The Heaton File

And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore most gladly I will rather boast in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me. Therefore I take pleasure in infirmities, in reproaches, in needs, in persecutions, in distresses, for Christ’s sake. For when I am weak, then I am strong. (2 Corinthians 12:7-10)

God Always Says Yes

Prayer is pleading the promises of God. The ability of creation being able to talk with the Creator is a gift of grace God allows for sinful man. There is nothing man has done to merit a merciful God accepting the petitions of men, but the Father implores His children to speak to Him. The promises of God have been written down so the world can know the personality of God so that men can know what to ask in prayer. Prayer and the Bible go hand in hand. Everything that is needed to arm the soul with prayer is found in the scriptures. From the beginning of the stories in Genesis to the unveiling of the eternal paradise in the Revelation, God has shown the answer to prayer is always yes, and He never tells man no. Understanding how God answers prayer will help to know the power of God.

At first glance, the idea that God always says yes is contradictory. When the question of answered prayer is discussed, the answers are given that God will say yes, no, and or it is time to wait. Paul had a problem. He was experiencing a thorn in the flesh, a great problem in his life. The Holy Spirit does not reveal what the thorn was because the lesson is not about the thorn but the manner God answers prayer. Paul entreated the Lord three times to remove the thorn. Whatever the thorn was, it became the focus of Paul’s life to remove it. He pleaded with the Lord begging Him to take away the messenger of Satan. The answer God gave Paul was not a no but rather the strength that God said yes according to His will.

God told Paul all he needed to endure the thorn in his flesh was the grace of God. Through the power of the Lord, Paul would be strengthened. This was a positive, not a negative. If a man asks for something and is told no, he may feel rejected, and his petition is useless. God never answers prayer in a negative way because His way is true, just, holy, and purposeful in the lives of His children. Every time God answers a prayer, the petitioner must realize the answer is yes, according to the grace of God. Paul realized that in his prayer. He pleaded with the Lord to remove the thorn three times, and through the infirmity of the thorn, Paul became stronger. God did not say no to Paul; He said yes.

Prayer is not a vending machine demanding God give a man what he wants. God knows more about what a man needs than a man knows what he needs. He always says yes because the Lord sees the larger picture. If a man prays about a job he earnestly desires and prays fervently about that job to the Lord, he must learn to leave that prayer with the Lord and allow His grace to answer the petition. If the man does not get the job, does He blame God for telling him no, or does he, like Paul, accept the word of God with joy that God knows more about whether the job was a good decision or not? God said yes – according to His will.

Men get a little spoiled about prayer when God tells them no. They think God does not understand and that He is not giving them what they need. The truth should be realized that when a man prays to God, whatever answer is given is the correct answer for the good of the individual. God is always right because His answers are always yes! Paul was told the grace of God would allow him to overcome the thorn in the flesh. When the apostle saw the answer of God as a positive yes, he took pleasure in his infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distress. Everything Paul did was for the sake of Jesus Christ. He realized that God answered his prayer with a yes so that when he was weak, he could be strong. God is right all the time. He always says yes, and I am thankful He never tells me no.

But of Him you are in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God—and righteousness and sanctification and redemption— that, as it is written, “He who glories, let him glory in the Lord.” (1 Corinthians 1:30-31)

Glory In The Lord – Righteousness

The Chinese language is one of the oldest continuous languages in the world, first written over 4,500 years ago. The inventors of the written language drew pictures to express words or ideas that formed words. Simple pictures were combined to make more complex thoughts. The word for “older brother” came from the diagram of the word “mouth” and “man.” The “mouth man” or “spokesperson” for the family was usually the oldest son or brother. Well-known history and common everyday things were used to make a word so people could remember it. Through the centuries, it has transformed in different ways, but the framework of the language remains the same. Words are formed by putting together characters in relationship to one another.

Many interesting words in the ancient Chinese language have Biblical references. The word “migrate” comes from the words “great,” “division,” “west,” and “walk.” This seems to speak of the tower of Babel when the early descendants would have walked from the west to the area of China. The word “forbidden, to warn” comes from “two trees” and “God” (abbreviated form). “Boat” is derived from “vessel,” “eight,” and the word “people.” All of these point to stories in the Bible.

