Psalm 105

How I love this Psalm!  It is one of the grandest illustrations of the principle of Hermeneutics (how to interpret the Bible) that says the best interpreter of Scripture is Scripture.  When studying Genesis 12-50 I found this Psalm to be of inestimable value.  Consider this as you read and study this historical Hymn.

·         105:1-6: Call to the people of Abraham to praise God for His works/deeds.

·         105:7-8: The theme: God remembers His covenant forever.

·         105:9-15: The covenant in mind is the one God made with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.  It is the Abrahamic Covenant, and especially the promise of the land of Canaan to Abraham’s descendants. To emphasize God’s faithfulness we are reminded this covenant was made when they were few in number and were strangers in the land (Gen. 12:1-3; 13:14-18; 15:7-21; 17:1-8).  But even at that time God was protecting His anointed ones. You may remember God called Abraham a prophet (Gen. 20:7).

·         105:16-25: God’s covenant faithfulness was on-going in the days of Joseph, including His allowing Jacob to take the family to Egypt. Notice that God called for a famine in the land (v16).  That amazing story of Joseph was part of what God was doing in forming His people Israel.

·         105:26-41: God’s faithfulness was certainly evident in the time of Moses, in the plagues and in the major provisions in the wilderness.  It was God’s promise that the Israelites, without an army, would nevertheless plunder Egypt.

·         105:42-45:  All this was done as God faithfully kept His covenant with Abraham.  They eventually made it to the land and joy and gladness, inheriting the labor of the nations that had occupied Canaan.

For us there is tremendous application.  The New Testament says, For whatever things were written before were written for our learning, that we through the patience and comfort of the Scriptures might have hope. Psalm 105 is about Israel.  But it declares the faithfulness of God, who is our God as well, and who has established His covenant with believers. 

This is how we use the Old Testament.  We interpret it properly; in this case it is about God's work in Israel.  But we also apply it energetically!  It was written for us that we might have hope.  And this is an amazing message of hope.  We are reminded that as with Israel, so God is using the events of our lives to bring us into the likeness of Christ.  We are reminded that God never fails to keep His word.  Even if we are small or few in number we can trust God! 

Let us also give thanks to the Lord!  Let us call upon His name!

2 Ki. 21:1-12, What is an abomination to the LORD? (3)

·       Job 15:16: Eliphaz called sinful men an abomination.  Maybe, maybe not.  I am always careful when Job’s “friends” speak.  God did not call all men “abominations” or all sins “abominations.”  Having said that, we now come to the Psalms and Proverbs where our understanding might be different.

·       Ps. 5:6: The LORD abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man.  v5 says: You hate all workers of iniquity.  That makes sense.  God hates those who encourage others to sin.  Jesus said those who “cause one of these little ones to stumble” were more egregious in sinning.  “Offenses must come, but woe to that man by whom the offense comes” (Mt. 18:6-7).  In Psalms the “workers of iniquity” fit that category.

·       Ps. 14:1: Paul applies this to all humanity (Rom. 3).  But note: every human has done “abominable” (abhorrent) works.  This is not saying all humans are abhorred.

·       Ps. 119:163: The Psalmist abhors lying.

·       Prov. 3:32 (11:20): The “perverse person” is an abomination.  1 Ki. 14:24 might be a good cross-reference for this. There were “perverted persons” in the land.  In other words, it’s a particular evil person, not every sinner.

·       Prov. 6:16-19: Here are 7 things that are an abomination to the LORD: a proud look, lying tongue, hands that shed innocent blood, a heart that devises wicked plans, feet that are swift in running to evil, a false witness and one who sows discord among brethren.  That gets to the heart of things, doesn’t it!

·       Prov. 15:8-9: We began the first post with these but now we call attention to them.  The “sacrifice of the wicked” (i.e. the offering he brings with an evil heart) and the “way of the wicked” (the general lifestyle) are an abomination to the LORD.

·       Prov. 15:26: And also, “the thoughts of the wicked” are an abomination.

·       Prov. 16:12: The king who commits wickedness is an abomination because that makes him a “worker of iniquity,” his sins justify the sins of his citizens.

·       Prov. 17:15: He who justifies the wicked or condemns the just is an abomination. (Mic. 3:9.)

·       Prov. 28:9: The prayer of the one who turns away his ear from hearing the law.

·       Jer. 6:15; 8:12: Involvement in things that are an abomination to the LORD should make us ashamed, make us blush.  This was not the case among God’s OT people.

·       Ezek. 6:11: The prophet of the LORD needs to be adamant and clear about the “evil abominations” committed by the people.  Pound your fist! Stamp your feet!

·       Ezek. 8-11 has the word “abominations” 13X as God justifies the departure of His Glory from Israel and the temple.  Again, 8X in Ezek. 16 in the explanation for God’s judgment.  It begins in 16:2, Son of Man, cause Jerusalem to know her abominations.  In total, Ezekiel refers to abominations in 43 passages.  He does not tell what they are necessarily; that was done in the Law.  But Ezekiel ties Israel’s judgment to the abominations.  Abominations have consequences!

