The Heaton File

And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, “Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?” that is, “My God, M God, why have You forsaken Me?” Some of those who stood there, when they heard that, said, “This Man is calling for Elijah!” Immediately one of them ran and took a sponge, filled it with sour wine and put it on a reed, and offered it to Him to drink. The rest said, “Let Him alone; let us see if Elijah will come to save Him.” (Matthew 27:46-49)

Killing Jesus And Calling For Elijah

More than eight hundred years before Christ, the prophet Elijah battled the wicked duo of Ahab and Jezebel. Elijah was a powerful figure who courageously stood against Israel’s king for all his wickedness. Ahab would call Elijah the “troubler of Israel” because of his relentless attacks against the king and his wife, Jezebel. Elijah killed eight hundred and fifty of the prophets of Jezebel who served Baal and Asherah. Israel suffered a drought that lasted three years and six months because Elijah had asked God to withhold the rain. The Lord did.

During the reign of Ahaziah, king of Israel, he injured himself and inquired of Baal-Zebub, the god of Ekron, whether he would recover. God sent a message through Elijah that Ahaziah would not recover, and the king sent fifty of his warriors to arrest Elijah. Elijah called fire from heaven to consume the men. A second group of fifty soldiers came to arrest Elijah, and God killed them with fire. Only after a third group was spared did Elijah go to the king to confirm Ahaziah would die. When the Lord was about to take Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, Elijah met with Elisha to pass his authority on to Elisha. After receiving a blessing from Elijah, suddenly a chariot of fire appeared with horses of fire, and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.

During the last half of the fifth century B.C., Malachi (contemporary with Ezra and Nehemiah) prophesied of the coming of Elijah the prophet before the great and dreadful day of the Lord. Malachi prophesied that this Elijah would turn the hearts of the people back to the Lord. Jesus told His disciples that John the Baptist was the promised Elijah who came to prepare the way for the Messiah. Now at the cross, the people have rejected Jesus of Nazareth as the Christ and, through hatred, delivered Him to the Romans to crucify. As Jesus dies on the cross, the people mock and deride Jesus. Taunting the Son of God, they laugh with contempt, saying maybe Elijah would come down in his fiery chariot and save this man from Nazareth from the cross.

Some misunderstood the language Jesus used to cry out, thinking He cried, “Eli, Eli.” They thought He was crying out for Elijah. Others thought that if Jesus were the Son of God, Elijah would appear from the sky and save the man in the middle. Their mockery hid their fear. They mocked Jesus by asking for Elijah, but if the prophet had appeared, they would have ceased mocking. Jesus lived among His people, performing signs, wonders, and miracles, yet they did not believe He was the Christ. His teachings astounded the multitudes, and they refused to accept His words. Out of envy, they cried out, “Crucify Him, crucify Him.” And the Romans crucified the Son of God.

The crowd gathered that day, mocking Jesus, and asked for Elijah to come down, not realizing who was being lifted up. Like Moses lifting up the serpent in the wilderness, so Jesus was lifted up to save all men. Elijah’s appearance would not have saved anyone. Thank God Elijah did not come and Jesus did not come down from the cross. Jesus died, and redemption through His blood would unite Jew and Gentile into the body of Christ. The veil in the Temple was torn in two from top to bottom at the death of Jesus. Elijah did not come down, but God did. He established His divine plan to save all men through His Son, Jesus Christ.

Therefore, beloved, looking forward to these things, be diligent to be found by Him in peace, without spot and blameless. (2 Peter 3:14)

It Takes Diligence

In Peter’s final message to the saints, he reminds them of Jesus Christ’s return and the need to give all diligence to be ready when that day comes. In his second letter, Peter began by exhorting the people of God to give all diligence to add to their faith the essential ingredients of character to be fruitful in the knowledge of Jesus Christ. The early church faced persecution from false teachers who brought destructive doctrines into the Lord’s church. Many had forsaken the right way and gone after the desires of the world, loving the wages of unrighteousness above holiness. Peter warns the saints that Jesus would return, and they would be wanting before God.

