The Heaton File

The king also said to them, “Take with you the servants of your lord, and have Solomon my son ride on my own mule, and take him down to Gihon. There let Zadok the priest and Nathan the prophet anoint him king over Israel; and blow the horn, and say, ‘Long live King Solomon!'” (1 Kings 1:33-34)

David’s Treatment Of Nathan The Prophet

It was in the spring, when kings went out to war, that David remained in Jerusalem while his army battled the Ammonites and besieged the city of Rabbah. While David was walking on the roof of the king’s house, he spotted a woman bathing, who was very beautiful. The woman was Bathsheba, wife of Uriah the Hittite, one of the mighty warriors of David. Caving into his lust, David had her brought to him, where he lay with her, while her husband was off at war. When David learned that Bathsheba was pregnant with his child, the king had Uriah brought back from the war, hoping to cover his infidelity. His efforts were in vain, and finally, he had Uriah killed when Joab, commander of the army, placed Uriah into the heat of battle and then, withdrawing, allowed the Ammonites to kill him.

God knew all that David had done and sent Nathan, the prophet, to confront the king with his sin. Nathan was a great man of faith who trusted in the word of the Lord. As king, David had the power of life and death over his subjects. To have a man come into his court and accuse him of grievous sin could be matched with the king’s revenge. Nathan boldly told David that God knew what he had done, accusing the shepherd king of despising the commandments of the Lord and of doing such evil in His sight. David’s reaction defined his character as a man after God’s own heart.

While some kings may have had Nathan killed, David confessed to the prophet that he had sinned against the Lord. David knew the penalty under the Law of Moses was death for both himself and Bathsheba. By God’s merciful grace, the Lord put away his sin so that he would not die. Nathan told David the child conceived in the adultery would die. David pleaded with God for the child, but seven days later the little boy died. David arose and washed himself, went into the house of the Lord, and worshiped. Because of his sin, David would experience great tragedy in his family as Nathan told him the sword would never depart from his house. This suffering would come from David’s own sons.

When David was old and advanced in years, a struggle began over who would rule in his place. David’s son Adonijah, the son of Haggith, exalted himself and tried to make himself king. The scriptures show that Nathan the prophet remains an advisor to the king, along with Zadok the priest, Benaiah the son of Jehoiada, and the mighty men. Nathan was the man who confronted the king with his great sin, and David had not retaliated. He kept the prophet close to advise him and guide him. David sinned when he took Bathsheba from Uriah. He did not blame Nathan or treat the prophet with disrespect because he came and told him the truth. David knew he had sinned, and there was no recourse for him to blame anyone but himself. It is notable in the character of David not to blame the messenger who bore the words of truth.

Preaching the gospel can often comfort the afflicted, and sometimes it will afflict the comfortable. Sin has not changed in its nature. The relationship between David and Nathan is a model of the grace of God working in the lives of a powerful man and a humble servant of the Lord. David was king, exercising dominion over the nation, but he did not treat Nathan differently because he pointed out his sin. He knew he was guilty, and he stood condemned before the Lord. The apostle Paul withstood the apostle Peter to his face because he was to be blamed for being a hypocrite regarding the treatment of the Gentile Christians. Paul did this in a public manner. Did Peter seek revenge for Paul’s action? Like David, Peter knew he was guilty and glorified the Lord for the boldness of his brother, who challenged his actions. 

David’s treatment of Nathan is a lesson in how the hearts of those who must correct those in sin should be toward those who seek the eternal welfare of those in sin. There are times when sin is pointed out, and the accuser becomes the intended target of gossip, division, and malice. Nathan had the godly courage to stand before David, as did Paul to withstand Peter. David and Peter received rebuke from their brothers in the spirit of divine righteousness because they accepted their guilt. That is the heart of a servant of the Lord. Sometimes it requires rebuking another, and sometimes it is accepting the correction of those who love the soul, seeking repentance and restoration to God.

So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? (Acts 3:12)

Peter’s Second Sermon

The establishment of the church occurred on the Day of Pentecost, following the resurrection of Jesus from the dead. Peter and the other apostles received the baptism of the Holy Spirit and began preaching the good news of salvation in Jesus Christ. Luke records Peter’s sermon as the doors to the kingdom of God were opened to the house of Israel. Three thousand souls obeyed the gospel, and the Lord added to the church those who were saved. Shortly after Pentecost, Peter and John were going to the Temple to pray when they encountered a well-known beggar who was laid daily at the gate of the Temple, which is called Beautiful. The lame man begged for alms from those passing by.