The Chinese language is very descriptive when it comes to the word for “righteousness” (yi). This word comes from the derivation of two words, “lamb” (yang) and “me, self, or I (wo).” The significance is found where the lamb is the top character, and the personage of self is the bottom character. To be righteous or to live according to righteousness can only be done when the Lamb of God (Jesus Christ) rules over the man. This principle is foundational to living a Christian life – Jesus Christ must always be first.

Righteousness is not determined by the desire for human wisdom. What is right and wrong can only be determined by the One who established authority. As Creator, God the Father rules supreme with all authority. God gave His Son, Jesus Christ, all authority. Submission to the rule of Christ is paramount to being a faithful servant of God. Righteousness is where Christ is all and man is nothing. Obedience is measured by the law of God. Faithfulness comes from a righteous heart subjected to the will of the Father. A Christian is a slave of righteousness because they have placed the Lamb of God above all things and humbled themselves to a subservient role.

When a man obeys the gospel of Jesus Christ, God unites him with His Son. Righteousness is measured by what the Lamb (above) places upon the man (below). Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy and freed us from sin. Righteousness is living for the glory of God. If there is anything a man can boast in, it must be to boast in the Lord. Seeking righteousness is submitting to the rule of God. The example of godliness is found in the righteous lives of those who profess allegiance to Jesus Christ. He must be first (top), and man must be last (bottom). Changing that order is not righteousness.

And as for Me, behold, I establish My covenant with you and with your descendants after you, and with every living creature that is with you: the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth with you, of all that go out of the ark, every beast of the earth. Thus I establish My covenant with you: Never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood; never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth. (Genesis 9:9-11)

God Has A Covenant With Animals

The flood in the days of Noah was a global death sentence to all flesh, man and animal alike. God had warned Noah of the impending doom and the finality of its destruction upon the world. The flood was on the earth for forty days and rose above the highest mountains by more than twenty feet. All flesh on earth died. Every person outside the ark perished. The birds, cattle, beasts, and every creature, large and small, died. Everything that breathed and lived on dry land died, including dinosaurs. The flood wiped out every living thing on the earth. The only people who survived were the eight souls in the ark.

After more than a year inside the ark, the floods abated, and Noah and his family were able to walk on dry land again. Noah made an altar to the Lord and took of every clean animal and every clean bird and offered them as a burnt offering to the Lord. God smelled the soothing aroma of the sacrifice and told Noah as long as the earth remained, there would be seasons of seedtime and harvest, cold and heat, winter and summer, day and night (so much for global warming theories). The world changed when God placed the fear of man on the animals for the first time. God allowed man to eat meat, provided it did not contain its lifeblood. Then God spoke to Noah and his sons and established a covenant the world would never be destroyed by a flood again. This did not suggest the Lord would never destroy the earth. He promised never to bring a global flood to destroy man.

While the focus of the flood story is on Noah and his family and the covenant of the rainbow in the sky, it is often overlooked that the covenant God made with Noah and his sons included every living creature, including the birds, the cattle, and every beast of the earth. The rainbow is a sign between God and man and also a sign between God and animals. There was a reason the Lord instructed Noah to preserve the animals in the ark. When God told Noah to build the ark, He said He was bringing a flood on the earth to destroy all flesh with the breath of life; everything on the earth would die. Before Noah began building the ark, He promised that He had a covenant with every living thing of all flesh to save them. God saved the animals through the obedience of Noah to build the ark and preserve the animals.

God’s covenant with the animals shows His concern for His creation. Creatures of the sea were created on the fifth day, along with the birds of the heavens. God saw His creation as good and blessed the sea creatures to be fruitful and multiply, fill the waters in the seas, and let the birds multiply on the earth. He looked upon the world filled with birds and the seas with animals, which pleased the Lord. On the sixth day, before creating man, the Lord  brought forth every living creature of the earth, like cattle, creeping things, and beasts. This would also include what is commonly referred to as the dinosaurs. He blessed these animals, and when He looked upon the earth filled with land animals, it pleased the Lord.

