Jeremiah Chapter 10—latest commentary
Any statue or art piece viewed in a worshipful manner is like worshipping a scarecrow in a cucumber field; verse 5
Exodus 23:2 implores us not to follow the crowd in doing evil. Parents give this instruction to children continually asking them “if everyone jumped off a bridge, would you?!”
Parents see this tendency emerging at a young age when raising offspring, but often fail to recognize it in themselves. If their “mature” generation follows after whatever spells creative and exciting, it is viewed as excellent being innovated from the culturally refined.
Even though God’s children were warned way back in Exodus not to follow what everyone else was doing, they were ignoring this powerful command during the time of Jeremiah. Judgment was about to fall like weighty balls of hail on these who desired to partake in what everyone else was doing. It is so much easier not be peculiar or is it? The consequences of discipline by God’s hand outweigh the temporary acceptance of others if one was to thoroughly contemplate it through to the bitter end.
Verse 2 of chapter 10 of Jeremiah, warns Judah not to learn the ways of the nations. We are to be imitators of God not the nations of this world, including the US! We are not to follow the crowds of the global populace in their actions and ways. In America, some believers enjoy delving into the hottest books on the NY best seller list. They also relish reading about all the new corporate trends that hasten prosperity for early retirement. They enjoy researching the recent developments in behavioral psychology as disclosed from sinful unregenerate man. They want to know what steps to take in becoming more “green.” Sad scenario for God’s separated called out ones.
We live on a lofty hill in this country of fulfilled desires. The world views us as the nation to imitate when it comes to most anything in the way of entertainment and style. America is viewed as the Babylon of the modern world. In Jeremiah’s time, Babylon was the place where society set their eyes to learn the ways of the world. In end times, there will be Mystery Babylon (actual name not disclosed by God), not in ancient Babylon’s exact location, which has moved 14 miles from the Euphrates River (the center of end times prophecies). Because destroyed Babylon no longer has pristine river access, it is no longer a logical construction local. Plus God stated ancient Babylon will never be rebuilt. But some place in Iraq (most likely this local) it will arise. Many carnal folk of the new age mentality forecast and look toward a Babylon-type city across the seas from America.
God warns His people in the next phrase not to be in bondage to fear, specifically what is beheld as one observes the heavens or weather. As God’s chosen, we should know and understand God’s omnipotence over creation and His sustaining ways over the earth. We should never be terrified of the signs of the heavens. It is the way of the pagan and unredeemed to be concerned about forecasted foul atmospheric conditions. Of course, it is their lot to continually complain about the weather as well.
Today, the jars of creation can make fearful the common man. So many seem to fear global warming from the sun’s supposedly increasing rays upon the earth. People seem to forget it wasn’t that many decades ago that scientists were predicting global cooling, causing everyone to fear that we were returning to the ice age. God is conveying here that He oversees all, and nothing is out of His omnipotent control including all the predictions and ramifications being calculated about by atmospheric scientists.
Verses 3-5 poke much fun at idols, those things made by man’s hands. These images are so independently powerful that they have to be balanced so they don’t fall on their face. Yes, I am joking. Furthermore, they must be carried about like a kitten in one’s arms. ☺
They cannot speak or bring good or harm. Isaiah 44:12-18 illuminates this farther, in the agenda of it all. One main disclosure is the fact many are shapen to look like men. Man loves to elevate himself and many do engage in this through self-worship. Often we hear “I did that or I will do that.” Sinful man loves spending about 90 percent of his time talking about himself. We all can be guilty of this, most certainly. No wonder man likes idols that resemble him!
This passage continues to reveal the folly of it all. A man selects a tree and cuts it down. With half of the felled tree, he warms himself, setting it ablaze for cooking a meal and then worships the other half, made in his image. He falls before it in self-deception! What a joke! God is right when He says idols are like scarecrows in cucumber fields; Jeremiah 10:5. God is poignant in man’s outrageous stupidity.
We see in verse 6, the proclaiming of the omnipotence of God; viewing the contrast between almighty God and idols. No similarity at all is anywhere present as there is none like Him! He is great and in His name is might! Who would not fear Him? And all will, when every knee will bow down and confess Jesus as Lord to the glory of God the Father! He indeed is worthy of all worship, honor and praise!
Verse 8 returns to the folly of idols in light of all this omnipotent proclaimed truth. How could anyone who knows of the true God, engage in such an abomination? Well, they did because everyone else was doing it. Even though Jeremiah revealed God’s omnipotence as well as the prophets throughout history, this did not turn these people away from doing what everyone else did.
As we travel to verse 9, we see the “work of skilled men” in making idols that catch the eye. Satan knows he must make things attractive for men to partake of what is contrary to Scripture and we recognize in this verse that many idols were made with silver, gold, and costly fabrics that are pleasing to one’s eye. Just as men love to look good they love to make the idols that resemble them look just as swanky.
Today, there are fancy idols in America, not only in foreign lands. America houses various religions where people bow to images, burn incense before them, etc. that are made by man’s hands. We formerly attended a church where two oriental children cherished being present to worship the true and living God. They dwelt in a Buddhist home that was filled with idols and demonic influences. Coming to church was their escape from their parents worship of things made by mans hands; averting the spiritual battle that raged in their home where they often felt the presence of demons.
A Rabbit Trail
I hope you don’t mind if we divert a bit and go hopping on a lovely rabbit trail sided with exquisite flowers in a range of varieties and hues; a trail that brings into view the expectation of emerging last days. I happened to take note of the words “work of skilled men.” Daniel 12:4 speaks of the last days in reference to knowledge increasing and many theologians believe this to be technology—man’s increasing skill with brain and hands. Never before has skill been elevated to this great pinnacle of invention. The machine age didn’t even enter historical embodiment till the 1800’s. Nothing resembling complicated mechanisms existed in centuries past and since their introduction nothing has triggered their decline, just the opposite. God put an end to the tower of Babel in its success of achievement but He has chosen not to do so in this age.
This portion of scripture in Daniel also speaks of many going back and forth. Never previously has travel been so universally effortless being routed with nearly a thought or hardship. It was just a century and a half ago that the majority of people traveled by wagon or horse, making it grueling and tedious. Travel by ship was time consuming, taking months to cross an ocean blue. Most people didn’t make traveling a habit as is done today. Yes, more and more prophecy seems to be directing us toward the rapture. Only the LORD knows the approaching time, but it can be motivating jumping to a side trail in Scripture on arriving promises.
____________________
Once again we return to the omnipotence of our Lord contrasting between that which is of men and that which is of God. We know by verse 10 that the Lord is the true and living God. He is the everlasting King! Images and art made by men have no life or meaning as we saw earlier. Remember, they have to be carried. God never has to be wheeled about!! Statues and other artworks can be shattered and most have been destroyed over the centuries. God will never be destroyed and His time will never end!
“At His wrath the earth quakes,” no we cannot blame the earth’s inner layers or any San Andreas Fault as God makes everything apparent, it shakes at His will. We know increased earthquakes will come before Christ’s stand on the earth as sin increases. Of course, when Christ comes to reign and sin is passed, there will be no need for His wrath to be displayed in such a way.
LA Earthquakes:
Geography and Seismicity
“Northridge is about 32 km northwest of downtown Los Angeles and is within the suburban San Fernando Valley, which is a sprawling region of residential neighborhoods, apartment complexes, low-rise business and industrial parks, and shopping malls. The area’s biggest and best-known geologic fault, the San Andreas, passes about 100 km to the east and north of the San Fernando Valley.
The earthquake occurred on a thrust fault along the northern fringes of the valley. The near-record strong ground motion generated by the earthquake was an indication of the significant risk presented by thrust-fault events of moderate magnitude. Accelerations in the range of 1.0g were recorded over a large area. Similar accelerations, including large vertical accelerations, have been recorded in the past, but at isolated locations and in very limited numbers. Numerous detailed EQE investigations have pointed out that such ground motions were typical in the epicentral areas of many past earthquakes, particularly thrust-type earthquakes such as those in San Fernando in 1971, Coalinga in 1983, Chile in 1985, New Zealand in 1987, and Armenia in 1988.
While this is a major earthquake in terms of its damage, there is no indication that its occurrence has reduced the probability for a stronger earthquake in the next 30 years on a major fault in the Los Angeles region. The probabilities remain in the range of 5% to 10% per year that a major earthquake will strike Southern California. It will be most destructive if it strikes on a major fault such as the Newport-Inglewood Fault or on the San Andreas Fault in the vicinity of Riverside.”
1971 San Fernando Earthquake and Comparison to 1994 Earthquake
“This was the second time in 23 years that this region has been affected by a strong earthquake. On February 9, 1971, a magnitude 6.6 event struck the San Fernando Valley, about 32 km northeast of the epicenter of the 1994 event. The 1971 earthquake caused 58 fatalities and about 2,000 injuries. At the time, the 1971 earthquake was the most destructive event to affect greater Los Angeles since the magnitude 6.3 Long Beach Earthquake of 1933, and it prompted an extensive reevaluation and update of the building codes. Direct damage to buildings and other structures exceeded $0.5 billion (1971 dollars).
Interchange (Interstate 5 and State Route 14) was also badly damaged in the 1994 Northridge Earthquake. The San Fernando Valley was a recently developed suburban area in 1971. More than 90% of its houses and other buildings were constructed after the first earthquake design requirements had been incorporated into the local building code in 1933. The greatest number of earthquake-related fatalities occurred in the collapse of several 1920s and 1930s concrete-frame buildings at a hospital.” End of article.
_______
As we read further, Jeremiah states, the nations cannot endure God’s indignation. Yes, in America we do not endure this indignation relentlessly, but when catastrophes have arisen they have been grueling to endure for those who have experienced them. God is sovereign however, and we are not to question even if we fall victim to a catastrophe as we are all sinners deserving of His earthly wrath. God has been gracious to America causing us to give thanks with a grateful heart through His many bestowed blessings upon our country that witnesses little ongoing devastations.
This portion of Scripture is to point out who truly rules over all and it is not things made by man’s hands! As verse 11 proclaims false gods did not make the heavens and earth; therefore, they will completely perish someday. There will be no nothing made by man’s hands in heaven!
Verse 12 continues in praise for God’s attributes as we review creation’s story originally recorded in Genesis. He formed the earth by His power. Why is He telling these people who know the Scriptures these things? Because the unredeemed and lukewarm believers can influence us away from His omnipotence as we see by the number of theistic-evolutionists today. These false teachers explain Genesis from an allegorical perspective. This is the apostasy of lies. It is sad to note that TE is now taught in Nazarene Universities. We are warned to have nothing to do with anyone who does not present God’s Word as it is written down to every jot and tittle. Bible teachers must hold true to the most ancient of manuscripts—the most accurately translated Bibles, those not adding cultural and ecumenical twists.
Billy Graham is theistic-evolutionist friendly as he stated, “How you believe doesn’t affect the doctrine. Either at a certain moment in evolution God breathed into one particular ape-man who was Adam, or God could have taken a handful of dust and blowed and created a man just like that” (“Cooperative Evangelism at Harringay,” United Church Observer, July 1966).
It is sad today that most theologians speak out of both sides of their mouth and this is a perfect illustration. They have lost the faith that comes by continually hearing and adhering to the Word of God.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Theistic_evolution
“Many Christian denominations support or accept theistic evolution. For example, on 12 February 2006, the 197th anniversary of Charles Darwin’s birth was commemorated by “Evolution Sunday” where the message that followers of Christ do not have to choose between biblical stories of creation and evolution was taught in classes and sermons at many Methodist, Lutheran, Episcopalian, Presbyterian, Unitarian, Congregationalist, United Church of Christ, Baptist and community churches.”
The world was established by His wisdom, not His folly. It takes little to recognize His wisdom in creation. Isn’t it interesting that all beings have eyes and ears opposite each other and a nose in between with one mouth. Now if evolution is true, how did such a wise way of creation come from absolutely nothing that owns absolutely no intelligence? Absolutely nothing would be far lower in aptitude than the most brain damaged person who ever lived. How did such creative harmony with artistic productive functioning arise? We know researching the intricate eye spells intelligence beyond measure, extending above anything simple man can contrive. It is a silly game to play in this realm of stupidity.
God by His almighty hand “stretched out the heavens” rightly concludes verse 12. But wait…God is not finished with presenting His truths as He continues to explain His omnipotence. His voice resembles a tumult of waters in the heavens. This would be a massive noise beyond our finite and earthly audio attainment. Who can even begin to imagine the clamor our God can produce? His power is limitless and the noise that follows. By listening to Niagara Falls, we may gain a tiny note of the acoustics that resound in God’s secluded heavenly home. Unfortunately, I am sure the comparison is totally lacking.
We are also taught here that “He causes the clouds to ascend from the end of the earth.” It is obvious to ask how much water is stored in a single cloud. The facts are mind-boggling. “One inch of rain over one square mile equals 17.4 million gallons of water weighing 143 million pounds (about 72,000 tons), or the weight of a train with 40 boxcars. The precise mechanics of how a cloud forms and grows is not completely understood…” Man can explain little of God’s might. He cannot enlighten regarding the great amount of moisture in our atmosphere, nor how roaming fluffy clouds can carry millions of gallons of water.
No meteorologist is needed to elucidate why we encounter such a range of weather conditions; God performs it all at His proscribed will. “He makes lightning for the rain.” It doesn’t control itself, neither falls by atmospheric will, only God! How big is your God?
“He brings wind out from the storehouses.” It may not be a scientific analogy, but it is visual truth. We experienced stalwart winds last night in our valley that kept me awake, all brought in by the hand of our Lord!
“Man is stupid and void of knowledge;” verse 14. How apropos with the above statements that should bring us to our knees in acknowledgement of who He is and how stupid we are! Aren’t we grateful He understands that we but dust. Men can’t even begin to comprehend the universe; yet, he boasts in his complete ignorance of how things are designed. Yes, I am stupid and void of erudition! My extremely limited data is comparable to a retrieved drop of water from the ocean, while all the rest of the drops in the oceans, represent his interminable knowledge.
This verse again returns us to man worshipping silly images of men or whatever deceives man. For anyone to believe that an image has the power of a god or something of heaven is absolute nonsense. We are never to look at things made by man’s hands with excessive ah or admiration. Everything of this earth is passing away, only that which is of God will survive, meaning only us who have put our true trust in the living Savior.
Our pastor was recently stating how even carrying a wooden cross in one’s pocket is as a fetish. We don’t need things made by man’s hands to cause us to dwell on our great God. We have the living God living within us if we are truly saved from our sins by Christ’s shed blood. Yes, we take communion which is a symbol of His sacrificial death, but we don’t need to constantly carry grape juice and bread around with us in our pockets to continually remind us. The symbols are to allow us to focus on Him in remembrance of His work during worship; not for us to view them as the literal body and blood. Which they obviously are not, as Christ is exalted above all the heavens absent from the flesh He held on earth, dwelling in His glorified body. We no longer know Him according to His former earthly flesh; 2 Corinthians 5:16. His earthly flesh no longer exists and He moves as living commanding God of all in the heavens. God is spirit. He also, however, appears as a slain lamb as seen throughout Revelation. He was commanding, controlling God when on the earth but dwelt in flesh that decays. No such thing is part of Him this day and forever.
When many a year younger, I used to view the Bible as a fetish as I had great fear consuming me due to demonic activity I witnessed in a church. I believed if I set an open Bible out, it would protect me from demons. However, even though it holds the words of God, it is still made by man’s hands and cannot protect me from evil. It is the Words of Life in the book that protect me as I claim and rest in God’s truths. When Christ was tempted by satan, He didn’t throw a scroll holding the Words of Scripture penned by Him. He quoted the truth held in the OT scrolls, His words of truth. It’s the quoting, believing, memorizing and submitting to the Word that are the components of our protective armor. Many people have Bibles in their homes that are never opened; they seem to believe that owning one is somehow redeeming. They never yield themselves to the true One who redeems and protects.
Biblical common sense is what a believer submits to. As verse 14 reveals there is no breath in things made by man’s hands therefore we attribute no power to them. Only God deserves our complete devotion and admiration.
At times, I ponder on Jeremiah’s life and wonder if he ever wished he dwelt in a different era where the people were not so compromising with surrounding societies. When I evoke memories of several decades ago, when the church was a separate entity, minus the consuming ways of the world, sometimes I wish I could journey back to that time period of marked distinction between Christians and non.
There was a time even in general society when respect for Biblical principles was everywhere present. I was reading a historical periodical for the Canyon County community as Alan’s Aunt Ruth had written an interesting article on the beginnings of the JC Penny store in Nampa, Idaho. Another article struck my eye as well as it dealt with a former public school teacher for the county. It spoke of her faith in Christ which she passed on to the students as she taught them the Bible daily. The account spoke of no hindrance to her daily exhortations as that was when it was proper to have Bible teaching in our learning institutions, which had been legal since the establishment of our nation. Christianity was considered part of normal life in America not that long ago in its past. Of course today, no Bibles are permitted in school as lies of heritage abound. Historical correctness does not establish the rules of our day.
Sometimes it is pleasant to reminisce of these former times of public respect for our Savior as Jeremiah possibly contemplated on a time when the Jews truly respected the Creator of all.
Verse 16 of Jeremiah 10 continues proclamation of the omnipotence of our Lord and God as it states He is the Maker of all. Israel is the tribe of His inheritance and the Lord of Hosts is His name. Lord of Hosts refers to His sovereignty over myriads of angles, countless stars, all creation. There is nothing outside of His complete control. All that is happening is allowed by His reigning hand, under His grace, that desires the salvation of all men. Though we too dwell in an evil period, God is still on the throne awaiting the time of judgment and end of rebellion.
Israel is still the apple of His eye and Jerusalem will be where Christ sets His kingdom. His eyes are continually set on His disobedient ones who have rejected the Savior, but someday Israel will make Christ Lord as well as her surrounding nations.
“Pick up your bundle” is a phrase that informs the people that they will not be able to take everything with them including the kitchen sink; well, actually not their wash basin, when removed from their land; verse 17. It is a visual that labels them vagabond, slave, and worthless human; those that have to be removed from their home in bonds to a distant place. Then God says they will be slung out, it is like the throwing of stones out of one’s yard. They will be removed as valueless and useless rocks.
Before Christ enters our life, we are unproductive and worthless; we offer Him nothing but filthy rags of sin. Yet He takes us in, places a robe on us; adopting us as His royal children. This all performed when we call upon His name, being saved from a life of slavery and bondage.
In order to be saved, we need to see our lost state, which Israel did not; she refused. God would have saved then immediately from their destined slavery state, if they had repented. In the hymn, At the Cross, it testifies in the first verse how Christ died “for such a worm as I.” At least this hymn did originally state this, until people complained that such a phrase damaged one’s self-esteem. In my newer hymnal, the words of At the Cross have been changed and not to protect any innocent ones, to this “for sinners such as I.” It makes unredeemed men appear nicer so they can feel so much better about their lost state. Yes, we are sinners, but a true picture of our helpless state can rightly be presented by a worm. These modernists of our time cast old Isaiah’s truth aside as the Jews did. However, this is truly how God sees us as the Jews are called worms and we are no better; Isaiah 41:14. God also informs them, in this same verse of Isaiah, that He is One who redeems worms and He will redeem them. We were worthless worms before our Redeemer performed that great salvation work in our lives. Isaiah is akin to Jeremiah, though a hundred years previous, as he too revealed the Babylonian invasion and captivity. He was sawed in two for this truthful proclamation. I like to state repeatedly so it is engraved in our memories the admonishment of 2 Peter 3:2. This verse commands us to remember the words spoken beforehand by the holy prophets, and this includes Isaiah and Jeremiah.
The Jews were to be placed under siege by the Babylonians as they did not listen and heed God’s true prophets. Any disobedient way we allow into our lives, places us under siege or bondage. We don’t actually have to be led away in bonds. Anything that possesses no eternal value that we enjoy can place us in chains. That’s why James implores—may your laughter be turned to mourning and your joy to gloom. This laughter and joy was coming from cultural-fun, not through rejoicing in Christ’s holiness. We all must always ask, what is my source of joy; is it truly Christ and His most holy ways?
“That they may be found” what an interesting phrase amongst this destined sorrow through distress; verse 18. No, God never gave up on them nor does He give up on us. This punishment was for the good of these Jews. It was for their repentance. All discipline seems terrible, yet it leads us forward in our walk with Christ. It directs us into greater maturity as we read in Hebrews chapter 12.
Jeremiah is being empathizing as he uses the first person pronoun to speak of their incurable state in verse 19. Jeremiah seems to want them to know how they will feel when all is destroyed, how they will react in their helplessness, being unassisted.
We change subjects in verse 21 to focus in on the shepherds or their spiritual leaders. Today, we often times use the term shepherds for spiritual leaders too and so did Christ. Christ told Peter to shepherd those who came to saving knowledge.
These shepherds here in Jeremiah were neither close to God nor His Word and were misleading the people with false doctrine. God says they are stupid. Whenever pastors don’t hold to God’s holy and inerrant Word alone, they are acting in stupidity. Many unbiblical ways have entered our churches through compromising pastors. Whatever is trendy, the shepherds will follow and sometimes for social acceptance amongst believers or fellow pastors.
Raffles, drawings, craft and bake sales…all fund raisers—were never to be part of fundamental churches! Pastors, many decades ago, felt such activities were blasphemous to the church’s calling. Unfortunately, they are all the rage today and loved by pastors because the world participates in all this. Christians believe they spell success for promotions. However, we are only to give to church needs because we love Christ. We are to sacrifice as He lays it on our hearts and because we want to obey Him. Unfortunately, this is considered outmoded for today’s churches that desire to make people feel they must give because of all the work it took to put on a sale. How can such motives be truly blessed of God?
Also, if there is a Scriptural legitimate need, it is simply to be brought before the church as we are to make our needs known. We are not commissioned to bring a homemade quilt forward and say “You might win this by buying a raffle ticket at the table out front.” This is just another form of the sinful lottery. Taking a collection is the only example presented for the New Testament church as needs arise. Christ hated people buying and selling at a place of prayer; Matthew 21:12-13.
Because of the compromise in Jeremiah’s time, the followers (or flocks) of these shepherds would be scattered. They were scattered in theology due to stupid teaching and example and they would be scattered when the Babylonians came as well. Tickling the people’s ears by telling them compromise is good got these shepherds nowhere. Those who teach do receive a stricter judgment; James 3:1. God lays it on the line with these spiritual leaders as He did concerning the Sadducees and Pharisees in the New Testament who were headed for the lake of fire.
Verse 23 is key in reminding us that our lives are ultimately directed by the Lord above; our way is not in ourselves nor do we direct our own path or steps. Proverbs 20:24 basically states the same, saying man’s steps are ordained by the Lord and how then can man understand his way? Acts 17:28 tells us that every person in the world lives, moves and has their existence in God. No one could stand, move, see, hear, bat an eyelid, and on and on apart from their creator!
The steps of these Jews were going to be directed to a place not of their choice! God is the one who ultimately has control of all lives. A place of slavery is not a road one would personally choose, but God knows what is best and what will bring these people to their knees in humility.
The humility of Jeremiah and his sinful state is expressed in verse 23. Don’t we all need God’s mercy daily? Jeremiah was a godly, uncompromising man, but he knew he was a sinner deserving of God’s wrath as we all fall into this category of truth.
Jeremiah had a heart possessing a desire to be close to God. He moved through the grace and forgiveness of the Lord, yet desired righteousness and justice to dwell in all the earth. He was obedient and wanted all to bow before the Lord in this same cooperation. He desired the justice of God poured upon those nations who did not fear Him and those who would level Israel. Verse 25 is speaking in past tense so I assume he means Assyria as they made the northern kingdom a wasteland. Egypt also had always been a thorn in Israel’s side as well as Moab and Phoenicia. Though these nations were thorns imparted due to Israel’s sin, Jeremiah still desires justice as they do not worship the King of kings.
All this travels back to the fact that God will bless those nations that care for Israel and will curse those who do not (Genesis 12:3 & Galatians 3:8); even those positioned to spank Israel. Though the land of Israel is deep in sin today, the same curse still applies and I am thankful America is still standing in aid of her to a degree.
To illustrate this perhaps better, suppose God desired to purify His church in America through allowing an enemy into its boarders. Let’s say, we decided to surrender to this ruthless destructive nation that was invading the land through terrorist bombings though we had the power to overcome. America felt it should be sympathetic to their cause as this nation believed America had always been malicious to them, desiring their oil or whatever. Suppose this new nation that took possession closed or destroyed all our truth-held churches. By performing this ill-will, all the chaff and lukewarm believers suddenly held no interest in meeting together knowing it could mean death for them if they were discovered. As a result, the remnant church became on-fire even through great persecution, resulting in many being saved and wishy-washy believers and ecumenicists becoming unheard of. Though this fictitious invading nation brought about a good result, God would still judge these people for their sin just as He did Assyria and Babylon; and later Germany for her atrocities to the Jews.
In the true God and everlasting King,
Val Lee
See Jeremiah commentaries 1-9 at this link: http://vallee7.wordpress.com/2009/03/27/jeremiah-the-message-and-messenger/
Apostasy in the Church—The Complete Book
Apostasy in the Church
Collaborated by
A commentary on the Book of Jude
By
Val Lee
Also published by Amazon.com
All rights reserved
CONTENTS
Chapters and Headings
Part 1
Introductory Preface/You and the Apostasy
Page 5
The Briefcase
Page 9
Chapter 1/Exhibit 1
Pastors, Counselors and Others Holding to One Mind and Purpose
Page 10
Chapter 2/Exhibit 2
Divorce American Church Style
Page 18
Chapter 3/Exhibit 3
Discipline Eviction
Page 27
Chapter 4/Exhibit 4
Lost Biblical Discipleship
Page 32
Chapter 5/Exhibit 5
Despairing Believers
Page 40
Chapter 6/Exhibit 6
Liberals and their Babylonian-Like Churches
Page 42
Chapter 7/Exhibit 7
The Legalistic Church
Page 49
Chapter 8/Exhibit 8
Sin’s Presence/I Must Fight the Darkness
Page 52
A Point of Evaluation
Page 58
Part 2
The Book of Jude Commentary
Page 60
Chapter 1
God’s Beloved
Page 71
Chapter 2
Creeping In
Page 74
Chapter 3
Knowing All Things
Page 78
Chapter 4
Historical Accounts
Page 81
Chapter 5
Unreality—Changing of the Colors
Page 86
Chapter 6
Angels and Doctrinal Knowledge
Page 87
Chapter 7
Sinister Villains
Page 97
Chapter 8
The Fruitless and the Productive
Page 104
Chapter 9
Fire Protection with Cleaning Precautions
Page 119
In Closing
Page 123
Apostasy in the Church
Part 1
Introductory Preface
You and the Apostasy
I am not aware of what you, the reader, are expecting as you focus your eyes on this very page. I do not know what you already surmise concerning the apostasy. I do not know if you may be one who does not possess an inkling of what the word means or implies. For you who are entering a sphere you have never entered before, you need to first discover that the apostasy refers to the falling away of the church from its original foundation. It is the renunciation of Biblical teachings in various forms and deceivingly veiled ways. It tutors an agenda of defection.
You, no doubt recognize, we all live in strange, abnormal and questioning times. Evil is on an untamed rampage and the church is not escaping from its extended razor-slicing claws. Are the razor-sharp claws of liberalism tempting you to compromise through trendy church agendas? Think about it. Are there more liberal agendas floating through your fellowship than there were in previous years and have these altered any of your former Biblical stands?
You can drown yourself in ignorance if you are in a church that is turning to less and less scriptural inductive teaching. There are so-called Bible instructing churches out there that no longer allow comprehensive scripture teaching in Sunday school. They have curved away from the course, forsaking the learning of their first love. The Bible warns us of the apostasy as it signals the last days of the church age. There will no longer be a hunger and thirst for the Word of God as church attendees will not desire sound teaching. They will not seek after doctrinal accuracy. This will result in attendees locating many teachers who will tell them all they want to hear, feeding their thirst for liberal and sensual desires. They will find gratification through the teaching of license, which enables them to enjoy everything of an agenda following world.
5
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 6
They will believe they are right in feeding the flesh as they are being obedient to church teachings and therefore obeying God. We read of these true arriving occurrences in 2 Timothy 4:2-3. However, today, they are not futuristic—they have arrived. Wake up…the apostasy is here!
I tell you, it is present! I sat in an adult Sunday school class where a teacher was teaching total heresies by using the scriptures unethically. Basically, he rewrote the Word to fit his lessons. To this day, I do not believe he was saved. He never mentioned Christ reverently as he was trying to disprove His teachings. It was totally amazing that this man, in this Baptist church, was allowed to teach anything. He held no godly qualifications, just the opposite. He had been arrested for drunk driving previously and the leadership knew it. He supported pornography, the occult, and most, if not all, liberal godless agendas. The whole thing was insane, but people held onto every word he spoke and they shared his teachings with others. A few of us let the situation be known to the head pastor but he obviously did not care that much as he continued to allow him to teach, just under the guidance of another pastor.
We need to make sure we are always alert to what is taking place in our fellowship from week to week to keep from being sucked into the apostasy. And it is easy to be sucked in unawares!
Awhile back, a woman was telling me she formerly did not approve of female pastors but now she does. This is a completely unbiblical stand but the claws of liberalism are beginning to imbed themselves in her through church teaching that is compromising. The books of Timothy and Titus as well as other texts make it clear the pastorate is exclusively for the godly male gender. She went on to say, however, that she did not approve of homosexuality. My husband, Alan, who I told later of the conversation, pondered upon her stance and insightfully reflected, “She formerly didn’t approve of female pastors but changed her mind. How long will it be before she says, well, I didn’t use to approve of homosexuality, but now I do?”
Many believers are accepting what has always been unacceptable in Christendom. Sensual agendas being everywhere present are slowly squeezing into conservative fellowships. These scheming agendas include homosexuality. Statistics were recently printed that state around 40% of evangelicals approve of homosexual marriages. I do trust this is not true as statistics can be tainted, but there are so-called believers who are
justifying homosexuality more and more as it has become acceptable in most every realm.
INTRODUCTORY PREFACE 7
To point this out more for your pondering, I read an article in a Christian magazine whereby a theologian stated the Bible does not condemn homosexuality. What a lie!! Has this man not read Romans 1:20f that traces the descent of a people who yield to it as well as other passages? Christ made it clear that a sexual relationship consists of a married couple, one man and one woman, a heterosexual monogamy life union.
We must remember that liberal believers do not know more than the God of yesteryears. The Bible clearly designates what is not of God and He is not diverting. Believers and churches cannot play games of worldly compliance. Satan is cunningly aware that if he can get Christians to compromise with one area in scripture, he can soon slacken their hold on many stances that are tolerated by a liberal world. When societal acceptability is the determining factor in right and wrong, the church is in deep turbulent seas and many churches have been set adrift in these engulfing waves of change.
I held a Bible study with a friend who was a member of a large Bible believing church that was becoming more and more society accepting for political expediency. I was very concerned about her being in this fellowship, but I did not want to disclose to her those things that were taking place that were contrary to the Word of God as I did not want to discourage her sprouting faith. I presented the situation before the Lord and asked Him to reveal to her the compromise in this assembly.
The Lord almost started answering my prayers immediately and it was if my friend got hit by a 2 X 4 when spiritual discernment arrived. The Lord continually opened her eyes to all the liberalism this church held to. She began to hear all the things that were contrary to scripture that she was deaf to previously. She then started praying for spiritual discernment herself. It was not long before she started seeking a Bible church that held to the Word without contemporary compromise.
Prayer is the key factor in obtaining and building discernment. Paul prayed for the Colossae church to obtain knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. Those who do not seek the discernment of God and His Word can be slowly deceived leading further and further into the greater darkness of designed beguilement.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH 8
To get to the core of absent discernment and liberal happenings in relationship to you, you must ask yourself, is the Bible becoming less reliable according to your pastors and teachers? Are you viewing the possible rise of a liberal church community that has wavered away from wise discernment? Have you started to question certain passages through reasoning…well…this might not be applicable for today?
I do hope you are a steadfast believer who has not begun to waver in your views. If you are one who is not so sure of the accuracy of scripture due to the people around you not being sure, I would ask you to consider the case I present in this book and place before your eyes of what has come in slowly in the way of unnoticed deception. I believe as your eyes become unveiled by the facts, you will bind the Word of God to your heart as inerrant when facing this ruse.
THE BRIEFCASE
The Briefcase page 9
I will begin my case through the presentation of the reality of the apostasy being everywhere present today. I will open my briefcase and pull from it facts I have noted and believe should be presented for your verdict.
To weigh my opening argument, you must personally learn to be observant of your fellowship, churches you know of and hear of from others. When it comes to Christian publications and broadcasts, you need to take note of their entire content as false doctrines are slipped into true doctrines so they can rarely be detected. I request you always be attentive with open eyes and ears. If you recognize the spiritual battle for your mind and heart, you will desire the discernment that clearly divulges the infallibility of scripture. Consistently studying the Word equips you for the satanic battle as it is one of our main pieces of armor; it being the sword of the Spirit as disclosed in Ephesians 6:17.
Chapter 1
Exhibit 1:
Pastors, Counselors and Others Holding to
One Mind and Purpose
With all this exposed preceding presented forewarning, I will now remove and present exhibit one. This exhibit is a photo of average pastors. I raise this photo before your mind’s eye as I believe much of today’s apostasy lies on their shoulders. Pastors can easily manipulate congregations into liberal beliefs if people are scripture-ignorant. They can maneuver attendees to move to their tune through frequently replaying, “We have to make changes in order to become a contemporary excited growing church.” I have heard such words as “tolerance” and “diversity” creep into a congregation from a pastor that desired a more liberal world view.
A photo of Christian counselors can be placed right along side the one of pastors as they also move to the same tune. Most Christian counselors seem to be cast from the same mold as today’s pastor. Most clients become patrons of counselors through pastoral recommendation. This is dangerous, as people can believe the counselor is speaking Biblical truths since their pastor recommended them. They may not question anything the counselor advises. Unfortunately, I have come to perceive that most counselors do not care about the Bible’s conservative teachings. They abide in the liberal techniques taught in universities to psycho analyze. They hold little or no concern for scriptural application to resolve issues. I have had my socks shocked off when the women I counsel disclose Christian counselors’ recommendations.
Most Christian counselors do not address sin and do not demand repentance from their clients. They employ empty worldly philosophies,
terminologies and methodologies to sound intellectual so patients keep
feeding their pocketbook. Counselors do not want to step on toes too much as their patients may never come back. They choose to mainly listen, but when an occasion arises to justify sins, they are often jolly on the spot.
Psychoanalysis explanations easily push away the sins that so easily entangle us, driving us deeper into worldly philosophies of validation.
10
EXHIBIT 1 Page 11
Colossians 2:8 instructs us concerning those who will try to captivate us so we turn away from the solidarity of the Word through philosophies, the traditions of men, teachings of the world, etc; rather than according to Christ. We are commanded in this verse not to allow such activity. We are disobeying God when we fall into such traps that are fleshly elevating. Everyone wants to believe they are on the pentacle of every novel motivation. Christ knows our nature whereby He places warnings so we do not walk into such transient traps; so we stay stabilized in the faith and shun any desire that puffs up our ego through commanding intelligence.
I have heard believers come from counseling sessions spouting every new psycho phrase that gives no impression of them being believers who are standing on the Rock that never wavers. I sometimes wonder how much medication has been prescribed to prevent them from having to deal with the sinful heart issues.
I believe counselors and pastors walk hand in hand in their agendas. It is not unusual to see counselors aiding pastors when dealing with people in the congregation. At times, pastors seem to cling to a well-known counselor as opposed to God and His Word. I am dismayed often at what is taking place in respected churches because pastors are afraid to offend. Keeping a liberal counselor at hand can help appease and make everyone happy…supposedly.
Rarely, if never, do pastors and counselors label the sin that invades lives as vile, evil, detestable, depraved, corrupt, wicked, etc. They most never command total repentance nor explain the judgment or discipline of God. It breaks my heart to know how sin is swept under the carpet in the name of appeasement and tolerance. Drugs, lying, cheating, violence, promiscuous sex, etc seem to cause little or no disturbance in the church of today. Of course, pastors know if they addressed these things, as they should, they would end up with a very small congregation.
Due to this, it is easy for Christian leadership to accept the teaching that society must analyze all from “a new world view.” As a result, one no longer hears, “We must view all things from the ageless ways of immutable scripture.” Now everything has to be examined in relation to it being the hottest and most stimulating approach to living for styling believers as new world participants. If things cannot be viewed through this contemporary light, they are ignored.
Contemporary-ism is one of the most sought after stimulating approaches for churches that fits into the new world order of believe-ism. I was in a church where one of the pastors kept throwing the word “contemporary” in my face.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH 12
I think he viewed himself on a mission of contemporary conversion, but I never would bite his bate. I believe I just frustrated him. A friend of mine recently left a church because the power to change her and her husband into contemporary believers was just too much for them. They have now located a church that puts no silly demands on people; holding simply to Biblical truths.
One motivating hidden agenda behind all this hoopla is pastors desiring the unsaved to be totally comfortable in a non-threatening environment where they never feel convicted by strong Bible messages. A friend told me some time ago that she heard an ad for a church that stated something to this effect, come to our church and take part in a non-threatening environment. My friend desires to write a letter to the church asking how the Bible can be taught and no one feel threatened? These ads are placed before the public as pastors believe such motivation and compromise brings in big numbers resulting in noteworthiness and larger paychecks. Today’s church has been homogenized into a new faith, not the faith of holding to the Bible alone as churchianity (habits of popular, cultural church-life) has become so prosperous.
We see as we peer within the general body of believers, that fellowships no longer hold a reputation for discipline and integrity. Consequently, you have many people attending who are unsaved. It also opens the doors for the backslidden believers. You can come to obtain many in your congregation who hold few morals and who are not normally found in church, such as fornicators, adulterers, homosexuals, pedophiles, etc. Not to mention those who have no problem with dishonesty, lies, and embezzling. Many implement these deceptive practices in business and personal dealings during the week without a thought. A Christian couple recently told my husband and I of a pastor they had several years ago, who had a homosexual practicing son and he was allowed to play the piano for the church and his personal vile actions were justified.
Everyone can feel religious in an all-acceptable, non-threatening environment where they believe their good work of attending church outweighs all the bad they live-out during the week. Often times, people refer to these churches as “seeker friendly.” They are dubbed this as pastors deliberately structure their churches so they are appealing to the world. These fellowships are a perfect fit for those who are seeking some religious experience but desire no internal change of pattern. There can be some good in this as a few accept salvation and I am grateful for this; but the tragic thing is there is a complete lack of godly close spiritual fellowship and strong Bible teaching. The church is to be going out into the world and saving, which subsequently results in the newly-saved being baptized, attending church and being discipled.
EXHIBIT 1 Page 13
This is the example presented in Acts. The church is to be made-up of God’s called out ones. There is no example presented in scripture where the unsaved become part of the church and then are redeemed. I am not saying a person who is truly seeking salvation cannot come to church, but the majority of attendees should be saved. I would say 99% of those who regularly church should be converted as the church is to be a place of worship and growth for the redeemed.
An unregenerate person cannot worship God, as they have not been cleansed by the Savior’s blood and therefore are spiritually dead. They have no true concept of what they are participating in. It does not bring joy to Christ’s ears to hear the children of satan praising His name. 1 John 1:7 speaks of believers walking in the Light, as Christ is the Light, and of them fellowshipping with one another, and Christ’s blood cleansing them from all sin. Here is one verse that represents what the church is to be. We can never have true fellowship with one who has not been cleansed by the blood of our Savior.
A true pastor who loves the unsaved and only wants to increase numbers for salvation sake will evangelize by going out into the community, preaching and teaching the Word. If he has a small congregation, it is no big deal as he is obeying the Word and has right motives. Such a godly man will be teaching others to evangelize as well in obedience to scripture. He also will faithfully teach the Bible in a humble manner and not try to entertain a fellowship.
Those pastors who have sold out for numbers will try everything under the sun to get people into the door and a reader board is a must. While driving one day, my eye caught a church’s reader board sign that advertised, “This Sunday is casual day.” What a silly thing! The church imitating businesses and schools just in hopes of attracting the worldly-minded through its doors. It is a Bible-teaching church, but it seems to be willing to compromise all common sense to be like the world, not a separated ambassador hated by this world as Christ was hated by it and still is.
“The arts” are also a significant trait of the apostate church and used in advertising to usher all through the open doors. Why? Because the advertised arts in every form including lewdness is everywhere emphasized in the world—A Hollywood commanding culture that demands everyone tag along.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 14
I heard a music pastor of a Baptist church spending significant time expressing how the arts must now be part of the church to be in style with the world. Every artistic endeavor must be presented by the members of the church. He continued explaining how his wife was part of the secular worldly arts. He glorified her music talents and emphasized that believers must give to her financially as she and her group were destined for famous applauding magnification as top-billed performers.
This “we are one with the world” teaching marches onward in the church as satan’s scheming empty philosophies are enchanting most everyone. We are not to pursue every passing mode of vanity when we are to be walking in the eternal values of scripture that are of our holy Savior who hates every way that enters the church that is not exampled in His Word.
A true ambassador for Christ only represents God to the community. Ambassadors do not conform to the country they are in; they remain distinctly different as a total representative of their nation. The only way we can be a separated ambassador is not to partake in those things that do not take hold of Christ’s wise character. We cannot be making our churches silly by doing silly things.
Our friend, Dr. Richards, who is a world evangelist, an author and one who disciples pastors throughout the globe, penned:
“Most of us seek to fill the soul-hole with affordable goods, culturally viable alternatives or philosophically appealing ideas. Why do we keep repeating failed options? Does mere repetition fool us into erroneous feelings? Evaluate your repetitive life.”
Doing things according to the scriptures is of uppermost importance. Having great numbers in your congregation doesn’t always spell Biblical character and actions. We must be discerning, humble believers who live by the Book not judging a church’s nobility by a worldly successful mentality.
A successful mentality that governs a church, I believe, can induce Christ’s judgment. In the beginning of Revelation, Christ brings judgment upon compromising churches, as He does not justify any evil way. A worldly successful mentality always spells compromise to God’s decrees. Though Revelation and other books warn churches to fear God so successful mentalities do not enter, pastors have turned a deaf ear. We see in scripture that many false teachings were attempting to take over congregations to make them user-friendly for all.
EXHIBIT 1 Page 15
Though chastisement fell upon the churches by Christ in Revelation, churches today believe they are immune to it, being under grace, so there is little fear of God. They believe the fear of God is an old-fashioned thing anyway. They believe having a bit of respect for God is all that is required; however, 1 Peter 1:15-17 commands that we are to be holy as God is holy. We are to act holy in all our behavior; conducting ourselves in fear during our stay upon the earth. Philippians 2:12 instructs us to work out our “salvation with fear and trembling.” Churches should be recognized as places that comprise holy people who fear God, not success-seeking people.
Not fearing God has resulted in many pastors leading their congregations down the road marked “Worldly Contemporary-ism” as they deliberately passed the posted exit for “Inductive Truths.”
It seems most people today prefer to be merely led and analyzing leadership’s motives is out of the question when it comes to any church function. Yes, we are to respect and submit to leadership but only as pastors and teachers comply with the Word in all accuracy. If they are adopting methods and ideas that are extra-biblical, we have the right to question. Not gossip but go to our leaders with concerns. This is not sin!! Pastors may try to make you feel like you are in sin but you are not if you are exposing those things that are contrary to holy uprightness and the disclosing act is performed in love and courtesy.
What we behold today is satan’s plan to bring demise to the fundamental church. Men who desire to go into the ministry who hold liberal views often attend conservative seminaries. Upon graduation, they become respected pastors of orthodox churches by campaigning in sheep’s garb. They must disguise themselves as such as they are actually neoorthodox in thought and intention, not believing in the inerrancy of scripture. They believe the Bible holds no standard for truth and absolutes.
Neoorthodox ministers can speak using the terms of conservative fundamentalists but they mean the opposite in their presentations. This type of nonsense deceives many people.
Such shaded men will even quote noted theologians whereby the congregation easily places their trust in them. After a year or so, these expositors slowly begin to quote liberal theologians here and there. They inch in ecumenicalism and the people are slowly deceived like the frog that is gradually heated in a pan of water atop a burner; it never jumps out—not knowing death is descending upon it at a snail’s pace as the burner m who likes to move slowly to deceive. We must trust in the teachings of God’s holy, sacred, immutable and inerrant Word, solely.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 16
Some of you reading this will say yes, I have noted how some churches bring in false doctrines slowly. Some of you are fortunate to be in a solid inductive-teaching church and you are not even aware of what is taking place elsewhere. Nevertheless, it is good for all to be educated in what is happening about us in these days of wickedness. Ephesians 5:16 commands us to make the most of our time because the days are evil.
I was in a powerful inductive teaching church and thinking all was well, but out of the blue, I started hearing strange and contradicting doctrines. I just kept praying for understanding of what was taking place and I found the pastors were following new liberal theologians. Alan and I were broken and hurt, as were many others in the congregation who began to hear the strangeness of the new teaching. The pastors after confrontation never repented and lied to cover things, resulting in a festering wound. Many did leave like us but others chose to stay as their friends attended there. I personally do not believe Christians should ever stay in a false-teaching setting. All through scripture, we are warned never to place ourselves under the instruction of those who instruct deceptively.
A friend of ours who graduated from a conservative seminary recently went back to his alma mater to sit in on some of the classes. He was shocked to hear so much false doctrine coming from current professors. When he attended, all was Biblically solid. He went to the president of the college to kindly express his disgust. He told him of the false doctrine that he had heard in these classes; unfortunately, this president revealed little or no concern.
Knowing misleading doctrines are being taught in what were once reputable seminaries is heartbreaking. I have sat in churches hearing contrary teaching pour forth from pastors who attended conservative seminaries in disbelief.
The majority of people who sit under such instruction have no idea they are being deceived. Most do not care when concerned ones begin to expose. Most church attendees love and trust their overseers. People trust their preachers even when they begin to teach falsehoods. As long as teaching gradually and gracefully changes, believers are accepting. It pains my heart to witness this. Scripture takes a backseat with the approval of congregations because they were gradually deluded. They allowed their hearts and minds to be changed in order to please authoritative men. They feel if they hold to their previous fundamental ways, they are moving contrary to the authority of their church.
EXHIBIT 1 Page 17
In the Old Testament, the false teachers’ instruction had consumed Judah, southern Israel. God revealed how these false religious leaders ran to the occupation of ministry but He did not call them; please contemplate on Jeremiah 23:21.
You may ask, well, what do I do with all this information? I say, always seek after godly believers and leaders, but above all do not trust in man but only in God; Jeremiah 17:5. I repeat this often that it might be set in stone in your heart.
