, who Babylon replaced with Zedekiah, died while enroute to Babylon, but his son, Jeconiah, survived and thus, the family line of Messiah was preserved. When Matthew wrote His Gospel, there had not been a king on the throne of Israel for over 600 years. With the Romans ruling Judea, it seemed unlikely that a son of David would ever sit on the throne in Jerusalem again.

King Herod was not from the line of David. He was appointed by the Romans. He was considered more of an occupational monarch than one of their own. He descended from the line of Edom, but did identify, at least superficially, as a Jew.

“Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: after His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. Then, Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, ‘Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His Name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” Matthew 1:18-21

Mary and Joseph were betrothed. In the Bible, betrothal was a formal, legally binding contract that was considered a legally valid marriage, even though the couple would not consummate their union until after the marriage ceremony. Nullifying a betrothal required a divorce, and if broken, was treated as infidelity. [3]

Joseph was a just man but not in the sense of Pharisee justice. A Pharisee would have executed her. Joseph was just in a godly sense, he would not marry her because he assumed she was unfaithful to him, but neither would he condemn her. His justice was flavored with mercy.

The Lord stopped Joseph from believing a lie about Mary. She likely told him the truth about seeing an angel and about receiving a prophecy from the angel that she was the virgin that Isaiah the prophet spoke about. But Joseph did not believe her until an angel also appeared to him and confirmed the same Word of God that he had told Mary. After the dream, Joseph now knew that Mary’s baby was Messiah, and that her son would conquer sin.

In Luke 2:48, the Bible refers to Joseph as the father of Jesus. In an ancient Hebraic adoption, if a man claimed a child as his, he was considered to be the child’s father, regardless of biological parentage. In legal and relational terms as well as matters related to inheritance, claiming a child ended all debate. Luke 3:23 says that Jesus “was the son, so it was thought, of Joseph”—stressing the fact that Joseph played no biological role in Jesus’ miraculous birth.

It is interesting to me that God provided an adoptive father (Joseph) for His divine Son to be included in the human race, and that in Christ, God adopts human beings into His family.

“So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ‘Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His Name Immanuel,’ which is translated, ‘God with us.’ Then, Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His Name Jesus.” Matthew 1:22-25

God commanded Joseph to marry Mary and I believe that he was happy to comply. After Messiah was born, Joseph named Him Jesus just as the Lord told him to do in Matthew 1:21.

In Matthew 1:1, Matthew began this chapter by naming Jesus “Christ” (Messiah) and he closes this chapter by connecting Jesus with the prophecy about Messiah from Isaiah 7:14.

His Name shall be called Immanuel which means “God with us.” This verse clearly states that Jesus is deity, which the Jehovah’s Witnesses deny. The Jehovah’s Witnesses like to quote the false prophet Balaam who said in Numbers 23:19 that “God is not a man that He should lie” to deny that God could become a man. But the Name Jesus means “the Lord saves.” The angel declared Jesus is Immanuel... God with us.”

The Bible makes it clear that faith in God must include faith that Jesus Christ is God’s Son. John 1:14 says, “The Word [Jesus] was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

In Galatians 1:11-12, Paul wrote, “I want you to know, brothers and sisters, that the Gospel I preached is not of human origin. I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it; rather, I received it by revelation from Jesus Christ.” In this passage, Paul separates Christ from being a normal man. Jesus had no sin. He was both man and God simultaneously. In reference to Christ, Paul wrote in Colossians 2:9, “In Him dwells all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

There is no way to get to heaven apart from faith in Jesus Christ. 1 John 2:23 says, “No one who denies the Son has the Father; whoever acknowledges the Son has the Father also.”

1 John 5:12 says, “Whoever has the Son has life. Whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life.” No human being is in a position to negotiate with God a different way to heaven. God has made Jesus alone the way to the Father.

Acts 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.”

Do you want assurance of salvation? Believe and confess that Jesus is the Son of God.

