This Is The Reason - Jeremiah 17-21

Jeremiah 18:12 (ESV)

“But they say, ‘That is in vain! We will follow our own plans, and will every one act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart.’

This is the one summary verse of the entire reason for the Babylonian captivity.  

This is the reason the nation of Israel will be taken into captivity.   

This is the reason that man is separated from God.  

This is the reason that God sent His Son to redeem man.  

This is the reason Jesus lived a holy life to represent what man could not do. 

This is the reason that Jesus hung on the cross.  

This is the reason that rose from the dead.  

This is the reason Jesus sent the Spirit.  

This is the reason why Jesus is at the right hand of God to intercede for us in prayer.   

This is the reason Jesus is coming again.  

Because man rebels against God and wants to do his own plans, Jesus must intercede for man. 

Take Responsibility For Others - Job 31

Job 31:31-32 (ESV)

if the men of my tent have not said,

‘Who is there that has not been filled with his meat?’

(the sojourner has not lodged in the street;

I have opened my doors to the traveler),

In chapter 31, Job will end his speech to his three friends, who came to comfort him, but instead are confronting him.  In this chapter he gives numerous “if” statements, followed by the “then” statements.   Job was the originator of the IF-THIS-THEN-THAT philosophy of life.   In each of the THEN-THAT statements, it is quite graphic.    For example, here is one of them he just stated before the above two verses:

Job 31:21-22 (ESV)

if I have raised my hand against the fatherless,

because I saw my help in the gate,

then let my shoulder blade fall from my shoulder,

and let my arm be broken from its socket.

At the end of the IF-THIS statements in verses 29-39, we read this:

Job 31:40a (ESV)

let thorns grow instead of wheat,

and foul weeds instead of barley.”

Job is making the point to his three confronting friends, that he is not the person they are accusing him of being.   He has not done any of these IF-THIS statements.   The above two verses really show Job’s heart.  He is not only talking about his own actions, but he is also telling his three friends that he has made sure that those who worked for him did not do anything to warrant this attack on his life and health.   He is telling his accusers that he didn’t even allow those employed by him to do bad things to the vulnerable and weak.   

This shows us the responsibility we have for those who either work for us, or are in our community.  We are not to allow others to hurt others.   That is our responsibility, as well.   Job was innocent.  We know this from the first two chapters.  But he was also making sure those around him deported themselves in like manner.   We are responsible to make sure those in our circle walk in a way pleasing to God, just as we are.  

Christ is a Demanding King - Psalms 45-47

Psalms 45:10-12 (ESV)

Hear, O daughter, and consider, and incline your ear:

forget your people and your father’s house,

and the king will desire your beauty.

Since he is your lord, bow to him.

The people of Tyre will seek your favor with gifts,

the richest of the people.

Psalm 45 is a song of tribute to the king.   We don’t know which king, but it is a song to sing the praises of Israel’s king.   That is the immediate context of the song.  It is, however, a Messianic song, as well.  It is singing praises to the Messiah, the real and, yet future, King of Israel.  So, the song is about Jesus.   

The above three verses are about the fact that Jesus solicits our commitment and sacrifice and complete loyalty.   There is no room in the heart of the believer for anyone else, besides Christ.  

Notice what Jesus, Himself, said to His disciples:

Luke 14:33 (ESV)

So therefore, any one of you who does not renounce all that he has cannot be my disciple.

That is pretty demanding.  How about this one as well:

Luke 14:26 (ESV)

26 “If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple.

Matthew 10:39 (ESV)

39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Matthew 16:25 (ESV)

25 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.

Mark 8:35 (ESV)

35 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

Luke 9:24 (ESV)

24 For whoever would save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for my sake will save it.

Luke 17:33 (ESV)

33 Whoever seeks to preserve his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life will keep it.

John 12:25 (ESV)

Whoever loves his life loses it, and whoever hates his life in this world will keep it for eternal life.

The king has demands.  We are to give Him our complete loyalty.   

Fear of Man vs Fear of God - 1 Samuel 26-31

1 Samuel 29:1-5 (ESV)

Now the Philistines had gathered all their forces at Aphek. And the Israelites were encamped by the spring that is in Jezreel. As the lords of the Philistines were passing on by hundreds and by thousands, and David and his men were passing on in the rear with Achish, the commanders of the Philistines said, “What are these Hebrews doing here?” And Achish said to the commanders of the Philistines, “Is this not David, the servant of Saul, king of Israel, who has been with me now for days and years, and since he deserted to me I have found no fault in him to this day.” But the commanders of the Philistines were angry with him. And the commanders of the Philistines said to him, “Send the man back, that he may return to the place to which you have assigned him. He shall not go down with us to battle, lest in the battle he become an adversary to us. For how could this fellow reconcile himself to his lord? Would it not be with the heads of the men here? Is not this David, of whom they sing to one another in dances,

‘Saul has struck down his thousands,

and David his ten thousands’?”

The above story tells us a lot about the fears of men.  David was a threat to the Philistines.   When God is with you, others fear you.  It is a very simple truth.   David’s reputation went before him. 