Chapter 2
Exhibit 2:
Divorce American Church Style:
For this exhibit, I will pull out two Kleenexes from my attaché case. The two tissues represent a husband and a wife. I will glue them together and let them dry. ..Now, after waiting, I will try to pull them apart without damaging them. You know, this is impossible and that is why God hates divorce.
Anyone divorcing for any reason causes great damage to many individuals. Any type of infidelity can significantly and brutally harm a marital relationship.
The religious leaders in Christ’s day enjoyed playing games with Him when it came to the subject of marriage, adultery and divorce (It is no wonder that Christ often eluded them). Christ declared to the liberal Pharisees that divorce could only take place when there was adultery in Matthew chapter 19. Some of Israel’s religious leaders thought they should be able to divorce with the drop of a cooking pan or whenever someone prettier than their wife walked by. Sinful mentalities from age to age just do not change.
The text of John chapter 8 discloses a scene where temple leaders bring an adulterous situation before Christ—a woman caught in the very act of adultery. In this affair situation, we see only the woman was brought before Christ by the saintly temple leaders when the law declared both the man and woman were to be stoned, Deuteronomy 22:22. The religious leaders never state a man and a woman were caught, just the woman; though obviously, they could have brought the man as well.
They declare to Christ that Moses said they were to stone such women, but they were to stone such men too! When our pastor was preaching in John, Alan pointed these truths out to him and me. I had never taken note before of their great protecting bias for the man and I do not think our pastor had either.
It is quite obvious that these religious rulers would have never thought of just bringing the man. They clearly felt he was to be protected and not even confronted. They never even made an excuse for his absence and they knew the Old Testament through study and memorization. They, no doubt, believed this was man’s natural sensual tendency as we recognize from their attitude on divorce and remarriage. Christ may have written down their present and past lovers in the dirt as he addressed their wicked setup.
18
EXHIBIT 2 Page 19
Segments of this scenario do occur today with differing twists when Christian leaders desire to put it all on the woman when a Christian man is being disobedient to the Word in the area of sensuality or whatever else. Some might state this, “Well, if the woman held a quiet and gentle spirit, sexual sins and divorce would never enter into the marriage.” Or “If she was always quiet when he looked at others in a sexual way, he would stop.” This is a harmful thing to think or say in light of the fact that the Christian man is the head of the home. He is the one who is to inspire and teach all purity and steadfastness. The husband is responsible to present his wife pure, without any spot or wrinkle; Ephesians 5:27. He is to keep her from being stained by the world in any impure way. Alan says he has far more responsibilities before God than I when it comes to keeping a holy home.
God’s statements placed in Malachi 2:13-17, must also be kept in thought—He does not hear the prayers of the man who treacherously leaves his wife. The Lord clearly discloses that He deals with any sin that involves unfaithfulness and the dissolving of the marriage covenant.
A woman certainly can influence to save a marriage as she exhibits chaste behavior and a quiet and gentle spirit as 1 Peter chapter 3 admonishes. These attributers can transform a man eventually as a wife faithfully practices the teachings of this passage. This involves modest dress and behavior and never flirting with other men. She must also submit to her husband’s authority in all respect as we read elsewhere in scripture. Conversely though, never is she to the placed where she is asked to sin against God.
This passage may be addressing saved husbands who are in disobedience as well as unsaved men. However, it must be noted that 1 Peter chapter 3 doesn’t totally guarantee repentance but it certainly is all-feasible. 1 Corinthians 7:16 states “You do not know if you will save your husband.” Therefore, when it comes to the unsaved, we note there are no complete guarantees for the wife. However, a Christian wife must be a witness of holiness no matter the result as we see from the Word. I will also add for encouragement, that I knew a man who repented on his deathbed whereby he declared it was due to his wife’s witness. Of course, many women don’t have to wait to the last minute to see the results and I read recently from one of our church emails of a husband who came to Christ.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 20
You, who are reading this, may be a Christian woman and you are married to an unsaved man who needs to be led to the Lord. You need to stand by your chaste, godly silent behavior. When a woman is married to an unsaved man, she cannot go to the church and ask for church discipline. This is held for only believing husbands and those who claim to be—those attending a church fellowship. You must hold to prayer, faith and endurance. It is a difficult road to travel, but the Lord holds your hand and grants endurance. May His grace be upon you, dear one.
If you are a hurting abused wife, I will tell you if your husband has committed adultery, not to give up praying for his repentance until he remarries. God has brought men to repentance on countless occasions and many marriages have been restored to Christ’s glory! There are many dilemmas when remarriage enters the picture. Repentance is always best! I point to Hosea who had to deal with his prostitute-wife who followed satanism; yet, never did he give up petitioning for her contrition. She eventually returned to Hosea but it was probably following many years of falling on his knees. His faithful heart and prayers led to her repentance and return. The book, Love Life by Dr. Ed Wheat, uses Hosea as an example of steadfast commitment and provides ways to restore one’s love life. This book does not allow any room for divorce and upholds renewed marriages.
Marriage renewal does not just happen in books, as I was told of a woman who prayed 7 years for her whoremonger-husband who divorced her. After all her years of intercession, he truly repented. Remarriage to him took place as her reward of unceasing petition. Their marriage testimony restored another couple’s marriage and I knew them and appreciated their openness to share which provided hope for others. I also have heard such stories read on Thu the Bible radio programs.
Unfortunately, today, the majority of pastors don’t care to save marriages as they want their divorce care program enlarged. Divorce care or recovery groups basically become a dating service for those who were not happy in their marriage or were simply dumped. Pastors know this when they bring in a divorce program into the church but do not care because it is a number maker.
It seems most pastors, if not all, will put a person in divorce recovery and never question if they obeyed all the scriptures concerning their past marriage. They never inquire of the women if they submitted to their husbands in all things and respected them in all things.
EXHIBIT 2 Page 21
They never ask husbands if they loved their wives as themselves and only had eyes for their wives. They never investigate to determine if they were the spiritual leaders in the home as ordained in the Word. They just set them in a divorce recovery program and will have a new marriage performed when they meet another.
Any leader who studies the Bible knows the curriculum of these divorce programs is not Biblical, but secular, deceptive and wicked.
I have a friend who was told by a pastor to join a divorce care program when her husband, who attended the church, left her. He moved out of their home during a trip. Her husband had decided not to go with her when she went to visit family and friends. She had no idea that he had a plan in his decision, that of dealing with her treacherously. Before her return home, she received a phone call from him telling her he had left. I brought her home from the airport and we walked into her nearly empty home. She was in tremendous shock and pain as she witnessed visibly her husband’s cessation intentions.
Their large Baptist church refused to perform church discipline though it admitted he had no grounds for divorce. They loved on him, invited him to activities and people let him know they approved of his measures. One key woman from the church simply stated to my friend concerning his departure “I’m sure he had his reasons.”
The pastor and others were holding to, divorce is fine if you have any kind of reason. It is so similar to Christ’s time when people divorced for any sort of cause; yet, He correctively declared, only because of adultery could one divorce. He disclosed people dissolve their marriages because they harden their hearts. My friend knew her husband had hardened his heart against her so he could rob her of everything he could get his hands on through the divorce. He refused to pay half of the house payments though he was demanding half of the income received when it sold and received it. An assistant pastor told her, not long after her husband had departed, that he should not be required to make half the payments because he had his own place now.
When she wrote to the head pastor more than once of her heartache and her husband’s unjust ways, she never received an answer. I asked a key person I knew in that church why the pastor was not replying to her and she said he was too busy with this and that; however, several months went by and it became evident that he did not care and would never do so. The leadership turned to shunning her, which placed more infliction upon her. I believe this all occurred because she stood with marriage till death and church discipline.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 22
She departed from that church knowing she was not wanted being one who desired to hold to scripture. Her husband called her a “religious fanatic” which people in the church seemed to happily agree with.
My friend freely admitted that she was not perfect in the marriage and that God was changing her through conviction. Her husband viewed himself as totally faultless and deserving of all the gusto he could achieve. He would never admit to me or anyone that he could do wrong.
Eventually he started attending another large Baptist church. He and the head pastor shared a friendship so he decided to switch. She approached this pastor through letters requesting he perform church discipline, hoping he would want to heal the marriage through applying Biblical commands. She believed church discipline would produce repentance.
She got nowhere with her letters and requests asking to speak with this pastor. However, after a persisting period of time, he reluctantly consented. He and a counselor—who has a horrific dishonest reputation including prison time—met with her. They were very hateful and cruel to her. This pastor also refused to perform church discipline and informed her that her husband was completely welcome to attend his church. She asked if he would be welcome if he came with a girlfriend as she was told he had one. The pastor seemed to be little bothered if they attended services. At the conclusion of their time together, the pastor did apologize for his animosity.
Previous to her divorce hearings and trial, she sent out letters inviting pastors; including those who stood with her husband so they could witness his motive of greed for themselves. She stated the time and date, but received no response from the churches and no pastor ever attended.
By God’s grace and mercy, my friend made it through, though she still wrestles with the heartache and all the memories. The church and judicial system failed her by standing with divorce, but Christ has faithfully stood by her side.
I am currently counseling a precious beautiful lady who I will call Cindy. Her husband has left her. He has had problems with pornography since adolescence and constantly lusts after other women to her continual heartbreak. She was a worker in the home and one who had always loved her husband and children—whom she home-schooled.
EXHIBIT 2 Page 23
Even though Christian leaders knew that Cindy’s husband was lusting after other women, involved in self-fulfillment, and treated her scornfully, they stood with him and persecuted her.
Cindy’s husband and his churched friends skillfully planned his moves before he ever walked out on her. They made sure they did all possible in an attempt to make Cindy commit suicide through their endless scrutinized cruelty and lies. They wanted her out of the way to create an easy road whereby he acquired everything he desired. I have witnessed it myself and have been in tremendous hurtful shock. Yes, there are people in the church who have no problem with murder as long as their hands do not perform it. Such people want Cindy’s holy uncompromising voice silenced.
Yes, in many ways this is similar to the other woman I counseled and spoke of above. Cindy, however, attends a different church, lives in another area; yet, she too has been rejected as if she were the sinning party. She has been cast aside as an undesirable believer who is viewed as being too sound in the Bible.
Cindy has requested church discipline, but has been told by pastors that they cannot judge her husband. One believer took him into his home to live; an ordained pastor took him hunting and involved him in other activities. He was invited to Bible study after all his crimes were exposed to the pastor and leaders. He faithfully continues to attend church, being treated as a welcomed righteous believer.
Cindy feels as if she has been seated in the middle of a church and is being stoned for her Biblical stands. She does not believe in sexual sins and divorce. She has been told pornography and lusting are not a form of adultery even though Christ announced one who lusts has committed adultery in his heart.
During the time, I was exposing and dealing with Cindy’s situation, a wife of an ordained pastor told me pornography is not adultery. Amid this conversation, she pretended to open a porno magazine and run her hand gingerly across it. She sweetly looked me in the eye, and said “Valerie, this is not adultery.” I replied by stating Jesus said one has committed adultery in his heart who lusts after another woman. Then she retorted with “Don’t you know Valerie that pastors and congregations are into pornography.” I eventually got up and walked out the door as I was running on overload with disgust.
Scripture commands that men are to view other women as sisters in all purity; 1 Timothy 5:1-2. There is no excuse if men, who call themselves Christians, are not doing this. Of course, women too must also look at men as brothers in all purity. If we fall, we must admit it as sin and seek deliverance. Hating sin is of all importance when it comes to the Holy Spirit moving and transforming our mindset. We cannot accomplish this apart from Christ and forsaking the mentality of this world. Memorizing scripture and praying without ceasing can strengthen us so we remain faithful to one person. We may be tempted in one way or another, but through Christ’s power, we can overcome.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 24
Many sexual agendas are accepted in today’s church as it parades a facade of religiosity tolerance. You can hear them preached against from the pulpit but accepted by pastors when engaging in general conversations with united friends. It often seems the man in the pulpit and the man of actuality are two different people. Pastors preach the Bible but when they are requested to enact its precepts, they refuse. You can begin to believe you are dealing with a split personality. You may hear pastors spout that they hate all sexual agendas that are contrary to scripture. Contrary, however, those same pastors will treat the immoral members of their congregation in all kindness and acceptance, standing completely behind such people.
Today’s church is acting out in strange extremities in many areas including divorce-acceptance. In general, it sides with “no-fault divorce.” Society did not even begin to accept “no-fault divorce” until 1969 when Governor Ronald Reagan signed it into law in California. This law slowly ate the whole nation as state after state complied. Divorces in the church now outnumber those in unsaved society. The first divorce census occurred in 1887 when there were .05 divorces in every thousand. I have an encyclopedia (copyrighted 1965) that states that adultery is the only grounds for divorce in New York. Historical correctness puts the church to shame. The church has fallen and continues to fall with the world and its acceptance of this decree.
Some pastors may pretend to be shocked at a divorce situation at first, but then will quickly spout the divorce laws of the land as if they represent the Gospel truth. Such occurred with a lady who spoke to her pastor of her husband’s divorce actions. The pastor seemed shocked at the sin at first but then cited the secular court agenda on the matter like a divorce lawyer. What breaks my heart further when it comes to cessation crime is the 50/50 split. Even pastors believe everything should be divided 50/50, as if this is what God declared.
Alan and I were discussing this last night and he said, and I totally agree, that when a person departs from a marriage to do their own thing, they don’t disserve a penny!!!!! Christ would never divide money, property, etc, according to a 50/50 deal. He would command “turn from your wicked ways” to the person engaging in this transgression.
EXHIBIT 2 Page 25
Yes, secular courts demand a 50/50 split and we must submit to the law if the church refuses to take action or one party is an unbeliever; but submitting to the law does not mean we agree with unbiblical requirements!! What we see in scripture is, divorce is sin and there is no such thing as “no fault divorce.” We also know from the Word that Christ holds the church accountable for every action it takes and for everything it teaches and promotes.
When it comes to divorce contemplation, you must learn that the Bible teaches that all lawsuits between believers are to be carried out within the church, not in secular courts. 1 Corinthians 6:1-9 makes this clear! The church is the court of believers. Those above reproach and thoroughly knowledgeable of the Bible (wise men), are to be the judges in legal cases between believers. Wise men should be appointed who hate divorce as Christ does and would act accordingly.
When it comes to ladies departing from a bad marriage, I am not afraid to tell a woman if she leaves her husband she must remain single or else be reconciled to him as I Corinthians 7:10-11 exhorts. I always state this to women who desire to leave the marriage. However, it seems I am the only one teaching this. When I relay this to women, they inform me their pastors and counselors have never instructed them in this way. What happened to the inerrant Word that demands our obedience?
John the Baptizer went about letting people know of the divorce/adultery sin of Herod and Herodias. Herodias had divorced Herod’s brother to be his wife. You can well bet if John was a pastor today, he would not let anyone like Herod in his church. He would not use the trendy excuse “as long as he attends church that is all that matters.” He would perform church discipline, and if Herod didn’t repent of his wrongdoing, he would treat him as an outcast and he would never be allowed in church again.
I Corinthians chapter 7 never encourages the divorced to remarry or to seek a mate; only the young widows are encouraged to remarry so they are not temped. The only people who have a clear path set before them when it comes to remarriage are those whose spouses have breathed their last; verse 39. And these people can only marry believers…there is no dating whoever comes along.
Jesus stated that the one who marries a divorced woman commits adultery, Matthew 5:32; and He just leaves it at that. Now this verse can be a puzzler as Christ states in the first portion that a person commits adultery if they remarry, unless their spouse was sexually unfaithful.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 26
Now I cannot sit in judgment on those who have remarried following a divorce who were faithful to their spouses and obeyed all the commands for men and women in marriage; but personally, I honestly have never run into this situation. In every situation I have encountered, there has been disobedient sin on both sides. Perhaps that is why the scriptures do not set an open road before us.
As I end this segment, many may feel like they need to throw stones at church windows for all the crimes that occur within. However, we may have missed the boat in assisting church leaders to stay on queue. They need protection from the evil one as they stand on the front lines of the battle zone. Much of this protection must come from an interceding, praying congregation. You and I also need to encourage our pastors to stay in the Word and keep dressed in the armor of God. Walking away from the battle is not scriptural. But standing on the Word is, even if we have to stand alone.
Chapter 3
Exhibit 3:
Discipline Eviction
This is a gigantic problem in the church today as where there is no discipline, wildness reigns and consumes like fire. This is an area that significantly involves pastoral leadership and its ability or lack of to enforce sin-control management.
I will now pull out of my briefcase a photo of an untamed fire that is getting too close to a populated area. When sin is not eliminated, it engulfs a church like destructive flames of a wild fire. To preserve a healthy church, leadership and the congregation must be on guard concerning sin’s acceptance.
The text of Matthew chapter 18 deals with bringing sin before the church when one is unrepentant. Though this is rarely practiced today, it is still commanded. Fellowships that do not fear God and disobey this ordinance of defiance correction do reap the repercussions. One of the consequences of such disobedience is the elimination of spiritual discernment. At least this is the main area that I survey that is most affected. This always leads to chaos and silliness displayed throughout the church. Silly social activities seem to be the false anchor that holds this type of church body together.
There are a few churches that perform discipline, but it is often a sham. That is because pastors believe anyone should be allowed to attend services even if church discipline has been performed without resulting repentance. Pastors and congregations often treat unrepentant sinners like those that did nothing wrong. They just sweep it under the carpet and move on without another word. This would be comparable to the judicial system allowing sentenced criminals to return to society immediately following their trials and court convictions—never sending them to prison. Presently, because of lax laws, many people have to live in fear in certain areas of our nation because few criminal are incarcerated. My cousin, who lives in California, has bars on her windows as the innocent must now be kept behind roded windows and doors for their protection with lawless ones on the loose. Many lawless ones are loose in our churches as well.
27
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 28
Pastors make excuses for not exercising church discipline as if they have changed the mind of God. There are pastors who make themselves a god by replacing the commands of God with their words of compromise; enabling them to become a god unto themselves.
Some discipline pretexts are born out of fear—fear of the press, fear of being sued, fear of people leaving the church, etc. Some pastors will say I cannot perform church discipline on people who attend my church who are not members. However, membership is not Biblical. It was ordained solely by men. Not performing church discipline on a person for this reason would be akin to our government refusing to arrest and try a murderer because he is not a citizen of our nation. Protection of the innocent should be the name of the game. Both in the church and in society, it is necessary to bring correction to make everyone fearful of sinning.
Some good advice was handed to a friend of mine who was told you should never join a church where church discipline is not exercised. I, however, know of an influential Baptist church that claims it performs Biblical church discipline when it actually never has. The pastor simply states everyone always repents so they never have to bring sin before the church. This is a lie as I knew people in this church who never repented.
You need to be assured that the church you attend has performed it. Over a half a century ago, you could possibly find churches where no discipline was needed, but not now. Sin is bursting out the seams in most churches especially in the area of lies.
People who lie should be held accountable as well in the area of discipline. It should not be taken lightly, though from all I have seen and observed in this last decade, most pastors now lie like it is second nature. Revelation 21:8 and 22:15 places to fear in their hearts.
Pastors and believers who speak lies should feel guilty, but such guilt is rarely observed in today’s church. God hates all lies; which is why He church disciplined Ananias and Sapphira through murder; Acts 5:1-11. They were deceptive concerning the sell of their property. God snuffed out their lives to make an immense point in the new church age. I believe He was saying I do not want sin in the doors of My church. Do you get My point?
EXHIBIT 3 Page 29
Since God personally dealt with Ananias and Sapphira, you might ask does this mean, we do not need to deal in repentance? We can just expect God to zap them in one way or another?
Well, the Bible teaches we are to assist in bringing fellow believers to repentance. God certainly does have His hand in it as He makes sure we all reap what we sow. In other words He makes sure we pay the consequences of our actions.
We are also to pray for wayward ones. We are to desire their repentance and James says it is a good thing to turn a brother from the error of his way. If they become teachable, we are to admonish repentance so they can be restored back into church fellowship.
Another passage on this subject can be found in 2 Thessalonians 3:6. This verse admonishes us to keep away from brothers who lead an unruly life, not according to the tradition or teaching of the apostles. Moving down to verse 14, we see this further emphasized as those who don’t respond to this letter to the Thessalonians are not to be associated with so they are “put to shame.” This reveals believers do not accept such behavior. It is analogous to a disobedient child who is sent to their room. This action of discipline exposes change must take place before fellowship is restored. Fellowship is the reward for repentance—fellowship with Christ and fellow believers.
Grace is revealed in verse 15 as we are not to regard the person who is not obeying the letter as an enemy, but he is to be admonished as a brother. One main aspect of disobedience addressed here in Thessalonians is a brother who is unwilling to work, as he is undisciplined.
You may ask how we are not to associate with him, yet we are to admonish him? I believe this teaches we keep requesting him to repent periodically so he can be restored to fellowship. He is not to be in the church engaging in fellowship; but believers can pray for him and request his repentance.
Having church discipline present in your church is like having insurance. If you are wronged, you know you have people who will deal with it. If you sin, you are held accountable.
Last week a friend came over for a time of fellowship and prayer. We discussed church discipline as one of her pastors was dismissed for scriptural disobedience. We also chatted concerning various portions of the Word. We conversed on how one should be treated who has not repented after their sin has been brought before the church. She told me this former pastor is still treated kindly and respectfully or so it seems. In Matthew 28:17 we are taught if a person declines to repent, they are to be treated like a “Gentile or tax collector.” These are two negative terms, not positive. Unfortunately, some will say Christ loved the Gentiles and tax collectors so this means we are to love them as usual and not shun them.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 30
Yes, Christ did love these two groups of people and associated with them to draw them to repentance, but this is not the implication here. We must also note that a tax collector was not one who was respected as he generally stole from the people. He was one who took advantage. He dishonestly pocketed some of the revenue. That is why when Zaccheus repented he promised to give back four times as much, if he defrauded anyone. Zaccheus made this statement because he knew his occupation was not reputable. This action spoke to the people of this man’s inward change through Christ’s altering power. This transformation had produced an honest heart which now held a personal relationship with a holy God.
“Gentile” and “tax collector” are set in inimical tense. It cannot be overlooked or taught falsely. If Christ meant we are to love them as if nothing happened or all was well, then He would have commanded that we love the unrepentant sinner as He loved the disciples. In the New Testament, the word “Gentile” refers to those who are unsaved. The unrepentant sinner is not to be treated like a fellow believer who is walking in fellowship with Christ. Christian leaders are to humbly ask for the repentance of the disobedient one on an occasional basis. A wayward believer needs to turn from their wicked ways so they can once again glorify Christ.
2 Corinthians 7:9-11 speaks of proper church discipline from the proper pastorate heart with proper results. Pastors confronting sinful believers, must seek a true repentance; not a false sorrowful regret as seen in the world of fame and fortune. This is usually a temporary outward show of remorse; revealed when one is caught in the act. What God desires is a “godly sorrow” as verse 11 states “For behold what earnestness this very thing, this godly sorrow, has produced in you; what vindication of yourselves, what indignation, what fear, what longing, what zeal, what avenging of wrong! In everything you demonstrated yourselves to be innocent in the matter.”
A true repentant person will be greatly sorrowful for their sin and a lasting change will result. A church congregation will witness the change from a hardness of heart…to humility and lowliness of heart. The person will be broken just like a properly disciplined child that weeps before their parents following correction.
EXHIBIT 3 Page 31
The people addressed in these verses had upheld sin and rejoiced in it, but now had become sorrowful for their pride, arrogance and lack of hatred for sin.
The way to avenge sin, as we read in these verses, is for pastors to remove it from the church. It is to be hated and despised to the point of extraction. Pastors and congregational members are to hate the vileness of all defiance.
Pastors need to understand the brevity of the scriptures when it comes to not tolerating evil in the church. This is the main theme of this book if you have not recognized this already.
I received a threatening email from a man who recently started his own church fellowship. One of the first items on his agenda is to end my conservative voice. This directly involves my stands opposed to sexual impurity and divorce. What is uncanny is his church is supposedly conservative and Bible-believing.
Because I will not turn and accept what is immoral, he plans to perform church discipline on me even though I have not attended his church and will never attend. It is so strange in this day and age that the evil are uplifted in churches and if anyone exposes them, they are to be church disciplined.
Most anything can go on in our fellowships without questioning or so it seems. Believers feel their pastors are always right on. Therefore insanity grows like mold because of our next exhibit:
Chapter 4
Exhibit 4:
Lost Biblical Discipleship
This is an important aspect of apostasy for if people are not taught the ways of God, the church falters. Withheld knowledge = uneducated believers.
Discipleship has basically been thrown out of church doors so activities can be welcomed in. Evening church, midweek Bible studies, small group Bible studies have virtually ceased in many churches for fun time recreation. Even exercise classes have replaced discipleship implanting.
Yes, I know, you are waiting for me to hold up something to represent absent discipleship. But…I just can’t find anything in my briefcase for application. Now wait…let me see…think fast! Ok, I believe I’ve got it. I will empty out my briefcase and show you emptiness. This is the essence of lost discipleship. Believers feel empty and hopeless in their faith as they are not taught the value of knowing the Word of God that brings all the answers to life’s woes.
Every age group in a church should have godly examples set before them. The believers who disciple others, whether old or young, need to own a reputation of godliness. Unfortunately, most people think anyone should be able to teach. Leaders assume believers get to know their Bible through teaching, but it is to be the other way around. You know your Bible then you disciple. If people are not Bible-knowledgeable, they can teach just about any heresy and I have witnessed it to my heartbreak. That is why pastors need to ground saints strongly in scripture before ever allowing them to instruct. Teachers have a sticker judgment; therefore they need to thoroughly have a grasp on God’s Word; James 3:1.
First Aspect
Of Lost Biblical Discipleship—
The Children:
To converse with you concerning teaching children, which greatly touches my heart, Christ left the perfect example of the importance of loving and caring for children. However, most pastors do not take His example seriously as adults and teens are always on their front burner of concern. Usually those who teach children are never even questioned concerning their knowledge of the Word.
The complaints I hear concerning children and the lack of them being taught scripture continuously increases. I was in a church several years ago and a woman in my husband’s Sunday school class was speaking of leaving the church as her daughter was not being taught the Word which left her with grievous concerns. I told her to speak to the Sunday school administration as I didn’t desire she leave without first voicing her concerns to leadership. Unfortunately, she got nowhere and did leave for greener productive pastures where the yearning heart in children to learn God’s Word was seriously upheld.
What is further saddening and hard to comprehend is children’s Sunday school seems to cater toward the curriculum methods of the public school system with much play time. Churches believe the newest is the best and if the schools are implementing great new teaching methods then the church needs to pick up on it. These methods will use silly looking cartoon characters that mock the seriousness of Christianity; but leaders think it gains the children’s attention. It makes Christianity a joke, but since everyone loves Spiderman, Superman, and Looney Tunes, similar characters must be drawn and implemented into churches.
I have noticed that what accompanies silly caricature teaching is the turning away from solid Bible teaching. Presenting just one verse in a short airy lesson is most common in curriculum; whereby, play time consumes 80% of the class period.
I have found myself shocked when I teach churched children and find they don’t even possess the slightest knowledge of Bible stories including Daniel in the lions den, Elijah and the prophets of Baal, the miracles of Christ, etc. I am just blown away!! When I was a churched child, eons ago, children knew the basic powerful stories of scripture. Learning the Bible was what Sunday school was all about…discipleing children was taken seriously.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 34
Many years ago, when my two sons were young children, they enjoyed inductive Old Testament teaching. They would spout scripture facts like a Bible college student. I am thankful their teacher did not use any wishy-washy children’s curriculum in Sunday school. Every child deserves such gifted teaching of the Word.
I have a friend who relishes teaching children and she was appalled when she was asked to partake in new curriculum that made sure the children did not learn the Bible but just conservative ideas. She was mostly to supervise their playing which children participate in all week long. She changed the curriculum so the children learned the Bible, giving them very little play time.
Some years ago, an irate woman complained about a children’s Sunday school teacher at a Baptist church. She was very disgruntled as this teacher did not support Harry Potter. This teacher had advised the children to stay away from it as it was satanic, even though it allowed them to obtain many extra points in their public schools. The Sunday school superintendent stood 100% with Harry Potter and therefore stood with the yammer. Not long following, this teacher was dismissed.
In the Harry Potter book series, Harry and others are attending a school of witchcraft and sorcery. Satanic sorcery is found throughout the books. The Bible condemns demonism but few Christians care today. In Acts 19:19 new converts burnt their satanic magic books to reveal their conversion to Christianity. When was the last time you heard of believers getting together to burn their Harry Potter books or any publication related to occultist teachings? Today many believers would like to burn any Christian who would think such a thought.
Parents should be cautious and alert to their children’s teachers and what they believe and adhere to. Harry Potter is shocking and what also is appalling is there are teachers who proclaim evolution and lead children’s Sunday school classes. I was in a Baptist church where a SS overseer was greatly disturbed with the fact that people could teach who did not hold to the creation story. Of course, what should we expect when many denominations celebrate Darwin’s birthday…What is going on here?
EXHIBIT 4 Page 35
I am grateful there are churches that are concerned for children and desire the best for them when it comes to discipleship.
I would suggest for those fellowships that may be small or lack true godly teachers, to have one class for all. Children can learn well under a gifted instructor who is teaching adults. I have witnessed it. Children grow miraculously in this setting. There are men who can inductively teach adults, and in synchronization, teach children. They know how to perk up children’s ears while teaching great truths to adults.
Children are our most precious asset; let us care enough to get them discipled in a most equipping way. It needs to be every churches goal to obtain teachers who are solid in the faith and in the Word. Children are the future church leaders—they must not to be overlooked and their intelligence belittled!
Second Aspect of Lost
Biblical Discipleship—
The Teens
Much of the children’s scenario can be associated with the teen and adult groups. If the mindset of the church is to entertain children, it generally runs throughout the whole assembly.
Activities occur with teens as with children, but instead of playing energetic bouncy games, they will attend the latest movies, visit coffee shops; have sleepovers, swim-overs, and scavenger hunts…just simply engaging in fun activities in the name of community association. A couple weeks ago I saw a church marquee directed to teens and it was all about fun.
The other night Alan noticed a Bible-teaching fellowship’s reader board that announced cheerleading competition; Bible learning was not mentioned or anything related to Christianity for that matter.
A Christian lady told me her daughter was part of a youth group that rarely taught scripture, but movies were big—real big. She was aghast to the hilt. The world was the name of the game, not separation and discipleship.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 36
This is such a common complaint with parents as you may know; but most youth pastors go with the flow for numbers sake—what else is new.
Serious Bible studies decrease numbers in youth departments—fun and rock music increases them significantly.
Therefore, we must inquire as to what kind of future church leaders are being brought up in such an environment? I think I know and I will tell you, those who accept everything as cool and trendy. These future church leaders will never scrutinize anything that comes into the church as their movie idols and rock idols would never judge.
Indulging in sin to the fullest is where the action is and it is fine in the church. Why? Hollywood is the standard. Tolerance and whatever else is promoted by the entertaining world is the mindset that is slowly eating away at our churched youth. And few youth pastors care to halt its fleshly driven influences as one mind with one world is the youthism encompassed by teens.
I do hope somewhere there are people who are inductively discipleing teens in the Word and turning them away from the world. I trust somewhere there are godly, separated, holy teens who cling to scripture and are strong in the battle against sin. May they rise up in the future to be transformers and rescue our churches.
Third Aspect of Lost
Biblical Discipleship—
The Adults
I once made a suggestion to name a new church—Equipping the Saints Bible Church, but it did not go over too well and seemed to leave the pastors a bit bewildered. Unfortunately, most churches are not equipping believers. Ephesians 4:11-32 deals with equipping saints for a holy life and witness, which should be applied in all seriousness. Mature believers are to implement their spiritual gifts to teach others to exercise theirs so the body functions powerfully through true Biblical discipleship.
Another aspect of adult discipleship should involve the equipping of believers to stand strong in the spiritual battle. We are in a war against satan and the armor stated in Ephesians chapter 6 is to be put on for our protection and for the furtherment of God’s kingdom. Discipleship into holy living and Christian service is a great defense against our enemy that is why the whole Word of God must be taught seriously (I can’t stress this enough!) not in a halfhearted manner which is the prevalent way.
EXHIBIT 4 Page 37
Discipleship education should be carried out by godly, knowledgeable men who do not have to reply on curriculum; just their own personal data of the Bible. The precept of a living example of Biblical knowledge to induce application is powerfully needed in our churches for acquired godliness and outreach. Elders are to possess a comprehensive understanding of the Word so they can teach and equip without having to be ashamed. They are to be the thriving examples of application.
A woman told me last week of a pastor she sat under in an evening class and he was unable to answer the simplest Bible questions. He just had to keep saying, “I don’t know.” Apparently, the seminary he attended did not stress knowing the Word thoroughly. I am a bit familiar with this Baptist movement where scripture learning is belittled. This pastor’s lack of knowledge, however, represents many pastors who just don’t care to learn their Bibles, but every pastor is to know the Word as it is a main Biblical requirement for preachers set by God; 1 Timothy 3:2, 2 Timothy 2:15 and Titus 1:9.
As I move you to the heartfelt area of lost Biblical adult discipleship, you must be aware that there are many cold and callous teachers in Christendom just as there were in Judaism. We see in the Gospels that sincere believers wanted to be discipled; that is why they flocked to John and then to Christ. It is no different today; but many teachers are unwilling to act out of love and patience within the discipleship realm. Many want to teach their doctrines, infiltrating them into the church through cloning disciples into falseness. These apostate teachers take advantage and distort the scriptures so they have people following them not the true Biblical Christ.
I will tell you of an incident that involved a pastor’s wife who wanted to disciple a young believer into her own likeness not that of Christ. Her ill motives were often revealed through her actions as her plot did not unfold as she desired. Her disciple, who was a round peg, was unable to fit into her hole as a square peg. Her temper would flare as her anger escalated into a great tempest because her acquired disciple was not developing into her modeled example. The anger of this pastor’s wife caused her malfunctioning facsimile to become very distressed, confused and feeling totally unworthy though she was trying very hard to clone herself. But the pastor’s wife always sent confusing and contradictory messages.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 38
What hit a strange note was the departing act, when the pastor’s wife would give her disciple a hug and say “I love you” at the end of each session. It was as if she felt by tagging on this unmeant verbiage, it removed all the unbiblical disdain she had just drowned her confused follower in. It eventually became clear that she never held any love or compassion for her pupil at all. She just wanted someone to adore her and hang onto her every word of bewildering rhetoric.
It must also come to be of no surprise, that she was found to be one who held many beliefs contrary to the Bible that came to revelation as lives were destroyed and torn apart as a result of her attempts at dictatorship. Hateful manipulation can cause despair to arise in hearts as there are those in churches who lead falsely. Everyone does need to be cautious concerning whom they allow to disciple them individually or in a group setting.
Christ at various times instructed us to recognize apostate believers. He taught and warned of bogus believers who would come into the church through the agency of satan to disciple people away from the Savior.
These bogus apostates will befriend true believers to disciple them. They pretend to be true followers of Christ just as Judas portrayed himself, leaving the disciples completely unawares as he ministered beside them. I believe one of the reasons Judas was allowed to be a disciple was to teach us to be very aware of whom we place ourselves under when it comes to being led.
False disciplers should be approached, if at all possible. This includes Sunday school class teachers and small group leaders. If you Biblically confront them and they refuse to repent, you need to request that the pastor perform church discipline. If he refuses, you must turn them over to Christ who judges in righteousness and disciplines. You should warn others as well in order to keep God’s teaching in the hands of those who are faithful to the Word. In addition, you must be careful not to cross over the line to gossip when exposing falseness in the church. Christ never spread slander, He just revealed what was scriptural and what was unscriptural. Christ exposed the religious leaders who appeared to be impressive so people would see the inner motor, driving them to lead the people. He did not do it in secret or in whispering tones or to just certain ones to cause an underground uprising. He did reveal His heart to His disciples, things He did not express to others, but out of genuine concern and as a warning. He did not desire to make-fun of, nor reveal vindictive hatred toward the false religious disciplers; but He did strongly correct error so truth would be obeyed. He did use forceful words such as white washed sepultures or tombs to get His point across concerning false disciplers motives and actions. At times, we must wisely choose strong words to get our point across concerning false teachers who are leading people away into heresy. However, we must make sure there is no vengeful hatred in our hearts just that which hates sin and seeks its extermination. Vengeance is reserved for the Lord alone to perform.
EXHIBIT 4 Page 39
You must always be awake and alert so you look beyond the externals to the heart and motive of pastors, teachers, and anyone who disciples. You must be discerning and questioning. Do they truly aspire to build you and others in the Word and in the faith? Is it all about Christ and not about them? Do they desire to decrease so Christ increases as the uppermost discipler.
You must remember when you place yourself under others that God is never a God of confusion; 1 Corinthians 14:33. If you are forever confused by a person’s teaching, you had better be praying and conferring with the Word.
Adult discipleship can be very comprehensive. The main thing is it must be done right—Biblically. Those who sit under disciplers must be learning the Word and growing in Christ. An educated Bible church is a light to the world. A church that is not engaged in discipleship, just barely pumps a pulse as it is not nourished properly. Believers need the true milk and food of the Word to be vibrant discerning lights for Christ.
Chapter 5
Exhibit 5
Despairing Believers
Now we will move to our fifth exhibit for argument. I will pull out of my briefcase a picture of concerned believers looking very distressed. Again, you will just have to imagine this through your mind’s eye. This photo represents believers who are alarmed and who question the methods that compose contemporary churches and contemporary pastors—not the majority of Christians but a small minority.
If you look at the background area of my photo, it appears that some of the believers are running away. These are those who are leaving trendy churches but are having a difficult time finding the Biblically-traditional. Often times when they do locate such a fellowship, the leaders decide a change toward contemporary-ism believing they are out of step with everyone else. The pastors who desire to stay conservative are conveniently removed or kindly asked to step aside. This leaves many congregational members in deep despair who do not want the new fashionable ways.
These people can hold a pain in their hearts just as many faithful believers of old as we see in scripture. They can sometimes feel they are alone except for a few others who care about the apostate societal conforming church.
The Apostle Paul’s heart was often hurting due to the fact that the churches were compromising. He spoke of his concern for all the churches in 2 Corinthians 11:28-29. In Philippians 3:20-21, he speaks his heart’s distress about everyone being simply concerned for their own
interests. His desire was for all to be holding the interests of Jesus Christ, which would produce a kindred spirit for the true cause. At this time, he was in prison. During his incarceration he felt totally alone at times as he mentions how all had abandoned him in 2 Timothy 4:10-18. This did not stop him from wanting to proclaim the Gospel to the Gentiles. Despite total abandonment, his heart throb was to see people redeemed.
David felt very alone as we read in the Psalms and 1 Samuel. There seemed to be few outside of himself who truly loved the LORD alone. He was a man running for his life, as he would not turn from the vocation God had called him. He was not afraid to stand alone for the LORD though he certainly had to bear his heart to Him and rely on Him to remain steadfast.
40
EXHIBIT 5 Page 41
Elijah in 1 Kings felt he was fighting alone for the LORD and was all discouraged; but the LORD informed him that He had 7,000 left in Israel that had not gone the way of contemporary religious society—they had not bowed the knee to the false god Baal who everyone was following as to be styling; 1 Kings 19:18.
If you are a despairing believer like me, do not turn aside and join the gang. If you believe you are alone in your stances, keep on keeping on…Stay steadfast in the hope of our eternal reward. It will be worth all the pain and sadness of feeling alone in the battle for the inerrant Word of God.
Chapter 6
Exhibit 6:
Liberals and their Babylonian-Like Churches
We leave the “Despairing Believers” to explore another view…that of “Liberals and their Babylonian-Like Churches.” You will find far more material in this category as opposed to the despairing believers who simply want a Bible following church.
Are you now ready for the unveiling of this sixth exhibit? Well, here it goes. Here stands a photo of liberal church participants. Yes…once again you just have to guess their appearance. Please keep in mind as you view this exhibit that sin is rampant in most fellowships and conservatism is a joke to many so you may not see much Spirit-filled joy on their faces. Such joy only arises from living in the Spirit.
Now, I must inject here, that churched liberals can reveal significant joy, but it is a societal happiness that is embodied from loving the world that entertains the flesh that ignites a great high.
If you could research their hearts, you would recognize they have little desire to conform to scripture, as that is not what feeds their hungry flesh. The hottest movies or concerts are their cup of tea of discussion in their adult Sunday school class. You may often hear it asked, did you see this or that movie? Many people today seem to come to Sunday school to discuss entertainment not what God is doing and what His Word is proclaiming, at least from what I have personally witnessed. It is also a continuing complaint I hear from those who desire to be fed Scripture.
Today many church attendees expect to be entertained because the key words to describe the average church is fun pastimes. Their desired entrée on the plate of church agendas is fun-fun-fun. If a pastor simply desires inductive teaching, prayer meetings, evangelism, and discipleship classes, he is considered passé. The desired forte is planned pleasure. A “Video Night” brings in far more people than prayer meetings. Moreover, the videos are rarely required to be chaste and edifying. Numbers is the name of the game and the more—the better. The more compromise—the better. Have you noticed that? It was a sad day when vile videos such as The Titanic entered church activities. This flick from ’97 is totally depraved. It contains words that curse our loving Lord. And it is only natural that the swearing is accompanied by fornication and nudity. This movie was not filmed by God-fearing saints; it was produced by the vile of the vilest. Hollywood is not known to promote and uplift Christ and His accompanying holy and chaste attributes.
42
EXHIBIT 6 Page 43
I am even shocked by some videos produced by Christians in this day and age. I know these releases make our holy Lord weep when not every woman is covered in modesty and when they do not hold to pure, separated, edifying chaste language.
Many movies since Titanic, also holding fornication agendas, even far worse…are being accepted by believers as being good entertainment. Christians even justify actors who are homosexual; they only notice their Oscar winning merits and charismatic appeal.
The Hollywood-loving media of the jet-set tells believers what they want to hear and the Bible does not. Chastity is a foreign word to most Christians. Virginity till marriage and being faithful to one till death is like an outer space exploration of impossibility. The media’s influence has resulted in many believers having no problem being a bit promiscuous as long they know the person well and have marriage in mind somewhere in the future. A churched lady recently stated something to the effect that she won’t have sex with her boyfriend till his divorce is final as she has Christian morals.
Revelation speaks of the new coming unsurpassable, nonpareil Babylon that is full of immorality (not innocent modest purity and chaste behavior and dress). This culture will be styling like America in that it will be the thriving industrial and commercial port of the world. Anything of men’s desire will be purchased here—all state-of-the-art commercial delights such as fun recreational sporting toys, designer sexy clothing, décor items, food, ticketed entertainment, etc. It will proffer every delight in prosperity materialism and it will be the religious ecumenical center of the world. It will be a society that glorifies itself as queen of the world; Revelation 18:7.
America is envied as the queen of the world today. Its Hollywood/rock culture and accompanying styles are worshipped and imitated throughout the globe.
All the nations will drink of the passion of the renovated Babylon of old, resurrected and arrayed in 7th Avenue make-up of en route society. Nations drink today of the wine of styling, sensual and alluring America.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 44
Like America, New Babylon will sit as the prominent cutting-edge civilization as unveiled in Revelation chapters 13, 14, 17-18.
However, it will be completely beyond the imagination and sweeping far beyond America’s proficiencies and refinement. In the book of Daniel, Babylon was described as the head of gold—unsurpassed by former kingdoms and coming kingdoms. God dubs this new and upcoming civilization Babylon as it will be a contemporary clone of old Babylon in religion and in culture. New Babylon will even have a man-sculptured statue that will be worshipped by the whole world. Sound familiar to King Nebuchadnezzar’s Babylonian monstrous idol which is described in Daniel? This new idol will surpass King Nebuchadnezzar’s as it will eventually miraculously speak. This will lead the world into further adoration of this man-like idol; Revelation chapter 13.
New Babylon will hold to a fun in the sun type mentality so much like the fun in the sun jesus mentality of believers today—the jesus of America—the Babylon of today’s world.
This new jesus that complies with the New Babylonian styling outlook we see arriving in eschatological times, is not just a god of fun but is also a Hollywood rock and rolling jesus. The false cross of rock fun is being propagated in most Churches. The changeless Rock of Ages, who had to suffer and die for a rock and rolling mentality, has been remodeled to be in vogue with New Babylon.
However, it is the holy removed Savior that enables us to die to the flesh that is only fun-seeking. It is He who empowers us to resist satan who adds glitter to all evil; never unveiling the complete ugly consequences of self- indulgence of a self-fulfilling society.
There are many false christs who are followed in this rock and rolling age of fun-seekers. Multitudes in evangelical circles are being brought to a Hollywood jesus not the separated, sacrificial, and humble Jesus Christ of the whole Bible.
The Babylonian contemporary church is the church of satan and believers should be doing all to transform it back into its original Biblical mandate of historically correct callings and away from a rock and rolling mentality. We don’t need to be Babylonians to reach Babylonians for Christ. It is a lie straight from hell that teaches we must be like the world to reach the world. It is an antichrist lie that will continue to be present in the time of New Babylon and that is why God calls His children to come out from amongst the Babylonian mind maneuvers; Revelation 18:4.
EXHIBIT 6 Page 45
James 4:8-9 tells us to turn from worldliness, which presents entertaining joy and laughter. We, of the true church, are to repent of our entanglement with society so our joy turns to mourning and gloom.
Turning from worldly joy draws us to the true separated Jesus who warned that we will be persecuted as He was persecuted. Standing on Him and His holy righteous ways of godly living is our injunction even though this true Christ is not in vogue and His demands are scary.
God revealed the coming activates of Revelation 18:4-5 to warn us of Babylonian perceptions that can capture us today. It is a command to us not to partake of any styling, rock and rolling entertaining society and their ecumenical religious views of tolerance. God commands separation from society throughout His holy Word. Light has nothing to do with darkness and the love of the Father cannot be in those who love culture and society; James 4:4. We are to be strangers and aliens on this earth. Our eyes are to be on Christ our Savior alone who bore our sins in His body; lest we forget and are blinded to the alluring captivating ways that entangle us and separate us from His holy ways of living. We have nothing in common with this world that is passing away.
Knowing our Bibles as we should is a discerning shield, preventing mind penetrating cultural allurements…we recognize right away all their neon signs of deception. Unfortunately, Believers want to imitate culture so they appear to be in fashion using the latest styling vocabulary and knowing all the entertainers and their latest releases. This mentality is present in most every assembly, which has everyone pre-tuned to the new coming Babylonian precedence. Christ said the apostasy must come prior to end time happenings; 2 Thessalonians 2:3.
Satan desires to be exalted above God and all mankind. He places his Hollywood rock mentality into man so man too wants to be on center stage of adoration and envy.