Revelation 19:10 says, “The testimony of Jesus is the Spirit of prophecy.” True prophets prophesy of Jesus. In Acts 10:43, Peter preached, “To Him [Jesus Christ] give all the prophets witness, that through His Name whosoever believes in Him shall receive remission of sins.”

There’s absolutely no salvation apart from God’s forgiveness. God forgives the sins of the man, woman, boy or girl who believes in His Son Jesus Christ. Praise the Lord for that!



[1] Google sources
[2] Ibid
[3] Ibid

Fear, Love, and Trust in God Above All Things – Exodus 19-20

“In the third month after the children of Israel had gone out of the land of Egypt, on the same day, they came to the Wilderness of Sinai. For they had departed from Rephidim, had come to the Wilderness of Sinai, and camped in the wilderness. So, Israel camped there before the mountain. And Moses went up to God, and the Lord called to him from the mountain, saying, ‘Thus you shall say to the house of Jacob, and tell the children of Israel: you have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles’ wings and brought you to Myself. Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine. And you shall be to Me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation. These are the words which you shall speak to the children of Israel.” Exodus 19:1-6

Suddenly, it was done! As though an eagle had swept down from the sky, picked them up and carried them away to a better place. Their bondage to idolators and slavers was over. They left Egypt with gold, silver, and precious jewels, but better yet, with a new opportunity to be close with God and to walk in His ways. The Lord brought them away from idols to be with Him.

“If you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant...” Paradise departed and problems arrived when Adam and Eve disobeyed God’s voice in the Garden. Now, God was giving their descendants a great opportunity to obey Him.

They had just witnessed what happened to Pharaoh and his men when they defied God’s voice.

God opened the door for Israel to hear His voice and be in a covenant relationship with Him. To be His special treasure! A light on a hill! Salt of the earth! A kingdom of priests! A holy nation!

“So, Moses came and called for the elders of the people and laid before them all these Words which the Lord commanded him. Then, all the people answered together and said, ‘All that the Lord has spoken we will do.’ So, Moses brought back the words of the people to the Lord. And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Behold, I come to you in the thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you and believe you forever.’ So, Moses told the words of the people to the Lord. Then, the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow and let them wash their clothes. And let them be ready for the third day. For on the third day the Lord will come down upon Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people. You shall set bounds for the people all around, saying, take heed to yourselves that you do not go up to the mountain or touch its base. Whoever touches the mountain shall surely be put to death. Not a hand shall touch him, but he shall surely be stoned or shot with an arrow; whether man or beast, he shall not live. When the trumpet sounds long, they shall come near the mountain.’ So, Moses went down from the mountain to the people and sanctified the people, and they washed their clothes. And he said to the people, ‘Be ready for the third day. Do not come near your wives.’” Exodus 19:7-15

The people promised to obey God. They washed their clothes and the men abstained from intimacy with their wives for three days.

According to verse 1, the Israelites arrived at the wilderness of Sinai in the third month after leaving Egypt. On the 15th of Nisan, they left Egypt. On the 1st of Sivan they arrived at Mount Sinai. That’s between 45-50 days or seven weeks. This 50-day gap parallels with the gap of time between Passover and Pentecost (Shavuot). The receiving of the Torah/Ten Commandments is celebrated on Shavuot (Pentecost). [1]

They had been walking in the wilderness for seven days. Now, they are stopped. As Jesus taught His followers from a mount, God is preparing to teach them His laws at Mount Sinai. First, He provided for them time to freshen up. Washing their clothes was symbolic of their souls’ need for cleansing with God’s Word. They had been living in a land of idols for 430 years. Abstaining from physical intimacy was symbolic of their need to be laser focused on their soul’s wellbeing.

God called for three days of consecration. After three days, God would provide Moses with His new mandate for Israel. In John 20:22, Jesus Christ resurrected from the dead on the third day, and afterward, breathed on His disciples and said to them, “Receive the Holy Spirit.” In Genesis 2:7, “The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life; and man became a living being.” God’s breath (His Spirit) and His Word (Christ) bring forth divine life in people who receive Him.

