The Heaton File

Now Ahab had seventy sons in Samaria. And Jehu wrote and sent letters to Samaria, to the rulers of Jezreel, to the elders, and to those who reared Ahab’s sons, saying: Now as soon as this letter comes to you, since your master’s sons are with you, and you have chariots and horses, a fortified city also, and weapons, choose the best qualified of your master’s sons, set him on his father’s throne, and fight for your master’s house. But they were exceedingly afraid, and said, “Look, two kings could not stand up to him; how then can we stand?” And he who was in charge of the house, and he who was in charge of the city, the elders also, and those who reared the sons, sent to Jehu, saying, “We are your servants, we will do all you tell us; but we will not make anyone king. Do what is good in your sight.” Then he wrote a second letter to them, saying: If you are for me and will obey my voice, take the heads of the men, your master’s sons, and come to me at Jezreel by this time tomorrow. Now the king’s sons, seventy persons, were with the great men of the city, who were rearing them. So it was, when the letter came to them, that they took the king’s sons and slaughtered seventy persons, put their heads in baskets and sent them to him at Jezreel. Then a messenger came and told him, saying, “They have brought the heads of the king’s sons.” And he said, “Lay them in two heaps at the entrance of the gate until morning.” So it was, in the morning, that he went out and stood, and said to all the people, “You are righteous. Indeed I conspired against my master and killed him; but who killed all these? Know now that nothing shall fall to the earth of the word of the Lord which the Lord spoke concerning the house of Ahab; for the Lord has done what He spoke by His servant Elijah.” So Jehu killed all who remained of the house of Ahab in Jezreel, and all his great men and his close acquaintances and his priests, until he left him none remaining. (2 Kings 10:1-11)

Two Heaps Of Heads

It would seem incredulous to approach a city and see two piles of heads near the gates. Seventy heads piled up as a testimony for all to see. Dead eyes staring into nothing. Blood covering everything. Mouths gapped open in stone silence. Jehu made certain that all would see the lineage of Ahab the king as destroyed. His ploy had worked almost too well for the city of Samaria. Ahab had died much earlier by the hand of a lone archer whose arrow mortally wounded the king. Both kings of Israel and Judah were dead (Joram and Ahaziah). Jezebel, wife of Ahab, had met her horrible death. Jehu begins the annihilation of the house of Ahab by writing letters to the elders of Samaria and Jezreel. His first letter taunted them to put someone on the throne so he could come and kill them. Having the intended impact with the elders expression of cowardice Jehu writes a second letter telling the leaders to deliver the heads of Herod’s sons to him by the next day – and they were to deliver the heads themselves. Knowing they had no choice, the leaders gathered the seventy sons of Ahab, killed them and delivered their heads in baskets to Jehu. They chose not to go themselves.

Jehu gathered the severed heads and placed them in two heaps by the city gates. In the morning, the king came out and asked who could have done such a thing. He was only playing the role of a despot who had other plans for the house of Ahab. One thing Jehu did get right was the fulfillment of the word of God concerning all the evil that came from the house of Ahab. There was not a king (or queen) that caused more evil to fall upon the land than Ahab and Jezebel. Through the prophet Elijah the Lord had told the people that judgment was coming to the family of Ahab. Seventy heads piled in two groups before the gate of the city was vivid proof the word of the Lord was true. Jehu would later kill the forty-two brothers of king Ahaziah and then kill all who remained to Ahab in Samaria until he had destroyed them all. This was again according to the word of the Lord which He had spoken through Elijah.

This is a terrible story to read. The reason the story is important is how God reveals His own character. Taking seventy men and cutting their heads off is as repugnant to our senses as can be imagined. Slaughtering forty-two brothers and then wiping out a whole household of people staggers the imagination. There is no telling the savagery of the bloodletting those few days. One could only imagine the headlines in the modern liberal media and outcry of the world. Why the story? What purpose would the Holy Spirit have in preserving the story of seventy heads piled before the city gates? It all comes down to truth. Jehu is not the main character in the story but Jehovah God. There is a seed of truth that has always been a challenge for man since the beginning of time. God’s word is absolute and His character is absolute righteousness.