Christ was meek and lowly of heart and teaches us to follow the opposite of satan’s role model. We are never to desire self-adoration, praise, or stage worship; but to present every humble aim at Christ’s feet.
God will eventually destroy the new Babylon—the self-feeding state-of-the-art lustful community that rules the world. Her unsurpassed fortunes and productions will cause kings, merchants and everyone to lament over her death when God brings her destruction as He did the first Babylon; Revelation 18:9-19.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 46
The Babylonian agendas are still alive and well today, however, as sensuality is not even considered shock-able material in the church any longer. I find this truth hitting home more and more as apostasy happenings grow stronger and stronger in the church.
Not long ago, a discerning, godly lady, who doesn’t enjoy today’s shocking church agendas, told me in great disgust of a couple who are living together and it is fully accepted by a pastor she knows. They were introduced to her by him with great enthusiasm. Their fornicating, live-in situation was spoken of as being the best way to go by the pastor as a signed piece of paper means nothing. All three, the pastor and the couple, were not ashamed in any way. My friend spoke out in complete shock of it being an act of sin. The pastor responded in an abusive tone, asking for chapter and verse. She just could not believe her ears as this pastor knew full well the chapters and verses!
I knew a man who was very faithful to his Baptist church, but confided on the side that he had no problem engaging in sexual play as a divorced man. He received cancer not long after making this shocking statement and death overtook him quickly.
No one would ever dare to imply that he received God’s judgment as that is not in modish in today’s Babylonian churches. No one thinks about the instruction of Christ stated to the lame man in John 5:14 whom He healed—“Do not sin anymore, so that nothing worse happens to you.” Pastors also do not homilize on 1 Corinthians 11:28-32 which warns believers of the suffering and death that will ensue if they take communion unworthily. They would never tell a congregation that this may be the case with some of them who are in pain. Too many tithing members would walk out the door. Of course, not all who suffer are in sin, as Paul was not, but held a medical complication to keep him meek.
This leads us to what has become popular in church and it is not stepping on people’s toes. What is popular is taught and all pastors and leaders seem to be well versed in the no-noes. Pastors and teachers will use illustrations from the latest sport releases and Hollywood flicks to engage their audience. A few jokes are always a must during sermon messages in this day and age so laughter fills the place. Everyone must know the church is engaging in fun! No preacher wants to be viewed as drab or humdrum and they were hired to make liberal attendees feel right at home. One world renowned pastor plays movie clips to keep his audience alert and pacified. Few Bibles are seen in his church.
EXHIBIT 6 Page 47
Today it is worldly referrals that revive congregations to life not the convicting powerful moving of the Holy Spirit as in days gone by. Providing a “save environment” for all who enter a church door is now number one on the hit parade of church attendee goals. Who wants to feel convicted?!!
This all seems grim and it is. It is heartbreaking to see how the church has fallen in recent decades to Babylonian degrees. What is further saddening is liberal thinking believers can be placed in respected positions within the church community. And I know this all too well…When I was attending a Bible college in Portland Oregon, I met a man and fell in love. We eventually became engaged and began to plan the wedding. I set up an appointment for a premarital exam with a respected physician who occasionally spoke at our Bible College, believing him to be godly. He was the most respected Christian doctor in the Portland area and viewed as a prominent Christian leader. Upon being seated in an examining room, he probed me with questions. He inquired about my virginity, which caused his demeanor to abruptly change. He was shocked and angered to discover I was a virgin. He inquired, “Haven’t you even tried sex” and I said “No.” This made him even madder and very appalled with my purity. I left his office in complete shock and bewilderment as he acted as if he had never seen a legitimate virgin before even though he dealt mainly with believers and many Bible college students.
I thought, if this man is a believer, why is he not thankful for my Biblical behavior? Why would my virginity incite him to be so angry and hostile? Previously, I had a secular doctor become strangely angry due to my virginity, but never a Christian. I never expected it.
I still lack the answers over all these years but it is obvious that the liberal world fed his true forte of hidden thoughts. I never viewed this doctor in the same respectful light again. How could a physician who is uplifted as a Christian leader hate virgins?
Everyone must beware, as there are many like this physician who had something malfunctioning within his heart. You can find similar reckless mindsets throughout the Christian community and holding leadership roles.
Oh…by the way…the man I met at Bible college and married is my precious Alan—just for those who want to know. We have been married for over 27 years and boy am I glad I went to this college. Ladies, you can find the godliest men at a Bible school; but you also can find the most depraved—so be careful.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 48
The apostasy is grave and not absent from any arena in Christianity or so it seems. Just read about the personal lives of many on-stage entertaining believers in Christian publications. You can be made sick in a very short amount of time. Nevertheless, don’t throw in the towel. Pray for the Lord to bring uncompromising people into your life who will continually excite your vigor for Christ. If you are in a lukewarm church, intercede for the Lord to lead you to a fellowship that is faithful to the Word in all ways and has no aspirations to man-please.
Remember in humility that all of us can be to blame in one way or another in not always speaking out against sin as we should. All of us are capable of taking part in this apostasy of liberalness. Doing what is right in our own eyes seems wise according to society, but it always leads to the destruction of the soul. We must keep warnings before our eyes as we are called to continually examine ourselves. May you and I do this in all seriousness and bathe daily in prayer to maintain alert steadfastness.
Chapter 7
Exhibit 7:
The Legalistic Church
The unveiling of exhibit 7 encompasses a scenario of the legalistic church. How should I place a memory in your mind of such a church? Well, let me see. Now what do you know…I just happen to have a small replica of a church in my briefcase and a little chain. I will place the church on the desk and wrap the chain about it.
There are chained churches in the sense that people are held within by a jail-like bondage. In these churches, pastors teach the Bible according to their mindset just to promote their agendas to establish their church. They can turn, twist and remold the Word to bring members into their control and bondage. Brainwashing so legalism is imbedded into believers’ brains enables pastors to maintain their doctrinal control. It keeps believers on bended knees before them not Christ. Attendees live in fear as they might unknowingly offend one in authority someday as they have witnessed such occurrences. Such an offence could place them in the doghouse where they are distrusted and hated to eternity.
To maintain harsh doctrinal controls, legalistic pastors will say people who study and are educated in the Word are trouble makers and gossips. Pastors will even incite their loyal followers to look down on those who intensely study, as they are a threat and may stimulate an attitude of grace.
Such preachers do not teach comprehensively. They simply mold sermons by placing scriptures here and there to establish their own principles which are never to be questioned. Because they leave congregations ignorant of most scripture, these congregational members believe all that descends from the pulpit; even though they are being placed under laws that are not scriptural by any means.
Preachers do not want their false legalistic instruction exposed through personal scrutiny by members of the congregation. They will state it is not good for people to deeply study the Bible. I have heard a legalist pastor state “We can’t be turning over every stone in the Bible!”
49
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 50
If one does engage in personal comprehensive Bible learning and a pastor catches on, they can be in troubled waters whereby they might become too fearful to study beyond church dictates. A pastor can catch on to such a one as they usually start proclaiming the Word in its purity and they are excited about it. I know…I have been there. When the Word comes to life in you, it flows from your innermost being.
Alan and I were members of a legalistic church, but one day the light switched on. Suddenly, I began to be excited about the Word. I brought scriptures to women in enthusiasm as I knew it was all true and alive.
Being so entrenched in this church, it took the Spirit’s enlightening power to open our eyes so Alan and I could see beyond leadership’s strangling hold. I am so thankful we serve a gracious God who can remove our blindness when we don’t even know we are blind. Needless to say, things did not set well with the overseers who belittled the Bible. Alan and I left the church after realizing that we could not depart from the truths of scripture to follow men’s words.
There are many overseers today who are involved in rewriting and remolding the Word. They make their churches similar to jails; telling the people their church is the only true church in the city or possibly in the state. Most every Sunday they will remind the people that their denomination is the best and the only true one. They will name other churches in the area and state something to this effect about them—you should never go there or you will be in sin because they do not stand with what our church teaches or our scriptural interpretation.
The Sadducees and Pharisees added to scripture, which put many burdens on the people, which they could not bear. They were unbiblical demands that were not of the law but solely of man. You will notice in the Gospels how Christ attacks the religious leaders for making people hold to their traditions, the traditions of men. Just because a pastor states something does not mean people have to adhere to it; only if it is verified in scripture. There are people who believe they must jump if their pastors say jump or they are in sin. They believe if they expose any false doctrine, they will be headed for hell’s damnation. However, the Bible makes it clear throughout that it is our duty to test everything taught. We are to resemble the Bereans who diligently searched the scriptures for verification of all that Paul and Silas presented concerning the Christ; Acts 17:10-11.
There was a lack of scriptural humble teachers in Christ’s day. He revealed that the scribes and Pharisees had seated themselves in the “chair of Moses” or taken authority they should have never assumed. They taught the Old Testament but did not live by it nor did they desire to. They told others to, but they did not. When it came to obeying the religious leaders, Christ commanded the people to do and observe as they teach Moses, but do not do according to their deeds; for they say things and do not do them. They tie up heavy burdens and lay them on men’s shoulders, but they themselves are unwilling to move them with so much as a finger; Matthew 23:2-4.
EXHIBIT 7 Page 51
Though the Jewish religious teachers lacked every bit of compassion, Christ did not let the Jews off the hook completely in the area of obedience. They were still responsible to obey the Word even though they had proud, pompous, sinful religious leaders. Even though Christ knew these pious persuaders would eventually murder Him as they were murderers from the beginning; He still desired the people submit to them as they taught the Law of Moses and the rest of OT scripture. The Bible untainted is the authority no matter who teaches it.
In conclusion to this legalistic presentation, you truly need to be on guard for those who preach and teach for self-elevation and manipulative control as the religious teachers did in Christ’s day. Being in the Word and learning it thoroughly is the protective vanguard that can prevent you from moving to a fellowship filled with spiteful dogmatism, where no loving grace dwells.
Chapter 8
Exhibit 8:
Sin’s Presence/ I Must Fight the Darkness
Yes, you are right; it is hard to show an illustration that covers the whole aspect of sin so you will just have to imagine that I am holding before you a painted representation of a black heart. That is the color of our lives when we allow sin in. Christ is the one who washes our hearts clean through His blood; resulting in a clean white metamorphosis.
I want you to open your Bible so you can examine a couple passages of scripture, 2 Peter chapter 2 and 1 Corinthians chapter 5 concerning warnings to the church so your heart is kept white and never blackens.
In 2 Peter chapter 2, we are warned that people will try to bring sensuality into the church, but these people are not to be part of the church. They must be excluded from the body. They are ones who have eyes full of adultery as they follow sensuality as we read in verses 2-14. These people come into the church spouting false words, not true Biblical doctrine, because they indulge the flesh, holding to corrupt desires. They hold no fear of God and His judgment. They are like animals that need to be captured and killed because they glory in deception and have a goal to deceive the church into accepting liberal sensual agendas. The warning here is emphasized throughout scripture so we stay close to those who are faithful to the Word alone. Now tell me, when was the last time you heard a sermon on this topic so you could be advised?
1 Corinthians chapter 5 makes it clear that sin should break our hearts and the accepted sensual agendas that allow it into the church. When we hear of immoral activities such as fornication, indecency, immodesty, adultery, lewdness, etc, we should mourn over the horror of it all and not say well times change and we need to change too. It should break our hearts as it breaks God’s heart. Paul commanded congregations to mourn over sin and remove it from their midst, not turn their heads as we read in verses 1-3. A key truth is located in verse 6 that should rest on the forefront of our minds so we are constantly aware that overlooked sin in the church grows like leavened bread. This revealing exhortation of solid truths does not stop as verse 9 instructs us not to associate with believers who are immoral, covetous, swindlers, drunkards, etc. This is an impacting warning passage full of good advice for keeping the darkness at bay. From all I have stated, you should be able to see how 2 Peter chapter 2 and 1 Corinthians chapter 5 tie together in their exhortations.
52
EXHIBIT 8 Page 53
In today’s church these passages are not taught as needing to be applied to church life. Pastors and teachers don’t instruct us to hold all evil at bay as “tolerance” is in and it is even in within the church. We cannot bypass the fact that tolerance is being welcomed into Christianity with a hardy handshake. There are few who take a Biblical intolerance attitude.
Though we see tolerance holds an elevated place in many churches, we cannot join in and attach ourselves to this “in” terminology and become those who view sin in passiveness as the Corinthian church did for a season.
An incident was relayed to me of an occurrence in our area of a man who was faithful to Christ and His Word. Some people in the church did not like this man who was so strong when it came to teaching the Word and who refused to adhere to a tolerance mentality. He was booted out of his church underhandedly. Some people were in shock in their leadership’s performance of being intolerant of a man who wanted the Word proclaimed. However, they possessed no power to override the decision.
I love my church and my pastors, but as I pen this book, at this very minute, I am hurting as I am in a state of church correction. I am very conservative but I never thought it would lead to discipline.
Our church has beautiful orchestra music. It also teaches the Bible solidly and I love Sunday school and church. I was told when we first came to the church that it held to conservative stands when it came to music. I mistakenly felt this would be the type of music I would always hear.
However, this Sunday following church, I received a rude awakening. I was to be a teacher for Vacation Bible School and was going through this week’s agenda with the staff. I was very surprised to find there was an electric guitarist leading the music as we rehearsed the vocal program. Not only was I surprised by the electric guitarist, but the music was blasphemous as we sang to Christ as if He were a mere detective who wanted us locating clues. I could not sing the words to the music as it so belittled Christ—our holy righteous omnipotent LORD. I was very hurt with much of what I witnessed when the whole program came to life.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 54
Because I cannot worship God to the world’s rock beat and silly words, I phoned the VBS leader explaining I would attend the beginning exercises after the music portion ended. She seemed to understand a bit, but later on, one of the pastors phoned and let me know he did not want me teaching and being a part of VBS if I could not stand behind the electric guitar. I had to stand with everything completely.
Later the VBS leader, to my surprise, also let me know in a rude way that she too was opposed to my conservative voice.
Everything today is so odd to me because fifty years ago most pastors would not have even thought of bringing a guitar into the church let alone an electric one. Church music consisted of choirs accompanied by piano and organ. The congregations basically sang hymns. I am old and I remember!
When I was speaking to our beloved pastor, I mentioned how I would sit in the car at a former church and sing hymns and come in during the preaching time as I just cannot sing to the Lord with a rock band. It breaks my heart. He informed me I was wrong and stated if I can’t completely go along with all that is part of a church, then I cannot attend. Everyone has to agree on everything that takes place in a church according to him. This is something that deeply saddened me and I have cried, but at the same time, I am grateful that my Lord holds all my tears in His bottle, Psalm 56:8.
It is hard to bear these words of reproach by my pastor as most churches today do not have choirs and organs but rock drums, electric guitars, etc. This leaves me without a church. I also can never go along with the contemporary mindset of the majority of churches. This also would leave me without a fellowship because I follow the Bible and its teachings on coming out and being separate from culture. I cannot stand with the contemporary methodologies, terminologies, psychology, liberal curriculum, etc that has now overtaken fellowships. I cannot stand with the liberal theologians that many pastors adore now. I cannot be part of anything that takes away from the fullness of the measure of Christ; anything that belittles or humanizes Him. I can’t be part of that which in any way does not attend to scripture 100%.
I wrote a letter to our pastors yesterday and here is a portion. In it I informed them where I stood so they know whether to have me participate in anything or not in the future.
EXHIBIT 8 Page 55
“… I will also never applaud anything of any worldly mindset that is not 100% Biblical and separated from this world and its methods and activities.
I am so thankful that God brought The Life and Dairy of David Brainerd into my life who, as a missionary to Indians, hated this world and all that was of it and only desired to walk in meekness and humility. It is absolutely the best book I believe available on the example of what the Christian walk should resemble on this vile earth. He was one who sincerely hated his life and was willing to die for His Savior in an instant. I quote page 85 from this book ‘…God was so precious to my soul that the world with all its enjoyments was infinitely vile. I had no more value for the favor of men than for pebbles.’ Page 91 …’my desires seem especially to be carried out after the weanedness from the world, perfect deadness to it, and to be even crucified to all its allurements. My soul longs to feel itself more of a pilgrim and stranger here below; that nothing may divert me from pressing through the lonely desert, till I arrive at my Father’s house.’ Page 120…’was again distressed as soon as I walked hearing much talk about the world and the things of it…Oh, I thought what hell it would be to live with such men to eternity.’ ”
I know many pastors would stand with my pastor in his litigation as they would think I deserve it because I stand on the Word and not what is trendy and lax—that which overlooks the sinful ways of the world. Pastors and others have informed me they do not desire I stand opposed to those things that are present in churches that are unbiblical. They do not desire I stand in opposition to those things that slap Christ in the face and all He died for. He died for all sins and when we stand for anything of a secular nature, we slap Him in the face as He commands us to come out from amongst them and be separate. The love of the Father is not in those who love society’s culture and its productions; cultural friendliness is banned in the scriptures. Those who stand with it are enemies of God; James 4:4.
What do I do now in light of this discipline for refusing to conform to the world’s outlook? I just keep writing and trusting God, praying this book will be published in His timing. I know Christ will heal me from this pain as He has consistently mended my soul. He has a reason for everything and we know from James chapter 1, that we learn endurance from all our hardships.
This has not been the first time I have been stifled by a pastor. I would like to state some of the silly things pastors have told me to keep me under their thumb of obedience to prevent me from exposing false doctrines and evil desires.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 56
“You will cause a church split if you let anyone know you believe in predestination.” Yes, it is silly, but it was an attempt to keep me from revealing those precious scriptures in the Bible that teach predestination. This occurred many years ago in a legalistic Baptist church when I was part of a ladies Bible study group. Of course, I believe all who call upon the Lord can be saved, but predestination is also taught throughout the New Testament. This is one of those mysteries no man can entirely explain. This church taught their doctrines were superior to scripture. I was also told I could not teach scriptures that did not comply with the church’s creeds.
I was commanded not to send emails exposing the false teaching of The New Perspective on Paul by a pastor of a Bible church. This false doctrine humanizes Christ and belittles the authority of the New Testament. It teaches Jesus and Paul sought their own egocentric agendas. These New Perspective concepts take no strong stands against homosexuality, promiscuous sex, etc. The doctrines please anyone who just desires a taste of religion as it is referred as the theology “for everyone.” It encompasses doctrines that please every palate. The pastors of this church wanted to control me so I wouldn’t disclose the lies of these teachings. I, of course, am to be in subjection to my husband and leaders of my church; however, when men who call themselves pastors become heretics, it is not inappropriate to expose their doctrines through Biblical precision. These pastors were consistently requested to repent by men in the church who interceded in the distressing situation of lies and deception. Alan also did what he could in relationship to this plight that suddenly took our church by storm.
I was told by a pastor that a teenage girl would be destroyed if she was informed she was dressing very immodestly. I have, no doubts whatsoever that she has made many men stumble. This gal wore very revealing attire and looked like a hooker and others were not afraid to say so behind her back. She spoke before a missionary banquet in the shortest of skirts and in a tight knit top. She also had not problem dressing in very low tops, revealing pants, etc. How can a Christian lady not know when she is dressing differently from modest society especially if she has been raised in a conservative Christian missionary home?
EXHIBIT 8 Page 57
My husband and I were told by a Baptist pastor that we could never tell what was accruing in a sister church where my husband had been a youth/assistant pastor (In this fellowship everyone was departing due to the head pastor’s very known dishonesty). This Baptist pastor stated it was a sin to tell the truth about a wayward pastor. Basically he stated it was impossible for a pastor to do wrong within this Baptist denomination.
All these reproaches have brought great pain, but Christ always brings His steadfast love, which renews by the grace of His Holy Spirit. What further blesses my heart in all this is Christ’s words where He stated all things hidden will be made known; Matthew 10:26.
In today’s apostate church, I just have to expect to be hated by many for standing on God’s Word alone…for if I call any disobedience to God and his Word a vile wicked sin, believers look at me like I came from Mars. This is because no one wants to label sin as God does. Making light of it makes it easier to swallow and accept.
I must admit here that I am not perfect and Alan and I would be swift to tell you we have done things that appall us today as they went along with the flow of church leadership and bad example not checking every way with scripture. There have been times when we should have listened better to the aged who warned of the influence of changing Christianity. This is what I must remember so I walk in grace with fellow believers and pray continually for discernment for the church, which is composed of redeemed fallen men who are simply made of dust. Moreover, God is mindful of this; Psalm 103:14.
In Acts 13:10 Paul addressed a magician as one full of deceit, a fraud, a son of the devil and the enemy of all righteousness. These are perfect terminologies for the unsaved and those in chosen sin. Paul was not afraid to lay it on the line with the unsaved or those in desired disobedience.
The text of 2 Corinthians chapter 6 speaks to us in admonishment so we do not engage in the deeds that represent the ways of darkness. It speaks of us being separated from evil as we are to shun all lawlessness. We are only to surround ourselves with that which is righteous. This is because we have nothing in common with unbelievers as is stated in this ever-neglected passage. There is no calling for us to be imitators of darkness so we can win the lost. Sin is black darkness and we must set no room for tolerance. As believers, we must make sure the white light of Christ is ever visible even in these days of hovering sinister clouds that anchor themselves over churches.
A Point of Evaluation:
You may be forming opinions in your mind at this point after analyzing, pondering and wondering if your church or others are apostate from my preface arguments. You may be thinking that I just contributed more to the confusion and you are not willing to make a firm verdict.
As I present my closing argument, the Jude commentary, may you accumulate solid answers. May its scriptural truths evoke revival transformation in the heart of every person that reads and studies it. The church in general needs revival to bring it back to the place of respecting God’s decrees. The agenda of getting it to fit into today’s society so it sits unnoticed must be eliminated.
All we observe today was predicted by Christ in the Gospels and enhanced upon by the other New Testament books, including Jude, to convey to you discernment and warning.
If many questions marks still loom in your mind after reading through the entire book, I would advise you to keep delving into the scriptures and praying for God’s discernment and enlightenment. He is the one who holds all the answers to every troubling way and day.
Before you actually probe Jude, I would like to write a bit about salvation—being saved unto Christ and delivered from the lake of fire. John 3:16 is a promise of salvation to those who ask Christ to be their Savior. He came and died for lost sinners like you and like I on a cross of suffering and shame. You can ask the Savior to save you and give you a new life so you are no longer under the bondage of sin.
You can be saved today if you have not already made the decision to follow Christ. You can simply say, Heavenly Father I thank you for sending your son Christ Jesus to die for me and I now ask that He cleanse me of my sin by His precious shed blood. Please take control of all my life. Thank you that Jesus died for me out of His great love for me. In Jesus’ name; amen.
If you pray this sincerely, you can know you are going to heaven when you die. You do not have to pray this exact prayer as you can pray from your heart in your own words by acknowledging who Christ is and what He did for you. 1 John 5:11-13 assures us that we have eternal life if we have the Son. The person who does not have Christ controlling their lives owns no assurance that they are going to heaven when they die. Those who do not have Christ will be thrown into the lake of fire as their names are not written in the Lamb’s book of life; Revelation 20:10-15.
Part 2
The Book of Jude Commentary
Historical Prelude
Jude, who penned this book for our Lord, was the half-brother of Christ. James, who authored the book of James, held eldership over the large church at Jerusalem and was a brother to Jude. These siblings were the sons of Mary and Joseph. Remember Joseph kept Mary a virgin until the supernatural birth of Christ. God blessed Mary and Joseph with other children following Christ’s birth. If you turn to Matthew 13:55-56, you will note that Christ’s half-siblings are mentioned. Christ lived with four half-brothers and an unknown amount of half-sisters.
Though God performed many miracles in the nativity account that surrounded Jesus’ earthly family, we also recognize that Christ loves all and He stated those who do His will are the true members of His family; Matthew 12:49-50. Due to this truth, I believe neither James nor Jude identified themselves as being brothers to Christ. I also perceive it is owned to the fact that Christ now reigns in all glory, majesty and splendor apart from His earthly inherited tent; 2 Corinthians 5:16.
Growing up with the perfect Christ was a noble privilege though James, Jude and the rest of Christ’s family did not fully recognize this till they obtained saving faith. Christ spent the majority of His life with his family, thirty years; while approximately three years were dedicated to His ministry. Christ, out of His own grace and love, was placed with within this God-fearing family via His faultless timing.
Mary, His mother, was all-exceptional; one with a pure and obedient heart.
60
HISTORICAL PRELUDE Page 61
She illuminated humility and grace. She was feminine, holding a quiet and gentle spirit which is precious in the sight of God. She was no women’s libber!! No doubt, her desires encompassed soon being married, being a homemaker, loving her husband and children, if God so blessed her; Titus 2:4-5.
If you turn to Luke 1:30, you will read how Mary “found favor with God.” This exclusive message was delivered by God through the angel Gabriel.
She, no doubt, knew of Gabriel through scripture, being one who comprehended the Old Testament and its teachings of the predicted Messiah. It was the angel Gabriel who revealed the promised Messiah in Daniel 9:21f.
Mary was told of something miraculous that had never occurred and will never occur again. She, a pure virgin, who walked in chaste behavior was going to bear a Son by the power of the Most High. He would be a “holy Child” and “called the Son of God;” Luke 1:35. What an astonishing thing to contemplate on!
God knew this was a hard pill to swallow for this unmarried woman; therefore, He lovingly brought comfort through Gabriel by informing Mary of her relative, Elizabeth; verse 36. She knew her relative was old and past childbearing age; yet, she too was to miraculously give birth. Mary was not alone in this time of miraculous works. Gabriel reminds Mary that “nothing is impossible with God,” verse 37, concerning Elizabeth’s astonishing conception. Mary is totally assured of God’s power to perform mighty works of allowing a woman to bear past her time. She recognizes that such a tremendous miracle did not cease with Sarah, Abraham’s wife, as disclosed in the book of Genesis. A similar statement of assurance was presented to Abraham and Sarah in Genesis 18:14, where God asked, “Is anything two difficult for the LORD?” The God of yesteryears is the God of today. We must not walk in smallness of faith. This is the message presented to Mary, the mother of God and the mother of Jude. Faith is the glorious victory in overcoming all doubt.
God ministered to Mary with just the right prescription. He knows how to heal any scriptural doubting we may hold. He can move beyond what we ask or think.
God opened the way of comfort for Mary through Elizabeth so she would not feel alone in this unusual situation that could prove to be most embarrassing. God is all-able to bring people into our lives that can assist us through the deep roaring seas of tribulation where we need faith and endurance to face today and tomorrow. But we also know as believers that no person can minister to us like the Lord as 1 Peter 5:7 discloses. He oversees every one of His children as a guiding Father who is omnipotently superior to any earthly father…that is why we cast all our cares upon Him.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 62
There may be times when God will separate us from others so we can learn total dependence upon Him. I have been here and I know how important this lonely painful lesson is. No matter what our circumstances, we can always personally feel His presence as we seek Him through prayer and the scriptures that hold all the answers.
Verse 38 is most remarkable, as it reveals Mary’s total heart of submission…so unlike Elizabeth’s husband. Though Zacharias was godly, he lacked the submission and faith that were found in Mary. Mary says “May it be done according to your word.” This is what we all should say when it comes to applying God’s Word! We are to be those who love all the inerrant scripture—longing to apply it without question. What lessons can be learned from this one statement made by Mary.
Mary most likely held great excitement in her heart knowing she was the fulfillment of prophecy. She was the virgin spoken of in Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel.” Mary was the woman who every young maiden desired to be, the one to bring God in man form into the world. This is incomprehensibly miraculous for us to totally grasp.
Mary’s quick response in faith to Gabriel’s words concerning Elizabeth displayed she held no doubts concerning what God could do. She arose to travel to Judah, in a hurry, verse 39.
The details involving Gabriel’s next task is found in Matthew 1:16-25. This involves Joseph’s part in the holy advent of Christ’s birth. In Matthew 1:16 Joseph is called Mary’s husband. This is before Gabriel came to Joseph with the miraculous news. This is because they were married in decision, but had not joined together in being united under one roof through consummation. The engagement period in Israel represented a marital vow that was not to be broken unless adultery occurred. We see from John chapter 2 that the Jews engaged in wedding celebrations which Mary and Joseph had not partaken.
(Many will say Jesus was mocked for being illegitimate by the religious leaders as seen in John 8:41. I don’t believe this; I believe the Pharisees were just trying to justify themselves before Christ by saying they did not come from an act of fornication. They did not live where Jesus lived nor desired to go to this mocked land of Nazareth. They seemed to assume he was born in Nazareth as they called him a Nazarene.
HISTORICAL PRELUDE Page 63
The religious leaders did not appear to know of His birth which occurred around 30 years previous in Bethlehem or of the miracles that surrounded it which proved Him to be God-man. Never do we see this discussed among them.
If Jesus was known as being of fornication, why was the family completely welcomed into the Jerusalem temple after Jesus’ birth? Why weren’t Mary and Joseph ridiculed and put out?
Jesus, as an infant was transported to Egypt by his parents as Herod wanted Jesus dead; and, of course, so did satan. God’s directives came by way of two dreams to direct the paths of this young family. Both dreams were angelic warnings. The first warned them of Herod’s murderous plan to eliminate Jesus; whereby, they were instructed to flee to Egypt and stay until the Lord told them to return. The second angelic warning proceeded Herod’s death, when Joseph was directed to return to Israel but not the Judea area as Herod’s vile son reigned in his stead. The religious leaders never kept tabs on this unknown baby though phenomenal happenings surrounded His life.
When the people from Christ’s hometown speak of Him, they say is not this “the Carpenter’s son” and “his mother called Mary;” Matthew 13:55-56. They do not say this is Jesus, the son of Mary, and we do not know who his father is.)
Only God knows the timetable on all the nativity events perfectly. No time, in hours, is actually provided, concerning Mary leaving for Judah and the time needed in preparation. It is possible that she married Joseph before her departure. The Holy Spirit was to overshadow her and it seems she would not depart until she knew for sure that she was pregnant through this miraculous way. God wanted Mary to enter into the marriage covenant so she would not suffer disgrace as an unmarried pregnant woman. The LORD graciously sent Gabriel to Joseph as He totally cared for the ordained plight of this godly daughter of Israel. Joseph, somewhere in this story, obeyed God and took Mary for his wife.
Mary left her home to go and be with one of kindred spirit as Elizabeth was family, united with God and phenomenally pregnant. Mary knew Elizabeth had an open heart and home and she could go there any time and be received in love.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 64
God spoke the way through Gabriel or she would not have known of God’s other little baby miracle in fetal development. Isn’t it interesting that God chose to have John born of a woman that Mary loved and respected…an actual relative.
I sincerely believe that Mary’s family stayed with Elizabeth when they came to Jerusalem for the various feasts of holy days. They probably thought it an honor to stay with a priest who served in the temple. Mary seemed to know Elizabeth well as there seemed to be no question concerning her going to her home unannounced.
Elizabeth was six months with child at this time. John was six months older than his cousin Christ Jesus. Why did it happen like this? Perhaps so Elizabeth could encourage and minister to Mary. At least, this is what I believe. She was a godly older woman who could comfort this young pregnant gal, she being pregnant too through an act of God.
Mary is reassured she is loved when she is welcomed by Elizabeth and John. This is wondrous fulfilled prophecy we see in verse 41. Remember, Gabriel informed Zacharias that John would be filled with the Holy Spirit while in Elizabeth’s womb. John leaped in the womb when Mary arrived. What a small bundle of large comfort for Mary. This certainly reveals the ways of God that are beyond full comprehension.
I wonder if Mary and Elizabeth studied the Old Testament passages together concerning the Messiah since they were both aware what Mary was caring the fulfilled prophecy—the Messiah. Elizabeth was impregnated with the Messiah’s forerunner.
Mary knew the scriptures well and she may have already held all the passages in her heart concerning the Christmas promise. She was a knowledgeable woman who rested in God’s Holy Scriptures. In Hebrew Messiah means “anointed one.” Christ translated means “anointed one.” Jesus means “savior.” Christ Jesus equates “Anointed Savior.” God, is the only holy anointed one, never being subject to sin. Many have been anointed to perform God’s will in scripture such as prophets, priests and kings, but they were not holy anointed God. Our “Anointed Savior” is the only one who can cleanse us from our sin by His precious blood.
Obviously, God has revealed much to Elizabeth, as she knows Mary is carrying her Lord God, verse 43. She also knows Mary responded with belief when the angel came to her, verse 45, as she says blessed is she who believes what was spoken to her by the Lord. What is humorous about all this is her godly priestly husband did not and she knows it! She is excited to have one in her midst who did not question the messenger from God Almighty. Now…do not get me wrong as I have no doubt that Elizabeth was a godly submissive wife who did fully respect and love the man God gave her. Their marital relationship certainly was preordained of God just as Sarah and Abraham’s.
HISTORICAL PRELUDE Page 65
Verse 46 begins the “Magnificat,” Mary’s exaltation of God in canticle form. She rejoices in the Lord, her Savior, as His humble bond slave. We learn from this verse that Mary walked in the absence of pride and arrogance. She was filled with godly humble attributes. I am sure she instilled such elements in Jude, James and her other children; though such attributes cannot be fully apprehended until salvation which came later to these men.
Mary also was given insight to know that every generation will count her blessed and is not that what Christmas is much about. The knowledge of her privilege of birthing God Himself is going forth into every new generation, being highlighted every nativity season.
She continues in offering her praise for the attributes of God—His omnipotence (being all powerful), His omniscience (being all knowing) and His omnipresence (being everywhere present). This involves Him performing great and mighty acts as overseer of all. She mentions His holiness and mercy that stretch from generation to generation. She includes His ability to scatter the proud and to bring rulers down. She stresses His ways of exalting the humble ones and bringing food to the hungry, while sending the rich away empty handed. She concludes with the fact He is well able to assist Israel and stay faithful to her descendants.
What does this tell us of Mary? Well…that she was an intelligent educated young lady. She knew the Word of God. She sought to memorize it as she quotes Old Testament passages, many from the Psalms. People say women from this era were untaught and stupid. Mary reveals just the opposite. She obviously grew up in a home where God was revered by her mother and father. She was instructed in the Word of God thoroughly. This should not surprise us as we witness the wisdom of Elizabeth who was her relative. Elizabeth was clearly intelligent and educated too. This type of fervent caliber was probably evidenced throughout Mary’s family. Mary was reared to be a godly wise woman. Many women in the Old and New Testament were wise and intelligent; some held mighty power.
Mary stayed with Elizabeth three months. This means she probably stayed for the birth of John as Elizabeth was six months pregnant when Mary traveled to see her. She had to come a distance, approximately 100 miles. There were no cars and paved thoroughfares then, so more time must be added to John’s womb incubation. Elizabeth may have been close to 6 ½ months pregnant when Mary arrived.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 66
It would make sense that Mary stayed a short time following the birth to assist. Since Elizabeth’s relatives rejoiced with her at the birth of John, verse 58, it is possible that Mary’s mom traveled down to celebrate too and then took her daughter back to Nazareth. However, it must be noted, nothing is stated concerning Mary’s mother and father being participants during this maternal time. Only God knows if they were still alive. We do know Mary had one or more siblings as her sister Mary (holding the same name) was at the cross when Christ was crucified; John 19:25. She was the wife of Clopas or Cleopas and Jesus appeared to his uncle, Cleopas and possibly his aunt, Mary, too following the resurrection as disclosed in Luke 24:13f. I personally believe He appeared to both his aunt and uncle as they beckoned Him to come into their home.
The wonders of this entire setting of miracles are completely beyond what we can grasp in our finite minds. There is so much going on behind the scenes of this remarkable true tale.
We note at the beginning of chapter two of Luke that a census was to be made “of all the inhabited earth.” What a span to cover!! Of course, this was orchestrated by Roman emperor, Caesar Augustus. Rome was the ruling empire at this time and it oppressed Israel who looked toward a Messiah that would deliver her. God had another plan, however. Messiah would not rule Israel or the world until much later, when He would return a second time.
We read in verse 3, that everyone had to register in their own city—the city within the tribe of their heritage. If you turn in your Bible to the back, in the map area, you should locate a map of the divided land of Israel. It will show you the divisions according to the 12 tribes of Jacob, minus Joseph and Levi, but including Joseph’s sons, Manasseh and Ephraim…much too much to go into now. There was a designated city for each tribe to register.
Joseph and Mary were of the tribe of Judah, so Mary had to return to this southern area of Israel once again. Remember this is the general location where Elizabeth and Zacharias lived. Mary traveled from Nazareth with Joseph to a different city this time—Bethlehem, just south of Jerusalem. Elizabeth obviously didn’t reside in Bethlehem as they had to locate a place to stay.
We do not know for sure, but Elizabeth and Zacharias may have visited Mary and Joseph after Christ’s birth, since Jerusalem and Bethlehem were so close in proximity.
HISTORICAL PRELUDE Page 67
Remember the Temple was in Jerusalem where Zacharias served as a priest though they resided somewhere outside of this area as he obviously had to travel home when not officially ministering in the temple; Luke 1:23.
In verse 6, we observe that Mary gave birth to Jesus in a lowly manger area or in a type of primitive barn where the animals were lodged as there was no room in the inn for this unique couple. Jesus lived a life of a humble servant for mankind and there was no better way to represent this but through this lowly birth.
His growing up years with Jude, James and his other half brothers and sisters are silent; they are not revealed to us as God saw no significance in us knowing of these.
Christ putting Himself in this family is fulfilled prophecy as Joseph would have been on the throne reigning as king and not holding a simple carpenter position if the kingly line of David had not been made void at the time of the Babylonian captivity. When Babylon invaded Judah, this ended the Davidic line of the reigning kings. According to the Davidic lineage, Christ had the right to the throne of David through Joseph, being his first born son—adoptively speaking that is. Joseph’s family ancestry traced back to David is disclosed in Matthew chapter 1 and Mary’s bloodline to David in Luke 3. As Joseph’s first born, Christ would have reigned as king succeeding Joseph. See Luke 1:32, Revelation 5:5 & 22:16 and Isaiah 9:7 concerning the prophecies of the Davidic Messiah.
As God, the creator of all—Colossians 1:13-19, Christ held the right to the throne in all aspects.
Viewing Elizabeth’s age, she could have been Mary’s blood aunt. Both Elizabeth and Zacharias were of the line of Aaron, the priestly line; Luke 1:5. Zacharias was “of the division of Abijah.” The Abijah line was of Aaron which we confirm from reading 1 Chronicles 24:1-10. In Ezekiel 44:22, it states a priest can only marry a virgin or a widow of a priest. It was very important that a priest and his wife be above reproach as they represented the righteousness and holiness of God.
God recognized this exceptional couple with obedient hearts for Him alone. They walked blamelessly, not allowing the world to influence them in any evil manner; Luke 1:6.
Christ would have received priestly blood from this family line of Mary’s. Remember Christ was king, priest and prophet on earth. God appointed prophets; therefore, it was not an inherited calling.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 68
Of course, Christ is God and therefore our priest by all authority, which is the only true and eternal power. Christ is Priest according to the order of Melchizedek because He has no beginning or end; Hebrews 7:9f. He is our only priest because He is omnipotent God; therefore, there is no need for a blood-inherited vocation.
We see God the Father’s great love in putting Christ in a family that was probably the most devoted to Him in all the Holy Land. God the Father made sure His Son was loved protected and heard His truths. This would, of course, have been Christ’s truths as well. Christ moved in the Old Testament as part of the Godhead, teaching His Word which godly men recorded.
Both Jude and James became members of this inimitable family. They came by way of natural birth. God had a plan for them too.
These sons found wonderful role models in their parents not to mention God…Him being a born member of their family. Elizabeth and Zacharias certainly must have held some influence in their lives as well.
No doubt, Mary, Joseph, Elizabeth, Zacharias, and others told these children of the miraculous miracles surrounding their cousin John; his birth and his dedication to God. They most likely witnessed this dedication themselves when visiting John and his family in Jerusalem.
What is bizarre, is Jude and James saw it as no special privilege to grow-up with Christ. In John chapter 7, Christ’s brothers ridiculed Him and wanted him to attend the Feast of Booths in Jerusalem so he could be arrested and persecuted. They knew it meant certain death as it was not a secret that the religious leaders wanted to do away with Him. They wanted Him appearing in public so he would be an easy target. This is all hard to comprehend, but satan was at work to deceive all, including Christ’s family.
Christ’s half brothers certainly recognized His complete righteousness, but their hard hearts and pride kept them from acknowledging that He was indeed the Messiah. They obviously held hate for their half-brother; perhaps they were jealous of His present notoriety. I believe it is possible that Joseph’s brothers hated Him for the special insightful gifts God had bestowed upon Him and not them.
Jude and James undoubtedly heard of their mother’s appointed time with God who revealed the forthcoming birth of Christ by the Holy Spirit’s intervention. They also must have heard of the powerful working of the Holy Spirit when their mother went to visit Elizabeth as these women both prophesized the omnipotent ways of God.
HISTORICAL PRELUDE Page 69
Jude, James and the other two brothers and sisters only knew second hand of the miracles of Christ’s birth. There may have held inadequate feelings; never being able to live up to Christ’s sinless life.
Christ was preaching at age twelve as we see in Luke 2:41f. (After this chapter, we never see Joseph mentioned so I believe somewhere between the temple teaching and Christ’s ministry, Joseph died.) Christ while living in the home, I believe, was always speaking of the ways of God. Therefore, He was preparing and teaching His siblings and mother for their future faith in Him, which He knew, would come about…He knowing all things. When Jesus’ parents found Him in the temple, He said “Don’t you know I had to be about my Father’s business?” Obviously, He felt they should know. They couldn’t have forgotten the momentous events of the nativity that arrived by the Father, though it was almost 13 years ago that the heavenly disclosures occurred that foretold of His ministry—Luke 1:35 “And He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”
Jude, James, and the other two brothers, sisters and mother did not receive Christ as their Messiah immediately. It appears Mary did not believe till sometime before the crucifixion, though she did refer to God being her Savior in the “Magnificat;” Luke 1:47.
At the time of the cross, Jesus tells Mary she will be placed in the care of John, His disciple. Since Mary became a believer, Jesus desired she be in a believing home—it will be exciting to hear her salvation story when we arrive in heaven since it is not disclosed in scripture.
John, being such a compassionate man, seems to be the obvious choice to us as well. Jesus certainly revealed a special concern for His mother at this time. Remember, Mary was told that a sword would even pierce her own soul, Luke 2:35. She suffered monumental pain seeing her son on the cross though God graciously warned her of what was to come. It is also interesting to note that this last statement to John concerning Christ’s mother’s care, John 19:26-27, was His last act of love prior to death.
We observe in Acts 1:12 that Jesus’ brothers were with Mary in the upper room praying, so it is obvious that God opened their eyes to believe too. I would guess the sisters believed as well since God brought His grace to the rest of the family. Christ spent thirty years with His earthly family and we know He is spending eternity with them as well. Not that Christ’s earthly family is more important than any of us; yet, it is remarkable to think about this astonishing grace that brought James and Jude to be so exceedingly used of Christ.
Verse Exposé
Chapter 1
God’s Beloved
Jude presents himself in a humble light as Christ’s bondservant; in no way elevated above any other believer by position as Christ’s half-brother or author of this letter. He does identify himself as the “brother of James.” People knew James as the overseer of the famed Jerusalem church, as I stated previously, which encompassed thousands.
The book of James is the earliest known New Testament manuscript.
Jude is only known to us today by this book and his relationship to Christ as seen in the Gospels. This note of him being the “brother of James” obviously added to the book’s authenticity.
This letter is written to the “beloved.” This is an endearing term used for believers who are simply redeemed by grace; no believer has been found holding qualities that merit God’s love and compassion. It is a privilege and a delight to be called, “beloved.” It is akin to being born into an extremely affluent family where one never deserved or achieved the wealth.
“Beloved” is not used for distant relations but those close to the One who loves. No one is closer to the heart of God than His own children. This love is intimate; revealing an unparalleled human relationship. Though humans may use this term, though not frequently in this day and age, there is no way human love can ever match God’s love. We can never even begin to comprehend it. We can never grasp the love God has for the unsaved. There is no greater preserving love than the love Christ has for us on an intimate personal level.
Jude informs us further that this book is written to believers in Christ and who are “kept by Christ” (NASB). The KJV Bible renders “kept” as “preserved.”
71
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 72
Preserved is also true to the Greek word TEREO which signifies the preservation of the believer in Christ. It is assuring to recognize this encompassing security. This security is a gracious promise to us, a gift from God. We also find this truism in Romans 8:38-39 where our Lord informs us that nothing can separate us from His love. Words are used in this passage whereby we can picture those things that may try to separate but always fail. Life and death can set immediate images in our mind, good and bad, but we get the picture. Even in death believers cannot be separated from God; we are kept for eternity. In life, with its hardships, we are preserved and held by loving hands; Psalm 37:24. Those things listed that are created as well as height and depth can be easily captured in thought so we keep these things in mind when going through our trials; when we might lack the faith.
Verse two of Jude states some of the attributes we receive in Christ: His mercy, peace and love. This verse is a prayer that Jude prayed for these believers, for them to be increasing in these gifts of grace. We too can pray for the increase of these gifts for fellow believers and ourselves.
Of course, we need the mercy of God in the confessing of our sins as we fall so short in these fleshly bodies. We also know we have His forgiveness through the price paid on the cross. Peace is what unbelievers can see in our lives and thus covet for themselves, which provides witnessing opportunities. The Holy Spirit is in us so we do not walk in hopeless fear and distress, come what may. It is a peace that surpasses all understanding; Philippians 4:7. Therefore, we should walk in thanksgiving for this blessed gift of the Spirit.
Love in this verse is AGAPE. Charity may fit better than the word love in this society of sensuality and self-seeking allurements. This is more than a feeling; James chapter 2 makes this clear, as our faith is to reveal love in action. We are to care and minister to our fellow believers in Christ. We are also to reach out to the lost that they may be saved. Another way we reveal our love for God is obeying His inerrant Word as Christ told his disciples, love is keeping His commandments. Much more can be stated as true charitable love is intensely expounded upon in the scriptures and worth our study.
In verse 3 we witness again the word beloved. Jude wants us to be reassured that we are God’s beloved. All others may forsake us, but God’s love is always there for us. There are believers who are in prison for their faith in many overseas countries, thus they feel alone. However, they can feel God’s gracious personal love filling their hearts daily as they rest in the fact that they are His beloved.
GOD’S BELOVED Page 73
This term of love can be rendered as endearment and is used only for us who are in Christ. This follows through with the fact that we also have a common salvation reserved for us in Christ. Jude is expressing his heart of love for these believers so they stay steadfast in Christ through the truths revealed in this book.
