Dress To Reflect The Work God Has Done In Your Heart - Ecclesiastes 9-10

Ecclesiastes 9:8 (ESV)

Let your garments be always white. Let not oil be lacking on your head.

Before we read any verse in Ecclesiastes we have to read it through the lens of Solomon’s conclusion of the entire book:

Ecclesiastes 12:13-14 (ESV) 

The end of the matter; all has been heard. Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man. For God will bring every deed into judgment, with every secret thing, whether good or evil. 

In the above passage we read that through Solomon’s writings we are being told it is okay to have enjoyment in life.   It is okay and necessary to care for oneself.   The issue is not should be care for ourselves, but how and to what extent.   When man cares for himself in a way that brings glory to him, we have sin (Genesis 3).  But when man cares for himself in a way that brings glory to God, that is permissible.   This is what the above verse is implying in the context of Solomon’s entire work in Ecclesiastes.    David actually thanked God, in the midst of pain, for anointing his head with oil:

Psalms 23:5 (ESV)

You prepare a table before me

in the presence of my enemies;

you anoint my head with oil;

my cup overflows.

Jesus was actually anointed with oil by a prostitute:

Matthew 26:7 (ESV)

a woman came up to him with an alabaster flask of very expensive ointment, and she poured it on his head as he reclined at table.

Being dressed in white garments has a significant mention in Revelation:

Revelation 19:14 (ESV)

And the armies of heaven, arrayed in fine linen, white and pure, were following him on white horses.

Revelation 4:4 (ESV)

Around the throne were twenty-four thrones, and seated on the thrones were twenty-four elders, clothed in white garments, with golden crowns on their heads.

Revelation 15:6 (ESV)

and out of the sanctuary came the seven angels with the seven plagues, clothed in pure, bright linen, with golden sashes around their chests.

God wants us, each day, to represent Him.  Our clothes and anointing should be a reflection of our intent to do good works:

1 Timothy 2:8-10 (ESV)

I desire then that in every place the men should pray, lifting holy hands without anger or quarreling; likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire, but with what is proper for women who profess godliness—with good works.

Dress on the outside to reflect the work God has done on the inside.   

God Feeds Us Because He Loves Us - Psalms 134-136

Psalms 136:25 (ESV)

he who gives food to all flesh,

for his steadfast love endures forever.

Throughout the song of Psalm 136 we have the constant refrain of his steadfast love endures forever.   The first line of each verse makes a statement about God’s activity and then why He does the activity .. his steadfast love.    In the above passage we read that the activity of God is that He provides all food to all flesh.    In fact, He provides food to all creatures:

Psalms 104:25-27 (ESV)

Here is the sea, great and wide,

which teems with creatures innumerable,

living things both small and great.

There go the ships,

and Leviathan, which you formed to play in it.

These all look to you,

to give them their food in due season.

Job 36:29-31 (ESV)

Can anyone understand the spreading of the clouds,

the thunderings of his pavilion?

Behold, he scatters his lightning about him

and covers the roots of the sea.

For by these he judges peoples;

he gives food in abundance.

Jesus promised to give us our needs and expressed it this way in His sermon the mount:

Matthew 6:11 (ESV)

Give us this day our daily bread,

Matthew 6:26-27 (ESV)

Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

We have no need to be anxious about our needs.  God has promised to care for them based upon His steadfast love.  

God Is In Control - Ezra 6-10

Ezra 9:8-9 (ESV)

But now for a brief moment favor has been shown by the LORD our God, to leave us a remnant and to give us a secure hold within his holy place, that our God may brighten our eyes and grant us a little reviving in our slavery. For we are slaves. Yet our God has not forsaken us in our slavery, but has extended to us his steadfast love before the kings of Persia, to grant us some reviving to set up the house of our God, to repair its ruins, and to give us protection in Judea and Jerusalem.

To better appreciate the above words of Ezra, it might be wise to return to the words of King Solomon:

Proverbs 21:1 (ESV)

The king’s heart is a stream of water in the hand of the LORD;

he turns it wherever he will.

