The Heaton File

And He was casting out a demon, and it was mute. So it was, when the demon had gone out, that the mute spoke; and the multitudes marveled. But some of them said, “He casts out demons by Beelzebub, the ruler of the demons.” Others, testing Him, sought from Him a sign from heaven. (Luke 11:14-16)

They Saw The Same Miracle

Jesus performed untold numbers of miracles before large and small crowds. Some miracles were done in private. The critics of Jesus never denied His power. They attacked His teaching and challenged His authority without success. After Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, the chief priests and Pharisees sought to kill Lazarus and Jesus. No one could challenge the reality of miracles. On one occasion, Jesus cast a demon from a man. A multitude of people witnessed the healing of the demon-possessed man, but it was the reaction of the people that showed the conflict the world had with Jesus.

The first reaction was the amazement of the people at such a great miracle. All miracles were amazing examples of Jesus’ power over death, nature, time, and the spirit world. Jesus’ authority over Satan was firmly established as He cast out the demons from those possessed. A further example of His power was that the sufferer was made mute. Healing the man of his malady gave praise and honor to God. The people responded in simple faith, seeing and hearing the miracle. It was the multitudes who saw clearly the power of Jesus. They were not challenged by the prejudice of Jewish elitism as others in the crowd were.

A second group in the multitude denied the miracle, suggesting Jesus performed His act of mercy by the power of Beelzebub. They did not deny the miracle, so they said Jesus was in league with an evil angel named Beelzebub. This was an idol-deity referred to as the god of Ekron. The name signifies “lord of flies.” A miracle was done, and the man was healed. Some of them charged Jesus with casting out a demon by the power of a demon. This was how wicked the hearts of those who saw the miracle became. Instead of giving glory to God for a powerful example of the authority of Jesus over Satan, some accused Jesus of being aligned with Satan. Jesus answered how ridiculous this accusation was, as Satan would never allow a demon to be cast out of a man. The blind in heart could not see the power of God.

Other people in the audience tried to test Jesus. They witnessed the miracle and did not deny it. However, they were not satisfied with the miracle and demanded a sign from heaven. What was incredible about the healing of the demon-possessed man was that it was not satisfactory to some. What more could they want or expect? Jesus raised people from the dead, and many did not believe. He fed thousands of people, and many did not believe it. Showing His power over the evil-spirit world of Satan was not enough for some in the crowd. They demanded more because their hearts were hardened by the deceitfulness of sin.

God’s word will either comfort the afflicted or afflict the comfortable. The world views the Bible as something that cannot be denied, its message and power. What the world does is the same as what it did in the days of Jesus. They will charge God with being in league with Satan, or they will demand more than what is revealed in the Bible. The world is not satisfied with the evidence of God’s power, rejects the Bible, and demands more. Sadly, they will find on the final day that nothing more will be given. The multitude demanded that Jesus give them a sign from heaven, and He told them that a sign would be given. That same sign is what saves men today. Jesus said the sign they desired would be the sign of Jonah.

The story of Jonah becomes the story of God’s power. Jonah was in the belly of the great fish three days and nights. Jesus was in the tomb three days and nights and arose. His resurrection is the greatest miracle of all time. Many marvel at His resurrection, while some deny its message. Some are still looking for a greater sign than the resurrection of Jesus. The only message for man is the resurrection of Jesus. Without the risen Savior, there is no hope. Salvation depends on how you view His resurrection.

Then Adonijah the son of Haggith exalted himself, saying, “I will be king”; and he prepared for himself chariots and horsemen, and fifty men to run before him. (And his father had not rebuked him at any time by saying, “Why have you done so?” He was also very good-looking. His mother had borne him after Absalom.) (1 Kings 1:5-6)

A Spoiled Son

David is remembered as the shepherd boy who killed Goliath and had a turbulent relationship with Saul, who was trying to kill him. After David became King, he consolidated the kingdom with victories over the Philistines. His relationship with his wives was well known (Michal, Abigail, and Bathsheba). What is not well known is that David had more than nine wives, including concubines, and twenty or more children. His fifth wife, Haggith, bore him a son, Adonijah.