The creation of man was eternally different than the animals of the water, sky, and land. Man was created in the image of God. This separates man from animals as an eternal creature. No creature is made in the image of God; only man. Animals were not beguiled or sinned when the serpent came to Eve, and the woman was deceived. Only man has the capability of transgressing the law of God. It is only within the character of man to sin. Jesus came into the world to save man, not animals. An animal has no redeeming value (spiritual) as it has no eternal spirit.

After the flood, God told Noah he could eat animals. To kill an animal for food is not murder. Every living thing that moves is food for man. If a man kills another man, it is murder because man was created in the image of God, and the Lord will hold him guilty. Killing a cow for a hamburger is not murder. Having permitted the world to eat meat, God reminded Noah the covenant He made not to destroy the world was also made with the animals. This covenant does not elevate the animal kingdom to any spiritual level but shows God’s concern and care for the animals. To treat God’s creation with cruelty is sinful as it abuses what the Lord has created for man’s benefit and enjoyment. The rainbow is a covenant established between God and all flesh on earth.

Jesus came to die for sinful man, not animals. When men die, they stand before a righteous God who will judge whether they are good or evil. Animals die, and the breath of life given to them by the hand of God returns to Him. There is no judgment for the animals, no eternal life, and no life hereafter. Animals cannot be judged as good or evil. But it must be remembered that God has a covenant with the animals.

Then Judas Iscariot, one of the twelve, went to the chief priests to betray Him to them. And when they heard it, they were glad, and promised to give him money. So he sought how he might conveniently betray Him. (Mark 14:10-11)

Two Different Minds

The betrayal of Jesus is the most despicable treachery in the history of man and yet the most ironic event involving two parallel but different purposes. Everything about the arrest, trial, and conviction of Jesus is established in prophetic literature through the divine plan of the Father before time began. Jesus knew His hour had come to die. On Thursday night, He partook of His final Passover with the twelve in an upper room somewhere in Jerusalem. Judas is identified as a betrayer during the supper and then leaves the company. He returns to the chief priests to begin his plan to betray his teacher. Jesus and the eleven left the upper room for the Garden of Gethsemane, where Judas brought the mob to arrest Jesus. After a grueling night of mock trials, Jesus is convicted and sentenced to death. Somewhere around three in the afternoon on Friday, Jesus dies.

Before the events of His arrest, an ironic twist of human nature converges in the minds of the Jewish priests and the disciple of Jesus. The Jewish leaders desired a way to get rid of Jesus. He has troubled them for nearly three years, and every attempt to silence Him or discredit Him has ended in disaster. They are desperate. Their plan is no longer to find a way to diminish His followers through intimidation; they want Jesus dead. The problem they face is securing the right time to arrest Jesus without the people raising an insurrection to defend Jesus.

Word came to Judas the chief priests wanted to arrest Jesus and needed someone to betray Him. He looked at the request of the leaders as a chance to make some pocket change and went to the chief priests to betray Jesus to them. It must have surprised the leaders of one of Jesus’ own disciples; part of the inner circle would be the betrayer. Their reaction to the agreement with Judas was delightful. Finally, they had someone that could take them to Jesus and help them arrest Him for trial. When Judas told them he would betray Jesus, they were glad and promised to give him some money. They knew what their evil plan was going to be. If possible, they hoped to create enough doubt with men making false charges; they could make a case to the Romans to have Jesus killed. This made them happy.

Jewish chief priests are the cream of the crop leaders among the people of God who are to be instructed in the Law of Moses. They are to be the students of the law of God. How could these chief priests be delighted at the prospect of having Jesus killed? They did not want to silence Jesus; they wanted Him dead. They did not intend to mitigate His ministry; the chief priest wanted to murder an innocent man. When they heard Judas would betray Jesus, they were glad and promised to give him money.

When the chief priest agreed to pay Judas to betray his Lord, Judas turned his attention to the opportunity to betray Jesus. Thinking of the money he would receive for the betrayal; Judas began to look for times that would fit the plan of the chief priests. He no longer paid close attention to what Jesus said or did. His focus was finding a convenient time to set Jesus up to be betrayed. No one knew where Jesus would have the Passover with His disciples. The Lord tells Peter and John to find a man carrying a pitcher of water. There was an upper room prepared, and that is where the Lord took the twelve.