“Then, it came to pass on the third day, in the morning, that there were thunderings and lightnings, and a thick cloud on the mountain; and the sound of the trumpet was very loud, so that all the people who were in the camp trembled. And Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet with God, and they stood at the foot of the mountain. Now, Mount Sinai was completely in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Its smoke ascended like the smoke of a furnace, and the whole mountain quaked greatly. And when the blast of the trumpet sounded long and became louder and louder, Moses spoke, and God answered him by voice. Then, the Lord came down upon Mount Sinai, on the top of the mountain. And the Lord called Moses to the top of the mountain, and Moses went up.” Exodus 19:16-20

Acts 7:53 says that the Law was given by the disposition of angels. Revelation 4:5 speaks of lightnings and thunderings and voices proceeding from God’s throne. In Revelation 1:10, when Christ began to reveal to John the judgments of the last days, he heard a great voice as of a trumpet. Hebrews 12:21 says, “So terrible was the sight, that Moses said, ‘I exceedingly fear and quake.’” [2]

The fear of God is one of the spiritual anointings that was on Jesus during His earthly ministry. Isaiah 11:1-2 says, “There shall come forth a Rod from the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots. The Spirit of the Lord shall rest upon Him, the Spirit of wisdom and understanding, the Spirit of counsel and might, the Spirit of knowledge and the SPIRIT of the FEAR of the LORD.” [3]

People who do not fear the Lord are dangerous. In Genesis 20:11, “Abraham said, ‘Because I thought, surely the fear of God is not in this place; and they will kill me on account of my wife.’” [4]

“And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go down and warn the people, lest they break through to gaze at the Lord, and many of them perish. Also let the priests who come near the Lord consecrate themselves, lest the Lord break out against them.’ But Moses said to the Lord, ‘The people cannot come up to Mount Sinai; for You warned us, saying, set bounds around the mountain and consecrate it.’ Then, the Lord said to him, ‘Away! Get down and then come up, you and Aaron with you. But do not let the priests and the people break through to come up to the Lord, lest He break out against them.’ So, Moses went down to the people and spoke to them.” Exodus 19:21-25

When Jesus was baptized, the Holy Spirit descended upon Him in the form of a dove. When the apostles were baptized in the Holy Spirit, tongues of fire appeared over their heads. When the Lord gave His Law to Moses, Exodus 19:18 says that Mount Sinai was completely enveloped in smoke because the Lord descended upon it in fire. Thus, Moses created a boundary line at the foot of the mountain that the people should not crossover, lest they perish. [4]

“The Lord said to him, ‘Away! Get down and then come up, you and Aaron with you.’” God wanted a second witness with Moses. Later, in Deuteronomy 19:15, the Lord will say, “At the mouth of two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall a matter be established.”

“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 bondage. You shall have no other gods before Me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them nor serve them. For I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children to the third and fourth generations of those who hate Me, but showing mercy to thousands, to those who love Me and keep My commandments. You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain.’” Exodus 20:1-7

The first commandment calls us to focus on pleasing God above all others. Don’t let leisure, pleasure or things or people displace Him. I see honoring “Easter bunny” on Resurrection Day and Santa Claus at Christmas as an insult to God’s glory! In Isaiah 42:8, God says, “I will not give My glory to another.”

In Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, he wrote that we should, “fear, love, and trust in God above all things.” He stated that if the heart is right with God, all other commandments follow. Idolatry is misdirecting the fear, the love and the trust that should be to God alone. [5]

“You shall not take the Name of the Lord your God in vain [as empty or nothing לַשָּׁ֑וְא], for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes His Name in vain!” [6]

In Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, he wrote, “We should so fear and love God as not to curse, swear, conjure, lie, or deceive by His Name, but call upon Him in every time of need, and worship Him with prayer, praise, and thanksgiving.”