What is happening for Ezra is that Darius the King of Babylon made a decree to allow the people of Israel, held in captivity, to go back and rebuild the Temple.  Here is what Ezra said about it:

Ezra 7:27-28 (ESV)

Blessed be the LORD, the God of our fathers, who put such a thing as this into the heart of the king, to beautify the house of the LORD that is in Jerusalem, and who extended to me his steadfast love before the king and his counselors, and before all the king’s mighty officers. I took courage, for the hand of the LORD my God was on me, and I gathered leading men from Israel to go up with me.

Ezra is rejoicing in the section that God has moved the king to make it possible for them to do this act.   God has moved the heart of an evil king to make it possible for God’s people to rejoice.   We must never forget that God is in control at all times.  There is no king or majesty or government that is not held in His hands and controlled by His plans.  

God Hates False Worship - Deuteronomy 16-19

Deuteronomy 16:21 - 17:1 (ESV)

“You shall not plant any tree as an Asherah beside the altar of the LORD your God that you shall make. And you shall not set up a pillar, which the LORD your God hates.

“You shall not sacrifice to the LORD your God an ox or a sheep in which is a blemish, any defect whatever, for that is an abomination to the LORD your God.

Coming to God in false worship and/or in unholy worship, is not an option.   Note these stories:

Leviticus 10:1-3 (ESV)

The Death of Nadab and Abihu

Now Nadab and Abihu, the sons of Aaron, each took his censer and put fire in it and laid incense on it and offered unauthorized fire before the LORD, which he had not commanded them. And fire came out from before the LORD and consumed them, and they died before the LORD. Then Moses said to Aaron, “This is what the LORD has said: ‘Among those who are near me I will be sanctified, and before all the people I will be glorified.’” And Aaron held his peace.

1 Kings 18:37-40 (ESV)

Answer me, O LORD, answer me, that this people may know that you, O LORD, are God, and that you have turned their hearts back.” Then the fire of the LORD fell and consumed the burnt offering and the wood and the stones and the dust, and licked up the water that was in the trench. And when all the people saw it, they fell on their faces and said, “The LORD, he is God; the LORD, he is God.” And Elijah said to them, “Seize the prophets of Baal; let not one of them escape.” And they seized them. And Elijah brought them down to the brook Kishon and slaughtered them there.

Acts 5:1-6 (ESV)

Ananias and Sapphira

But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and with his wife’s knowledge he kept back for himself some of the proceeds and brought only a part of it and laid it at the apostles’ feet. But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to man but to God.” When Ananias heard these words, he fell down and breathed his last. And great fear came upon all who heard of it. The young men rose and wrapped him up and carried him out and buried him.

God forbids and disciplines false worship.  

Suffering Has Glorious Consequences - 1 Peter 4-5

1 Peter 4:12-13 (ESV)

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery trial when it comes upon you to test you, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice insofar as you share Christ’s sufferings, that you may also rejoice and be glad when his glory is revealed.

When meditating on these two verses, it is important to remember the context of the day for Peter.  At the time of this writing, Caesar, the emperor of Rome, was using Christian’s as lanterns to light his gardens.   Yet, Peter has already written in this letter the following:

1 Peter 2:17 (ESV)

Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

Peter, in the above two verses, then, is NOT telling the Christians to revolt.  He is not issuing a rebellion or crowd sourcing march against the palace.   Instead he is telling these Christians, two things:

1. Don’t be surprised about all this suffering. 

2. Rejoice in all this suffering.  

These are not the words most of us think about in persecution.   But Peter remembered that Jesus had warned them already about all this:

Matthew 16:21

From that time Jesus began to show his disciples that he must go to Jerusalem and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and on the third day be raised.

We ought to remember that God is using all the events of this world to bring about His divine plan.  Nothing that happens, even the suffering of Christians, is outside His plan.  He is in complete control. Peter will eventually be killed for his faith (tradition says he was hung upside down on a cross).    Note what one commentator from that past said about suffering: 

Warren Wiersbe speaks of God's refining process in the furnace of afflictions noting that "God has never promised that we would miss the storm, but He has promised that we would make it to the harbor. When God puts His own people into the furnace, He keeps His eye on the clock and His hand on the thermostat. He knows how long and how much."