This is not about the death of hundreds of people in some random act of violence. The judgment of the Lord is sure, complete and just in every way. Ahab’s house was a lineage of immense evil and the Lord God will not endure the forces of Satan to endure. In one way or another judgment will come. What happened to the house of Ahab was a fulfillment of the words of Elijah because he foretold the word of God would be accomplished. That principle has not changed. There is a lot of immorality in the world and evil men have risen up seeking to destroy righteousness. Darkness can never overtake light. Satan has already been judged and his wickedness has been defeated. God will punish those who rebel against Him because everyone who rejects the Lord God is rebelling against His will. Judgment will come. Those seventy heads of Ahab’s sons are a testimony not to Jehu but to the sovereign word of the Lord. A great day is coming. Are you ready? Now that is a great story.

Then I raised my eyes and looked, and behold, a man with a measuring line in his hand. So I said, “Where are you going?” And he said to me, “To measure Jerusalem, to see what is its width and what is its length.” And there was the angel who talked with me, going out; and another angel was coming out to meet him, who said to him, “Run, speak to this young man, saying: ‘Jerusalem shall be inhabited as towns without walls, because of the multitude of men and livestock in it. For I,’ says the Lord, ‘will be a wall of fire all around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.’ ” “Up, up! Flee from the land of the north,” says the Lord; “for I have spread you abroad like the four winds of heaven,” says the Lord. “Up, Zion! Escape, you who dwell with the daughter of Babylon.” For thus says the Lord of hosts: “He sent Me after glory, to the nations which plunder you; for he who touches you touches the apple of His eye. For surely I will shake My hand against them, and they shall become spoil for their servants. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me. “Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion! For behold, I am coming and I will dwell in your midst,” says the Lord. “Many nations shall be joined to the Lord in that day, and they shall become My people. And I will dwell in your midst. Then you will know that the Lord of hosts has sent Me to you. And the Lord will take possession of Judah as His inheritance in the Holy Land, and will again choose Jerusalem. Be silent, all flesh, before the Lord, for He is aroused from His holy habitation!” (Zechariah 2)

The Apple Of His Eye

Jerusalem is a city of despair as its ruins herald the great destruction brought upon it more than eighty years before. A remnant has returned from bondage and the effort to restore the Temple is half completed. The city is a place of despair. Walls that once glistened in the Palestinian sunlight are broken and gates that protected the citizens of Jerusalem lay burned. Rebuilding the Temple is becoming a hard and difficult task with oppression, persecution and apathy. Haggai the prophet has been preaching his fiery sermons of renewal to get the people back on task. Zechariah is also exhorting the builders to return to the important work of restoring the glory of the holy city. His appeal is to the hearts of the people. He wants to remind them of their love for God and how the Lord has delivered them.

Times of renewal call for harsh words of rebuke. It is also important to know the reasons why the work of the Lord is so important. The book of Zechariah is filled with visions showing the mercy of God upon the people. They have been punished with captivity to a foreign land but those days are over. God’s wrath does not remain forever. He is a God of love and compassion and forgiveness. In this second vision of the message the prophet reminds the people that although the walls of Jerusalem lie in ruin the Lord is a wall of fire all around them and He is in their midst. When the people returned to Jerusalem the walls were not built first as would seem logical. The holy temple of God was built first so the people could invoke the spiritual protection of the Lord. Walls of stone and mortar would come later under the leadership of Nehemiah. Today God is the wall of fire all around her.

The reason the people have returned to Jerusalem is because of the mighty power of the Lord. He, and only He, made this possible. While the earlier prophets warned the people that if they did not repent, the Lord would carry them away to a foreign land; the prophets of the post-exile were reminding the people the anger of God does not last forever. Zechariah is appealing to the heart of Jerusalem and telling them that all those who would come against the children of Abraham are inflicting harm upon the apple of God’s eye. This expression appeals to the words of Moses and David as they wrote about God’s people being so precious in His eyes. You hurt Jerusalem – you hurt the Lord. Terms of endearment express the love God has for His people. In the midst of ruin the city of Jerusalem would sing again. The Lord will dwell with His people again and bless them with His presence. God’s love is true and sure.

