The Heaton File

Thus He showed me: Behold, the Lord stood on a wall made with a plumb line, with a plumb line in His hand. And the Lord said to me, “Amos, what do you see?” And I said, “A plumb line.” Then the Lord said: “Behold, I am setting a plumb line in the midst of My people Israel; I will not pass by them anymore. The high places of Isaac shall be desolate, and the sanctuaries of Israel shall be laid waste. I will rise with the sword against the house of Jeroboam.” (Amos 7:7-9)

God’s Plumb Line

According to Merriam-Webster dictionary, a plumb line is “a line (as of cord) that has at one end a weight (such as a plumb bob) and is used especially to determine verticality; a line directed to the center of gravity of the earth: a vertical line.” Used by plumbers, carpenters, surveyors and a host of construction workers, the plumb line is a basic tool to test whether an object is perpendicular to the square. It is believed to one of the oldest tools as used by the Egyptians in constructing the ancient pyramids. During the days of Jeroboam, king of Israel, Amos describes the justice and righteousness of the Lord against Israel as the measuring of the plumb line. God calls the prophet by name and asks him what he sees. In the vision, the prophet sees the Lord holding a plumb line. Sadly, the message of the plumb line is that God has brought final judgment against his people Israel and He would tear down the wall of His Beloved. The imagery is striking as the house of God was built in perfection but the idolatry and wickedness of the people had perverted the nation. Measuring spiritual Israel with the plumb line of God’s justice and mercy Israel was found wanting. Many prophets had come to the people seeking their repentance but there was no turning back. The longsuffering of the Lord allowed the nation to stand but the time had come when judgment would come to the house of the Lord. A plumb line is based on the law of gravity that is unmovable. There can be no deviation or change when the measure of God’s wrath is brought against ungodliness. A plumb line is complete truth, pure accuracy and shows a wall to either be straight or crooked. Using a spiritual allusion to the plumb line, the Lord tells Israel the day of longsuffering has come to an end. The high places of Israel shall be desolate or destroyed. These high places were where the people offered sacrifices to the gods of idolatry. When the kingdom first divided and Jeroboam became king of the northern ten tribes, he set up golden calves at Dan and Bethel and became sin because the people went to worship before the shrines on the high places. Two hundred years later the final judgment came upon Israel as the plumb line of God’s righteousness brought swift judgment upon the people.

The plumb line seen by Amos was not the first time the Lord had used His plumb line to judge the people. Mentioned only by Amos and Zechariah, the plumb line was crafted before time began. When Adam and Eve disobeyed the command of God, the plumb line of truth measured their actions and found them in rebellion. In the days of Noah, the world had turned away from God requiring their measuring by the eternal plumb line of the Lord. It brought about swift judgment by the hand of the Lord as He destroyed all things that had the breath of life save eight souls. For those who perished the plumb line of God found them out of line with the will of the Lord. Noah and his family were measured by the same plumb line and found grace in the eyes of the Lord. When a wall is straight the plumb line will bear testimony of its character and if a wall is skewed the same plumb line will find the inconsistencies. Gravity is an absolute law that is unchanging. Grace is an absolute law that is unchanging in the character of God. He created the law of gravity in the beginning and He formed the plumb line of righteousness that tests the hearts of all men. Throughout the generations of men, the same plumb line has been used by the Lord to tests the hearts of men. The Bible is filled with stories of those who found judgment before the Lord because of their failure to respect the word of God. He measured them and found them wanting.

There is evidence of the divine plumb line when one reads the Bible. Contained within the sacred pages of holy writ the Lord measures the hearts of men to test them and determines if they will obey Him. Men have tried to change the word of God to fit their own wisdom but like a plumb line, the word of God always returns to the original creation formed by God. The evidence of many churches shows how men have tried to build their walls of truth according to their own designs. Compared to the word of God they do not line up. If a person wants to know if what they are practicing is the word of God, they only have but to use the plumb line of truth to see if what they believe is found in the Bible. Examining the many names of churches, how do these titles line up to the plumb line of God’s word? When men seek answers to what must be done to be saved and they use any other answer than what is found in the word of God they deny the plumb line of the Lord. The pattern of worship, work of the church and character of the body of Christ is determined by a single body of evidence: where does the plumb line of God lie? Finally, it must be clear that as in the days of Amos, the plumb line of the Lord was used to bring judgment against those who disobeyed. In the same vein, it determined who the righteous of the nation were. A day is yet to come but will come soon when all men will stand before the Creator of heaven and earth and the plumb line of righteousness and truth will measure the stature of their hearts whether they have done the will of God or rejected His word. It will be a day of complete justice, mercy, grace, and love as the measure of God’s character judge the hearts of men. Where you find your eternity will be determined by where the plumb line of God falls on your heart.

So He came to Nazareth, where He had been brought up. And as His custom was, He went into the synagogue on the Sabbath day and stood up to read. And He was handed the book of the prophet Isaiah. (Luke 4:16-17a)