After Jesus identifies Judas as the betrayer, Judas realizes the opportunity to fulfill his plan is at hand. He leaves the gathering and goes to the chief priests, telling them the time has come and Jesus is easy prey to arrest. It is possible that Judas and the crowd first go to the upper room. Finding no one there, Judas knows precisely where to find Jesus. There is a place in the Garden of Gethsemane Jesus often went to pray. Judas takes the mob there, and Jesus is arrested. Then the story takes a divergent turn between the chief priests and Judas.

The chief priests are glad Judas will betray Jesus and gladly offer him money. Judas is paid thirty pieces of silver when he tells them where to find Jesus. With great satisfaction, the chief priests gather the temple captains, elders, scribes, and a great multitude with swords and clubs and make their way to Gethsemane. Judas identifies Jesus with a kiss, and they arrest Jesus. Dragging Jesus before Annas first (father-in-law of Caiaphas who was high priest that year) and then the Sanhedrin, the Jews successfully solicit the help of Pilate to adjudicate final judgment. Jesus is taken to Herod briefly, but His condemnation comes by the hand of Pilate. The Jewish leaders are still delighted. Jesus is led out of the city and crucified. He dies on the cross. The chief priests return home satisfied and glad.

Judas had sought an opportunity to betray Jesus, and he found the convenient time. What he found in himself was the opportunity Satan had led him to betray a man he loved and admired. Devasted by his actions, Judas threw the money at the Jewish leaders and went and hanged himself. What he thought was a moment in time to have a little money by betraying his Lord became a nightmare of guilt and remorse. The delight of the chief priests did not last either. Jesus died on Friday, and Saturday was a high Sabbath. And then Sunday came.

So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s bosom. The rich man also died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. (Luke 16:22-23)

He Is Gone … But

The story of Lazarus and the rich man is a compelling story of life’s inequalities and God’s righteous judgment. Lazarus was a man whose earthly journey was marked with misery, suffering, neglect, and abuse. The rich man represents the whole of humanity that lives each day in the sumptuous enjoyment of life with riches, pleasures, frivolity, and self-indulgence. What separated the two men in life ended in the commonality that all men face: death. Lazarus welcomed death. The rich man was unprepared to die. All the riches in the world could not keep a wealthy man from dying.

When someone noticed Lazarus had died, they cast him into the pauper’s grave without markers or fanfare. Few took note of Lazarus, and few mourned his death. The rich man’s death shocked his five brothers and the community at large. There was no doubt a lavish funeral procession ending at an extravagant tomb of marble where great lamentations were made for the rich man. The contrast in deaths could not have been more remarkable. Where Lazarus had been laid for many years, no notice was given by those who passed by. Days following the rich man’s death were busy sorting out his wealth. Relatives and friends divided up the estate and greedily devoured the dead man’s riches.

What everyone did not realize or take note of is that while Lazarus and the rich man were gone, they were not gone. Lazarus died and was carried by angels to the bosom of Abraham. The rich man died and was cast into the abyss of darkness and suffering. Jesus makes a significant statement by calling Lazarus by name and leaving the rich man nameless. Those found in the Book of Life have their names inscribed on the heavenly ledger. The Lord knows the names of His saints. Those who reject the will of the Father assemble with the nameless and the rejected. The rich man was left to the suffering of eternal flames where the fire is not extinguished, and the worm does not die.

Death is the saddest of emotions to share. It is final, complete, and without mercy. The righteous and the unrighteous die. No one can escape death. Denying death does not remove the tentacles of its far-reaching grasp on young and old. One thing remains as certain as death itself: death only begins eternity. Lazarus did not disappear. The rich man did not fade away into non-existence. Jesus told the story of Lazarus and the rich man two thousand years ago, and Lazarus continues to feel and know the presence of God’s loving grace and mercy. The rich man continues to feel the anguished pain and suffering of an eternal flame. His thirst remains unquenched, and his misery unending.