God’s people are precious in His eye. His care for them is without description. The manner of His love for the people of Israel is defining the character of God for those who follow Him in righteousness. As people of God, we are the apple of His eye. We are so precious to Him because of our love for Him. Like Israel, we struggle with our faith and often fail in our obedience. The Lord is a God of mercy, truth, love and forgiveness. His anger does not last when we return to Him seeking His grace. The story of the children of Israel throughout the Old Testament is a story of our lives. It also describes the love God has for us even when we sin. Saints of God are the apple of His eye. Wearing the name of Christ in the walk of a Christian declares that we are the precious of God. We are separate from the world as holy children of God who can cry out, ‘Abba Father.’ Eternal life is a promise given to the apple of His eye alone. We walk in the light and know that one day we will dwell in the light. We can sing and rejoice because we are saved. Heaven is not a mystical maybe – it is a reality of truth.

When we worship the King, the Lord of hosts, we should remind ourselves of who we are. Being the apple of His eye was made possible through the blood of His Son, Jesus Christ. By grace we are saved and through the death of Jesus can stand among the ruins of this world and behold the temple of God that awaits us in glory when the Father will embrace us eternally. We are His own special people. How wonderful to be God’s child.

Love is the greatest thing that God can give us; for Himself is love; and it is the greatest thing we can give to God. (Jeremy Taylor, Holy Living, 1650)

We are bound to thank God always for you, brethren, as it is fitting, because your faith grows exceedingly, and the love of every one of you all abounds toward each other, so that we ourselves boast of you among the churches of God for your patience and faith in all your persecutions and tribulations that you endure, which is manifest evidence of the righteous judgment of God, that you may be counted worthy of the kingdom of God, for which you also suffer. (2 Thessalonians 1:3-5)

A Model Congregation

The church of Thessalonica is one of the finest examples of a New Testament church. Often they are remembered by Luke’s remark about the brethren at Berea being ‘more noble’ than those of Thessalonica because they searched the scriptures daily. However, the brethren at Thessalonica have two letters written to them preserved throughout history complimenting their strong example of faith (unlike the books of Berea?). The commendation of Paul to the church north of Athens can well be a pattern for the church today.

Their faith was growing exceedingly. This was not a stagnant church. Here were people of God who were searching, learning and growing in the foundation of their faith in Jesus Christ. Sacrifice for truth was a large part of their life. Faith was growing even as they had to endure persecution. Complacency is the enemy of truth and in the depths of suffering; they were increasing in their faith exceedingly. There was an abundance of growth among the people as they grew in the grace and knowledge of Christ. A strong and vibrant congregation is manifested by the spiritual desire of its member to share together in faith for the purpose of growth.

The faith in Thessalonica is seen in how they loved one another. Their love for one another was active, vibrant and growing. They increased in their love on a daily basis. It is easy to say that we love our brethren but the congregation at Thessalonica enjoyed a growing love. This love was a directional expression of their heartfelt care for others. The love Paul commends them about is a love that was abounding toward (key word) others. Love can never be defined by words only. It is understood by action. God’s love is not just words; it is the gift of His Son. The church at Thessalonica was a group of people that showed their love to one another as they grew together in the grace of God. Remember this was all being done in the face of persecution.

Their faith was growing and their love for one another was abounding. No wonder the apostle would boast of them among other churches. The church of the Thessalonians in God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ was a church Paul used to glorify to other churches of the New Testament pattern. Here was a group of people that were models of faith and love and the purpose for which Jesus died. In the face of persecution, they were steadfast in their example of holding forth the banner of truth. Their faith was on the solid rock of God’s word. What a great church these people were.