The Custom Of Jesus

During the days of Jesus, the Synagogue was the gathering place where the community worship brought families together for prayers and reading of the law and the Prophets. At least ten persons had to be present for regular worship. It was common for someone in the crowd to be selected to expound on a text or on occasions a visitor might ask to speak to the congregation. Young boys growing up in the synagogue would become familiar with the order of services and participate with the older men in the engagement of worship. Jesus grew up in the city of Nazareth and was recognized by the community as the son of Joseph and Mary along with his brothers and sisters. At the age of twelve, Jesus astonished the teachers at the Temple when for three days He had astonished them with His understanding and answers concerning the law. As a young man, Jesus increased in wisdom and stature and in favor with God and men. Those in the synagogue of Nazareth knew Jesus very well and would often see Him reading and reciting text during the worship. At the beginning of His Galilean ministry, the Lord returns to Nazareth where He had been brought up and gathered with the villagers for a day of worship at the synagogue. He was handed the book of Isaiah and when He unrolled the book began reading from the latter part of the prophetic book. What is striking about this event is this is something Jesus has done all His life. Luke writes that “as His custom was,” indicating the life of Jesus was a pattern that was easily recognized by keeping the custom of things He learned at an early age. After fleeing Bethlehem as a little boy with his parents and spending time in Egypt, Jesus grows up in Nazareth as the son of His carpenter father, Joseph. As a little boy, He would have been taken to the synagogue on a regular basis embedding into His heart a love for the word of God. It would not be uncharacteristic to see Jesus at the age of twelve reading in the synagogue and later as a young man being very involved in the services at the synagogue. Jesus had to learn the word of God. Because He was God did not allow Him to have divine recall or knowledge without examining the text. Spending time at the synagogue and through the teaching of His parents, the boy Jesus came to know about the word of God and the writings of the Prophets. When He was twelve He was asking questions of the Temple instructors. Knowledge came for Jesus as with all men and one of the important parts of that pattern of growth came from His custom of going to the synagogue.

Nearly six hundred years before Christ another man did something because it was his custom from his youth. Daniel was in a foreign land under the persecution of those who despised him. A decree had been established under Persian law that whoever petitions any god or man for thirty days, except the king of Persia, shall be cast into the den of lions. Daniel knew the law and the penalty of disobeying the decree which could not be changed according to the law of the Medes and the Persians. When Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went home. And in his upper room, with his windows open toward Jerusalem, he knelt down on his knees three times that day, and prayed and gave thanks before his God, as was his custom since early days. The rest of the story is how Daniel is arrested and condemned to death in the lion’s den. An angel of the Lord delivered Daniel from harm and those who accused Daniel were thrown to the lions along with their children and wives. What is notable about the story is the training as a young man Daniel had received in his homeland of Israel. It was his custom from an early age to kneel down on his knees three times a day in prayer and thanksgiving. This resonated with him throughout his life as it did with Jesus. The custom of Daniel and Jesus found its way into their adulthood and guided their decisions. When Jesus came into the synagogue at Nazareth, it was not a surprise that He would read from the text. The multitudes gathered for worship that day were not shocked Jesus came to services. It was something they had witnessed for thirty years because that was His custom. When the man gave Jesus the scroll of Isaiah, the son of Joseph did not have to stumble about looking for the place on the huge scroll where the passage read, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me.” He knew exactly where it was because it was His custom to read that passage often. The life of Jesus was an example of doing what was His custom from early days: attending the worship of the Almighty God whether in the synagogue or the Temple.

Jesus died to build His church and His body is the depository of those who are saved. One of the clear patterns of the New Testament disciples who followed the will of God was to establish churches in every city so the gospel of Christ could be spread throughout the world. The church is not to be treated with a flippant matter of convenience with no regard to the impression made upon those who gather with the saints. Assembly on the first day of the week is not a choice but a command. Included in the work of the church are efforts by the local body of Christ to admonish, teach, instruct and exhort the souls of its members to greater life and service to God. Far too many children of God believe they can forsake the family gathering of God’s people and please the Father. The custom of many is to attend as little as possible to the work of the church. It is not their custom to be part of the local church and to engage in the work of the church. Jesus and Daniel set a pattern of life that will build strong characters in those who exercise that same devotion. When young people are not brought to the services of God their hearts are not open to His word. It is amazing the number of parents who grieve because their children do not obey the gospel of Christ and yet their custom growing up was to seldom be part of the local work of the church. Obedience to the Lord is not accomplished only by sitting in a pew or class chair but if this is not part of the custom of the child’s life, it is not likely their hearts will have any interest in eternity when they grow to adulthood. When a person struggles to find passages in the Bible it is because it is not their custom to find passages in the Bible at home. Jesus knew where the passage in Isaiah was found and He did not use chapters and verses because that would not happen for nearly fifteen hundred years. He knew where it was because His thumbprints had spent many hours there before. The lesson is clear from Jesus in the synagogue of Nazareth. Customs learned early will carry over to adulthood and that can be good or bad. If the custom of the family is to neglect the Lord today then tomorrow has no hope. Children who learn early the customs of godly devotion will carry that devotion with them in life. What customs are you teaching your family and what customs are you following in your life? Know God today so you will know God tomorrow.

Then all the congregation of the children of Israel set out on their journey from the Wilderness of Sin, according to the commandment of the Lord, and camped in Rephidim; but there was no water for the people to drink. Therefore the people contended with Moses, and said, “Give us water that we may drink.” So Moses said to them, “Why do you contend with me? Why do you tempt the Lord?” And the people thirsted there for water, and the people complained against Moses, and said, “Why is it you have brought us up out of Egypt, to kill us and our children and our livestock with thirst?” So Moses cried out to the Lord, saying, “What shall I do with this people? They are almost ready to stone me!” And the Lord said to Moses, “Go on before the people and take with you some of the elders of Israel. Also take in your hand your rod with which you struck the river, and go. Behold, I will stand before you there on the rock in Horeb; and you shall strike the rock, and water will come out of it that the people may drink.” And Moses did so in the sight of the elders of Israel. So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the Lord, saying, “Is the Lord among us or not?” (Exodus 17:1-7)