Notice in the New Testament a similar comparison:

Acts 4:13 (ESV)

Now when they saw the boldness of Peter and John, and perceived that they were uneducated, common men, they were astonished. And they recognized that they had been with Jesus.

When the people of God spend time with God the men of the world take notice.  In the story of David, we have to admit, he was not exactly living with God at the time of these events.  He was living in fear.  Yet, his reputation as being a man of God somehow caused fear in the hearts of the Philistines.  So, perhaps even weak Christians can be used by God.  Moses was weak and God used him.  Jonah was weak and God used him.   Peter was weak and God used him.   I am weak ... can God use me? 

Don’t Diminish God’s Sovereignty Because of Fear - Exodus 9-12

Exodus 9:1-7 (ESV)

The Fifth Plague: Egyptian Livestock Die

Then the LORD said to Moses, “Go in to Pharaoh and say to him, ‘Thus says the LORD, the God of the Hebrews, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. For if you refuse to let them go and still hold them, behold, the hand of the LORD will fall with a very severe plague upon your livestock that are in the field, the horses, the donkeys, the camels, the herds, and the flocks. But the LORD will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt, so that nothing of all that belongs to the people of Israel shall die.”’” And the LORD set a time, saying, “Tomorrow the LORD will do this thing in the land.” And the next day the LORD did this thing. All the livestock of the Egyptians died, but not one of the livestock of the people of Israel died. And Pharaoh sent, and behold, not one of the livestock of Israel was dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he did not let the people go.

This is an amazing turn of events for Pharoah.  This is now the second plague where there was a difference between the people of Egypt and the people of Israel. Imagine the thoughts in the hearts and minds of the Egyptians.   God not only can bring a plunge, but He can control where it happens.  The last plague (#4) was flies.   God controlled where a fly went.  This plague is on the livestock.  God is going to control what livestock lives or dies, depending upon who you are.   

When you and I fear that God is not in control of something, let’s remember these type of historical events in history.   God is going to make a division between the livestock of one nation vs the other.   God is omnipotent and controls all things.   When we fear something might happened to us, we diminish that attribute of God.  We think of less of Him than He is.   Fear gets us to question the power and sovereignty of God.   

Gifts Have Rules - 1 Corinthians 12-14

1 Corinthians 14:13 (ESV)

Therefore, one who speaks in a tongue should pray that he may interpret.

The Corinthian believers were very much into the sign gifts.  Tongues and prophecy were their muse.   Paul is writing to give them instructions on how to use these gifts.   He has already outlined many principles for them to follow regarding tongues, but the above adds one more instruction.  

Paul realizes that an unknown tongue is just that, unknown.   He instructs them to, therefore, pray for someone to interpret. His point is that what good is it if they can speak in an unknown tongue and there is no one to tell you what the tongue said. 

Our modern day tongue movement would do well to follow this rule.  The Corinthians were into the experience of tongues.  Who would not want to speak, in the Spirit, in a tongue they didn’t know? That is first hand miracle experience.  But that also does not edify or convey anything that can glorify God, if there is no one to interpret the tongue.  

Paul gives them this instruction, like each of his tongue guidelines, to make sure the tongue gift is used in a way that glorifies God, edifies the Body and points others to Christ.  Paul has spent the last three chapters writing about how the gifts are numerous and for the purpose of glorifying God and make the Body work.  A gift like tongues can do that.  But it can also draw attention to itself.  That is not the point of any gift.   If tongues are for today they still have to follow the guidelines of yesterday.   

From Ignorance to Battle Cry - Mark 9-10

Mark 9:30-32 (ESV)

They went on from there and passed through Galilee. And he did not want anyone to know, for he was teaching his disciples, saying to them, “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of men, and they will kill him. And when he is killed, after three days he will rise.” But they did not understand the saying, and were afraid to ask him.

This is about as plan as you can tell someone about the future resurrection.  Yet, the disciples still did not get it.  Why?  Well, think about the thought.  We consider the resurrection the pinnacle of Christianity and grew up knowing about it.  They had never even heard of a resurrection from the dead.   Note what happened after the transfiguration scene a few verses before this:

Mark 9:9-10 (ESV)

And as they were coming down the mountain, he charged them to tell no one what they had seen, until the Son of Man had risen from the dead. So they kept the matter to themselves, questioning what this rising from the dead might mean.

John recorded their confusion this way:

John 16:16-17 (ESV)

“A little while, and you will see me no longer; and again a little while, and you will see me.” So some of his disciples said to one another, “What is this that he says to us, ‘A little while, and you will not see me, and again a little while, and you will see me’; and, ‘because I am going to the Father’?”

Remember, Mark was not one of the disciples.  He is probably recording Peter’s (and other disciples) version of these events.  It will not be until they see Jesus’ empty tomb that all this comes together.  

John 12:16 (ESV)

His disciples did not understand these things at first, but when Jesus was glorified, then they remembered that these things had been written about him and had been done to him.

The resurrection is the keystone of our faith.  At first it was not understood by those told explicitly about it.   They will come to know it.  It will be their battle cry.   So, too, ours!