Models are given so that we can follow the same pattern. The church in Thessalonica should be that pattern for the church today. This church was on fire for the Lord. It was evident their faith was growing. It was clear the love in this congregation was busting out of the seams. They were not satisfied with the status quo. Many churches today are existing just for the purpose of existing – not so the Thessalonians. Their desire was to share the gospel of Jesus Christ to the lost. The city of Thessalonica knew there was a group of Christians in that city. And the Christians in the church at Thessalonica loved one another. That love was growing, active, seen in the lives of each other caring for one another, expressive, pure – abounding toward everybody. This congregation was on fire with love.

Maybe what the church needs today is some persecution. Then our faith will grow exceedingly and our love for one another may abound. Let’s not wait for that to happen. Grow in grace today. Grow in love today. What a difference it will make in the local congregation.

The church has no greater need today than to fall in love with Jesus all over again. (Vance Havner; 1901-1986)

Consider the work of God; for who can make straight what He has made crooked? (Ecclesiastes 7:13)

The Work Of God

Creation is an incredible testimony to the power of the Creator. Man has been given dominion over the earth ruling over the animals and infused with the knowledge to overcome the elements of nature. He can sail around the world through all the seas, climb the highest mountains, trek across the unforgiving desert and send machines to the bottom of the ocean. Space has been opened up with the technology of modern man revealing parts of the universe never seen by human eye. In all the wisdom of man one constant remains – he cannot change what God has established.

The works of man can only operate within the boundaries of what the Lord has established. Paul on Mars hill declared the habitation of man is settled. The work of God gives man freedom to exist within his limited space but the Creator still rules in all things. Beyond nature, the Lord works in the affairs of men as a wise and righteous judge. Nations have risen throughout history that dominated the world and then fallen to the rubble of the past because of the hand of God. Tyrants ruled for a short time before vanishing away. History is littered with the corpse of man’s wisdom where men have tried to change the course of the world but to no avail. The puny efforts of men to rule the world whether in changing the course of a river or dominating the world through war all come to nothing. God is in charge. He rules alone. The work of God cannot be changed. What the Lord has established man cannot change.

Everything that God does is good. Nature declares His design as perfect. The word of God is perfect showing forth the goodness of His wisdom. In the final analysis men can ridicule the Bible as out of step, old fashioned and worthless but there is no more perfect system of living than what is found in the words of the Lord God Almighty. Creation declares the work of God with every sunrise and man cannot change that. The word of God declares the work of God with every book and man cannot change that. It has remained constant since Moses first scribed the words of Genesis 1:1. What God has made crooked man cannot straighten suggests to limitations of man.

The final conclusion is to see that God’s way is always the best. Men will argue about whether the way of the Lord is right trying their own answers for morality. History always shows that man’s moral code destroys the family; God’s moral code exalts the family. Nations fall because they dismiss God; nations become strong because they embrace God. Society becomes a productive and vibrant environment when following the Bible; degradation and destruction comes when the Bible is ignored. God’s way is always the best way and man cannot change that. Death comes to all. How has man changed that? He cannot but God did. Sending His Son, God did the impossible. He changed death from fear to joy. Trust in the Lord. His ways are unchanging.

Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us. And if we know that He hears us, whatever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we have asked of Him. (1 John 5:14-15)

Our Confidence In Him

There are many blessings in being a child of God. We have the confidence that eternal life is ours. The hope of heaven is not a vague mystery but a blessed assurance that we can know the promise of salvation is true. This changes everything. Life is not a rejected experience of endless despair but euphoria of God’s grace. Redemption is not a chance happening. The Lord cannot lie and He has promised a city where every child of God can dwell with Him. With this confidence, we know that we can ask anything according to His will and He will hear us. Knowing that God hears us, whatever we ask we have those supplications granted according to His mercy. Glory to God for His abundant love in showing His power in our lives.