Remaining faithful takes effort. The Lord never suggested that once someone is saved, nothing more is required. Peter is writing to children of God who had tasted the good word of God and been enlightened to the truth of Jesus Christ, but were now turning away from that truth. The warning is that if they did not repent and change their ways, Jesus would return, and there would be no hope. A need for a diligent heart to resist the temptations of the flesh, the false doctrines of men, and the desire to cast off their allegiance to Christ was ever present in the first century.

To live the Christian walk requires walking, not sitting. The character of the child of God is an active spirit of diligence to remain faithful. A persistent mind to follow the word of God needs an active faith that seeks truth from God’s word. Divine knowledge does not come by osmosis. Paul reminded the Roman Christians that faith came from hearing the word of God, suggesting the need for diligence. The industry of seeking God is putting Him first in all things of life. There can never be a casual approach to divine knowledge. Peter ended his second letter admonishing the saints to grow in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ, and this requires diligence.

Faith is proportionate to the diligence put forth to grow in Christ. Many Christians remain in a spiritual kindergarten because they have made little effort to study the Word diligently. Bearing fruit requires work, effort, energy, and exertion. A lazy man will hope the crops grow and bear fruit, but he will die because of his slothfulness. So it is with the word of God when a man is too lazy to spend time in the Word to know God. Everyone should give diligence to be found by Jesus Christ in peace, without spot and blameless.

Jesus did not return in Peter’s lifetime, and He has yet to return after two thousand years. This time of longsuffering leads men to ignore the warnings and refuse to be diligent about their faith. They become lazy and slothful in faith – and then Jesus comes. The ones who will be saved are the diligent ones. Those who are lost were not diligent. Serving the Lord God takes diligence. Workers in the vineyard of God are expected to be working. Be diligent. Jesus is coming.

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. If we say that we have not sinned, we make Him a liar, and His word is not in us. (1 John 1:8-10)

Finding Purpose In What I Am – A Sinner Needing Saving

Finding abundant life in Jesus means knowing He came to save all men and give them eternal life. Jesus said He is the door, and all who enter will be saved. Like a shepherd, the Lord will lead the obedient to pastures of green along the still waters. All of those in the flock of God will be fed abundantly, protected from the ravages of wolves, and be secure hearing the voice of the shepherd calling their names.

Jesus is not just a shepherd. He knows the frailty of the human spirit. In the beginning, man was created in the image of God. Through the Father’s promise, Jesus came to give His life as the good shepherd because all men needed the saving grace of Jesus’ blood. Animals could not redeem sinful man. No works a man could do would save him. God so loved the world that He was willing to give His Son as the blood sacrifice to redeem sinful man.

Finding purpose in Christ alone begins with man seeing himself for what he is. First, he is an eternal creature. Second, he is a failed eternal creature. When Eve took of the fruit and gave it to Adam, the tragedy of man’s story was highlighted in the requirement of a blood sacrifice to redeem them back to God. Through the ages, God allowed sacrifices to lead men to Him for salvation. All these sacrifices, multiplied by thousands, could not remove the debt of sin. Jesus is the abundant life because He abundantly gave of Himself to redeem those who killed him.

Sinful man can never find the grace of God until he admits he is a sinful creature. A man who refuses to acknowledge he is lost does not change his circumstance but shows the folly of not recognizing the state he is in. Jesus came to give the abundant life of salvation in the gospel. On the Day of Pentecost, no greater acknowledgment is given than those who cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” (Acts 2:37). Everyone is a sinner needing saving. Only through the abundance of God’s grace can a man imagine eternal life.

Finding purpose in life is understanding what I am. There is nothing I have done to merit the grace and love of God. All that a man can do in life is empty compared to the goodness and severity of God. “For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:22b-23). The abundant life in Christ Jesus comes with a cost. It cost God His only begotten Son. Saving man required the death of God’s Son. The reason for the death of Jesus on the cross was because of sin. He paid the final cost to redeem man because there was nothing sinful man could do. Man was a creature needing saving.

Life must have a purpose to be full. The Christian has a full life as they see God’s grace in their hearts, cleansing them of sin, lifting them from the dregs of wickedness, and blessing them with the eternal message of forgiveness through the blood of Jesus. Salvation does not come from works, lest anyone boast. Sinful man has been saved by the grace of God to be His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works (Ephesians 2:8-10). That is where the abundance of God dwells. Jesus came to bring the abundant life to save a sinner from the wrath of God. Thank God for Jesus Christ.