Deut. 18:9-14, What is an abomination to the LORD? (2)

·       Deut. 18:9-14: Again, copying the forms of worship of the nations that were in the land before Israel is abominable.  This passage has a more developed list that includes sacrificing your children in the fire, witchcraft, soothsaying, interpreting omens, sorcery, conjuring up spells, being a medium or spiritist or in any other way trying to call up the dead.  My Sirius radio has been advertising “California Psychics” a lot.  Interesting.  They turn down like 90% of those who apply.  They promise to help you with your love life or your money back.  ABOMINABLE!  I should not laugh; I should abhor!! (Cf. Isa. 1:13 on abominable forms of worship.)

·       Deut. 20:17-18: If you wonder who was in the land before Israel, v17 has a list.

·       Deut. 22:5: What we call “cross-dressing” is an abomination to the LORD.

·       Deut. 23:7: By the way: an Edomite and an Egyptian are not to be abhorred.  Perhaps we can say, a Democrat nor a Republican or even the Green Party are not to be abhorred.  Maybe. 

·       Deut. 23:18: Giving to the LORD from the earnings of a harlot or the price of selling your dog is an abomination.  Some have tried to argue that this is just Mosaic Law and not relevant to Christians.  I remember “back in the day” when there was a big turmoil when some guy who made his money off dog-racing in Florida, made a major contribution to the Oral Roberts organization.  It was part of Roberts’ campaign to raise $8 million or God would call him home.  It’s possible there were a lot of abominations involved in that story.  These days, I’m not sure any church does due diligence on this matter.  We are too quick to put out the offering baskets for all who want to give or pay or whatever.

·       Deut. 24:4: For a man, who divorced his wife, for her to marry another, then have a second divorce, for the first husband to take her back as his wife.  This brings sin on the land, i.e. creates a bad situation for the society.  Interesting that divorce by itself was not an abomination.  The LORD knows our hard hearts, as Jesus said.

·       Deut. 25:16: You need to consider how far back in the passage this applies.  It is another statement about a variety of things that are abominations.  The immediate preceding issue is having differing weights in your bag, cheating people by putting your finger on the scales, etc (Prov. 11:1).  Before that is a wife who comes to the aid of her husband in a fight by grabbing the testicles of the other man in the fight.  Before that is refusing to carry out the marital duties of the older brother who dies.

·       2 Kings 23:13: On the issue of idolatry, this passage is strong.  They are not called “gods,” but are called “abominations.”

·       Ezra 9:1,11,14: Intermarriage with the heathen nations was an abomination in the time of Ezra.  Interesting this term was not applied to Solomon, although clearly it led to his connection with idolatry.  Ezra, after 70 years in Babylon, was willing to “call a spade a spade,” or better, to “call an abomination an abomination.”

Lev. 18:19-30, What is an abomination to the LORD? (1)

The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But the prayer of the upright is His delight.

The way of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD,
But He loves him who follows righteousness. (Prov. 15:8-9)

This is a study I should have done many years ago, in the process of developing a healthy “fear of the LORD.”  What is an abomination to Him?  This will not be an exhaustive word study because the Hebrew terms involved are too many.  The noun in these passages from Proverbs is used 118x in 112 verses (17x in Deut. and 22x in Proverbs).  The root word, a verb, occurs 22x in 20 verses.  Let’s first consider the first use of the verb because the verse includes both terms:

Nor shall you bring an abomination into your house, lest you be doomed to destruction like it. You shall utterly detest it and utterly abhor it, for it is an accursed thing. (Deut. 7:26).

The abomination in this passage is an “idol,” which we know from v25:

You shall burn the carved images of their gods with fire; you shall not covet the silver or gold that is on them, nor take it for yourselves, lest you be snared by it; for it is an abomination to the LORD your God.

We won’t quote all the verses, but this one helps us see the extent of “abhorring” necessary when something is an “abomination.”  “Don’t even coven the silver or gold that was put on these wooden carved images, lest you be snared by it.”  It’s not the metal but the possibility of being ensnared in the sin connected with it.

So now, for the most part, let’s just consider/meditate on the question: “What is an abomination to the LORD?”  And along the way, what is not an abomination?

·       Gen. 43:32: “Shepherds” were an abomination to the Egyptians, but not to God!  I.e. everything the world abhors is not necessarily to be abhorred by God’s people.

·       Lev. 18:22 (20:13): To “lie with a male as with a woman” is an abomination.  This is from today’s passage which deals with abominations that were part of the cultures of those who lived in the land before Israel.

·       Deut. 12:29-32: The way worshiped God is the issue here.  The previous nations in the land did abominable things, two of which are mentioned: inquiring of (dumb) idols and sacrificing your children to idols.  Israel’s approach to the “how” of worship was not to be: how did/does the world do it?

·       Deut. 14:3: Just so you know, Israel’s dietary laws involved “detestable” (i.e. abominable, same word) things.  I’m not spending time on this as Jesus dealt with the dietary laws in my view.

·       Deut. 17:1-4: Bringing an offering that was blemished to the LORD.  This was an issue in Malachi 1.  This dishonors God, of course.  Also, it denigrates the Lamb of God who would come to take away the sin of the world!!!