Prayer has always been underdeveloped in the lives of God’s people. One of the greatest tools in the arsenal of faith is prayer. Paul’s description of the armor of God includes the power of prayer as a part of the defense against the wiles of the devil. Jesus prayed often and for long periods of time. The early saints gathered often for the purpose of prayer. Pleading the promises of God is the essence of prayer. Spending a devoted time to a study of the word of God will bring about a prayerful attitude. Because of listening to what the will of the Lord says and talking to Him about His will, a deep confidence arises in the heart believing that what we ask of God He will grant.

Confidence is a belief or trust in the word of the Lord. The Bible is a book of promises. From the beginning of time, God has shown His grace in keeping His promises to Abraham, Moses, David, the prophets and His Son Jesus Christ. This character of God has remained unchanged. Saints today can have the confidence that if we ask anything according to the will of the Father, He will hear us. Moreover, knowing that He will hear us we have the confidence to believe that whatever we ask, we know that we have the requests that we have asked of Him. The reason that prayer does not move mountains in our lives is because we have yet to let prayer move us. Our Father loves us and gives us what we need every day. He cares for us and guides us by His loving hand. He hears us and blesses us with our needs because we ask of him. Prayer is seeking. The more we seek the more we find. There is confidence in prayer. It is found on bended knee.

Prayer is the language of the children of God. He who is begotten of God speaks this language. He calls God Abba, Father, in the true spirit of supplication. (Adam Clarke)

Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. (Matthew 11:29)

Finding Rest

Life is filled with sorrow. The common lot of all men is the struggle with the travails of sadness, grief and tragedy. There are few answers. Clouds of doubt fill the mind with despair. Hearts are ripped open with anguish as tears flow from the eyes. Life cannot be changed as events fade into the past but guilt remains and unanswered questions roam the corridors of a broken spirit. Why? When will peace return? Where can we find rest?

The gospel is the power of God unto salvation. It is also the pillar of knowledge that helps us find the difficult answers to the haunting questions of sorrow. Jesus came to save all men from sin. His mission was to destroy the works of the devil and through His resurrection conquered Satan, death and hades. The resurrection of the Lord from the grave gives assurance that joy remains after this life. There is no greater promise than to know of the eternal blessings of God. The gospel brings comfort to the downtrodden. Jesus offers an invitation for men to come to Him seeking rest. That rest is the spiritual hope of redemption but it will also serve to wipe away the tears of sorrow.

When Jesus emptied Himself becoming a man He dwelt in a human body experiencing the pains of sorrow and grief. He felt the pain of His earthly father’s death when Joseph died. Along with His brothers, sisters and Mary He experienced the emptiness of the loss of someone He loved dearly. During His ministry, He wept over Jerusalem and He wept in the death of His friend Lazarus. There were most likely other times in His life He lived the moments of grief as His eyes filled with tears. Jesus understood the meaning of these life events because He had a relationship with His heavenly Father. The joy we find in facing these uncertain times is to embrace that same relationship with the Lord.

Jesus offers rest to those who are troubled. The heavy-laden soul needs comfort. Trusting in the Lord brings a peace that passes understanding. Whether all the questions are answered does not matter. The man Job suffered incredible sorrows and yet the scriptures never reveal his need to know why. He trusted in the will of the Father and found rest. In our dark days of trial, we must go to the Lord for comfort, peace and rest. He offers a rest that no man can give. His arms encircle us with a greater calm than we can comprehend. It is sufficient that God understands all things. Allow Him to bear the burden of the sorrows of life so that peace and rest may fill your life.

Bereavement is the deepest initiation into the mysteries of human life, an initiation more searching and profound than even happy love … Bereavement is the sharpest challenge to our trust in God; if faith can overcome this, there is no mountain which it cannot remove. (W. R. Inge, Survival and Immortality, 1919)

But I saw no temple in it, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light. And the nations of those who are saved shall walk in its light, and the kings of the earth bring their glory and honor into it. Its gates shall not be shut at all by day (there shall be no night there). And they shall bring the glory and the honor of the nations into it. But there shall by no means enter it anything that defiles, or causes an abomination or a lie, but only those who are written in the Lamb’s Book of Life. (Revelation 21:22-27)

God Is The Temple And The Light

Heaven is a wonderful place. It is hard to imagine how glorious it will be to stand before the presence of God – see Him face to face – talk with Him face to face – and admire Him throughout the ages. The Revelation is a descriptive tapestry of the grandeur of what Heaven will be like for the saints who possess the new Jerusalem. Death has been cast into the abyss. Pain is never more. There will be no crying because sorrow has been taken away. The glory of eternity will be fully possessed of the presence of God.