The joy for the Christion is two-fold. Many loved ones have died in Christ. Reflections are made that our loved ones are gone. They died thirty years ago, twenty years ago, two years ago, and last year. The joy for the Christian is to know those loved ones who died in Christ are enjoying eternal showers of blessing that are without description. They still live, feel, think, and see. There is no more suffering, pain, and sorrow. The list is filled with names of those that are missed in life but thrive in eternity. I can only wonder how marvelous what they share must be. The second joy for the Christian is to know that I will share in that glory. Death will take my life, and I will slip the bonds of this earth to the eternal blanket of peace. My eyes will behold the glory of God. The pain and suffering of life will vanish. Angels will carry me to eternal bliss. I will see, know, feel, and remember. And all I can think about is how to praise God.

I am gone, but I am not gone. Death has opened the portals of life. The darkness of life has turned to the light of eternity. Sadness is turned to joy. Loved ones will mourn my passing, but my passing will find its love in God’s grace. Death is not to be feared for those in Christ. We welcome with anticipation an unknown that has been made known in the joy of death. We are not gone. Eternity opens its arms and says, “Well done, good and faithful servant. Enter in.” And I get to enter in.

Now therefore, here is the king whom you have chosen and whom you have desired. And take note, the Lord has set a king over you. If you fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice, and do not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then both you and the king who reigns over you will continue following the Lord your God. (1 Samuel 12:13-14)

Serve The King But Fear The Lord

When the prophet Samuel was old, he set his sons to judge Israel, but his sons did not walk in his ways. The elders of Israel came to Samuel and demanded he give them a king like all the nations. Samuel was displeased with the lack of faith on the part of the people, but God told him to establish a king for the people. God reminded the prophet the people had not rejected Samuel. They had rejected God. A man of Benjamin, whose name was Kish, had a son who was a choice and handsome man. From his shoulders upward, he was taller than any of the people. His name was Saul, and he would become the first king of the united kingdom of Israel. The people had been given a king as they had wished to be like the nations around them.

At the coronation of Saul, Samuel instructed the people to the dominion of their new king. He reminded them that God had established Saul as king, and they were to obey him as the nation’s leader. Samuel warned the people the king would tax them and take their children for his servants as he oppressed them. The people wanted a king, and God gave them what they wanted. When they went to war, their king would lead them. Israel would now be like the nations around them, but they had one condition to obey. God gave them a king, but they must fear the Lord and serve and obey Him. The king was required to keep the commandments of the Lord. Having a king did not release the people from serving God. Honor the king and obey the Lord.

The downfall of Israel began when Saul thought too highly of himself as king of Israel. Soon after he began ruling God’s people, the king waited impatiently on Samuel and offered an unlawful sacrifice. Later, Saul was told to attack Amalek and utterly destroy all they had and spare no man, woman, child, or animal. Saul disobeyed the Lord’s command, sparing King Agag’s life and the best of the flocks. God demanded the king obey Him. Saul refused.

Israel desired a king, but Samuel reminded the people they must obey God. Saul ruled for forty years and was followed by David and Solomon before the kingdom was divided north and south. Many kings ruled over the nation of Israel, with the majority refusing to obey God. This did not excuse the people’s actions from being faithful to the word of the Lord. The prophets charged the kings, princes, priests, and leaders of the nation for being corrupt, but he also charged the people for their disobedience. Samuel brought the people a king and told them they must fear the Lord, serve Him, obey His voice, and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord. They had a charge from God to be obedient even if Saul and the other kings did not.

The early church faced persecution from religious leaders. When pressed for an answer, the apostle Peter told the Jewish council obedience to God superseded obedience to them. Peter knew the importance of honoring civil law, but he also remembered obedience to God was the higher law, and the apostles served the will of God. God establishes government, and the people of God are commanded to honor those who rule and respect the authority of government. However, the rule of God is higher than the law of men, and obedience to the Lord is of greater consequence. The only time the Christian can disobey the law of the land is when that law usurps the authority of God. This does not apply to the Constitution of the United States and the amendments. Men must fear the Lord and serve Him and His law. Samuel told the people to serve the king but fear the Lord. That is the same principle for Christians. The laws from Washington, D.C., must be obeyed with respect and honor. Fearing God and serving His word takes first place and precedence.