When Peter and John passed by the lame man, he asked them for alms. Peter told the beggar he had no gold or silver to give him, but he would give him a greater gift than those things. Taking the lame man by the right hand, Peter lifted him up and, in the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, healed the man of his affliction. Immediately, the feet and ankle bones strengthened, and the man began walking, leaping, and praising God. Seeing the great miracle, the people ran together, wonderstricken at what had happened. Seizing the opportunity, Peter preached the message of Jesus Christ.

Peter and John did not take credit for the miracle by their own power or godliness. The lame man was healed through the power of Jesus of Nazareth, the servant of the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. Peter then turns the people’s hearts to the notable event that occurred the previous month at Golgotha. Jesus of Nazareth was the one the Jews delivered up to Pilate and sentenced to death. Pilate could have released Jesus, but the will of the people pressured him to turn Jesus over for crucifixion. Peter lays the guilt of the Jews for denying the Holy One and the Just when they cried out, “Crucify Him, crucify Him.” Instead of releasing Jesus, an innocent and sinless man, the crowds demanded a hardened murderer to be released.

Without hesitation, Peter declared to the people that they had killed the Prince of life, the long-awaited Messiah. The people had their way with Jesus, condemning Him to death and watching Him die on the cross. But God raised Jesus from the dead, and Peter and John testified they had seen Jesus and spent time with Him. The reason Peter healed the lame man was to show the glory of Jesus Christ, who had risen from the dead. Anyone could go to Joseph’s tomb and see that it was empty. It had been sealed by a large stone and guarded by elite Roman soldiers, but Jesus was not there.

The death of Jesus was according to the will of the Father. God permitted the people and the Roman rulers to carry out the death of Jesus because all of those things fulfilled the words of the prophets hundreds of years before. The death of Jesus was foretold by God. Jesus knew He must die for the sins of the world. Peter impressed the message on the hearts of the people when he told them to repent and be converted, to have their sins washed away. This appeal was the same appeal he had made at Pentecost when he told the people to repent and be baptized for the remission of sins. The Law of Moses, the Prophets, and the Psalms declared the story of Jesus to the people.

Lessons learned from Peter’s second sermon is that the message of the gospel does not change. Peter’s sermon on Pentecost and at the Temple had the same message. The power of the gospel is in the word, not the man. Jesus is the central figure of salvation. The Jews may have orchestrated the death of Jesus, and the Romans carried out the sentence; all men bear the guilt of killing Jesus. Jesus arose from the dead on the third day, and He sits at the right hand of God, ruling with all power and authority. Healing comes not for the physical body but the soul in need of grace. Salvation is granted to all who will repent and be converted to have their sins blotted (washed) out (baptism), so the gift of the Holy Spirit is given. The Bible is the testimony of the gospel that must be preached to a lost and dying world. Peter did not change the message of the gospel to appeal to the crowds. The gospel remains the same.

Looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. (Hebrews 12:2)

The Right Hand Of God

From the earliest days of the world, when kings ruled over a domain, a person of high authority stood to the king’s right. The one sitting on the throne had all power and authority, but that authority could be invested in another as the one seated at the right hand of the king. This principle was known by Jacob when he was blessing the children of Joseph. Jacob put his right hand on the head of Ephraim, the younger son of Joseph. It displeased Joseph to see what his father did, but Jacob assured him Ephraim would become greater than his brother Manasseh.

Jesus is often referred to as sitting at the right hand of the throne of God. The expression shows Jesus’ proximity to the Father and that, by being next to God (on His right hand), Jesus has been given all power and authority. Before ascending back to the Father, Jesus told the eleven that He had been granted all authority from the Father. Peter preached on the Day of Pentecost that Jesus was exalted to the right hand of God as Lord and Christ. David had prophesied that the Messiah would be at the right hand of God, which Peter referred to in his sermon. When the apostles were imprisoned for preaching Christ, Peter once again defended the gospel by proclaiming that God exalted Jesus to His right hand to be Prince and Savior, to give repentance to Israel and forgiveness of sins. Before Stephen died, he gazed into Heaven and saw Jesus standing at the right hand of God.