Dying Of Thirst And Looking For God

The Hebrews witnessed the incredible power of God when the Lord brought the plagues on Egypt in a way few peoples would be able to recall. All the waters that were in the streams, rivers, ponds, and pools of water became blood when God first began to bring His wrath against the nation of Egypt. Then the land was covered with frogs which afterward died filling the land with a great stench. Lice infested man and beast throughout all the land of Egypt and then millions of flies filled the sky and ground as thick swarms of flies corrupted the land entering into every house. All the livestock of Egypt were stricken and died from a great pestilence including the cattle in the fields, horses, donkeys, camels, oxen and on the sheep. Soon fine dust settled on the land of the Nile causing boils to break out as sores on man and beast. The plagues of God continued when the Lord caused a very heavy hail to rain down such as not been in Egypt since its founding followed by an east wind bringing a storm of locusts that went up over all the land destroying everything in its path. Then three days came when the land was covered in thick darkness so terrible no one moved from their houses for three days. In the final and complete plague, the Lord went into the midst of Egypt and all the firstborn in the land of Egypt died, from the firstborn of Pharaoh to the firstborn of the female servant who was behind the hand mill and all the firstborn of the animals. The cry was so great there was not a house in Egypt where there was not one dead. As the wrath of God came upon the Egyptians, the Hebrews were spared from the onslaught and destruction but they witnessed the power of God against their enemies. It would be highlighted by the crossing of the Red Sea when the Lord parted the waters allowing the people to cross on dry land. When the remaining elements of the Egyptian army pursued the people into the sea the waters closed around the chariots, horsemen and all the army of Pharaoh and no so much as one of them remained. Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore. Three days later they came to Marah but the water was unfit to drink. Moses showed the power of God when he was instructed to throw a certain tree into the waters and the waters turned sweet. Later, when the people complained about needing food the Lord provided manna that would be provided for them for forty years.

It had only been a couple of months since the deliverance of Israel from Egypt when the people contended with Moses against the Lord. The plagues against Egypt were powerful testimonies to the wrath of God, His power to rule the world and bring the death of thousands of people in one night. There was a clear separation of what happened to Egypt and the preservation of the Hebrews. They did not suffer as their captors and the Lord made certain they could see His grace upon the children of Abraham. When the Red Sea was parted by a strong east wind and the Hebrews walked across on dry land it should have been an awe inspiring, life changing confirmation of the unlimited power of God. The destruction of the Egyptian army was a message that God controlled all nations and no people would be able to stand against the might of the nation of Israel. As a people, the multitudes brought out of Egypt had every sign given to them to show how God was with them and would care for them in every way. However, shortly (in less than a few months) the people strove and quarreled with Moses because they were dying of thirst. In an incredible expression of ingratitude, the people actually complained about being delivered from Egypt. Had they forgotten their cries to the Lord when they were being oppressed by the taskmasters of Egypt? How soon the minds of the people looked back on their bondage as a time of joy when in fact it was an affliction of sorrow, misery, and slavery. They began to question whether God was going to take care of them and whether He really was a great God or not. Did they not have ample evidence of how God had taken care of them, provided for them and protected them from the fury of the Egyptians and now they contend with Moses about being thirsty.

Dying of thirst and looking for God to deliver them, the Hebrews reveal the fickle character of the heart of men who see the power of the Creator and deny He exists. The Bible declares the mind of God for everyone to read and understand the grace and mercy of the Lord yet the majority of people in the world live outside the bounds of God’s love complaining about wars, suffering, and misery. Why do most people not see God? The truth lies in the adage that a person finds what they are looking for and what they see is what they will find. Israel had every opportunity to see firsthand the immense power of God and questioned whether He was among them or whether He would take care of them. Their carnal hearts were filled with the complaint because God was not serving them in the manner they demanded. This pattern would continue for the next forty years as they rejected the providence of God to conquer the promised land and to believe He would provide all their needs. The story of Israel is not unlike those today who view the Bible with disdain rejecting its teaching as archaic, out of step and mere myths and fables. Everything God has done to provide a written testimony of His character is refused because people are thirsty for their carnality and selfish desires. The invisible attributes of God are clearly seen and the revelation of His word is available for all men in every nation and tongue so that they are without excuse. It is sad to see millions groping about dying of thirst when the fountain of life is within their grasp. The Hebrews saw the power of God but could not see His grace. It is tragic the only hope man has is found in the book he rejects and his death will not come about from lack of water but lack of faith and obedience.

Now to Him who is able to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery kept secret since the world began but now made manifest, and by the prophetic Scriptures made known to all nations, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith— to God, alone wise, be glory through Jesus Christ forever. Amen. (Romans 16:25-27)

The Church Reveals The Mystery Of God

Mysteries intrigue the mind of man to discover, unveil and uncover things hidden for generations. Archaeologists sift through the sands of time to find civilizations long forgotten and ancient treasuries of great wealth. Scientist unlock the codes of the universe to see what has never been known before and delve the depths of the oceans to see what lies in the darkness of the deep. Medical science has broken the barriers of human DNA revealing the secrets of diseases, health and taking surgery to places never imagined. The world is filled with mysteries yet uncharted and undiscovered by man driving the imagination of the will to keep discovering and opening up new worlds of discovering. For many years the greatest mystery man would ever know was hidden from the world through the will of God. Time marched through the centuries with nations rising and falling and civilizations leaving their imprints on the pages of history. There were subtle hints of things that would come but no certainty that man can place his wisdom around and understand. During the days of the Roman Empire in an obscure village south of Jerusalem a baby was born that would change history forever. Joseph and Mary had come to Bethlehem to register for the census decreed by Caesar Augustus. They were unable to find room at an inn and Mary had to give birth to her son in a place where animals were kept. The birth of Jesus would begin the opening of a mystery hidden since the beginning of time. Thirty years later Jesus would begin His short ministry to reveal to the world the good news of salvation long hidden from the wisdom of men. After the death of Jesus, twelve men would gather in Jerusalem and the church of Christ began with three thousand devout Jews obeying the will of the Father. From that first day the church grew in spirit and number as the disciples were added daily to the church by the grace of God. Men like Peter and Paul would go throughout the region around Jerusalem and travel as far as Rome to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ establishing churches in every place. What the early disciples were doing was to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery kept hidden since the world began. Through the writings of the Old Testament, the disciples made known to the whole world the commandments of the everlasting God for obedience to the faith.