Matt. 4:18-22, You Need To Have Your Nets Mended

Let’s do a study of katartizō (verb, to perfect, mend, make perfect), a special term related to the maturing of believers.  The key to unlock the study is in Matt. 4:21: James and John were “mending” their nets.  They didn’t need new nets.  They only needed to mend the nets they had.  And why did they need mending?  Because they had been used in fishing.  The pressure of an amazing catch of fish might create larger spaces in the net whereby fish would fall out and never make it to the boat.  It means the nets were restored so that they could accomplish the purpose they were intended to fulfill.  Keep that in mind as you meditate on the other uses of this term.

·       Matt. 21:16: God has perfected (prepared) praise out of the mouths of babes.  An infant might not know exactly how best to praise the Savior, but God could fix their words, so to speak, to praise Him perfectly.

·       Lk. 6:40: Everyone who is perfect (prepared, fully trained) shall be as his teacher.

·       Rom. 9:22: God endured the vessels of wrath that were fitted for destruction.

·       1 Cor. 1:10: We need to be made complete in the same mind, judgment.

·       2 Cor. 13:11: In his farewell Paul says to be perfected.

·       Gal. 6:1: We are called to restore the fallen brother, in meekness.

·       1 Th. 3:10: Paul wanted to perfect what was lacking in their faith.

·       Heb. 10:5: Christ’s body was prepared as a sacrifice for sin. 

·       Heb. 11:3: By faith we understand worlds were framed by the word of God.

·       Heb. 13:21: Prayer: “May the God of peace make you perfect in all good works.”

·       1 Pt. 5:10: Prayer: “May the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, make you perfect, establish, strengthen, settle (you).”  It appears that the last 3 terms tell us what is involved in the “mending:” make you stand, give you strength, give you a solid foundation.

·       katartisis (fem noun) 2 Cor. 13:9: Prayer: for their perfection.

·       katartismos (masc. noun) Eph. 4:12: Christ’s gifts to the church (apostles, prophets, etc.) given for the equipping of the saints.

Vincent: to adjust, “put it right.”  Vine: to make fit, equip, prepare.  Bruce: to equip, adjust.  Jesus called fishermen to become fishers of men.  As with their fishing for fish, so in fishing for men, we must give Him access to mend our nets.

Rev. 17:7-18, Telos, The End of the Word of God

There is a family of words in the NT for “fulfill.”  The NKJV in Rev. 17:17 translates, until the words of God are fulfilled.  That’s fine: all God has said and planned concerning the arrangement of the nations and governments and armies and economy will be fulfilled.  But if you are wondering, this word is not “fulfilled” but is one of the family of NT words meaning “to complete, finish” (Greek: telos).  Literally, until the words of God are finished.  Maybe no big deal, but I thought you might like to know.  And it led me to consider a few other significant passages with “telos.”  Here they are for your meditation.

·       Mt. 26:1: When Jesus finished all these words, of the Olivet Discourse, prophetic words, He then turned His attention to Passover and His upcoming crucifixion.

·       Lk. 18:31: One of Jesus’ announcements that they are going to Jerusalem, and at that time all things prophesied concerning the Son of Man will be accomplished.

·       Lk. 22:37: Telos is twice here.  First, quoting Isa. 53:12 about being numbered with the transgressors, Jesus says this must be accomplished (NKJV has a note suggesting fulfilled).  But then Jesus said, For the things concerning Me have an end.  That’s the second use.  What a simple, powerful statement!  There’s a point to it all.  Be patient; it will come!

·       Jn. 19:28,30: Jesus, after the darkness and the fullness of suffering, knew all things were not accomplished (noun), that the Scriptures might be fulfilled (finished, verb), said, ‘I thirst.’  Earlier He refused the wine with myrrh; but now He can satisfy thirst, and then says: It is finished (verb; perfect: an action which is viewed as having been completed in the past, once and for all, not needing to be repeated;  passive, done to Him, i.e. the Father’s work done via the cross, or in the next passage, it was the work of evil men; indicative: a statement of fact).  Hallelujah!

·       Ac. 13:29: Paul at Pisidian Antioch, when they had fulfilled all that was written concerning Him, they took Him down from the tree and laid Him in a tomb. 

·       Rev. 10:7 (mystery of God finished); 11:7 (testimony of two witnesses finished); 15:1 (the wrath of God is complete); 15:8 (no one could enter heaven until the seven plagues completed); 17:17 (see above); 20:3,5,7 (Satan bound, dead not raised again, and then Satan released, all when the thousand years were finished or were expired).

And now, here are a couple for application:

·       Gal. 5:16: Walk in the Spirit and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.

·       2 Tim. 4:7: I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.

 God has an end goal in mind, with various sub-goals along the way.  He has revealed this in His word.  The "end" of God's word will come.  Let us also have a fitting "end" to our lives, one that glorifies God. 