Chapter 2
Creeping In
Jude was written in 65 AD and though the church was young, false teachers were already sneaking into assemblies. Therefore this book was penned to forecast what can take place once false teachers are allowed to run amuck in the church. Christ warned about all that we see today in fellowships in Matthew 13:31-33 where He predicted the church apostasy. I truly believe when Christ spoke of the growth of the Gospel by using a mustard tree seed that grew into a large tree, that He is speaking of the fate of the church becoming successful, prosperous, and accepted. Revelation chapter 3 reproves the Laodicea church as it became lukewarm due to the fact that it had become wealthy. It was mostly apostate for this reason.
The church today is a huge organization, known for being the wealthiest conglomerate in the world. It certainly did not start out this way! Many have chosen to be apart of it just for appearance and prestige sake. Matthew 13:32-33 speaks of the birds of the air coming to rest in its branches. Since birds are fowl and added to the tree, I believe they represent the false teachers and unsaved who come and feel right at home in its branches, or I would say pews. I also adhere to this as birds represent satan in verses 1-9 who comes and takes away the seed of the Word of God.
I surmise that the leaven in verse 33 represents the false teachers as well since leaven is always viewed in the negative in the Bible; it represents that which pollutes and ruins. Matthew 13:25 speaks of the tares that invade the kingdom of heaven or the church which seems to tie this whole following section theme together.
I have to ask myself why the church is so huge when the road to heaven is narrow and few follow it; Matthew 7:13-14. These two verses are stated just a few pages before the Matthew chapter 13 passage which reveals the church being encompassing. It certainly seems that something is amiss.
Due to these warnings and others stated by Christ, Jude did not want these believers led away from the true Biblical faith. He did not desire they become compliant to teachings not of God that would slither in through false teachers. That is why Jude states through God that they need to live by the faith of the saints, which is represented by steadfastness.
74
CREEPING IN Page 75
Faith in God was seen throughout the Old Testament but faith’s greatest level has come to New Testament believers through the fulfilled knowledge of Christ and bestowing of the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is a great thing to have faith passed down to us. That is what discipleship is all about. People who are mature in the Lord teach those who are newly born into the faith. In 2 Timothy 1:5 we read how Timothy was taught the ways of God by his grandmother Lois and his mother Eunice. Paul completed the discipleship but obviously appreciated the grounding that was embedded earlier by these godly women.
In verse 4, we arrive at the reason for this God-written letter, transcribed for us by Jude. People, not obedient believers, had “crept in unnoticed.” They are the condemned and the ungodly . . . not living by the moral upright ways of Christ. They teach license or that one’s behavior need not be above reproach.
I was recently reading an article in a newspaper that justified little lies. The article represented many in the church who see lying as no big deal as God does not care that much. They had a picture of a man standing before a stained glass window in a church to spread the propaganda that God shows little or no care concerning such behavior.
I am very hurt by how many times I have been lied to by church leadership and I hurt when I hear of my friends being lied to by pastors and those in authority. Those who hold to the teaching that lying-compromise is no big deal are false teachers. False teachers treat grace as license. In Jude the word “licentiousness” is used, the adjective form. These who refuse moral Biblical guidance might state that under grace, you do what you want as you are already forgiven. They would never provide forewarning to the fact that believers should stay as far away from sin as possible to prevent them from reaping what they sow. They would be the ones to proclaim, no one can live up to Biblical standards so why even try that hard.
These believers belittle Christ through disrespecting Him and by not teaching others to hate sin. When they engage in this, they deny our only Master and Lord, Christ Jesus. This is done by presenting a slight semblance rather than His true identity.
It is interesting how false teachers love to have an appearance of religion which is how they creep into congregations unnoticed. Though today most church doors are held wide open for them in the name of love. However, such an agenda pours hatred upon believers as leadership does love them enough to protect them from satan’s agents who want to distort the scriptures.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 76
This is just one aspect of license as it seems to be unending today in our church society that is lax in every evil way to believers’ destruction.
How disturbing it is for me to attend a church and hear the best preaching from a pastor, but later come face to face with the fact that he is preaching simply because it is his paid job and he doesn’t ever expect anyone in the congregation to live up to any of the holy scriptural truths he presents.
Many people who represent religion can spout the Bible and deceive the multitudes and drag them into every sinful action imaginable and all in the name of religion.
Jezebel was not a pastor but Israel’s queen in the Old Testament. She was King Ahab’s wife and she led the people of God into all wickedness. She is considered the most ruthless of all Bible women. She led Israel into Baal worship, the false god of rain and harvest. This woman may have been totally pagan, but she knew her scriptures! For her husband’s personal gain, she used them diabolically.
In 1 Kings chapter 21 she implements God’s Word to plan and justify a murder. She even proclaimed a fast for all the people. By this, she appeared to be trying to accomplish God Almighty’s will. She knew in order to put one to death; a law violating accusation had to be by the witness of two. She produced two false witnesses to lie and state righteous Naboth had cursed God and the king—who was her husband, Ahab. Exodus 22:28 forbids cursing God or the king. Leviticus chapter 24 commands that one is to be put to death if they blaspheme or curse God.
This whole scenario arose as King Ahab wanted Naboth’s vineyard so he could plant a garden, as his property was adjacent. Does that sound like a sweet endeavor for a king? Ahab offered him money or a better field, but Naboth desired it be left in the family. Ahab went into depression as a result; whereby, Jezebel determined to please him by inventing a murderous path to take possession. This greed-filled act of execution was accomplished through her implementing a righteous appearance, cunningness and resourcefulness.
Through her trickery and the rehearsed lies from false witnesses, Naboth was stoned. As soon as Jezebel lived out her plan, she told Ahab to quit soaking and take the land.
CREEPING IN Page 77
Many false teachers can quote scriptures and hold an appearance of righteousness to lead the people astray as they put their trust in those who seem so holy. These false teachers know where to purchase the highest quality wool on the market to appear as the most innocent of Christ’s sheep. But Christ refers to them as being ravenous wolves; Matthew 7:15. Paul warned the Ephesians, Acts 20:29, that savage wolves would come in not sparing the flock when he departed. No one today would dare to label false teachers as Christ or Paul did which has brought the church to the mess it is in.
The Apostle John was concerned about false believers coming into one of his churches. In 2 John, he acted cautiously by telling this home church not to even allow anyone in the door who did not abide in the teaching of Christ, verses 9-10.
Chapter 3
Knowing All Things
Focusing back on Jude 5, we see a reference to the addressed believers as knowing all things. They certainly held insights granted to them by the Holy Spirit concerning the Old Testament. It is nice to know we have access to knowing all things through owning the Scriptures. However, we can be blinded in knowing all things when we are in bondage to the things society struts. I know as I have been bondage to the things of this world that clouded my discerning outlook. Because I desired a cloudless view of my life in Christ, I had to shed some activities of conviction. Three main hindrances from my past come to mind. These gripped me when I was in my twenties and single. One was the television, which I viewed just about every night. I knew every show on every channel…I was known as a walking and talking TV Guide. I cried out to God amidst conviction and the fact that a brainless machine produced in me a state of unreality. I looked at this world through rose-colored glasses and never truly witnessed a society dieing in its sin and headed to hell. Evening shows always made people appear nice and even bad guys were not that bad, just in need of a little social reform.
If my memory serves me correctly, I prostrated myself in grief and asked Christ to take away my desires for this idol-machine. He quickly answered my sincere groaning and I never felt like this was something I had to engage in again to bring some temporary entertaining satisfaction. He taught me to use my time far more wisely and away from that which does not generally teach modesty, holiness, innocence, undefilement and a love for Christ.
Another area in which He convicted me concerned my love for rock music; I was totally in bondage to this rebellious sensual beat. I cried out to Him once again in great anguish for deliverance. By His omnipotent transforming power, I was able to enjoy lovely and pure music with a rhythm of peace and tranquility. I encountered a closer relationship to Christ when I forsook this beat of the world.
Sensuality was the third thing whereby I had to prostrate myself before the Lord. I was dating a man who was attending seminary to be a pastor, but he did not incite me to a holy relationship with him. We did not go all the way nor did we ever come close to removing our clothing; however, we were in bondage physically through holding, kissing, etc. I knew sensuality was not to have a part in my being. All these feelings were to be held for marriage. I was simply being used and that became very apparent.
78
KNOWING ALL THINGS Page 79
At first, I thought our dating was an answer to prayer, as the Lord knew I wanted to take part in ministry and this man was headed for the pastorate. However, he felt no conviction nor did he see our relationship as one that needed to be transformed to purity. He did not desire complete innocence.
Later, when I met Alan, he let me know he did not want to kiss a woman until he was engaged to her and then only briefly to prevent temptation. I never felt I was in sensual bondage while dating him and we did not kiss until our betrothal.
Before meeting Alan, my pastor had encouraged me to break up with the man I was in bondage to. At this time, the Lord granted me the discernment to recognize the relationship was not of Him. My pastor was also the one who counseled Alan and me and performed our marriage ceremony. We are still very grateful for his holy discipleship and his continuing godly friendship. He lives in southern Washington today.
I do not say these things to imply I am no longer tempted and never need to cry out to God, but these were my largest sinful hurdles that clouded my eyes from having a full vision of truth and wisdom. The more we remove sin the more we gain insights and truths from the Word. There are always rewarded blessings when we do things God’s way not ours.
Returning to Jude, I believe these believers did not have a halfhearted love for the Word as Jude is able to go immediately into Old Testament historical facts. God employs Old Testament truths here to clarify His points. It seems obvious that these believers held copies of the Old Testament since these references are set before them as known facts. Many of the illustrations in Jude are Pentateuch accounts. The Pentateuch is also referred to as the Torah or first five books of the Old Testament. Moses wrote the first five books, which teach the early history of the Jews and the law. Penta means five in the Greek. Decalogue is a word used for the Ten Commandants meaning “the ten words” which are held in the Pentateuch.
I believe these Christians obviously spent countless hours learning the scriptures, as Jude does not speak to them as if they are ignorant of the Old Testament. I am sure they would put us to shame by their knowledge—by the fact they knew all things.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 80
In centuries past, even the unsaved knew the Bible in America. Economic affluence and access to broad literature was not a common thing and only the few scholarly wealthy owned many books. In this era of impoverishment by today’s standards, if a book could be had, it was the Bible that was purchased. It was read and spoken of everyday by most every person.
It was the main textbook used in education. In the 19th and early 20th century, many schools also possessed the Blue Back Speller authored by Noah Webster which was taught along with the Bible. This book implemented the scriptures in teaching grammar. It presented the Word in such a way to make scripture applicable for students. This speller is still marketed.
Chapter 4
Historical Accounts
As we continue in the text of Jude 5, we see Jude referring to the time of Israel’s departure from Egypt as is disclosed in the book of Exodus—the second book in the Old Testament. Jude states, “the Lord after saving a people out of Egypt subsequently destroyed those who did not believe.”
Moreover, history records it took mighty feats to deliver a people out of Egypt. Even though miracle after miracle was displayed before the Egyptians to put to shame their animal and insect gods, they refused to obey the LORD and allow the Jews to depart from their enslavement. The consequence was the death of every firstborn Egyptian.
This was the way God chose to remove His people from this pagan land where they were dreadfully abused. All other warnings went unheeded. God brought many plagues on the land but not until the death of Pharaoh’s firstborn son, did he allow them to leave. He had been his heir to the throne, no doubt. You can imagine Pharaoh’s grief, which I’m sure was there even though he was totally hard hearted. Even the hardhearted can feel some affection for close family members.
His grief must have immediately turned to anger. The desire to continue to manipulate manifested itself swiftly as Pharaoh sent his army in pursuit of Israel. He did not know that he was sending his soldiers to their death doom as in his mind; he was always the conquering victor. His entire regiment was drown in the Red Sea after God forged two miracle walls of water, which allowed His chosen to walk through the sea on dry ground. These walls of mounted Red Sea water fell on Pharaoh’s forces that raced behind, rushing to overtake. God graciously and miraculously delivered the Hebrews from this land of enslaving bondages.
One reason God had to remove these Jews from Egypt was to get the world out of them. However, they moaned and groaned shortly after being divided from this land where they had no employment opportunities. God wanted them completely dependant upon Him but they cried for their independence. He desired they not be lured again to Egypt’s pleasantries.
81
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 82
However, their new home of desert wasteland décor caused them to look backward to city life.
Egypt’s thriving kingdom was the envy of most. It had the uppermost educational opportunities, technology, massive architectural feats, unsurpassed medical treatments and discoveries, gourmet food galore, elite social parties, religion…you just name it…even Jewish slavery.
Because the Hebrews never desired to be completely separated from this country club state of luxurious affairs, God had to continuously discipline them through infliction—sometimes deadly chastisements.
Today God wants to get the world out of all believers, but they, like the Jews of old, refuse to come out and be separate from sin’s bondage. Therefore, He has to discipline the children of the true church. The same sin nature these Jews held onto is being held onto by Christians. They want to be indulging, taking in all the delights of secular civilization. Satan knows what he is doing when he makes all things pleasing to the eye gate and palate.
Unfortunately, the Gospel of today does not teach cultural abandonment because that is not pleasing to the mentality of sensual man who wants it all and now.
Because of the Hebrews incessant and unrelenting unbelief, God destroyed the first generation that departed from Egypt. All due to the fact, it would not let go of its apron strings. They were denied entry into the Promised Land because they could never receive their passports due to Egyptian technicalities. It seems a waste that they were delivered from Egypt and died en route. Yet, God was ever gracious and longsuffering. He provided chance after chance so they would respond to His heeded warnings.
Even Moses could not enter this land because he struck the rock instead of speaking to it as commanded; Numbers chapter 20. He was, however, able to view the Promised Land before his death on Mt. Nebo; Deuteronomy chapter 34. It is impressive to note in Deuteronomy 32:4, that Moses referred to God as “The Rock” which may be symbolic of this incident and its consequence.
Moving to verse nine in Jude prematurely, we read more of Moses in relationship to Deuteronomy chapter 34; as Jude 9 reveals God buried Moses. This was obviously following the angel Michael’s encounter with the devil. We will study this verse further when we travel down to this section.
HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS Page 83
The point of Jude 5 is God brought death upon the Jews after leaving the Promised Land. Nobody gets away with not reverencing God and His commands. Our God is a consuming fire as Hebrew 12:29 reveals and we are not to take that fact for granted. Just choosing to obey God on our terms is never without consequence; nor ignoring and not applying certain portions of His written Word.
Jude 6 reminds us of the fall of satan and his fellow angels who joined in conspiracy when they strove to function apart from God’s supremacy and righteousness. The fallen angels or demons mentioned here are not the ones who plague the world as these are under bonds in darkness for eternity. It appears from this verse that our kind God did not unleash all these vile and unclean creatures on the world that fell with satan. By God’s grace, He obviously only allowed a certain number to dwell on the earth. In this verse God reminds us that there is eternal judgment for our waywardness and fallen angels will be judged as well for their deeds.
Isaiah 14:12-19 speaks of satan or lucifer when he was cast from heaven due to his pride and his desire to ascend above God. He at one time was a stunning angel who held much power but it all went to his head. God referred to him as the “star of the morning, son of the dawn.” Lucifer may have been the highest in authority and the loveliest of all the angels. He, in time past, shone when he chose to walk in righteousness and holiness.
This passage reveals this evil creature’s motivation that drives him to constant jealous mischievousness. He is jealous because God rules the world not him. His desire is to destroy all mankind as everyone is made in the image of God, whom he hates, despises and envies.
I believe he still holds hopes to dethrone and take God’s place which is impossible as he is the defeated foe. He possibly thinks by derailing believers, he can gain great power by defaming God’s name.
Believers today, like lucifer, lose their holy shine when they bend to his ways, perceiving they can gain everything, but actually lose all.
It is no wonder that people today want to walk in the pride and arrogance that motivated satan so others will look up to them instead of to God. It is a sad thing when pastors desire God’s glory for themselves, revealing they are walking hand in hand with satan’s desires.
This comes about through adultery committed in the spiritual realm where one does not desire to conform to the admonishments of scripture including those stated in Jude. James 4:4 exposes this when declaring, “You adulteresses, do you not know that friendship with the world is hostility toward God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 84
There are multitudes of applications for this verse. One application can be to desire the praise and admiration of men whereby we make ourselves enemies of God. Through desiring the admiration and praise of others that arises from the agendas of the world, we uplift and exalt ourselves in undermined ways.
Putting others down is one way man can selfishly exalt himself. Desiring to be number one is seen commonly in society. A minister can appear on television just for the sake of gaining popularity and notoriety.
We must always be watchful of our pride as it is part of our flesh that wants to take over and quench the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. Believe me, I know!
Jude 7 moves us further into the take note warnings of our Lord. He places before us Sodom and Gomorrah. The people of these cities represented a society that held no moral bounds. You can read of this gross immoral situation in Genesis chapter 19.
We know homosexuality owned this society. They were in bondage to sexual promiscuity, which grew and grew to unbelievable lengths just as we see occurring in our own nation. No one, including our politicians and religious leaders, has been able to put any kind of lid on it. We have to live with this increasing grotesqueness everyday. There is no place we can run to…there is no withdrawing from it. I was talking to a woman the other day and she was saying remember when no one even knew what homosexuality was all about? We discussed the sadness of the situation, as this activity was virtually unviewed forty years ago. Most people never saw it nor did they want to.
The consequence to not holding to chaste moral codes is eternal fire, as we read here in Jude. God plainly states in Hebrews 13:4, “Adulterers and fornicators God will judge, but the marriage bed is undefiled.” God does bring judgment on those who break His moral codes of decency, purity and modesty. 1 Corinthians 6:9 warns us that no unrighteous person will inherit the kingdom of God, including fornicators, adulterers, effeminates, homosexuals, etc.
We witness in God’s love for us that He is very concerned that we reap the profit of keeping ourselves pure and unstained by the world. If God did not cherish us, He would not have given us this love letter full of warnings for our personal benefit. Jude is a book of warnings so we are on the lookout for those who would image us into general society.
HISTORICAL ACCOUNTS Page 85
We are called to be a peculiar separated people. We should never be ashamed of being different. The Jews too were called to be a peculiar people but they desired to be styling, conforming themselves to culture. Consequently, they paid the penalty in powerful ways. If they would have obeyed Leviticus 20:23, which commanded them not to follow “the customs of nations,” they would have spared themselves unbelievable heartache.
Chapter 5
Unreality—Changing of the Colors
Dreaming seems to be the main subject of verse 8. The false teachers dream and this dreaming is a kind of dreaming that defiles the flesh. Obviously immoral thoughts and dreams consume their lives; they involve themselves in everything sleazy and vulgar awake or asleep. These people do not live in reality just everything that represents lust!
Jude is a portrayed reality of God’s truth. Certainly rejecting the truth and reality of Jude is a mark of false teachers today. I find many believers today, if not most, live in a dream world not wanting to take seriously one word of warning found in this revealing book of veracity.
“Defile” has a weighty word emphasis. We as believers never want to defile ourselves with the things of society that removes our purity. The Greek word used here is “MIAINO” and it means to stain as one changes the color of an object. It would imply a change in a person—a negative change, that which turns one away from innocence to evil. I know respected people in the church who are bent on turning innocence to evil. Two of them are leaders in churches and they incite pornography and lusting. They have no problem in removing natural innocence from children as well. They are respected in Bible-believing churches and though other leadership knows of their agendas, they care little since deceivers know how to appear like saintly chameleons. I have been hated for saying their agenda is sinful. Alan and I have known them for years and had thought them to be godly until all was exposed.
When sin takes hold of our life, we do change our image like a lizard its color, we shed the righteousness of the Holy Spirit. His holy attraction is quenched; deemed no longer useful to us, so His inner beauty is not visible
in our being. When He is disregarded, people only view a fleshly depraved shell of a person.
86
Chapter 6
Angels and Doctrinal Knowledge
The authority brought forth in this verse seems to point heavenward as the sin of the flesh stands in opposition to God and His holy kingdom of angelic majesties. If you turn to 2 Peter 2:10-12, you see angels and their authority spoken of and the evil ones who despise them. This refers to self-serving evil men who gratify their own desires, holding no respect for God or His angels. We are never to worship or adore angels, yet we are called to respect their God-given authority. I personally refer to 2 Peter as Jude’s sister book, as the teachings of Jude are repeated throughout.
God commands in 1 Corinthians 11:10 that a woman should have something on her head during worship, for the sake of the angels. Obviously angels look in on the church service and in the Greek it means God’s angels not evil beings as I have heard implied. A division of respecting angelic authority is women wearing the head covering. Verses 8-10 and 12-13 state a woman is made in the image of man therefore she needs a symbol of authority on her head. This speaks to when she is praying or prophesying (telling forth God’s divine counsel) in church. Some fellowships believe a woman should always have something on her head; yet, I do not deem this to be true from this passage. This section is referring to the assembly of the church since we move into the Lord’s Supper in the proceeding verses and this remembrance is done as a corporate church body.
I personally find it interesting that men have no difficulty obeying verses 4 & 7 in this 1 Corinthian passage, as I never see men wearing hats during a Sunday sermon and even young boys are taught by their dads to remove them when entering a church building.
Part of this Corinthian passage also involves obedience in the aspect of women having long hair, verses 14-15. Both the Old and New Testament teach the differential aspect of male and female. Most men and boys do have short hair in obedience to God’s Word, verse 14, which is also interesting to note.
A woman’s hair is her glory, verse 15; it is not like men’s hair that is usually plain and thin and looks bad when it is left to grow long. In general, men have not been provided with the luxurious hair that compliments women that provides a crowning glory and an additional modest covering.
87
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 88
Today some women in society worship masculinity in that they covet to obtain the same professional positions as men. They will even resemble them in appearance and dress in hopes of gaining masculine respect. This greatly bothers me as God willed that men and women not wear the same type of clothing; this was specified in the Pentateuch; Deuteronomy 22:5. God stated that such a thing was an abomination to Him.
Competing with men in sports assists women to hit the goal of total gender oneness or so they think. God makes it clear, however, that He does not believe in unisex!
The competitive sex aspect seemed to be part of homosexual societies which is why I believe God commanded the distinctions. Femininity was part of His design that was never to be marred. Women throw away a precious part of themselves when they move to worship masculinity. A one-sex society is very boring and entirely destructive.
We have witnessed in America the differences between males and females diminished with homosexuality making a bold appearance in society. A hundred years ago women wore long hair, modest feminine long attire and hats to church. Men were expressively masculine. If women of a century ago were to rise up and judge our obedience today to the Lord in these aspects, I wonder how we would fare. I have to admit to you that I wear pants most often but I am definitely feminine. When attending Sunday morning worship, I wear a dress. I do don a hat for church and have long hair. Feeling feminine is a joy and I see it as Biblical. Alan enjoys my femininity too…imagine that.
As I have read books from the 19th century, I have found most Christian women desired to obey all of scripture. They recognized pagan culture and society should never affect Biblical truth and our adherence to it. Therefore, they kept America’s culture conservative by not swaying off the Biblical path as being salt of the earth that persuaded most others to act in a Biblical manner not pagan.
Jesus and His followers were persecuted for not submitting to sensual culture and society. In Leviticus 20:23 Christ revealed that His children were not to conform to culture or customs of secular society. Jesus and his disciples would not have been constantly confronted if they would have blended in as believers do today.
ANGELS AND DOCTRINAL KNOWLEDGE Page 89
If Christ and the disciples would have accepted the pious religious leaders’ societal ways and uplifted them as fellow believers in God, Christ would not have had to die on the cross. These religious ones, who led the people in worship and discipleship, had no problem committing murder when their popularity was diminished when Christ arrived on the scene. They walked in holiness before their fellow Jews; but behind closed doors, they displayed hateful, vengeful ruthlessness and partook in the sinful delights of the flesh—all the satanic designing of pagan cultures. However, Christ never chose to associate with these false teachers and prophets—the scribes, Sadducees and Pharisees. These religious ones made Jewish society according to their design, not in adherence to scripture; but in tune with man’s pious, religiously external cultural ways. Christ acting ecumenical would have forfeited the way to our eternal redemption.
I want to fully emphasize that Christ and the disciples never fellowshipped with the religious popular leaders outside of Nicodemus and possibly a few other Pharisees who were sincerely seeking souls.
Unfortunately, most Christian leaders today have no problem fellowshipping with the religious influential who adhere to beliefs opposing scripture. They are those who add or subtract from scripture just as the religious leaders in Jesus’ day whom Christ would not bend to. A half century ago, most conservative Christian leaders never thought of fellowshipping with those who didn’t hold strictly to all of the Bible, but the apostasy has removed that standard.
Billy Graham changed the climate by fellowshipping with those who did not adhere completely to the Bible. However, many did not even recognize this was taking place and still do not. He was the only significant spokesman who uplifted ecumenicalism in the rooting of its movement. He was a key component in bringing forth the apostasy and ushering in the beginnings of the one-world religion which resembles the apostate church revealed in Revelation, Matthew and 2 Thessalonians that will be ecumenically encompassing.
Franklin Graham said: “In the early years, up in Boston, the Catholic church got behind my father’s crusade. That was a first. It took back many Protestants. They didn’t know how to handle it. But it set the example. ‘If Billy Graham is willing to work with everybody, then maybe we should too’” (The Indianapolis Star, June 3, 1999).
Bill Graham spouts much false doctrine to lead true believers into following satan’s religious lies. He has walked the liberal inclusive road for years.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 90
In Newsweek, August 14, 2006, Billy Graham stated: “I would not say Islam is wicked and evil…I have a lot of friends who are Islamic. There are many wonderful people among them. I have a great love for them. I have spoken at Islamic meetings in Nigeria and in different parts of the world.” When asked whether he believes heaven will be closed to Jews, Muslims, Buddhists, Hindus or secular people. Graham said, “Those are decisions only the Lord will make. It would be foolish for me to speculate on who will be there and who won’t…I don’t want to speculate about all that. I believe the love of God is absolute. He said he gave his son for the whole world, and I think he loves everybody regardless of what label they have.”
These are heretical statements! They are contrary to the Word of God in every way. The only way to heaven is through Jesus Christ and His shed blood for mankind’s redemption. False prophets will not place anyone in heaven no matter their sincerity. Those who worship the false idol gods of the Buddhists and Hindus will never locate a place in paradise. Revelation 22:13-16 informs us that idolaters are not allowed into heaven along with sorcerers, immoral persons, murderers and those who practice lying.
Now don’t get me wrong…I am very thankful for those who have come to Christ through the Graham ministries. We all have to be grateful for the multitudes of conversions.
However, elevating people such as Billy Graham leads people down an all-deceptive road of false-doctrine-confusion. No matter the fame or popular of any believer, we still have to be cautious of all they teach and do; we must compare all their words and actions to the Word. We do not accept all that a person does and says even if they appear to be mightily used of God. God and His Word have to be our only and final authority in all things.
I am informing you of this for your own personal good as we can never follow man or woman only the inerrant, holy, undefiled Word of God. We must remember that no amount of Christian good works can override sound doctrine.
In Christ’s day, there were those who were false disciples and were doing good works in Christ’s name, but He made it clear they were out for their own agendas.
To stay on the right path, one that does not follow men, we need to sustain vigilance. This vigilance must be constantly aimed at the Bible. It must hold first priority in our hearts whereby we give it our best time. It is this book that allows us to gain the discernment that everything in it is for a reason…to produce spiritual maturity within and to vanquish all that is false.
ANGELS AND DOCTRINAL KNOWLEDGE Page 91
We must remember though, being just hearers of the Word, which would include just being readers as well, withholds obedience production. Obedience sprouts great discernment and internal uplifting blessings. Questioning God’s Word always births confusion and consequence.
We must exercise the faith that everything in God’s Word is true and for our benevolence. The Word assures us of itself. 1 Timothy 2:16 states that all scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproving and correction, for training in righteousness. 2 Peter 1:21 states that no prophecy of scripture was ever made by human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God.
Having this faith in the Word is the key to rising above any appealing false teacher and their deceptive presentations.
When the Jews in the Old Testament turned from the written Word to do their own thing and followed false religious teachers, they were severally spanked by God. Many received a premature death sentence. This occurred as a result of them not respecting the angels who gave the Word. Hebrews 2:2 and Galatians 3:19 teaches the Word is unalterable that the angels delivered. Anyone who defied it paid the consequences.
What God is getting at in Jude and the other applicable passages on this subject, is every believer must stay on task and not let any person turn another away from all that has been passed down to us by God through the agency of angels. Even if much of this seems incomprehensible, we do not turn our backs on all the facts that are presented. We walk by faith not by sight. Exercising faith can enable the Spirit to bring us to a loftier place of comprehension.
We see ultimately in Jude that when we observe the Old Testament Jews and their lack of obedience to the law found in the Pentateuch, that they were walking in disrespect for angles as the law was given to Moses by angels, sent from God. They were and are to be valued as the messengers who delivered it.
Many of Christ’s earthly quotes were from the book of Deuteronomy, the final book in the Pentateuch. He didn’t throw the Old Testament away nor should we. He said Moses wrote of Him—John 5:45-47 and one major prophecy of Him is located in Deuteronomy 18:15.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 92
Verse 9 of Jude further instructs us concerning angels as Michael the archangel is mentioned. Michael means “like God.” He disputed with the body of Moses . . . now, why would he do this? Well, if we turn to Daniel 12:1, we see Michael has the position of overseeing God’s people, the Jews, and Moses was a Jew. Daniel is referring to Michael’s protection of God’s people in the tribulation period. Being the archangel, it is believed that Michael is actually over all angels as the chief of angels. He is also referred to as the “great prince” in Daniel 10:13. Christ is going to come again bearing a voice like the archangel; 1 Thessalonians 4:16. We know from this verse that Michael has a most prevailing voice to match his exclusive role over God’s people. Someday we will be able to personally experience all of heaven’s glories including Michael and the other angel beings.
Daniel 10:21 speaks of Michael’s fortified protection over Israel when Persia and Greece would be at war with each other. To refresh your historical memory, Daniel was taken captive during the time of Babylonian rule, eventually the Media-Persian World Empire arose. Ultimately, the Greeks gained power over the Medes and the Persians. Rome later came to supremacy and that takes us to the time of Christ as Rome reigned over Israel at that time.
I will take you back to the beginning for a more composite history lesson. Egypt commenced world kingdom history, as she was the first ruling empire who reigned for thousands of years. The Assyrians then raised their hands to gain world power and arrested northern Israel, making her a captive slave. As time pressed on, the Babylonians defeated the Assyrians and gripped the world as no other empire in history as the kingdom of gold, unfolded in Daniel 2:32 & 38.
The Jews of Israel worshipped, paid tithes, learned scripture, etc; but held many sins they chose to ignore which provoked God’s holocaustic judgment. This judgment was death and captivity. God marched in with sword, pestilence and famine and those who were not killed were taken into captivity. Two main captivities took place in the Old Testament—first, the northern portion of Israel, which consisted of ten tribes and their designated lands. They were exiled to Assyria. One hundred and thirty-six years later, the southern portion of Israel, Judah—consisting of two remaining tribes—was removed by King Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon.
To understand the land division you need to note that Jacob, also called Israel, had 12 sons whom the nation of Israel descended from. The land was divided amongst those who ascended from these sons. However, Manasseh, and Ephraim, Joseph’s sons, replaced Joseph’s tribal portion of land as Levi, the priestly tribe, had no designated section of property as they served in the temple. This change allowed Israel to still be divided 12 ways.
ANGELS AND DOCTRINAL KNOWLEDGE Page 93
A Bible atlas is a must if you do not have adequate maps at the back of your Bible or within your notes in a study Bible. Maps can also be located by doing an Internet search by typing in the area of location with the words, historical maps. If you have adequate maps, you can see how the land of Israel was divided amongst the 12 tribes. You should also have a map that portions the northern and southern kingdoms after Israel was split. A New Testament map will reveal Israel’s division into districts during the time of Christ, which included Judea, Samaria, Galilee, Decapolis, and Perea.
God sent out a warning of the arriving captivities through many true prophets over the years who forecasted doom and gloom to both the northern and southern kingdoms for their rebellious actions. However, the Jews did not repent.
After the northern kingdom was removed by Assyria, the southern kingdom of Judah sought the advisement of false prophets. They wrongfully reasoned that nothing could befall them because they worshipped at Solomon’s sacred temple. They believed God would never destroy their place of worship established by Him so they were secure. The false prophets basically told the people they were righteous and God would not judge. They made the Jews feel holy, religious and safe. They basically preached “your ok and I’m ok.”
God had allowed the southern kingdom of Israel, Judah, to remain as they still had some redeeming qualities. However, these soon dissipated which prompted God to enlist the great Babylonian military force to bring judgment on Judah and many pagan nations. There were three main Semitic captivities under Babylon, the first involved Daniel and noble youths, the second occurred during King Jehoiachin’s reign, and the last seizure took place under King Zedekiah. It was during the third invasion that Solomon’s temple was destroyed as well as all of Jerusalem. This all arose under the hand of Babylonian king, Nebuchadnezzar, who was appointed by God to judge Judah, the southern kingdom. Their sin had superseded that of the northern kingdom. This judging event was orchestrated under the authority of Archangel Michael, who as I stated, is the guardian of the Jews as the book of Daniel reveals. Of course, God dictates Michael.
You should note that every angel mentioned in the Bible is of male gender as they never possess feminine names. There is no mention of any angelic female. Why?
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 94
It is due to the fact that angels were created countless eons before Eve ever stepped on the earth. Eve was made in the image of man. Man was made in the image of God as we read in 1 Corinthians chapter 11. Angels are most always depicted as female by society, but this is not according to scripture and fact.
Michael the archangel was assigned to intervene concerning the body of Moses as we read in Jude 9. God did not want Moses’ remains worshipped, at least this is what I believe, so God buried him personally in the place known only by God; Deuteronomy 34:6. God was protecting the body of Moses from satan’s evil cunning devices. Satan desires to turn people from a righteous, true and living God to worship men (dead or alive) or the things made by men; Isaiah 2:8, Acts 7:41 and 17:29.
Sinful men will worship just about anything as we even observe today in America. The New Age movement worships spirits in crystals, nature and various other things. Roman Catholicism has many idols—imaged saints that are prayed to. Satan would have loved to have obtained Moses’ body to place on display for public worship. Satan wants men’s attention drawn from God in any possible way. If he could have obtained the cadaver, he could have positioned men’s attention on Moses who has always been acclaimed for his outstanding walk with God that equipped him to lead 5,000,000 or so people around a desert wilderness for 40 years with few mishaps.
Some people will worship that which they felt was once close to God. That was why the Shroud of Turin, which was supposedly the burial cloth of Christ, received such publicity. It was proven “a fake” fabricated by men. It also did not comply with the scriptures concerning the linen wrappings (plural).
It is also important to note that Michael, though the most powerful and authoritative of the holy angels, does not rebuke satan as we see in conclusion to Jude 9. We are in the wrong when we think we can rebuke him; we are never given a command to do so. No where, that I can find, did the apostles rebuke him. They did rebuke his followers. Jude 8 taught us that we cannot rebuke angelic majesties and satan is the highest ranking evil angel.
Now you may view many charismatic people on television theatrically rebuking satan, but only the Godhead has the authority to do this and Jesus did rebuke him when on the earth. We can ask God to rebuke him for us, I believe, but this is all. We have to maintain caution in Christianity so as to never exert our liberties beyond Biblical bounds to boost the power of our ego and the power we feel we hold within. The Holy Spirit is to be controlling not the other way around.
ANGELS AND DOCTRINAL KNOWLEDGE Page 95
Verse 10 of Jude, speaks more of the tares that try to infiltrate the faith. They revile God and the ways of God; the things they cannot grasp in their sinful flesh which eventually leads to their eternal demise.
We are to study God’s Word so we are never ashamed of our lack of knowledge and taken in by these tares. Lack of scriptural knowledge can also limit our conception of a Holy God whereby we can teach false doctrine concerning deity, whereby we lead others astray by our deceived selves.
A great way to research doctrine is to implement study aids. It is important to own a detailed Bible Dictionary such as Ungers; two concordances, one compact for quick reference, such as Cruden’s and an exhaustive Concordance to research Hebrew and Greek root word meanings, such as Strong’s. The Old Testament was recorded in Hebrew and the New Testament was mostly documented in Greek.
All believers must be researchers of the Word in order to be cautious of all doctrines. I have seen falseness encompass many a believer in Bible-believing churches…it’s amazing how many Christians will believe falsehood simply because it was taught to them in church. It can result in a whole congregation spreading false teaching as people believe it must be true as it came from their teacher or preacher. Believers rarely go to the Bible to prove scripture verification.
Alan was once leading a church service and he said something out of jest, but the pastor believed him because he respected him as a teacher and did not think he would kid around. Alan humbly apologized and was cautious henceforth. We never thought anyone would take what he said seriously.
Everything I write or teach needs to be scripturally scrutinized. You and I should never believe another until our own Biblical investigation confirms it. The enabling power of the Holy Spirit grants us insight to understand the Word.
Always remember obedience to scripture is a must! That is why it must be taught accurately and should obtain your personal conformation. Some think they do not have to observe scripture unless it convicts them. This is false doctrine that prevails everywhere. Nowhere in the Word does it teach we are allowed to overlook exhortations until we receive conviction. This is simply an excuse to apply license.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 96
The tares, we read of in Jude, are not those who care about the exhortations of scripture and therefore they will suffer destruction, “By the very things they know by instinct, like unreasoning animals, they will be destroyed by.” Why? Because there is a coming judgment by the hand of Christ, the One they did not take seriously.
Most everyone knows God created mankind with instinct as Romans 1:18f declares. God has penned His truths of creation on all men’s hearts of instinct through His seen evidence. Men who deny there is a God are actually without excuse as He has exposed His omnipotence through creation and man instinctively accepts it or rejects it. When man rejects the creator, He opens himself up to many sins and desires of the flesh, including sensuality. Men easily can act out like animals and we see this increasing consistently in our society in many forms; many unmentionable forms.
Chapter 7
Sinister Villains
In verse 11, Old Testament wicked sinister characters are laid before us to teach us to reject their behavior for godly living. You have seen thus far the importance of learning the Old Testament, which provides greater insight into the New Testament. Once we grasp the truths of the New Testament, we must take the time to learn the Old Testament. A great deal of it is quoted in the New, and examples in the Old emphasize the truths in the New. When you see portions of scripture laid out in the New in all capitals, this tells you that these verses first appeared in the Old. Most Bibles will have references to the right of these verses where you can turn to read the original declared scriptures.
These evil villains cited from the Old Testament with depraved hearts easily represent people we see in today’s general society as men’s base fascinations never abandon him.
The first person God presents to us through Jude is Cain. He takes us back to the beginning of mankind as he was a son of Adam and Eve and we find him cited in Genesis 4:1-17.
Cain is the first bad guy presented in scripture, where Abel, his brother, was the good guy who loved and followed God. Cain committed the first murder in history because God accepted his brother’s spiritual sacrifice not his. Cain would most likely be in a church today if his birth had been delayed, as he viewed himself as a tithing believer. Also, remember murderers do not usually spend life in prison these days and some get off through technicalities. I knew a man who attended a Bible believing church and most likely still does, who killed a man and got off and holds no remorse for taking a life. I know because his words and attitude disclosed this. Cain seemed to hold little or no remorse for taking Abel’s life. The church most likely would let him in the doors without question as believers state no one is to judge.
I heard a pastor on the news declare that he could not judge a mass murderer who attended his church and was a deacon till his arrest. The pastor revealed no sympathy for the victims and their families; only acceptance and forgiving love for his deacon. It is a very grievous thing when Christians do not weep and get angry over sin, especially the expelling of innocent lives. It is a sad thing when believers do not think it is for them to judge what God has already judged as evil and deserving of death.
97
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 98
Cain jealously hated his brother Abel because he was viewed as righteous in God’s eyes. Psalm 37:32 aptly declares, “The wicked spies upon the righteous and seeks to kill him.” There are those in the church who wish to destroy and corrupt the righteous; they may not murder them, but they are hostile to them. They can be very cruel and will make fun of the righteous separated ones. If the separated ones do not obtain to their thoughtless mindset and critical spirit, then the malevolence increases…sometimes, driving solid loving believers out of the church, which is usually the intent of those who are convicted by their righteous lives.
This is not limited to just the congregational members; often pastors will take the leading role of hating the righteous and spying on them. They will try to locate an area in which to perform church discipline by keeping a close eye on them and asking others in their inner circle to do the same, in an all-friendly manner. They usually cannot find any misdoing so they make an accusation surrounding the fact they are standing up for holy living. They will actually discipline them for standing on scriptural mandates. They angrily state that they as pastors cannot fully obey the Word because they would lose most of their compromising congregation; whereby, they don’t want any goody goodies convicting people so they walk out the door. This causes unbelievable pain for the ones who simply love Christ and want to walk righteously and submissively, but cannot compromise to please mere misled men.
The subsequent verse introduces us to Balaam. He was a seer for hire in the Old Testament. He being a false prophet was willing to curse the people of God for money. Balaam represents people who come to Christianity for pious gain whether materially or socially. Many agendas can be hidden in desperately wicked hearts. Some people attend church simply to increase their marketing through making new friends. They will invite people over to their home to present their latest vocation venture and what it can mean for prospects.
Frequently, this mindset involves the secular business workplace. A respected lady in our Christian community mentioned to me how her son, a doctor, needed to be attending a large church so he could increase his patient clientele.
SINISTER VILLIANS Page 99
When I attended a business college, church attendance was encouraged for fleshly fulfilling purposes. Of course, everyone has to earn a living, but using the church for material and personal gain in very evil. We need to choose a church that holds the highest Biblical standards, not based according to its size and leave secular enterprising agendas outside its walls.
God stopped selfish enterprising Balaam in his tracts by having Balaam’s ride pronounce a reproach against him. This was on the road that Balaam thought would lead to devilish accumulation. What a sight this would have been; beholding an animal that holds a cursed name telling off a man!! Balaam was on his way to plan mischief with Balak, king of Moab. Balak wanted Balaam to curse the children of God, the Jews, offering great fiscal rewards for this satanic task.
What is most ironic is Balaam thinks nothing of his burro frankly speaking to him and in angry agitation tells him off. Fortunately, the donkey lets him know just who he is dealing with, listing his faithful hoofing credentials.
Numbers chapters 22-25 expose us to Balaam. Verse 11 of Jude informs us that Balaam committed error. Balaam is also condemned in Revelation 2:14-16 as he led the children of Israel into many sins. He held the scent of greed wherever he trod. He can represent many today who use gimmickry so people will give to their cause in the name of false Christianity. Balaams are everywhere present in Christianity and they seem to be significantly increasing in number.
Balaams are people who serve God expecting substantial monetary rewards. Pastors who are Balaams love large collection plates filled to the brim and thousands in their congregation to adore them because they have put their church on the map of success. There are pastors who will refuse to oversee a fellowship unless the price is right and the price has to be significantly right. Balaams are in Christianity for what they can get not what they can give. Many televangelists are Balaams and you can tell by the shinning rings on their fingers and their silk tailor-made wear.
Balaam and Balak were both immoral in intent. They desired to own the Jews so they would follow after false religious teachings and engage in sexual promiscuity of pagan kind. Balak was not being successful in getting the Hebrews, God’s children, to stumble. He determined if they could not beat them, then they should get them to join them. Balaam and Balak instigated a plan whereby they would introduce the men of God to the lovely enticing Moabite women. Resultantly, they would intermarry without a thought, not seeing what lay beyond the sensual delights of these godless babes of moral destruction.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 100
Balaam and Balak succeeded to a degree because many desired to follow their immoral religion of fleshly delights. In Numbers chapter 25, the bodily alluring daughters of Moab became triumphant in their persuasions of idol worship and sex whereby the Jews followed and God’s judgment hatchet fell.
Balaam sounded very godly and even prophesied in the name of the LORD and in truth. He was a powerful preacher who knew about God and His Word. He held all the acquired godly-appearing ingredients to deceive God’s children.
The scriptures also reprove Balaam in 2 Peter 2:12f. This passage reveals the agendas of false teachers who entice others by fleshly desires and consistently pay the consequences as Balaam did “as black darkness has been reserved for them.”
Korah, follows Balaam on Jude 11’s villain list; he also is corrupt and self-centered and his ways are set before us in Numbers chapter 16. He opposed the authority of Moses whereby the earth “opened its mouth and swallowed” him “up,” like a whale swallowing a fly. He was rebellious to God’s righteous ways of living. He did not hold an obedient heart to God’s truths and commands. He wanted to be number one…not last. He had no desire to be the little unnoticed toe in God’s working body, but had to be the commanding head and nothing less. 1 Corinthians chapter 12 teaches us that no part of the body of Christ is better than another. The heads that conduct the church body, the elders and teachers, are not better than those who silently perform unnoticed ministries, who represent a little part of the functioning—the toes. However, of course, we must submit to and respect church elders as they present God’s Word accurately for us to obey.
In the New Testament, Christ proclaimed the last shall be first and the first last, as humility is the core of faith. Christ was meek and humble of heart—Matthew 11:29. He is our example of not holding any kind of elevated mindset. Neither the uplifting of men nor the fame of men is of God.
Verse 12 of Jude reveals that people like Cain, Balaam and Korah are in our churches as they eat with us. The “love feasts” mentioned here occurred prior to communion in early church times. The Corinthian church educates us concerning the love feasts, which have been discontinued because believers abused this time. The Corinthians ate, drank and ignored the poor believers in attendance, not allowing them to have any food during this remembrance of Christ’s death and resurrection.
SINISTER VILLIANS Page 101
1 Corinthians chapter 11 speaks of the church being despised due to its cliquish partiality and drunkenness. We see here God is very concerned about what takes place in every church and it should never act according to a haughty, self-indulging mindset.
God did not command the love feast dismissal; believers just chose to end them. It certainly would not be wrong to have love feasts today if performed out of love of Christ and the uplifting of Him alone. We see from the text of 1 Corinthians chapter 11 that the communion service followed this time of people fellowshipping around a dinner.
We read in Jude 12 that the beguilers were partaking of this pre-communion meal and most likely the bread and the cup as well. Today, everyone is invited to take communion in contemporary congregations with no questions asked. One does not need to have a testimony to take the cup and bread. This allows false teachers to even appear more spiritual for acceptance sake. They do not fear taking the cup unworthily as they have a satanic agenda to fill that does not encompass fearing God. They have no true dread of God and His punishment, just a desire to deceive and recruit. I am amazed at how many believers today have absolutely no fear of God and very few Christians will acknowledge that it is to be present.
While contemplating these various aspects that surround communion and who is to partake, I thought of George Muller (1805-1898) who had a far-reaching evangelistic ministry in England. In regard to his church services, I was struck by the fact that one had to prove their salvation through godly faithfulness, humility and not being entangled with materialism before they could break bread. 1 Corinthians 5:11 exhorts us not to associate with covetous believers and a great deal of scripture deals with walking humbly before our God and others. George Muller was very cautious and what he required was not contrary to the Word. We would have far superior fellowships today if this was applied as we wouldn’t have many sitting in the pews taking communion unworthily.