As Paul was nearing the end of this third missionary journey he found himself in the city of Corinth. He was on the way to Jerusalem to deliver an offering for the saints but his plan was to travel to Rome and as far as Spain if the Lord willed. Writing to the Christians in Rome, Paul declared the gospel message of Christ for the Jew first and also for the Gentile. The apostle unveils the mystery of God through the preaching of Christ and the design of the early church to complete the work of showing to all men the will of the Father. While the letter to Rome was a powerful treatise on the gospel of Christ, his conclusion bears testimony to the work of the church. In a world that is filled with many different kinds of churches, there is no more pressing time to reemphasize the original design of the church than now. For many, the church represents a social entity to care for their needs whether in food, clothing, and entertainment. Satan has succeeded in allowing the church to remain in form before the mind of men but he has redesigned the church to become a place where the carnal designs of man’s pleasure are the focus instead of the original design. The apostle Paul clearly shows the work of the church is a continuing mission of revealing the mystery kept secret since the world began. Through the death of Jesus and the establishment of the church, God’s eternal mystery was revealed but Satan has accomplished a great deal of work to cloud the purpose of the church diverting the work of the church to the carnal instead of eternal. The church was given to man so the gospel could be preached and that gospel is Christ crucified. Preaching must be focused on the scriptures that show the necessity of keeping the commandments of the everlasting God, for obedience to the faith. There is little gospel preached in the churches today. Hearts of men are tired of the will of God desiring more the will of their own hearts to serve the church as they see fit. The mystery remains veiled in the hearts of men.

No greater message of hope can be found than the saving grace of God given through the offering of His Son, Jesus Christ. The avenue of this salvation is the church of Christ establishing the disciples in the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes. Only in the gospel of Christ will the righteousness of God be revealed from faith to faith as it is written the just will live by faith. The revealed mystery of God also shows the wrath of God against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness. Through the evidence of the world the eternal power and Godhead are clearly seen but through the teaching of the gospel of Christ, the eternal mystery is unveiled. Obedience to the faith is found in preaching that honors the word of God as supreme. There can be no room for the wisdom of man. The church reveals the mystery of God. When that mystery is hidden the church stops being the church of Christ.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God, for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. (1 John 4:7-10)

All You Need Is Love

One of the first emotions experienced by a child is the love of a parent. This brings about an approval desired throughout life to be accepted by others and to feel a bond of companionship leading to familial relationships with one another. Friendship comes from the germ of love shared by two people. Marriage is predicated on some level of love that binds two hearts together. A deeper kind of emotional bonding is learned when a person accepts the idea of God giving His only begotten Son to die for them. Accepting the Biblical story of God’s love is paramount to having a spiritual relationship with the Creator and to share that brotherhood with men. Religion is produced from the convictions of the heart that seek a higher power to guide their lives and mold their character towards a common goal. As in human relationships, love is the basis for the manifestation of how a person interacts with his Maker. For many people, love is the key element that seems to shroud the mystery of salvation with a garment of grace with an acceptance of all peoples who will love God and love one another. A familiar theme in this type of communal religion is the expression, “All you need is love.” Love based upon full acceptance of others removes judgments, characterization, and condemn the actions or lifestyles of others. Generalizing love as the only thing needed in a relationship suggests there can be no disagreements or contrary doctrines. On the surface this seems like the answer to war, poverty, hatred, prejudice, and disharmony in the world. What is not seen is the impossibility of humanistic values guiding the heart to have harmony with others simply based on love. What one person defines as love may not be what another deems viable as love. If the only thing a person needs is love, what happens with the conference ends and life goes back to normal? How can the world function in a Woodstock environment of free love and acceptance without consequences? The answer is that love is not the only thing needed for the completeness of man.

God loved the world so much He gave His only begotten Son. Clearly, love was not all God needed for man because He gave the most incredible gift man will come to know when the Son of God died on the cross. Defining love by the sacrifice of Jesus is showing what love means. Trying to define the word love cannot be done with words alone. The true sense of love is an expression of the heart towards the object of that love. Suggesting the only thing needed in religion is love decries the very message of the Bible. Proponents of love alone salvation fail to appreciate what the Lord said about the character of love. Jesus reminded His disciples that if they loved Him they would keep His commandments. With the shadow of the cross hours away, Jesus tells His followers that commandment keepers are those who love Him and when those who profess His name keep His commandments, He will love them and abide in them. Love is based upon doing the will of the Father. Many people believe that as long as they say they love God that He is pleased with them. Love is not found in saying one loves or believes in God but rather there must be evidence of that love. The apostle John describes a child of God as one who loves God and keeps His commandments. There can be no separation between the two. The love of God is seen when men keep His commandments and John reminds the saints the commandments of God are not burdensome. Love is found in walking according to the commands of God. Without doing the will of the Father there can be no hope of salvation. Jesus did not die to make His follower’s commandment keepers but to show by His love that obedience must be learned by the expression of love. The example of Jesus shows that love was not enough. In the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus loved His Father more than any man could understand and the Lord expressed that love to His Father. However, His love was tempered by the knowledge that He must do what His Father desired Him to do. Jesus begged His Father if there was another way, but the Son of God had to obey the command of the Father and in so doing expressed His love for the Father.

