The Heaton File

And they kept the Feast of Unleavened Bread seven days with joy; for the Lord made them joyful, and turned the heart of the king of Assyria toward them, to strengthen their hands in the work of the house of God, the God of Israel. (Ezra 6:22)

Worship The Lord With Joy

There was much to rejoice as the children of Israel who returned from captivity looked upon the rebuilt Temple in Jerusalem. Many of the older priests, Levites, and other leaders who had seen the first Temple wept aloud when they saw the new Temple’s foundation. Sixteen years later the finished Temple stood gleaming in the bright sunshine and the heart of the people wept and rejoiced at the completion of the house of God. The Passover marked the beginning of restoring worship in Jerusalem and the Feast of Unleavened bread was kept for seven days with joy because the Lord had given them a purpose for rejoicing. Through the providential mercy of God, the king of Assyria allowed the people to return to Jerusalem. There had been a great revival in the land through the preaching of the prophets Haggai and Zechariah son of Iddo fortified by the hand of God moving in the hearts of Cyrus, Darius, and Artaxerxes, the kings of Persia.

Joy permeated the worship at the dedication of the Temple because the people recognized the hand of God in their lives. Without the power of God, they would remain in bondage and captivity. They could see the will of the Lord working among the nations of the world to bring the Jews back to the land promised to them through Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. The Temple was the manifestation of God’s grace and they lifted their voices in praise with joy. Worship must come from the understanding of where man is in the scheme of things and how God’s grace overshadows his life. The people knew the new temple was a manifestation of the love of God and without the kindness of the Lord to allow them to return, there would be no hope. Joy filled their hearts because they had a purpose to live in serving the God who had rescued them.

Nearly ninety years had passed when the Temple of Solomon was destroyed. After seventy years in the land of Babylon, the Jews were allowed to return as declared by God through the prophets. After some delay, the second temple was finished. Worship in the early days of the second temple filled the walls with praise, honor, and thanksgiving. The joy that flowed in the hearts of the people came from knowing what God had done for them. Worship has always been true when men realize the source of their blessings. Joy must be a part of worship for without joy there can be no worship. The key to worshiping the Lord is to know that man is dependent upon the grace of God and without it, there would be no hope. Realizing all that God has done turns the heart from pride to humble acceptance of the blessings of a loving Father.

Worship does not come from temples made with hands but hearts formed by the love of God. Standing before the throne of God and realizing without the grace, mercy, and love of a forgiving Father, no one would have any hope. Yet, gathering with the hosts of God’s people in a place of worship and realizing all that God has done, every promise the Lord has made and the hope given through the blood of Jesus Christ; the heart can hardly restrain from bursting forth in eternal praise. It is easy to go through worship without any emotion or feeling of praise. The Lord made the people joyful because of His love for them. True worship comes from the heart of God’s people who reflect upon the price paid for their redemption. Jesus died a miserable and horrible death so that His disciples could worship in joy. God loved the world so much He willingly gave His only begotten Son to die for the sins of the world. How more love can man receive from the hand of God and not desire to sing the praise of joy? Worship is praise and joy.

I do not pray for these alone, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word; that they all may be one, as You, Father, are in Me, and I in You; that they also may be one in Us, that the world may believe that You sent Me. (John 17:20-21)

Christ Prayed For Unity

Prayer is a powerful tool to communicate with the Father and Jesus knew full well its impact. He spent many, many hours in prayer. When it was time to choose the twelve apostles, the Lord spent all night in prayer. With the shadow of the cross bearing down upon Him, Jesus prayed earnestly to the Father for strength to endure the suffering. Prayer was a vital part of the character of Jesus. As He spent the final hours with the eleven, the Son of God prayed for Himself, the eleven, and the world. The request of Jesus to His Father for the world was that when the gospel would be preached that all men would unite under the single message of salvation found in Christ. Those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, must be united in one. The word of God would bring lost souls to the kingdom and there was going to be only one kingdom. Jesus wanted His followers to be one. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were united in one and those who made up the body of Christ must also be one. When the believers of Christ are united in one the world will see the power of the gospel.