It is significant to understand the meaning of Jesus at the right hand of God. Jesus makes intercession for the children of God by His authority as one who sits at the right hand of God. The place at the right hand of God was given through the power of the Father to His beloved Son, who accomplished all things in His death, burial, and resurrection. Jesus is King of kings and Lord of Lords who has all authority and power. Nothing is lacking from Him who sits at the right hand of God. He is the High Priest of the redeemed. Jesus is the author and finisher of the faith of the saints because He endured the cross, despised the shame, and was glorified by the Father to be placed at His right hand. God did not offer this place to the angels. Jesus is Lord with all authority.

The grace of God is found in Jesus sitting at the right hand of God. Jesus purged away the sins of the world through His death, after which He sat down at the right hand of God. He offers the redeeming grace of God to come to Him, accept Him as Lord and King, and live within the rule of His authority, sitting at the right hand of God. Confessing that Jesus is Lord requires accepting that, as He sits at the right hand of God, He has authority over every part of His disciples’ lives. No one can come to Jesus and accept Him as a Savior without complete surrender to His authority. Every soul who seeks the redeeming blood of Jesus accepts the full and unreserved will of Him who sits at the right hand of God. It is either all or nothing. To deny the words of Jesus is to deny the words of Him who sits on the throne – the Almighty God.

When Jesus returned to the Father, He sat down at the right hand of God. Angels are subject to Him. All authority is given to King Jesus. Full power has been ascribed to the Son of God. While the Father sits on the throne, Jesus has been given dominion, power, and all authority to exercise the will of His Father. He can claim this authority through the things that He suffered. Submission to the will of God requires submission to the will of Jesus Christ. Jesus makes intercession for the children of God through His authority of ruling at the right hand of God. God exalted Jesus far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and above every name that is named. No man has greater authority. Jesus, sitting at the right hand of God, is the only one who is the head of the church. Salvation comes by the grace of God, realized when one submits themselves to the One who sits at the right hand of God.

But as for me, I will come into Your house in the multitude of Your mercy; in fear of You I will worship toward Your holy temple. (Psalm 5:7)

David’s Temple

Solomon became King of Israel around 970 B.C. following the death of his father, David. The first major task of Solomon was to build the promised Temple of the Lord in Jerusalem. David desired to build a house for God, but the Lord told him he could not because he was a man of war and had shed blood. Before David died, he prepared everything needed for Solomon to build the house of God’s glory. Four years after Solomon became king, work on the Temple began. It would take nearly 7 ½ years to complete the Temple (not including the royal buildings).

David did not live to see the Temple of Jerusalem completed. His heart desired to build a house for the Lord, but he was not permitted. However, in his writings, David refers to the Tabernacle as the “holy temple.” The Tabernacle was first constructed by the Hebrews at Mt. Sinai more than 400 years earlier. For nearly five centuries, the Tabernacle had endured forty years of wilderness wanderings, the conquest of Canaan, Israel ruled by judges, and then looked after by Saul and David. It was set up in Shiloh during the period of conquest and then moved to Nob (four miles north of Jerusalem) and Gibeon (six miles from Jerusalem).

Jerusalem was first captured by David, who set up a tent to house the ark of the covenant. It is to this Tabernacle that David lends his voice of praise for the temple of the Lord. Eight of the psalms of David refer to the Tabernacle as the temple of the Lord. While he was unable to build the actual temple of the Lord as Solomon did, David viewed the place of worship as a sacred, holy place where he communed with the Lord. It was prophetic that David established his tent in the city of Jerusalem and placed the Ark of the Covenant there, foreshadowing the establishment of the House of the Lord in Jerusalem. For David, the tent of meeting was a place of honor and glory to the will of the Father.

Worship must come from a heart that understands the sacredness of being in the presence of the Lord God Almighty. A church building is nothing more than brick and mortar, but it is a place where saints gather to worship God. The Temple of Solomon was a grand edifice that outshone the rags of the tent where David housed the ark of the covenant, but it was the place itself that mattered to David. He worshiped the glory of God for the glory of God. To David, the tent housing the Ark of the Covenant was a temple because it was where he communed with God. He recognized the respect and honor that must be given to worship.

Jesus told the woman at the well that true worship comes from truth and spirit. David looked beyond the fabric of a worn tent to the glory of the throne of God. Sitting in a church building can be inspiring, but if the heart is not centered on the glory of God, worship is vain. Worship should always be considered worship toward the holy temple of God.

