The Heaton File

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.

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek. (Romans 1:16)

Give Me That Old Time Religion

Charles Tillman first published a popular gospel song in 1873: “Give me that old-time religion.” It was taken from a negro spiritual he had heard and became very popular among gospel groups. The tune is very pleasing and expresses a fond sentiment of familial bonding with the mother’s beliefs. Subsequent versions have included the father and sister and “me” as old-time religion. Musically, the song is enjoyable. Sadly, the eternal sentiment is a pattern many have followed to their destruction.

The gospel is the power of God to salvation. Throughout the writings of the New Testament, the Holy Spirit has shown the importance of obeying the will of the Father. The three thousand on Pentecost that were baptized for the remission of their sins challenged the faith of their fathers. As devout Jews, they made a bold stand to accept the guilt of killing the Messiah, the Son of God. Peter showed that the prophecies of the Messiah were fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth. He pointed the devout Jews to believe something their fathers denied. A month and a half before Peter preached his sermon, the Jews took the man from Nazareth and killed Him. Now he demanded repentance.

There were thousands upon thousands of Jews in Jerusalem when Peter preached his sermon. Three thousand obeyed the gospel, but many thousands did not. There are many reasons why a man would refuse to repent and be baptized for the remission of their sins. One reason is that the ‘old-time religion’ was good enough for them. They were not going to give up the religion of their ancestors. The early church faced persecution from the Jews who held tightly to their ‘old-time religion,’ refusing to change their ways.

It saddens the heart to hear of those today who refuse to accept the teaching of scripture because of the ‘old-time religion’ of their parents and grandparents. There is a deep bond shared in the family unit, but that relationship can never measure the bond one has with the word of God. Parents can be wrong. Grandparents can be wrong. If they held to a doctrine against the will of God, it should not determine how a person lives their life. Holding the religious beliefs of anyone does a disservice to the word of God. Many Christians in the early church had to turn away from their families to serve the Lord. What did the parents and grandparents of Saul of Tarsus think when he began to preach Christ crucified? Saul preached the gospel of Jesus Christ. He knew the power of salvation was in the word, not in the family.

Jesus died to bring all men to the Father. He shed His blood to redeem the lost. Through the Holy Spirit, the word is given to know the one way, the one truth, and the one life. It is important to carry on the legacy of parents and grandparents. The religion of my parents cannot measure the value of a soul. Love for God must override our love for family. My parents’ religion should never be good enough for me. The gospel of Jesus Christ must be the only ‘religion’ that is good enough for me. Jesus died to save my soul. That faith is rooted in Him, not in parents and grandparents. When someone claims to hold fast to the religion of their parents or grandparents, they take hold of an empty promise. If they are wrong, we will be wrong – for eternity.

Oh, clap your hands, all you peoples! Shout to God with the voice of triumph! For the Lord Most High is awesome; He is a great King over all the earth. He will subdue the peoples under us, and the nations under our feet. He will choose our inheritance for us, the excellence of Jacob whom He loves. God has gone up with a shout, the Lord with the sound of a trumpet. Sing praises to God, sing praises! Sing praises to our King, sing praises! For God is the King of all the earth; sing praises with understanding. God reigns over the nations; God sits on His holy throne. The princes of the people have gathered together, the people of the God of Abraham. For the shields of the earth belong to God; He is greatly exalted. (Psalm 47; To the Chief Musician. A psalm of the sons of Korah)

The King Over All The Earth

International intrigue has always gripped the world as men seek power over their neighbors through war and oppression. Despots have tried vainly to rule the world from the great Roman Empire, the Third Reich, and the Empire of the Sun. The British Empire controlled more land in the world than any nation. At the height of its dominions, colonies, protectorates, mandates, and other territories, it covered nearly a quarter of the earth as the foremost global power ruling over 412 million people. The Roman Empire is left in ruins, Hitler and Emperor Hirohito are dead, and the British Empire is now a Commonwealth. Russia and Ukraine continue to wage war with many other skirmishes and conflicts worldwide.

History is filled with the vain attempts of men seeking to rule the world. The tower of Babel destroyed the unity of humanity’s attempt to become a global power. There will never be a time when one nation, people, or leader will rule the world. God will not permit it for two reasons: first, the purpose of the incident in the land of Shinar when the Lord confused the languages of a unified world was to destroy global unity. The United Nations is an example of how nations cannot work together. Secondly, and more importantly, God is the King over all the earth. All governments are subject to the rule, authority, power, and dominion of the Lord Most High.

The sons of Korah lived thousands of years ago. Israel was a small nation compared to the nations of the world, but it was the greatest people because the Lord God was their Father. Moses had told the Israelites before crossing the Jordan River that if they obeyed the will of the Lord, they would be blessed above all nations on earth. The history of Israel is the tragic story of rebellion and God removing His blessings from them as they became like the nations around them. When the sons of Korah wrote a psalm for the Chief Musician, they praised the name of God because He was King over all the earth. Through His power, God could subdue all nations with His might and authority. No empire, nation, or country could stand against the Lord Most High, King over all the earth.