The Lord God will be the temple as will the Lamb. Praise and worship will be within their glory as unimaginable wonder fills the hearts of the saved. This eternal paradise is like nothing we can imagine on earth. On this planet we are bound by the laws of the sun and moon but not so in Heaven. Light existed before the creation of the sun, moon and stars because light is the essence of the Almighty God. The glory of God will illumine the glory of Heaven. Jesus the Lamb who is the Light of the world will be the Light of eternity. This glory will be like nothing seen on earth. Pure and brilliant glory warming our hearts with love.

All nations shall bask in the glory of the light of Heaven. There are no national boundaries in eternity. Each saint will share in salvation regardless of what language they spoke before or customs held as peoples of many nations. Kings who ruled on earth that are among the saved will come to worship the Almighty Lord, King of Kings and Lord of Lords. They will bow before the great I AM. The image of the cities gates not being shut is lost in our modern day translation because we do not live within city walls. To the people of the New Testament day this was a marvelous thought. Security was of utmost importance. The walls protected them from harm and the gates of the city were the vital concern for safety. In the eternal city the gates will never be closed and there will never be night in this city. God is the security and there is nothing to fear. Satan has been cast into the abyss and remains no more a threat to the people of God. Peace fills the eternal realm. Eternal light and eternal joy.

A single group of people can only possess the beauty of the heavenly city. Jesus said that few would attain eternity with the Father. Heaven is a place prepared for only those people whose names are written in the Lamb’s Book of life. Not everyone will go to eternal joy. Most will perish in damnation because they have not done the will of the Father. If a person does not believe that Jesus is the way, the truth and the life they will find no happiness in death. Being faithful unto death will bring the reward of eternal peace. Heaven. What a joy that will be.

To rest in God eternally is the supreme joy of Heaven. Indeed, Heaven has no meaning but that. (Bede Jarrett, Meditations for Layfolk, 1915)

Now after Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judea in the days of Herod the king, behold, wise men from the East came to Jerusalem, saying, “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews? For we have seen His star in the East and have come to worship Him.” When Herod the king heard this, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he inquired of them where the Christ was to be born. So they said to him, “In Bethlehem of Judea, for thus it is written by the prophet: ‘but you, Bethlehem, in the land of Judah, are not the least among the rulers of Judah; for out of you shall come a ruler who will shepherd my people Israel.’ ” Then Herod, when he had secretly called the wise men, determined from them what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem and said, “Go and search carefully for the young Child, and when you have found Him, bring back word to me, that I may come and worship Him also.” When they heard the king, they departed; and behold, the star which they had seen in the East went before them, till it came and stood over where the young Child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceedingly great joy. And when they had come into the house, they saw the young Child with Mary His mother, and fell down and worshiped Him. And when they had opened their treasures, they presented gifts to Him: gold, frankincense, and myrrh. Then, being divinely warned in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed for their own country another way. (Matthew 2:1-12)

The Wise Men From The East

The story of the wise men coming to see Jesus is always a fascinating story. Very little is told so very little is known. Men have created fanciful stories about these men that have no basis in fact. When they came to see a young child, they were unimportant to the history of man as much as the world took no thought of a child born in Bethlehem. The Holy Spirit has preserved this wonderful tale of a group of men who traveled a far distance to bring gifts to a very important child. There seems to be a providential hand in these affairs. From which country they came we know not. Wherever they came it was a far distance away from the East. These were wise men or Magi that were counselors, advisors and highly educated men of their day. To make such a long journey was perilous and fraught with danger. They had courage to trust in the Lord as they sought out the child. At some point the hand of the Lord directed them to seek out the child. Their only guide was a star in the East they had seen.

