The Heaton File

And you shall not walk in the statutes of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they commit all these things, and therefore I abhor them. (Leviticus 20:23)

The Lord God Abhors America

It will be a little over forty years before the children of Israel will cross the Jordan River into the land of promise. Mt. Sinai still looms large before them as the law was delivered to the people through the servant of the Lord, Moses. The Ten Commandments are given as the preamble to the extensive law that would become the whole of the Law of Moses. Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers declare the law given by God to the people with the clear admonition to obey every tenant and design given by the Lord. Among the prohibitions of the law are the practice of pagan worship as characterized by the Ammonite god Molech and the immorality of the many nations surrounding Israel. The Hebrews were to be a separate nation by geography and by morality. Their laws were strict in adhering to principles of righteousness, purity and holiness as set forth by God. Failure to obey the commandments, ordinances and judgments of the Lord were met with severe penalty.

The greatest challenge Israel would face as a nation was to reject the idol worship of the nations around them. It would become their downfall as the kingdom divided following the death of Solomon, who laid the groundwork for idol worship. Pagan idolatry eviscerated the spiritual heart of God’s people from within with its immoral and decadent practices. Human sacrifice was part of idol worship including the sacrifice of children on the red-hot arms of Molech. Sexual whoredom was common in the religious rites of hedonism. Turning away from God and seeking after psychics and spiritualist man worshiped himself. Families were torn apart as children rebelled against their parents cursing them and screaming vulgarities. Adultery was common. Pornography was graphic in the lives of the pagans. Sexual perversion endorsed a man to sleep with his neighbor’s wife, his father’s wife and even his own daughter-in-law. Homosexuality was the norm as men went in with men and women with women. Orgies were the past time of the day. A man married a woman and brought to his bed his mother-in-law. Bestiality was practiced. Incest was common. This was the character of the nation’s God was destroying and telling the Israelite nation to not follow in their path.

Reading Leviticus 20 is a reflection of where our country finds itself today. There can be no denying these practices are common and defended by the laws of the land. Increasingly, the minority of the ungodly are changing the heart of the nation towards the hedonistic voyeurisms of fleshly pleasures. Television flagrantly portrays homosexuality and multiple partners as the only way to find pleasure. Abortion is the modern form of Molech as millions of unborn children are murdered. A snow-flake generation of young people are entering the world believing they are entitled to have whatever they want, rebelling against authority, law and personal rights. Chaos reigns in the streets of America with protesters burning and destroying properties because they did not get their way. Families are decimated by the rebellion of a society gone mad.

Sexual perversion is no longer uncommon. Pornography is destroying lives by the millions with its ease of access and empty promises of pleasure. Billions of dollars are spent each year to fight the drug epidemic that takes the lives of so many of our young people and porn is the greatest addiction that goes untreated. Sexual promiscuity is proliferated through sexting, chat sites and the internet. There are no bounds for the level of depravity men will seek to find a moment’s pleasure. America is stained with the putridity of Satan’s touch and increasingly is devolving into a world of darkness. It is no longer the land of the red, white and blue but a nation of degenerate, rebellious and selfish people seeking their own lustful desires.

God abhors what America has become just as He abhorred the people of Israel when they turned away from Him. Israel was the Lord’s own special people; the apple of His eye. They rejected God and He rejected them. America has never been the chosen nation of God as He is not interested in the political wrangling of men. At one time, there was a greater sense of morality in America that has long been forgotten. No longer a nation united under God, we have become a body of people that have evolved into the mire of a decadence not unlike so many nations before us and around us. Our pride will not allow us to see how truly immoral we have become and how deeply we have buried ourselves in the rabbit hole of our pleasures. But here we are. And God abhors it.

Salvation may not come to America but Jesus did not die for nations, He died for men. Like the days of Noah, righteousness will come from the heart of the individual who is willing to stand for truth, righteousness and purity in a world gone made for the delicacies of the devil’s brew. There were only eight righteous souls when Noah entered the ark. When the hand of God shut the door, the only thing that mattered was who was in the safety of the ark. Living in America is no different. What matters is if a person is in Christ and walking in the light of His word. When the world comes to an end (and it will), God will save only those who have kept themselves undefiled from those things that He abhors. The choice is yours. Choose whom you will serve.