The righteous shall flourish like a palm tree; he shall grow like a cedar in Lebanon. Those who are planted in the house of the Lord shall flourish in the courts of our God. They shall still bear fruit in old age; they shall be fresh and flourishing, to declare that the Lord is upright; He is my rock, and there is no unrighteousness in Him. (Psalm 92:12-15)

The Trees Of The Lord

On the third day of creation, God spoke, and the earth brought forth grass, the herb that yields seed, and the fruit trees in abundance. Trees were created before the sun, moon, and stars. The birds and the animals came on the fifth and sixth day. Man was made on the sixth day. God used His creation to tell the story of His grace, mercy, and love. The psalmist used the natural earth in many of their psalms, including the palm tree and the mighty cedars of Lebanon. A palm tree is a noble tree sending all its strength upward in one bold column. Its strength lay in growing amid the desert’s drought as a beacon of hope for the weary traveler. On the summit of the mountain, the cedar tree stood against the harsh winds that battered it daily.

The godly man will rejoice in the knowledge of the great works of God. Creation shows the Lord’s handiwork, including lessons from the trees. Like a palm tree, the righteous will flourish in a harsh world. The palm tree was a tall and elegant symbol of life and hope. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the people waved palm leaves before Him. Solomon carved palm trees into the walls of the temple. The cedar tree survived high in the mountains, facing the onslaught of brutal weather. It became a symbol of strength and was used for its lasting qualities.

Those who follow the word of the Lord and pattern their lives after the righteous judgments of God flourish like a palm tree. The abundance of the fruit of the palm brings life. His strength will be rooted in the word of God, so that when the strong winds of adversity come, the strength of the cedar will secure the heart to withstand the wiles of the devil. The heart of the righteous will be firmly planted in the house of the Lord to enjoy its blessings of divine communion. Even in old age, the righteous will remain a symbol of strength and fruitfulness. Age does not diminish the heart in serving the Lord; it enhances it.

Aged believers have much to offer the kingdom of God. Through life’s experiences, they bring the glory of the palm tree, which stands in a stark world yet remains flourishing and abundant in fruit. The strength of age is like the cedar tree, which withstands the winds of change and uncertainty. Only in the house of the Lord will true joy be found to bear fruit that is fresh and flourishing. God is the rock, and He establishes the righteous as palm trees and cedars. The world sees the glory of God in the righteous men and women who adorn themselves like the palm and cedar. God’s creation extols His glory, and in the church, the eternal grace of God is found in the righteous. Growing up to be giants in a desolate land is the glory of the Christian life. Finding security in the cedars of God’s people is where the strength of grace is demonstrated.

Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking, as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious. (1 Peter 2:1-3)

The Desire Of A Baby

Children remind the world of innocence. The humble spirit of a child is born from their lack of knowledge of the cruelties of life. They do not look at the world in the sordid, unpleasant, and evil way that characterizes the hearts of men. The beauty of childhood is its innocence. A newborn child has only a few needs: protection, provision, and a need to belong. As the baby grows, it begins to see the world in a darker light because knowledge opens the child’s heart to the depravity of man’s fall. One sad part of growing up is how the heart changes to see the evil in the world. What was once hidden is on clear display. The attitudes of the heart buried in the innocence of childhood are awakened.

There are some characteristics not found in the child’s heart. An evil heart is not found in the heart of a child. They do not understand evil behavior. A child’s heart is not filled with deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and unkind speech. These traits are learned from adults who live in a world of sin. Children naturally tend to be pure in heart and filled with an innocence of righteousness. What a child becomes is shaped by what parents teach. Only in the time of infancy is the heart pure and clean.

The Holy Spirit uses infants as an example of the Christian walk. Jesus told Nicodemus that salvation comes only from those born again. Nicodemus did not understand the metaphor Jesus was using, asking how a man can be born again from his mother’s womb. Jesus explained that the birth He meant was being born of water and the Spirit. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, but Jesus was teaching Nicodemus about those born of the Spirit. Paul later wrote about the new creation, where old things have passed away, and all things have become new. This symbolizes the new birth from the world of sin to a new life in Christ. To the churches in Galatia, Paul explained that circumcision or uncircumcision mattered not, but a new creation.