Approaching Palestine, they were unsure where to find the child. Jerusalem would be a logical choice. The importance of the child might indicate a place of birth to be of royal significance. Inquiring throughout Jerusalem the wise men caused quite a stir. Herod, hearing of these strangers coming to his town, gathered the Jewish leaders to find out more of this Christ. When men come seeking a man they call a king, the Roman ears of distrust perk up to quell any rebellions among the people. Remarkably the chief priests and scribes knew where the promised Christ was to be born directing Herod to the city of Bethlehem five miles away. He secretly called the wise men and asked them how long they had traveled since first hearing of the birth of this child. This was vital for Herod as he did not plan to visit the child but to kill him. No one was allowed to call themselves a king no matter how small they were.

Believing he created a ruse, the king sent the wise men to the city of Bethlehem to find the child and report to him. Herod was not looking for a baby in a manger but a child. The wise men were not looking for a manger with a baby; they were looking for a child of about two years of age. Arriving in Bethlehem (guided by the star), they found the family of Joseph and Mary in a house. Jesus was a young child. Entering the house with great delight, they presented the family with wonderful gifts and treasures. One can only imagine the surprise of Joseph and Mary to these strange guests from the East. The short time of their visit must have stayed in the minds of the family for as long as they lived. Joseph was not a man of means and these extravagant gifts must have amazed him beyond imagination. Finally, the wise men were to leave. Embracing the child Jesus and bidding goodbyes to Joseph and Mary they returned home. Warned in a dream not to return to Herod they escaped back into the pages of obscurity.

As these men traveled back home their hearts must have burned within them. They had traveled a great distance to see a child. What a joy their memories would hold for them. The talks around the campfire as they traveled home must have been rich. It may have been they learned later what happened to that quiet little town of Bethlehem as Herod sent his soldiers to slaughter every male child under two years of age. Did they know that Jesus had escaped? Could they have known their providential gifts would help the family flee to Egypt and live in exile until the death of Herod? The hand of God had brought them a great distance. They returned home to tell a great story. Their journey was not in vain as some forty years later some strange men came to their homes telling the story of a risen Christ. Could it be the same child? Of course it was. The star that guided them to the baby Jesus had changed the world for these men. Now that is a great story.

Let the elders who rule well be counted worthy of double honor, especially those who labor in the word and doctrine. For the Scripture says, “You shall not muzzle an ox while it treads out the grain,” and, “The laborer is worthy of his wages.” Do not receive an accusation against an elder except from two or three witnesses. Those who are sinning rebuke in the presence of all, that the rest also may fear. (1 Timothy 5:17-20)

Elders Who Serve Well And Those Who Don’t

The leadership of the local congregation is under the care of those men shepherding the flock of God prescribed by the Holy Spirit. It is a grave task of oversight to be in care of the souls within a local community. Each man will give an account of their work before God receiving a heavier judgment for their actions. No task is greater than serving as an elder of the church. Like a shepherd watching over the flock each man has a regard for the sheep in a personal manner. Jesus describes the shepherd as knowing his flock, calling them out by name and going before them as they follow his lead. The tender care of the elder towards the members is manifested in the love he has for them. There will be times of difficulty when the elders must make hard choices. All of their actions are in accordance with the will of the Father and the welfare of the sheep.

No work is more rewarding than serving as a bishop of a congregation. Those men who embark upon the oversight of the church of Christ are men of character exhibiting leadership in guiding the flock by the word of God. Paul exhorts Timothy to acknowledge the men who rule well suggesting that the leaders of the church should be compensated for their efforts. The Holy Spirit clearly establishes that elders can be supported in their exhaustive work of watching over the flock of God. Considering the amount of work in a local congregation for an elder to be engaged in the financial support would be needed for him to carry out effectively his work. They should be recognized with such recompense.