And Noah did according to all that the LORD commanded him. Noah was six hundred years old when the floodwaters were on the earth. So Noah, with his sons, his wife, and his sons’ wives, went into the ark because of the waters of the flood. (Genesis 7:5-7)

Family Left Behind

The story of the flood is filled with the great tragedy of sin. Wickedness had become so pervasive throughout the world that it grieved God that He had created man. The destruction of the flood was total. Everything that had the breath of life died. All of humanity perished. Every beast, cattle, and bird was destroyed. Nothing was left. God destroyed all living things that were on the face of the ground. Only Noah and his family remained alive. They were saved by being in the ark designed and purposed by God. When the floods receded, only eight people remained on the earth.

One of the tragic stories of the flood is the fate of those left behind. Noah’s father was Lamech, son of Methuselah. Lamech was born when Methuselah was 187 years old. Methuselah was 369 years old when Noah was born. Lamech died about five years before the flood, and Methuselah died the year of the flood. God came to Noah when he was 500 years old, when the world was corrupt and filled with violence. All flesh had corrupted their way on the earth. If the genealogies of Methuselah and Lamech are close to the time, they were part of the vile wickedness of the world.

Moses also says that Methuselah had sons and daughters after Lamech was born. After Noah was born, Lamech had more sons and daughters. All of the dates would have most likely put the family of Noah directly in the path of the flood. He had brothers, sisters, aunts, uncles, cousins, and extended family that perished in the flood. In the family of Noah, he was the only one who found grace in the eyes of the Lord. Nothing is known about Noah’s wife, but the conclusion must be made that she lost family in the flood. Did her parents perish in the flood? What about her brothers and sisters and other family members? And then the wives of Ham, Shem, and Japheth must be considered. They all had their own families that perished in the flood.

The population of the world would have been extensive, and in the community of Noah, friends and associates he had known all his life would have been part of the wickedness and evil of the world. Noah preached righteousness to a lost and dying world, and that world was filled with family members and friends. He tried to persuade his family to heed the word of the Lord, but they refused. His friends heard him preach, and they refused to listen. The families of the wives of Ham, Shem, and Japheth did not listen. Everyone perished in the flood.

Jesus observed that a prophet is without honor in his own country. Sometimes, the hardest people to share the gospel with are family and friends. It is heartbreaking to know of family members who refuse to accept the gospel of Christ. Friends are shown the only way to the truth, but to no avail. Noah and his family must have been crushed with the knowledge of their family members and friends drowning and dying outside the ark. They had shown the way of truth, but they refused to listen. Now, they were dying, and there was nothing that could be done.

God is not a respecter of persons and judges all men individually. A son stands before God alone. His parents cannot answer for him or defend him. The principle is true for everyone. On the final day of judgment, all of humanity will be gathered at the judgment bar of God, and everyone will stand alone. The family and friends of Noah will be judged because they refused to hear the word of truth. Noah did all he could do. His family chose to deny the grace of God. They will be accountable. Many family members and friends who stand outside the covenant of God will be judged by their actions. Those who refuse to listen to the word of the Lord will find themselves outside when the rain starts. Sadly, then it will be too late.

After the death of Moses the servant of the Lord, it came to pass that the Lord spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses’ assistant, saying: “Moses My servant is dead. Now therefore, arise, go over this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them—the children of Israel.” (Joshua 1:1-2)

Joshua’s New Year

Joshua was facing a daunting task. The great leader of Israel, Moses, had died. After forty years, the Hebrews rescued from the bondage of Egypt stood at the threshold of the promised land. Moses had given the people the Law, led them through the wilderness, endured their constant murmuring, and witnessed the death of a whole generation. Because of his transgression at Kadesh, Moses would not be permitted to enter the land of promise. The charge of leadership was given to eighty-year-old Joshua. There was trepidation in the heart of Joshua as he stood before the Lord to take charge of the nation of Israel.

After the death of Moses, the Lord comes to Joshua to reassure him and give him the confidence that, with the power of God, the task before him is formidable, but victory is assured. Joshua needed to understand the importance of his task. God had promised the land of Canaan to Abraham, and now that promise was being fulfilled. Joshua must acknowledge that Moses was dead, and leadership had fallen on his shoulders. It was not a time to look back at what could have been or what should have been. The day of action is now. God tells Joshua to go over the Jordan and do the work of the Lord. God promised the land that would be given by God to the people. “Go” was the word of the hour.