Two thousand years removed from the prayer of Jesus, the world is struggling to fulfill the desires of His prayer. The nature of prayer is rooted in the blessings of God from heaven but it requires obedience in the will of men to bring the prayer to fruition. Jesus prayed that all believers to be one but the selfish hearts of men deny that prayer as the religious world of Christianity is severely divided. No honest person can admit that all believers are united. Believers in Jesus wear different names like Baptist, Lutheran, Catholic, Methodist, Mormon, Nazarene, and Presbyterian. The phrase “hyphenated-Christian” is an accepted means to identify the different kinds of faiths under the flag of Christ. How can men be united when they wear different names?

The doctrines of supposed believers in Christ are different. Some churches teach that baptism is not essential for salvation while others deny remission of sins in baptism; infant baptism is practiced including different modes of “baptism” by sprinkling and pouring. The Lord’s Supper is practiced in many different ways at different times while churches like the Salvation Army do not follow the practice. Salvation varies from the doctrines of each church where some insist salvation by grace through faith alone, a paradise on literal earth with only a select group entering heaven, salvation based solely on works, and many churches embracing some or all tenets of Calvinism. Creeds vary from group to group with the Baptist Manual, International Executive Council of the Churches of God, Watchtower Bible, Methodist Book of Discipline, Book of Confessions, Apostles Creed, Nicene Creed, and Athanasian Creed. The Roman Catholic Church follows their Catechisms, Councils, and the infallible word of the Pope.

It is impossible to find unity among those who profess a belief in Jesus thereby making void the prayer of the Son of God. Jesus prayed that all those who believed in Him would be one but the carnal hearts of men deny that prayer. Paul would later describe unity as those who spoke the same thing perfectly joined together in the same mind and the same judgment with no divisions among them. How can any rational person suggest the world of believers is united in one? Did the prayer of Jesus fail? No, the prayer of Jesus did not fail because those who believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God are united under one flag. They follow the same teachings found in the scripture without variation of doctrines contained with the word of God.

The prayer of Jesus pleaded for all men to be one in Christ. This can only be done when men turn away from the teachings of the religious leaders that teach what is not found in the Bible. One of the clearest proofs of apostasy is when churches reflect doctrines never found in scripture. All of the Protestant churches that exist today began less than five hundred years ago by men. When different names are worn not found in scripture the church is man-made. The Bible is not hard to understand and doctrines that deny the word of God do not find unity in Christ. The challenge of truth is measured by what is found in the word of God. Unity can be found today among those who accept the Lordship of Jesus Christ turning away from the teachings of men. Let the Bible speak! Jesus prayed for unity. You must fulfill that prayer by subjecting to the word of God alone.

And Jeroboam said in his heart, “Now the kingdom may return to the house of David: If these people go up to offer sacrifices in the house of the Lord at Jerusalem, then the heart of this people will turn back to their lord, Rehoboam king of Judah, and they will kill me and go back to Rehoboam king of Judah.”

Therefore the king asked advice, made two calves of gold, and said to the people, “It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem. Here are your gods, O Israel, which brought you up from the land of Egypt!” And he set up one in Bethel, and the other he put in Dan. Now this thing became a sin, for the people went to worship before the one as far as Dan. He made shrines on the high places and made priests from every class of people, who were not of the sons of Levi.

Jeroboam ordained a feast on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, like the feast that was in Judah, and offered sacrifices on the altar. So he did at Bethel, sacrificing to the calves that he had made. And at Bethel, he installed the priests of the high places which he had made. So he made offerings on the altar which he had made at Bethel on the fifteenth day of the eighth month, in the month which he had devised in his own heart. And he ordained a feast for the children of Israel, and offered sacrifices on the altar and burned incense. (1 Kings 12:26-33)

Knock-Off Religion

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a “knockoff” is a copy that sells for less than the original; broadly, a copy or imitation of someone or something popular. It is not the real thing but looks and feels like the original and is made at a much cheaper price and of less quality. The market for knock-off goods impacts consumers’ products in the billions of dollars lost every year. Bogus luxury goods fill the markets luring customers to buy what they believe to be the real product when in reality they are counterfeits. The market for fake merchandise is not new to the modern world. Men have always found ways to fool the public into buying what they believe to be real for something phony.

King Jeroboam was an early trader of the system of forgery when he fooled a large part of God’s people to follow after a religion that was nothing more than a knock-off religion. Worried the tribes he had been able to influence to his cause would return to Rehoboam and the tribes of the south, Jeroboam made a false religion that looked like the true religion of Jerusalem. His marketing ploy first appealed to the carnal nature of the human heart to want religion to be easy and comfortable. The king insisted it would be too far to go up to Jerusalem and it would be more convenient for the people to worship in Bethel and Dan. These two cities were the southern and northern reaches of his kingdom but kept the people out of the southern tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Who would not want to have worship to be an easy thing to do?