The Israelites had recently come out of Egypt where the ruler there said to Moses in Exodus 5:2, “Who is the Lord, that I should obey His voice to let Israel go?” Pharaoh did not revere the name of God. Although mighty in the eyes of many, he was a pawn of the devil to incite people to despise God their Creator. He competed with God just as the devil does.

Acts 4:12 says that the Name of Jesus is the only Name by which people can be saved. In John 14:13-14, Jesus taught us to ask God for help in His Name. In John 17:6, just before He was arrested, He declared to His Father, “I have manifested Your Name to the people whom You gave Me out of the world.” In Luke 10:17, the disciples casted out demons in the Name of Jesus. In Acts 4:10, they made a lame man to walk again in His’ Name. Philippians 2:7-11 says that every knee will bow and tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God our Father.

“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore, the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Exodus 20:8-11

In Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, he wrote, “We should so fear and love God as not to despise His Word and the preaching of the Gospel, but deem it holy, and willingly hear and learn it.”

In John 12:26, Jesus said, “If anyone serves Me, the Father will honor him.” Therefore, the best thing we can do for any community is to teach people to serve the Lord Jesus Christ.

“Honor your father and your mother, that your days may be long upon the land which the Lord your God is giving you. You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not steal. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor. You shall not covet your neighbor’s house. You shall not covet your neighbor’s wife, nor his male servant, nor his female servant, nor his ox, nor his donkey, nor anything that is your neighbor’s.’ Now, all the people witnessed the thunderings, the lightning flashes, the sound of the trumpet, and the mountain smoking; and when the people saw it, they trembled and stood afar off. Then, they said to Moses, ‘You speak with us, and we will hear; but let not God speak with us, lest we die.’” Exodus 20:12-19

Commandments five through ten are about honoring parents, not murdering, not committing adultery, not stealing, not bearing false witness and not coveting. The great commission of Jesus surpasses the commandments that forbid hurting others. He calls us to share the Gospel with sinners so that they have an opportunity to receive the life changing power of His Spirit.

“And Moses said to the people, ‘Do not fear; for God has come to test you, and that His fear may be before you, so that you may not sin.’ So, the people stood afar off, but Moses drew near the thick darkness where God was.” Exodus 20:20-21

It seems that Moses is contradicting himself, saying, “Do not fear” – “that His fear may be before you.” The meaning here is not to fear that God is angry at you or hates you but do have a healthy respect of God so that you do not sin against Him. No human being is in a position to negotiate a compromise with God. He is holy. He does not compromise with sin, but He is forgiving and gracious to us if we confess our sins to Him, trust, love and serve Him.

“Then the Lord said to Moses, ‘Thus you shall say to the children of Israel: you have seen that I have talked with you from heaven. You shall not make anything to be with Me—gods of silver or gods of gold you shall not make for yourselves. An altar of earth you shall make for Me, and you shall sacrifice on it your burnt offerings and your peace offerings, your sheep, and your oxen. In every place where I record My Name I will come to you, and I will bless you. And if you make Me an altar of stone, you shall not build it of hewn stone; for if you use your tool on it, you have profaned it. Nor shall you go up by steps to My altar, that your nakedness may not be exposed on it.’” Exodus 20:22-26

Right after God gave Moses the Law, He alludes to the Gospel by speaking to Moses about sacrifices, burnt offerings and peace offerings. Until Christ appeared, God accepted the sacrifice of sheep and oxen to atone for the sins of the people. No descendant of Abraham, Isaac or Jacob kept the Law perfectly. The greatest heroes of the faith all fell short of God’s glory, that is until Christ was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. Jesus fulfilled the Law. His blood was untainted by sin. Therefore, He was able to be the perfect sacrifice for our sin. Jesus is the rock that was not hewn by man. That is why God told Moses not to build altars out of hewn stones.