America is not a Christian nation. There is only one Christian nation – God’s people, the church of Jesus Christ. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

And he who strikes his father or his mother shall surely be put to death … and he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death … if a man has a stubborn and rebellious son who will not obey the voice of his father or the voice of his mother, and who, when they have chastened him, will not heed them, then his father and his mother shall take hold of him and bring him out to the elders of his city, to the gate of his city. And they shall say to the elders of his city, ‘This son of ours is stubborn and rebellious; he will not obey our voice; he is a glutton and a drunkard.’ Then all the men of his city shall stone him to death with stones; so you shall put away the evil from among you, and all Israel shall hear and fear. (Exodus 21:15,17; Deuteronomy 21:18-21)

Law Of Moses Parenting

There are two things to understand about the Law of Moses: first, the Law was given only to the Jewish nation and to no other people; second, the Law has been abolished and is no longer in effect. The purpose of the Law was to facilitate the coming of God’s Son and help bring the Jews to Christ. Paul would remind his readers the old law was helpful to understand the nature of God and His will. Reading the Law of Moses gives a deep sense of respect for the mind of the Lord God and His view towards the relationship of man to man and man to God. While the force of the law has been removed, the impact of its principles is clear. Speaking of the family relationship, the Lord has left a pattern of absolute reverence children should have toward the parent. A refusal to listen to the word of God will bring great judgment in the final day.

God looked upon the family unit as a very precious commodity. Adam and Eve were formed in the Garden of Eden for the purpose of family. The blessings of God have always been upon the parent/child relationship and the respect that was to be given for the role of the father and mother. In the Law of Moses there was no room for rebellion of a child to a parent. Many laws were less punitive in nature than what God said should be done to a rebellious child. Cursing a parent or striking a parent brought the death penalty. Not everything brought the enforcement of death but a rebellious child would be taken out of the city and stoned to death by all the men of the city.

The impact of the Law of Moses was colossal. Consider for a moment parents who have a child that is unruly, disobedient and refuses to honor his father and mother. The parents know what the Law prescribes. They take their son to the elders of the city and declare how he is uncontrollable and without regard to anyone. After an examination it is determined the boy is a disobedient child refusing to bow down to the law. All the men of the city take the boy to a place in the field where they surround him and begin throwing stones at him until he is dead. Being stoned to death is a horrible manner of death. Each man of the city is responsible for the death of this young man. They do not leave until it has been determined the boy is dead. The father gathers up the lifeless body of his son, takes his mother and they bury him. Returning home, there is one less place at the table and one less name uttered in the home. The father looks at his hands and knows what he has done. His children look at their parents and see the sadness in their faces. It is impressed on their minds the penalty of disobeying their parents. And all of this was exactly what God commanded to be done to a rebellious child.

Across town, another man returns home. He speaks softly to his wife telling him the tragic news of the young man who was brought to the elders. The children hear the story of how he was stoned to death. They know their father was part of those men who stoned the young man. The family knows the death of the boy was in accordance to the will of God and they praise Him. Honor is given to the Lord because His Law is righteous and His will is to be obeyed.

This story horrifies men today. There is nothing that prepares the modern mind with the concept of taking a child out and stoning them to death. The outrage would be without precedent. But what is lost in the fury of rebuttal for such a thing being carried out is the sanctity God places upon parents to bring their children along the path of truth and righteousness. There can be many reasons the child is rebellious. Parents could be so lax they refuse to punish their child. They allow their son to do whatever he wants to do and speak to them in any fashion he desires. His rebellion is fueled by the lack of respect his parents teach him. It could be the case of an incorrigible child who dishonors his parents and cursing them. Whatever the reason, a rebellious child was to be put to death because God holds the family unit as holy. The mode of punishment has changed (there is no death penalty) but the view of God has never changed. Young people who are rebellious to their parents will face the consequences of a wrathful Lord. Parents who coddle their children with everything but discipline will also face the punishment of God.  The Law of Moses shows how important the family unit is to God. Can we do any less than honor the will of the Lord? Parents (and grandparents) must hear and fear the word of the Lord.