The Bible is a testimony of the love of God found from the beginning of Genesis to the final pages of the Revelation. Jesus Christ is the center of that message in His love for humankind and the expression of that love on the cross. When a man loves God he is born of God and knows God. Without that love man cannot see the Father. No greater meaning of love can be found than God sending His Son to die for the miserable creature of man who was undeserving, unworthy and unreceptive to the grace of his Creator. And God still sent His Son because of His love. It is certain that God is love and for man love is not all he needs to find salvation. The Lord has done His part in bestowing grace and mercy to all sinners. All men must love God and accept the invitation of the eternal to be saved. Love bends the heart of humankind to learn about the Father and to seek His will in their life. Love without keeping the commandments of God is not love but futility. Salvation cannot come from love alone. It can only come from doing the will of the Father from a heart of love. Saying one loves God will not save a man because Jesus said salvation comes from doing the will of the Father. If you love God – obey Him.

“Behold, the days are coming,” says the Lord God, “That I will send a famine on the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the Lord. They shall wander from sea to sea, and from north to east; they shall run to and fro, seeking the word of the Lord, but shall not find it. (Amos 8:11-12)

A Famine Of God’s Word

One of the greatest killers of mankind is the severe shortage of food resulting in widespread hunger or famine. Thirty million people died in China when famine struck in the late 50’s and early ’60s. Millions die from malnutrition and starvation each year, especially in the sub-Saharan African countries. From the beginning of time there have been various causes of famine brought on by natural disasters, infestations of insects, wars and failed policies of governments. Untold millions have died a slow and horrible death of famishment. The Bible reveals famines during the days of Abraham, and Isaac, and the great famine in the world during the days of Joseph when he rescued Egypt from destruction. During the period of the Judges and reign of David, there were famines. There was a severe famine in Samaria during the days of Ahab and Jezebel when Elijah and Elisha prophesied. The people of God were punished with the sword, judgment, pestilence, and famine seeking to bring them back to the Lord. God used the scarcity of food to impress upon His own people a day would come when there would not be a famine of food but an absence of the divine word. Knowing a famine was coming would strike terror and cause the heart to faint at the inability to find food. People would become frantic seeking ways to endure the blight of famine. During the days of Uzziah king of Judah and Jeroboam son of Joash king of Israel, the prophet Amos brought the reality of God’s judgment upon the people who had become secure in their prosperity of the golden age of the northern kingdom. There was a great social and economic revival in the land with the people enjoying a prosperous time of ease and wealth. Amos would talk about those who lay on beds of ivory stretching themselves on couches and eating lambs from the flocks and calves from the stalls. There was music that filled the land and wine flowing freely in the bowls not knowing a famine was coming. This famine was not in the absence of food but the famine of the word of God. No greater famine has plagued man than when the word of God is scarce. Like the famine of food, spiritual famine will bring certain death.

Israel had divided as nation after the death of Solomon. The northern ten tribes rebelled against the one true God setting up golden calves in Dan and Beer-Sheba. No king that ruled over the northern tribes was righteous and many of the kings would become more wicked than the nations around them. Men like Amos prophesied against the immorality, idolatry, and wickedness of the people but the messages of God’s wrath fell upon deaf ears. They oppressed the poor, neglected the needy and in their prosperity forgot God. As a nation, they were destroyed for lack of knowledge in forgetting the law of God. The Lord sent pestilence, drought and the plague like that of Egypt to show His wonder to the people trying to cause them to repent but to no avail. Finally, the day of the Lord would come when the famine of the word of God would come upon the people. There would come a time when God withholds His message of grace to the people. No prophet will arise to declare the word of the Lord. The day will come when the hope of God’s presence will fade away. As the people spiraled deeper into ungodliness, the Lord removed His presence and His spokesmen. The people of God would be cast into captivity never to return. None of the gods they served would deliver them and like their gods of wood and stone, the people would perish. When God leaves a land removing His word, death follows like a famine. It is complete, overshadowing and final.

What is tragic about the words of Amos is that he is speaking about the people of God who were given the law to guide them, train them and protect them. There was no excuse for them to be destitute of the way of the Lord. Everything they needed was provided by the hand of the Lord including the written word but they did not want to hear. Apostasy and rebellion come from ignorance dwelling in the minds of people and this was very serious for the nation of Israel. Lack of knowledge is a tool of the devil to destroy the hearts of God’s people. Because the Hebrews rejected the Lord He would stop sending His messengers with the word. This same ploy is found today in the body of Christ where Christian’s do not have any knowledge of the word of God. Again, like Israel of old, the church is destroyed for lack of knowledge. There was a time members of the church were well-versed in the Bible but those days are far removed from where it should be. Remarkably, the Bible is available in more formats and ease of use than any time in the last two thousand years but more and more of God’s people are ignorant of basic truths. Studying the word of God is no longer done. The joy of assembling with saints to discuss the righteousness character of godly living is ignored. Trying to fill the pews on Sunday night and Wednesday night is a greater challenge as people have no desire to assemble with the people of God. As a result, ignorance in filtering in among the people of God and the church is dying in many places. The hunger and thirst for the truth have diminished. What is feared is the word of the Lord will come to pass again when God declares a famine of His word in the United States of America. It is thought the church will always be on the corner of Main street and Third in middle America but that is a false hope because so many of God’s people are ignorant of the Bible. If God brings a famine of His word upon His people it will be a warning of how far removed the hearts of the people have become. Avoiding a famine is to keep the fields white with harvest in the souls of those who hunger for the word of God.

Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 2:17-18)

Jesus Was Incredible Human Being

It is hard to grasp how God can dwell in the flesh. Understanding the divine nature is far beyond the wisdom of men to fully recognize the power of God to send His Son to earth allowing Him to embody the carnal flesh and experience everything of this world. The Holy Spirit overshadowed Mary and she was impregnated with an eternal being that would grow in her womb until the days were completed for her to be delivered. And she gave birth to a little boy who was God yet man. Jesus was wrapped in swaddling clothes like any other Hebrew child. He did not know how to speak or to care for himself dependent upon Joseph and Mary to feed him, wash him and protect him from harm. For a few months he would scoot along the ground learning to crawl and then that day Mary never forgot when little Jesus sat up all by himself. The early life of Jesus was filled with the wonders of Egypt as the family had fled there when Herod tried to kill the infant son. Wise men from the East had brought presents to the family and the little boy who toddled around the house in Bethlehem before word came that Herod wanted to kill him. Joseph and Mary would live in Egypt for a time and then return home to Nazareth where Jesus would experience the world of Galilee and the trade of a carpenter. Joseph must have been excited when Jesus took his first steps and first called him, “Abba.” The hours Mary held her little boy must have been treasured all her life. Jesus would see the birth of four brothers and at least two sisters making a large family complete for the Son of God. It goes without saying Jesus was the perfect child and brother. As the oldest child Jesus would have held a place of honor and respect among his siblings. He wore the clothes of his day, enjoyed the sweetness of figs, took baths, watched the sunrise and set feeling the gentle breeze on hot summer days, helped his siblings as they made provisions for the day, walked with his father around Nazareth and did everything a growing boy in Israel would do. Once a year he would go with the people up to Jerusalem and worship at the Temple. It must have been a beautiful sight to the young man as he first approached the holy city and saw the gleaming Temple standing so regal among the buildings. The trips to Jerusalem were filled with singing, family, people, and worship.

Life for Jesus was filled with the challenge of Satan’s onslaught for the devil knew the child of Mary was the Son of God. At the age of twelve Jesus recognized He had to be about His heavenly Father’s business but his work of ministry would have to wait for eighteen years. During that time he grew into a young man and Satan threw his best efforts toward Jesus with temptation. The brothers of Jesus would face the same assault. James, Joses, Judas, and Simon would find it hard to withstand the temptations of the devil as all men would fall from the grace of God. The sisters of Jesus would fall to the plague of sin. Even Joseph and Mary failed at times as sin encroached on their lives. For Jesus, he remained pure and sinless. It must have grieved his heart to see how sin brought pain and suffering. Jesus knew the pain of weeping as his earthly father died and like many people experienced loved ones and friends who would die. He saw the injustice of the Roman Empire inflict its ruthless rule upon the citizens. There was much in the Roman world of Jesus that was unjust but as a captive nation, citizens of Israel had little to do but to obey. A Roman soldier could compel a person to carry anything they desired with no recourse from the individual. Crucifixion was a common tool of execution and would have been a familiar sight to Jesus. Life for the man from Nazareth was as common as any other man. Jesus would not have stood out in a crowd of people. His appearance was not a stately or imperial stature. No one took notice of Jesus in the town of Nazareth apart from the oldest son of Joseph and Mary, son of a carpenter. Jesus was made like his brethren in every way.

When the Roman soldiers laid the criminal on his back and nailed him to a cross, they pierced the flesh of a man who looked to them as a common rabble accused and convicted of a crime. There was no sympathy or appeal for mercy. They carried out their duty with surgical precision as they had done many times before. Two other men were crucified that day as the accused cursed the soldiers and those who gathered to watch. Completing the crucifixion, the four soldiers sat down and began dividing the earthly possessions of the three men hung before them. While the two men on right and left railed against the world, the man in the middle was remarkably composed. He did not curse, swear or accuse. His voice was quiet and gasping for breath as he asked forgiveness for those who gathered before him. He called out to God seeking comfort. One of the criminals had a change of heart and Jesus told him that he would be gathered to Paradise. The man in the middle cried out in thirst. Beneath the cross in the crowd the mother of one of the condemned stood with some other women and a man. He looked into his mother’s eyes and saw her incredible grief and then turned to the man and petitioned him to care for his mother. Finally, he gasped his final breath and cried out to the Father and died. God died. The Son of God gave up his spirit. He breathed his last. The heart of the man called Jesus stopped, the blood stopped flowing, the eyes closed and the head fell upon the chest as the body relaxed in death. Shortly thereafter a soldier would pierce the right side of Jesus to make certain he was dead. The soldier would see blood and water coming out of the wound confirming the man called Jesus was dead. Darkness had filled the sky as the world created by the hand of God felt the eternal seizures of the death of God who came in the flesh. Jesus was made like all men that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in the service of God bringing the joy of salvation through His death. He was an incredible human being because He was a human being. Everything experienced in the flesh was experienced by Jesus Christ so that He could be the author of eternal salvation to all who obey Him. Thank you, Jesus, for your human form and example of godly fear in your suffering, being tempted to become an example of hope for all.

Therefore, as the Holy Spirit says, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts as in the rebellion, on the day of testing in the wilderness, where your fathers put me to the test and saw my works for forty years. Therefore I was provoked with that generation, and said, ‘They always go astray in their heart; they have not known my ways.’ As I swore in my wrath, ‘They shall not enter my rest.’” (Hebrews 3:7-11)