Jeroboam took a gamble in making two golden calves but he trusted the hearts of the people would see more to the difficulty of traveling to Jerusalem and the expense, time, and effort to worship in the Temple instead of the blatant sin of idolatry. He was right. His perception of the fickle nature of man played right into his plan. There was no uprising against him for introducing calf worship. No one stood against his plans for idol worship in great public unrest of rebellion. Many stood against the king but the religion of convenience introduced by Jeroboam began the northern tribes on their downward spiral of destruction in 200 years.

Under the Law of Moses, priests were to come from the tribe of Levi alone. No other tribesman could be a priest unless they were born of the house of Levi. Jeroboam relaxed the law and allowed anyone who desired to be a priest to serve. Every class of people became priests. This would be acceptable for the people as they could serve in the priesthood without restriction. The change of law went unchallenged by the masses as the calf worship in Dan and Bethel became the national religion. Jeroboam changed the celebrations of the feasts. The feast on the 15^th day of the 8^th month was like the feast in Judah but unlike the feast of Tabernacles in Judah which was held in the 7^th month. Jeroboam subverted the Law of Moses in changing the feast and the character of his knock-off religion took roots. The prophets of God would decry the acts of Jeroboam and all the kings that followed but to no avail. Following a convenient religion appealed to the heart of the people leading to their destruction.

The false religion of Jeroboam is still active in the world today as many knock-off churches look like the real thing, have parts of their makeup that look like the real thing and beguile the people to believe what they are part of is the will of the Lord. In the days of Jeroboam, it would have only taken an examination of the Law of Moses to see how corrupt and sinful the religion of the north had become. There was no divine authority that established the worship of the golden calves. The king was guilty of leading them astray but the people were also guilty for not standing against the king and his false religion. There are many churches today who have a semblance of the New Testament church mingled among their garments but the cloaks they wear are filled with false doctrine and lies.

The Bible teaches plainly the nature of the New Testament church and if a church does not look like the one found on the pages of holy writ, it is a knock-off religion. Many religious leaders have led their flocks astray in great numbers and their lives will be judged accordingly before the throne of God. The people who blindly follow the teachings of men rather than holding to the truth of the gospel of Christ will not be found innocent before the divine judge. Every person has a responsibility to hold in check the teachings of those who lead them whether it is truth or a lie. The motto of attending the church of your choice is the propaganda of the great deceiver who would allow men to worship God but to worship the Lord in their way. Satan knows there is one way and one truth but he wants his followers to follow their way and their truth. Like Israel of old, the end is worse than the beginning. You might want to check your religion. It might be a knock-off.

And he told us how he had seen an angel standing in his house, who said to him, “Send men to Joppa and call for Simon whose surname is Peter, who will tell you words by which you and all your household will be saved.” (Acts 11:13-14)

Salvation Came To The House Of Cornelius

Caesarea was located between Joppa and Dora on the coast of Palestine. Its unique place along the coast afforded a large protected harbor and became a great city of commerce. The city was the official residence of the Roman Governors with such men as Felix and Festus who presided over the trials of Paul and was also the military headquarters of the province. In the early days of the church, Peter was brought to Caesarea to meet a Roman Centurion who had been told by an angel to send for the apostle so that Peter could speak words to them. Obedient to the heavenly vision and instructions of the six men from the house of Cornelius, Peter came to see Cornelius and impart whatever words would exhort and encourage these Gentile prospects. His meeting with Cornelius would change the world.

When Peter arrived at the home of Cornelius, the Roman Centurion fell at his feet and worshiped him. Forbidding this, the apostle exhorted the soldier to rise as they were equals as men. Peter inquired why he had been called and Cornelius related the visit of the angel and the instructions for Peter to be sent for. The angel told Cornelius that when Peter arrived he would speak to them telling them how they and everyone in the household could be saved. Complying with the vision of the Lord, Cornelius gathered his family and others together to hear the message of Peter given to him by the Lord. Following the baptism of the Holy Spirit, Peter baptized Cornelius and his household in water in the name of the Lord for the forgiveness of their sins. The Gentiles had now received the blessing of salvation and Cornelius was the example of God’s grace to all men – Jew and Gentile.