My father considered himself to be the head of the family, and the rest of us were inclined to agree with him. He was not opposed to the posterior application of superior force, if necessary. He was not afraid he would frustrate Junior. He saw no conflict between love and discipline. Neither does the Bible. Our Lord said, “As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten” Revelation 3:19. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Now it came to pass, when Jesus finished commanding His twelve disciples, that He departed from there to teach and to preach in their cities. And when John had heard in prison about the works of Christ, he sent two of his disciples and said to Him, “Are You the Coming One, or do we look for another?” Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and tell John the things which you hear and see: The blind see and the lame walk; the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear; the dead are raised up and the poor have the gospel preached to them. And blessed is he who is not offended because of Me.” (Matthew 11:1-6)

The Testimony Of His Life

There has never been a man who has impacted the world as Jesus of Nazareth. In less than three years, Jesus turned the world upside down and forever changed the course of human history and the eternal destiny of all men. No man rules the earth with such power and might as the little child born in an animal stall in Bethlehem. He was the supposed son of Joseph, a carpenter from Nazareth. His mother was a quiet example of devotion to the Lord God. At the age of 30, Jesus began teaching the multitudes in a manner that astonished them. The world had not heard this kind of testimony as Jesus opened the scriptures of old revealing His nature and presence on every page. Opening the scrolls of the prophets, Jesus explained how He fulfilled the prophecy given long ago by the messengers of God. His teaching challenged the norm of Jewish theology breaking down the barriers placed by the scribes and Pharisees.

What was remarkable about the work of the man from Nazareth was His emphasis upon the common man, the poor and the rejected of society. Unlike the hypocrites of His day, Jesus spent time teaching every man with no concern for their station in life. He would take time to talk to a woman at a well, a ruler of the Jews at night and a rich tax collector who climbed a tree to see Him. This man would touch lepers, speak kindly to those of ill-repute, challenge the hierarchy of religious elite and admonish love for enemies. There was no man that ever spoke as this Jesus of Nazareth. Try as they may, many tried to trap Jesus in His teaching and always failing miserably; learned a greater lesson from His rebuke and soft answer. Incredibly enough, when the envious Jewish rulers had Jesus nailed to a cross, He forgave them.

Jesus of Nazareth was not just a remarkable teacher. He claimed to be the Son of God. Many men have walked that path influencing multitudes to follow them but to no avail. This man who taught so forcefully was also a true miracle worker. Charlatans were plenty and through their trickery convinced the people they were something when they were not. Jesus of Nazareth healed blind men and caused the lame to walk. Leprosy was not a disease that man could cure but Jesus of Nazareth cleansed many lepers by His word and His touch. Those who were deaf were healed of their infirmity. To the astonishment of everyone who were privileged to witness the power of Jesus, dead were brought to life again. One man had been dead for four days and the stench of decay had begun and Jesus restored him to life. He walked on water, commanded the forces of nature, subdued every spirit of Satan, and forgave sins.

John the Baptist languished in prison and questioned if the man he heard so much about was the true Christ. Jesus sent testimony of His work in teaching the people and healing all manner of disease. His life was His testimony. The miracles proved Him to be God’s son and His teaching established His authority. There can be no doubt. Faith is built on the testimony of the evidence of Jesus power and His word. The blessed man is the one who will not be offended by the clear sign that Jesus is the Christ. His power is written down for men to believe. His teaching is written down for men to accept. There is no other testimony. There is no other way, no other truth and no other life. Jesus is the Son of God.

It is impossible to do nothing about Jesus Christ. Not to decide for Him is to decide against Him, but decide we must. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear. (Hebrews 12:28)

The True Church In The Year 1217

Genghis Khan is undisputed ruler of the Mongol nation in the Far East and the Fifth Crusade reaches the Holy Land attempting to retake the city of Jerusalem. The crusade ends in disaster. In Europe, England and France are warring with one another. The Americas are writing an unknown history with its native population as many parts of the world fall into a historical blackout. Very little is known of the worldwide history of nations during the year 1217. The Roman Catholic Church has a strong hold on the European continent while the Eastern Orthodox Church influences the east. Medieval Europe lives under the sway of Roman Catholicism. History is a trivial master that fails to inscribe everything that happens in the vast territories of the world. A study of history is a selective piecing together of what is known and retained through the centuries. It is clear the majority of events that happened in history are unknown unless it involved a major story changing the course of the nations of men.