The Holy Spirit also knows that elders are men who have failings that may need to be addressed. Serving as shepherds does not suggest they are above rebuke or exhortation concerning their lives. If the life of a man who serves as an overseer has a matter of reproach, he is to be rebuked but only at the testimony of two or three witnesses. This must be a public charge so that others may see the seriousness of the sin. It is easy for elders to assume they cannot be rebuked. This is not what the Holy Spirit says. All men are challenged by the temptations of life and shepherds of the church are not exempt. The character of humility will guide their lives to repent and acknowledge their failings. This does not always suggest a man must resign from his work. Depending on the character of the charge and their influence, repentance may resolve the issue by God’s grace. Whatever the case the elders are to be acknowledged for their diligent work of looking out after the flock and if the case arises to be rebuked for a lacking in their life.

No church is as strong as it can be when the pattern of the New Testament is followed in leadership. God expects every church to strive for the proper kind of leadership under the work of elders. Churches that go for many years with no effort to establish an eldership are failing the clear commands of the Lord and should repent. Men who serve should be acknowledged for their diligent work. Those who need rebuking should receive the judgment in humility. The mission of the church to so great. Leadership is needed to guide the church in the paths of truth.

Hear, my children, the instruction of a father, and give attention to know understanding; for I give you good doctrine: do not forsake my law. When I was my father’s son, tender and the only one in the sight of my mother, he also taught me, and said to me: “Let your heart retain my words; keep my commands, and live. Get wisdom! Get understanding! Do not forget, nor turn away from the words of my mouth. Do not forsake her, and she will preserve you; love her, and she will keep you. Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom. And in all your getting, get understanding. Exalt her, and she will promote you; she will bring you honor, when you embrace her. She will place on your head an ornament of grace; a crown of glory she will deliver to you.” (Proverbs 4:1-9)

Wisdom Is The Principal Thing

Man was created an eternal being. Created in the image of the Creator, man is a being that has a rational and moral conscience that separates him from other animals. Only man was given law and only man can obey law through a system of belief embedded in his heart. In creation, God allowed man to exercise the free will of choice. Because of his rebellion to the will of the Lord man lost his paradise home and through all generations struggles to find happiness and peace. The mercy of God did not leave man without the knowledge to find salvation. Cain and Abel illustrate that from the beginning the Lord requires obedience. Truth is paramount to serving the Lord and truth has always been revealed to man. Accepting or rejecting this truth is where man has found happiness or misery.

The wisdom literature reminds man that happiness in life cannot be found without wisdom. This knowledge is not a fabricated wisdom but rather a truth that comes from the mouth of the Creator. The instruction of a father to a child must be the words of God to help guide, mold and form a character that will find the purpose of life. No knowledge will satisfy unless that knowledge is the mind of God. Retaining His words, keeping His commandments and living by the word of God is where true wisdom is found. The key is doing the will of the Father. After a myriad of generations of man trying to find wisdom within himself – failing completely – we must recognize that truth resides only in the Bible. It remains unchanged and unaltered because it is preserved in Heaven.

Wisdom is the principal thing because the foremost need of man is wisdom from the One who made him. When man turns away from the word of God, he will only find failure. Rejecting the Bible brings heartache to life. The wisdom of the Lord exalts the character of man. He learns to love and care for his neighbor, show kindness, honesty and integrity. God’s word tells us where we came from, why we are here and what hope life has to offer. Death is explained with the clarity of God’s love where man no longer fears it. Peace dwells in a heart that is filled with the wisdom of the Lord. All of this comes from the knowledge of wisdom. Wisdom is the principal thing.

The Holy Scriptures should be our dearest companion. Those who spend time in the Book will find their time filled with the peace that passes all knowledge. No words will be greater, no truths more fulfilling and no hope more lasting than what is found within the pages of Genesis to the Revelation. God is revealed, Jesus Christ glorified, the Holy Spirit magnified and man returns to the paradise of Eden as his spirit walks in the cool of the day with the Lord God Almighty and Creator. Get wisdom and in all your getting – get understanding.

Pure wisdom always directs itself towards God; the purest wisdom is knowledge of God. (Lew Wallace, Ben Hur, 1880)