We read these false believers in Jude were hidden, even during the pre-communion meal. They blended in and knew how to play the Christian act or part. Such ones are those who seem godly yet will try to introduce doctrines that are worldly and unscriptural. It reports that they are “hidden reefs.” These reefs are as hidden sandbars in the ocean. Ships run into these undetected destroyers to their ruin. These reefs or false teachers can destroy a congregation as they lead others by example, by insisting whatever feels good is good. They bear no good fruit as they don’t love Christ and His Word with all their hearts, but love the worldly ways of self-centered pleasure.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 102
They only care for themselves and their own agendas. They are not on fire for the Word of God. They do not constantly speak of God’s truths and how Christ is working in their lives.
Human reefs can ruin us if we do not live solely by scripture—walking in all godliness, holiness, and truth. Galatians 1:10 states, “For am I now seeking the favor of men, or of God? Or am I striving to please men? If I were trying to please men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ.” This is a profitable verse to memorize in that it can assist us in never following deceived influences who teach contrary to scripture. Galatians deals with church attendees who influence by presenting a tainted Gospel. It addresses people-pleasing believers who wanted to be part of a tolerance-centered congregation and therefore they wouldn’t eradicate the false teachers. Jeremiah 17:5 is also a great verse to commit to memory in this area as it says cursed is the man who trusts in man and makes man his strength.
On-fire Christians who apply God’s Word will detect reefs, those who are not spirit-filled believers. Perhaps not right away. But through observation and paying heed to what they say, they detect something is amiss. They take note of their actions that reveal something is not right here, which sounds an alarm of warning in their spirit.
Many Christians want to think the best of others and will actually hope that what they perceive cannot be true when it is in a negative scope. True love wants to believe the best. However, in many cases in today’s church, disappointment can be a norm when wanting to locate a true dedicated obedient believer who will not eventually slap them in the face in one way or another with some false teaching.
All through the centuries, believers have had to walk in caution in the Christian sphere. Paul stated that he had to be constantly on guard due to the false brethren; 1 Corinthians 11:26.
Bible translator, William Tyndale, died by the hands of a false believer. A worthless man by the name of Henry Philips brought William Tyndale’s (1494-1536) ministry of Bible translating, printing and distribution to an abrupt end through his acting achievements.
Tyndale knew if he was caught for this illegal activity that it could mean death; he being the most wanted man by Romish religious clergy. This ruling religious sect did all they could to stop his small as a hand New Testaments from landing in the palms of commoners which he smuggled into England through ingenious schemes.
SINISTER VILLIANS Page 103
Philips successfully pretensed himself as a friend by establishing a close relationship of trust. He gained Tyndale’s certitude by posing as a dedicated fellow believer in Christ and His Word. You can imagine Tyndale’s shock and pain when this faithful friend implemented espionage to trap him with evidence of his underground work. It was like the kiss of Judas upon his face. Tyndale was arrested, strangled and his body burned at the stake near Brussels, Belgium all because of a “hidden reef” he befriended who had hateful murder hidden in his spying heart.
In Revelation chapter 2, Christ exalts the Ephesus church for not tolerating evil men and putting to test those who called themselves apostles, and found them to be liars. Philips was found to be lair and a deceiver but not until a powerful dedicated life became a burnt sacrifice.
In the Ephesus church, the evil destructive ones were removed before they could bring harm upon believers through the Ephesians discerning scrutiny.
Chapter 8
The Fruitless and the Productive
As we continue to observe verse 12 of Jude, we note these false hidden teachers are autumn trees without fruit. I believe the “no fruit” and “bad fruit” found in scripture are mostly synonymous.
We can test church attendees by observing their fruit production—Matthew 7:15-20. We can sight both good and bad fruit through the wisdom of Christ’s words found in this Matthew passage. The good fruit would be detected in a person through a holy heart of loving obedience to the Word. Not that a true believer never has a sinful thought or action, but the overall person walks in general uprightness. The good fruit also produces more of the same godly crop.
Christ’s given insight on the bad fruit reveals it is not an inner godly long lasting harvest. If you look beneath the beautiful skin, you detect all the destructive blemishes.
When it comes to personally observing bad fruit, I have come across much through inspection. And I must admit, it sometimes takes years before the blemishes appear outright. False teachers and false believers can fool Christians for years as they can act so good on Sunday. They can be grand theatrical performers but eventually the make-up wears away.
Some teaching tares will pace themselves to perfect synchronization knowing just when to start bringing in false doctrines—after they have believers eating out of their hand. These doctrines begin to appear when they feel assured they have won everyone over to their trust. Therefore, you and I must never be passive, but on the alert and on guard so we do not follow and become rotten fruit as well which is their goal in leading others down their harvest path. Their false doctrines are placed upon others so the domino effect of never ending evil falls on everyone and everyone falls down like Humpty Dumpty. Everyone self-destructs and no true witness is left. This is what the consuming apostasy is all about and it is consuming most everyone slowly today in a tolerant teaching environment.
When I have been under teachers who introduce false teaching, I think I cannot be hearing this. In the past, I have prayed for the Lord to correct me if I am wrong in how I am interpreting something.
104
THE FRUITLESS AND THE PRODUCTIVE Page 105
However, I would find upon study that what I believe is the truth. About this time, I would usually bounce things off of Alan wanting to be cautious and not too judgmental. He, being discerning, would share his thoughts and concerns. We would usually stick it out until we could not bear hearing doctrines that were out of sync any longer. This type of thing has hurt Alan and I deeply. God has led us together in cautioning discernment, which is important to a marriage.
I have a friend who has been a math teacher in the public school system for years. She has taught with various ones in her career who she never would have guessed were believers by their words and actions. Once she was shocked to learn that a couple fellow teachers were pastors’ wives and one of these ladies was formerly on staff with “Campus Crusade for Christ.”
She learned these so-called Christian women of position could put on a great show at church, but act totally carnal when in the secular school system to blend in just right. One teacher holds a position in a Baptist church but she owns the foulest of mouths; swearing unceasingly.
We can see the essential importance of learning how leaders act outside the walls of the church before we place ourselves under their teaching and authority. Before a man can be placed in a pastoral role, the church must learn what kind of reputation he holds in the community as is taught in Timothy and Titus. He must be one who is above reproach in every way as one who brings pure honor to the Savior.
We also see a phrase in Jude 12 that points to self-centeredness as these people only cared for themselves. Such people believe they are number one when it comes to importance as we view often today. They watch out for number one and what number one believes. It is always “ME time” for them. They believe everyone is to tune themselves to the words of number one; not the holy One. These types of people are empty in all ways and have no fear of God…being described here through a visual aid—“clouds without water, carried along by winds.” This aptly describes anyone who is caught up in man-made thinking and activities. They think they are on center stage when it comes to accomplishments, but in reality they are empty like waterless clouds that bear no good productive thing.
Jude 13 continues this exposure of the disgusting attributes of these tares through more visual aids—they are wild waves of the sea who cast up their own abominable foam. They are wondering stars for which black darkness is reserved for them forever.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 106
This verse just doesn’t fit into contemporary Christianity does it? Today’s easy believism and positive believism would hurl out anyone through any church door for thinking negative of any godless person who comes to take part. Everyone is beautiful who comes to church no matter their wicked lifestyles. How God must weep over the apostate church!
Joel Osteen, the pastor of America’s largest church, over 30,000 members, states his church “is open for everybody.” He refuses to condemn homosexuality, abortion and anything that would cause the world to hate him.
“Friday Church News Notes, September 29, 2006, – At a recent book signing in Boston, Joel Osteen, pastor of Americas largest church, said he doesn’t believe it is his calling to condemn homosexuality and homosexual marriage. When Osteen, the pastor of Lakewood Church in Houston, Texas, was asked his opinion about gay marriage, he gave the following vapid reply: I never feel like homosexuality is God’s best. I don’t feel like that’s my thrust … You know, some of the issues that divide us, and I’m here to let people know that God is for them and He’s on their side.”
Paul was hated by those who were made to feel guilty by his writings on holy living. Pastors today do not want to be hated; they want to be loved by everyone for fame sake.
Joel Osteen was selected by Barbara Walters as one of the 10 Most Fascinating People in 2006. This is the first time a pastor has appeared on the annual television special. Osteen focuses on a positive message and refuses to preach on negative issues such as repentance and judgment. You will not hear a sermon on hell at his prestigious Lakewood Church. Walters said it was Osteen’s positive message and huge congregation that led her to pick him.
If any of the prophets and apostles were preaching in today’s world, they would never be selected in a positive way to represent the American way of adoring fascinating people. Christ was martyred for not submitting to culture and so were many of the apostles. They would not consider it a privilege to be seen as famous and desirable from the world view. They would be mocked today for their prudish unwavering ways.
Christ said “Woe to you when all men speak well of you, for their fathers used to treat the false prophets in the same way;” Luke 6:26. “If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you.
THE FRUITLESS AND THE PRODUCTIVE Page 107
Remember the word that I said to you, the slave is not greater than his master. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My saying, they will keep yours also;” John 15:19-20.
Enoch was not a man-pleaser but spoke the truths of God devoid of likeable compromise. I believe he had his times of persecution and rejection as he preached the judgment of God.
Verse 14 of Jude sheds new revelation upon us concerning Enoch who we read of in Genesis chapter 5. In Genesis, we are not made aware of the fact that Enoch was a prophet, but here in Jude it is disclosed. Enoch lived before the flood, so I would guess he prophesied of the world water rushing inundation and the great oncoming judgment that we read of here where Christ comes with “many thousands of His holy ones.”
Enoch was an exceptionally righteous man as God did not desire that he suffer death so He raptured him to heaven, therefore “he was not.” The Hebrews 11:5 KJV text states, he was “translated;” this equates with he disappeared or was raptured.
Enoch was Noah’s righteous grandfather. He was of the godly line of Seth; Genesis 5:3. Seth looked just like his father, Adam, as we are told from this verse. Mormons believe in the “mark of Cain” being present today. They teach the black race descended from Cain’s evil genealogy. However, the godless line of Cain was completely annihilated at the time of the flood. Only Seth’s genealogical tree continued; his brother’s did not.
We find Enoch’s faith spoken of in Hebrews 11:5 (the faith chapter) which teaches us God removed Enoch from the earth because “he was pleasing to God.”
Enoch is our example of being pleasing to God by fully recognizing God does not lie and therefore warned of God’s coming judgment. From Genesis to Revelation the Bible has warnings of the “wrath to come” or the “day of the Lord.” Christ, the prophets, apostles, etc pronounced words of doom due to the fact that nothing like it has appeared in the way of judgment in the past; including the world wide flood of Genesis.
If you read Revelation and related Bible scriptures, you see it needs to be preached as Enoch did and as Jude does here. It is all neglected in this day of worldly apostasy where humanism reigns even in Christendom.
You can recognize by verses 14 and 15 of Jude why Enoch’s warnings are needed, as these verses state “Behold, the Lord came with many thousands of His holy ones, to execute judgment upon all, and to convict all the ungodly of all their ungodly deeds which they have done in an ungodly way, and of all the harsh things which ungodly sinners have spoken against Him.”
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 108
These verses in Jude are magnified in an envisaged presentation in Revelation. The Apostle John witnessed it through a staged reality performance from God and wrote it all down as it occurred to inform you and me. Revelation mainly deals with the tribulation. Revelation pronouncements should cause believers to sit up and take notice. It ought to incite fear of what is to fall upon all unbelievers whom Enoch referred to way back at the beginning of time. These are all inerrant disclosures.
In chapter 6 of Revelation, we read of the opening of 7 seals of a book. These seals unlock the wrath of God upon the earth when broken. Here Christ removes peace from the earth. Peace is one of His gifts bestowed upon mankind so most live in some type of ordained respectful order. The majority of society does not engage in murderous rampages. However, when the Lord God eradicates peace from the earth, men will slay one another commonly. We also note from this chapter that God will bring famine and pestilence upon mankind in a way never witnessed before as it will affect the whole earth. Man will also be mauled and devoured by wild beasts. Animal rights activists will be silenced during this time when God allows these creatures to torment men as never before.
An earthquake will devastate beyond Richter scale registering revealing incomprehensible magnitude. And the sun will become black as sackcloth; the moon will turn to a bloody state and stars will be allowed to enter earth’s atmosphere falling upon mankind. Every mountain and island will be moved out of their places.
If you read towards the end of chapter 6, you will see that mankind will hide himself in caves and will call for the mountains and rocks to fall on him as he will not want to face the Lamb of God—Christ who is all holy and hates all sin. This verse reveals there will be no atheists—everyone will know Christ is avenging the sin of the world.
And no that is not all as God will destroy a third of mankind by fire, smoke, and brimstone through a mounted army of two hundred million. He will destroy a third of the earth, a third of the trees, grass, creatures of the sea and ships a sail. He will strike a third of the sun, moon, and stars.
Furthermore, the waters of this earth will turn to blood and man will be smitten with every possible plague. Hell stones, a hundred pounds each, will fall from heaven upon men.
THE FRUITLESS AND THE PRODUCTIVE Page 109
This is just a taste of Revelation’s avenging pain orchestrated by Christ arriving upon mankind in this great day of tribulation that will descend from a pure and righteous God.
I believe, I have provided you with a little mirror to reveal a few of the upcoming events that explain why Enoch took the occasion to warn mankind of the great tribulation from the beginning of time. We are ever so much closer to end time catastrophes…we all need to take heed and take the delivery of the salvation message more contemplatively. When Paul witnessed to Felix in Acts 24:23, he discussed with him “righteousness, self-control and the judgment to come.” Felix was a Roman administrator who lived a loose pleasure-filled life and needed to fear the judgment to come upon all that he might embrace Christianity and repent.
Today there is a movement that removes the arriving tribulation judgment that is preached in Revelation, Acts, Jude, and in numerous Biblical books. This captivating deceived movement places us in the kingdom age today if we just grab hold.
There are people in churches who are rewriting Revelation to their own condemnation. Revelation 22:18-19 dooms those who add to this book…they will receive the plagues contained within and those who subtract will be banned from heaven.
Many pastors and teachers are proclaiming false precepts, adding and subtracting from Revelation without any fear. They eradicate the coming judgment and most everything else avowed.
This teaching can be referred to as Christian dominion though those who present it do not refer to it as any doctrinal stance; they simply proclaim it. The Bible teaches that Christ will rule in the Kingdom age from Jerusalem and He will bring death upon all who oppose him before He takes His earthly throne. Revelation chapter 19:11-21 announces:
Christ is coming on a white horse. He is going to judge and wage war. His eyes are a flame of fire and He wears many crowns. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood and His name is the Word of God. Christ is coming on a white horse. He is going to judge and wage war. His eyes are a flame of fire and He wears many crowns. He is clothed in a robe dipped in blood and His name is the Word of God. From His mouth comes a sharp sword and with it He will strike down the nations and He will rule over them with a rod of iron. He treads the wine press of the fierce wrath of God, the Almighty!! An angel came and said to the birds “Come and assemble for the great supper of God so you may eat the flesh of mighty men, the flesh of kings, and the flesh of the commanders and the flesh of men, both free and slaves, and small and great.” And I saw the beast and the kings of the earth and their armies assembled to make war against Christ who sat on the horse and against His army.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 110
But they were thrown into the lake of fire which burns with brimstone. And the rest were killed with a sword which came from Christ’s mouth and all the birds of the air were filled with their flesh. And Christ will come and rule for a thousand years in Israel; Revelation chapter 20, Ezekiel chapter 34 and 39:1-12, Zechariah 2:10-12, 8:3-8, etc.
Despite these unmistakable teachings, many Christian songs are being composed and sung in churches that imply we are dwelling in the kingdom age though nothing has been fulfilled as of yet. Some of this composition is arriving from the Vineyard movement. It implies that we should be reigning with Christ right now on the earth—believers must bring it on. It instructs the changing of the world socially, economically, educationally and spiritually in order to usher in the kingdom. This is totally divergent to scripture, it being man’s desired belief system. It is brainwashing and it is working because so few believers know their Bibles today including the book of Revelation. They will read ridiculous novels about Revelation, but not Revelation itself.
This dominion doctrine teaches that any god-acknowledging people, through their own instrumentation, must commit to bring peace upon the earth through humanitarian endeavors. All humanistic religious-minded people are intricate in this effort. Ecumenicalism is the glue of this movement.
Dominion apostate doctrine maintains one basic belief: Christ will not return until the ecumenical church maintains global control—it is within reach and it is being done; so it is kind of like, we have arrived.
This doctrine falsely and deceptively teaches that the church has replaced Israel and so the church is our hope of kingdom come. Yes, it is wishy-washy and full of entangling confusion. God is not a God of confusion; which must always be retained in mind. Every believer must be on guard so they aren’t sucked into any bogus new agenda thinking.
The book of Jude dismantles apocalypse false doctrines plus other misleading dogmas of today.
Looking at Enoch’s quotation further, please notice he used the word “ungodly” four times in Jude 15. This world is going to suffer from a coming judgment that will be rained upon “all” of the earths ungodly. Therefore, we must bring Christ’s message to as many as possible.
THE FRUITLESS AND THE PRODUCTIVE Page 111
It is not about ushering in a humanitarian habitation; it is about the saving Gospel message that must include warnings of the judgment to arrive. It must be preached with Enoch’s warning passion.
This verse should also stir believers hearts to obedient fear as every Christian must strive to live by God’s standards as we will all stand before His judgment seat and be tried by fire in regards to our works; 1 Corinthians chapter 3. We must be wise enough to realize we will not be judged in light of American cultural standards but by God’s holy perfect standards and this judgment will not arrive till Christ comes in avenging judgment upon the earth in destructive power.
This coming judgment is to set fear in all believers so we walk in a godly manner while upon the earth. 1 Corinthians 3:3-4 warns us not to walk in a fleshly manner or like mere men. We are to walk in godliness so people recognize we are not of this world or of American culture, but simply ambassadors for Christ. Enoch lived this way, being not of this world, living and speaking of those things that are eternal and possess everlasting value. He chose not to identify himself as part of the local community. His identity card revealed he was united with God alone. He was one with God in preaching the coming judgment.
Verse 16 of Jude brings all this into context as those who are false teachers don’t possess the heart, mind and soul of Enoch. They are earthly-minded, reeking of arrogance, craving earthly gain and they implement flattery to grab hold. They speak of themselves and their accomplishments, not warning of the coming judgment of God. They own no true concept of living holy separated lives through regeneration.
Malachi chapter 4 warns of God’s judgment on the arrogant or proud person. It states, “For behold a day is coming, burning like a furnace; and all the arrogant and every evildoer will be chaff; and the day that is coming will set them ablaze.”
Jude and Malachi are warnings to me so I desire to put on humility. It is wrong for me to build myself up or give myself praise. This truth in Jude speaks to my heart in a great way as my flesh always wants to exalt itself. Praying for humility and being delivered from pride is a continual prayer of mine when my flesh raises its ugly, hideous, deceived head.
I also recognize from these warnings that I am never to make fun of another as this proclaims a proud statement of “I am better than you.” I will Someday give an account of every word I uttered and I know I will be made ashamed as I fall very short. May Christ continue to mold and change me into His image before my time arrives when I come before my Lord for analysis of reward.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 112
The scriptural warnings of Malachi and Jude are for my benefit and yours. What may assist us with these verses is to shine a brighter light of reflection upon them by picturing the proud self-seeking typical salesperson. Such a one loves to flatter for business success and will pretend they are one in thought with whomever they approach. I think all of us have been flattered by a salesperson for their personal proud financial gain and our personal loss.
We must always make sure we never buy into such gimmickry and never implement it ourselves for our own personal financial success. The Lord blesses honesty, humility and forthrightness. Arrogance and flattery are not to be part of the believer’s heart in the church or outside. They are the implementations of the world for carnal personal achievement.
Verses 17 and 18 embrace another warning concerning end times and those who mock the scriptures—the recorded words of Christ, the apostles and prophets. Remember 2 Peter 3:2 commands us to abide in the teachings of the holy prophets and the apostles as they wrote the words of Christ. Mocking scriptural truths occurs because there are those who want to pursue “their own ungodly lusts.” Of course, this has been the prevailing theme in this little letter of Jude. It is repeated as a warning for us to be careful of those who feed the flesh…not to get close to them so they influence us. This would include those who are flirtatious toward you. These people are very dangerous holding evil motives in their heart. They are in the church as you probably well know if you are allowing your eyes to be discerningly open.
This verse in Jude is reaffirmed in 2 Peter 3:3-4. Peter deals with people mocking because Christ still has not returned as scripture predicted. They view the Word of God as false and therefore lethal license can be implemented. They may arrogantly state nothing has changed in the world, so the Bible must not be true. These people are excuse-makers. They use this excuse to live according to what is right in their own eyes, following after their own lusts. They have no fear of God seeing so many getting away with wickedness or so it appears. Those who truly believe scripture recognize no one gets away with any unrepentant way and all stated consequences in Revelation and elsewhere will arrive.
THE FRUITLESS AND THE PRODUCTIVE Page 113
It is sad when someone points out a wayward believer to me who seems to be getting away with murder. I always assure them a day of reckoning will come as God says He is the God of vengeance and we can leave this in His hands. Psalm 94 is the vengeance song, which we can pray for those who despitefully use us and others for personal gain. This Psalm reveals the pain one goes through when they are being persecuted for righteousness sake. Not long ago I encouraged a hurting woman who was in persecuted pain to pray this psalm. I also pointed out the uplifting truths of 2 Thessalonians chapter 1 for her encouragement. This passage deals with Christ bringing judgment upon those who persecute the righteous.
We are also to pray for the repentance of anyone who is in sin so they once again bring glory to the Savior. We cannot walk in bitterness or hatred toward another. When Stephen was being stoned for proclaiming convicting truths to the Jews, Acts chapter 7, he begged God not to hold the sin against them in modeling the example of His Savior when crucified.
As the apostasy grows ever stronger, I am witnessing believers becoming very bold in engaging in every evil way as everything is being sanctioned by leadership. I am seeing more pastors justifying sin in the church and those who engage in it. We have come to the place where leadership persecutes those who stand opposed to every vile way as pastors are made to feel guilty as partakers too.
In 2 Peter 3:14-17, Peter is addressing those untaught and unstable ones who mock Paul by stating his statements are hard to understand and therefore they distort them. These were people who misrepresented Paul’s writings as well as the rest of scripture as we read here. These people will always be hanging around so we must be aware. I know a man who attends church yet he enjoys spitefully making fun of Paul. I often pray for him to feel conviction so his heart changes. Leadership does need to confront such people as no one is to despise the apostles’ teachings; 2 Thessalonians 2:15 and 3:6; 1 Corinthians 11:2 and 4:17-21.
We see throughout the book of Jude, people in the church desiring to walk according to the flesh. Therefore we know they are not filled with the Holy Spirit, they are devoid of the Spirit, as we see if we drop down to verse 19. As I stated before, those who are filled with the Holy Spirit are recognizable as they speak about all of God’s Word with enthusiasm and on a continual basis. These Spirit-filled ones do not care if they are considered socially unacceptable because this criterion of society approval is no where found in scripture. Of course, I do not mean we walk in a silly manner by displaying silly behavior. Christ, our example, always portrayed a wise and discerning manner. If we feel we lack in wise dignified behavior and speech, we can ask God to change us. Proverbs is a powerful book for instilling wise conduct and I have needed to seek its wisdom often.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 114
In Jude 19, we read more of the warnings about these people who come in the door of churches. They are “worldly minded.” The worldly minded, through all I observe, often lend to worldly chatter which marks their hearts out. 1 Timothy 6:20-21 lets us know that we are to avoid “worldly and empty chatter.” And such activity can lead us astray from the faith. We are to guard our words so they are always pleasing to Christ and comply with the Holy Scriptures. In Matthew 12:36, Christ informs us “every careless word that people speak, they shall give an accounting for in the day of judgment.” In the day of accounting, Christ is not going to ask how well we did in implementing every new catchphrase so we appeared all so trendy.
In today’s church it seems most believers feel they must take hold of every new engaging slogan so they appear intelligent—being united with styling, progressive society. Everyone is grasping for a new catch-phrase these days where so much wisdom is lacking to take in the lost slack. Now there is nothing wrong with appearing intelligent but not to the place were our conversation is not set apart from the world. We are not to partake in the empty meaningless chatter that everyone engages in. In my eyes, it doesn’t make one look intelligent, just the opposite as slogans are always subject to change. God’s words never need to change to conform to any period in time, as He never needs to feel accepted in and He doesn’t run his course according to any clock winding. We, as the King’s children, never need to feel accepted in as our heavenly Father rules above all this silliness. We are children of royalty and we need to act it. Not prideful, but wisely knowing the truth of our unsurpassed inheritance. If we could grasp this, it could change our lives from worldly spoken folly to royal oratorical wisdom.
Another thing that greatly saddens my heart in the way of being worldly minded and worldly worded is what I see rampant in various Christian missionary literatures. Many pamphlets I receive have an in-vogue appearance. I hate to pick them up as they make me sick to my stomach as they imitate every new craze to make every believer feel like they are on the pinnacle of showy astuteness. Those who publish these periodicals do not offer an appearance of people who are of the Holy Spirit and hold the hearts of the apostles; just the opposite. They portray those who are of the cutting edge of humanitarianism, which is viewed as very posh in today’s secular society. They implement most every new released phrase of explanation so you will want to give to such an in-grove organization. They rarely speak of persecution…more likely how the world loves them for their bountiful compassionate efforts that do not threaten like the Gospel message of repentance and reformation.
THE FRUITLESS AND THE PRODUCTIVE Page 115
As we delve more into Jude, we see these false teachers as those who produce divisions as well as everything else we have noted. I know of a pastor who has caused three or more church splits in the area of Boise, Idaho. It was not that long ago that he had left a bunch of dismayed people. However, he has moved on to start another church, which has already acquired a large building as he is eloquently impressive.
Elders, who solidly hold to the Word, will not be producing church divisions. It is most always those people who bring in their own personal interpretations who cause splits. I have noticed how easy it can be for a man with leadership qualities to deliberately start attending a troubled church simply for the purpose of causing a split so he can have a ready-made church. Self-motivating people can simply start a separation by stating negative things about leadership that are unfounded just to stir up anger and a following.
If we disagree with leadership on a totally scripturally basis and there is no sign of them changing, we need to locate a new fellowship. Bringing together a group of vigilantes who stir up strife and move in rage accomplishes nothing but evil. In the book of 3 John, we read of a situation concerning an arrogant man who took over the leadership of a fellowship. This pastor did not like scripturally obedient believers and tossed them out of the church. The Apostle John arises to penetrate the disturbing situation with exposure and purpose to end this atrocity. Unfortunately, there are no apostles around today to take control of wayward churches. But there are leaders who still move in fellowships who confront sin in the pastorate realm; unfortunately some pastors choose to depart rather than repent.
Jude is completely applicable for us today including in the area of being watchful of those who want to divide churches simply so they can hold a position of arrogant authority in order to do their own thing according to their own way.
As we move into verse 20, we turn to those who represent true and sincere believers and the exhortation for them to build themselves up in the “most holy faith.” I love this phrase which calls for holiness conformity as it is absolutely opposite of anything that is of this sinful world. It can never offer the “holy faith” we have in our Savior. God’s Holy Word is matchless and through it He fashions us to be His conformed. Of course, this conformation can never reach sinless perfection. However, it does take hold of continuing maturity whereby we never become complacent in the faith.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 116
“Praying in the Holy Spirit” is the next phrase of this verse. It is interceding according to the scriptures. The verses are endless that we can pray to the Father in the name of Christ as we search throughout the Holy Word. Sunday, our pastor was teaching on prayer and one illustration he gave was to pray for husbands to love their wives as their own bodies. This is directly from the Holy Word and we know it is according to the Holy Spirit’s perfect will holding the power thereof.
I enjoy interceding with Colossians 1:9-13 for fellow saints to grow in their faith. These verses cover everything a person needs for godly maturity. It encompasses believers advancing in perception, power, steadfastness and so forth. I plead verse 13 for the unsaved, interceding for so and so to be delivered from the domain of darkness and transferred to the kingdom of His beloved Son. I also enjoy praying many other scriptures, for I know if I entreat in this way, I am supplicating according to God’s perfect will in His Holy Spirit.
We are next commanded to keep ourselves in the love of God, verse 21. We can turn to 1 Corinthians chapter 13 and get a greater grasp of this love that is not self-centered and never demands its own way. It is a love of charity, a sacrificial love not a sensual love. We can also see it demonstrated at the conclusion of the book of John in chapter 21, where Christ inquires of Peter of his love for Him. Christ tells Peter if he loves Him, he will feed the sheep, meaning fellow believers. What it stresses completely is discipleship and it must not be done in a sheepish manner but with all Christ’s authority and power. If we truly love fellow believers, we will desire their discipleship unto spiritual maturity. A man teaching another man or other men is best (men should not place themselves in tempting situations). A woman teaching another woman or other women is also best. Women are not to exercise authority over men by teaching them; 1 Timothy 2:12-14.
Now God did use Priscilla to teach Apollos, Acts 18:24-26, but she did it in conjunction with her husband as head. She would have never taught men in the church, though she was gifted and intelligent, as she walked in obedience to the apostles teaching in conjunction with scripture.
Acts 21:8-9 addresses Philip the evangelist who was a deacon in the Jerusalem church. He was the one who introduced the Ethiopian eunuch to Christ as witnessed in Acts chapter 8. Philip had four virgin daughters who were prophetesses. His prophesying daughters spoke the Word of Christ, but were not preachers or teachers over men.
THE FRUITLESS AND THE PRODUCTIVE Page 117
God can bless women significantly through the gifts of the Holy Spirit, but they must be implemented in conjunction with their calling of being of a quiet and gentle spirit that doesn’t want to usurp authority over men.
Accordingly, strong believers through gracious love are to encourage men and women to be studying the Word so they can grow in their faith and obedience. This is implementing one of the great aspects of the love of God.
We know “keeping ourselves in the love of God” can also entail personal sacrifice for our Savior’s testimony. Christ states in John 21:18-19 to “Follow Me” and these verses boldly signify unto a martyr’s death which was specified for Peter as a warning of his pending martyrdom which would arrive when he became elderly. Peter followed unto death as did some of the other apostles because he loved the Savior unto death. We know following Christ has meant unto death for countless believers since Peter. Even today believers in various foreign lands follow unto a martyr’s death to display their undying love for the Savior.
Jude points us to the most marvelous truth of all at the end of verse 21 and that is our eternal hope of being with Christ forever and ever!! We are commanded to wait anxiously for this time of eternal life. It is not a sin to yearn for heaven and the sinless embodiment we will receive. Being disappointed that Christ did not receive us today into His heavenly home is a good thing. We get tired of battling sin and having this hope set before us allows us to continue on despite the heaviness of the fight at times. A happy ending is awaiting.
We are to have mercy and walk in mercy according to Jude 22. Some believers may be struggling in their faith and we need to encourage them to keep on keeping on. Barnabas was an encourager in the early church and we all need to be encouragers as this world is very wicked, yet alluring. The battle can be fierce at times and simply phoning someone who we know is in a spiritual battle can lift them up and assist them to stand firm. Frequent calls to them and asking if they want to cover a few verses in a particular book in the Bible during every conversation can cause the troubled one standing on troubled waters to be benefited.
Taking the time to disciple a weak and hurting believer has numerous rewards. This is certainly exercising mercy on those who may be doubting.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 118
New believers are weak and suffer with many doubts and we need to be sensitive to this and make sure someone is aiding them in discipleship. Going verse by verse through the book of John is a good place to begin as new believers need to learn about their loving Savior. They usually have many questions and mature believers in the church need to be always available for their inquisitive minds.
Chapter 9
Fire Protection with Cleaning Precautions
We now move onto our responsibility of reaching the lost. We do not desire that anyone burn forever in the “Lake of Fire” as revealed in Revelation 20:20 which is a forthright teaching on the final fiery judgment of the unsaved. “Snatching them out of the fire,” as we read in Jude 23, is a requirement bestowed on us. This example was left to us by the Lord as He sent the apostles out into the streets to reach the lost no matter the personal price which included the disdain of convicted hearers.
They did not keep to themselves to obtain an arrogant religious look so their feathers would not be ruffled as many do today. They appeared socially unacceptable in every way which produced man’s scorn and persecution.
Sitting around and just enjoying life with no thought of others is not of the Lord. We are to sacrifice in order to snatch people “out of the fire.”
When it comes to wives and mothers, we must recognize our first call is to be workers in the home. I personally love this call. However, desiring to do the work of the service is also a call, but never to the neglect of my home.
If outreach ministry to women and children does this, then I must discontinue. If my home is not filled with constant love and devotion, I must back off. If my home is not clean and managed, then I must back off. My children are now grown, but when they were in the home, I made them a priority; but not in neglect of my husband. I often tell ladies who are not feeling they are doing enough that they must remember their first call is to be a worker in the home, loving their husband and children; Titus 2:4-5.
We cannot have our husbands and children feeling neglected as we follow our own agendas of service. We were called in Genesis to be our husband’s helpmate not an uppity women’s libber, having no respect for natural domestic attributes. The home front must always be protected and guarded. We have many disturbed homes because they are not protected by a stay-at-home attentive sentry.
Time for outside ministry can come when the children leave the home if a woman’s husband allows. God wants Christian homes to be a major witness in obedience to His Word.
119
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 120
A woman may not think she is accomplishing much for the kingdom when she is actually shinning forth brilliantly as an obedient hardworking submissive wife and loving mother. She retains more impact on the watching world than she ever can imagine. This planet is filled with unfaithfulness and she can be a light amongst an adulterous and sinful generation; Mark 8:38.
One thing that has assisted me in desired outreach and still does is sending out salvation letters—mailings I send randomly to people listed in the phonebook. They state the Gospel message and include a challenge to receive Christ. I have a letter saved on the computer and I print copies off. Another thing I engage in is giving tracts to ladies and I leave them in restrooms. These activities do not cause me to neglect my husband and home.
There is a bit more to Jude 23 as we must keep ourselves pure when we go into this vile world to reach those lost in wickedness. Secular influences and ways are never to pollute. Our garments must always be pure and unstained as we walk in sin-avoidance.
Awhile back I bought a white leather jacket from a lady at a yard sale. She was definitely of this world and her jacket reeked of it. I took it home and cleaned it up…all in an effort to remove its smelly sinful past. However, after all my attempt of purifying it, it still festered of the world’s involvements. I ended up placing it in a closet with a vanilla air freshener. It eventually removed the scents I abhorred. Then I fastened a metal tea set broach to distinguish my feminine personality. Now it has been transformed—looks and smells nice, and people like it; but I still think of where it came from on occasion. Yucky!
I know if I had bought it off a rack all spankin’ new, without a past, I never would have had to deal with it. However, I also never would have thought so thoroughly through this verse’s meaning.
We are to “hate” the sinful “garment polluted by the flesh.” Hate paints an accurate portrait of how we are to view all of society’s ways that are divergent to the Word of God. It is a strong word but God placed it in Jude to get our attention. Sin and disobedience are not to be looked at in a flippant manner. The things the world seeks after are not to be the things we seek after. To even hate the garment means we hate the sin so much that we can’t even stand the garments that took part in it. If we don’t hate the sin, we can be tempted to take part as Galatians 6:1 gives warning of.
FIRE PROTECTION AND CLEANING PRECAUTIONS Page 121
Every sin is to be abhorred by us without compromise or agreeing. We do not state, oh yes, I understand why you fell into that sin so it’s not that bad. It can be easy to hold this type of attitude because our flesh desires to please for acceptance sake. We must always be alert and on guard so we do not forsake our holy Lord’s teachings.
To illustrate this more clearly, let us examine Jacob when he held a desire for revival. In Genesis 35:1-4 God told Jacob to worship at Bethel in the Holy Land. With heart-filled obedience, Jacob instructed his people to remove everything that smelled of godlessness, including their garments. This was part of their cleansing from pagan defilement. They were to put on garments that represented righteous and pure living. They were called to be a peculiar people as aliens on this earth just as we are today. Our dress should mirror holy and modest living not entanglement with a sinful society. We should hate garments that mirror an indecent and amoral culture.
Clothing formerly was referred to as a “habit” meaning what represented a person’s habitual activity. We still witness this in the labor world as various garments tell us how a person makes a living. It is easy to recognize a construction worker, cook, farmer, maid, mechanic, and on and on. A habit symbolizes a calling, rank or function. Jacob wanted cleansing from habits of the world in dress and action. He wanted a new calling placed upon God’s people that revealed new habits of life that came from new habits of dress.
Believers today are to discern that the garments worn by sinners = the representation of humankind’s polluted ways. It is what makes a garment or the skin dirty or polluted. We want to be worthy to walk in perfectly laundered white garments with Christ when we arrive at our heavenly home; Revelation 3:5.
The theme of purity is carried on in Jude 24, where we are encouraged to be faultless or unblemished before our Savior. “Blameless” is set before our eyes in this verse that takes the theme of being unpolluted further. Christ is able to keep us from stumbling so we can come to him blameless without any pollution that soils. He is able to make us stand “in the presence of His glory blameless with great joy.”
Isn’t it nice to know He can keep us from falling or stumbling? He is completely omnipotent and therefore very able to keep us close to Him so we never stumble. We need not fear ever moving away from Him. This can only happen if we sincerely choose to do so. He knows our hearts and He is totally able to strengthen us to keep us from turning away. We have this duplicated in scripture through the promise found in 2 Peter 1:10.
APOSTASY IN THE CHURCH Page 122
If we practice God’s righteousness and are growing in the faith, we will never stumble. 2 Peter 1:4-8 lists the qualities we need to be increasing for faithful enabling. Of course, this doesn’t mean we will never displease our Lord by thought or action, but by holding tightly to Him we will never forsake Him for a sinful life.
Jude 24 and the verses in 2 Peter can be memorized for consistent encouragement and growth. If we keep building ourselves up in this most glorious and holy faith, we are never “useless or unfruitful.”
Wow, I have actually reached the concluding verse of Jude, verse 25. This is further praise to our Great God and Savior, who is “the only God and Savior.” Notice “the only.” We must be aware of the fact that there have been many false-christs and there are many today in our religion-filled world. We are warned of these antichrists in 1 John 2:18. Antichrists are most always presented possessing a few attributes of the true Christ for deception purposes. Only the Biblical Christ complies with all of scripture with no additions or subtractions. It must also be noted in this day and age that there is no contemporary Christ, only the true One who never changes to adapt to culture, desires or traditions.
This is the God we worship who is the true immutable Christ. Let us praise our great God and Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord through awarding Him “glory, majesty, dominion and authority before all time and now and forever. Amen!”
Jesus Christ of scripture is the true majestic victor therefore we never want to award these attributes to men or hold men up as ultimate authorities. Only God has the true dominion and authority! I’m not saying we disrespect others, but there is only One who possess all truth which is completely outside of what sinful man can conspire and assemble.
Our eternal home is forever just as God has always been and ever will be. Christ’s children need never fear their future destiny. They are promised eternal life not temporary or just for a thousand years…but everlasting.
IN CLOSING
I now close and snap my briefcase. It is time for you to personally decide if the apostasy is here as you have now weighed all my arguments with Biblical presentations. I trust these have provided insight for you, the reader, and they provoke you to be a more diligent studier of the Word; recognizing its total application for today’s world.
I request once again, if you are one who has never sincerely given their life to Christ, please do so now. Romans 6:23 teaches us that “the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
The End
Calvary Chapel and Emerging Spirituality
Church News
Edited Article
On May 5th Paul Smith, brother of Chuck Smith (the founder of the Calvary Chapel movement), was fired from his position in the Calvary Chapel (CCOF) organization during an unscheduled meeting that day. The motion to fire Paul Smith was made by board member Roger Wing and seconded by Chuck Smith’s son-in-law, Brian Broderson. Other board members affirmed the motion and Paul Smith was dismissed.
For some time now Paul Smith, who has been in full-time ministry since 1951, has been putting forth tireless efforts to help keep contemplative and emerging spirituality out of the Calvary Chapel movement. At times, this caused conflict with other Calvary Chapel figures who did not resonate with these efforts.
Calvary Chapel released a Position Paper denouncing mystical practices (i.e. contemplative prayer) and the emerging church. This weekend a position paper addressed to pastors was posted on the Calvary Chapel website. The paper indicates that Calvary Chapel is taking a stand against contemplative spirituality and the emerging church and decrees that the title Calvary Chapel not be attached to such movements.
In the Position Paper, Calvary Chapel pastors were told not to use the Calvary Chapel title on their church name if they were going to go in the contemplative/emerging direction.
Calvary Chapel is at a critical point in the history of the movement. If nothing more happens than a written statement, and pastors and churches are permitted to carry the name Calvary Chapel but embrace contemplative purpose driven seeker friendly market driven ideas, the movement will break into various segments. There are many Calvary Chapel pastors who are asking for this kind of clear cut direction and want Calvary Chapel to remain what it once was.
If Calvary Chapel stands firm on defending the gospel message and rejecting heretical demonic doctrines, it may be setting a precedent for other Christian ministries to do likewise. With organizations such as Purpose Driven, Zondervan,
(Zondervan Publishes the NIV Bible that omits hundreds of words and phrases from the Word of God by NIV translators. The “Godhead” in the NIV was completely removed from the Word of God. All the following words have been omitted from the NIV: Propitiation, regeneration, mercyseat, remission, Jehovah, immutable, omnipotent, Comforter, Messiah, infallible, et cetera. The word “sodomite” is completely gone, as are the words: fornication, carnal, effeminate, vanity, devils, Lucifer, damnation, brimstone, and the bottomless pit. Zondervan Publishers does not reveal they are OWNED by Harper Collins, which also publishes The Satanic Bible and The Joy of Gay Sex. Http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Zondervan-Corporation-Company-History.HTML Dr. Marten Woudstra, chairman on the NIV committee, was involved in sex perversion. He is quoted as saying that loving monogamous relationships between gay men or women were acceptable to God and that there was nothing in the Old Testament that spoke against the perversion. (Lies) Dr. Virginia Mollenkott, a literary critic on the NIV translation, was a sodomite. In Episcopal, Witness (June 1991, PP. 20-23), she comes out of the closet by saying, “My lesbianism has ALWAYS been a part of me. . .” This could explain why, “sodomite” is never found in the NIV. (Deut. 23:17, I Kings 14:24, 15:12 , 22:46 , II Kings 23:7) Not only that, but all other references to sodomy are perverted to say something else: 1Cor. 6:9, “. . . Neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, . . .” is replaced with the “. . . Nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders. . .” According to Wikipedia.org, the New International Bible (NIV) printed by Zondervan is the most popular Bible version today. Zondervan Publishers does not reveal they are OWNED by Harper Collins, who also publishes The Satanic Bible and The Joy of Gay Sex. Http://www.fundinguniverse.com/company-histories/Zondervan-Corporation-Company-History.HTML)
Nav Press publishers (Publishers of the heretical Message Bible), Willow Creek and Renovare, all promoting contemplative spirituality, and with many other ministries appearing to head that way; it is becoming less and less popular to do what Calvary Chapel has done. But it is a time in history when compromising the integrity of the Gospel could actually help to unfold the greatest spiritual deception Christianity has ever seen.
Calvary Distribution (the resource arm of Calvary Chapel) removed all Purpose Driven materials from their resource database. The pressures on young pastors today to conform to the current trends for the sake of having a successful big church are ever increasing. The financial backing that is behind the birth of the current emerging church movement reveals the movement is not simply a “discontent grumblings of young people looking for answers” but entails a far more structured effort to bring about a new mystical spirituality that would ultimately reject the very core of the Bible’s main tenets and its inerrancy.
But as with most denominations and Christian organizations, there are indications that contemplative/emergent/Purpose Driven is continuing to influence the Calvary Chapel movement contrary to the efforts and statements of Chuck Smith in 2006. For instance, Calvary Chapel speaker Gayle Erwin has come out strong in support of the New Age sympathizing book, The Shack. Erwin’s endorsement for William Paul Young’s New York Times best-seller sits on The Shack website and says: Riveting with twists that defy your expectations while teaching powerful theological lessons without patronizing. I was crying by page 100. You cannot read it without your heart becoming involved.
Unfortunately, an event is scheduled between Rock Harbor and Calvary Chapel at the end of May. The conference will take place at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa and will feature Rock Harbor’s teaching pastor Mike Erre and worship team. Mike Erre is the author of a new book, Death by Church: Rescuing Jesus from His Followers, Recapturing God’s Hope for His People. The book is filled with kingdom-now theology—anti-Revelation, rapture and millennial, including dismissing the countless promises to the Jews found throughout the Word of God. Also numerous favorable references to and quotes by people like Brian McLaren, Dallas Willard, and other contemplative emerging figures. Based on this book alone, it is accurate to say that Erre has all the earmarks of a heretic, as an emerging church pastor. In Erre’s 2008 book, Why Guys Need God, he quotes and references a number of contemplative mystic-proponents: Richard Rohr, Larry Crabb, Pete Scazzero, Rob Belland others. It is very clear by Erre’s remarks about Richard Rohr (whom he references over a half a dozen times in the book) that he esteems him highly. And yet Rohr’s spirituality would be in the same camp as someone like Matthew Fox (author of The Coming of the Cosmic Christ) who believes in pantheism (god in trees, rocks, etc. A denial of Biblical God). Rohr wrote the foreword to a 2007 book called How Big is Your God? by Jesuit priest (from India) Paul Coutinho. In Coutinho’s book, he describes an interspiritual community where people of all religions (Hinduism, Buddhism, Christianity) worship the same God. How ironic that Paul Smith’s firing is sandwiched between two Rock Harbor events at Calvary Chapel Costa Mesa. Members at that church should be very, very concerned.
At a Calvary Chapel’s Costa Mesa’s high school, a teacher asked his class to read, review, and study How to Stay Christian in College written by Protestant-turned-Catholic J. Budziszewski. The book has references in the back of some editions to mystic emergent Tony Jones and Budziszewski himself is a proponent of contemplative prayer practices. Many families in today’s churches are trying to protect their children and teens from spiritual deception. Christian parents must realize that the souls of their youth are at stake. Satan is in churches trying to obtain them through the false demonic movement of contemporary Christianity.
Isaiah 11:1-5: “And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD. And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins.”
This situation with Calvary Chapel is not isolated. Nearly every evangelical denomination and organization of any size in North America is going in this same direction to one degree or another. One key factor in why this is happening so rapidly is that Christian colleges, universities, and seminaries are heavily saturated with contemplative/emerging spirituality. Biola University, for instance, where many Calvary Chapel pastors have attended and graduated is deeply involved in this “new spirituality.” Satan is certainly increasing in power in these later days as the Bible predicted. Christ revealed, He would not find any faith on the earth when He returns. Faith in the inerrant Bible is dwindling every day from our churches.