We must not think of ourselves as exempt from suffering at the hands of evil doers.   Peter is writing to this group because they WERE surprised and WERE NOT rejoicing.  They are not to rejoice in the actual suffering.  No human can do that.  They would rejoice in the fact that the suffering benefit their walk with Christ.   Not only were they not to be surprised and were to rejoice but in these two verses Peter also gives two truths that we benefit in suffering:

1. Suffering provides a test of our genuine relationship with Christ. 

2. Suffering provides an alignment with Christ that results in our seeing Christ’s glory.   

Don’t be surprised at suffering and rather rejoice, because it is a test to show your alignment with Jesus and an avenue by which His glory is revealed.  

The Formula For A Strong Church - Acts 15-16

Acts 15:30-35 (ESV)

So when they were sent off, they went down to Antioch, and having gathered the congregation together, they delivered the letter. And when they had read it, they rejoiced because of its encouragement. And Judas and Silas, who were themselves prophets, encouraged and strengthened the brothers with many words. And after they had spent some time, they were sent off in peace by the brothers to those who had sent them. But Paul and Barnabas remained in Antioch, teaching and preaching the word of the Lord, with many others also.

The above versus come at the end of a major doctrinal decision by the church. And Act 15 all the leaders of the church came together to discuss a false doctrine that was being taught in the church. Someone in the church thought it was necessary for anyone to come to Jesus Christ, they also needed to be circumcised. The church made the decision that the act of circumcision was not necessary and that everyone comes to Christ through faith by grace, alone. The Church leadership then gave others the responsibility to tell members of the church this decision. The above verses are about that moment in which a letter was delivered to certain churches to set them free from the bondage of circumcision. After they were informed, Paul, Barnabas, Silas, and Judas, all began to teach and encourage. This is a key to spiritual growth. The first thing that was done was to lay down sound doctrine. The second thing was to build on that doctrine by the teaching of God’s word. That is the formula. There is no other formula. 

God Is The God of Vengeance - Zechariah 1-7

Zechariah 1:18-21 (ESV)

A Vision of Horns and Craftsmen

And I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, four horns! And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these?” And he said to me, “These are the horns that have scattered Judah, Israel, and Jerusalem.” Then the LORD showed me four craftsmen. And I said, “What are these coming to do?” He said, “These are the horns that scattered Judah, so that no one raised his head. And these have come to terrify them, to cast down the horns of the nations who lifted up their horns against the land of Judah to scatter it.”

Zechariah is a motivational speaker sent by God to motivate the returning remnant from Israel’s 70 year captivity to rebuild their covenant with God.  Ezra returned with some to rebuild their Temple.   Nehemiah will return with some to rebuild the city.  Zechariah is attempting to motivate them to restore the covenant they had with God.   In the first six chapters he gives them eight visions.  Each vision is used to motivate them to return to God and restore His covenant with them.   The above passage is the second vision.   The motivation Zechariah is using here is:

There will be justice on Israel’s enemies.  

God wants them to know that during the 70 years that He was discipling them, He was not ignoring the evilness of those wicked nations He actually used to discipline them.  God is the avenger of our suffering that occurs at the hands of our enemies.   In one of his many commentaries on the New Testament books, John MacArther wrote the following about vengeance:

It is important to note that retaliation belongs to God alone. The Bible explicitly forbids Christians to take their own vengeance. 

We are not to take vengeance.  In fact, we are to do the opposite.   Note what Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount:

Matthew 5:43-48 (ESV)

“You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

Zechariah, however, wants the nation to know (and us) that just becuase we are not to take vengeance on others, that does not mean God won’t.   It is He who can balance love and wrath to create holy vengeance.   Our vengeance is unholy.  We can’t balance love, mercy, grace and wrath.     We lean one way or the other ... mostly toward wrath.   The people can return to God and re-establish their covenant becuase they can trust God to balance the need for vengeance on their enemies.