Salvation came through many avenues of the divine working of God through the agency of men and the acceptance of truth in honest hearts. Cornelius was a devout, God-fearing man, as was everyone in his household but they were not saved. He gave generously to the poor and prayed regularly to God but he was not saved. What Cornelius needed was the word of God spoken to him so that he can come to the knowledge of truth through the grace of God. Peter was chosen to go to Caesarea and speak words of salvation to those gathered and through the divine providence of mercy; salvation came to the house of Cornelius. Paul reminds the Roman saints that faith came from hearing the word of God. Salvation is not simply a feeling or response to some stimuli that brings joy to the heart. Knowledge is the conduit of truth and without the word of God, there can be no understanding of the will of the Lord.

Peter explained to the church in Jerusalem how Cornelius and his household were saved. The good works of Cornelius did not save him. When the angel came to the Roman Centurion he could have told him what to do to be saved but that was not his task. The angel did not save Cornelius. After Peter’s arrival and the apostle began to tell those gathered the wonderful news of Jesus Christ, the Holy Spirit was poured forth upon all those who heard the word. The baptism of the Holy Spirit did not save them. Those who came with Peter were astonished the gift of the Holy Spirit had been given to the Gentiles. At this point, Cornelius and his household were not saved. Peter, recognizing the divine meaning of the vision he had experienced in Joppa, implored those gathered to be baptized in water. Cornelius and his household were baptized in water for the remission of their sins. Now they were saved.

There were many parts to the conversion of Cornelius and his household but it culminated when Peter came and spoke words to them by which they were saved from their sins. The pattern of salvation has remained unchanged since that day of joy in Caesarea. Doing good deeds will not save a man and being very religious will not save. Knowing what to do to be saved cannot save until the heart moves to obedience. Cornelius became a child of God when he entered the waters of baptism. It is that moment the grace, mercy, and love of God wash sins completely away. Responding to the words of the gospel of Christ, salvation comes. Heed the words of God today. Obey the Word.

“I have loved you,” says the Lord. “Yet you say, ‘In what way have You loved us?’” (Malachi 1:2a)

God Loves You – What Do You Say?

The burden of Malachi to the people of Israel warns against the laxity of their faith in God as they went through the motions of worship. Post-exilic Israel was very different from the glory days of Solomon when Temple worship was dedicated to the truth of worship of the Lord. It was drudgery for the people to offer their sacrifices and they complained about the weariness and dullness of having to make all the sacrifices and keep the law. The people dishonored the name of God by their actions. They brought contemptible food to the Lord saying it was acceptable to defile the Lord’s table. The spirit of the people believed the law to be too burdensome for them to keep. Complaining it was too hard to serve the Lord they turned their noses at God’s word. As a result, sacrifices were made up of stolen, crippled, and sick animals.

Malachi begins his message with a rhetorical question by the Lord to the people. God reminds the people how much He has loved them and yet the people dare question the love of God. From the viewpoint of the Jews, God had not shown His love to them. Where were the blessings? How were the people faring in this post-captivity existence? Why had God allowed Israel to be taken by the Babylonians? Where was the mercy of the Lord towards His Beloved? The heart of the people had turned to ridicule and profaning the love of God. It was so vile to the nostrils of the Lord that He demanded someone to shut the Temple doors so the worthless sacrifices could not be offered! The Lord of Heaven’s armies was not pleased and He would not accept their defiled offerings. To make matters worse, the people asked where the love of God was. They could not see it from their standpoint. All they could see was the plight of their own miserable lives.

Faith is often measured by where a person is standing with God. The people of Malachi’s day did not see much hope but that was because they could not see the love of God. If they had taken the time to reread the history of Israel from the promise of Abraham through the turbulent years of rebellion, unrest, idolatry, bondage, and deliverance, they would have seen the hand of a loving God caring for and protecting His people. God never turned away from His promises. He never failed in any word He had given them. The blessings promised if they were obedient were given one-hundred-fold and without measure. Their existence was due to the love of God. If it had been the will of the Lord, the tribes of Judah and Benjamin would have wiped out like the ten northern tribes. The grace of God saved the remnant and returned them to the land. That was the love of God.

It is easy to be critical of God when life is not going the way the heart of a man desires. What the people expected is unknown but it is clear they were not very happy with the word of the Lord. All the unhappiness of the Jews had come from their own sin and rebellion and they dared blame God? He tells them He loved them and they respond by asking how He had loved them? It seems incredible the Lord did not reach down at that moment and destroy them all. The love of God was shining upon the people and they could not see the sunshine for the clouds of their own sin.