Church history is often viewed with skewed perspectives lacking the historical basis of proof. Not everything that happened in the year 1217 is recorded but this does not mean it did not happen. The Roman Catholic Church was not the only church in existence in the 13^th Century. According to the promise of the Holy Spirit the real church of the Lord was flourishing somewhere in the world. Begun on the Day of Pentecost, the New Testament church was established by the word of the Lord as disciples were added to the church daily. Luke tells the story of the early church growing from infancy to persecution. John writes in the Revelation the trials the church faced as Satan tried to destroy the body of Christ. The message of the Revelation is no government, religious or moral battles fought against the church of the Lord will succeed.

It has been two thousand years since the church began and there has never been a time the church was not existing somewhere in the world. Church history is mistakenly divided into the early church, apostasy, reformation and restoration. From a Biblical standpoint, true church history has been one single continued line of existence. It has been difficult to document where the church was and how it held to the teachings of Jesus Christ. As in the days of Noah, if only eight righteous souls made up the true church of Christ it fulfilled the promise the kingdom of God would never be shaken or removed. One of the great miracles of scripture is being fulfilled every year for the last two thousand years that the true church can be found somewhere in the world. The Roman Catholic Church is not the New Testament church. It has a historical footprint from the writings of men but the Book of Life engraves the names of the faithful few that rejected the apostasy of men for the truth of Jesus Christ.

The church in the year 1217 met on the first day of the week and remembered the sacrifice of the Lord in the supper. Hymns were sung and prayers offered and souls turned from pagan practices to obey the true God. Papists were turned from the apostasy of Catholic dogmas to obey the only true word of God. Families rejoiced in the joy of knowing the salvation offered by the Son of God. Men and women were baptized for the remission of their sins having believed the message of grace. Where was this little congregation? Only God knows – but He knew and that is the wonderful message of His will. The church of Christ has never stopped existing and we should never forget that. I am thankful for the legacy of the faithful few who through many trials and tribulations endured unspeakable hardships to preserve the nature of the one true church. To my brethren in the year 1217 – thank you.

It is not the history of families, nor of races and nation, nor of cultures that holds within itself the final meaning of history, but only the history of the salvation of persons in the kingdom of God. (Theodore Haecker, Dublin Review, CCXIX, 1946)

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy–meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8)

Thinking About Righteousness

What separates man from animal is the ability to reason and think. Created in the image of God, man has been given the gift of eternity in the image of the Heavenly Father and the responsibility to discern between right and wrong. In the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve knew the significance of the trees in the midst of the garden. Given a choice by the Lord, they partook of the forbidden fruit because their willful thoughts rebelled against the command of God. Sin plunged humanity into the dark abyss of separation from the glory of the Lord until the coming of the Son of God who brought eternal light into the world. Through Christ, redemption is found in those who choose to turn their hearts toward the love and mercy of God finding peace and salvation. The battleground that man has always struggled with is the heart and what a man thinks in his heart.

Paul defined clearly the challenge faced in fighting Satan. On the one hand, the devil entices the hearts of men to consider his lies as true, his virtues as just and his will as pure. He attacks the eight pillars of righteousness that will destroy man. The Holy Spirit admonishes the Christian to fight against the wiles of the devil to think of things on a higher plane. Righteousness is built upon what is true, noble, just, pure, lovely, good and virtuous and worthy of praise. Truth pervades the mind as the foundation of life. Honesty is the virtue of speech and action. The Christian does what is right in the eyes of God. Purity fills the mind not allowing the pollution’s of the world to make the heart and eyes to stray. A heart of courage guides the mind to the lovely things of life seeing good in the will of God. Instead of dwelling on the bad and evil, children of God are good-thinking people who desire to know decency in dress, speech and character. The crown of the Christian character is a virtuous mind that sees the image of the Father and seeks to live reflecting that image. When the seven lights of Christian character shine through, the heart lifts up praise and glory to the Father and God is pleased.