When David grew old, he had yet to pass the reign to one of his sons. Solomon, born of Bathsheba, would become the chosen leader of the people. David had promised Bathsheba that Solomon would reign after him and sit on his throne. Adonijah was older than Solomon and presumed himself to be the King. The son of Haggith exalted himself, boasting that he would make himself King. He gathered chariots with drivers and recruited fifty men to run before him. Adonijah sacrificed oxen, cattle, and sheep in abundance and invited all the king’s sons and the commanders of the army to join him in a feast, declaring his kingship. He convinced Joab to support him along with Abiathar the priest.

Bathsheba warned David of Adonijah’s attempt to take the throne. David declared Solomon King by placing him on the King’s mule and taking him to Gihon, where he was anointed by Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet. Meanwhile, Adonijah was celebrating his presumed rise to the throne when news came that David had declared Solomon king. Adonijah and all who were at the feast became afraid and left the banquet. Hearing that Solomon was King, Adonijah went to the altar and took hold of its horns, seeking mercy from Solomon. Solomon spared Adonijah’s life, sending him back to his house to live.

After David died, Adonijah asked Bathsheba to seek Solomon’s approval to wed the young virgin who had cared for David in his final days. Adonijah desired to marry Abishag the Shunammite. This was a calculated move on Adonijah’s part to find a way to take the throne away from Solomon. Realizing the ploy of his brother to take his throne, King Solomon sent Benaiah, the son of Jehoiada, to kill Adonijah.

The story of Adonijah is one of tragedy, including some of the reasons for his rebellion and arrogance. David had never disciplined his son at any time. His father never challenged anything that Adonijah did. The fourth son of David was spoiled so much that his father refused to discipline him for anything. As a child left to his own devices and spoiled into getting whatever he wanted, Adonijah grew up demanding that the world give him what he wanted. He presumed the throne of his father David. That was a grievous mistake. Solomon showed restraint and mercy, allowing his brother to live. When David died, Adonijah again miscalculated his importance, asking to wed Abishag. This was an act of rebellion. It led to his death.

Children left to their own devices bring shame on their parents. An undisciplined child becomes an entitled adult who demands the world bow at his feet. David failed as a father with his son Adonijah by never disciplining him or correcting him. Adonijah was very handsome. He did not seek the will of God in his life. Everything he did was to glorify Adonijah. His story became a final tragedy when his brother called for his death. Such is the case of children who are never disciplined. They become the tragedy of their own lives, presuming to be more important than they are, expecting the world to beckon to their every wish and desire.

Parents are admonished throughout scripture to nurture, train, discipline, and mold their children’s hearts to love the Lord with all their hearts. This demands learning about humility. Children who are not disciplined will rebel against God and lose their souls. It is not cute to watch a spoiled child act out. Adonijah was never disciplined by his father. For whatever reason, David cultivated a child who would become rebellious to the will of the Lord. Discipline begins at home, so the child’s heart learns to submit to the Heavenly Father.

Oh, give thanks to the Lord, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. (Psalm 136:1)

The Mercy Of The Lord Endures Forever

There is a characteristic of God that is unchanging and eternal. Man is a sinful creature. God chose to save His creation in the garden when Adam and Eve disobeyed His command. Satan deceived the woman to eat of the forbidden fruit, and she gave some to Adam. They knew immediately they were naked and, in shame, hid themselves from the presence of the Lord. God punished the man and woman, but in consequence of sin came the hope of salvation through the Seed promise. Throughout the ages of time, God’s mercy is shown to sinful man time and again.

An unknown poet is overwhelmed with the mercy of God. He writes a striking psalm that declares, over and over, that the mercy of God endures forever. Twenty-six times in his psalm, the psalmist reminds his readers of the everlasting mercy of God. This refrain is couched within the framework of God’s goodness, creation, power, judgment, and grace to remember the lowly state of man. To understand God is to give thanks because He is good, the God of gods, and the Lord of lords. The benevolence and rule of God are endless.