Babies need nourishment. They do not understand the science behind their hunger pains, but they do know they want something to eat. They have a natural desire to be fed without understanding why. Their desire is intense, and they will cry until fed. In the same way, a newborn child of God must hunger and thirst for the word of God. Christian growth comes from laying aside all the sinful attitudes of the word and desiring the pure milk of the word. The pure milk of the word is the untarnished, unstained, and unadulterated pure words of God’s mouth. There is a desire to know the character of God, His Son Jesus Christ, and the power of the Holy Spirit. Like an infant child, there is a driving need to be nourished by the pure milk of the word.

If a baby does not grow, people worry. Babes in Christ need to grow, or they will become malnourished, sickly, weak, and the condition could lead to death. Newborn Christians must grow. Having tasted the gracious mercies of the Lord, how can a new Christian not long for and desire to know all that can be known about their salvation? Growth must be a constant for the new Christian. Some older Christians, by virtue of physical aging, are still in the infancy of spiritual knowledge and have not grown to maturity. God wants His children to grow in the grace and knowledge of the Lord Jesus Christ. Above all things – grow.

Men of Israel, hear these words: Jesus of Nazareth, a Man attested by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs which God did through Him in your midst, as you yourselves also know— Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death. (Acts 2:22-23)

Forgiveness May Not Change The Consequence Of Sin

The Day of Pentecost was the most important day in world history. It was the day the full plan of the Divine will came together to show the world the abundant mercy of God. The gospel of Jesus Christ was preached to a lost world, and three thousand souls obeyed. Peter told the Jews that God had shown His divine plan by sending Jesus to reveal the Divine power through signs, wonders, and miracles. All of the events of that day were the fulfillment of the prophet Joel, who spoke to the people eight hundred years earlier.

Peter explained that Jesus of Nazareth was the promised Christ. Everything in the life of Jesus was established by the determined purpose of the Father. Jesus knew He would suffer and die at the hands of the Jews and Romans. Jesus’ death was not a failure. Everything pointed to the sacrifice of the Lamb of God. Peter boldly told the Jews standing before him that they had taken Jesus by lawless hands, crucified Him, and put Him to death. It had only been a little over a month since the travesty of justice where Jesus was sentenced to death had taken place. Everything about the charges against Jesus was false, His so-called trials a sham, and the Roman court’s sentence of Him to death illegal. And yet He was killed. Many witnesses testified the man in the middle was Jesus of Nazareth.

Peter told the crowd they must repent of killing the Son of God. He convicted many in the crowd of the guilt of what they had so hastily done in screaming out, “Crucify Him.” Peter declared to the house of Israel that God had made Jesus of Nazareth, whom they crucified, murdered on a cross, both Lord and Christ. When the people heard the words of Peter, they cried out, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?” Peter told them to repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins. Three thousand souls gladly believed the words of Peter and were baptized. Their sins were washed away. The guilt of killing the Son of God was measured by the mercy of God in forgiveness.

In all the joy of seeing the hearts of devout men face their guilt of sin and immerse themselves in water to wash away their sins, there is one issue that remains clear. Jesus was killed by lawless hands. When God forgives sin, He removes it as far as the east is from the west. He buries it in the deepest parts of the sea. Forgiveness is total and complete, but that does not suggest that the consequences of sin do not remain. The death of Jesus was in the plan of God, and Jesus had to die. Forgiveness does not remove the consequence of sin.

David and Bathsheba were forgiven, but their sin had consequences. A man can commit a crime and, while forgiven before God, may have to serve out punishment in the courts of law. The murderer can find the grace of God in forgiveness and still face the death chamber. Forgiveness is in the mind of God. A man will reap what he sows, even if he has been forgiven. When a person desires to come to Christ, there may be things in life he cannot change, but the most important thing is his relationship with God. Many must live with the consequences of their sin, even as they are blessed with God’s forgiveness.