And Jesus said to him, “Today salvation has come to this house because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost.” (Luke 19:9-10)

He Came To Save Those Who Refuse Him

For God so loved the world, He gave His only begotten Son to bear the body of flesh as a man, suffer the pains of crucifixion, and raise Jesus from the dead. There is no greater sacrifice. Nothing man can imagine in his wisdom can equal the story of Jesus Christ. God became flesh, and then God died. The image of the eternal took on the image of corruption. Spirit possessed flesh. Jesus gave up his divine privileges and took the humble position of a slave. God was born as a human being. He was obedient to the point of death. The cruel hatred of humanity was unleashed with all the fury of the evil one upon the Son of God. He was despised and rejected.

The prophet Isaiah described Jesus as a man of sorrows, acquainted with the deepest grief. When Jesus came from the Father, humanity did not embrace the Son of God. They (we) turned our backs on Him and looked the other way. They beat Jesus, spit on Him, mocked Him, and treated the divine Beloved as nothing, and no one cared. Everything that was done to Jesus was not because of anything He had done. Throughout His life, Jesus showed love and compassion. His teachings embraced the mercy and love of God. He reminded the people of the wrath of God, and Jesus would often challenge the hypocrisy of those who claimed to follow the law. Through His many miracles, the man from Nazareth proved without a shadow of a doubt, He was divine. Who but God can raise the dead, calm the sea, heal all diseases, and cast out demons? Jesus was pierced for our rebellion and crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole and whipped so we could be healed.

Zacchaeus was a man with a heavy burden. When he heard Jesus passing by, he climbed into a sycamore tree to see Jesus. The Lord approached the wealthy tax collector and declared He was going to the house of Zacchaeus. Upon the confession of the chief tax collector, Jesus announced the joy of salvation at the home of Zacchaeus as the son of Abraham. The Lord declared His purpose in coming to the world of sin and sorrow: He came to seek and save that which was lost. Jesus did not have to look far to find those who were lost. They were all around Him. Zacchaeus had found salvation in Jesus Christ but what about his neighbors? What became of those in the crowd that followed the Lord? Did they find salvation that day?

Leaving the area of Jericho, the Lord comes to Jerusalem with the status of a conquering king. As the Lord rode a colt into the city, the people threw clothes on the road. Drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude began to shout with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen Jesus perform. They heralded Jesus as the blessed King coming in the name of the Lord. It was an amazing scene that stirred up the city as Jesus entered the city of David. Jesus was seen in all His glory. It did not last. Five days later, they crucified Jesus.

Jesus came to seek and save the lost, but most of the lost want to remain lost. They refuse to accept Jesus as the Son of God. It is not a small number who have no interest in what Jesus came to do but a vast number of souls who live every day oblivious to God’s saving grace. The story of Jesus is one of redemption and rejection by those who heard His voice, saw His miracles, and walked in His footsteps. They killed Jesus within a few years of His ministry beginning. The charges made against Him were made by liars, and they murdered an innocent man. Jesus died to save men today. Look around the world. How many are taking notice of what Jesus did?

How sad to know the Son of God – the Son of the Most High Almighty Living God – came to earth to save everyone – and only a few will listen, and fewer will be saved. The greatest tragedy of the final day of judgment when all men stand before the throne of God is for every eye to see the face of Jesus and to know they rejected the only hope of salvation given to men – and there is nothing more they can do. Jeremy Taylor said, “Life is short, and yet upon this short life, eternity depends.” Our short life must accept that Jesus Christ is Lord and King. We must do His will. Not just have a good talk about Him and say we love Him. If we do not obey the will of the Father, we are lost – damned to hell. Jesus came to seek and save the lost. If you are lost – He came for you. What are you going to do about it lost person?

You shall not plow with an ox and a donkey together. (Deuteronomy 22:10)

Unequally Yoked

In a laundry list of sundry commandments, the Lord instructs the children of Israel to be mindful of their plowing habits to be good to animals. God has a covenant with the animals and expects man to respect the obvious differences in forcing a donkey to plow in a harness with an ox. Oxen have been used for centuries as draft animals to plow, pull, haul, thresh, and power machines for other purposes. They can weigh from 1500 to 3000 pounds. This is in stark contrast to the size of a donkey, which can top out at 500 pounds. The body mass of a donkey compared to an ox is a huge disadvantage for the donkey; the pulling muscle of an ox will overpower a donkey with ease. Harnessing both animals in a single yoke is cruel and useless.