The spirituality of the desert fathers has gotten a grip on the current theological thought and practice like no one could have predicted just a few years ago, thanks largely in part to the emerging church and the work of Rick Warren and Bill Hybels. Remember, mysticism is what gives the emerging church its momentum. Holistic doctor and author Dr. Rick Levy revealed that in 2008, 17 million Americans were practicing meditation (eastern-style). That number is up from 10 million in 2003. At that rate, in another five years it will probably be somewhere between 20 and 25 million. There is no doubt that this surge of mysticism will have a profound effect on virtually every North American family. This statistic is sobering when you consider what Richard Kirby observed: The meditation of advanced occultists is identical with the prayer of advanced mystics, it is no accident that both traditions use the same word for the highest reaches of their respective activities: contemplation. (Mission of Mystic) Mysticism (i.e. the satanic controlled occult) is overtaking all segments of society, and this means that the world is falling under the spell of sorceries (magical arts). This fact represents the book of Revelation and the belief system that will arise in the later days (Revelation 18:23). The acceptance of Harry Potter in the church has certainly been the springboard to what we now observe in our apostate fellowships.
________________
Contemplative prayer or Spirituality defined:
Below is a simple definition and Wikipedia’s take:
Definition of Contemplative Spirituality: “A belief system that uses ancient mystical practices to induce altered states of consciousness (the silence) and is often wrapped in Christian terminology; the premise of contemplative spirituality is pantheistic (God is all) and panentheistic (God is in all). The purpose of contemplative prayer is to enter an altered state of consciousness in order to find one’s true self, thus finding God. This true self relates to the belief that man is basically good. Proponents of contemplative prayer teach that all human beings have a divine center and that all, not just born again believers, should practice contemplative prayer.”
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Contemplative_prayer
In Christian mysticism, Contemplative prayer can refer to:
• Repetitive chanting, breathing in a controlled manner or silent concentration to quiet the thoughts and feelings and commune with God.
• Infused contemplation, for many writers, including St. John of the Cross and St. Teresa of Avila (both demonic Catholic mystics), the sole sense of the term;
• Acquired contemplation, also known as “Prayer of Simplicity”; or
• Centering prayer, which is sometimes called contemplative prayer, although “It is not contemplation in the strict sense, which in Catholic tradition has always been regarded as a pure gift of the Spirit, but rather it is a preparation for contemplation.”[1]
“Contemplative consciousness,” says [Thomas] Merton, is “a Trans-cultural, Trans-religious, Trans-formed consciousness … it can shine through this or that system, religious or irreligious”[2]
One question that has surfaced at various times in history is whether contemplative prayer is given only to select people or whether everyone is called towards it. Generally, the latter view has prevailed. In the 17th century, however, several writers, most notably John Baptist Scaramelli, taught, in reaction to Quietism, that ascetism and mysticism are two distinct paths to perfection; the former was the normal, ordinary end of the Christian life, and the latter, to which contemplative prayer belongs, is something extraordinary. The controversy was more or less resolved in the early 20th century with Arintero and Garrigou-Lagrange exonerating the view that infused contemplation is a normal development of the spiritual life. This is now the generally accepted position.[4]
*Some info gathered and quoted from Lighthouse Trails Publishing (This is a conservative publisher, but I do not agree wtih everything stated by their authors)
Jeremiah – The Message and Messenger
2 Peter 3:2:
You should remember the words spoken by the holy prophets
and the commandments of the Lord and Savior spoken by
the apostles.
Chapters 1-9
Jeremiah holds a special place in my husband Alan’s heart and mine. He was one who was willing to stand alone for God as the rest of God’s people went after the world and the things of the world. Jeremiah gave a message that no one would heed; yet, God told him to declare it. Why? Because of God’s unconditional love for all. His message still had to be proclaimed even when none chose to listen. The people of God still worshipped at the temple and had an appearance of godliness, but also followed after the surrounding cultures choosing not to be a peculiar, different people. They wanted to be styling with the surrounding nations.
God raised Jeremiah to this calling because he truly loved and cared for his fellow Jews, God’s chosen race. Jeremiah is referred to as the weeping prophet, because his heart held the love that God held for His people who had gone their own way. He wept because God’s beloved had caved into the glorification of the sensual. I behold in Jeremiah and throughout God’s Word that the LORD’S people become half-hearted when they cave into the gratification of the senses.
Background:
Jeremiah was written as a book of warning of God’s approaching doom on a sinful and rebellious nation that preferred to do what was right in its own eyes.
The northern kingdom of Israel, consisting of the ten tribes, had previously been removed as captives of Assyria, 136 years prior. The Benjamin area, where the temple is, and the area of Judah are all that remains of Israel during Jeremiah’s time, this being the southern kingdom of Israel. If you turn to your map area at the back of a study Bible, you will see how the land was divided amongst the 12 tribes. The land was divided according to these tribes when the people entered the land under Joshua.
None of the kings of the northern kingdom where of the line of King David, only the southern kingdom held to his genealogy. The kingdom split after Solomon’s son, Rehoboam, took the throne in 930 B.C. Rehoboam was very wicked and the Jews rebelled resulting in the northern tribes choosing Jeroboam for their king. He had served under Solomon over the forced labor. He too was extremely evil.
Jeremiah’s ministry was approximately from 627-586 B.C. during the periods of Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah who reigned as kings. Josiah reigned 33 years, doing right in the sight of the Lord. Josiah was exceptionally godly, yet his sons were ungodly and three of them ruled as kings over Judah. Jehoahaz, the first of Josiah’s sons to rule was evil and reigned only three months and was taken captive by Pharaoh Necco of Egypt and he expired in Egypt. Jehoiakim, his eldest son was evil and reigned 11 years. During his reign, Judah began to be confronted by the kingdom of Babylon and Egypt also caused them distress. Jehoachin, son of Jehoiakin was the last king to reign within the direct line of Christ, before captivity. The next king to rule in the Davidic line will be Christ! It was during Jehoachin’s reign that the southern kingdom was taken captive.
Zedekiah, Jehoachin’s uncle, and youngest son of Josiah, was a puppet king of King Nebuchadnezzar. He rebelled against King Nebuchadnezzar and was also taken captive with the last of the captives. There were actually three captivities under King Nebuchadnezzar. The first one took place when Daniel and others were removed to Babylon; Daniel chapter 1. The main one was under King Jehoachin and the last one was under King Zedekiah with the remaining Jews. This last captivity ensued the destruction of the temple and Jerusalem.
The prophet Zephaniah proceeded Jeremiah and Habakkuk was Jeremiah’s contemporary.
Chapter One:
Jeremiah was destined to be a priest as his father held this office, as we see in verse one. God called him from this entitlement to be His prophet just as He did John the baptizer in the New Testament. This all took place under King Josiah, who was a king who brought revival to the land.
As we move into verse 4, we recognize God’s special calling of Jeremiah, being called before he was born as God’s prophet to the nations, not just Judah, though Judah was the main nation he addressed. Those who have given their lives to Christ have also been called to His adoption as His spokespeople, before the foundation of the world as we see in Ephesians 4:4-5, which God performed through the kind intention of His will. Many other portions of scripture speak of our unique position in Christ through His calling and choosing us by His loving grace.
Jeremiah responds to God’s calling as Moses did, declaring he cannot speak. Jeremiah also replies to God out of concern for his young age. As God reassured Moses so He does Jeremiah as His deliverer or savior, or his yasha in Hebrew.
God informs Jeremiah in verse 8, that he is not to fear those who do not want to hear the truth of God’s Holy Word, much of which the Jews felt they could ignore. They were going to be cruel to Jeremiah for his unbending stances that would never compromise with society.
Verse 9 is a personal prayer of mine, for God to put His words in my mouth as Val Lee’s words are meaningless unless they are in line with the Word of God. Moreover I pray for His thoughts to be my thoughts as Jeremiah certainly walked in the mindset that stood in line with God’s Holy Scriptures.
Jeremiah in verse 10 was to pluck up and to break down, to destroy and overthrow, that would be all false teachings contrary to God’s Word as the Jews were compromising with the surrounding societies. Also to build and to plant and Jeremiah still does this today in our beings as he bears the truth of God that plants good seed in our hearts and minds.
As we move into verse 11, we come to where God moves into judgment concerning Judah or the southern kingdom. Jeremiah refers to a rod from an almond tree and a boiling pot, both represent the negative. A rod is to be applied as discipline to strike with and the boiling pot to consume in great and terrifying wrath as God was to discipline His rebellious children. When God refers to the north, He is referring to Babylon and them moving downward toward Judah in fighting array and force. This will engulf all the inhabitants of the land, not just some, verse 14.
Pious Judah, will be judged by the godless Gentiles as we see in verse 15. This would be very humiliating for self-righteous Judah who views the other nations as consisting of godless dogs. We see this is the judgment for worshipping false gods, the work of their own hands.
Here are a few of the false god’s that Israel worshipped:
Baal was the most noted false god of this time. Baal means master or lord. He was also designated as “the son of Dagon.” (Dagon was the god of the early Philistines. If you remember in 1 Samuel chapter five, the Philistines stole the ark of God. They placed the ark next to their god Dagon; subsequently this false god fell on its face before the ark of God which brings a big smile to our faces. The Philistines were avenged with tumors as God hand was set against them. They were so plagued that they did all in their power to return the ark to the land of Israel. They truly experienced the chastening hand of God for their disrespect of the Creator of all.)
Baal was the storm god and when people heard thunder they believed they were hearing Baal. They believed Baal determined the fate of their crops. They worshipped him in temples and outdoors in fields and on the hilltops referred to as “high places” as we see in scripture. These high places held chambers for male and female prostitution.
To quote Unger “Baal worship always had a subtle attraction for the austere Hebrews bound to serve a holy God under a rigorous moral code.” Of course, there is nothing new under the sun and today many believers go the way of the world to escape the righteous Word that commands holy living and not license. Baal-ism was attractive to the Jews as it presented a life of licentiousness or license.
Molech represents the essence of evil and he is mentioned in Jeremiah 32:35. Molech accepts the sacrifice of children and Jeremiah says the Jews were offering their daughters to Molech by passing them through the fire. Palestinian excavations have uncovered evidences of infant skeletons in burial places. Apparently, one of the rituals in the Middle East involved babies being placed in the hands of an outstretched Molech which were heated and the infants were burned to death when positioned in these hands. I do not know if this was practiced by the Jews but they did offer children by fire to Molech. Today in the name of the god of promiscuous sex, babies are burned to death with a saline solution while in their mother’s womb.
Solomon himself worshipped this most wretched god and built an alter to him, 1 Kings 11:7 and 2 Kings 23:13. Solomon loved the world and compromised to please sinful man. His wives worshipped false gods so to appease them; he did also in his old age. He was very lukewarm in his faith as a compromiser with the ways of society and culture.
The “Queen of Heaven” is a goddess of fertility whom Jeremiah exposes. She was a goddess for the ladies whom they brought raisin cakes to. My husband had blood drawn at Mercy Medical Hospital in Nampa, Idaho awhile back. As we were leaving, I noted the statue of Mary with a crown on her head. She is often depicted this way in Catholicism as one of her titles is the “Queen of Heaven.” God, in Jeremiah, strictly admonishes His people not to worship the “Queen of Heaven.” (Jeremiah 44:17 & 25)
Ashtoreth is another prominent goddess of fertility, but not mentioned in Jeremiah.
Solomon worshiped this goddess too as several are mentioned in scripture that he went after in disobedience to God who chastised him.
There are many false gods mentioned in scripture but these are the main ones repeated.
______________________________________
Returning to verse 16 of Jeremiah chapter 1, we see the works of man’s hands are exalted and not the ways and works of God. Man often times ignores who gave him the abilities he possesses, though nothing of what he fashions will pass on into eternity as we brought nothing into this world nor will be take anything out of it; 1 Timothy 6:7. The earth is passing away and all of its lusts, but the one who does the will of God abides forever. We are not to put stock in that which is material or made by man.
Verse 17 is a warning to Jeremiah to be obedient to God or God will bring judgment upon him for not holding and proclaiming His words. Jeremiah was called of God, but he could still refuse as we all have our will that can conform to God’s or can choose not to.
Encouragement is lavished upon Jeremiah in verse 18 as God reassures him of His great shelter placed about him illustrated by a fortified city, pillar of iron and walls of bronze. This was his protective invisible gear against opposition. It was unseen but it was there, and we will perceive it as we study through this book. Jeremiah always continued on no matter what befell. We have similar gear which is the armor of God which encases us when we walk in obedience. We read of this special protection provided for us that safeguards us against satan in Ephesians chapter 6.
Further encouragement is delivered to Jeremiah’s ears as God lets it be known that He will always deliver him from his adversaries. This also discloses to Jeremiah that it will not be an easy road as these disobedient Hebrews will always be attempting to stop the message of God’s Word.
Jeremiah Chapter 2
As we delve into verse 1 of chapter 2, the Lord reminds us that the Word of God came to Jeremiah, not the words of mere man. Remember in chapter 1, verse 7, God was going to tell Jeremiah what to say. What a prayer for us to intercede with, for God to put His Words in our mouths!! As His children we want to be His ambassadors declaring His Words not the words of today’s society which involves speaking forth its methodologies, terminologies, philosophies; the beat of man-contrived self-elevation. There will come a day when God alone will be exalted. Men will no longer exalt themselves, for they will be abased. The pride of men will vanquish; Isaiah 2:11,12, & 17.
As we venture onto verse 2, God tells Jeremiah further what to speak to His disobedient children. In chapter 1, verse 5, we learned Jeremiah was consecrated for this calling as he was set aside while in the womb. We too are set aside as believers to proclaim God’s Word as we also were chosen before the foundation of the world as we witness in Ephesians 1:4-6. We hold the same unique position as Jeremiah did, but under the New Testament economy of grace.
God becomes romantically poetic in this verse reminiscing of the Jews former devotion as one who has given their life-long marriage vows in the covenant of marriage. He takes pleasure in remembering their faithfulness to Him as He led them from Egypt to the wilderness march for the land of plenty or The Promised Land.
He proclaims they were holy to the Lord in verse 3! They were His chosen ones, yet they fell away and the guilt came upon them as they compromised and did what was right in their own eyes, forsaking His commands of loving obedience. They forsook their first love! He refers to the Jews as the first of His harvest. In James 1:18, we see as New Testament believers, we were brought forth by the Word of Truth, so we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures.
We hold a spectacular position, so did Israel, but it is easy for Christians to take their chosen called election and throw this gift back in the face of God through not being totally dedicated to Him and His Word. We basically say we don’t want Your love and blessings that follow obedience, submission and lifetime dedication.
Verse 3 also warns us that evil came upon them for their disobedience. In Hebrews chapter 12 verse 5-6, which is quoting Proverbs 3:11, we see God is a God of discipline who deals with His disobedient ones. In the church at Corinth, some believers were sick and some had died as they partook in communion in an unworthy manner; 1 Corinthians 11:30. God is very serious concerning obedience and bringing Him glory in a righteous manner.
In verse 5, we witness more of the unconditional love of their Savior, who saved them out of Egypt. God reveals the compassion of His heart for His people by inquiring of them why they have forsaken Him after He has met all their needs. He led them through the desert land that even had “pits,” verse 6, to deliverer them from Pharaoh’s hand. I know no where else in scripture where it reveals how God led the departing Hebrews around these pits on their wilderness march. He led them even in deep darkness. Exodus 13:21 reveals He did this by a pillar of fire by night and they were protected by a pillar of cloud by day that no doubt shielded them from the bright sun of the desert. We serve a very gracious and mindful God.
Verse 7 goes on to state this unconditional sustaining love brought God’s people to the land of milk and honey. It is so easy for me to forget all God has done for me; thus, to reflect over the previous years of His great and daily abundance which He bestowed upon me, is a productive exercise so I remember to engage in thanksgiving. God guides and directs us and in many ways. I believe, we are unaware of many things or we take them for granted such as the air we breathe moment by moment that sustains our lives.
The failure of worship, adoration and praise extended even to the priests who where to be examples of faithfulness; verse 8. They who handled the precious Word did not even take the time to know the God of the Word. And those who were to be God’s prophets, went after the false god, Baal.
A key statement here is they walked after those things that did not profit. I have to ask myself, how many things do I follow after that have no eternal value nor bring glory to the Savior? If I am Christ’s child, I need to be constantly seeking those things that bring glory to my righteous, glorious, holy, pure, innocent, modest, decent, etc…etc Lord. I must use my time on earth for things that represent the things above where my mind is to be set. I hear it said, you are not to be so heavenly minded you are of no earthly good. You know, I have never met such a person, one who is too heavenly minded. The majority of believers I meet are too earthly minded for any heavenly good as they are so involved in the passing pleasures and entertainment of this earth that is passing away. If you read Christ’s letters to the seven churches in Revelation, not once does He reprimand them for being too heavenly minded, just the opposite.
Hosea had been a prophet to the northern kingdom, Israel. The sins of Israel eventually consumed Judah as well that is why both the northern and southern kingdoms were taken into captivity. The north, taken by Assyria, 136 years before Judah was removed by King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, which is on the horizon as Jeremiah proclaims throughout this book.
In Hosea 4:2, some of the sins of the land are exposed . . . swearing, deception, murder, stealing, adultery, violence and bloodshed. Verse 3 provides us with an observation as to how far reaching and consuming disobedience to the Word can be as it causes all people to languish along with the animals, including the birds and fish of the sea—they all disappear.
Now isn’t that interesting, it is sin that causes wildlife and aquatic life to be removed when transgression consumes the land, not air and land pollution, but sin pollution!
As we move down into the next paragraph, God recites the silliness of forsaking Him as the Jews removed themselves from the Lord’s righteous glory and followed after the unprofitable as we read earlier. God wants us walking in wisdom and common sense but these attributes can be easily withdrawn when we turn to the temporary and selfish desires of the flesh and culture.
The sad cry of God’s heart is felt when we move to verses 12f. He is always hurt by our sin and disrespect for His Word. He, the fountain of living waters, has been cast aside for vanity and temporary pleasure,
Verse 13 is a visual photo to us as we can visualize wells hewn out in stone that hold no rain water as there is a crack in the rock where the water leaks. These people no longer possess the pure living water but wasted polluted water.
The following verses go on to explain how they are consumed by lions; those who have no compassion and just want the smell of death. This passage speaks of the coming destruction. Here, Cairo Egypt is mentioned, which was Memphis at that time and Tahpanhes was in NE Egypt. Judah was horrifically plagued by Egypt at this time. Egypt was eventually consumed by Babylon as well following Judah’s captivity.
Having shaved the crown of their heads represents slavery as that would be their forthcoming appearance. Being shaved was not in line with the law and represented the humility of their disobedience.
Verse 17 places all the blame on Israel! They couldn’t say, “Well, the surrounding nations had so many appealing ways that we just couldn’t say no. We wanted to be styling with everyone else. We didn’t want to be seen as weird, different and out of style.”
God continues to ask them how could they not be totally devoted to Him when He led them personally in the way? He led them through the wilderness and up to the present time. This truth is viewed in Psalm 121:4; behold, He who keeps Israel will neither slumber nor sleep.
God becomes sarcastic in verse 18 as He deals with their stupidity as He delivered them from Egypt and now they’ve enslaved themselves again to Egypt and other nations through their lusting after their cultural ways. God removed His children from Egypt, but He could never remove the Egyptian heart that desired all the world had to offer. Egypt was the styling vacation spot and place of residence…with the lavish on display…gold, silver, costly garments, flashy home décor, exotic food, education, medical advancements and on and on. Not forgetting their arid climate.
The Jews disloyalty will cause God to use their own wickedness to correct them, verse 19. We all reap what we sow! If we sow iniquity, we will reap the consequences! This is basically what this verse is teaching.
The last phrase is so key…the dread of God is not in you! We are to fear God as He is a God of judgment; plus, we know the fear of God is the beginning of understanding. If we don’t truly dread our wrathful God (Philippians 2:12) we end up down a road that is all destructive! We truly see God’s wrath unleashed upon the godless when we focus in on the eschatological times of Revelation.
The following verses deal with Israel and the false gods she deceitfully chases as she believes God doesn’t see her hidden sins that are performed on the hills, where the idols were placed though they held no loftiness as lifeless images.
God tore off Israel’s Egyptian bonds; yet, she re-chose the sin of bondage. Sin always produces bondage that allies itself to satan. We are only free when we exercise His moral and upright ways in our lives which arises out of our deep love for our Savior.
God planted Israel as His chosen, a most precious and prevailing position, but they threw this celebrated stance back in God’s face to His heartache. They were at one time faithful and glorified Him, but now all has been discarded.
In Luke 8:8 & 11, we see a good planting in productive soil brings glory to God. Verse 11 tells us the seed is the Word of God. When God’s teachings are not received seriously, it becomes foul and unfruitful in our hearts.
As we traverse on, we see once one is intertwined with sin, verse 21, it brings a true cheapness, like overdone make-up. The depth and insightfulness that comes only from God’s Word is replaced with the worldly cheap sensual beat that has no deep refined instrumentation.
Judah is to the point of lying to God, pretending she is loyal and true just as an unfaithful wife might attempt to convince her husband she has always been the devoted mate to avoid the scalding water of his wrath.
Judah is stained with an irremovable stain that cannot be hid from her God who is omniscient, knowing all things. She can go to worship, sing the songs, hear the Word and appear holy, but God knows what is hidden within. She is walking in defilement though she lies and says “I am not defiled.” The world and its ways are vile, but she enjoys it too much to confess it. God reveals the inner person in verses 22f.
To note a New Testament contrast, turn in your Bibles to Matthew 23:27. You will note Jesus Christ here is pointing the finger to the religious hypocrites who possess an external righteous appearance, but He being God knows their wicked sinful hearts. Reality reveals that these heads of faith, actually held within them that which resembled dead man’s bones and all uncleanness. These Jews were compromisers too!
Verse 25 reveals fact as Judah states; she will follow after the strangers and not her faithful heavenly Father.
Verse 26 of chapter 2 reveals a heart attitude of Judah as she is only ashamed when she is caught in her sin, not when in the practice of it. Also there is not a place of true repentance. We’ve seen politicians, athletes, etc, who would never admit they were wrong until they are caught and often times their confession is half-hearted and not always on the mark of true revelation and exposure. David, himself, did not repent of his sin with Bath Sheba till Nathan brought the matter up to him in the tale of the little pet ewe lamb.
God calls for His people to be ashamed of their sin before Him; He who is all righteousness and purity. He is our standard never men! Even Israel’s godly leaders had turned to evil, their priests and prophets. They were the religious leaders of the time and they had all chosen a wrong road.
False prophets and teachers who infiltrate the church are exposed throughout scripture including 2 Peter and Jude. Even Christ warned us of their presence in our churches. Judas was the first false tare who we recognize in New Testament scripture. No one even suspected him as he was among the others who performed so many miracles, stayed faithful to Christ, etc.
Many of the false ones know how to walk the walk and talk the talk; yet, whenever they get a chance, they will state a false teaching here and there, a teaching of culture or society that is not scriptural or of a separated stance.
These teachers become more prominent in the church in the last times as believers will no longer long for the deep and convicting teaching of verse by verse study. They will desire teachers who present very little Bible and only that which makes them feel good, not that which causes them to fall on their knees in deep repentance. They are not desirous of gaining continuous higher ground as the hymn writer put it. “I’m pressing on the upward way, new heights I’m gaining every day, still praying as I’m onward bound, ‘Lord plant my feet on higher ground.’’’
I don’t believe in worldly advertising for churches; but nevertheless, I have never read a billboard for a church that states “Come and learn how to suffer for Christ.” Gaining friends and having fun seems to be the fancy by which churches want to advertise and present themselves in these last days.
In verse 27, God addresses the new age movement of the time as they were worshipping the earth and the things of the earth such as trees and stones. I was told of a man who decided to become a Native American though he was not by nationality. He would go up to the mountains to commune with his father-god of nature. People of this false faith truly believe the spirits are in the trees, rocks, etc. and these must be left undisturbed. We witness how this movement has grown as wilderness American soil is now not to be cultivated for man-made purposes to the extreme.
Romans chapter one speaks of people worshipping the creation rather than the creator, suppressing the truth as God has made Himself evident to them through His attributes. After a society turns to creation for answers rather than the creator, it then begins to approve of homosexuality which results in a culture’s demise. God gives its inhabitants over to their wickedness. The great kingdom of Rome is no longer as it fell deep into these lustful, indecent and immodest ways. They diverted from all chaste prudishness!!
There is an interesting twist to all this as these chosen children of God have turned their backs on Him but not their face. They will present a form of godliness such as going to the temple, presenting sacrifices, etc, as we will see further when we arrive at Jeremiah 6:20. This could be akin to believers coming to church on Sunday, speaking all the right talk and maybe even teaching Sunday school; however, during the week they do what is right in their own eyes in many areas.
When it settles down to reality and God’s discipline, these Jews will all of a sudden call on God to save them. They won’t call on their false idols to save them as those gods have no mouths to speak nor ears that hear, etc (see Psalm 135:15-18). The end result is in verse 18, they become like their idols; obviously lacking all common sense and decency. However, reality doesn’t strike untill terror is on their heels.
Verse 28 portrays God in His sarcastic humor as He challenges His people to let idols arise and save them if they can when His wrath strikes. This is similar to Elijah, 1 Kings 18, who told the false prophets to yell to get Baal, the storm god, to respond to them. He too mocked the stupidity of man-made religion.
Many people today worship the television in the sense that this is where they acquire their humanistic cultural philosophies; yet, it wasn’t the television people ran to on 9-11 for hope; it was God. People picked up Gospel tracts as if they were worth a million dollars. At the Columbine school massacre, people ran to the churches not the physiatrists sent by the state.
As we travel further into Jeremiah chapter two, we see in verse 30 that God attempted to chastise His children but with no results. God is longsuffering, but only for a season. Judgment on disobedience is for New Testament believers too as we know from Hebrews 12, Revelation chapters 2-3, and other portions of scripture.
Back in Jeremiah, we see in verse 30, that these people killed the true prophets. This is powerfully exposed in Hebrews 11:36-38.
Verse 31 reveals how faithful God has been to His children, always present for them. He has not been in the wilderness nor hidden in darkness. This truth proclaims God’s unconditional love for His people through his omnipresence. He has never failed them nor forsaken them even when they have chosen the wrong paths.
We move away from God, He doesn’t move from us! The second we repent, we know He is there and always has been, just waiting for that call of re-communion.
The deep heart hurt and cry is felt as we read verse 32 of God’s spoken words, as Judah has forgotten God whom He loves with all His heart. This nation as a whole hasn’t even thought of Him for days without number! We too break God’s heart when we follow after the ways of society and not His holy, inerrant Word. Believers can also break God’s heart when they only think of Him on Sunday and never fellowship with Him through His Word and prayer during the week.
Judah’s personal wickedness is addressed in verses 33-35. She is so evil she even teaches the surrounding nations how to fall further into sin.
This nation doesn’t even care for its innocent poor population. James 2:5 and 5:1-6 disclose how detestable this is in the eyes of our Lord. God chose the poor of this world to be rich in faith and heirs of His kingdom. Partiality is a devious sin when we love the socially acceptable in men’s eyes above the ones who do not fit into worldly uppity society.
God confronts Judah and says you did not find the poor breaking into your home whereby you believe you can justly ill-treat them. There is no reason for this, as it is just spiteful prejudice. They truly believe they are better than others. The Jews reveal how they are walking in denial in verse 34 stating they are innocent. They turn their back on all sin including how they treat the undesirables.
They believe they are under grace alone and no judgment or wrath would arise from their God who is all love. Warning believers that there are consequences to disobeying the Holy Word was just as deplorable to the people back then as it is today!!
Verse 36 speaks of them changing their ways; always walking in instability to go with the flow. This is certainly exposed in James 1 as people are tossed here and there by the instability of their ways not holding fast to Christ alone. They love to explore the newest trendy ways that change from year to year. Malachi 3:6-7 discloses God does not change that is why we are not to accept new philosophies and methodologies that do. When we accept worldly ways and compromise, we are seen as unstable souls and our witness can become a matter of mockery.
The coming judgment of these actions appears in verse 37 as they leave their land in humiliation with their hands on their heads. Many were killed and many were taken captive by Babylon. Judah trusted in the surrounding culture, but it would be that society that would bring forth their demise and captivity. When we trust in society, loving its fun, entertainment, materialism, etc, not seeing those unsaved people who bring it to us as enemies of the cross of righteousness; we can be brought into its bondage by its outward deception of counterfeit presentation.
Jeremiah Chapter 3
The sanctity of the marriage vowels and this serious covenant made with God is addressed in the first verse. We know in this day and age that this covenant is not witnessed in the serious and grave manner it was a century ago when divorce was not a simple legal option.
Verse one is basically quoting Deut. 24:1- 4. This is a situation of divorce allowed by the law where a woman if found to be impure by her husband thus separation is allowed. She was not the chaste virgin he believed her to be. She lied. Even though virginity holds a place of mockery today, we know that women and men are to come together as chaste virgins through the marriage vowels stated before our holy Lord.
Of course, many believers have turned to a pure mindset after being saved from a lustful past, as God forgives, restores and renews as we see with the woman at the well. I believe God sees a couple as pure when they marry, if they pursued purity after coming to Christ.
Scripture also admonishes us to be chaste virgins before our Lord in the sense of walking in purity and not being stained by this moral-less world where chastity, modesty, and decency are hated.
I was so hurt when the movie Titanic was released as all of God’s calling for purity was cast aside in this drama that even Christians praised. Believers are to walk in all purity hating the sins that sent Christ to the cross including nudity, pre-marital sex, swearing, and all the vileness of the world that was portrayed in this production.
Why did many observe nothing awry in this movie? I have no idea. I also do not know why believing parents let their young children view it. Why Christians even expect godless vile Hollywood to produce decent programs is beyond me. They are not God’s called out and separated ones. We are not called to reform the unregenerate. This can only be accomplished by the new birth. Believers think if they complain enough Hollywood will acquire a Christian mindset when producers have no spiritual discernment to begin with. Yes, once in awhile a movie with a good moral is produced, but Christ’s name is not uplifted and glorified unless some Christian influence penetrates by chance and that is more than rare.
Why Christians believe they have to be entertained by the world is beyond me. May all of us who are believers think this through in light of our separated calling. Our calling is to go and save souls everywhere without a spirit of partiality.
In 1 Peter 3:2, we see a woman of chastity being able to win her erring husband back to the Lord (acting chaste toward other men). This type of woman today would be respectful in her behavior. She would not be flirtatious nor dress to attract the opposite sex. She would not be a woman who would set her mind on alluring movie stars, Christian entertainers, or the neighbor next door. Her mind and heart would be set on her husband alone.
We are to possess pure minds. What we set before our eyes can pollute a godly mindset. We can turn to what is improper by what we seat ourselves before. I know personally, I have a far better thought life when I’m away from worldly entertainment. I was formerly addicted to the television, but God released me when I cried for deliverance as a young person.
In verse 1, God is speaking of pollution, sin pollution that can occur when a man divorces his wife. Because she is not wanted, she goes to a man who desires her. Then, out of the blue, her previous husband decides to pursue her, even though she has been with another man. She then decides to return to her original husband. (Believe it or not I have heard of such things.) Why is this wrong? Because we know God ordained one woman for one man. It bears the appearance of harlotry not purity. God’s children are not to go from mate to mate; this being abhorrent. If one divorces and remarries, then they must stay with that person. A woman may feel guilty because she broke her marriage vowels, but she must receive God’s forgiveness and stay with her current husband for life. Of course, a woman may want to return for other reasons as well. Maybe this new husband is not an adequate provider or doesn’t pay her as much attention. Whatever the situation, she is not to pollute the land and return to her first husband.
Today, we hear about pollution to the extreme, yet God says what curses the land is sin. We see in Hosea 4:2-3 that sin causes the land to languish along with the beasts of the field and the birds of the sky. Plus the fish of the sea disappear. God’s curse on the land for sin-pollution is the depreciation of its wildlife.
Verse 2 moves into the idolatry of these Hebrews. They are pursuing many gods like an Arab in the desert who is a thief just waiting for his next victim. It’s as if Judah just can’t get enough gods to be in bondage to. The Arab thief is never satisfied either, no matter how much wealth he pockets by the edge of a sword.
In verse 3, we witness more of God’s curse on creation as He is withholding the rain, specifically the spring rain. How can crops grow without spring rains? No rain . . . no food. Today Israel is a desert land where once she was a land of milk and honey. Obedience brings blessings; disobedience, great hardship.
We see an interesting phrase in three, that of Judah possessing a harlot’s forehead. A godly chaste woman covered herself with a veil, a promiscuous woman did not or she wore a very little one that did not cover her forehead.
In 2 Samuel 13:18, we see the dress of a virgin as we view David’s daughter, Tamar. She is dressed in a virgin garment for the king’s daughters. It is long sleeved and consists of modest robes. Because her sinful brother, Amnon, raped her, she tares her virgin garments in shame; no doubt, feeling unworthy to now don them.
How many women today would consider it an honor to wear modest virgin garments? In today’s society, girls want to wear the garments of a harlot, very immodest and revealing. Modest virgin garments that cover the body would certainly be mocked today; but God, who calls women to dress modestly, endorses them; 1 Timothy 2:9.
In verse 3, back in Jeremiah, we see Judah is unashamed in serving the other gods. On the flipside, we witness she likes to pretend she loves God; verse 4. Judah calls God her Father and feigns being God’s friend. This would be similar to people attending church on Sunday, listening to the message, singing the hymns, praying, taking communion; yet, doing as they choose during the week without asking themselves if this is pleasing to my holy and righteous Lord.
Judah recognizes God is angry with her; verse 5; yet, with no desire to turn away. She truly does not fear God. Fearing God is the beginning of understanding.
God speaks to Jeremiah in verse 6 in disgust concerning Judah as He asks him if he saw the wicked idolatrous ways of Israel? God is asking Jeremiah this question during the rule of Josiah, the righteous king of Judah. Israel was taken captive by Assyria many years previous; however, Judah never learned from Israel’s sins and consequences.
God desired that Israel repent, but she did not. God cannot understand why Judah never learned a lesson in this. Today, society can witness people being haled off to prison for drug abuse; however, it never prevents others from following suit. The total wisdom of God is rarely desired in any society.
Verse 8 speaks of God divorcing Israel. We can’t have a better picture of this than with Hosea who was a prophet to Israel, the northern kingdom, and was told to marry a harlot to portray God’s heart toward Israel.
In the book of Hosea, we witness Hosea remaining faithful for Gomer even though she had many lovers and children by them, as well as by Hosea. Gomer finally leaves Hosea, because of her obvious desire to be with many other men. However, Hosea did not give up on desiring her return and eventually bought her, as she had become a slave to be auctioned. This illustrated the fact, God would eventually bring Israel back from captivity to the Promised Land. He would bestow His love on these Jews once again. The prodigal son is also a picture of God’s desire to forgive and restore the repentant person.
In counseling women who have wayward husbands, I request they pray the prayer of Hosea. He asked for Gomer to be hedged up with thorns, for a wall to be built against her, whereby she could not find her paths. Also that she would not overtake any lovers so she would return to him; Hosea 2:6-7.
The new age movement is addressed in verse 9 again. I spoke to this earlier in 2:27 when it first surfaced in Jeremiah. Israel looks earthward instead of heavenward for answers.
God desires we follow Him wholeheartedly, never halfheartedly. He reprimands Judah for not turning to Him with all of her heart. Deuteronomy 6:5 commands us to love the Lord our God with all our heart, with all our soul and with all our might. Judah disobeyed this command and God was going to bring frightful judgment. As followers of Christ we are not to love Him with just 10% of our being, or 50% nor 90%, but with all our heart!
God is very disappointed in Judah as she is now even more wicked than Israel (the northern kingdom) that has been carried away by Assyria into captivity. Here, God pleads with Israel, not Judah, to repent and return to Him; verse 12.
Also in verse 12, God declares He is a gracious forgiving God. He simply asks Israel to repent. It is always so simple, but few follow this road. Psalm 103:13-14 explains God’s heart of loving His children, as He has compassion on His children who fear Him, just as any father does. He knows our frame and that we are but dust. This puts us in our rightful place. We have no reason to walk in any pride as those made of dust and who are simply dumb sheep. What would we do without our Shepherd?
Verse 15 speaks of a future time when the Jews will be led by shepherds, those who will feed them on the knowledge and understanding of God’s Word. We know this is referring to the millennial period as the next verse speaks of having no need for the Ark of the Covenant as there will be no need to even remember it.
Isaiah 65:17 speaks of the future when God creates a new heavens and earth when former things will not be remembered nor come to mind. Heaven will be so wonderful and fulfilling we will not have a desire to remember this sin-filled earth nor will we think upon it in time.
We so look forward to the time mentioned in verse 17 of Jeremiah, when all will call Jerusalem The Throne of the Lord. All the nations will be gathered to it and no one will walk again after the stubbornness of their heart.
We know after the Babylonian captivity both Israel and Judah became one nation again and this will be true during the millennium as well; verse 18. This however, will be a total union in love without disputes.
As we return to verse 19, God reveals the pain and hurt of having Israel turn from Him. We too grieve God’s heart whenever we turn from Him. God views this as treachery, when we put other things before Him.
Verse 23 refers to the hills being a deception. Why? Because that was where the idols were always placed. David in Psalm 121 reveals his help came from the Lord not the hills where he looked. The idols were positioned on the hills.
Sin can be all-consuming as we perceive in verse 24. It devours the labor of fathers, and the flocks, herds, sons and daughters. Sin affects the land as we saw earlier. In Jonah 3:8, when Nineveh repented, the beasts had to be covered in sackcloth and ashes, as well as the people. And in Jonah 4:11, God spoke of saving the animals and the people.
Verse 25 is a great prayer of repentance that God desired His people pray. He requested that they simply state that they had sinned against the Lord their God from their youth till this day. A prayer of salvation can be very simple too if it comes from the heart of repentance. One simply asks Christ to save and cleanse them from their sins and take control of their life. God makes it simple for us simple folk.
Jeremiah Chapter 4
God is speaking to Israel, the northern captured kingdom, in verses 1 and 2 of chapter 4. He desires that this chosen nation would reach the nations for Him through Israel turning from detestable things. God wanted the Gentiles saved in Old Testament times as well as in the church age. He desired that the other kingdoms glory in Him just as Israel was called to do. God loves all men and desires all be saved; that’s why we are called to present the Gospel throughout the world and to our neighbors beside us.
James 4:4 addresses God’s disobedient ones. Israel had become a friend of the world and was paying her indebtedness to it through God’s discipline. Israel and Judah had become God’s enemies through their compromising ways. This is hostility toward God as James discloses. Whenever we seek the world for answers and not God’s holy ordinances, we become God’s enemies. Society, which is ruled by satan, will justify most all evil and the Bible is not the standard, as holiness is a foreign word to this world. Years ago, I was filmed for a response to an editorial concerning sex education in the public schools here in Boise for Channel 6. The manager informed me, she had never seen the word righteous before reading my counter reply for airing.
Here are a couple verses from the hymn More Holiness Give Me: “More holiness give me, more striving within; more patience in suffering, more sorrow for sin; more faith in my Savior, more sense of His care; more joy in His service, more purpose in prayer.” Third stanza: “More purity give me; more strength to overcome; more freedom from earth stains, more longings for home; more fit for the kingdom, more used would I be; more blessed and holy, more Savior like Thee.” This hymn reveals what God desires for all His people and what I feel is the heart-cry of these verses in Jeremiah.
Verse three of Jeremiah turns our attention back to Judah, consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. To review again, if you turn to the maps in the back of your Bible, you will see the tribal area of Benjamin. This was the land God allotted to the tribe of Benjamin who descended from Jacob’s son Benjamin. The people living in the area of Judah, below Benjamin, descended from Jacob’s son Judah. Judah is mentioned in verse 5 of chapter 4; this is referring to the entire southern kingdom consisting of the tribes of Judah and Benjamin. Jacob had twelve sons. The northern captured kingdom, removed by Assyria, consisted of the other ten tribes.
Verse 5 and following speak further of the future Babylonian attack on Judah when many will be killed and made captives. When verse 6 speaks of Zion, it means Jerusalem, the holy city, which is in the area of Benjamin, which you may have noticed on your map. Verse 7 speaks of a lion; this would represent King Nebuchadnezzar who destroyed kingdoms to enlarge his ruler-ship in his thirst for power. We do know by God’s grace that he eventually became a believer through Daniel’s witness and God’s discipline.
In 1 Peter 5:8 satan is described as a lion, because through his craftiness he desires to destroy all of mankind. That is why we are never to waver and turn to the philosophies and teachings that come from his kingdom—the earth. Those teachings that contradict God’s Word eventually bring destruction to the hearer. This is satan’s plan to lead us down the path of destruction through cultural philosophies that sound reasonable and are flesh-fulfilling, but produce God’s discipline. Satan despises all mankind because man is made in God’s image.
God, in verse 7, is straightforward about the consequences of disobediences; if they don’t repent their land will become a waste without inhabitant. This is a result of the fierce anger of the Lord; verse 8; who hates all sin!! We will see this anger of our righteous LORD powerfully unleashed again when judgment falls on the entire world as witnessed in Revelation. Pastors formerly taught on God’s fierce anger, but today it is avoided as not politically correct for the contemporary church. How sad as such preaching brought many to the foot of the cross in centuries past.
Verse 9 speaks of the differing responses of suffering people. “The prophets will be astounded.” This would be the false prophets who truly thought the people were righteous in God’s eyes, as they held a form of godliness. They believed this form of religiosity overshadowed the fact that they were not obeying all of God’s commands for holy living. This verse also states, “hearts will fail” and “priests will be appalled.”
Jeremiah pours out his heart in verse 10 as he feels the justice coming to his fellow Jews is not justifiable. He even boldly exclaims, “God has deceived this people.” However, Deuteronomy 28:15 declares God will bring many curses on the Hebrews if they don’t observe all His commandments and statutes. Verse 32 of Deuteronomy 28 and following state how they will become enslaved to other nations if they disobey their holy God.
Verses 11 and 12, back in Jeremiah, foretell how God is going to bring judgment and there will be no reason to winnow and cleanse the grain that was grown. The people will be ruined and so will the land.
We become redirected to the power of King Nebuchadnezzar in verse 13 as his chariots cannot be halted and the swiftness of his horses will prevail. Job 39, verses 19-25, speak of God’s omnipotence in forming the stately horse. God declares the inner workings of the horse that craves battle. The horse exalts in his strength and power; therefore he inwardly laughs at fear, being not dismayed; Job 39:22. In verse 25 when the trumpet sounds, the eager horse exclaims Aha!!
Moving further into Chapter 4 of Jeremiah, God exhorts them to wash their hearts from evil for their salvation, verse 14. We desire to be washed whiter than snow and we are in the eyes of God, thanks to Christ’s shed blood, which cleanses us from all sin. We must, consequently, continue to choose to walk in the path of moral uprightness.
We additionally witness that God desires that they practice a pure thought life as He desires that no wicked thoughts lodge in them. 2 Corinthians 10:5 commands us to take every thought captive in obedience of Christ. We are not to harbor any thoughts that are contrary to His holy ways. We do this by not allowing the speculations and lofty teachings of culture to have any place in our minds. Anything that contradicts God’s holy and inerrant Word should not be dwelt on as it forfeits our knowledge of God. Ephesians 4:17 warns us not to walk in the futility of our minds. We are not to dwell on those things that don’t bring us closer to our Lord and King nor those things that produce anger, pride, and the sensual and so forth.
We are to think on those things that are lovely, pure, honorable, right and worthy of praise, etc; Phil. 4:8. The music that we regard should cause us to dwell on all those things that are lovely, pure, and honorable like listening to a lovely symphony piece that puts our mind on quiet waters and green pastures, such as Psalm 23 proclaims. Of course, setting our mind on the Lord is of utmost importance! Those things that encompass our being should be representative of a gentle spirit, Philippians 4:5; and that which encompasses humility and lowliness of mind.
This is opposite of what the world teaches as it desires celebrities to applaud and to exalt as stars. It is so wrong when churches possess an entertainment mentality to please the world which exalts the talented. There was a time when the choir sung from the back of the churche as the congregation faced the front, thus forsaking the uplifting of human talent and applauding, etc. Those things that brought haughtiness of mind were to be shunned in times past.
Telling jokes seems to be of all importance in the contemporary church and in entertaining Christendom which often sets the mind on fleshly enjoyment; yet, not one joke is recorded in all of scripture. Yes, God certainly has a sense of humor as we see in Job in creation, yet this humor is to exalt the greatness of our Lord and King alone. The teaching of God’s Word is to be witnessed in all seriousness of mind when we gather together to ask the Lord’s blessing on our fellowship. A David Letterman mentality for worship does not arise from God’s Holy Word. Glitter and lights of showmanship do not cause our holy Lord to rejoice in man’s prideful self-exaltation.
God lets it be known in the following verses that inflicted pain is on the way as Judah has rebelled against God; verse 17. Rebelling is not conforming ourselves to God’s ways but to the ways we desire. These ways lead to a bitter end; verse. 18.
Verse 19 turns our attention to a speech expressing the anguished heart of Jeremiah as God reveals the coming tragedy to the land. Jeremiah does not desire that his people suffer and so his heart aches for them. He says, “My heart is pounding in me.” God has allowed him to hear the battle cry and the sound of the trumpet. In Revelation 9:14 there will be the sound of the trumpet which will result in the third of the earth being destroyed, a far greater catastrophe than what Jeremiah was to experience. John, in Revelation, witnessed this devastation, that of God’s coming judgment upon the whole earth which certainly would have been frightening to say the least. This too will come because people will not humble themselves and turn to God.
As we move on in Jeremiah we see him witnessing the devastation of the land. He even sees, by the will of God, his own tents being destroyed and his curtains, verse 20. God, no doubt, is giving him factual visions that disturb him.
We can understand more of the “heart” of Jeremiah by studying Lamentations which was also penned by him. Lamentations was written after the destruction of Judah. Lamentations follows Jeremiah in the Bible. If you turn to Lamentations 3:15-18, you view Jeremiah’s sorrowful heart as he says God has broken his teeth and has made him cower in the dust. He speaks of forgetting happiness and having no hope from the Lord. Of course, Jeremiah rose up to praise God again, but the devastation was a frightening thing to live through, similar to experiencing an atom bomb or a 9-ll catastrophe. God’s judgment and discipline are never fun that is why we have His Word to exhort us to holy living. He does not desire our sorrow.