God reigns over the nations. He brings a nation into existence, and if by His will He determines a nation must end, they will fall. The power of Congress, the House of Representatives, the President, and the United States Supreme Court are at the bidding of the King of all the earth. King Nebuchadnezzar was the greatest ruler of his time, reigning over vast tracts of land. The Babylonian army was a superpower of destruction. Nebuchadnezzar bragged about how great he was and that his majesty was supreme, and then God made him eat grass for a period of time. The Babylonian Empire is nothing more than a reference in a history book covered with dust. There is no promise the United States of America will be a nation in the years to come. Greater nations have ruled and are no more.

It is easy for men to brag about who they are and what they are as a nation of people. The hearts of the citizens can rest assured in their pride; nothing will take away their freedoms, but they forget God is King over all the earth, not man. Thousands of years ago, the sons of Korah declared the glory and exaltation of the One who sits on His holy throne, and they knew there was only one Lord Most High. He still reigns over the affairs of men. The state of the divine union is settled in Heaven. God is King over all the earth. Praise God. Give honor to the King.

Jesus answered and said to her, “Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:13-14)

Are You Thirsty?

Fluids are essential to the survival of the human body. Without a proper fluid balance, the body dehydrates, and a lack of fluids can bring death. When God created the body, He instilled a mechanism in the brain that detects changes in blood constituents and signals thirst. Without the sensation of thirst, the body will die. The Bible has some great stories and lessons about how thirst led people to distrust God and have faith in the Lord and spiritual applications for Christians.

Thirst is what got the children of Israel in trouble in the wilderness. God had delivered them from Egyptian bondage by His mighty hand with great wonders. Within days of walking through the Red Sea on dry land, the Hebrews were in the wilderness and could find no water. Arriving at Marah, the waters were bitter, and the people complained against Moses for something to drink. Moses cried to the Lord, and the Lord showed him a tree to cast into the waters. The water turned sweet, and the people camped there by the water. Soon after the testing at the waters of Marah, the people again complained to Moses and Aaron because they were hungry. God provided the bread from Heaven, manna. They would eat the manna for forty years.

Shortly after receiving the manna, the people camped in Rephidim and complained there was no water. They accused Moses of bringing them out of Egypt to kill them with thirst. The Lord told Moses to stand on the rock in Horeb and strike the rock. Moses did what God commanded, and water came out to quench the thirst of nearly two million souls. God provided once again. At Kadesh, the people again complained to Moses they had no water to drink. Thirst had driven the people to rebel against God, forgetting all the ways the Lord had cared for them. Moses is told to speak to the rock to bring forth water, but in his anger, struck the rock twice with his rod, and water comes forth. Because of his disregard for the word of the Lord, Moses was not allowed to enter the land of Canaan.

During the period of the Judges, thirst got a man killed in a horrible way. God sold the Israelites into the hand of the king of Canaan, who had a commander of the army named Sisera. Deborah was a prophetess then and, along with Barak, subdued the Canaanites. When God brought victory to His people, Sisera fled away on foot to the tent of Jael, the wife of Heber the Kenite. Jael met Sisera as he fled and told him to turn into her tent and not to fear. The commander went into the tent of Jael and hid under a blanket. Sisera was very thirsty and asked Jael for something to drink. She fixed him some milk, and Sisera fell fast asleep. While he slept, Jael took a tent peg and hammer and drove the pen into this temple into the ground. So Sisera died.

Samson killed a thousand Philistines with the jawbone of a donkey and became very thirsty. He cried out to the Lord, complaining he was thirsty, and God would allow him to die? So God split the hollow place that is in Lehi, and water came out. Samson drank, and his spirit returned, and he was revived. God provides the waters of life to bring life and sustain life. During the reign of David,  the king was at the cave of Adullam with the Philistines encamped in the Valley of Rephaim. David remarked that he would love some of the good water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem. So, three of the king’s mighty men broke through the Philistine lines, drew some water from the well by the gate in Bethlehem, and brought it back to David. But he refused to drink it. Instead, he poured it out as an offering to the Lord. He said the water the three mighty men brought him was as precious as the blood of these men who risked their lives to bring it to him. David’s thirst could have gotten some men killed.

Jesus used thirst in much of His preaching. In the sermon on the mount, He told His disciples to hunger and thirst for righteousness to be filled with the Spirit of God. When the Lord stopped at the well of Jacob near the city of Sychar in Samaria, a woman came to draw water, and Jesus asked her for a drink. She learned an eternal lesson that day about the water of life where no man will thirst. After feeding the five thousand, Jesus told the multitudes He was the bread of life and everyone who came to Him would never hunger or thirst. Jesus told the story of the judgment day when all men are gathered before the Lord as sheep and goats. Explaining why some would be saved and some would be lost, Jesus said those with a benevolent heart who helped those hungry and thirsty would be blessed. Those who did not would be lost.

The greatest story of thirst is when Jesus was on the cross. Scourging had left his body decimated with blood loss and excessive fluid loss. His body was severely dehydrated. Jesus begged for a morsel of liquid to quench His incredible thirst. After receiving some sour wine, Jesus died. Through the suffering (including the intense thirst), Jesus died and made possible redemption for men to receive the blessing of God when the Father takes away all sorrow, suffering, and death. The saints will never hunger anymore nor thirst again. The sun shall not strike upon them, and no heat will drain the bodies. Jesus, as the Lamb, will lead them to living fountains of water, and God will wipe away every tear from their eyes. John saw the pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb.

As the Revelation closes and the final pages of the Bible are complete, the Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let him who hears say, “Come.” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely. No one is thirsty in Heaven. Everyone is thirsty in Hell. Your choice.