C. F. W. Walther wrote, “In the Law we hear the tenfold summons, ‘Thou shalt.’ The Gospel does not require anything good that man must furnish: not a good heart, not a good disposition, no improvement of his condition, no godliness, no love either of God or men. It issues no orders, but it changes man. The Gospel plants love into his heart and makes him capable of all good works. It demands nothing, but it gives all. Should not this fact make us leap for joy?” [7] Martin Luther wrote, “The Law discovers the disease, the Gospel gives the remedy.”

The Gospel according to Luke 24:46-49 is, “It was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that REPENTANCE and REMISSION of SINS should be preached in HIS NAME to all nations... tarry... until you are ENDUED with POWER from ON HIGH.”

In JESUS’ NAME, there is forgiveness of sins and enduement of power from on high. The Holy Spirit creates within us a new heart to fear, love and trust God above all things.


[1] Referred to Google sources to determine the time gap between Egypt and Mt. Sinai

[2] Referred to Matthew Henry Commentary

[3] Ibid

[4] Ibid

[5] Martin Luther’s Small Catechism, first published in 1529, various language editions available at Concordia Publishing House, and online free

[6] Jameison Fausset Brown Commentary

[7] “The Proper Distinction between Law and Gospel,” by C. F. W. Walther, Concordia Publishing House, 1929. C. F. W. Walther founded and served as the first president of the Lutheran Church—Missouri Synod (LCMS). He established Concordia Seminary in St. Louis.

Jesus Says To Ask – Exodus 17-18

“Then, all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, ‘Give us water, that we may drink.’ So, Moses said to them, ‘Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?’ And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, ‘Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?’” Exodus 17:1-3

The people contended with Moses. The word in Hebrew for “contended” is (רִיב) which means to toss, grapple and wrangle. They complained about lack of water and accused Moses of having murder on his mind. Why did they grapple with him? He was not their Lord and Savior. Why did they tempt the Lord? Their lack of faith in God tempted God to bring on them the same plagues that He brought on unbelieving Pharaoh.

“So, Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, ‘What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!’ And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go on before the people, and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it, that the people may drink.’ And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. So, he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, ‘Is the Lord among us or not?’” Exodus 17:4-6

Moses took his need before the Lord. He didn’t tell the Lord what to do? He asked the Lord for counsel. The Lord instructed Moses what to do.

After Moses brought 2.5 million slaves out of slavery, they were ready to stone him. This passage reminds of how the Jerusalemites sung “Hosanna” to Jesus Christ on a Sunday and crucified Him on a Friday. Leaders may want to live in the accolades of their past but followers tend to rate them on a moment by moment basis?

In John 5:43, Jesus said, “I have come in My Father’s Name, and you do not receive Me; if another comes in his own name, him you will receive.” Anyone who is more concerned about their own name than the name of the Lord can be manipulated by conniving people.

In Matthew 5:11-12, Jesus said, “Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on My account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” With this blessing from the Lord, we can endure dislikes and departures of people because piling up stats for our name’s sake is not our motive. Our goal is to glorify the Lord whether by life or death.

The people need water. God told Moses to strike a rock with his wooden staff. In 1 Corinthians 10:4, Paul identifies the rock that Moses struck was a type of Christ. The striking of the rock represents Jesus being smitten on the wooden cross to provide for our souls the “living water” of eternal salvation.

Moses called the name of the place Massah (temptation) and Meribah (strife). The way to overcome temptation and strife is to turn to Christ rather than to contention and complaining.

“Now, Amalek came and fought with Israel in Rephidim. And Moses said to Joshua, ‘Choose us some men and go out, fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the rod of God in my hand.’ So, Joshua did as Moses said to him and fought with Amalek. And Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. And so it was, when Moses held up his hand, that Israel prevailed; and when he let down his hand, Amalek prevailed. But Moses’ hands became heavy. So, they took a stone and put it under him, and he sat on it. And Aaron and Hur supported his hands, one on one side, and the other on the other side; and his hands were steady until the going down of the sun. So, Joshua defeated Amalek and his people with the edge of the sword.” Exodus 17:7-13

In Deuteronomy 25:17-18, Moses recounts this battle saying that the Amalekites attacked Israel’s rear ranks. Lacking the fear of God, the Amalekites attacked Israel’s weary stragglers as predators attack weak animals of a flock. What did Moses do? He raised the rod which represents the cross of Christ, as well as his other hand in prayer to God. As long as his hands were lifted to the Lord, Israel prevailed. So, when he grew weary, Aaron and Hur came to his sides and helped Moses to keep his hands up.