God so loved the world He gave His only begotten Son and yet men still blame God for their plight. The blessings of the Lord come upon the just and the unjust, the good and the bad, and the righteous and the unrighteous. He is especially loving to His children. Yet there is found a spirit of dissatisfaction that God is not aware of the needs of men. Nothing has failed in the promises of God and there has never been a time in the history of mortal man that the Lord has not kept His blessings from those who obey him. The disparity that arises in the heart of man is born of selfish pride and arrogance; not the lack of God’s love. There is one thing certain in this world: the love of God can never be challenged. It is real, it is powerful and no man can stand against it. They will deny it and refuse it but the love of God will win out in death because it is eternal. What do you say to the love of God?

For though I am absent in the flesh, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the steadfastness of your faith in Christ. (Colossians 2:5)

Absent But Present

When Paul was in a Roman prison writing a letter to the saints at Colosse, he did not know that two thousand years later his words would strike a deep chord among the saints of God all over the world. The apostle of Christ did not know what COVID-19 was and trying to imagine one the hardest working missionaries of God being subdued with social-distancing and wearing a face mask as impossible. He would obey the laws of the land but what grief that would have been to his energy, determination, and desire to teach all men Christ Jesus and Him crucified.

Paul’s work had been interrupted when they arrested him but he continued to work from his imprisonment. Letters were written, charges given to the disciples to carry out the work of teaching, and no doubt every person the apostle came in contact with he taught them the gospel. His work would lead to some in Caesar’s household learning the truth of salvation. The prison epistles of Paul are not filled with despair and discouragement. They are some of the most joyful, uplifting, and exciting letters of the New Testament. He may have been absent from those he longed to be with but he stayed connected either through letters, personal greetings, prayers, and the knowledge the family of God shared in the covenant of fellowship. He was absent but he was present with his brethren.

It is hard to see Paul locked away in a prison. He was full of energy and wanting to go all over the world if he was able. When he wrote a letter to Rome he spoke of his desire to go to Spain and preach the gospel. It seems the apostle never saw that desire come true but it speaks to the heart of a man who was hindered often in what he wanted to accomplish. He languished for more than two years in Caesarea while Felix, Festus, and Agrippa tried to decide what to do with him. His trip to Rome was fraught with the danger being stranded for three months on Malta. Arriving in Rome he would be imprisoned, released, and then imprisoned again before being executed by the sword. Throughout his life as a Christian, Paul never stopped working for the Lord regardless of where he was. He was absent from many brethren but he made the saints fell as if he was with them all the time.

The COVID-19 epidemic has changed the face of the body of Christ. It seems incredulous that assemblies have needed to be closed and for many places in the nation, reassembling will still be a slow and painful process. There is grave concern on how the absence will impact the spiritual lives of many members who may not bear up well during this present distress. Children are unable to be in Bible classes that for the large part gave them spiritual life. Elders are struggling to maintain the work of the local church in a spirit of unity. Going into homes to teach the gospel plan had been curtailed. These are serious times for the church. If one thing is needed it must be the spirit of Paul that while absent, saints find ways to be present with one another.

Many avenues can be used to keep connected with the brethren. Local church leadership should avail themselves of every means possible to find a way to be present with every member. Paul’s purpose in writing to Colosse was to express his love for their good example of living as they should and that their faith in Christ was strong. There can be little doubt when the letter was read among the brethren, it uplifted their spirits. Tychicus came with the letter to tell them about the work of Paul (in prison) and to fill their hearts with joy. The letter to Colosse was to be shared with the church at Laodicea and Paul’s letter he wrote to Laodicea was to be read to the church at Colosse. What was Paul doing? While Paul was absent he reached out to be present with his brethren.

This year will be marked by the impact of COVID-19 on every fabric of life. There are concerns about the impact of the economy and for good reasons. A greater concern is how this will impact the local congregation and its work. Without the fellowship of brethren one for another the church may be in trouble. God’s work must continue and it is accomplished through the diligent efforts of the whole body doing its own special work, helping the other parts grow so that the whole body is healthy and growing and full of love. We may be absent but let us be present with one another.