Psalm 85; 32:1-5, More on the Flood and Atonement

In my recent reading I discovered a couple of things in this Psalm relative to God’s plan of salvation.  First, in 85:2, having been brought back from captivity, the Psalmist notes that the LORD had forgiven and covered the sin of the people.  These same two truths are found in Ps. 32:1 where David extols the blessedness of the one whose sins are forgiven and covered. 

There is apparently a “play on words” in that the two Hebrew words are nasa and kasa.  To forgive is to carry the sins away.  To cover is to hide them from God’s sight.  And in Ps. 32:5 David declares that he, David, has not hidden (kasa) his sins, because that does not hide them from God.  Rather he has confessed or acknowledged them, so it is left for God to cover them.

We have mentioned before the idea of “atonement” in the Bible, that it has this idea of “covering” them.  The word often translated “atonement” in the OT is kephar.  This word has its roots in Noah’s ark where Noah was told by God to cover the outside of the ark with pitch, kephar.  In other words, for Noah to be safe from God’s judgment there would need to be something that would guarantee that the ark would not allow water to seep in from the outside.  Thus, as Peter said, a few, that is, eight souls, were saved through water (1 Pt. 3:20).  The water carried the ark and kept them all afloat no matter how violent were the things happening outside.

But here is another interesting fact.  The roots of kasa (to hide something by covering it) are also in the flood.  In Gen. 7:18,20 (the first uses of this term) we see that the water covered all the high hills and mountains.  So, inside the ark was salvation; outside the ark was judgment for sin.  Through His judgment the LORD covered all the sinful earth/earthlings.  The LORD had seen that the wickedness of man was great in the earth and the LORD was sorry that He had made man on the earth (Gen. 6:5-6).  I’m sorry if you have soothed your view of God by proposing a flood that was not over all the earth.  It just doesn’t fit.

And if you wonder about this kasa word, the next use of the term is in Gen. 9:23 where Shem and Japheth walked backwards with a blanket to cover their father’s nakedness.  Again, there is a covering for sin and shame.  We should not be surprised that the flood provides the backdrop for such powerful and blessed and gracious understandings of our salvation.  Not only do we have a secure salvation in Christ; we have one that has totally dealt with our sin that separated us from God.  Praise His holy name!

Psalm 104

We are in a section of the Psalms where the worthiness of God to receive praise is derived from the world around us, both in creation and history.  If you desire to praise God for His attributes clearly seen in creation (Rom. 1:20) so you can glorify and thank Him for His goodness (Rom. 1:21) Psalm 104 is for you.  When Paul told the Athenians God gives life, breath, and all things to mankind (Acts 17:25) this is what he was talking about. Paul must have had Psalm 104 in mind when he told the idolaters of Lystra that God did not leave Himself without witness, in that He did good, gave us rain from heaven and fruitful seasons, filling our hearts with food and gladness (Acts 14:17).  We all see the truth of this Psalm daily.  Consider the contents of this great Hymn!

·         104:1-2: Bless the Lord, the great Creator.  He stretched out the heavens (v2), a phrase that perfectly fits our ever expanding universe. Scientists even used this term "stretching" to describe the amazing thing that's happening. This phrase appears 17 times in the Old Testament.

·         104:3-9: He is the Creator …

o   Of the heavens (v3-4).  Note that He is sovereign, and uses the heavens and heavenly beings for His purposes.

o   Of the earth (v5-9).  This paragraph has in mind Gen. 1 where the waters were above and on the earth and Gen. 6-8 when the waters of the flood settled back into the valleys of the Earth, no longer to cover the earth.

·         104:10-26: He is the Sustainer …

o   Refreshing the earth with springs (v10-12) and rain (v13).

o   Causing the earth to produce all that is needed for man’s enjoyment and the needs of all living beings (v14-18).

o   Appointing the sun and moon so that there would be both seasons and day/night for the earth to be the perfect place to sustain life (v19-23).

o   Providing all the blessings that come from the oceans both with what grows there and how it enables man to move about and share the abundant resources from near and distant shores (v24-26).

§  In v24 such things as the law of gravity or laws of the harvest and all laws of nature are God’s creative wisdom.  It works and keeps on working because of His wisdom. One of the things that space exploration does for modern man is to show him that there is no other planet anywhere that is so perfectly fit for life as this earth. Everything in this Psalm is explained by this verse: it's all evidence of the wisdom of God! In recent days the climate alarmists have finally acknowledged their lies, that we are not about to destroy ourselves on this earth. But we knew this all along: the God Who created it is the God of all wisdom!

§  In v26 Leviathan is a large sea creature, perhaps dragon-like or similar to a crocodile or the extinct plesiosaurus.

·         104:27-30: Everything waits for God, i.e. depends on Him from day to day. Verse 30 contains another amazing truth. Not only is God the Creator, but he has made the earth to renew or repair itself. This is His work as the Sustainer of all things.

·         104:31-32: May all He has made bring Him glory, joy and reverent worship. What other response to all of this makes any sense at all? The One who made it all should get joy from what He has made.

·         104:33-35: As one of His works I will praise Him as long as I have the life He has given me.  And my prayer is that those who refuse to so honor Him will be consumed from the earth so that the Creator receives the complete, unified praise of all the earth!