Understanding the mercy of God begins with thanksgiving. Three times, the psalmist declares the thanksgiving of God for who He is. God is good. Everything God does is good. He provides all the needs of man. The world is the testimony to the provisions of God. These blessings cannot come from the gods of men. Thanksgiving comes from God because He is greater than the gods. He is Lord of lords, ruler of all nations, and victorious King above all kings. The mercy of the Lord endures forever through thanksgiving.

Creation declares the glory of God. The great wonders of the power of God to make the heavens and form the earth below declare His mercy is everlasting. Stars fill the night sky, declaring the power of God to establish order in the universe, as the sun rules the day and the moon the night. All of the expanse of the universe is created by the hand of God for His glory. The heavens testify to the mercy of God that it is everlasting. Everything remains as it was from creation. If God can create such a world, His mercy is assured and guaranteed through the same word.

The history of Israel stands as a monument to God’s mercy. God chose the Hebrews, not because they were a mighty people, but because He loved them. His mercy was extended to them through His power, delivering them from Egypt. The ten plagues declared the glory of God. On the final night of the plagues, God struck the firstborn of the Egyptians, including their animals. Pharaoh relented and let the Hebrews leave. God brought His people out with a strong hand and with an outstretched arm. When Pharaoh tried to destroy the Hebrews, God destroyed his army in the Red Sea. Israel passed through the midst of the sea because the mercy of God endures forever.

During the wilderness wanderings, God showed His mercy toward His people when He struck down great kings, including Sihon, King of the Amorites, and Og, King of Bashan. Israel never lost a battle in war because of God’s mercy. The only battle lost was when Israel rebelled against the Lord at Kadesh-Barnea. God’s mercy is a powerful testimony to His rule over the nations of men. Jericho would fall by the power of God. The mercy of God is the army of the Lord fighting the battles for the saints. It endures forever.

Canaan was given to Israel through the mercy of God. It was a heritage from the promises made to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. God rescued His people from their enemies and provided all blessings to the nation of Israel. The mercy of God is everlasting. There is reason to give thanks to the God of heaven for His mercy. His benevolence gives food to all flesh. There is nothing more to say than to give thanks to the God of heaven, for His mercy endures forever.

So the Lord said to Moses: “See, I have made you as God to Pharaoh, and Aaron your brother shall be your prophet. You shall speak all that I command you. And Aaron your brother shall tell Pharaoh to send the children of Israel out of his land. And I will harden Pharaoh’s heart and multiply My signs and My wonders in the land of Egypt. But Pharaoh will not heed you, so that I may lay My hand on Egypt and bring My armies and My people, the children of Israel, out of the land of Egypt by great judgments. And the Egyptians shall know that I am the Lord, when I stretch out My hand on Egypt and bring out the children of Israel from among them.” (Exodus 7:1-5)

The Heart Of Pharaoh

The official title of the Egyptian kings throughout the ages was Pharaoh. It is thought that the name Pharaoh is a compound of the words’ Ra,’ the “sun” or “sun-god,” and the article’ phe,’ “the.” The Pharaohs were considered gods by the people, or “the sun-god.” Everything in the culture, politics, economics, and military revolved around the worship of Pharaoh, who considered himself a divine presence. Egypt was a land filled with idolatry. Egyptian life was deeply polytheistic, with a pantheon that included more than 2,000 deities over the course of its history. They had a god for everything.

God sent Moses to Pharaoh to bring the Hebrews out of the slavery that Pharaoh imposed upon the people. The Pharaoh did not know Joseph and showed no interest in caring for the Hebrews as previous Pharaohs had. He was worried the Hebrews would multiply and join a foreign army to depose the Pharaoh and take over the land. Pharaoh tried to work the people to death, but to no avail. He demanded that the midwives kill all the baby boys. The midwives refused. Finally, he made it a law that all Hebrew baby boys were to be cast into the river. The wickedness of Pharaoh was deeply embedded in his belief that he was a god. Pharaoh considered himself to be divine and was about to meet the One who was truly divine.