In those days there was no king in Israel; everyone did what was right in his own eyes. (Judges 21:25)

Living Without A King

Following the conquest of the land of Canaan, the nation of Israel went through a period of anarchism because there was no king in the land. Joshua had led the people into the promised land and kept the people united through his leadership. Before he died, Joshua exhorted the people to follow the word of God and trust in His will to guide their lives. A large stone was set up under a large oak tree by the sanctuary of the Lord in Shechem as a testimony to the covenant of Israel with the Lord. It did not take long for the importance of the stone to lose its meaning.

After the death of Joshua, a generation arose that did not know the Lord and did not know the stories of the patriarchs like Abraham and the history of Israel coming out of Egypt led by Moses and the struggles in the wilderness. The people began to follow after Baal and serve other gods from among the people who were around them. Before entering Canaan, God had told the people He would fight for them and they would live in peace if they obeyed His word. Because the people rejected the counsel of the Lord, the enemies of Israel plundered them and despoiled them of all their blessings. God set up judges to rule them but the people refused to listen to them and played the harlot with other gods and bowed down to them. How quickly they turned away from the path of their ancestors, who had walked in obedience to the Lord’s commands.

Four times in the book of Judges the reason for the chaotic conditions of the nation are stated. Without a king, the people did what they wanted to do. There was no central leadership and authority to curtail their plunge into idolatrous worship. Without measures in place to curb the appetites of the people, nothing was left to chance and they fell headlong into the carnal pleasures of the flesh. The rebellion of the people came from the lack of sufficient authority to subdue their desires. Without law, the land is filled with lawlessness. Everyone does what they think is right in their own eyes. There is no single measure of the law. Anything that pleases the individual is acceptable and no one can judge another to what is right and wrong. Authority challenges the personal desires of the individual and without authority everything is acceptable.

At first glance, the reason for the nation to be lawless is there was no king in the land to judge them. Later, during the days of the last judge, Samuel, the people demand a king. This helps unify the nation and for 120 years, Israel is united. After the death of Solomon, Israel divides into two kingdoms with the northern tribes going after the Baal’s and Ashtoreth’s and they were destroyed 200 years later. Judah would follow a little over 100 years later to captivity.

Israel had kings but they were still wicked, lawless, and rebellious. Why? The problem during the period of the Judges was because there was no central figure of authority to guide the people. There was no king and everyone did what was right in his own eyes. The failure of the nation came because they did not retain God in their hearts as the king of their lives. Having a central figure of authority like Saul, David, and Solomon helped but when the nation divided having kings on the throne did not always do well for the nation. When the heart of the people is not faithful to the King Most High, it matters not who sits on a throne in Jerusalem. What the Lord wanted from His people was for them to serve Him because He was their King and Master. Allegiance had to come from the devoted heart of those who wanted to serve God with or without a man sitting on a throne. The first problem was there was no king in Israel but the bigger problem was there was no king in the heart of the people.

Obedience can only be measured by who rules the heart of men. The church is organized with men who shepherd the flock of God to guide, instruct, admonish, challenge and direct the hearts of the saints among them. Their guidance is crucial to the furtherance of the gospel and the eternal work of the church of Christ. The Bible is the fully revealed word of God telling men of the grace of God to save those who would obey Him. Everything needed to save a man’s soul is given to the world but if the heart is not willing to accept the Kingship of Jesus Christ, everyone will do what is right in their own eyes. Preaching has no effect if the heart is not open. Leadership is destroyed if allegiance to God is not practiced first.

Israel could have prospered without a king sitting on the throne if the people had only let God rule in their hearts. The sinfulness of man tries to excuse his actions by complaining they need a man on a throne when the real trouble lies in the failure of the heart to accept the rule of God. If a man does not first establish God as ruler of his life, everything that follows will be shallow and lawless. Arguments about scripture come from hearts that are unwilling to accept the authority of the Lord as final. A man can reject the Lordship of God in this life but death will bring the great awakening of the King of Kings and Lord of Lords. To please God, you must first enthrone God. Nothing matters if this is not done first.