Bless the Lord, O my soul!  Praise the Lord!!!

Judges 5:1-18, Decrees and Those Who Write Them (3)

Albert Barnes had a somewhat lengthy note on those who write decrees.

Wo unto them that decree unrighteous decrees - To those who frame statutes that are oppressive and iniquitous. The prophet here refers, doubtless, to the rulers and judges of the land of Judea. A similar description he had before given; Isaiah 1:10, (my note: he likens Israel’s rulers to those of Sodom and Gomorrah) Isaiah 1:23,(my note: the rulers of Israel are thieves, open for bribes) ...

Here, it evidently refers to the judges who declared oppressive and unjust sentences, and caused them to be recorded. It does not refer to the mere scribes, or recorders of the judicial opinions, but to the judges themselves, who pronounced the sentence, and caused it to be recorded. The manner of making Eastern decrees differs from ours: they are first written, and then the magistrate authenticates them, or annuls them. This, I remember, is the Arab manner, according to D'Arvieux. When an Arab wanted a favor of the emir, the way was to apply to the secretary, who drew up a decree according to the request of the party; if the emir granted the favor, he printed his seal upon it; if not, he returned it torn to the petitioner.

So we have an idea about these “lawmakers.”  What in Isaiah 10:1 what might have been their decrees?  The one other use of the noun (decrees) might help us.

·       Judges 5:15: Do you remember the leaders who offered themselves with their people in the fight against the King of Hazor?  In the case of Reuben, the leaders did not offer themselves but stayed with their sheep.  Thus, they had great “resolves” of heart.  Interesting use of the word.  What resolves?  I would assume they decided going to battle was not a good idea, too dangerous, something of that nature.  So, they decreed that their people not go.  In so doing they lost out on the joy of the LORD expressed in this Song.

Isa. 10:2 tells us the unrighteous decrees had the effect of robbing the poor, taking advantage of the widows and the fatherless.  Perhaps these decrees placed an undo burden on the poor and needy.  I think of the poor widow in Mark 12:41-44 who, in fear for her salvation, was compelled by the decrees of the leadership to give all her money into the offering.  The “corban” issue in Mk. 7:1-13 is another illustration of unrighteous decrees that made the lawmakers rich and the poor fearful.

In Isa. 10:3-4 it appears to me that the LORD responds with His own “decrees” that are meant to strike fear in the unrighteous lawgivers.  What will you do in the day of punishment, and in the desolation which will come from afar?  To whom will you flee for help?  And where will you leave your glory?  And, of course, the decrees of God are both just and true.  His is not a “made up” fear.

 He is the Rock, His work is perfect; for all His ways are justice, a God of truth and without injustice; righteous and upright is He (Deut. 32:4). Great and marvelous are Your works, Lord God Almighty!  Just and true are Your ways, O King of the Saints! (Rev. 15:3).

Isaiah 22:15-25, Decrees and Those Who Write Them (2)

We are considering “those who write decrees.”  We began in Isa. 10:1 and now move on from there.

·       Isa. 22:16: Shebna, a ruler of Jerusalem (he was a scribe, one who writes things, Isa. 36:3), had rejected God’s word through Isaiah.  He had hewn himself a grave, the grave of a rich and important man since it was hewn from rock.  Why did he “carve” a tomb (perhaps indicating he put his name on it; and this word “tomb” is miskan, a dwelling place; i.e. a fancy tomb to dwell in after he died) when the LORD said he would be die in a large country, having been driven from office by the LORD (read v15-19 for the whole story, and v20-25 for his replacement who was a man more worthy of the honor.)  Point: haqaq can be good or bad, and the LORD honors those who are good.

·       Isaiah 30:8: Isaiah is told to write on a tablet and “note” it on a scroll, that Judah is a rebellious people.  They sought help from Egypt instead of the LORD (30:1-7) and rejected the prophets of the LORD (v9-11).

·       Isaiah 33:22: For Israel, the LORD is their Judge (shawfat), Lawgiver and King (malak).  There are three areas of ruling seen in these terms.  Israel was a “mediatorial” kingdom, with God using men to carry out His will.  His authority was mediated.  Obeying the rulers was to be synonymous with obeying God.

·       Isa. 49:16: God comforts Judah.  They are “inscribed” (it’s official, a decree) on the palms of His hands.

·       Ezekiel 4:1: The prophet was told to “portray” Jerusalem on a clay tablet.

·       Ezekiel 23:14: Israel’s idolatry was evident in the “portrayal” of images of lusty Chaldeans on the wall.  These two from Ezekiel indicate pictures that have some significant meaning: Jerusalem Judah’s seat of government; Chaldeans the object of Judah’s harlotry/trust.