God told Moses to return to Egypt and bring His people out. The Lord knew that Pharaoh was a wicked man and would refuse to let the people go. God told Moses that He would harden the king’s heart so that he would not let the people go. The Lord used the heart of Pharaoh to show His signs and wonders in the land of Egypt, knowing Pharaoh would harden his heart. Pharaoh’s heart grew hard and refused to listen to Moses and Aaron. After the first plague of the water turning blood, the heart of Pharaoh was unmoved. The second plague of frogs devastated the land of Egypt, but when the king saw the frogs go away, he hardened his heart. After the third plague of lice, Pharaoh’s heart grew hard. The flies came in the fourth plague. God removed the flies, and not one remained, but Pharaoh hardened his heart and would not let the people go.

Livestock died in the fifth plague. But the heart of Pharaoh hardened, and he would not let the people go. The sixth plague brought boils upon the people, and the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh. Hail came in the seventh plague, bringing great destruction to the land and animals. When Pharaoh saw that the rain, the hail, and the thunder had ceased, he sinned yet more; and he hardened his heart, he and his servants. The heart of Pharaoh was hard! He refused to let the people go.

God sent Moses to the king for the eighth time to warn him of the coming plague of locusts. The Lord tells Moses that He had hardened Pharaoh’s heart to show His power and majesty to the Egyptians and the Hebrews for generations to come. Locusts filled the land of the Egyptians, consuming everything in their path. When the Lord took the locust away, the Lord hardened Pharaoh’s heart. Again, the king refused to let the people go. After the ninth plague of darkness, the Lord hardened once again the heart of Pharaoh. The people would not be free until the Lord killed all the firstborn among the Egyptians, including man and animal. When the people were freed from Egypt, the Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh to go after the Hebrews to kill them. God showed His power over Egypt in the final blow of destroying the Egyptian army.

The Lord God uses evil men for His purpose. Pharaoh was a wicked man whom the Lord used to show His glory and power to the whole world. God used the Canaanites and the Philistines to punish His people. Nations like Assyria, Babylon, Persia, Greece, and Rome all played a part in God’s divine plan. Herod the Great was a pawn of God, as were his descendants, who murdered many of God’s people. God hardened Pharaoh’s heart because Pharaoh’s heart was evil. Those who do not receive the love of the truth will be given strong delusions to believe the lie because they did not believe the truth but had pleasure in unrighteousness. God’s power and glory are clearly seen in His dealings with the heart of Pharaoh.

Where there is no revelation, the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law. (Proverbs 29:18)

The Purpose Of Law

God established law to ordain order in the universe. The laws of nature are in place for the benefit of man. Gravity allows humanity to live on the earth in perfect harmony with its environment. The rotation of the earth brings seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, and day and night. God also gave laws to man, and He expects His creation to abide by His laws. The laws of God are not burdensome. They are not given for the restriction of the human spirit but the joy found in following the wisdom of God.

The first law given was not to eat of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. God blessed man with everything he needed as long as he did not disobey the law. When Eve ate the fruit, and Adam also ate, they suffered the consequences of God’s law. The Lord did not desire to punish man, but He did. During the days of Noah, the world turned away from the word of God, seeking wisdom in their passions and lusts. The world became a corrupt place where the wickedness of man was evil continually. God destroyed all humanity except for Noah and his family.

Noah kept the law of God because he believed in the revealed word of God. He was happy when, after the flood, he and his family stepped out into a new world. Noah was happy to be in a saved condition. A year earlier, he had watched friends and family perish in the flood for their wickedness. The world had become a place of lawlessness. There was no respect for the word of God. The people were unrestrained in their passions. God had given the world His truth, but they rejected the truth of righteousness. They desired to live for their own lust and glory. When truth is abandoned, there is no more hope.

The wise man opined that those who have no vision or guidance will run wild and cast off restraint. There is nothing to restrain them. The purpose of law is to establish boundaries and guidelines. Guardrails along a mountainous road are not there to punish the person but to protect them. If there were no guardrails, people would drive off the cliff and perish. Calling the guardrails’ restricting boundaries’ fails to take their purpose into account. God has given many laws and commandments, not to punish man, but to protect him.