God did not suggest the law of ox and donkey. He commanded this as guidance for plowing. Oxen serve their purposes, and donkeys carry out their labors, but the two should never be yoked together for a common task. God created the oxen as a large animal to carry out the task of plowing and hauling heavy loads. Donkeys serve their purpose but at a different level. He did not want the two animals mixed together trying to do the same task. The larger one will injure the weaker animal. Whatever the job is, the work will be hampered by the constant inequality between the two animals. There is no benefit to yoking an ox with a donkey.

The apostle Paul appeals to the obvious difference between an ox and a donkey as the principal lesson for the Christian’s interaction with the world. There is an admitted difference between the two animals, and there is a difference in the life of the Christian and the world. If Paul had used the metaphor of the ox and the donkey to illustrate his point, he would have used the sheep instead of the donkey. Imagine a man yoking an ox with a sheep. That is the principle of a man who tries to serve Christ and fellowship unbelievers. The Holy Spirit never suggested that the child of God must go out of this world to live but rather learn how to live among the worldly. Yoking the spirit of Christ to the spirit of the world is eternal incompatibility. It should not be done.

Paul is warning against believers being in union with unbelievers. He asked if righteousness could be a partner with wickedness. If the Christian is the light of Christ, how can a man live with darkness unless his light has gone out? There can be no harmony between Christ and the wiles of the devil.  When a Christian lives like the world, dresses like the world, acts like the world, and talks like the world; they are yoking themselves with all that is against God. A partnership with the world is enmity with God. No man can be a partner with the world and please God. That would be like the evil kings of Israel did when they put Baal in the House of God. There is no union between God’s temple and idols.

The donkey and the ox should not be yoked together. Paul addresses the worldliness so prevalent in the church then and now when members put one leg in the church and keep the other leg in the world. In truth, both legs are in the world. The Christian and the world should not be yoked together. Pity the donkey because he will be destroyed. The only partner in our yoke is Jesus Christ. His yoke is easy, and His burden is light. Sharing the yoke with Christ will make you a friend of God.

Now John answered Him, saying, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” But Jesus said, “Do not forbid him, for no one who works a miracle in My name can soon afterward speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is on our side.” (Mark 9:38-40)

On The Side Of Jesus

During the ministry of Jesus, God allowed demons to spirit among men in a limited way. Demon possession is a rare occasion save the presence of a greater power to rule over them. The purpose of allowing the evil spirits to possess men during the work of Jesus was for Him to show His power over all things, earthly and spiritual. Jesus could heal all diseases, raise the dead, and perform any miracle, but if He did not demonstrate His power over Satan himself, His Sonship would have been compromised.

The apostle John had found someone casting out demons in the name of Jesus, and it confused the apostle because he did not understand how that was possible if the man was not part of the group following Jesus. John witnessed the great power of Jesus to cast out demons. The Lord had given John and the other eleven the power to cast out demons. When John saw this man casting out demons who was not an apostle or one of the ones sent out by Jesus, he took offense, as did the others. It was not right for a man to cast out demons if he was not part of the group.

Jesus mildly rebukes John and the others for not understanding the complexity of His ministry. He told them that no one could cast out demons unless they had the power of the Holy Spirit. In His sermon on the mountain, Jesus mentioned those who said they cast out demons in His name but were not doing the will of the Father. They were false followers of Jesus. A man can say he is casting out demons in the name of Jesus, but if the Finger of God does not grant him power, he is a liar. The one John saw casting out demons obviously had the authority of God. If a man is acting under the authority and power of God, he is not to be forbidden.

When a man shows the power of God by casting out a demon, he will not speak evil of Christ. Jesus teaches the disciples that many did not follow their group but were followers of Jesus doing His will. The man casting out demons was not to be forbidden as he was a chosen disciple of God to do the work of ministry, which included casting out demons. Jesus reminds the disciples that if a man has the power to cast out demons, he works on behalf of the Heavenly Father. Rather than rebuke the man, the disciples needed to embrace him as part of the broader picture of the work of Jesus.