Israel Put God To The Test

The danger of apostasy is a very real concern that has plagued the people of God from the beginning of time. It did not take long for the world of Adam and Eve to deteriorate to a place where the Lord was sorrowful He had created man and then because of His righteousness destroyed every living being save eight souls. The Bible is the mind of God revealed to men so they can learn His character and examine the history of how merciful and full of grace the Creator has been to His creation. No greater example of this is found than the story of the nation of Israel. Engraved upon the pages of holy writ, the story of Israel is the story of humankind’s struggle with sin. The Holy Spirit preserved the Old Testament as a testimony to the eternal love of a gracious Father against the backdrop of a chosen people who constantly tested the borders of God’s longsuffering and forgiveness. Israel was a nation above all nations granted the immense protection, care, benevolence and promises of God yet more often than not rebelled, refused, rejected and renounced their loyalty to the Lord God who brought them out of Egypt. After the death of Joseph, son of Jacob, a Pharaoh ruled that cared nothing for the Hebrews and enslaved them for centuries. Through the power of God exhibited in ten terrible plagues upon the Egyptians, the Hebrews were set free from the bondage of tyranny. It did not take long before the faith of Israel faltered when standing before the Red Sea and the army of Egypt approaching the hearts of the people cried out to the Lord. God showed His mighty power when He allowed the Hebrews to walk through the sea on dry land and then closed the waters around the pursuing Egyptian army destroying the greatest army on earth. Again, they rejoiced in the power of God and soon afterward began to complain to Moses. They were thirsty, they were hungry, and they were tired. At Sinai, they grew bored and began to fall down and worship the golden calf. The people complained about not having enough water and the Lord gave them more than they could drink. They wanted something more than the loathsome manna provided by God so the Lord sent them quail and they still complained. Standing on the border of the land promised to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the heart of the people faltered in disbelief as the ten spies discouraged the nation turning them away from God. Their hearts were hardened in rebellion against God and they wandered in the wilderness for forty years testing God at every turn. Because of this, those of the age of twenty-years and above perished in the wilderness never seeing the land of promise.

Israel saw the works of God for forty years and still did not believe. They tested God and they tried God and were destroyed in the wilderness. When the Lord called Abraham from the land of the Chaldees, He promised the son of Terah the land of Canaan. Isaac and Jacob received the same promise yet never saw the fulfillment in their lifetime. Israel was a chosen people of God that would be called the “apple of His eye” with every heavenly blessing fulfilled through the hand of a gracious provider but Israel tested and tried the Lord in unbelief. They saw the ways of God with Egypt, Ammon, Edom and a host of armies that came against them but they did not know the Lord. Their hearts were turned away from the grace of God serving their carnal flesh and fleshly desires. The deceitfulness of sin hardened their hearts in unbelief because the word which they heard was not mixed with faith. Israel would become a great nation but then fall by its own hand in rejecting the law of God and kill the Son of God outside Jerusalem.

The wrath of God is revealed in the story of Israel. The generations of those who tested and tried the Lord were not granted the land of promise. Canaan had been promised to the nation but that promise was conditional. Because of rebellion, many of the Hebrews never saw the land that flowed with milk and honey. They were the chosen people of God who would not see the promised land. God swore in His wrath they would not enter His rest and they did not. Just because they were Hebrews delivered from Egypt did not qualify them for the rest of the Lord. They were circumcised the eighth day and this did not guarantee the promised rest of God. Without their faith and obedience to the will of the Lord, they would perish in the wilderness and not enter the rest promised by God. The book of Hebrews is a testimony to the grace of God and the wrath of God. Obedience is demanded of the people of God or they will never see the land of promise or the land of rest. God has made every provision to allow man the knowledge of how to save himself from sin. Without mixing the word which they heard with faith, there will be no rest. There is a matter of the wrath of God that clearly shows while the Lord is longsuffering; the days of that longsuffering will end. Receiving the promised rest is conditional upon the faith of the individual to obey the will of the Father. Rest comes to the faithful not the fretful. God swore in His wrath those of Israel would not enter His rest. Let us not be among that number when the final judgment comes.

To me, who am less than the least of all the saints, this grace was given, that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ, and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence through faith in Him. (Ephesians 3:8-12)

What Is The New Testament Church?

The letter of Paul to the saints in Ephesus is a foundational study of the first-century church. During the apostle’s first Roman imprisonment he wrote a number of letters including Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians which came to be known as the “Prison Epistles.” The church had been in existence for less than forty years but had multiplied in great numbers with churches spread throughout the Roman Empire. As the early disciples (guided by the Holy Spirit) began formulating the organization, work, and purpose of the church there were many questions and problems to overcome as the infant body of Christ grew in size. Paul’s letter to Ephesus helped to cement the truth the church is the body of Christ, the church of God and the bride of Christ. Understanding the church comes from an examination of the book of Ephesians to see the purpose and design of the New Testament church. The work of the church is clearly defined: preach the unsearchable riches of Christ. In a world given over to entertainment, self-gratification and personal expression as a means of worship, the church of the New Testament needs to be restored in the minds of those who seek to follow the pattern of Bible authority. Two thousand years have passed since the first disciples were baptized into Christ and the church began to grow. The only way to be the New Testament church is to follow the authority of the pattern, organization, purpose, and design of what the early disciples established. Paul’s task was to preach the gospel. He did not use bands, fellowship halls, social promotions or political agendas to teach the gospel but rather opening up the word of God and showing lost souls the saving grace of God. The New Testament church is a place where the word of God is the focus of everything.

Many in the religious world view the church as a secondary part of fellowship with God. They may think of the church as an important part of being a Christian but not necessary or functional to the life of the disciple. Paul reveals the New Testament church as the eternal plan of God to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery hidden from the beginning of the ages. The church was not a mistake. It was not created as a stopgap to fill a void left when the Jews killed Jesus. For the early disciples, the view of the church was never a matter of convenience or something to be lighted treated as if it was a social club. The New Testament church was the fully revealed word of God manifested in the daily lives of those who professed to follow Jesus Christ. They assembled together every first day of the week without exception to honor the death, burial, and resurrection of the Son of God. It was an integral part of their lives to give themselves wholly to the work of the church whether in evangelism or benevolence for the saints. The New Testament church was not a passive movement but one filled with the glory of the Holy Spirit as the word of God turned their hearts toward the coming of Jesus Christ. Before Paul became a Christian, he persecuted all those who were of the Way (the church) with a great fervor making havoc of the church. The persecuted saints were scattered throughout the regions of Judea and Samaria preaching the word because the church was not a noble idea in their minds but the full intent of their hearts, minds, and souls. Why did the early Christians die for Christ? How could a man be willing to die for the church of Christ if the body of Christ had little meaning? The boldness and confidence of the New Testament church filled the lives of the early disciples and they gladly spent their lives to propagate, and purpose and plan the work of God in the church.