Following after righteousness is pursuing the will of God, who knows what man needs. As Creator, God has the right to declare what is right and wrong. The reason something is wrong is that it is not in the plan or purpose of God’s design. Adultery is a sin because it destroys the trust and covenant of marriage. God’s law of marriage is designed for the happiness of man, not his destruction. Without law, everyone would live according to their own design. If there were no laws, the world would decay into chaos and destruction. Those who keep the law of God will not only find happiness in this life but also in the life that is to come. The purpose of law is to show man the glory of God.

Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life. (Galatians 6:7-8)

Sowing And Reaping Righteousness

Sowing and reaping are not all bad. Paul warns that sowing wild oats will bring a harvest of heartache. God will not be fooled. If a man sows unrighteousness, he will harvest the same. The rule of nature remains the same for man and seed. When wheat is sown in the field, the farmer is not expecting a crop of watermelons. Apple trees will not bear bananas, and peach trees cannot produce grapes. Each species produces after its kind. Birds create birds, fish make fish, and land animals reproduce in the category of their own species. The law of sowing and reaping applies to the deeds of man. If a man lives a life of immorality and carelessness, he will die accountable for a life of rebellion. God is not mocked.

While Paul confirms the negative lessons of sowing and reaping, the law of sowing and reaping also applies to righteous things. Paul warns against sinful sowing but encourages the saints to sow to the Spirit those things that are true, noble, and righteous. If a man desires to enjoy the fruits of his labor, he will plant those things that will bring joy and happiness. A farmer sows a field of wheat to enjoy the blessings of a bountiful crop of wheat to make bread for his family, among so many other things. God has established the laws of nature that tell the farmer to plant rows and rows of corn, and he will be blessed with a bountiful crop.

Righteousness is a seed that, when planted in the heart, will bring forth multiple blessings. Godliness is a guide to help the soul find eternal life. The blessing of God’s grace ensures that those who live a godly life will be blessed with eternal life. But the outgrowth of godliness will also benefit the life that now is. Godliness is profitable for living in this world as one plants seeds of truth in their hearts. From this truth blossoms the love, mercy, and grace of God. When a man sows the word of God in his heart, he will reap the manifold blessings of an eternal Father who blesses the heart with so many things.

Reaping and sowing are important parts of Christian growth. If a man has barns full of corn, he has worked hard to plant, cultivate, tend, and harvest the crop. His joy is found in the blessings of the bounty. The same applies to growing the Christian spirit. Planting the word of God in the heart is where faith comes. Cultivating the word with prayer helps to ward off the weeds of unrighteousness. Constant attention to the growth of the heart in the word of God will bring about a bounty of blessings that will fill the heart with God’s word. In the spiritual barns of the Christian’s heart is the strength to endure hardship, face persecution, and remain faithful to the end.

Jesus taught that the seed was the word of God when He described different types of hearts. The work of the Christian is to constantly sow the pure word of God in the heart daily, filling the mind with prayer, keeping the hands busy in the industry of the kingdom, and always keeping the eyes on the goal of the prize of the upward call of Christ. When sowing and reaping are a part of the Christian’s life, their lives will be full and complete in the grace of God. Sow the seed. Reap the joys of righteousness. Fill the barns with the harvest of God’s word.

But behold, the hand of My betrayer is with Me on the table. (Luke 22:21)

The Betrayal

Twelve men had been chosen to become the apostles of Jesus. They had spent many hours over the previous few years learning from the Son of God, seeing His miracles firsthand, and receiving the power to perform miracles themselves. These twelve men were chosen to carry the message of Christ to the whole world. Peter, James, and John enjoyed a closer relationship with Jesus as they were often chosen for more personal experiences with Jesus. Thomas was a deep thinker who understood more of what Jesus was saying than the others. Judas was the apostle everyone trusted, given the responsibility of watching over the money bag. Twelve men chosen personally by Jesus.