There is joy in knowing God takes away the stain of sin through the blood of Jesus Christ. Those who obeyed the gospel on the Day of Pentecost were forgiven, but lawless hands still killed Jesus. The depth of God’s love, mercy, and grace will take away the guilt of sin, but most often the consequences remain. It takes courage to accept God’s grace and forgiveness and still live with the consequences that sin may bring.

And the following day they entered Caesarea. Now Cornelius was waiting for them, and had called together his relatives and close friends. (Acts 10:24)

The Soldier Evangelist

When the gospel of Christ was first preached in Jerusalem, three thousand Jews responded to God’s grace and washed away their sins in baptism. The church began with the Jews, as the apostles established it with the first converts from the nation of God’s people. God always planned to include the Gentiles in the church, but it had to come in its own time. Jesus told Peter he would be given the keys of the kingdom and through the preaching of Peter and the apostles, the door of salvation was opened for the Jews on the Day of Pentecost.

A few years after Pentecost, in the Father’s divine will, the Gentiles would also receive the message of the gospel, and it would come from the most unlikely source. There were many Gentiles who could have been the first recipients of the gospel, but God chose a man who represented the Roman Empire as a centurion of the Roman army. A centurion was a commander of a division in the Roman army consisting of one hundred men. Cornelius belonged to a division of the Roman army composed of the highly regarded soldiers from Italy.

What set Cornelius apart from his cohorts was his deep faith in the one true God. He was a devout man who feared the true and living God. His devotion to the Lord was seen in his benevolence and constant prayers. However, he was not a Christian and had no hope of eternal life. An angel came to Cornelius and instructed him to send for the apostle Peter in Joppa. The angel did not instruct the Roman commander what to do to be saved but told him to send for a man who would tell him words by which he and all his household could be saved. Cornelius sent for Peter and Peter came.

The meeting of Peter and Cornelius was remarkable. Cornelius was excited about Peter’s arrival. He had followed the angel’s instructions and eagerly anticipated the arrival of a man he had never met. His anticipation was so exciting that he called together his relatives and close friends. He wanted others to hear what Peter had to say. And then another remarkable thing happened. When a fisherman from Galilee came into the home of a Roman centurion, the centurion fell down at the feet of the fisherman and worshiped him. Peter forbade Cornelius because God had shown him that all men were equal and deserved the gospel of Christ.

Peter began to teach those assembled in Cornelius’s home the good news of Jesus Christ. He showed the Gentiles that Jesus died and rose from the dead, and many saw Jesus after His resurrection. Peter explained that salvation came to those who believed in him through the remission of sins. Suddenly, the Holy Spirit came upon all those who heard the word, to the amazement of the believers that the gift of the Holy Spirit came upon the Gentiles. Peter then exhorted those gathered in his home to be baptized into water in the name of the Lord.

The first Gentile convert was not Cornelius – it was himself along with his relatives and friends. A man from outside God’s nation set an example of evangelism for all to follow. Luke never gives the number of relatives and friends assembled in Cornelius’s home, but he describes how Cornelius invited them to listen to Peter’s words. They responded individually to the gospel of Christ because they were invited to Cornelius’s home. Through a simple invitation to hear the gospel, Cornelius’s relatives and friends joined him as children of God.

If a Roman soldier can set an example of evangelism, everyone would benefit from learning the joy of inviting others into their home to hear someone share the gospel of Christ. Cornelius did not teach his relatives and friends. Peter did. Because of Cornelius’s invitation, others became Christians. Cornelius was a Roman soldier doing the work of an evangelist. He unknowingly followed Philip’s words to Nathanael: “Come and see.” Put on the armor of Christ and invite people to your home.

Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created for My glory; I have formed him, yes, I have made him. (Isaiah 43:7)

Finding Purpose In Who I Am: Created In The Image Of God

Jesus came into the world to be a divine shepherd to those whom the Godhead created in their image. Creation established the order of the physical world by forming the land, sea, sun, moon, and stars. The world was filled with an abundance of creatures in the seas, skies, and land. On the sixth day, God created man and woman, who were the highest of His creation because they were made in His image. Animals were given the breath of life but were not created eternal. Adam and Eve were created with the breath of life and endowed with an eternal spirit that will never pass away.