Then He said to them, “These are the words which I spoke to you while I was still with you, that all things must be fulfilled which were written in the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms concerning Me.” And He opened their understanding, that they might comprehend the Scriptures. (Luke 24:44-45)

Everything Is About Jesus

The Bible is an amazing book containing sixty-six books formed together in a cohesive theme of divine revelation. Written by more than forty writers covering fifteen-hundred years from different parts of the world and having a diverse background, the authors tell the story of the genesis of the world and humanity, rise and fall of nations, and the incredible story of God’s Son becoming flesh. Moses begins the story of the Bible with the first five books of creation, the beginning of Israel, and the establishment of the law. The book of Joshua unveils the conquering of the land of Canaan in fulfillment of God’s promise to Abraham and throughout the remaining books of holy writ the turbulent and often perilous times of the nation of Israel. Silenced for more than four hundred years after the prophet Malachi, the story of Jesus burst upon the scene with the writings of four men telling similar but varied stories of the Christ.

When Jesus taught His disciples in those forty days after the resurrection, He opened their understanding to comprehend the scriptures they were familiar with. At that time, only the books of the Old Testament had been written. All of the Old Testament as found in the modern Bible was in the hands of the people of Jesus’ time. The modern division has thirty-nine books of law, history, poetry, and prophecy. Jesus referred to the Old Testament as the Law of Moses and the Prophets and the Psalms. What He said about the Old Testament was far beyond the view most have of the ancient book. Jesus said the Old Testament was about Him. Everything written in the Old Testament was fulfilled in the story of Jesus Christ.

It is easy to get lost in the details of the Old Testament and the stories that fill its pages. Jesus defined the Old Testament as the testimony of His life and purpose for coming to earth. Reading the Old Testament with fresh eyes looking for Jesus will open the understanding of the thirty-nine books as testimonies of the divine plan of God. Jesus was in the beginning when the world was created. He was part of the judgment that brought the flood upon the world. The promises made to Abraham were about Him as the promise of the Seed found its fulfillment in Christ. Paul would explain to the Roman saints how the Jews proved that men could not be saved by keeping the law and the Gentiles would not save themselves as a law to themselves. Salvation can only come through Christ and the Old Testament proves this.

The revelation of God can be found in the laws of nature but without the special revelation of scripture, no man can know the character of God. Reading the Old Testament the goodness and severity of the Lord are found on every page. Grace, mercy, truth, and righteous flow from the stories of the Old Testament. The failure of humanity to answer sin is clearly defined in the feeble attempts of human wisdom to answer its greatest challenge. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law, Prophets, and Psalms because they declare salvation cannot be found apart from Jesus Christ. Understanding the Old Testament in terms of the life of Jesus changes the nature of the study of the thirty-nine books. The Old Testament is not just about the history of the world but the birth of Jesus. Moses writing the Law declared the need for the law of Christ to save men. The psalms attempt to find words to praise God but can only be felt through the life of Jesus Christ.

Everything in the Old Testament is about Jesus. Faith comes from hearing and hearing comes from the word of God. This faith must be tooled to see the deeper message of the Old Testament declaring the glory of the Christ. Without an understanding of the work of God’s Son in the Old Testament, nothing can be learned of the will of the Lord. Which book in the Bible tells the story of Jesus? Jesus told His disciples that all of the nearly 600,000 words in the Old Testament were about Him. Read the Old Testament with fresh eyes. Everything is about Jesus.

Now when He had departed from there, He went into their synagogue. And behold, there was a man who had a withered hand. And they asked Him, saying, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—that they might accuse Him. Then He said to them, “What man is there among you who has one sheep, and if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not lay hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value then is a man than a sheep? Therefore it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then He said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And he stretched it out, and it was restored as whole as the other. Then the Pharisees went out and plotted against Him, how they might destroy Him. (Matthew 12:9-14)

Doing Good On The Sabbath

The enemies of Jesus tried fruitlessly to entrap the Lord in His teachings and to condemn Him when He healed the sick. It seems incredulous that after witnessing a miracle anyone would plan to destroy the Son of God but it happened often. One of the main contentions with Jesus and the Pharisees was Jesus healing on the Sabbath. The religious leaders could not see the power of God in the miracle but had become so narrow-minded in their keeping of the law they denied the miracle and condemned Jesus.

On one of many occasions when Jesus would go to the synagogue, a man was there who had a deformed hand. Seeing an opportunity to challenge Jesus, the Pharisees said, “Does the law permit a person to work by healing on the Sabbath?” They were not concerned about the man with the malformed hand but used the poor soul to find a way to bring charges against Jesus. They hoped that Jesus would say yes so they could condemn Him. Expecting Jesus to perform a miracle so that charges could be brought against Him shows how depraved the hearts of the Jewish leaders had become.