The Lord promises Joshua that he will not be left without divine assistance. No man will be able to stand against the people of God when they put their minds to doing His will. God proved His power through Moses and would accomplish the same through Joshua. The son of Nun needed to be strong and of good courage to do all according to the word of the Father. There was a need to remember the importance of obedience. God tells Joshua to keep the commandments of the Lord; not turning to the right or to the left. The Book of the Law must be a part of everything Joshua does. He must meditate on the word day and night to do according to all that is written in it.

Joshua heeded the word of the Lord. He led the people of Israel across the Jordan and captured the fortified city of Jericho by the power of God. A hard lesson came when the people attacked the city of Ai, and God allowed Israel to be defeated. There was sin in the camp, and God would not give the victory when sin remained deliberately in the midst of the people. When Achan and his family were discovered and dealt with, the city of Ai was defeated. Over the next seven years, Joshua led the people of God from victory unto victory until the land was conquered under the mighty hand of God. The Lord kept His promise, and Joshua remained faithful.

Joshua’s new year is not unlike the New Year every child of God has experienced since then. Every day is a new day with great opportunities and responsibilities. When the New Year comes about, the same words of the Lord resonate in the hearts of God’s people to be strong and of good courage. There is a formidable task ahead for the New Year. Souls need to be saved. Every effort must be made to pluck the lost souls from the camp of Satan to God’s grace. Millions die every day, lost and without hope. There is a war going on where victory is assured through the King of kings and Lord of lords. The Lord expects His people to keep His commandments and keep sin out of the camp. A resolved spirit of faith must fill the heart to be strong and of good courage to face what the new year will bring. Do not let the uncertainties of a new year dismay the heart. God is with His people wherever they go – always.

But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit.” (Matthew 1:20)

Son Of David

The birth of Jesus is central to the Bible’s theme. When Gabriel came to Mary and told her she would have a son, the angel of God declared that with God nothing was impossible. When Joseph discovered his wife was pregnant, he wanted to put her away quietly, not wanting to make her a public example. But while he thought about these things, God sent His angel to reassure Joseph that Mary would bear the Son of God into the world, fulfilling the words of Isaiah the prophet that a virgin would be with child and bear a Son. The child would be called Immanuel, which is translated, “God with us.” When Mary gave birth to her son, they called him Jesus.

Names were very important and symbolized a relationship with God. Jesus was called the “Son of David, the Son of Abraham.” On numerous occasions, the people called Jesus the son of David, recognizing His lineage to King David. It was in the heart of David to build a house for the Lord, but he was forbidden because he was a man of war and had blood on his hands. What God established through David was the fulfillment of the promise made in the Garden of Eden to send a Seed to redeem the world. Jesus was known as the “Son of David” through the divine plan of redemption to be the sacrificial lamb of God.

There are over 17 references to Jesus as the “Son of David” in scripture, all of which apply to Him except for one. When the angel spoke with Joseph about the birth of Jesus, the angel called Joseph the “Son of David.” No other man was ever referenced in this manner in scripture. David had more than nine wives and more than 20 children, with 28 generations between David and Joseph. The angel called Joseph the “Son of David” as a reminder of those who share in the spiritual lineage of God’s promise made in Eden and the promises made to Abraham. God promised Abraham that in him the world would be blessed. Through the seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the Lord God unveiled His divine plan to bring Jesus into the world to redeem sinful man. The promise made to David pointed to the establishment of the spiritual family found in the New Testament church.

Every New Testament Christian is a child of Abraham and a son of David. Those who are of faith are sons of Abraham. The Jew and the Gentile find salvation through the promises of Abraham and David to be called the “Sons of David.” God promised David that He would establish His throne forever. This promise came about when Jesus said He would build His church. Jesus is seated on the throne of David, the throne of Jehovah, and the throne of Israel at the right hand of the throne of God. The sure mercies and blessings of David are found in Christ. All spiritual blessings are found in Christ because God’s people are sons of Abraham and David.