All of the characters of the Christian are manifested in living each day reflecting the virtues of Jesus Christ. What Paul described in this atomic particle of scripture is the mind of Christ. Examining His life is a commentary on those things that are true, noble, just, pure, and lovely, of good report, virtue and praise. Imitating Jesus is clothing the heart with these beautiful tapestries of God’s love. Sin cannot stand against these pillars of holiness. Whatever challenge we have in life can be defeated implanting these guardians of spiritual warfare in our hearts. Spend time every day reflecting these virtues in your life and the devil will never have hold of your heart. Marriages will flourish, relationships will blossom and faith will be exalted to the throne of God. The world will be seen through the eyes of a meditated heart focused on righteousness. Think on these things. Think hard. Blessings await. Lives will be changed. Let the glory of God shine in your heart.

It would be as wise and reasonable to say that it does not matter which way the rudder swings as the ship moves, as to say that it does not matter what a man thinks. (W. J. Dawson, The Making of Manhood, 1895)

Every commandment which I command you today you must be careful to observe, that you may live and multiply, and go in and possess the land of which the Lord swore to your fathers. And you shall remember that the Lord your God led you all the way these forty years in the wilderness, to humble you and test you, to know what was in your heart, whether you would keep His commandments or not. So He humbled you, allowed you to hunger, and fed you with manna which you did not know nor did your fathers know, that He might make you know that man shall not live by bread alone; but man lives by every word that proceeds from the mouth of the Lord. (Deuteronomy 8:1-3)

Living For Bread

Canaan was the land of promise just beyond the turbulent waters of the Jordan. After forty years, the nation of Israel had come to the threshold of a land that would become their home in fulfillment of a promise given to Abraham so many years before. The generation that rebelled against the will of God is scattered throughout the wilderness and a new people stand anticipating the joy of finding their reward granted by the grace of God. Moses will not make that journey. He will turn the leadership of the nation to his assistant Joshua who will lead the people to many victories. In the final declaration of the aged Moses, God’s law is recounted in the hearing of the people to affirm once again the covenant made at Sinai. Moses impresses upon the minds of every soul the importance of having a dedicated heart to the cause of the Lord. Possessing the land must come from hearts that are dedicated to the word of God.

The joy of dwelling in the land of promise will only come from those who seek to keep the commandments of the Lord. Salvation is obedience measured from the love of God who bountifully gives to His people everything they need. In the forty years the children of Israel wandered from place to place, God took care of them. Their garments did not wear out, they were given ample food and water and gained victory over their enemies. The survival of the people would come only by the hand of the Lord. They should remember the wilderness journey was a test of their love for God. The Lord humbled them to see what was in their hearts. He tested them to see how deep their allegiance was for Him. His aim was to show the people they did not live by the bounty of bread alone but by the word of the Lord.

Part of the Ten Commandments admonishes the people to keep the Sabbath day holy and do no work on that day. There was a message the Lord wanted to send to His people: life is not about the busy work we think is so necessary. They were not allowed to do any work on the Sabbath day – not even picking up sticks (for which a man was stoned to death for doing on the Sabbath). Man has not changed in his misunderstanding of what is important in life. He still rushes around like a mad-hatter so busy he has no time for God. While the Law of Moses is no longer binding including the keeping of the Sabbath laws, the principle of learning how to trust in the bread of Heaven is lost upon many Christians today. Life is filled with a hurried pace seven days a week with a non-stop rush to full life with all the empty promises of things that will pass away one day. When a person is lying on their deathbed, they are in no hurry to do anything. The reason is that they realize that life is not about the hectic pursuits that so captivated the heart before. Dying people take time to die. Sadly, living people make no provisions for the day of death.

Satan came to Jesus in the wilderness tempting the Lord with the desires of the flesh. He pleaded with Jesus to turn stones into bread so that He could satisfy His belly. After fasting forty days, the Lord had a powerful hunger. Rebuking the devil, Jesus condemned Satan with the truth that life is not about bread but devouring the manna of the Heavenly Father. Man does not live by bread alone; although looking around it is hard to see many people following that admonition. Jesus kept His focus on His Father. It seems that many Christians today live such vicarious lives pursing worthless things. Sunday has become a day of fun, frolic and focus on matters of the world instead of putting God first. Why are Sunday night services so frequently diminished from Sunday morning by the trivial pursuits of those who live for the flesh? In America, we are so busy we have little time for God. Face the truth. Look at this week. How much time have we spent with the Lord? When do we plan to fit Him into our schedule? Ironically, we live on His timetable because He holds our breath in His hand.