Judas was a good man. He was a disciple of Jesus and one who loved the Lord very much. Jesus knew that one of His apostles would be targeted by Satan to bring about His death. Peter was a likely target as the devil sought to sift him like wheat. It was Judas who made the fatal decision to gain some pocket change for information that the chief priests, scribes, and elders wanted so they could have Jesus killed. Jesus and the twelve were staying in Bethany as they waited for the Passover feast to begin. While staying in the house of Simon the leper, a woman anointed Jesus with very costly fragrant oil. The twelve were indignant at the perceived waste and sharply criticized the woman. Judas openly criticized her because he was a thief who had been stealing money from the purse.

Shortly after the woman anointed Jesus with the costly oil, Judas went to the chief priests and agreed to betray Jesus to them for a sum of money. They counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. For the next few days, Judas sought an opportunity to inform the chief priests of Jesus’ whereabouts. His opportunity came on Thursday night, when Jesus celebrated the Passover with the twelve in an upper room in Jerusalem. No one knew where the prepared room was until the final moments. Only Peter and John would know where the upper room was prepared. All the preparations were made, and the thirteen men gathered in the room for one of the most solemn feasts of the year.

The Passover meal commemorated the final feast of the Hebrews before God delivered them from bondage. It was a deeply moving gathering as the disciples sang psalms, read from the scriptures, and reflected upon the grace of God. Two disciples sat close by Jesus. John was nearest, but Judas was within arm’s length of Jesus. By the time of Passover, Judas had already agreed to betray Jesus to the Jewish leaders, and the thirty pieces of silver were in his pocket. Jesus knew what Judas would do that night, and He was troubled in His spirit. Before revealing the betrayer among them, Jesus takes some water and a towel, and washes the feet of the twelve men – including the feet of Judas.

After washing their feet, Jesus tells the twelve that one of them will betray Him. Jesus shocks the apostles by saying the betrayer is the one whose hand is on the table with Him. Judas knew Jesus was speaking of him and what he had done. The eleven discussed among themselves who would do such a thing to betray Jesus, unaware that the betrayer was Judas. Jesus tells the eleven that the betrayer is the one who will dip his hand into the dish with Jesus. John asked Jesus who the betrayer was. Jesus told John that it was the one He would give a piece of bread to when He had dipped it. Taking a piece of bread, Jesus dipped it and gave it to Judas, telling him to go and do what he must do quickly. Judas leaves the upper room to carry out his terrible deed, thirty pieces of silver rattling in his purse. Jesus will die in less than 24 hours. Judas will kill himself, remorseful for what he had done to Jesus.

A Psalm of David. I will praise You with my whole heart; before the gods I will sing praises to You. I will worship toward Your holy temple, and praise Your name for Your lovingkindness and Your truth; for You have magnified Your word above all Your name. (Psalm 138:1-2)

An Attitude Of Heart

During a time of peace in the kingdom of David, the shepherd king reflected on his cedar house, where he dwelt, and the Tabernacle of the Lord that had endured four hundred years of use. Time had worn the Tent of Meeting heavily. David did not think it proper for the ark of God to dwell inside the tent curtains. God told David through the prophet Nathan that he would not build a house for the Lord because David was a man of war and had shed blood. It would be the son of David who would build the glorious temple for the Lord.

David prepared the material for Solomon to build the temple. It would take Solomon about seven years to build the great edifice honoring Jehovah God. The temple would stand as the grand centerpiece of Jerusalem until 586 B. C. when Nebuchadnezzar destroyed it completely. When the second temple was built in 516 B. C., the elderly wept for the glory of the first temple. The Temple of Solomon was a permanent structure. David would never live to see the glory of the temple he desired to build, but his heart looked upon the Tabernacle as if it were a temple. Constructed of wooden planks, the tabernacle was a three-sided structure 45 feet long and 22 feet wide. The roof was made of white linen curtains, protected by successive layers of sackcloth, red ramskins, and goatskins.

David enjoyed a deep reverence for the worn tent of meeting where the Lord communed with His people. Weathered by four hundred years of use, the Tabernacle was not a pristine remembrance of its former days. David was struck by the fine house he lived in while the Lord’s dwelling was unkept. He writes seven psalms about the tabernacle, referring to it as a temple. David saw a tent of meeting, but in his heart, he saw the holy temple of God. His attitude was that the tabernacle was a holy place where he could commune with God. He loved to worship before the Lord in His tent of meeting. It was not so much the material but the place of honor to stand before the Lord with the congregation of God’s people to offer sacrifices to the name of the Lord.