Death is the consequence of sin. After the fall of man, God removed Adam and Eve from the garden so they could not eat of the tree of life and live forever. The world has seldom understood death. As the world populated, the heart of man turned toward the pleasures of sin. The heart of man cared only about the here and now and tried to get as much gusto out of life as possible. There was no forethought of life after death. Sin seared the minds of men to believe only in the joys of life in the present. God destroyed the world in the days of Noah, and only eight souls were saved from the flood. God promised Abraham a seed that would bring blessing to the whole world. That Seed was Jesus Christ.

Jesus came to bring an abundant life to the misery of the world (John 10:9-10). He was the good shepherd who cared for His sheep and was willing to die for His sheep. Jesus was not a hireling who cared nothing for the flock. The life of Jesus was purposed for one goal: to bring the gospel of salvation to a lost and dying world. Sin required the death of Jesus. He willingly took the place of all men to be the intercessor between sinful man and righteous God. Through the blood of Jesus, the abundant blessings of God’s mercy are found.

The world fails when men refuse to believe they are eternal creatures. Jesus died for the world because God created eternal beings, and He desires to save all men (2 Peter 3:9). The greatest tragedy is that all men are created in the image of God, and most men refuse to believe in eternal judgment. Only when a man understands he will never cease to exist can he understand the joy of God’s love and the reality of His wrath. Everyone is created in the image of God, regardless of skin color, language, wealth or poverty, fame or infamy. All men bear the mark of the Divine.

Jesus came to bring the grace of eternal life, and what He gave is overwhelming, abundant, immeasurable, and eternal. Finding purpose in Christ alone means seeking the abundance of God’s promise of eternal life. Death is not the end but the beginning of life. This promise was made true through the blood of Jesus Christ. There is no life outside of Christ. All spiritual blessings are in Christ because He is the abundant one (Ephesians 1:3). He is the only abundant life. Eternal life is given to those whom God has created for His glory and to obey His will. Jesus is the good shepherd who provides all the needs of the flock. As a shepherd, Jesus cares for the flock of God whom the Father will bless abundantly. You are created in the image of God. Let the good shepherd lead you to the Father.

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. (Matthew 2:16)

The Killing Of The Innocent

Herod the Great was King of Judah at the time of Jesus’ birth and wielded an invincible lust for power and pleasure. It was not beyond the course of Herod’s desire to exact terrible bloodshed upon any who opposed him, especially those of his own family. Some stories tell of moments before his death, Herod ordered all the nobles who came to witness his passing to be executed immediately upon his death. He wanted his death to be attended by universal mourning. Remarkably, Herod was Jewish in his faith, knowing the Law of Moses and God’s people.

The story that sets Herod apart in the revelation of God’s word is his furious reprisal against Bethlehem. A few years after Jesus’ birth, Magi from the East came seeking the young child. They had seen the star of the young child in the East, and they desired to worship Him. When Herod the King heard of the Magi, he was troubled when they referred to the Christ child as the King of the Jews. Herod gathered the chief priests and scribes to inquire where the Christ was to be born. The Jewish scholars told Herod the Christ was to be born in Bethlehem of Judea.

Herod secretly called the Magi to him, asking them when the star appeared to them. He sent them to Bethlehem, telling them to send news when they found the young child so he could also worship the King of the Jews. The Magi made the journey to Bethlehem, following the star they had seen in the East until it came and stood over the house where Jesus was. Joseph and Mary invited the men into their home, and they received gifts of gold, frankincense, and myrrh. As the Magi prepared to return home, they were divinely warned in a dream not to return to Herod, but to go home another way. An angel of the Lord also warned Joseph to take his family to Egypt, for God knew that Herod wanted to kill the young child, Jesus.

When Herod realized the Magi were not returning to tell him about the Christ child, he sent his soldiers to the city of Bethlehem and put to death all the male children from two years old and under. The people of Bethlehem had no warning. Life was normal as they plodded through their daily activities as they had done for centuries. Seeing the soldiers coming did not alarm them, as it was not uncommon for soldiers to ride through the area. What became a horrifying reality was the soldiers dismounting, going into homes, and killing children. None were spared if they were two years old or younger. Every male child in Bethlehem was massacred by the hand of Herod. No one had legal recourse, military revenge, or national outrage. Parents picked up their murdered children, hearts filled with grief, and bore them to their graves.