If you are not living by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God, you are dying.

When I call to remembrance the genuine faith that is in you, which dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice, and I am persuaded is in you also. (2 Timothy 1:5)

Generational Teaching

The family unit is never as strong as when the generations of grandparents, parents and children are knitted together in a single bond of the love of God. There are many things we want to pass along to our children and even our grandchildren. A heritage is a valuable blessing to share with family as each passing generation builds upon the other leaving legacies that define who we are. Trinkets sprinkle the shelves of days gone by, treasures are safely hidden away and memories of the past dot the walls with pictures and mementoes of family. The apostle Paul mentions the greatest gift his young protégé Timothy could have when he mentions the faith that dwelt first in his grandmother Lois and was carried into the heart of his mother, Eunice. Timothy had the greatest treasure of all. A family legacy of faith.

A virtuous woman is a life worth more than rubies or great wealth. Her character is molded by the image of God, as she trusts in the mercy of God to guide her life and her family. Lois taught her daughter Eunice to embrace that love and make the Lord the guiding light of her life. It is difficult in any age to teach children the word of God and Lois was faced with no easy task. Her determination fueled her desire to see her daughter grow to womanhood serving the will of the Lord God in every part of her life. Following the admonition of the Law of Moses, Lois taught young Eunice when she walked by the way, laid down to sleep and rose up. The young daughter of Lois learned the wonderful stories of Creation, Abraham, Moses and great kings like David. Her mother taught her the voice of the prophets and the eternal truths in the word of God. Eunice grew up knowing the voice of the heavenly Father. Lois was also teaching Eunice another valuable lesson: how to teach her children.

Generational learning is when one generation teaches the next generation to teach the next generation. Lois taught Eunice to love the Lord with all her heart, soul, mind and body and to teach this same message to her own children. Eunice gave birth to a little boy that would grow up in the shadow of his grandmother and mother teaching him the eternal truths of God’s word. Timothy’s mother would sing the ancient hymns of the Psalms and tell the little boy the stories of Noah, Joseph, David and Daniel. Lois had taught Eunice well to carry on the faith of God in her own children. Timothy grew up knowing about the nature of God, His will and His word. He learned this because two women made certain he knew God.

Teaching is a lifetime of directing the hearts of our children and our grandchildren. Parenting lasts as long as we live. There is a need for families to begin building generations of children who love the Lord. Nothing is more important in the life of a child than knowing who God is and falling in love with Him. This work is especially important for grandparents to instill in their grandchildren. The greatest treasure we can leave our family is a legacy of service to God. It begins in the home. Fathers and mothers must teach their children the word of God above everything else. Grandfathers and grandmothers must be examples of fidelity and truth to their families. How many generations of faithful Christians do we find in our family? This must come from each generation teaching the next.

A teacher affects eternity; he can never tell where his influence stops. (Henry Adams, The Education of Henry Adams, 1906)

And truly Jesus did many other signs in the presence of His disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing you may have life in His name. (John 20:30-31)

Written In A Book

There is power in what is written down in a book. Oral traditions have carried the stories of men through the ages but lack the evidentiary proof to examine, discuss and read time and again learning the deeper meanings of truth. Writing a story in book form allows the seeker of truth to study carefully the nuances of the person, place and reasons of the story. No tale is as great as the one about God’s Son who came to earth of His own free will to die for the sins of all mankind. Moses writes the first words of the revelation of Christ when he penned, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The apostle John closed the message of the book with “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” What is contained between these pillars of truth is the story of the Son of God. John admits the failure of his own book to contain everything Jesus said in His life, what He did and the powerful miracles proving His deity. Later, the apostle would suggest that if everything known about God on earth were written one by one, the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Sixty-six books making one unified book of testimony reveals the nature of God’s Son.