God speaks in verse 22 in response as he lets Jeremiah know that His people are foolish and do not know Him, that is, His character of righteousness. They have “no understanding.” Why? They don’t study His ordinances. We are commanded to study God’s Word in the New Testament so we are approved unto God. They did not desire to be approved unto God, learning and practicing His truths. God is saying they are without excuse as they have access to everything. Also, Jeremiah by God’s grace was sent to warn them, but they consistently refuse to listen to him.
Psalm 50:21 is a very revealing verse, as it aptly discloses the people thought God was just like them! We make a huge mistake when we think God enjoys the things we do or thinks the way we think. I believe we are living in the time of the apostasy because believers think God is like them enjoying today’s culture and ways, like they do. They are sadly mistaken! He is not impressed with the arts or any other thing that brings them entertaining joy from this vile world. Isaiah 55:8 proclaims, “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways My ways, declares the Lord.” God is not impressed by anything man does or accomplishes.
This is why we have to make sure we are worshipping the Christ of the Bible, not an entertaining Christ contrived by man’s prideful mindset. There are many false Christ’s. We have to come to grips with which one we are following. Is the Christ you’re following the Holy Christ of scripture who says come out from among them and be separate?
Jeremiah speaks again in verse 23 quoting Genesis 1:2. He sees that the area of Judah will be “formless and void.” Jeremiah witnesses the result of the fierce anger of the Lord being accomplished probably through a vision. I believe this is referring to the total destruction of the area. Jeremiah continues to express what he sees, as even the hills move “to and fro;” verse 24. There is no man left; this is because the people were either killed or enslaved. Even the birds have disappeared. Nothing remains for the birds of prey to consume; every dead human has been devoured.
In verse 27, God begins speaking again, as He will not execute a complete destruction. This is by His grace. God always preserves a remnant. In Isaiah 11:11-12 God reveals He will gather the banished Jews from Israel and Judah. This foretells their preservation and return to the land after the captivity. The following verses continue to relay the ruin, as God will not change His mind.
Verse 30 states how the women will attempt to make themselves beautiful in a worldly manner in hopes of winning the hearts of the Babylonians, but it will all be in vain as these fierce warriors only care about enlarging their borders for world domination. They are there to kill and destroy not to engage in romance.
Reality strikes in verse 32 as a woman in labor, bearing her first child, is pleading for her life in vain. Her murderers have no compassion even on a woman birthing.
Jeremiah 5 prelude:
My cat Cassidy, who loves only me, hating all other persons and animals, enjoys curling up in a black and white ball on my lap. She also covets snuggling. (She is peering at me right now through the window, saying, “Let me in;” in her own way, of course.) If Alan, my husband, enters the room, she sits up and gives him the evil eye. He will look down at her and say “Yes, I know you want to be alone with Mama.” The moment he leaves, she encircles my lap and coils in simulation, relishing the gratifying contentment of owning only me.
Being alone with Christ in fellowship as I study, pray, and sing hymns is a fountain of living blessing. Holding a private session with my Savior minus any interruptions is my greatest joy. I do not appreciate it if one enters the room and interrupts my precious moments. God’s truths are powerful, persistently timely and daily enlightening and I don’t desire to miss any of their delights.
Jeremiah Chapter 5
As we enter the scene in chapter 5, verse 1, God is pleading for just one, just man to be found in the land. We hear this calling-plea today in America. It is a saddening thing when a court judge is removed for upholding the Biblical truths our nation was founded upon, especially in light of the fact that our original laws came forth from these holy writings. On February 29, 1892, our US Supreme Court declared, “Our laws and our institutions must necessarily be based upon and embody the teachings of the Redeemer of mankind.”
Of course, we just can’t blame our government completely knowing that many churches prefer not to teach doctrines that are offensive for a contemporary society. Unfortunately, the church frequently serves no better example. It is not strange that our society, which also views itself as contemporary, would see no need to embrace that which is often viewed as old-fashioned. When there is similar rhetoric descending from our pulpits, how can we expect this government to govern differently? The Ten Commandments exhorts us not to commit adultery and so does the New Testament; yet, how many pastors overlook divorce and remarriage in their assemblies? How many preach against it? Many commandments that are reemphasized in the NT are cast aside, in order to tickle the ears of those in an assembly. Preaching against coveting—desiring that which has not been allotted to us—is not cool for a materialistic society. Of course, one could go on and on.
Looking further into verse 1, part of seeking justice in the land is desiring truth. Of course, the Ten Commandments are truth and certainly basic for a righteous rulership, as the only truth for living we possess is God’s Word. It is our “how to” book on living purely before our Lord and King. Israel failed her God, who should have been her only king, because she forsook those teachings in the scriptures that she didn’t like; those she didn’t view as contemporary. What is different from today?
God made it clear, if He could find just one who sought truth, He would pardon Judah and she would not suffer the consequences of compromise. However, that never became her desire.
In verse 2, we witness the Jews wearing an external appearance of righteousness as they would say “as the Lord lives.” This statement makes it appear that they held a personal, close relationship to God; but it was only a façade—not lived out through their hearts. Through James 4:15, we interpret that we are still to refer to God’s will if we desire to pursue an endeavor, “If the Lord wills, we will live and also do this or that.” It is Biblical to state as the Lord lives, we will do this or that; but it has to be applied through a heart of righteousness, which the Hebrews did not possess as their being was filled with religious deception.
In verse 3, Jeremiah cries to God inquiring, “Do God’s eyes look for truth?” Jeremiah thinks God is unjustly smiting His people even though he acknowledges they refuse to repent. In this verse, the LORD lets it be known that He attempted correction, but there is no change. They make “their faces harder than rock” which certainly displays a heart that speaks I don’t want to be different from the crowd and I will not change for You, God.
In verse 4, Jeremiah makes excuses for his people by saying they are poor and foolish. Here Jeremiah sets forth his own solution; he’ll just go to the great and speak the Words of God. They know the Word of God. He believes this will result in everyone getting right with the LORD. However, he discovers they have already hardened their hearts and they won’t break them in repentance. They had let go of God’s guiding hands, meaning His “yoke” and “bonds.” Jeremiah spent a great deal of his life attempting to bring truth to the people; yet, all in vain due to their set-in-stone sins.
In verse 6, Jeremiah acknowledges that they don’t seek the values of God; therefore, they must be destroyed by beasts as their transgressions are many and their religious facades are numerous.
God takes the place of speaker and inquires in verses 7-8 “Why should I pardon Judah when her sons have forsaken Me.” The Lord reveals these men have followed false gods. God warns in Psalm 135:15-18 that those who make and trust false gods become like them. We do become like the people and things we spend our time with. If one is consistently seated before the television and movies, they are going to spend their time speaking those things that surround the entertainment realm. If one spends time with one who enjoys telling dirty jokes, they will start retelling those jokes. I knew a pastor who engaged in such behavior. He lived a short life. I must restate, what we spend time with consumes our being through its outpouring. If we spend time in scripture, we will be sharing positive fruitful Biblical truth with others.
This verse states as well, they have committed adultery—sexual unfaithfulness—when they were to hold to one’s mate for life. They were lusting after other women and harlots. They were not holding their thoughts and actions in check. In Matthew 5:27-28 Christ plainly warns that no one should commit adultery, quoting Deuteronomy 5:18. The Lord adds more substance by stating a man can also commit the sin of adultery by lusting after another woman. Of course, women can lust wrongfully after men as well.
In verse 9, we see God’s attribute of vengeance which is also revealed in the NT. Vengeance is to be performed by the Lord; Hebrews 10:30 and Deut. 32:35. God is a consuming fire when it comes to dealing with the sinful and unrepentant. This conflagration of judgment will fully be revealed when the unsaved will stand before him. God is saying because they are not true to their wives for life that He has the right to punish and bring judgment upon the land of Judah! God certainly has the right to avenge America when we see infidelity so rampant in society and in the church.
Undeserved grace is seen in verse 10, as God states “He will not execute a complete destruction,” but He will strip away the false branches. We read in John 15:2-6 of branches being removed, branches that don’t bear fruit. Those who don’t abide in Christ, will be cast into the fire and burned. This is illustrating apostates I believe.
Treachery is seen in verse 12. God says both the northern and southern kingdoms have been treacherous against Him, as they made Him to be someone He was not. They presented Him as one who overlooks their sin believing that no misfortune; sword or famine would ever arise due to their disobedience. Verse 13 reveals it was the false prophets who declared this. They taught grace, and God simply turns the other way when they cast aside Scriptures.
The New Testament teaches us about false prophets in many portions including 2 Corinthians 11:13f. This passage discloses they disguise themselves as apostles of Christ. They know how to enter our churches and play the Christian act, at least on Sunday. These vile dudes are revealed clearly in Jude. They modernize the Bible to their mind-set. They aren’t ones who love inductive Bible teaching and application. 2 Peter, chapter 2, discloses how they will move among us introducing the heretical ways and practices of the world, bringing swift destruction upon themselves, which we witness in John 15. They use false words, not holding to Scripture alone! As we move farther into chapter 2 of 2 Peter, we witness God’s anger is against them as He will cast them into hell. Trekking further, we see Old Testament examples being cited to reveal how God’s wrath is placed upon sinners.
God directly speaks in a personal form to Jeremiah in verse 14, as we turn back to this book. He blesses Jeremiah by stating because he has not compromised the message; God’s words would now be fire in Jeremiah’s mouth. These words would be the convicting fire of the truth of God’s inerrant and holy Word in judgment against sinners. Hebrews 4:12 reveals God’s Word is living and active! None of God’s Word has died. It is still wholly relevant for today. It is living and true just as it was centuries ago. Contemporary-ism does not murder any of its live content. This verse further reveals that it is sharper than any two-edged sword, “piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit.” A pastor may speak dully the living words from Scripture; yet, the words can still convict the one who is not practicing its truth.
The spoken words of Jeremiah were never dull as he was a fiery preacher not speaking words of his own. He spoke through the powerful convicting ministry of the Holy Spirit. Yes, God is a God of love and grace, but His wrath, anger and vengeance cannot be cast aside. The fear of God is the beginning of knowledge! It can bring a hell-destined sinner to his knees. A friend wrote telling me of a man who saw the movie “The Passion of the Christ” resulting in him confessing to murder before authorities. Though there are many inaccuracies with this movie, the Word is still presented and holding enough truth to bring this murderer to confession of sin.
We also learn as we read the next phrase that the words spoken by Jeremiah would “consume them” as fire. God is a consuming fire as we see in Hebrews 12:29. Unfortunately, such messages on this attribute of God are rarely and seldom heard. Of course, these sermons are most needed to be spoken from arenas where the multitudes of lost ones gather. Those in strong churches are usually snatched out of the fire: therefore, they mainly require the meat of God’s Word for uniform growth. Yes, a powerful Gospel still should be presented to one who is searching as they slip in amongst believers; however, a church is to be careful of those who are false teachers who attempt to slip in as well.
When it comes to speaking forth the judgment of God, pastors should not neglect educating their congregations on the wrathful attributes of God. Whereby, believers desire to reach the lost, knowing hell’s fire is not a figment of one’s imagination or a playground for partiers.
In Jeremiah 5:15, our attention is turned to Babylon, which is bringing into play God’s judgment. We read this nation of power is enduring and ancient. It has been in existence since 1830 BC, at least. We first read of this area in Genesis 10:10, when Babel is spoken of. God removed everyone from this compressed area for world migration.
This verse also speaks how they will be unlearned in the language of these people. Babylon spoke Aramaic and Jews spoke Hebrew. Aramaic naturally became the world’s prose that Jews had to adopt. Even Christ spoke Galilean Aramaic on earth when He quoted portions of the O.T.
Verse 16 is a fierce verse as the Babylonian army was not to be reckoned with, as they were mighty and their quiver was an open grave. This obviously revealed their mastery of striking the human mark without fail. David and his men were described as mighty men also in 1 Chronicles 12:8. They had faces like lions and they were swift as gazelles on the mountains. These warriors were also feared in their day, long before the great Babylonian Empire surfaced.
God further informs Jeremiah in verse 17, returning to the passage, that these people will devour all their food, children, herds, vines, and trees. They will also demolish with the sword their fortified cities in which they trust. We see throughout the Word of God, we are not to trust in the things made by men’s hands or hold great admiration for them.
We as believers in this wicked world should never trust in the city or country in which we dwell, believing it will shield us. David in Psalm 20:7 states “some trust in chariots and horses, but we trust in the Lord our God!” Isaiah 40 teaches God elevates as well as destroys kingdoms at will; therefore, we learn we should never anchor hope in them, only in our Lord. God is condemning the people in verse 17, back in Jeremiah, for trusting in Jerusalem’s might when they should only trust in Him.
Verse 20 refers to a people who are not inductively listening to God’s Holy Word. They are equipped to do so with ears and eyes, but they use them not. God in verse 22 reveals they are not fearing or trembling before their all-consuming God. Philippians 2:12 warns us that we are to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. These two verses, one in the Old and one in the New Testament, should educate us on how we must reverence God who is not to be taken for granted!
As we travel further into the passage, we see the omnipotence of God displayed. He has made sure that the sea has boundaries even during a storm. If one desires to buy an ocean-side home, they should investigate where God’s established boundaries have proven to be steadfast. He controls all and nothing lies outside His declared limits. When my husband and I were in Aruba on our 25th wedding anniversary, Hurricane Ivan struck fiercely removing the stretching man-made beaches, which reestablished the shoreline to its original God-created boundaries.
In verse 23, God further explains His omnipotence in creation. He gives rain in its season, both autumn and spring rains for our harvest time. That is why we observe Thanksgiving, thanking Him for the abundance of food He allows men to reap in the fall; as well as remembering the Pilgrims and His blessings of provision bestowed upon them.
God does not always bless people with harvest. We hear often of drought in other nations. Here God is saying He is withholding these good things from them due to their sin; verse 25. Obedience produces blessings of harvest, sin eliminates many blessings.
Verses 26 and 27 reveal there were wicked men among them, those who take advantage of others and therefore have become great and rich. Sounds like many politicians today who support godless lobbies for their contributions. Yes! Often these lobbies are orchestrated to remove the privileges of the righteous by eradicating moral laws of uprightness. Some lobbyist agendas include allowing evil to reign through the murder of unborn babies. These same people will also lobby for homosexual rights and for promiscuity to be displayed legally. The ACLU fights to allow pornography to be put before children. Many of these groups lobby angrily also in hopes of removing Christ and the Bible from all government domains.
We observe these wicked ones in Jeremiah’s time also did not care for the lowly such as orphans who need special love and attention. They do not defend the rights of the poor. This resembles politics also as the rich often gain the greatest tax breaks not the average working person. Married people have been penalized for not living in sin. If they had chosen this sinful lifestyle, they would have received a greater levy break. People being overtaxed by politicians pay increases for government programs that leave no advantageous mark. This is an unremitting complaint.
God states again in verse 29 that He has a right to avenge as He has listed many sins that are reigning in this kingdom.
Verse 30 concludes this chapter as God exposes that the priests were ruling on their own authority, not God’s. They obviously were not using the scriptures for exhorting, or they bent and twisted them to justify their personal doctrines. These Jews loved hearing priests and prophets who refused to dig deep into the true ways of God.
This is also a warning to us to be cautious of whom we sit under for doctrinal exhortation. 1 John 4:1 implores us to test the spirits to see if they are from God as there are many false teachers or prophets. A true teacher will present a totally Biblical Christ without changing Him to conform to an unrighteous society.
Jeremiah Chapter 6
Chapter 6 is directed to the tribe of Benjamin, whose God-bequeathed area included the prominent city of Jerusalem. Other close cities are also cited as Babylonian targets of war. The Lord is revealing to them that destruction is coming even to the Holy City of Jerusalem.
As we travel further into the passage we see God will not be partial in this judgment as even the loveliest and dainty lady will not escape His wrath. This dainty lady represents Jerusalem and she will be cut throughout by Babylonian annihilation.
Babylon’s intelligent military strategy is reveled in verses 3-6, coming dressed as shepherds, or so it appears, to scout out the land. Who will suspect these disguised ones with their sheep? They determine to attack at noon and night for best advantage. At noon, people would possibly be eating, therefore not alert. In the evening, the enemy can hide in the thickness of the black night. It will be at night that they attack the palaces, which would most likely have posted sentries who can be caught off-guard by stealthy maneuvering.
God has declared that Jerusalem must be punished for its oppression! She is wicked, verse 7, as “violence and destruction are heard in her.”
God has attempted other methods of discipline as parents might try with disobedient children. Sickness and wounds did not cause the Jews to repent as Jeremiah 2:20 reveals. God was striking their sons but to no avail. The verse discloses they accepted no chastening.
In the Corinthian church, members were sick and dieing due to sin and it seemed Christ’s chastening brought no repentance, as death was amongst them; 1 Corinthians 11:30. It is good to perform spiritual checks to see if our lives are lining up with the Word and not the world. God is a God who disciplines His children out of love and concern for corrective purposes; Hebrews 12:5-11. He dislikes stretching forth His hand that inflicts severe pain, but will if necessarily.
God warns the Jews in Jeremiah that He will alienate Himself from them and will make their land without inhabitant; verse 8. It is not a pleasant thing when God deserts His people. And it will not be a fun time when they are removed from their homes and land to dwell with the heathen who have little or no knowledge of the Holy One.
God will not leave any person in the land. He will remove all, as one who moves their hand over a vine to insure all fruit is gathered for harvest; verse 9.
Even though Jeremiah persistently warns these Jews from a loving heart that reveals God’s love and concern, they refuse to listen, as their ears are closed; verse 10.
The last phrase of verse 10 is quite insightful as the Word of the Lord has become a reproach to them; they have no delight in it!
How many believers today do not delight in the Word of God and even dislike much of its poignant teachings? How many Christians actually cherish having time to study and rejoice in the Holy Scriptures? If they do not, this type of attitude is very distasteful in the mouth of our righteous Christ.
Amongst the persecuted church, the Word of God is very precious like sought after diamonds! In a magazine that tells of persecution, I saw a photo of women secretly huddled in a crawl space for Bible study. They praise and learn of God in the darkness. They know they can be imprisoned or murdered for their faith. Yet, they are very hungry for the Word and are willing to take the chance for Bible study and fellowship. Would you meet in a crawl space to hear God’s Word without all the worldly allurement that American churches entice people with today?
The government churches are safe places to worship for the Chinese, but they are not the on-fire churches that meet in a crawl space, in an attic or out in the forest. Yet, these are the churches that thrive in number without a fancy stage and sensual rock music with special lighting. These faithful Orientals simply sing to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in their hearts to the Lord; Ephesians 5:13. Most often, it must be done quietly so no one turns them in.
America’s churches have a very different flavor as most pastors tell many jokes to add to an atmosphere that says, “we are worldly, come and join us” just to keep the people coming back for more entertainment that resembles their favorite television show. It seems churches desire people feel right at home, just as if they never left their television sets of entertainment. Pastors seem to believe this moves their churches to a prominent known-spot in the community of success with numbers of lukewarm believers, or even unsaved filling the pews. The church means the called-out ones, true believers, but pastors don’t care as long as numbers are high on the charts like the latest released Christian music CD.
Those who are truly on-fire for the Word need no worldly externals just the deep preaching of the Scripture. If our churches were revived and set apart from all worldliness, with only on-fire members, what a difference these churches would make in America. In Revelation chapter 3, Christ proclaims that He is going to vomit the Laodicean believers out of His mouth as they were not on-fire, simply lukewarm. We read in Revelation 1:20 that the seven churches disclosed in this book are represented by seven lampstands that can be removed as we witness with the Ephesus church; Revelation 2:5. Christ further states of the Laodiceans, that they required the refining fire to enable them to walk in white garments; white being the symbol of purity and holiness. The whiteness denotes the opposite of following after cultural sensual allurements that leave stains of unrighteousness. However, numbers are too important for today’s secular-minded churches as more numbers reveal importance and prominence just like corporate success.
Does not God have a right to judge us, as He did Israel that no longer took the Word seriously when it came to separating from society’s influence and sensual allurements for personal gain and fame? Israel also saw no reason to absorb the whole Word of God in all seriousness, reverent respect, honor and obedience.
Most churches desire activities advertised such as game, video or dance nights; these appeal to the world or so they falsely believe. I believe the persecuted church reveals truth that sincere dedicated believers just desire the Word taught and a chance to participate in sacrificial service. It is through being victimized that these fellowships are growing in very large numbers not cultural fun! The church is to be equipping the saints for Christian service not social fun in the sun. No where can you locate a silly command for social activities in the Word.
Churches are so silly and if you don’t think the world sees how silly they are then think again. I believe they do and this keeps people from wanting to hear the true Gospel message when it is brought to them.
Today’s pastors don’t desire to be obedient, going out to preach the Word on street corners and in public places, so they turn their churches into social entertainment recreational centers. They think this will somehow appease our most holy and righteous Christ. Do pastors really think God is so stupid to approve when He reigns in all holiness and decency with no compromise of evil!
The persecuted Hmong people of the Orient run from village to village with the Gospel though it often times means death or imprisonment. They aren’t afraid of what people think! They are the despised slave race of China brutally abused by those who see them as socially unacceptable. The women wear modest clothing, a head covering in worship and the services are humble and lowly; very pleasing to our humble and lowly Christ! The lust and delight of the eyes is not important for their services that often meet in the forest’s seclusion.
J. Vernon McGee, who has gone to be with the Lord, shared on his recorded broadcast this week, how desperate churches have become for numbers. He spoke of a pastor who dressed as a clown in the pulpit every Sunday and told jokes to attract people to his fellowship. He also told of a church that brought in a strip-teaser to perform, to entice outsiders. Does God not have the right to judge America as He did Israel?
Verse 11 reveals Jeremiah’s disappointment over Israel’s lack of love for God’s Word as he says he is full of the wrath of the Lord and he is weary of holding it in. Jeremiah formerly was concerned for the fate of his people; now he sees the reality of their sin and wants judgment. He states their many sins, including being greedy for gain. The church leaders even partook; verse 13.
Are not pastors greedy for gain, as they want the greatest numbers in attendance in church no matter the compromise with culture? This also provides a large comfortable salary for all pastors. Though our pastors should be paid for working diligently in the ministry, some pastors today are paid way beyond what they perform. Many pastors will not evangelize outside the church, engage in congregational visitation, or hold other services outside of one Sunday sermon. Having a long rock concert with shallow non-convicting Christian lyrics, and a short please-all sermon is basically the extent of many a pastor’s service in the church. Oh, and yes, with a bit of counseling thrown in for good measure.
Of course, members participate in this mind-set as well, wanting to be in a large church which they can brag about. How many of us, when we hear of a church, ask how many people are attending in order to know how sizeable it is, so we can judge its worldly success? We are silly and sinful too!
How many people parade their business in church for greedy gain or attend church only for trade-success? Does God not have a right to judge us too!
Verse 15, truly lays it on the line as punishment is due, as the Jews no longer even know how to blush! Blushing is prudish and seen in America as something to be made fun of; yet, very commendable in God’s economy. A person can lose their ability to blush in today’s society by just watching a couple hours of television with its immodest and immoral ways. Christian videos don’t always promote modesty as well. Modesty in the Greek means “dressing in bashfulness towards men and in the fear of God” according to Strong’s Concordance of old. Women are commanded to dress so in the New Testament. If people aren’t acting modest, dressing modest and walking in all moral uprightness, they should not be set before our eyes in the name of entertainment. We are to set no evil thing before our eyes!
Immoral people are not to be allowed in church either. Believers are not permitted to associate with those who say they believe, but are living immoral lives; 1 Corinthians 5:9-12 and 6:9-11.
In verse 16, we perceive staying with the ancient paths is most important. This may sound very old fashioned for those who want the new and exciting roads. But new and exciting roads are ever changing and never bring lasting satisfaction. New roads are always sought, as the old ones become classified as out-of-date. God reveals, however, people will find rest for their souls if they follow His ancient path. NO path of this world gives rest to the soul!
Holding to the ancient paths would be the ones the great patriarchs, prophets and apostles followed. Jeremiah was certainly one who held to the ancient path and reaped spiritual blessings despite the rejection and hatred cast upon him by God’s lukewarm people.
God’s Words are never old fashioned in His economy of truth. Christians may reject those passages they consider not for a hip and styling generation, but all were given in wisdom and are enduring in the eyes of our most holy and separated God who never changes. God views the ancient paths of wise pursuit as “the good way,” or we might say the good street. If we walk this road, we grasp in Psalm 101:3 that He pardons our iniquities and heals all our diseases. We have noticed throughout the book of Jeremiah that this is the yearning of God as He desires to remove His chastening hand. Blessing and healing arise from obeying this “good way.”
We also perceive in James 5:16 that we can be healed of disease if we confess our sins, seeing sin in light of the ancient paths. Of course, God can say no if the disease will bring Him glory or it is our time to leave this world, which is passing away with its lusts.
We notice at the end of this verse that God’s children are not interested in the ancient proven ways of God’s holy truth. They want to emulate the styling society of their time, a society who sees God as old-fashioned, not fun and entertaining.
Walking further into this section, the consequences of facing the invading Babylonian army reappear. The Lord proclaims in verse 19 that this disaster is the fruit of their plans. Not plans ordained by the Lord. We can note an example of reaping harmful fruit if we turn to Luke 12:16-21. Here a rich man had reaped an immense substance of crops that he stored in great barns, but he did not even begin to imagine that he could fall dead that night with no eternal hope, as he invested naught in the eternal fruits of God; but only in the fruits of materialistic earthly accumulation.
In Jeremiah verse 20, we see that the offerings of the people to God are meaningless. Why? They did not give because they loved the Lord with all their hearts, souls and minds and His Word. It speaks of them offering to God even costly goods such as frankincense that came all the way from Sheba, which was in SW Arabia and sugarcane which was shipped in from the tropics. We know fragrant frankincense is a significant gift of kings as it was presented to Christ after his birth, which we read in Luke 2:1-12. Even though these gifts cited in Jeremiah were considered elaborate, they were rejected by God as He knew the hearts of His people were not pure and holy and given solely over to Him.
God makes it be known again, in verse 21 of Jeremiah, that His people will perish without any partiality as fathers, sons, neighbors and friends will all die. More verses follow that elaborate on this catastrophe, as Babylon comes in with great fierceness. Terror will be on every side and their lamentations will be most bitter. If you will turn to Lamentations, the following book and also penned by Jeremiah, you will read how Jeremiah felt following the reality of this aftermath when it actually arrived.
In Lamentations 1:1-2 we witness Jeremiah pouring out his heart as Jerusalem is now desolate, a city that once was great is no more. This is no longer prophecy into the future but living reality of sadness and gloom for Jeremiah; lamenting over the land and people of God. We also witness Jeremiah is broken in spirit over the fact that his people are now forced laborers under King Nebuchadnezzar.
Returning to Jeremiah, verses 27-30, God has given Jeremiah the task of assayer. He is to judge the purity of the Jews in their allegiance to the Lord. We see in these verses that they have no valuable qualities. They possess rebellious hearts and they gossip. They tell tales on each other, probably most not even true. It’s interesting how we can make people look bad by adding or subtracting from facts. Many people like to tell tales so they will be liked for the negative knowledge they hold on others or supposedly do. Some people relish sitting with the office worker who enjoys making fun of the boss.
I remember being so discouraged when I had recently began attending a church, years ago and was invited to a gathering of members. It ended up not being a place I desired to be as they had roast-pastor’s-wife for lunch. Everything was stated in spite; yet, nothing of major consequence was spoken. They just wanted to make her look bad without the ingredients. As a new attendee, sitting out in an attached room not knowing the people well, I was taken back and hurt that respected people in the church where engaging in this.
I knew a lady in upstate New York who had been delivered from gossip after a speaker spoke at her church in the power of conviction. She was the church gossip until she repented that night. I knew her after this happening and she was most sweet and kind. I would have never guessed her previous occupation, gossiper. God certainly washes us whiter than snow when we allow Him to.
Verse 28 speaks of the Israelites being bronze and iron, not costly gold. They held corruptible sins within. Purity of substance could not be ascertained in these people. God is attempting to discipline them as we saw in Jeremiah 5:3 and elsewhere, but they will not submit no matter the pain of spankings. We note in the New Testament also that discipline should bring forth gold, that is, a more righteous lifestyle.
In verse 29 of this section, we set our eyes on the fact that no matter the refining God is performing, the wicked are not separated. God desires a holy separated people; that is why He called out His chosen ones from Egypt. He calls Christians today from the unsaved population.
Christ refines believers today as well, but some do not respond no matter the consequences. They do not desire to separate their actions from unbiblical ways. Separation is crucial in refinery purification as we witness in the NT. In 2 John 9-11, God desired a separated church. The members of the church were told not to let anyone in the door who did not hold to and abide in the teachings of Christ. This insured separation from false teachers, those who did not take the Word of God seriously.
Jeremiah Chapter 7
I would like to quote J. Vernon McGee from the March 2004 news letter of Thru the Bible:
“We are living in a day when men think they can rush into the presence of God and treat the Lord Jesus as if He is just a buddy. May I say to you that He is high and holy and lifted up. If He should appear in your church next Sunday morning, nobody would rush up to Him; nobody would become familiar with Him! Everybody would go down on their faces before Him. That is the picture the Word of God gives.
No one was as close to Him on earth as was His disciple, John. John would come to Him and make suggestions. The Lord Jesus never asked for advice, nor did He follow man’s advice, but John was there to give it. Then in the Upper Room, John even reclined on His bosom. He was familiar with Him. But, my friend, when he saw the glorified Christ on the Isle of Patmos, he fell at his feet as dead (Revelation 1:17), He did not rush into His presence.”
As we have been studying Jeremiah, we have noticed Judah has become too familiar with God; no longer fearing His wrath that falls upon the ungodly. They believe God is all grace and since they are His chosen people, no judgment will arise from their disobedience. They believe they have eternal life as His children and therefore how they behave is of no relevance. It is easy believe-ism not reality.
Today, salvation is very much emphasized in Christianity, but making Jesus lord or master often is not. Romans 10:9 proclaims that if we confess Jesus as Lord, and believe in our heart God raised Him from the dead, then we will be saved.
In many churches today a godly reverential atmosphere is not found. The fact that we are coming to worship a holy, righteous and elevated God is not emphasized. Making no one feel uncomfortable is often today’s goal; presenting a “non-threatening atmosphere” is all the rage in today’s Christianity. Well, in this Jewish area of the Southern Kingdom, it appears the only one who truly understood God’s holy ways was Jeremiah who refused to follow the crowd and suffered by their evil hands. He chose to be peculiar and separate no matter the cost of not being trendy and the only one who pursued in a holy manner.
As we enter verse one, we leave the Hebrew poetry of the last few chapters and return to the narrative. In this verse God has commanded Jeremiah to go to the gate of the Lord’s house AKA the temple to proclaim His truths.
God tells His disobedient people who are coming to the temple to worship Him; to amend their ways and deeds so they can continue to live in the land; verses 1-3.
Today, I feel we need some Jeremiahs to stand outside of today’s houses of worship to implore believers to turn from lukewarmness and worldly ways, exhorting them to be on-fire for Christ and His holy ways of living according to the Bible alone.
In verse 4, Jeremiah proclaims that they should not rest in the fact that the temple is there in Jerusalem, believing it to be a fetish of protection. The false teachers were telling the people that God would not destroy Solomon’s Temple as that is where God dwelt, but God does not dwell in things made by man’s hands, as nothing can contain God’s greatness and immenseness; 1 Kings 8:27. The highest heaven cannot hold the person of God. Even though the heavens contain planets that are trillions of years away, this massive expanse is not impressive to God who cannot be contained in all the heavens. We simply can’t even begin to imagine how big God is. We know from Isaiah 66:1 that the heaven is God’s throne and the earth is His footstool. In the scheme of things, we know the earth does not even show up as a dot in comparison to the large planets in the distant universe.
Believers today may believe God will not bring judgment on America due to the fact we are covered in churches, but we cannot rest on that which God has not stated. God sees the hearts of those who frequent the church buildings. He is not interested in the structures, no matter their beheld beauty, set within state-of-the-art design and staging. He knows if the hearts of those who are attending are wholly obedient to His inerrant Word or not.
In verse 5, God gives the provision for their lasting protection, as it rests solely on their obedience to Him. If they are to stay within His hedge of protection, they must repent or amend their ways and follow His statutes.
The edicts of God from verses 5-6:
1. They must practice justice between a man and his neighbor.
2. They must not oppress the alien, the orphan or widow.
3. They must not shed innocent blood.
4. They must not take on the beliefs of false religions or false gods.
These certainly resemble the Ten Commandments of Deuteronomy chapter 5. Roman 13:9 reemphasizes God’s Laws that represent the ancient and true paths. Deuteronomy 5 states the whole of the commandments. They are to be taken seriously. The only New Testament change is there is no longer a mention of holding to the Sabbath as we note in Romans 13:9, as we now worship on Sunday apart from Jewish requirements. We worship in recognition of the fact Christ arose on the first day of the week.
Loving our neighbor as oneself would fall with injunctions 1-3, according to me, though most wouldn’t put three in this same category.
The first injunction commands us to practice true justice; we don’t take sides according to who we like the most, rather than according to facts of truth. I took part in a trial recently, being a juror for a drunk driving case where the evidence was greatly mounted against the defendant. In defense of this deadly man who came close to taking lives, a science professor from Northwest Nazarene University attempted to disprove the charges. He was introduced as one who should be respected, being on staff at a Christian university. And who could dispute the fact that he was exceptionally educated? This NNU professor attempted to get the wicked defendant off by trying to prove without success that intoxicator testing equipment is defective. Others testified showing dependability without a doubt.
I was very disturbed by this professor’s incident of defense for I do not believe dangerous people should drive on the roads, those who obviously care for no one but themselves. This accused man maneuvered down several paths in an attempt to gain our sympathy through deceptive tactics and lying. This was the man’s second arrest for driving “under the influence.” By God’s grace, he was found guilty by every juror.
Focusing in on injunction two, God’s unconditional love for others must be practiced in today’s churches. Partiality is sin! Romans 12:16 commands us to not be haughty in mind, or in other words we are not to think we are any better than others. We are to associate with the lowly or those who no one else would want to be with due to various factors such as being mentally challenged, not stylish in dress, not attractive, uneducated, so on and so on. We are not to take part in any evil behavior of elitism.
We should not desire to dwell with the most popular in our churches or the rich or the beautiful, as this all represents vanity. We are to love those who love Christ, His Word and walk obediently with no desired perks.
Injunction three would represent any hate we would have toward another. The Bible makes it clear that hatred resembles murder; Matthew 5:21-22. Christ compared murder to hatred and even stated one who says “You fool, shall be guilty enough to go into fiery hell.”
Contemplating the fourth, we know “not walking after other gods” or religions certainly pertains to us today. This would include not following after any worldly or empty philosophy—Colossians 2:8 and 1Timothy 6:20. We don’t follow any teaching we hear in the media or from society that does not represent the total truth and example set in Scripture. We don’t adhere to false religious beliefs in the name of acceptance or tolerance. This is all evil and wicked in God’s eyes. The ecumenical movement is not of Christ!
Verse 8 should speak to every one of us in warning, as they were “trusting in deceptive words.” Deceptive words have no eternal value nor do they aid the believer in becoming more conformed into the image of Christ. We must pray continually for spiritual discernment so the words and ways of man never become a part of us.
Verse 9 is the 10 commandments restated in a one verse—condensed form. Adultery and stealing are the only ones added that were not stated in verses 5-6.
Adultery, as we know from Christ, also involves desiring any woman or man one is not married to. In the marriage vowels it is stated that all others are to be forsaken. That is what Christ meant; never wondering if another will meet one’s needs to a more fulfilling degree.
The church commits adultery as much as the world. The divorce rate is even higher! Marriage until death is not adhered to seriously in the church nor was it in the time of Jeremiah. Bearing the heart of Hosea is considered old fashioned. When Gomer was unfaithful to Hosea, Hosea stayed faithful to Gomer praying for her repentance for years. Hosea represented God’s faithfulness to sinful Israel and exampling how we need to be faithful even when we are wronged in marriage.
God can always work miracles through prayer. We are bound to our mates as long as we live; 1 Corinthians 7:39. Often when one remarries, they still will speak of one or more past mates depending on the case, and often will continue a friendship with a former husband or wife. Bonding just doesn’t go away through taking a new set of marriage vowels.
Personally, if I had been born a man (what a thought!) and called to the pastorate, I could never remarry divorced people. It is impossible for any pastor to know if any person was completely not at fault in a divorce situation. Pastors do not live with their congregational members 24/7 to see if there might be another side to them. Sometimes even Christians will withhold sex for power or to get what one wants, thus leaving another to be endangered through temptation. Many tricks can be played in a marriage. I know because I have counseled various women. Only God knows if one is completely innocent and godly in all ways.
Stealing is taking possession of what never belonged to them. Returning money to a store when we realize we received too much change is a witness in honesty. Stealing can also involve a business charging way too much for items for the purpose of taking advantage of others. Putting oneself first is what invokes a person to steal. We need to trust God for our increase through honesty not using worldly methods to increase our pocketbook beyond His will.
Verse 11, is one of the verses from Jeremiah that is quoted in the New Testament. We know Christ was very disheartened by the temple or the house of prayer’s activities, as it was being misused for personal gain; Mark 11:17.
We can see many similarities between the temple and churches today. They were both to be:
1. A house of prayer
2. A house of worship
3. A house of singing
4. A house of giving money in offering
5. A house of speaking God’s Holy Words
Yes, there are many differences too. But nowhere in Scripture do we witness any commands for the church or temple to be doing that which is not given as an example to follow in the Word. We are not to add or subtract from God’s Word.
Buying things in the church, I believe is an abomination. Christ did not want merchandise items being carried through the temple (Mark 11:16) and I don’t believe He wants sold goods being carried in the church. This is not part of its called function.
The only example we have in Scripture is that of collecting money. We have no examples of raffles, selling items for the youth group, etc. We are to give to God because we love Him not because we want to win a quilt or whatever the case may be. We aren’t to use the world’s methodologies in the church. This is silly! I know Christ would not buy a raffle ticket so He could promote a church program. It is blaspheme to even think such a thing of our Savior who has nothing to do with worldly ways, which He will eventually completely destroy. We are never to add or subtract from scriptural ways!
Promoting one’s business in church does not glorify God and it brings the world into the church. The church should be a place of escape from the world’s ways and dealings. It should also only imitate Christ’s holy the wise ways of conduct never society’s. The church appears so stupid when it imitates the world.
Verse 12 represents sarcasm for this people who believe God would never allow the place of worship to be destroyed. God basically challenges them to visit Shiloh if they don’t believe. Shiloh was in the Northern Kingdom in Ephraim and was destroyed by the Assyrians. Joshua 18:1 speaks of how Shiloh was the original place of worship for the Jews when they entered the Promised Land.
This was where they set the tabernacle for the people to worship before the temple was constructed in Jerusalem. It was a sacred place to the Jews. God calls them to remember that He made His name dwell there at the first.
Verse 13 refers to God’s love and care, for He rose up early to remind them of Himself. He called to them but they paid no heed! He was diligent in His love; they were not.
Because they paid no heed, verse 14, God is going to bring judgment on the people by destroying the temple just as He did Shiloh. He is going to cast them out of His sight; verse 15. He doesn’t desire to be with His disobedient children—the compromisers.
God gets very harsh with these people in verse 16, as He commands Jeremiah not to pray for these people anymore. God will not listen as they have fallen away from the true path of moral uprightness. 1 John 5:16 tells New Testament believers not to pray for the sin leading to death. This could be deliberate disobedience to God on a continual basis, as we see here with these people who maintain a great hardness of heart to the voice of God.
In verses 17-18 God asks Jeremiah a question in regards to His command to Jeremiah to no longer pray for his brethren. God knows a question mark has been placed in this man’s mind, as he asks “How come.” The LORD wants Jeremiah to live in reality of how evil these people have become by further explaining that they worship other gods and are not faithful only to Him. Just as we want our mates to be faithful and true to us in marriage, God wants His people to only hold to His ways and not be influenced by the world. He doesn’t want us following the crowd. Parents today tell their children not to do as others do; yet, the parents themselves run after every trendy thing and philosophy that tickles yuppie ears. This is the type of thing Jeremiah had to deal with— people being blind to their own wicked ways that were silly and obvious.
In verse 18 we see the “queen of heaven” mentioned. This is satan’s disguise in the form of a woman. Venus and the goddess Diana held this title also. In New Testament times the false Mary of the Catholic Church assumed this title for worship. This is one of her names and why she so often is pictured with a crown on her head.
The Lies of Idolatry:
The Queen of Heaven is one of Mary’s titles in Catholicism. She is the Catholics’ intercessor. Their doctrine holds to the belief that she was taken up to heaven while alive. Satan disguises himself in the image of a false Mary.
You can locate many heresies in the teachings of Catholicism that worships those the church elevates as saints. They appeal to different saints according to their needs. They will lie and say they do not, but they do!
Ourladyweb.com/mary-prayer.html
On the next to last page of info at the above link, you will notice Mother Teresa signed a petition to make Mary one who redeems with Christ. God’s Word states: “There is one God and one mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) Mother Teresa was a pagan idolatress, a heretic, whom satan used. She tried to appear Christian to persuade people into her false religion.
This is a portion of a Catholic website, two separate inner sites, with inapplicable quotes removed:
Mary is the Queen of Heaven:
The kingdom of heaven belongs to believers.
Since Mary is the first and best Christian,
we call her ‘Queen of Heaven’.
More of their heresies:
When Jesus was crucified on the cross and about to die for our sins, Jesus, himself, gave His mother to us as our mother and all of us to His mother as her children my home. “I am the Queen Of Peace. I am the Mother Of God. I am the Mother of All People On Earth”. Our Lady to the Visionaries in Medugorje
__________
This next paragraph reveals how people can be sucked into this religion as some truth is stated. A bit of the true Gospel is presented to recruit those who are not solid Christians. Remember Mary only remained a virgin up to the time of Christ’s birth and the Bible states she had other children, four sons and daughters; Matthew 13:55-56. She was not sinless and she calls God her Savior in Luke 1:47. The Bible exposes her godliness, but never places her on a pedestal above other humans. Even in Christ’s day they tried to elevate this woman saying blessed is the woman from whom Christ was born. The LORD countered this Catholic mind-set by stating on the contrary, blessed is everyone who hears God’s words and obeys (Luke 11:27-28).
False doctrines mixed in with true. (Remember it only takes one drop of poison to make a large glass of clear water poisonous.) “Because when we disrespect the Immaculate Heart Of Mary as the Immaculate Conception (Mary was sinless), Mother Of God, our Eternal Mother, etc., in doing so we in turn disrespect the Sacred Heart of her Son as well…Yes, us Catholics are Christians, are saved, and someday will be in heaven with our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. I know this to be true because Jesus made this promise to all of us in His word, the Bible.”
“Mary is our intercessor: To ‘intercede’ means to pray for someone. We believe that people in heaven can still pray for us, and that applies to Mary first of all.”
Here is another website quoting the Catholic beliefs of Mary:
www.cephasministry.com/virginmary.html
________________
History: Apocryphal writings fueled Mary-worship with their claims of her sinlessness and perpetual virginity. In 431 A.D., the Council of Ephesus dubbed Mary the “mother of God.” Fifth- and sixth- century veneration of Mary can be traced directly to Ephesus and the false goddess Diana. By the 13th and 14th centuries the medieval Church saw Mary as a source of grace and power, a mediator who could keep God, the vengeful judge, from striking down sinful mankind.
At the Council of Trent in 1546, the veneration of Mary became official Catholic doctrine. She was declared sinless, and in 1854 Pope Pius IX added that her conception was immaculate as well, preserving her from original sin. The Vatican Council of 1870 ratified Mary’s immaculate conception and further stated that the popes were infallible.
Newsweek Magazine, August 15, 1997. “40,383 signatures attached to a petition asking the pope to exercise the power of papal infallibility to proclaim a new dogma of Roman Catholic faith: that the Virgin Mary is “Co-Redemptrix, Mediatrix of All Graces and Advocate for the People of God. In the last four years, the pope has received 4,340,429 signatures from 157 countries – an average of 100,000 a month – supporting proposed dogma. Among notable supporters are Mother Teresa of Calcutta, nearly 500 bishops and 42 cardinals, including John O’Connor of New York…If the drive succeeds, Catholics would be obliged as a matter of faith to accept three extraordinary doctrines: that Mary participates in the redemption achieved by her son, that all graces that flow from the suffering and death of Jesus Christ are granted only through Mary’s intercession with her son, and that all prayers and petitions from the faithful on earth must likewise flow through Mary, who then brings them to the attention of Jesus “This is what theologians call high Mariology, and it seems to contradict the basic New Testament belief that “there is one God and one mediator between God and man, Christ Jesus.” (1 Timothy 2:5) [Interesting, the media is even taking a stand and quoting Scripture].
_____________
The odd thing concerning Catholicism is its followers will lie and tell you they don’t pray to Mary. I was lied to by a Catholic lady who slowly tried to lead me into her religion, pretending to be a Christian. Catholics lie for recruitment purposes. They introduce people to Mary, slowly, sucking them into their idolatrous religion that appears to be filled with powerful grandeur. Many cults follow the same path; lying about their true beliefs to present a palatable religion that feeds the flesh.
_____________
The virgin birth is completely key in Christendom, but not from the Catholic perspective. Unfortunately, the virgin birth is rarely even emphasized in today’s Christianity, even around Christmas time. This is due to the fact that chastity and modesty have become a joke within Christianity that follows Hollywood minded sexual agendas and craves New Age mysticism. A couple newer Bible translations have removed “virgin” from the texts involving Christ’s birth, and another makes the miraculous conception questionable. “Virgin” is in the ancient manuscripts and it is impossible to hold it in question. A few new version translations have “only begotten Son” omitted from John 3:16, for sales purposes. Today’s publishers want all faiths buying their Bibles. These newer changes, over several decades, have occurred because the church is apostate and bound in the ecumenical movement. Very sad indeed. Please check your Bible. KVJ, NKJV, and the older NASB (not revised) are good translations.
Verse 20 discloses God’s attributes of anger and wrath, as He is a God who hates all sin!!! We will witness these attributes in their fullest power when His wrath and anger are unleashed in the last days. This anger and wrath, being generated in Jeremiah’s time, is due to the fact, the people spite God, verse 19. There is no true reverential respect and acknowledgement.
Today, it is very rare to find reverence for God in many churches for many believe loud volume and ecstatic excitement must preside. Many who remember former days and the represented reverence when one came to worship, are saddened by the pop-cultural changes.