When Jesus told the story of the rich man and Lazarus, He called the place of eternal rest the “bosom of Abraham.” Eternal life is realized through the spiritual lineage of Abraham and David, in which the saved are called the “Sons of David.” The angel called Joseph the Son of David because of his special place in bringing the Son of God into the world. In the New Testament church, the saved are called the “Sons of David” through the spiritual lineage of grace. Heritage means everything to the child of God. Praise God that we can be called the children of Abraham and sons of David.

But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving yourselves. (James 1:22)

The Importance Of The Doers

God has given the world a written testimony of the divine plan of salvation. There has never been a time the Lord has not revealed Himself through special revelation. In the early days of the world, God spoke directly to man (Noah, Abraham, Moses). To the Jewish nation, God revealed the Law of Moses through the Holy Spirit, which was written in a book and read to the people. After Jesus came and fulfilled His ministry, the Holy Spirit inspired men to write accounts of the life of Jesus (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John), the history of the early church (Acts), and letters and epistles written by early disciples (Paul, Peter, James, Jude, and John).

The divine plan of God was to give the world a completed revelation of the word of God, which was fulfilled when the final canon of holy scripture was finished in the sixty-six books of the Bible. Everything man needed to know and understand the will of God for salvation was found within the pages of the Bible. Stories of faith, lessons of truth, examples of the goodness and wrath of God, the failures of people and nations, victories of the faithful, the life of Jesus, and how the early church completed the plan of God all make up the final volume of divine truth. The Bible is the most published book in the history of the world. It is read by billions of people each year.

Ironically, the Bible is the most widely read book in the world and the least understood. The challenge has always been not the reading of the book, but the doing of the message it contains. While there is great importance given to reading and hearing the words of Christ fill the pages of the Bible, the Holy Spirit declares that hearing the word of God without doing the word of God is of little value. It is easy to hear the word and walk away without making application and putting forth the effort to allow the words to change the heart. Many people spend the year reading the Bible with little effort at application. That is hearing without doing.

A hallmark of spiritual growth is when the heart hears the word of God and commits to doing what it says. The importance of doing what the word says underscores the message’s purpose. God did not give the world the Bible just to read. The divine word of God was given to man to show him what he must do to be saved; with emphasis on the doing. Faith alone cannot save a single soul. James declares that faith requires works in the sense that hearing without doing is empty. The devil is not worried about those who hear the word of God if they never do anything about what they read. He is more concerned about those folks who decided to do what God says. Hearing and doing pleases God, but hearing and not doing pleases Satan.

Salvation is offered through Jesus Christ, who gave His life to redeem sinful man. He not only believed in the word of His Father, but He did the will of His Father. Jesus taught that many people will claim to be followers of God but will not be saved because they did not do the will of the Father. The importance of doing God’s will must be emphasized for the sake of salvation. Hearing brings one to the word of God and doing to the throne of salvation. James’ admonition is clear: hear the word of God but be doers of the word of God. Hearing only deceives the heart because faith without works is dead. A man is justified by works, and not by faith only.

My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; Because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children. (Hosea 4:6)

They Were Destroyed

Knowledge has always been the defining factor in whether a man is justified before God. God has never left the world without knowing His will. From the words in the Garden of Eden, when God warned Adam and Eve about taking the forbidden fruit, to the final day of earth’s existence, the Lord God reveals His word to creation, so that it may know and understand what it must do to be saved. Eve rejected the word of the Lord for her own wisdom. Israel sought after other gods instead of trusting in the word of God. Jesus came as the Word to reveal the full gospel of salvation to the world. The early church preached the word to the world, showing how the grace of God was made available to all men. Everything was based upon the knowledge of God’s word.

The lifeline between man and God has always been the relationship of knowledge. When the heart of man accepted and followed the will of the Lord, God blessed him with many blessings. It was when man turned away from the knowledge of God that the judgment and wrath of the Lord were given. During the final days of Israel, the prophets pleaded with the people to return to the Lord. They had found themselves attracted to the idols of the world and the wisdom of the carnal spirit rather than the word of God. The more Israel filled itself with the knowledge of the world, the farther it turned away from the Lord. As ignorance increased, so did judgment. The captivity came because there was no more knowledge of the Lord in the land.