Herod’s atrocity against Bethlehem was not new. Cain killed his innocent brother over nothing. The world of Noah was filled with wickedness, including murder, rape, cruelty, and the killing of innocents. Nations ravaged other nations, slaughtering thousands upon thousands. Religious zealots carried out the Crusades in the name of God. In turn, the Moslems killed the Christians in the name of their God. One hundred and twenty people were massacred in Southern Utah Territory in 1857 by settlers from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints (Mormons). Twenty-five years ago, a radical group of religious zealots succeeded in killing thousands in the name of their false god. The inhumanity of man will continue.

Jesus did not come to take away men like Herod. Before Jesus died, Herod Antipas, the son of Herod the Great, summoned the Son of God. Jesus said nothing. Herod sent Jesus back to Pilate. There will always be Herods in the world who will do horrible things. The Bin Ladens of this world are legion. Jesus came to bring peace to a world filled with violence. Judgment will be imposed upon those who deny God and use religion as a tool for murder. There may not be justice in this life, but death is the great equalizer and judgment. Pray for the innocent and pray for the enemies. Jesus died for everyone – without exception.

So it was, as soon as Gideon was dead, that the children of Israel again played the harlot with the Baals, and made Baal-Berith their God. Thus the children of Israel did not remember the Lord their God, who had delivered them from the hands of all their enemies on every side; nor did they show kindness to the house of Jerubbaal (Gideon) in accordance with the good he had done for Israel. (Judges 8:33-35)

They Were Unfaithful And Ungracious

The period of the judges for Israel was a time of upheaval, chaos, and rebellion. God’s people had settled the promised land but failed to keep the promises they made to the Lord. When Joshua was dying, they promised their great leader they would serve the Lord. Israel promised to obey the voice of the Lord. Joshua set up a great stone as a memorial of the covenant the people made with God. After Joshua’s death, a generation arose that did not know the Lord or the work He had done for Israel. They broke all their promises and did evil in the sight of the Lord. Idolatry filled the land as the hearts of the people turned to Baal and the Ashtoreths.

God punished the people for their rebellion until they cried for relief. The Lord raised up judges to deliver them, and peace returned to the land. After a time, they played the harlot with other gods and bowed down to them. A cycle of judges repeated year after year as the people rebelled, suffered the wrath of God, and were delivered by the mercy of the Lord. Gideon was the fifth judge who would deliver the people from the Midianites. He would judge the people for forty years.

The problem with Israel becomes clear when Gideon dies. After forty years of leadership under the son of Joash, the people took little time to return to Baal and the Ashtoreths. As soon as Gideon died, the people immediately returned to the evil that angered the Lord. Gideon seems to be the only reason the people were held in check, but all the while, they longed for the ways of Baal. Their hearts were never fully devoted to the Lord. When Gideon died, the people forgot the Lord God who delivered them from all their enemies. They were ungrateful, unthankful, and unfaithful to the covenant they made with God. Their wickedness was so great that they refused to give honor to Gideon, the great warrior who delivered them by the power of God from their enemies and brought peace to the land for forty years.

A Japanese proverb says, “Once on shore, pray no more.” So often, when a crisis comes, people turn to God and expect deliverance. Then, once the crisis is over, they no longer need God. They cast Him aside as a useless toy with no value. As a nation, Israel begged for God’s deliverance, and He granted it. As soon as the judge dies, the people return to Baal and the Ashtoreths because there is no need for God. This sinful cycle is found in the lives of many people who seek to be saved from a crisis but have no intention of serving the Lord with a grateful heart.

Israel’s unfaithfulness and ungracious heart should be a warning to all who falsely believe that God is like a vending machine where prayers are answered for deliverance, but the heart has no intention of serving the Lord. Unfaithfulness and ungraciousness lead to the arrogant belief that God serves man rather than man serving God. Faithfulness belongs in the heart of the faithful regardless of who the judge is. Salvation cannot be measured by how faithful the elders or preachers are, but by how the individual serves the Lord. This may be despite the leadership. Each one will give an account of themselves before God. Pray that the hearts of the people are not like those when Gideon died. Stay true to the Lord God alone.