“Lawgivers” (haqaq) are important, a critical part of God’s plan for the nation.  They existed in the time when the Law of Moses was the law of the land.  Thus we would assume they wrote laws that helped carry out The Law.  The word is “decrees” which is not one of the terms in Deuteronomy which speaks of judgments, statutes and testimonies.  These lawmakers were to be honored.  Under ideal situations, you should neither ignore nor disobey them.  But it is possible that these lawgivers could be wicked, dishonest, open for a bribe or susceptible to working while drunk.  Then you have a problem.  Buksbazen, in his translation of Isa. 10:1, calls them “the writers who legislate trouble.”  Because their decrees are not from the LORD their “Lawgiver” they led the nation into grievous, oppressive or perverse situations, to quote from various English translations.  Pray for your “lawmakers.”

We will carry this over to another post.

Isaiah 10:1-4, Decrees and Those Who Write Them (1)

It is always helpful and much more meaningful if I can take time to meditate on what I read.  Such was the case yesterday as I was reading in Isaiah 9-10.  In the NKJV 10:1 says,

Woe to those who decree unrighteous decrees,

who write misfortune, which they have prescribed.

Who are these people?  And what does it mean, the “write misfortune”?  The result is a couple of word studies plus some time with my two favorite men of God when I am in Isaiah: Victor Buksbazen and Albert Barnes.  (It will be a while before we get to these men.  First, I want to do the simple word studies.  Decree is the verb (haqaq, 19x in 19 verses) and decrees the masculine noun (heqeq, 2x in 2 verses).  Those who decree apparently write out these decrees which they have come up with.

·       Gen. 49:10: Jacob blessing his sons; the scepter shall not depart from Judah nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh comes; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people.  First use is always important.  The “lawgiver” is not the Messiah as “Shiloh” is the only possible reference to Him.  So Judah will always have one who “decrees decrees” until Shiloh comes.  They are “normal.”

·       Num. 21:18: Praise when the LORD provided water in the desert, when a well was dug by the leaders of the nation.  Moses might be the lawgiver but others participate.

·       Deut. 33:21: Moses, blessing the tribes before his death, said this of Gad.  The “lawgiver’s portion” refers to Gad’s prime real estate, east of the Jordan and with the entirety of the Jordan River from the Sea of Galilee to the Dead Sea.  A haqaq should be honored.

·       Judges 5:9,14: Deborah and Barak bless the “rulers” of Israel who offered themselves willingly (volunteered) with the people.  Specifically, “rulers” came from Machir, the area of East Manasseh in Gilead, the modern Golan Heights.

·       Job 19:23: Job wishes his words were “inscribed” in a book.  It would seem he wants them more than just recorded but recorded as significant (decrees).

·       Psalm 60:7; 108:8 (identical): Of the tribes the Psalmist agrees with Genesis 49: Gilead and Manasseh are the LORD’s, Ephraim is His helmet, Judah His lawgiver.

·       Prov. 8:15: By wisdom kings reign and rulers “decree” justice.

·       Prov. 8:27,29: Wisdom was there when God drew a circle on the face of the deep.  The KJV says He set a compass, determining directions.  That was decreed by God, as were the foundations of the earth which He “marked out.”  Amazing!

·       Prov. 31:5: Rulers ought not be given over to wine lest they forget the “law.”  That should be set alongside Isa. 10:1, which is where we begin in the next post.

Mk. 16:19-20; 14:32-42, Jesus Obeys His Own Command!

In this, our final post on the Gospel of Mark, we come to the end of the matter.  Jesus has ascended to heaven and is sitting at the right hand of the Father, waiting for the Father to deal with His enemies (Ps. 110:1), and at the same time interceding for His own (Rom. 8:34).  Meanwhile, the Apostles “went out and preached everywhere,” being obedient to Jesus commission.  And Jesus’ followers continue today to bring the “world-wide” task to completion.  As Luke said in Ac. 1:1, Jesus had begun to do and teach this.  Now His Body, the Church, is doing what He did.  That is the way it must be.  Allow me to remind you of what I still consider to be the most crucial passage in all of Mark’s Gospel: 8:34-38.

³⁴ When He had called the people to Himself, with His disciples also, He said to them, “Whoever desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me. ³⁵ For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake and the gospel’s will save it. ³⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? ³⁷ Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul? ³⁸ For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, of him the Son of Man also will be ashamed when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

The passage makes it clear that we are called to follow Jesus.  He is the forerunner (Heb. 6:20; 12:1-2).  We are going where He went.  And now, allow me to give you another passage from John’s Gospel, at a time when Jesus’ earthly ministry had come to its conclusion.  Here is what He said then (John 12:23-26):

²³ But Jesus answered them, saying, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. ²⁴ Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain. ²⁵ He who loves his life will lose it, and he who hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life. ²⁶ If anyone serves Me, let him follow Me; and where I am, there My servant will be also. If anyone serves Me, him My Father will honor.

What Jesus was facing was troubling, hard, the ultimate in suffering.  But this did not change anything because He was not seeking His own life but willing to lose it for the will of the Father.  So there it is: we are called not to seek our own lives but to lost them for the sake of Christ and the gospel!  Pray for me, that even in my old age, I will not neglect the sole commission Jesus gave to His followers.

Mk. 16:9-14; Mt. 14:22-33, Unbelief among the Believers

Marks account of the appearances of Jesus on that “day of resurrection” is concerned with the fact that Jesus’ disciples did not believe those to whom He had appeared.  Mark also does not tell the stories of these appearances.  Instead, we can go to other Gospel accounts and find them.