The tabernacle was destroyed along with the three temples that once stood in Jerusalem. There will never be another temple of the Lord because the practices of the Law are abolished, the priesthood vanquished, and the covenant with Israel voided. In Christ, the people of God worship in the church where God is. Through the blood of Jesus Christ, saints assemble on the first day of the week to bring sacrifices of praise to the name of God. Sadly, the hearts of the worshippers are turning more carnal than before. David saw the tabernacle as a temple. For many in the church today, worship is a casual visitation with God, requiring only a T-shirt, flip-flops, and a cup of coffee or an energy drink.

There is no dress code in the church today, but many are going so far as to make worship of God a communal experience rather than a communion. The attitudes of the heart are more disrespectful to the name of the Lord. Carnal denominationalism has filled the church with attitudes of laxity, slackness, and outright disrespect for the remembrance of the death of Jesus. Churches are filled with weakened hearts that want to bring a relaxed, passive view of worship, instead of respecting the reality that the one they stand before (or sit) is the Lord God Almighty. He gets no respect. Jesus is not honored. The Holy Spirit is humiliated. David saw the tabernacle as a temple. Saints see worship as a trip to the beach.

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice! Let your gentleness be known to all men. The Lord is at hand. Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:4-7)

The Hinge To Christian Living

There are many things the Christian needs to possess in their life to find the full enjoyment of God’s grace. Knowing one is redeemed by the blood of the Lamb should bring the joy of eternal salvation. Life can be hard, but there is a spirit of rejoicing that should permeate the soul of man, knowing that sin will not have dominion over the one who is in Christ. There are two reminders to rejoice in the Lord always. Having a daily up-look of thanksgiving moves the heart to be filled with a joyous song. This joy shows itself in the relationship people of God have with people of the world. There is a forbearance, gentle, and gracious moderation in the example of the child of God to a world filled with the chaos of sin. What the world sees in the life of the Christian is one that keeps passions in control, showing kindness toward all men.

Worry should not characterize the heart of the Christian. Jesus reminded the disciples in the mountain sermon that worry does not add one cubit to life. Worrying about matters of life causes more destruction than edification. The birds of the air are cared for by God. Those who follow Christ are of much greater value than the sparrows. God will provide. He will never forsake His people. Being anxious for nothing fosters a spirit of prayer and thanksgiving for all the provisions God gives. Prayer is the avenue of faith, trusting in the Lord to provide those things needed to give contentment to the troubled heart. God always answers the petitions of His people. The conclusion of such grace is found in the peace of God. There is a calm spirit possessed by the Christian who knows God will continue to guard and bless the hearts and minds of His children.

Center to all of the blessings of rejoicing, prayer, thanksgiving, and the worry-free spirit of the Christian is the blessing that the Lord is at hand. Knowing that the return of Jesus could be at any time is the hinge that fills the heart of the Christian with all the blessings of God. The reason Christians are anxious for nothing is that the things of the world will have no significance, knowing that the Lord is coming. Prayer and supplication are speaking to the One who can appear at any moment. A thanksgiving heart acknowledges that any day, the Lord will return to take His servants home with Him. Knowing Jesus can come at any time does not bring fear or dread, but the peace of God. This knowledge exceeds anything the Christian can imagine.

The love of the world hampers the knowledge of the return of Jesus. Paul reminded the Philippians that the Lord is at hand. His message is for them to consider the blessings of being in Christ and to reflect on whether, in death or at His return, Jesus is near. The hope of eternal life cannot be realized in this life. Eternal life comes in the next life, guarded by death and the unknown day of the Lord’s return. As the Christian walks in the light, he realizes all the blessings of being anxious for nothing because his hope is in the coming of the Lord. Praying to the Father speaks to the day when the Lord will return. No one knows that day when God will conclude the affairs of man and direct His Son to gather all the saved in the eternal home. Until that time, the saints lived lives of glory, basking in the peace of God and praying for the return of Christ.