Jesus was not unaware of their deceit. The Pharisees never could trap Jesus in His teaching no more than they could deny His miracles. Responding to their hypocrisy, the Lord poses a question to the Pharisees. If they had a sheep that fell into a well on the Sabbath, wouldn’t they work to pull it out? Of course, they would. The Law of Moses did not prohibit taking the donkey or ox from the stall to water it. If a donkey or an ox fell into a pit and it was the Sabbath, the Law did not demand the animal die in the pit. The Pharisees had bound doctrine where the Lord never intended.

The law permitted men to do good things on the Sabbath. A man is of much more value than an animal and the individual with the withered hand deserved the mercy of God to be healed. Arguing about the doctrine of the Sabbath denied the needy the grace of God. Jesus told the man to stretch out his hand and it was restored as whole as the other. Doctrine is given by God as His law and it must remain unchanged. The law of the Sabbath was not changed because Jesus showed mercy to a man in need. What the man remembered about that Sabbath day would never be forgotten.

It is easy to enforce doctrine over mercy. Arguing about the jot and the tittle of the law can produce strife, false teaching, and take the law of God places it was never intended. The Pharisees had taken traditions and violated the commandments of God. Enforcing their doctrines on men, the Jewish leaders had imposed man-made ideas as commands from God. Nothing was further from the truth. Jesus healed the man on the Sabbath because it was a good thing to do. The Pharisees did not win the argument and went out trying to find ways to destroy Jesus. They would have their way when Jesus was killed on the cross. Three days later (the day after Sabbath), a new law came into being that would offer all men the mercy and grace of God. Care must be taken not to make the doctrine of the Sabbath become the law of Christ in the church.

Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him. Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar. (Proverbs 30:5-6)

The Wisdom Of Agur

An unknown Hebrew sage named Agur had some things to say to two unknown men named Ithiel and Ucal. These three men are not found anywhere in scripture, but the wisdom laid forth by Agur is timeless. Among the many admonitions the sage offered, he began by showing the power and authority of the word of God. He recognized that he was not the smartest man and lacked common sense. However, Agur respected the word of God and considered its message divine and without equal. Human wisdom can deny the validity of truth found in the word of God but for those who have humble hearts, the word of God is tried and found true and pure. There is a flawless nature to the word of God.

The character of the word of God has been the same from the beginning. Agur was writing from a perspective that did not include the known word as revealed today in the pages of the Bible. With the limited revelation given to men like Agur, he recognized that God’s word was holy, divine and should not be tampered with. Every word of God is pure. Agur knew he could not pick and choose which words he liked and those he could ignore. Whatever measure of revelation he referred to was all he needed to understand his obedience to the word of God. His view of scripture was flawless and true.

Believing the word of God was pure enabled Agur to trust in the power of its message to guide his life. The word of God was not given for oratory displays of wisdom but life-changing messages that move the heart to be a person like the Father. If the word of God does not change the person, the soul has not accepted the power of the word of God to change their lives. Agur calls the word of God a shield to those who put their trust in the protection of God. A shield is used for offense and defense. Any soldier going into battle without a shield would quickly be defeated. Fighting against the wiles of Satan demands the shield of faith which can stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Trusting in the word of God shields the heart from the power of temptation, doubt, and fear.

One common theme since the beginning of time is the warning of changing the word of God. The first word out of the serpent’s mouth to Eve was to challenge the word of God. Moses declared a curse on any who would add or take away from the word of God. John in writing the Revelation pronounced judgment upon all who would add or subtract from the word of God. Agur affirmed the word of God was true and adding to the word of God would bring the judgment of the Lord upon the rebellious heart. Any man who adds or takes away from the word of God is a liar. The word of God is settled in heaven and no man has the right or authority to change the word of God.

There is a grave penalty for those who preach a gospel not found in the word of God. A greater consequence will come upon those who ignore the word of God. Many will lose their eternal life because they followed doctrines not found in the scriptures. All liars will be cast into the lake of fire including those who sought to change the word of God. The seriousness of God’s authority in His word is without question. Every word given by God is true and righteous and anyone would do well to heed the words of God. Failing to obey the word of God will bring eternal judgment with darkness and the weeping and gnashing of teeth. The words of Agur remain intact today as part of the word of God. He declares the truthfulness of God’s word and men today would do well to heed the commands, statutes, judgments, and laws of the word of God. Every word of God is pure.