There is a broader application for those who seek to follow Jesus today. Many confess to being followers of Jesus. Some seduce the crowds with works of miracles and healing. Applying the words of Jesus, a man is found to be false or true by the results of his actions. The man John saw actually cast out a demon. He was a faithful follower of the teachings of Christ. When a man claims to cast out demons today, heal the sick, and raise the dead, proof comes in the application. There are no demon-possessed people today as there were in the time of Jesus. If there are faith healers in the world today, why have so many people died of COVID and a host of other diseases? No one has raised another from the dead. Why? They are false teachers.

This story also shows the danger of so many churches. Many profess to be the church of the Lord but are found false. The evidence of any church being the one true church, the New Testament church, is found in the application of what they teach, how they teach, and the authority of their faith. Jesus said many would say they are His followers, but they do not do the will of the Father. If a man follows the teachings of Jesus and abides by His will, he is not to be challenged. Whoever is not against Jesus is on the side of Jesus. Which side are you on?

Walk prudently when you go to the house of God; and draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools, for they do not know that they do evil. (Ecclesiastes 5:1)

Advice When Going To Church

God is holy and He has always required those who worship Him to give honor and respect to His Holy name. When Moses saw the burning bush, he was told to remove his sandals, for the ground was holy. At Sinai, the people were warned not to approach the mountain where God communed with Moses lest they die. Before Israel began the siege of Jericho, Joshua was met by the Commander of the Lord’s army, who told him to remove his sandals because the place he stood was holy. No man can see God face to face. The Lord’s glory is so great that no human eye can view Him. God’s name is Holy, Lord God, Lord Almighty, and a host of names describing how Awesome (another name) the Lord is. There is no comparison when a man stands before the great I AM.

Reverence for who God is found in the story of Cain and Abel. Both sons of Adam offered sacrifices to the Lord, but only one was respected because the heart of Abel was true. Cain was a vain and evil man who flaunted his sacrifice. God’s rejection was not because of the sacrifice of the ground but the dishonor Cain presented his sacrifice. The Lord struck down Nadab and Abihu because of their insubordinate attitudes and disrespect for the glory of God. Moses reminded Aaron (father of Nadab and Abihu) the Lord must be revered and His holy name given respect and honor. God will not tolerate haughty, arrogant, disrespectful, and insolent hearts.

Solomon reminds the worshipers at the Temple to be careful how they come to worship the Lord. When a man comes to worship the Lord, he must approach God with the honor due to His name and the respect demanded of God. Coming into the house of God is not a place of frivolity. One must guard the steps of the heart when coming to worship. Walking prudently when one approaches the house of God guards against disrespecting the Lord. Solomon suggests one should come to worship with their ears open and their mouths shut. Making mindless offerings to the Lord is profaning the worship. The prophet Malachi chided the people for complaining worship was a weariness as they offered blemished sacrifices. It is evil to disregard the sacredness of worship.

The phrase ‘going to church’ is a misnomer, but it serves a purpose to illustrate a point. Under the Law of Christ, worshippers assemble on the first day of the week to follow the command of the Lord. It is called “going to church.” While the laws have changed and no man is bound by the Law of Moses and Temple worship, the hearts’ attitudes remain from Solomon’s admonition. When it is time to worship the Lord on the first day of the week, hearts must walk prudently to draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools. Worship is not a time to play with children, check Facebook, send texts, read a book, sleep and a host of other egregious habits by Christians. The act of worship is coming before the throne of the Almighty, who demands respect and honor and giving all to the worship and praise of Him who holds every man’s breath in His hand.

Singing reminds the soul of the greatness of God’s glory. Prayers open the channels of blessing, seeking the blessings of the Lord. The Lord’s Supper is discerning the body and blood of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. To conduct oneself without respect during the Supper will bring severe judgment from the Lord. The time of preaching is a time to respect the word of God. When Ezra opened the word of God, the people stood. It does not suggest the need for standing, but it shows the respect shown by preaching God’s word.

Solomon reminded his people of the danger of vain worship. His message resonates in the worship of God today. The laws have changed, but the glory of God has not. God has allowed sinful man to come into His presence to worship Him and laud and magnify His name. This worship must be done in spirit and truth because God is Spirit and Truth. No man can come before the Father with disrespect. Walk prudently when you go to church. Draw near to hear rather than to give the sacrifice of fools.