The eternal purpose of God is accomplished in Christ Jesus and His church. This is the picture of the New Testament church. Through the unveiling of the pattern of early saints, the church of Christ exalts the manifold wisdom of God revealed to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places. Angels look upon the church with eternal awe. Satan fears the church as the bastion of truth that is unmovable, unbreakable and unyielding. As the kingdom of God the New Testament church remains the eternal evidence of grace to undeserving man where men find the blood of Christ that flowed at Calvary to purchase the church. The New Testament church is the body of Jesus Christ where He is the head. If the church is not important then the body of Christ is of no value. Paul describes the church as the bride of Christ and yet men denounce the marriage feast of God’s Son to His eternal bride. As the family of God, the New Testament church fills the void of man who needs the love of the Father and the sharing of brothers and sisters in a familial relationship. There is no greater institution in the world than the church of Christ because it is the New Testament church that has existed for two thousand years unabated and unmoved. The trappings of men who have tried to recreate the church in their own image pale in comparison to the glory of what is found on the pages of the New Testament. There are many churches today but only one New Testament church. That church is found where it was planted: in the New Testament.

Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven. (Matthew 10:32-33)

What Will Jesus Tell His Father?

When Jesus called the twelve disciples to Him giving them power over unclean spirits and the power to heal all kinds of sickness and disease, He commanded them to preach the kingdom of heaven to the people of Israel alone. There would be persecutions along the way as they faced resistance to the message of the Lord but they were to stay strong and know that the heavenly Father would give them the courage to stand for truth. Jesus assured them the Father would care for them and provide for them if only they would remain faithful in the work of sharing the good news with the multitudes. His message would bring division among families as a man against his father, a daughter against a mother and a man’s enemies would be those of his own household. This would make the work of teaching the will of the Father challenging to keep the faith in the face of such difficulty. Those who remained faithful would find eternal life in bearing the cross of the message of God. Further, Jesus does not leave the twelve without the confidence that if they would confess the name of Christ before men; He would do the same before His Father who is in heaven. The horizontal and vertical relationship of men and God is sealed in the knowledge that when men profess the name of Christ in the presence of men, the Son of God will personally take the name of the disciple and confess that name before the face of the heavenly Father. It is clear that God knows all men and is aware of the actions of all of humanity but Jesus is taking that knowledge much further. He promises to confess the person before the Father as a person of courage, faith, and fidelity. The Son of God makes a declaration when a servant of God shares the word of truth with others, possibly facing persecution from the world or family and yet remains courageous to speak the truth in love, He will personally speak to the Father the name of that individual as a person of faith. Jesus Christ will confess the name of the one who is faithful. Heaven resounds with the name of the disciple of Christ who proclaims the word of God because Jesus confesses him to the Father.

It is easy for men to drawback in the face of persecution because of fear, embarrassment, shame and a host of reasons that fill the mind for drawing back. The twelve were going to face some harsh conditions when they preached the kingdom of heaven among the Jews. There would be cities that would reject the apostles and cast them out. Councils of men would cast their vote against them delivering up the servants of God for scourging. Families will deliver up their own sons and daughters to be put to death and children against parents. Preaching the gospel of Christ will not be an easy task. Because of the courageous stand for truth in the heart of the disciple of Jesus Christ, he or she will be hated by all. It is not easy to live in a world that hates and despises those who teach the word of God. Enduring to the end is the full reward and the promises of Jesus Christ to confess the name of the faithful before the Father. The truth will not change or diminish if a person fails to defend the cause of Christ but what is lost is the voice of the Son of God declaring that name before the Father. A warning is given by Jesus that if a man draws back in fear denying the word of the Lord, He will also deny that man before the Father. There can be no exception. Either a man will stand for truth or fall for error. Those who are willing to face persecution or ridicule may receive harsh treatment in life but the name of the faithful soldier of Christ will remain on the lips of the Father. Choosing to deny Christ will bring about the wrath of God as the Son denies the name of the individual before the Father. Men should not fear what other men can do to them because all they can do is harm the body. Rather, men must fear the one who has the power to destroy both body and soul for denying the name of Christ.

The world is filled with the smallest of animals and God knows every sparrow that flies in the heavens. He has such knowledge as Creator; the Father literally knows the number of hairs that are on the head of every person on earth and those who have regal heads without. This knowledge is so vast and overwhelming that Jesus reminds the disciples the Father is not unaware of the trials faced by those who have the courage to speak the word of truth. God knows the heart of the disciple who faces trials and temptations. He sees clearly the rejection of family, friends, associates, and other disciples that weigh heavy on the spirit of the child of God. Jesus reassures the disciple that if he will confess His name before men then the Son of God will confess that name before the heavenly Father. It goes without saying the word of Jesus speaking the name of the faithful before the Father carries eternal weight. This world is not a home for the weary traveler as a city without foundation awaits the dwelling of the faithful who will confess the name of Christ before others and hearing the echoes of heaven sound the voice of Jesus confessing that name before the Father. God knows the name of all men but how many of those names pass the lips of the Son of God as He confesses before His Father a name. Is that name your name? What is Jesus telling the Father about you? Eternity depends on it.