“Then, the Lord said to Moses, ‘Write this for a memorial in the book and recount it in the hearing of Joshua, that I will utterly blot out the remembrance of Amalek from under heaven.’ And Moses built an altar and called its name, The-Lord-Is-My-Banner; for he said, ‘Because the Lord has sworn: the Lord will have war with Amalek from generation to generation.’” Exodus 17:14-17

Amalek made a fatal mistake that day. They joined with Satan against God’s people. Psalm 83:4 says, “They have said, ‘Come, and let us cut them off from being a nation, that the name of Israel may be remembered no more.” God promised to wipe the Amalekites out.

In 1 Samuel 15:1-3, the Lord told King Saul via His servant Samuel the prophet, “To go and attack Amalek, and utterly destroy all that they have. Do not spare them, but kill both man and woman, child and infant, ox and sheep, camel and donkey.” Saul spared their king and the best of their animals. Thus, God rejected Saul and determined to replace him with David. Later, In 2 Samuel 1:6–10, an Amalekite tells David that he struck the final death blow to Saul.

“And Jethro, the priest of Midian, Moses’ father-in-law, heard of all that God had done for Moses and for Israel His people—that the Lord had brought Israel out of Egypt. Then, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took Zipporah, Moses’ wife, after he had sent her back, with her two sons, of whom the name of one was Gershom (for he said, ‘I have been a stranger in a foreign land’) and the name of the other was Eliezer (for he said, ‘The God of my father was my help, and delivered me from the sword of Pharaoh’); and Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, came with his sons and his wife to Moses in the wilderness, where he was encamped at the mountain of God. Now, he had said to Moses, ‘I, your father-in-law Jethro, am coming to you with your wife and her two sons with her.’ So, Moses went out to meet his father-in-law, bowed down, and kissed him. And they asked each other about their well-being, and they went into the tent.” Exodus 18:1-7

Moses had been deprived of companionship with his wife and sons throughout the time of his confrontation with Pharaoh. Since the last time that he saw his wife and sons, he experienced hatred and threats from the King of Egypt, as well as hatred and death threats from the very slaves God sent him to rescue. He showed his father-in-law great respect and affection.

“And Moses told his father-in-law all that the Lord had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel’s sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the Lord had delivered them. Then, Jethro rejoiced for all the good which the Lord had done for Israel, whom He had delivered out of the hand of the Egyptians. And Jethro said, ‘Blessed be the Lord, who has delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians and out of the hand of Pharaoh, and who has delivered the people from under the hand of the Egyptians. Now, I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods; for in the very thing in which they behaved proudly, He was above them.’ Then, Jethro, Moses’ father-in-law, took a burnt offering and other sacrifices to offer to God. And Aaron came with all the elders of Israel to eat bread with Moses’ father-in-law before God.” Exodus 18:8-12

Once upon a time, Moses was passing through Midian. He sat down to rest by a well. While there, he saw Jethro’s daughters being bullied by a group of shepherds. Moses chased the bullies away and helped the shepherdesses to water their flocks. When they got home, Jethro told them to invite Moses home for dinner. What could a priest of Midian offer to a former prince of Egypt? A daughter in marriage! Now, 40 years later, Jethro blesses the Lord for delivering his son-in-law and his people from Egypt. He testifies, “Now, I know that the Lord is greater than all the gods.” He made offerings and sacrifices to God. He invited Aaron and the elders of Israel to eat with him and Moses. Moses was blessed with a very good father-in-law.