Hosea does not suggest Israel was hampered when they turned away from God. The prophet does not excuse Israel’s actions as a result of cultural exchanges between good and evil. What Hosea explains is the depravity and depredation of the nation of God’s people when they turned away from the word of God, resulting in total destruction. The people of God were destroyed because of their lack of knowledge. It was not a small matter to refuse knowledge. There was a clear and definitive causation for the people turning away from the will of the Father. Hosea said the people were destroyed. No matter which version of scripture records the Lord’s warning, all agree that the result is the destruction of the people.

Only the word of God can give life. Without the word of God, man has no life, hope, promise, or reward. As the world seeks to find joy and happiness in the lust of the flesh, pride of life, and lust of the eyes, the result is always destruction. Rejecting the word of God brings about destruction, annihilation, ruin, extinction, and obliteration. That is a law established when God created the world. His word is truth, and His word is life. When men seek to live apart from the word of God, they destroy themselves. History bears the scars of every nation that rejects God in the scattered whitened bones of despair from those who did not heed the word of God.

Knowledge is power, but lacking knowledge is destruction. God has given the world everything it needs to know Him, respect Him, honor Him, and worship Him. Rejecting the word of God is rejecting the only hope man can have. Israel was destroyed because of a lack of knowledge. Forgetting or ignoring the law of God will only bring the wrath of God. There is one truth, and that truth is found in Jesus Christ. Rejecting Jesus as Lord is destruction. There is only one way, truth, and life, and no one will be saved who does not believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. Belief demands obedience. Only those who do the will of the Father will be saved. Rejecting the knowledge of God is rejecting God. Forget Him, and He will forget you.

As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures. (2 Peter 3:16)

Twisting Scriptures

The Bible contains 13 letters from the apostle Paul, which do not represent all that he wrote during his ministry. Paul mentions in his letter to Colosse that the brethren should read an epistle from the church in Laodicea. There is little doubt that Paul was a prolific writer, as he taught the gospel throughout the Roman Empire, both through personal ministry and through letters written to individuals and churches. The early church faced persecution from many fronts, including false teachers who took the writings of Paul and distorted what he wrote to their own gain.

Peter is the apostle who warns the saints of those who take the writings of Paul and twist his words to their own destruction. Paul, like Peter, was an inspired writer who received the message from the Holy Spirit and wrote it down for others to read. The writings of Paul can be a little tedious at times when discussing deeper matters of faith. What the untaught and unstable teachers would do is, through their ignorance, try to explain Paul’s writings. The result would end in confusion and false doctrine. When unlearned men try to explain the word of God through their own wisdom, truth seldom reigns free.

Pride exalts the heart to twist the words of God to suit an agenda or doctrine that is based on human wisdom. Twisting the scriptures is what Satan did with Jesus. It is remarkable to consider that Satan can quote scripture, but he effectively presents enough truth to make the lie more palatable. That is how he deceived Eve in the garden by twisting the words of God to suit his evil desire. Distorting the word of God has been the mantra of the devil from the beginning. He has convinced unlearned and unstable hearts to believe his lie to their own destruction. What is dangerous about the wiles of the devil is his ability to persuade people to believe in false teaching and accept it as truth.

It is difficult to convince some that there is error in the religious world. The explanation is given that everyone has a right to their interpretation of scripture. What that means in effect is that everyone is allowed to take the word of God and mold it to their own desires. The art of twisting scripture is as old as error, and it is the reason for religious division today. Why are there so many different kinds of churches? It cannot be the will of God that believers in Jesus Christ divide into different sects and religious faiths, and yet the religious world embraces the right to twist the word of God to fit their own dogmas. Truth is singular. There is one body of truth. Religious leaders tout the way men approach God as they see fit. This runs counter to what Jesus taught. He said there was only one way to the Father, and He was that way. Human wisdom has twisted that truth.

When a man twists the word of God, he does not change the word. He merely dresses it up in different garments. Peter is very clear on the consequences of changing the word of God. Every person who twists the scriptures to fit their needs finds destruction at the end of the road. The clarity of truth is that it breaks apart every effort to distort its character. Like an anvil that is impervious to the blows of many hammers, the word of God remains the same and unchanged. Attempting to modify, add to, or take away from the word, or present the gospel in any form other than the pure truth of the word, will face the wrath of God. Religious leaders must be very clear about the consequences of teaching doctrines not found in God’s word. The followers of religious movements will find eternal heartache if they follow the teachings of those who distort the word. There is one body of truth. Do not trifle with the power of the gospel lest there be a day of great destruction.