·       16:9-11: the testimony of Mary Magdalene.  This story is found in John 20:11-18.  Perhaps you remember, that Mary mistook Jesus for one of the gardeners, until she heard Him mention her name.  When Jesus departed the Magdalene immediately ran back to town to find the disciples who were in hiding in fear.  Peter and John went to the tomb to check out her story.  John tells us that he “saw and believed” (20:8), but then he adds in 20:9, For as yet they did not know (lit. understand, perceive) the Scripture, that He must rise again from the dead.  Thus Mark’s conclusion is, they did not believe. 

·       16:12-13: the testimony of the Emmaus Road disciples.  This story is found in Luke 24:13-35.  Mark says Jesus appeared to them in a different “form.”  The word here is morpe and refers to external appearance, what you can see (the only other NT uses are in Phil. 2:6 & 7).  Luke does tell us they did not recognize Jesus until they broke bread, just as Mary had not recognized Jesus until He mentioned her name.  We also remember that Jesus’ scars in His hands and side were visible (John 20:20,27).  Thus, Jesus’ appearance bore similarities but apparently differences to the body His Father had prepared for Him in His earthly life.  Of course, it is also likely that those who saw the resurrected Lord were not ready to recognize the One who had died on the cross.  Again, Marks conclusion is, they did not believe them either.  We know this because Luke goes on to say in 24:26-27 that when Jesus came into their midst they were terrified and frightened, thinking they had seen a spirit/ghost.

Thus, Mark then notes that Jesus, when He had appeared to the “ten” (Thomas was not there) that Jesus rebuked their unbelief and hardness of heart because they had not believed their testimony.  Again, we see this in Luke’s account: Why are you troubled? And why do doubts arise in your hearts? (Lk. 24:38-43).  The story of Peter walking on the water illustrates this.  Peter had faith to get out of the boat; but his faith was small, wavering when the winds gusted. 

The issue with the Apostles, for me, is that they heard the testimony, and may have believed that the tomb was empty and that they had seen Jesus.  But they did not perceive, or understand, that if this was really true then there was no longer a reason for them to be hiding out.  There was no change in their lives.  The same thing happens today.  We celebrate Easter with great music and preaching and potluck brunches, and yet we do not understand that the Morning Star has risen in our hearts, that we have been raised with Christ to live a new life, by His life in us. 

Mark 16:9-20, Is This the Word of God?

Today’s passage and John 7:53-8:11 are two lengthy passages that have been considered by some as not in the original text.  The arguments for both are that they are not in the “oldest” manuscripts, and yet are found in “most” of the manuscripts.  The “oldest” argument comes from the critical Greek text (NU in the NKJV footnotes, for Nestle-Aland and United Bible Society).  The “most” argument comes from the “majority” text (that was easy).  The Textus Receptus, used for the King James Version of the New Testament, is similar to the majority text but was based on fewer manuscripts.

My point is to simply be sure you know why there are differences.  I do have brothers in Christ who have strong feelings on this issue.  Some favor the KJV and believe the “oldest” manuscripts were not what they claim to be.  Others favor the critical text, accepting the argument that manuscripts closest to the time of the original must be considered more trustworthy.  English translations, based on either argument, such as NKJV (majority text) and NASV (critical text), include both passages with appropriate footnotes. 

I am not particularly interested in this argument, and the thought that I must see it one way or another. As you know from the blog, I use the NKJV.  But the reason is not because I consider it more reliable but because I find it easier for my studies given my grounding in the KJV from my childhood. I will say, as others have also said, that the Mark passage has a certain “feel” to it that sounds like it might have been added later by someone with a particular background, perhaps with an axe to grind. 

I am more interested in the approach that asks if the passages are in sync with the rest of Scripture.  I am not going to base some doctrine on either passage, in light of the questions.  But I am going to study them, verse by verse, or better, word by word.  Along the way I will mention a couple of things that are said in an unusual way.  But they do not disagree with Scripture. 

The question is certainly important.  Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him.   Do not add to His words, lest He rebuke you, and you be found a liar (Prov. 30:4-5).  This is the Mormon problem, where they have added “another testament” to the Old and New Testaments of the Bible.  And the Jehovah’s Witness problem, when they add words to make Scripture agree with their doctrine (e.g. Col. 1:16, “by means of him all other things were created,” inserting the word “other” as they maintain Christ was a created being).  In their “study Bible” it acknowledges that “other” is not the accurate translation of the Greek. 

One final note.  We believe that God, who revealed Himself in the written word, would preserve that Word down through the ages.  Indeed, what we have, in both the NKJV and NASV, is the most accurate and consistent accounting of any ancient book.  No other book!  The Bible is unique in this way, and that is to the glory of our God who has made sure we have a record of His actual words to humanity!

Psalm 103

What more joyful theme can there be than the one for this Hymn: Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all His benefits!  His recompense or reward to the saint is His provision of every need.  Meditate on vs.3-5, on every word.  For example, in the first line of vs3:

·         Who is it that forgives all your iniquities?  The LORD, Yahweh.