The hinge to Christian living is how everything depends on the knowledge that the Lord is at hand. Living in Christ is living in the knowledge of His return. He has not returned for more than 2,000 years, but He will come one day. It does not matter what day that will be because Jesus does not know the day. What this means for the child of God is how joyous each day must be to realize the grace of God to share in His peace. Be anxious for nothing because Jesus is coming back. This knowledge brings rejoicing. Prayer ushers in each day as the day the Lord will come. The heart and mind are guarded through Christ Jesus because He is coming back – one day! Rejoice! Again, rejoice!!

Then the prophet Jeremiah said to Hananiah the prophet, “Hear now, Hananiah, the Lord has not sent you, but you make this people trust in a lie. Therefore thus says the Lord: ‘Behold, I will cast you from the face of the earth. This year you shall die, because you have taught rebellion against the Lord.’ ” (Jeremiah 28:15-16)

The Lord Has Not Sent You

Judah was the final remnant of the nation of Israel that remained, and the Babylonians were expanding their rule over the world, which would include the final destruction of Jerusalem and the Temple. Jeremiah is the prophet of the Lord sent to declare the final message of God’s wrath upon His rebellious people. He was not the only prophet. There were many false prophets who challenged the word of Jeremiah. Prophets like Isaiah and Micah had faded into history. Habakkuk and Zephaniah brought the word of the Lord to the people. Jeremiah would live in the final forty years of the nation as false prophets preached a message of false hope.

Jeconiah (Jehoiachin), the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, had been taken to Babylon along with the treasures of the temple and the royal palace. Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon, served the will of the Lord to punish God’s people for rejecting Him. The people of God would be in captivity for seventy years according to the word of the Lord. Faithful prophets would declare the message of doom to Jerusalem, but many false prophets gave the people hope as they trusted in alliances with Egypt and other nations to save them. One such prophet was Hananiah, a prophet of Gibeon. He told the people the vessels of the Lord’s house would return within two years, including Jeconiah and all the captives that had been taken. There was a false hope that Egypt, Edom, Ammon, Moab, Tyre, and Sidon would rise against the Babylonians and crush them. In dramatic fashion, Hananiah broke off the yoke on Jeremiah’s neck to show how God would break off the yoke of Nebuchadnezzar. All of this was a message of false hope.

Jeremiah told Hananiah that iron yokes would replace the wooden yokes. Hananiah gave the people false hope, leading them to believe a lie. Hananiah died that same year. Egypt convinced Judah to revolt against Babylon, but the revolt was short-lived before the Babylonians crushed it and destroyed Jerusalem. Hananiah promised the people peace and safety, a message that was not the message of Jeremiah, the true prophet of God. Israel had been destroyed because the nation turned its back on the Lord God. Moses foretold the history of God’s people if they rebelled against the Lord. The word of God was clear that rebellion would not be tolerated. Israel was first divided and then destroyed, ending with the complete destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s Temple. Jeremiah would be proven true because his word came from the Lord.

Satan always attacks the word of God. From the day Satan deceived the woman with the words, “Has God indeed said?” until the final moments of earth’s existence, false teachers will claim to teach the word of God. Like the prophets of old, people are given false hope in a lie that will not save them. Millions believe the “sinners’ prayer” will save them. People mindlessly follow the powerful, the popular, and the exciting religious leaders. False religions espouse the teachings of men like Buddha, Mohammed, Joseph Smith, and the Pope. People flock to the doctrines of men that appeal to the intellectual, the fleshly, and the popular. Jesus taught there was only one way to the Father, and He was the only way, the only truth, and the only life.

False teachers abound in the world today. Like Hananiah, the Lord has not sent these religious leaders who make the people trust in a lie. Anyone who trusts in the words of this writer should be cautioned against accepting truth without the word of God. Everyone is responsible for being responsible in examining the teachings of all men. It demands careful understanding of what the Bible reveals. The spirit of examination should always be to speak where the Bible speaks, and to be silent when God does not speak. It’s that simple and yet that complex.