Books are written to be read. The Bible is a book of books spanning a time as old as the world. Moses tells us of the genesis of man and the world with the beginning of all the nations of men. Ancient stories burst from the pages painting a picture of the glory of God and the failures of men saved by the grace of God. The world is destroyed save eight souls and a promise of hope is given to a man from the Ur of Chaldeans. A new nation is formed by the hand of God that will realize the goodness and severity of God. History is carved through the landscape of one nation leading to the birth of the Son of God in a little town called Bethlehem. His life of thirty some years marks the whole world with the imprint of God’s face. Matthew, Mark, Luke and John reveal the humanity and divinity of Jesus showing Him a Savior for the Jew and the Gentile. These four books are the cornerstone of what is revealed in the thirty-nine books of the Old Testament and the remaining twenty-three books of the New Testament. God has chosen sixty-six books to unveil the story of His love to all men; no more and no less. Books. Words written down about Jesus Christ.

The Bible is given to man by the grace of God. Every page reveals Jesus Christ. The whole of the Bible speaks to the character of Jesus Christ. What is contained in these sixty-six books is the same message John reflects upon in his own book. The Bible tells the story of God’s Son so that all men will believe Jesus is the Christ, the Savior, Redeemer and Lord. No other book can make that claim. There is no other truth but the words of the Bible. Only one author composed this grand message and his name is the Lord God Almighty. Reading the words in the book of God will allow man to grace the presence of God and know His will. Knowing the mind of God brings peace, happiness and eternal life. Failure to read the book of books will leave man ignorant of the Lord and helpless. John knew the power of words. He understood the importance of the book. Through the Holy Spirit, the beloved apostle wrote down the story of his Lord, Jesus Christ. Read it to be wise. Read it to be saved.

In books cherubim expand their wings that the soul of the student may ascend and look around from pole to pole … in them the most high and incomprehensible God Himself is contained and worshiped. (Richard de Bury, Philobiblon, 1473)

That is, the Lord God of hosts. The Lord is His memorable name. So you, by the help of your God, return; observe mercy and justice, and wait on your God continually. (Hosea 12:5-6)

The Anchor Of The Soul

During the days of the divided kingdom of Israel, the prophets of God continually pleaded with the people to return to a faithful service to the Lord. Repentance would avert the tragedy that awaited the people if they refused but sadly, in time their rebellion cost them seventy years of hard captivity. Prophets like Hosea expressed the love God had for His people showing mercy and justice and them giving them opportunity to change their hearts. A clear message from reading the prophets is the character of the Lord God. He is a loving and forgiving God allowing man time to change his ways and redeem himself before the glory of the Lord. It must begin with a full recognition of who God is and what He demands. Knowing the authority of His name humbles a man to bow before the presence of his maker. Repentance can only come from the gracious help of the Lord and waiting upon His forgiveness. How great is the God we serve.

The stories of the Old Testament are written to impress upon our minds the infinite character of the Lord God Almighty. He is unchanging and unmoved in His dealings with man. From the Garden of Eden until the final moments of the earth’s existence, God remains the same. He is the Lord God of Hosts and there is no one like Him. He is the Creator of everything in this world and the expanse of the universe. All the worlds’ man can find rests within the span of God’s hand. The beat of the heart within man is measured by the power of God. Because of this, His name is sacred and to be held in honor. What great thing has man done that he can boast more than God? There is nothing man has done that is lasting. The sun that rises today is the same sun that the first man Adam gazed upon in the beginning of time. The Lord of Hosts sets the rising and falling of the sun and holds the germ of life in His hand.

God’s mercy saved man in the beginning when he disobeyed. Adam and Eve were cast from the garden with the promise of a seed salvation. Through Christ, all men can find the grace of God manifested through the blood of His Son on a cross of wood. The Lord has allowed man mercy to return to Him but this cannot be done apart from the power of God. No matter what man has done, an avenue of redemption is open for man to return to the Lord. There is no sin man can do that will not be forgiven by God if man will only come back to the Lord. The nation of Israel had fallen deeply into idolatry and wickedness; yet the Lord pleads with them to return. Their failure was not because God was unwilling to save them but their hearts were unmoved by the love of a forgiving Father. Jesus stands at the door of our hearts knocking but we have to open the door.