·         What does it mean to forgive?  Not to ignore but to pardon, an act which requires a qualified atoning sacrifice, the Seed of the woman, Jesus!

·         What does He forgive?  Iniquities are the perverse, depraved deeds in which we have engaged; anything that has incurred guilt.

·         How many does He forgive?  How many times do you see all in this Song (cf. v2-3 and 21-22)?  Are there any limitations (cf. v9 and v11-14)?

·         Whose iniquities does He forgive? 

The benefits of the LORD are not bound up in His whims or moods; they are founded in His marvelous Name (v8-10).  The reference to Moses in v7 takes us back to that time when, on Mt. Sinai, Moses asked God to reveal Himself (Ex. 33:18).  God did two things (Ex. 33:19): He showed His glory or goodness (Ex. 33:20-23) and He proclaimed His Name (Ex. 34:5-7).  That Name of God (and parts of it) appear all over the Old Testament as an encouragement to God’s people.  This is our God: merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in mercy (v8). 

Paul, in Ephesians 3:14-19, prayed that the saints would comprehend the width and length and depth and height of the love of Christ.  Do you see the many dimensions of God’s love in today’s Psalm? 

·         His mercy to those who fear Him is as high as the heavens, v11.

·         The removal of the transgressions of those who fear Him is a distance as wide as the east is from the west, v12.

·         His fatherly pity reaches as deep as our frame demands, v13-14.

·         His mercy is as long as two eternities, v15-18.

Let us join the angels, the hosts of heaven and all His works in blessing Him today.  This is the invitation specifically made to those who fear Him (v11, 13, 17).  And don’t you love the way it reads?  He didn’t say remember all His benefits.  You have known these from the day you trusted in Christ alone as the promised Savior, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.  On that day you knew His forgiveness, His healing of your soul, His redemption, His lovingkindness and tender mercies, and the satisfaction of knowing Him.  You knew all this.  So now don’t forget all His benefits.  In other words, don’t leave your first love.  And engage your soul, who you are at the very deepest point of existence, in blessing (adoring, saluting, praising) the LORD!

Heb. 3:1-6, Faithful in the House!

If I may be permitted, I just have a devotional thought to share today. (Lord willing, we will return to Mark 16 on Monday and complete Mark by end of next week.) It begins with today’s passage in Hebrews.  Moses was faithful “in” His house.  Since every house is built by God (v4), it is proper to capitalize “His” in v5 because the house in which Moses was a faithful servant was Israel and Israel was God’s treasured nation.  And it is proper to call Moses a “servant” because it is the most frequently used adjective attached to “Moses” in Scripture (starting with Ex. 4:10 I see more than 40 times, ending with Rev. 15:3).

One place to get the picture of Moses’ faithfulness is Lev. 8-9.  God told Moses the process to go through in the consecration of Aaron and his sons as priests.  The instructions were in Ex. 29 and the obedience of Moses in Lev. 8.  Sometimes we forget, or at least I forget, that Moses acted as “priest” so as to establish the Aaronic order.  Moses washed Aaron and his sons (8:6).  Moses clothed them (8:7-9).  Moses anointed the tabernacle and the chosen men (8:10-12).  Moses killed the bull for a sin offering (8:15).  Then he killed the ram for the burnt offering (8:19).  And he killed the ram of consecration (8:23).  Moses applied blood to Aaron and his sons and the altar (8:24).  This is no small thing.  Moses was the mediator for Israel’s priesthood.

Moses was a great mediator.  He frequently interceded for Israel before the LORD who was often rightfully angry with them.  Moses received the law (from angels) and passed it along to the nation, as part of establishing the Old Covenant.  Moses obeyed God in all this, and the people were called to obey Moses as he faithfully told them all that God said and commanded.  Truly, he was faithful in God’s house.

But of course, the point of Heb. 3 is that Jesus “has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as He who built the house has more honor than the house.”  For all his greatness, Moses was still “in” the house.  Jesus was “over His own house, whose house we are if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.” 

Paul understood this, that he was “in the house” and thus must be responsible to the One who is over the house.  “Let a man so consider us, se servants of Christ, and stewards of the mysteries of God” (1 Cor. 4:1).  “For we do not preach ourselves but Christ Jesus the Lord, and ourselves your bondservants for Jesus’ sake” (2 Cor.  4:5).

My personal meditation is that I need to remember this as a pastor, one who has been given by Christ to the Church (Eph. 4:11).  I cannot serve myself or even my fellow believers; I must serve Christ, the Chief Shepherd (1 Pt. 5:4, i.e. the One over the house).  I see this as a calling, not an occupation or career choice. 

Here is a thought for us all.  Because every believer has received a “measure of faith,” a gift “according to the grace that is given to us” (Rom. 12:3-8), we also have a calling (vocation) from God.  What we have received is to be used in the house, the house/family of God (1 Tim. 3:15).  We are all “stewards of the manifold grace of God” (1 Pt. 4:7-11).  We have something the rest of the family needs!  Let us be faithful bondservants for Jesus’ sake.