“And so it was, on the next day, that Moses sat to judge the people; and the people stood before Moses from morning until evening. So, when Moses’ father-in-law saw all that he did for the people, he said, ‘What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you alone sit, and all the people stand before you from morning until evening?’ And Moses said to his father-in-law, ‘Because the people come to me to inquire of God. When they have a difficulty, they come to me, and I judge between one and another; and I make known the statutes of God and His laws.’” Exodus 18:13-16

Now, Moses needed a rescuer. Jethro approached his son-in-law with questions. What is this thing that you are doing for the people? Why do you sit alone? From morning until evening? Moses explained the “why” and “what” he did.

“So, Moses’ father-in-law said to him, ‘The thing that you do is not good. Both you and these people who are with you will surely wear yourselves out. For this thing is too much for you. You are not able to perform it by yourself. Listen now to my voice; I will give you counsel, and God will be with you: stand before God for the people, so that you may bring the difficulties to God. And you shall teach them the statutes and the laws and show them the way in which they must walk and the work they must do. Moreover, you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of 1,000’s, rulers of 100’s, rulers of 50’s, and rulers of 10’s. And let them judge the people at all times. Then, it will be that every great matter they shall bring to you, but every small matter they themselves shall judge. So, it will be easier for you, for they will bear the burden with you. If you do this thing, and God so commands you, then you will be able to endure, and all this people will also go to their place in peace.’” Exodus 18:17-23

Now, Jethro interjects his concern, “You will surely wear yourselves out.” He asks Moses to listen to him, offers him advice, and states confidently that God will be with him if he accepts his advice. Jethro advises Moses to take time and energy to select able men with the following qualifications: 1. They fear God, 2. Respect truth, and 3. Hate covetousness. Jethro advised Moses to create four tiers of judges: 1. Over 1,000’s, 2. over 100’s, 3. over 50’s, and 4. over 10’s. Moses would still be the final judge over cases that the lower courts could not resolve.

“So, Moses heeded the voice of his father-in-law and did all that he had said. And Moses chose able men out of all Israel and made them heads over the people: rulers of 1,000’s, rulers of 100’s, rulers of 50’s, and rulers of 10’s. So, they judged the people at all times. The hard cases they brought to Moses, but they judged every small case themselves. Then, Moses let his father-in-law depart, and he went his way to his own land.” Exodus 18:24-27

Moses was a great leader. His acceptance of good advice from his father-in-law was another demonstration of the good character traits that God had instilled in him. As for Jethro, Exodus 2:11-21 and 18:1-27 highlight his important role in the life of God’s servant Moses.

I conclude this article with a testimony from August 16, 1864.

In the summer of 1864, tens of thousands of Union POWs were dying of thirst at the military prison in Andersonville, Georgia. Many had died already. Some began to pray for a miracle. Suddenly, a spring erupted from the ground within the stockade.

Today, there is a memorial building to this event with two inscriptions on it: “The Prisoners’ cry of thirst rang up to Heaven. God heard, and with His thunder cleft the earth and poured his sweet water came rushing here,” and “God smote the hillside and gave them drink.”

On August 12, 2011, Irvin Rozier, Captain (Ret) U.S. Army wrote a poem entitled, “Providence Spring at Andersonville, Georgia” about this event:

“The much needed drinking water was there all along.
A prayer meeting was held and the men sang a song.
Cool refreshing water was what the prisoners needed.
And to their anguished cries the good LORD heeded.

Lord, in their deep need and despair they cried out to you.
And a great rain and thunderstorm arrived out of the blue.
You sent a huge bolt of lightning to strike the red earth.
It blew the ground apart and caused it to give new birth.

To a cool refreshing clear stream of water to drink,
To those prisoners of war who readily did sink,
To their knees in gratitude of Your help that day,
You answered their petitions in Your wonderful way!”

What stream do you need the Lord to provide for you today? Jesus says to ask...