Mercy and justice are the keys to repentance. Showing mercy is humbling the heart before God and acknowledging the righteousness of the Lord brings forgiveness. This is the anchor of the soul that restores a rebellious heart with a spirit soothed by the love of a forgiving God. There is nothing more sure than anchoring the heart in the love of God. Coming back to the Lord is casting the anchor of faith in the troubled waters of life securing every part of our being on the rock of salvation. Nothing will tear us away from the love of God. When the storms come, our hope is built on nothing less than the promises of God. We stand firm in the mercy of the Lord of hosts. His name is memorable because of what He has done in my life. Thank God for his enduring grace that allows us to come before His presence and receive His kindness. How great is our God.

God would not have given us souls capable of contemplating and desiring this holy eternity, if He had not intended to bestow on us the means of obtaining it. (Frances of Sales; 1567-1622; Consoling Thoughts of, ed. Huguet)

You shall keep My Sabbaths and reverence My sanctuary: I am the Lord. Give no regard to mediums and familiar spirits; do not seek after them, to be defiled by them: I am the Lord your God. You shall rise before the gray headed and honor the presence of an old man, and fear your God: I am the Lord. (Leviticus 19:30-32)

Sabbaths, Mediums And The Gray-Headed

The Holy Spirit does not mince words. He puts exactly the right kind of words in the right type of framework to reveal the will of God. There is an emphasis upon the manner the Lord reveals His commandments, judgments and statutes to men so there is no misunderstanding. Often, a command is clarified with the remark, “I am the Lord.” This is where the scepter of God’s rule is accentuated with lucidity as a declaration for man to pay special attention to what is being said. Keeping the Sabbath was not just a command but it was a special reverence required by God to be kept in a proper way and a proper order. Following the law was obedience to the pattern of worship involving the Sabbaths and the reverence to His sanctuary. It required no association with those who were mediums or fortunetellers or those who practice the magic arts. Moses shows the import of this law by reminding again, “I am the Lord.”

In the context of keeping the Sabbaths, reverencing the sanctuary and forbidding the acceptance of mediums, Moses includes the admonition to give honor to the ‘hoary head’ (KJV) or the grey-headed old man. Think about what this means. This was not a suggestion but a law. Keeping the Sabbaths and forbidding mediums was a law that came with severe penalties. Included in the list of moral laws was the command that when a grey-headed old man came into the room, the younger must rise and give honor to God. Imagine the impact of teaching children to give that kind of honor to the aged. Tucked away in all the commandments of the Lord to His people is the family respect for the aged. And it was emphasized with the declaration, “I am the Lord.”

The foundation of the family determines where the church will find itself in the coming generations. When a lack of respect is given to older men and women by the younger generation, there will be a lack of respect for God. The Lord wanted His people to be filled with the honor of age. There is a need to recognize the importance of the gray-headed man who has lived a life of service to the Lord. Young women must learn from those women whose hair turned white from the years of being an example of marriage and motherhood. Respect is what the Lord commanded from his people. Young people must honor those who are older showing kindness and love. The nuclear family is seldom found anymore with grandparents, aunts, uncles and relatives living far apart. Parents must teach their children by their own example how to love and care for the aged giving honor to them. Children must learn to give respect by the way they speak to older folk. Self-absorbed children spoiled with the things of this world will not honor the aged and often parents encourage this. It is not uncommon to see children ignore or treat rudely an older person. The Lord emphasizes the command to reverence the hoary head when He said, “I am the Lord.”

Learning to honor the gray-headed is a valuable lesson to teach children how to honor God. The Father is not a white-headed old man sitting on a glowing throne but the visage of glory that should be reverenced by children. From an early age, children should be taught to respect the name of God, His word and His will. Contained within the command by Moses is this reverence for the elderly will instill the fear of God. A society that honors its elderly will be more likely to give honor to the word of God. Respect comes from showing honor to the silver-headed man and woman who by virtue of the color of their hair exhibit the devotion of the Lord God. It is well to include that gray-headed men should be an example to young men, as white-haired women should teach the young women how to be godly wives and mothers. The color of hair does not bring wisdom but those who have been trained by the years of service to the Lord will show by their gray-heads that God reigns in their lives. Give honor. Give respect. Show glory to God by reverencing the aged.