Loud is quite key to the culture of America—the world that we are not to love and imitate. If you speak to restaurant owners, they will tell you this is what America thrives on today, disclosing how they must have many televisions for all to view and loud rock music playing.
I believe America wants to hide in noise to blot out her increasing sins. Unsaved society and even believers don’t desire to think of a wrath to come that will be poured out on all ungodliness through a completely holy and righteous God who died for all sin. And every transgression is vile in His sight. That is why our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, had to be sacrificed for us; even to the place where men could not even look upon him; but desired to hide instead. He was so distorted by his torturers; Isaiah 53:1-6. He was even crushed!
I also believe Christ was not comely when He trod this earth as he had no appearance that men should be drawn to Him; Isaiah 53:2. Today, everything seems to rest on attractiveness and the worldly allurements attached to this, but such vanities had no value in the eyes of our humble and lowly Christ.
God’s anger explained here in Jeremiah reveals all will feel it, from man, beast, trees and fruit. Remember in Jonah 4:11 when Nineveh repented, God revealed how many animals were spared from His wrath. They too had to be covered in sackcloth to reveal repentance; Jonah 3:8.
In the concluding phrase of verse 20, it states how this anger and wrath will burn and not be quenched. Fire is certainly the way of God’s judgment as we view throughout scripture even to the end when everyone’s name that was not found in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire; Revelation 20:15. How sad that many pastors rarely preach on the anger and wrath attributes of God in this day and age of fun-seekers. The saved truly must understand the state of the lost in order for the church to go out and present the Gospel in effectiveness.
Verse 21 confronts the Jews in their heart attitude of sacrificing to God. They just performed it out of service not because they truly loved their Savior. The burnt sacrifices, unlike the thanksgiving peace sacrifices, were not be eaten; Leviticus chapters 4-9. I believe God says go ahead and eat flesh because they were not offered through sin-awareness and a love for God. These vain bestowments meant nothing to God.
We must be sure when we give to God that our sacrifices are done out of love for God and not just because we feel we have too. The New Testament makes it plain that our giving must not be done out of despairing obligation. We know also that unbelievers must not give because they do not love God; their actions are not mingled with a proper pure heart that has been washed in the blood of Christ. They have not been made white as snow.
In the book of 3rd John, we read the evangelists were above reproach; one visible reason is they took nothing from the Gentiles. Gentile giving is an abomination to God—having unsaved and unwashed people placing money in a collection device. This is why pastors, evangelists and missionaries must be careful when it comes to offerings.
Verse 22 speaks of God’s understanding and grace; this visualized when He first brought them out of Egypt. He did not lay on them immediately all the sacrifices and offerings He would require, He just asked them to obey Him. These sacrificial laws came later, as they continued to follow.
We see something similar to this in the New Testament—Acts 15:19-21 James the head elder of the church of Jerusalem, tells the believers not to trouble those turning to God, but to keep the commands simple for these new converts. He tells them, just command these new believers to stay away from things contaminated by idols, and pre-marital sex and from things strangled and from blood. These issuances mostly seem to deal with false worship. James tells new believers they need not worry about their growth as Moses is preached in the synagogues every Sabbath and they will be challenged and will mature. This obviously was before churches were established in most cities.
We also note in the following verses, back in Jeremiah, that they were unworthy to sacrifice due to the fact they were not walking in obedience. We see in verse 23 that obedience brings blessing. They were throwing away blessings through their disobedience.
Verse 24 is a revelation verse in proclaiming backsliding. We go back and not forward when we don’t obey the Lord completely. Many churches are backslidden from compromise and they lose out on the blessings of total obedience. This state occurs when leadership walks after their own counsel instead of scriptural ways. This happens when pastors look to model their churches after the world or society and not the holy Word.
We can do this as believes when we become stubborn thinking we know more than God, maybe because we watched some talk show that proclaimed much of the Bible to be old-fashioned. I love being old-fashioned personally and holding to the old, proven and true ways of God. Though, of course, I am in no way perfect; but I would love to grow more and more old-fashioned.
Verse 25 proclaims the unconditional love that we see God continually bestowing on these disobedient children of His. God out of His love and grace continually brought prophets to proclaim His ways even though they were unheeded. God made these prophets even rise early in the morning to go and preach because God loved His people so much.
God informs Jeremiah that these people will never listen to him; verse 27. Basically it would be akin to God telling a pastor he must preach every week to his people, but letting him know they will never give any heed to what he says.
The only reason Jeremiah must obey and proclaim is because God has to reveal His sacrificial love continually, whether people truly listen or not. We all must be informed on how much God loves us! Everyday God brings blessings to the unsaved, those who curse His name, just because He loves and died for all men. Most every person has a roof over his head, food and clothes to wear, simply because God wants to reveal His love for every person. Romans 2:4 reveals the kindness, patience and longsuffering of God leads us to repentance.
In verse 28, God tells Jeremiah to say that this nation did not obey God or accept correction as truth perished from them. James 5:16 commands us to confess our sins to each other so that we may be healed. We can be healed from the consequences of our sin through confessing our wrongdoings to God and each other. Proverbs 28:13 declares he who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, but he who confesses and forsakes them will prosper. Israel was not willing to comply to this.
When we wonder from God, truth is cut off from our mouths because the Word of God is not being proclaimed through us. What comes out of our mouth when we disobey God is the rhetoric of the world and not the powerful Word.
Verse 29 commands, “cut off your hair and cast it away.” Cutting off their hair would reveal great mourning and sadness. Keeping their hair according to the Law was important to them and cutting it off was never a part of their Biblical culture unless it was to mourn. They were to mourn the fact that God has rejected this people and they were now the “generation of His wrath.”
Further verses declare their compromise with idols as they even seemed to be present in God’s temple. They acquired the popular religions of the world combining it with Judaism which was despicable in the eyes of God.
False religions even caused the Jews to burn their children in worship to the false gods; verse 31. We see in 2 Kings 23:10 that they sacrificed them to the false god Molech who was supposedly referred to as the protecting father. What a joke!
This is similar to Planned Parenthood who views themselves as a group needed to protect the family, also receiving government funds for massive income. Yet, they burn babies like the Jews in Jeremiah’s time. One popular method of abortion is saline solution burning and it is exercised in the name of the god of promiscuous sex, which Planned Parenthood and other liberal organizations promote.
Burning children was something so abominable to God that it never even entered His mind. Today, however, it is to be an acceptable evil that is even legalized in our nation and in many others. How incredible!
God continues to reveal that this sacred place of false worship, Topheth (west of Jerusalem, the place where they sacrificed their babies) will become a graveyard for the Jews. These false worshippers will be food for birds and beasts. In time of severe, violent war battles, taking the time to ship bodies back home is not a priority. My father-in-law, who served in WW11, speaks of the mountains of bodies of soldiers he witnessed. It took time to care for the bodies and fighting to survive and win battles was the priority.
Chapter 7 ends in sadness as the joy that is usually located within a thriving nation will come to an end, even the voice of joyful marriage.
Jesus Christ addressed end times in Matt. 24:36f, when people will be marrying, totally unaware that God’s judgment is soon falling.
Jeremiah Chapter 8
We see in the first verse of chapter 8, not a pretty sight. It declares prophecy, when tombs will be opened and the dead drug out; kings, princes, priests, prophets and all those who once inhabited Jerusalem. In verse 2, it appears that all these deceased Judean Jews were those who worshipped the host of the heavens (stars, moon and sun). They were not faithful to holy God. They did not remain loyal to the Word of God; thus, a vile judgment upon their remains will be part of the Babylonian desecration as explained by Jeremiah.
Societies easily turn to animal-like tendencies when God is no longer desired as He is the one who convicts of sin and demands holy obedience through civilized behavior. It is easy for men to turn their attention to anything on the earth or in the heavens which does not condemn or expose; however, it is at the price of demoralization.
This all progresses into verse 3, which reveals death will be desired over life when judgment falls on Judah. Only a remnant will remain alive. Those of this remnant will have survived many atrocities that took their loved ones, neighbors, religious leaders, etc. The temple where they once worshipped will be razed to their dismay as well as their homes.
All this will result in the deepest plaguing depression. The desire for their own death will encompass their being as they are led captive to Babylon.
Verse 4 returns us to Hebrew poetry as God once again explains His reasons for His verdict. He covers the fact that they were not repenting even though they knew they were walking down a wrong path. They would not stop and turn back to return to the right road. They deliberately chose to stay lost in their wilderness of disobedience.
The “apostasy” that we witness throughout Jeremiah is restated here. God is pointing His finger at them in verse 5, as it is now a continual state of not staying true to their first love, the Lord their God.
As I have stated before, there are the apostasies of the churches which God continually exposes in the New Testament. All around us we witness it as well, as the church compromises to please sinful man adopting the ways of the world that accommodates sinful man. 2 Thessalonians 2:3 informs us the end-times-apostasy comes before the antichrist arrives on the earthly scene.
We see deceit accompanies this apostasy, as we return to Jeremiah. Their speech is not of Biblical truth. They speak what is not correct. They do not desire to speak words that are pleasing to the ears of the Lord. They obviously speak words that justify inappropriate thoughts and actions. Holiness is not their standard of conduct.
The hymn “May the Mind of Christ My Savior” reveals what the true desires should be for a believer in God. Verses one and two are poignant, “May the mind of Christ my Savior live in me from day to day, by His love and power controlling all I do and say. May the Word of God dwell richly in my heart from hour to hour, so that all may see I triumph only through His power.” The children’s song “Be careful little eyes” what you see, ears hear, feet go and so on is a song that should be sung by adults as well as children on a regular basis as compromising apostasy engulfs so many churches.
Continuing on to verse 6, God states everyone turned to his own course or did what was right in his own eyes. They charged into sin like a horse charges into battle. It was not an after thought, but true desired sought-after disobedience.
As we enter verse 7, we discover some of the points to God’s omnipotence that should keep all believers in check. If we would dwell on His wonders of creation, we would see disobedience to such an awesome God is truly foolish.
God tells us of His wonders of flight as we look at the stork in the sky, which is always a marvel to behold. Starks know what they are created to do. They know when they are to migrate, mate, etc. They don’t fight against their creator and His designed plan for their lives. Other added birds are the turtledove, swift and thrush, all uniquely and marvelously made. They too know their migration times.
There is nothing outside of God’s overruling control. The New Testament reveals God even knows when a sparrow falls to the earth. Matthew 6:26 and 10:29 reveal how our heavenly father feeds the birds of the air so they never want. God also lets us know we are of far more value then they. Mother Nature controls nothing, God controls everything!
God says His people don’t know the ordinances of God. But they should because even birds know their planned purpose. God’s people are to be well-versed in His Word; both the Old and New Testament emphasize this.
Alan and I had a teacher at Multnomah Bible College, Dr. John Mitchell, and he had the whole New Testament memorized and much of the Old. He knew the ordnances of God! Unfortunately, it seems many believers know television programs and actors better than they know their Bible. How desperately foolish!
Verse 8, discloses they are deceiving themselves, but not actually. Everyone knows when they are being dishonest about their sin, even though they may deny it and act ignorant concerning it. Walking in denial does not mean they don’t recognize their sin; it is just that they refuse to deal with it and desire to appear innocent through a facade. Walking in denial has always revealed itself to be a false concept, being thus proven for me when I have counseled ladies—you get down to the nitty-gritty and truth prevails.
Many years ago, a teen came and spoke to Alan and me, as he had engaged himself in pedophilia acts. (We were involved in youth ministry for many years in the past) He acted as if he was in total denial not remembering what he had done. However, his words revealed he knew exactly what he had done. He was held accountable before God and the laws of the land even though he claimed mental-denial.
God reveals in Jeremiah how the wise men refuse to use the Word of God when they counsel. Many counselors today don’t just hold to the Bible. Most Christian counselors won’t even refer to it; how reminiscent of the wise men or counselors of Jeremiah’s day. Today, counselors think the certified educated experts know more concerning relationships than God Himself. If counselors implemented the Bible, they would ensure far better results. Especially, if they made their clients memorize portions that pertain to their situation.
I must admit, that I am surprised how easily a Christian counselor will recommend divorce when Scripture holds the answers to the difficult situations of life. They also rarely or never state to a woman in a problem marriage, “If you leave your husband, you must remain single in accordance with Scripture or be reconciled;” 1 Cor. 7:11 and 39.
We see in verse 8, back in Jeremiah, that apart from God’s Word there is no true counsel, no true wisdom!! One can’t simply say “the law of the LORD is with us” and then teach contrary or implement man-made wisdom. You can not implement man-written books or manuals and expect righteousness and truth to be achieved. Only the Bible is the answer to everything.
God addresses the lying pen of the scribes in this verse. They certainly seemed to be adding and subtracting from the law when they wrote or spoke it. We see in the New Testament scribes not presenting truth as they should, coming against our Savior. Christ exposes their evil hearts in Matthew 23:27f. It appears in later Old Testament times, their nature was not any different.
The scribes acted as judges and jurors and were closely linked to the Pharisees in the New Testament. They certainly gloried in their power and loved their traditions over the Word of God.
The counselors or wise men “are put to shame” as we read here. They could not be trusted. The wise men were usually stationed at the Jerusalem gate and they performed as judges and counselors. There were some godly men who held the wise men position in times past. It was before the wise men that Boaz presented his case in order to obtain Ruth’s hand in marriage. The Proverbs 31 Man was a wise man; he sat at the gate with the elders of the land; verse 23. Job was counted as the wisest of the wise men in his time and he acted as judge, attorney, counselor, investigator and king, as we see from Job chapter 29 and 31:16-23. He was well-respected at the gates of his city.
Sentence, once again, is pronounced on these people, which involves the removal of all they hold dear, including those who surround them; verse 10.
Greed is also a plague of these people which is why God must judge. They aren’t satisfied simply to have a roof over their heads and bread on the table. Like most humans, they always want more and are even willing to use others for their own personal gain just as we see in James chapter 5.
Christian organizations and causes are sometimes formed just to fulfill a need of greed. When you give to an organization or cause, you need to thoroughly check out their reputation. Even missionaries have been known to take advantage of people as they sit in a nice location, enjoying the scenery and an easy life. I have heard it stated something to this effect, if you give to a missionary, you might want to visit them on the mission field to verify their usage of all funding.
I know of two local Christian causes that do not appear to be above reproach in their dealings and motives. They also have questionable people in authority. In this world, you always have some sly people who know how to rally people because they know Christians get mad and want to give to those organizations that expose evil agendas. But it just places money into greedy pockets which causes laughter all the way to the bank. Of course, Christians must always be concerned and discerning with validation of reputation. I learned not long ago of a person who took a church for thousands. He was a respectable member of the church, appeared totally dedicated, and promised to perform construction work for the church if he received so much money. He took the money and left the church.
“Deceit” is disclosed in the conclusion of verse 10. We saw it first mentioned in verse 5. It is certainly something that is very appalling to our Lord and He wants to make that clear. God comes against the prophets and priests, who were to teach the Word as pastors do today. These prophets ministered out of greed through deception. Unfortunately today, there are some pastors who are greedy for gain and they will not take a pastorate unless the price is right. Being called to pastor and just rely on God for one’s provision is not the way of today and the dollar amount is what determines a place of ministry not a specific calling of God or so it seems.
These prophets and priests in Jeremiah never seem to get to the sin issue. They do not produce a healing from sin by exposing the people’s compromising worldly ways. These religious leaders don’t repent and they don’t call the people to repent. They just “say peace, peace,” verse 11, or in other words “all is well” or “no worries, mate.” There is actually no peace as doom is looming upon the horizon.
Peace, peace if the catchphrase of today’s church. I just learned of a publisher that is exposing the New Age mentality that is becoming more and more prevalent in the church. This publisher is now being referred to as a “hate” organization because it exposes through the Biblical light what is evil. They refuse to shake satan’s hand and approve of the demonic world and its false spirituality now taught in the “emerging church.” This church movement does not teach that everyone reaps what they sow when they play with satan and his agendas of sensual license and worldly spiritualism.
We see as we traverse further into verse 12, that these Jews are unashamed of their sin and they do not care that they no longer “know how to blush.” This is a restated phrase from 6:15 to reemphasize the lack of innocence in these people. In Hosea 6:5, God condemns the Northern Kingdom of Samaria for being incapable of innocence. In Matthew 10:16, Christ commands us to be as shrewd as serpents and innocent as doves. That is a great innocence to ponder!! When has a dove ever set something evil before its eyes or pondered a road of greed.
Doves:
Doves are clean (they love to bathe) and can be tamed. They pose no threat to humans or other animals. The Dove is the most famous bird of love. These birds have been associated with love and marriage for thousands of years. Their loyalty to each other and their joint care for their family is legendary. It is also the most hunted bird of hunters.
The dove symbolizes the Holy Spirit in Scripture, wherein John the Baptist sees the Holy Spirit descending upon Jesus in the form of a dove. The dove also denotes a new beginning and a promising future, as a dove located dry land for Noah and his family, thereby giving humankind a fresh start.
______
Because these people don’t desire to be labeled “prudish,” they are going to fall, through God’s punishment. He says in verse 13, He will ‘snatch them away” and all the land’s produce gifts that have been amply supplied to them—the grapes, figs, etc.
God goes on, telling them in the last phrase, all He has “given them will pass away.” Deuteronomy 6:10-12 informs us of all that was provided for the Jews when they entered the Promise Land—houses full of all good things, wells of water, vineyards, olive trees and food for their satisfaction came from the LORD. However, God gave them a warning—to watch themselves and not to forget the LORD who brought them from Egypt.
Verse 14 reemphasizes their plight as they have sinned against the LORD and now they are doomed.
As we travel into verse 16, we see attackers will arise from the land of Dan, west of the tribal area of Benjamin where Jerusalem lies. A thundering of horses will be heard. You have possibly experienced a time when you heard many thundering horses on a prairie where their pounding hooves quaked the earth. Now, if you were to hear this sound, being totally aware that these horses held murderous men who were sent to terminate, you would be petrified. This is what occurred to Israel. These sin-laden Jews watched their nation’s destruction and murdering Babylonians coming after them with swords drawn.
In verse 17, The Lord uses a metaphor of venomous vipers to describe what the Babylonians will resemble as they will bite the Judeans like a snake. Adders are poisonous, so we know the illustration is of certain death for many.
Jeremiah addresses his sorrow in the beginning of verse 18. He is faint by all the evil that will come to his people whom he loves. God’s personal care and love have departed from these Hebrews; their true King has exited the scene in personal presence. At the end of verse 18, God speaks of why He has abandoned His people as they have turned to graven images.
Exodus 34:14 informs us that God’s children are not to worship any other god, for His name is Jealous, He being a jealous God.
A few weeks ago, I heard a speaker tell of his ministry work in India. One thing he stated to us was “Youth with a Mission” has compromised by telling this society that they could still worship other gods and just add Christ to them. They believed eventually they would remove their false gods. What false doctrine; as God make it clear that it is an abomination to worship any other god or gods. Revelation informs us idolaters will burn in the lake of fire; 21:8 and 22:15.
Verse 20 is an often quoted verse “Harvest is past, summer is ended, and we are still not saved.” I recall as a young person, a man consistently sitting close to the front of the church, hearing the salvation message over and over; yet never yielding to Christ. What will such a man say that stands before the judgment seat who heard the truth countless times when many had no opportunity to even hear it once?
It is important to have a sorrowful heart for those who have not come to the Savior. When the Day of the LORD comes, those who are not saved will be cast into hell. That is why we must herald the salvation message.
Jeremiah had mounting sorrow for those who had not surrendered their hearts to God and we can almost hear the pain as we read the following phrase: “I mourn; dismay has taken hold of me. Is there no balm in Gilead…?”
Jeremiah cites his woe further, explaining he recognizes there are physicians in the land but no restoration of health is occurring. Why? Because they are ill due to sin and no blessings of deliverance can come even through a doctor’s hands.
James 5:16 informs us we are to confess our sins to one another, pray for one another, so we can be healed. These people would not take part in any confession of sin, as they were righteous in their own eyes. When our standard is not the Holy Word, sin is not easily recognized, that which results in destructive pain.
Dear friends, may I present Jeremiah,
A man after God’s own heart verified through his love and sensitivity to the ways of God and love for others. He was one who was dedicatedly engaged in the service of the LORD, not being entangled by the things of this world. His fellow Jews had fallen deeply into coveting the surrounding amusements of their godless neighbors. 2 Tim. 2:4 lets us know, that one who is truly a child of God is not to become entangled with the affairs of everyday life, so he may please the true God who enlisted him as a soldier.
In a written description, Shirley Temple disclosed how she met her husband, Charles Black, in Hawaii. One item that drew her to this man was the fact he had never heard of her. He was placed in a military academy at a young age and had no access to movies as his whole life was military; thus, he did not entangle himself in the affairs of everyday life. Shirley wanted to ensure that Charles was above reproach as a one-woman-guy so she requested that J. Edgar Hoover of the FBI investigate him. He affirmed the fact that Charles, a very handsome man, was above reproach toward women in his behavior, which caused Shirley Temple to entrust herself to him in holy matrimony.
We need to follow the command of Timothy and be those who entangle themselves in God alone. Jeremiah is a quality example to us through his separation and dedication.
Jeremiah Chapter 9
A dichotomy seems to be set forth in verses one and two. In the first verse, Jeremiah is experiencing deep grief over what is to become of his people, not desiring to see his people slain. However, we read in verse 2 that he wants to just flee from it all and forsake his people. Why? They “are adulterers, an assembly of treacherous men.”
Have you ever just wanted to get away from it all like Jeremiah; capturing in your mind a simple cabin in the southern Idaho desert, in the early spring or fall? (I don’t mean in the sizzling summer or freezing winter.) Having no desire for anyone to disturb you as you long to be isolated with your righteous and holy Lord?
It’s very easy for us to want to see sinners saved; yet, to flee from all the grotesque vileness around us, at times, sounds very tempting. Often, I hope Christ will take us home soon so we can be delivered. At other times, I desire He tarries for the sake of bringing more souls into His kingdom. He is still saving in miraculous ways around our globe.
Adultery can be very depressing when it seems to enclose you all-around, so too in Jeremiah’s day. J. Vernon McGee stated that divorce and remarriage is America’s way of committing legal polygamy. I know a woman who claims to be saved (reads her Bible, attends church, sings in the choir, etc.) and has had several husbands. Sadly, she has stated something to this effect; she simply couldn’t see herself staying with the same man her entire life. She does enjoy sounding like a victim in Christian company. I believe her words represent the truth behind a great many divorces though it would never be spoken in a church.
Many believers seeking a divorce claim being victimized so they can be set free to roam with Christian sympathy. He or she may even state they tried counseling so it appears they now have no other alternative. However, God always knows the heart that can never hide from Him.
You may say, but what if a woman says she was treated cruelly? Well, in my counseling and observation, most women (not all) who claim victimization, usually know how to push the buttons to make their husbands angry. They can do it with pleasure to get back at their husbands for whatever reason. This persists in a cycle as both husband and wife engage in a tug of war for command. Women will also withhold intimacy to be sinfully vindictive and this naturally causes a man to be angered. This is willful disobedience to God on the wife’s part.
Women can detest the words—submission, respect and winning their husbands without a word, 2 Pet. 3:1-2. However, I have seen God maneuver within the heart through the truths of His Word, maturing to obedience. He can renew a steadfast love, whereby the couple begins to walk in a quiet and gentle spirit. It is not painless or something that metamorphoses overnight.
Alan and I will be the first to admit it has only been by God’s powerful grace that our marriage has survived, moving toward 30 years. We have had great battles with the world, the flesh and the enemy. However, I am thankful to say we are still in love, which comes through seeking Christ daily. Marriage is a continuous moving exertion not a shot in the dark.
Prayer for our marriages has to be a consistent ingredient mixed with affection, kindness, sacrifice, generosity and gentle-wise communication and on and on. A marriage where the couple demands their own way lacks these important components that empowers them to run smoothly like a tandem bike.
Malachi 2:13-17 also combines the words adultery and treachery as men were dealing treacherously with their wives forsaking their marriage “by covenant;” Malachi 3:14. The covenant enacted with God for life; whereby, they were to abstain from all others. God exhorts these men who are unfaithful to honor fidelity with the “wives of their youth.” God goes on to emphasize that “He hates divorce.”
It is noteworthy that God is not paying attention to these wicked men, who cry and groan as they present their unheeded offerings; Malachi 2:13. We see something comparable to this in the New Testament; God tells men their prayers will be hindered if they do not honor their wives and live with them in an understanding way. God does intervene for slighted women in marriage. He punishes men who are unkind and not honoring. No one gets away with sin that is why we never give up praying for our marriages. Prayer is exercised faith. In sinful marital situations God can convict to repentance. It cannot always guarantee the outcome desired as man exercises free will, but miracles of marriage renewal occur daily.
As we move to verse 3 of Jeremiah 9, we read “They bend their tongue like a bow,” not telling truths but falsehoods. We might say, someone is speaking with a forked tongue resulting in lies not fact spouting forth. The media certainly knows how to present lies. It covets justification and cover-up. They will tell you a woman has a right to choose, but when was the last time they televised abortions for the public to decide if it is indeed murder? They resort to slogans to conceal factual data, not revealing exactly what abortion is. They do this with every unbiblical agenda.
“Rights” is what everything evil seems to hide behind. Of course, our society in general veils everything of the liberal view through deception, using cover-up terminology.
They were growing in evil, from “evil to evil,” as verse 3 continues its declaration of why Israel is doomed. This could happen to any ungodly nation including America as Isaiah 40 proclaims.
If we were to attempt to tie all these verses in Jeremiah together in relationship to our country, we would have to admit America is in a pit of degradation as was Israel. I do think this admission is an easy one for the honest perceiver. A hundred years ago, all unbiblical behavior was illegal. I already mentioned abortion which was not legalized till 1973. No-fault divorce hit America in the 70’s as well. My 1965 revised F & W Encyclopedia, states in NY, no one can divorce except for adultery (I wonder where that came from?), pre-marital sex, homosexuality, immodesty, etc., were all forbidden in general society.
Drug abuse was inexistent outside of the opium smoked by Orientals in hidden underground dens, which were in the Boise area around a century ago. I’ve seen a portion of an underground tunnel in old Nampa.
Yes, sin was evidenced in America, but it has definitely increased from “evil to evil” in past decades, also substantiated in other cultures. In our nation, there was a time when people never thought of locking their doors; they could have never envisioned needing an alarm system for their home. However, locks do travel back to ancient civilization. The most antiquated lock was located in the palace ruins near Nineveh in Iraq; they believe it to be 4,000 years old. This lock consisted of a large wooden bolt to secure a door, which had a slot with several holes in its upper surface. The holes were filled with wooden pegs that prevented the bolt from being opened.
When it comes to crime, many former harsh laws have been rescinded so the offender is left with many rights and the good guy is often trampled upon. This includes children who have been raped by pedophiles. A prosecuting attorney needs a mountain of evidence to prosecute anyone and many key facts are often thrown out to assist the criminal.
A hurting phrase closes verse 3, “They did not know Me.” God loved them and wanted them to know Him. I am one who can feel the wounded heart of God and so did Jeremiah. God always moves to the pinnacle of things! Do we strive to know God better each day? This certainly is something I need to practice, knowing Him more and more not the practices of the world. They lacked a true knowledge of God, through a true love for Him and His Holy Word, this being observed throughout Jeremiah.
Verse 4, reminds us again of our communities being ridden with corruption as they were in Jeremiah’s day. I have dwelt in neighborhoods where I could not depend on my neighbors, and so possibly have you. In my previous neighborhood, I had to phone the police on regular occasions, keeping their number close by. Currently, we live in a caring neighborhood where we feel safe. This was a magnificent answer to prayer.
I have certainly been deceived by neighbors just as Jeremiah discloses in verse 5. Some neighbors enjoy using those they know are believers, viewing them as just do-gooders who wouldn’t know a black sheep if they saw one. I have observed loving neighbors used and I have been used trying to be kind. There are many deceptive foxes in this world that are very convincing as they seek the unsuspecting sheep.
Deceptive neighbors can include co-workers or anyone we may be in contact with. One give-away for recognition, as we see in Jeremiah, is they are slanderers. One to be trusted would not be one who thrusts hate at others through a tongue of hidden deception. Some people will refuse to be friends with those who do not go along with their accusing ways of making others appear bad. Believers too will compromise with slanderers to keep friends. If we love God above all else, this will not happen.
Jeremiah speaks how the people have taught their tongues to speak lies, midway in verse 5. Alan sees this at the penitentiary and he has to use differing techniques with both offenders and staff to reach the truth.
A man may tell his wife he loves her and is eternally faithful, but is playing around continually and doesn’t plan to stop. But all lies eventually catch up resulting in pain coming upon many. All those who trusted and now feel betrayed, including the wife, children, other family members and friends, expose the pain. God declares in Numbers 32:23, “and be sure your sin will find you out!”
One may believe it’s no big thing to deceive slightly and it doesn’t hurt anyone. It can come down to something as common as one calling in sick so they can head for a day of pleasure in the sun—like one of Alan’s officers who phoned in sick. Another one of his officers saw this man at the park, and he certainly was not ill. This truant officer claims to be saved and attends a Bible-believing church. When Alan confronted the man, he justified everything, but Alan laid it on the line especially with him professing to be saved and attending church. It was obvious that this officer had taught his tongue to lie. It did not go off on its own tangent! If people can justify one lie, they most likely rationalize many other lies as well.
God informs Jeremiah; his dwelling is in the midst of deceit and in continuance He states, it is because of this deception, they refuse to “know Him,” this being reemphasized from verse 3. God wants to underscore this as being the root-problem. Today’s believer can participate in deception by merely implying to others that some sin is not that evil. If we truly know God and His Word, through spending much time in study and prayer, justification of wickedness in any form would be absent from our lives.
Verse 7 returns us to the refining fire of God’s discipline. He speaks again of assaying them which we originally dealt with back in chapter 6.
Deceit is viewed for the forth time in verse 8. Do you think God is trying to thump on something? It is obvious that God hates it! It can even be small deceit such as getting people believing we are something we are not by playing the Sunday church game; where during the week people would never guess we are believers by our words and actions. I have a friend who knew a lady in the workplace for an extended period of time, never guessing she was a believer, but came to find out she is a Baptist pastor’s wife and formerly ministered with Campus Crusade. She couldn’t believe this liberal-mouthed lady was actually a believer.
We can be deceptive with others by being unkind to our spouse, children and even pets when at home. Believing we can let our hair down, yet putting on kindness when we meet with those outside the doors of our home. I witnessed a Christian lady speaking cruelly to her family members for no reason and when the phone rang, she answered, sounding like the most pleasant woman in the world. Such behavior is completely baffling but it reveals our natural flesh of wanting to put on a good show before others. We should be respectful to all including those we live with. If we don’t yell at people on the phone, at church, in the store, etc., we shouldn’t yell at those who dwell in our home. Of course, yelling is wrong period. Christ never left this example. However, I am guilty and have had to ask forgiveness more than once. I have had to apologize to my family members on occasion for my treatment of them; far more than with friends. We do well to treat all in honor.
I have had many people attempt to deceive me especially salesmen who put on a Christian act as soon as they sense I’m a believer. All of a sudden they happen to be a believer too. If I refuse their business, they are no longer a believer and can treat me as the dung of the earth, just for not catering to a sales-pitch clothed in deception.
Verse 8 continues, detailing neighbors speaking peace but inwardly setting an ambush. We have a man in our subdivision who some of us neighbors discovered knew how to do this well. Kindly speaking peace to us; but as soon as he got the chance, ambushed us with held-in-hate.
God goes on to disclose, as judge and jury, He has the right to bring a judgement of punishment and revenge on a nation such as this!
In verse 10, Jeremiah walks on the stage wailing and weeping for this unrepentant nation that he loves. He speaks of taking up a dirge, or a song or poem of mourning for the dead. Not only for the Jews who will die, does he cry this dirge, but also for the demise of the land and its beasts. Birds and cattle will have no desire to be present in this cursed kingdom. Birds spell life with their need for an abundance of trees and vegetation. I love to hear and observe the birds outside my window, pecking on the window, feeding and chattering at my feeders. It would be very disheartening if all of a sudden they were no more. What if there were no more cats? Now that would truly be something to wail about.
Verse 11 specifically points to the Jackal. This is one beast that does not mind living in desolation, being a scavenger dog that cleans up the leftovers. Without compassion, it says bring me your dead. Job chapters 38-41 reveal how God oversees all His creation and all are fashioned for His purpose and pleasure. Some, like the Jackal, were specifically designed to remove the stinking garbage in the land, even if it be human.
Jerusalem would be a heap of ruins, “a haunt of jackals.”
The jackal is a scavenger dog that feeds on dead carcasses holding the same characteristics as a buzzard; they both spell death and lifelessness. The jackal feeds on a variety of insects, rodents, snakes, and young antelope. It possesses coarse short fur and inhabits holes in the ground. It mates for life as a monogamous creature. Yes, one good thing can be said of it.
The jackal is a nocturnal animal, so it does most of its hunting in later hours. Occasionally, the jackal will be sighted in pairs in the late afternoon. It is a pack hunting canidae.
___________
In these vivid Jeremiah verses, we are witnessing a color photo of natural life beaming with multihued birds, sprinting deer, roaming cattle, and on and on that spells an occupied green cultivated civilization which will divert to a photo of black and white lifelessness. Existence is crushed into dirt, everything fragmented. Anything of the lush color of vibrancy is as if it never were.
All inhabitants will be removed as verse 11 closes. For review concerning removal, there were 3 captivities of Babylon. The first captivity was when Daniel, Meshach, Abed-nego and other knowledgeable, handsome youth, including royalty, were taken into captivity; Daniel chapter 1. Then we have the 2nd captivity which is what Jeremiah is currently predicting and the 3rd when King Zedekiah is removed with the remaining Jews.
Verses 12-14 disclose the reasons for discipline and the desolation of the land as they choose not to obey all of God’s Word, only that which was convenient for their contemporary society. Honoring the Sabbath, tithing, sacrificing, temple faithfulness, practicing circumcision, etc., was still obeyed; but their compromise, pleasing the surrounding trendy nations, brought judgment as well as their self-centered fleshly desires.
The justice for forsaking God’s Holy and inerrant Word is presented in verse 15. The LORD will give them wormwood (a bitter woody-herb that brings forth convulsions, etc.) and poisoned water to drink; all synonyms to represent the coming doom. These are things that will also be present during the tribulation period which will inflict the entire world.
As we read verse 16 of Jeremiah 9, we notice it speaks of God scattering His people among the nations. This is certainly made visible in the book of Esther as we view King Ahasuerus ruling over 127 provinces from India to Ethiopia within the Persian sector of Babylon; Esther 1:1. We witness in Esther that the Jews had become scattered throughout these provinces as the proclamation to annihilate them was proclaimed in all these regions.
Jeremiah speaks of God sending “the sword after them” (meaning when they are held captive in Babylon) and this was made very evident in Esther, but the Jews sought the Lord’s protection, and they were preserved through the godly intercession of Esther and Mordecai. Turning to God in this threatening situation presented in Esther, brought abundant blessings and security. If only Judah would have responded in such a way during the sermonizing of Jeremiah!
Verse 17-20 are presented to warn Jerusalem of the death and the mourning that will ensue. In Israel, women were hired to cry for the dead, those who would wail and those who would mourn. There were no men hired, of course. Ü The mourning for the annihilation upon arrival would be true grief, not a put on, as their voices will be great from Zion or Jerusalem. Verse 19 refers to those who will be deported from the land as well; escaping death, but wishing they had perished as we read earlier in Jeremiah.
In verse 20f, we see the dirge, or mourning song, restated from verse 10, God is trying to get His point across of the importance of turning away from their worldly behavior. Death coming up through the windows, certainly paints an inlaid memory. This demise is all consuming, entering the palaces, killing children and young men in the town squares.
Corpses of men would be as dung on the open field; verse 22. Further, we read “Like the sheaf after the reaper.” Reaper of death reminds us of the tales of a death reaper coming to a dieing mortal. The sheaves represent bunches of bodies pilled like gleaned wheat. When in war, it is difficult to locate live men to bury dead men. In Judah, the dead will be gravely visible with many falling at once and the bodies everywhere cast; “no one will gather them.”
This is not the only devastation Jerusalem came to experience, there were other times the enemy marched in, including Rome in 70 AD. There is going to be another great extermination as we read in Ezekiel chapter 9, this will be during the Great Tribulation. In Ezekiel 9:4 a man is commanded to put a mark on men’s foreheads, those with a tender heart who sigh and moan over the sins of Jerusalem. All other lives of men, women, and little children will be extinguished by six other men…none spared!
I believe these remarkable godly Jewish men who hate all sin (who certainly are a brand of Jeremiah) are the 144,000 Jews due to the fact in Revelation 7 they are taken from every tribe of Israel. Revelation 14:1 speaks of them having the name of Christ and the Father “on their foreheads” and they are the ones who will sing a new song on beautiful harps strung by harpists.
These men are exceptionally righteous, being pure virgin males who “kept themselves chaste.” Jeremiah too was a virgin as God called him to celibacy. These 144,000 are so powerfully pure and righteous, they pursue “the Lamb wherever He goes!”
These are exceptional verses to show to Jehovah Witnesses, 7th Day Adventists, Mormons and all who believe they are the 144,000; as well as those who get caught up in books that Hollywood-ize the true makeup of these virgin righteous males who are spared in another coming epoch of Jerusalem devastation.
Committing to Memory verses 23-24 of Jeremiah 9, would be very wise for all of us. We are commanded to only boast in the Lord, never in our wisdom, strength, or riches. God is the only One deserving of true honor and praise, especially due to the fact that every ability we possess is a gift from him and due to no one else.
Verse 24 emphasizes the Lord’s attributes that are worthy of praise that He exercises; His lovingkindness, justice, and righteousness. These are the attributes He delights in and so should we. Not the materialism, methodologies, technology, architectural feats, trendy styles and beats, special tech effects, etc., of this globe that is passing away. Rejoicing in the essences that magnify our Savior is His directive to us.
Punishment is the name of the game in verses 25 & 26. These Jews obeyed God being circumcised in body but not in heart. They were not separated only onto their Maker, being truly devoted to only Him. Deuteronomy 30:6 commanded the Israelites to be circumcised of heart, loving the Lord with all their heart and soul. Unfortunately the hearts of the Jews in Jeremiah’s day clung to the manners of the other nations; not following the teaching of 2 Kings 17:15b which is repeated in various ways throughout all of scripture including the New Testament, “And they followed after vanity and became vain, and went after the nations which surrounded them, concerning which the LORD had commanded them NOT TO DO LIKE THEM.”
If I wear a covering over my long hair to church, but am not submitting to my husband, it is meaningless before Christ, just as circumcision meant nothing to God if His people we not loving and obeying Him completely.
God speaks in the last verse of all the surrounding nations who have influenced Israel revealing names. The Jews fashioned themselves to them not HIM. These nations clipped their hair at the temples; the Jews were not allowed to cut this hair; Leviticus 19:27. The Egyptians shaved their heads and bodies and the other godless nations never held to the LORD’S exterior standards.
About
-
Archives
- December 2009 (3)
- November 2009 (2)
- October 2009 (8)
- September 2009 (2)
- August 2009 (4)
- July 2009 (8)
- June 2009 (7)
- May 2009 (5)
- April 2009 (8)
- March 2009 (5)
- February 2009 (4)
- January 2009 (6)
-
Categories
- "X" Farmer
- Abortion
- ACORN
- AIDS
- Alfredo
- Alfredo and Cassidy
- Amazing Grace
- America
- Angels
- Animal Story
- Animals
- Anita Dunn
- Antigua Photos
- antisemitism
- apocalypse
- Apostasy
- Apostasy in the Church
- Armegeddon
- Aruba
- Babylon
- Bible
- Bible Commentary
- Bible Versions
- Bilderberg Group
- Billy Graham
- Bin Laden
- Bombings
- Book
- Books
- Calvary Chapel
- Calvinism
- Carribean Story
- Cassidy
- Cassidy and Alfredo
- Cassidy McDonald's Cat
- Cat Story
- Cats
- Charismatic Movement
- Christian
- Christian Books
- Christianity
- Christmas
- Christmas Story
- Church
- City
- Cliques
- Cliques in the Church
- Columbine
- Conservatives
- Cruelty
- Cybersecurity
- Despair
- Dubai
- England
- Evangelism
- Family Story
- Farmer Story
- Federal Reserve
- Finances
- G20
- Gideon Bible
- Globalization
- Gog and Magog
- Governor Schwarzenegger
- Great Britain
- Hamas
- Hate
- Hate Crime Bill
- Hatred
- Health Care Reform
- Heaven
- Hebrews
- Henry Milk
- Heresy
- Hillary Clinton
- History
- Hitler
- Holocaust
- Hope
- Humane Society
- Hunting and Fishing
- Hurricane
- Hurricane Ivan
- Hurricane Story
- Indian
- Islam
- Israel
- Jay Leno
- Jeremiah Commentary
- Jerusalem Temple
- Jews
- John Calvin
- John MacArthur
- Judge David Hamilton
- Kevin Jennings
- Kidnapping
- King
- Last Days
- Little Boy Kidnapped
- Love
- Manger Story
- Margaret Sanger
- Mary and Joseph
- McDonald's Fast Food
- Mecca
- Medical
- Michael Jackson
- Mike Erre
- Military
- Monarch
- Movie
- Movies
- Murder
- Muslim
- Native American
- New Babylon
- New World Order
- News
- Newsweek Magazine
- Obama
- Obama = Messiah
- Obama and Nuclear Power for India
- Obama's Father Marxist
- Obama's Army
- Old Schoolhouse
- Oregon
- Oregon Wilderness
- Palestinian Authority
- Palestinians
- Paradise
- Pedophiles
- Planned Parenthood
- Political
- Politics
- Portland
- President Bush
- President Obama
- President Obama and Honduras
- President Obama's Army
- Prisoner
- Public Schools
- Queen
- Queen Esther/Looming Holocaust
- Religion
- Reports
- Revelation
- Revelation Seven Churches
- Rick Warren
- Royalty
- Saddleback Church
- Salvation
- Scripture
- Secrets
- Self-esteem
- Sex Education
- Sex Offender
- Sin
- Slavery
- Story
- Teenagers
- Teens
- Terrorism
- Terrorist
- Terrorists
- Theology
- True Animal Story
- True Cat Story
- True Story
- Uncategorized
- United Nations
- Vacation
- Veterinarian
- Video
- White House
- Willaim Wilberforce
- World Secrets
-
RSS
Entries RSS
Comments RSS
Revelation Chapter 15 Explained
My Revelation commentaries for chapters 1-10: http://vallee7.wordpress.com/2009/08/27/revelation-chapters-1-10-explained/
My Revelation commentaries for chapters 11-14: http://vallee7.wordpress.com/2009/03/19/revelation-chapter-11-mouths-of-fire/
“Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young,
He spread His wings and caught them, He carried them in His pinions.”
Revelation Chapter 15
We concluded chapter 14 with the sickle of Christ, which will gather His opposers and will throw them “into the great wine-press of the wrath of God.”
Entering chapter 15, we see verse 1 deals with the completion of the wrath of God, this being a great and marvelous sign—the seven plagues or bowls filled with the fury of God. The initiation of these bowl judgments are unveiled in chapter 16. When these bowls are unleashed by seven designated angels, it will mark the end of God’s wrath and the destruction of Mystery Babylon. This sensual-driven culture will meet its end and our Holy, innocent, undefiled high priest—Jesus Christ, who is separated from sinners (Hebrews 7:26), will sit on His world-dominating throne from Jerusalem. As world regent, He will reign with a righteous rod of iron as an uncompromising undefiled, truthful dictator (Revelation 2:27). He will be feared and we are called to fear and tremble (Philippians 2:12).
At this time, Christians will be completely elated! All sin will be made absent from the world and God’s people will live lives completely pleasing to Christ.
We are again reminded in verse 1 and following that the apostle John is observing and recording all that is disclosed in the book of Revelation. He is explaining to you and me what is set before him in this heavenly setting of chapter 15. In verse 2, He tells us he sees something resembling a sea of glass mixed with fire and standing on the glass are those who have been victorious over the beast and his image. These overcomers stand with harps in hand. (Remember, harps are the only musical instruments we observe in heaven implemented for worship. Harps present a lovely and pure sound and we are to dwell on those things that are lovely and completely innocent—absent from cultural tainting.) These believers will be the uncompromisers who will not yield to cultural methodologies, terminologies and activities. They will be all about their Savior alone.
They will refuse to do what everyone else will do—take the mark of the beast so they can buy and sell, by which they can achieve prosperous lives. They will not buy into the prosperity false gospel that promises you can have all if you simply do this or that in the name of religion; so taught by false teachers (1 Timothy 6:8-11).
These children of God will hold no desire to be grooving and moving with the world. They will have no longing to sound culturally cool and appear styling. Every unclean and perverted way will be detestable to them. They will be those who are willing to die for Christ and the truths found in His holy and inerrant Word. They will be pronounced the victorious ones—holding victory over the flamboyant and charismatic antichrist who will lead the multitudes to eternal damnation. The Judge of judges will charge antichrist’s followers with sinful lawlessness. Their crimes will include not believing in the Biblical God and His Word, which leads to practicing abominations.
They will be murderers and those who practice witchcraft (including sorcery, contemplative mystic spirituality, spiritism—all part of the emergent church movement that promotes every belief move as one—no one is wrong including the mystic-filled Catholic Church: http://simple.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sacred_Heart
Yes, “emergent or emerging” is simply a new packaged name for ecumenicalism and contemporarism. It is a new title to enable silly religious ones to sound grooving so they are no longer just tied to the dub—ecumenicalism. No, this new package does not hide the forever-false satanic design of accumulating and consolidating beliefs, which will be totally lived out in the time of the tribulation; 9:20-21. There is nothing new under the sun in religious deception. It is simply to sound stupid-post-modern). They will commit idolatry (worshipping things made by man’s hands such as idols and whatever or whomever they fancy, which walks hand in hand with witchcraft). They will be liars (today many pastors lie without a second thought; I have heard them far too often) and adulterers (few will preach against divorce and remarriage today and many so-called Christians approve and justify). They will not maintain themselves in shamefacedness (dressing and acting in bashful purity) in the realm of sexuality. The destination for these visually unredeemed ones will be the lake of fire and brimstone (Revelation 21:8 and 22:15).
In that Day of Judgment, many will plead with Christ, saying, did we not perform the miraculous using your name—Jesus Christ. Such words of works will not deceive the LORD who will respond, “Depart from me, you workers of iniquity” (Matthew 7:21-23). Many will think they are going to heaven because they have named the name of Christ. However, in reality, they have never been washed clean in His sacrificed blood—never actually born again through the Holy Spirit of Scripture. They will be exposed as the pretenders who love sinful activities and covet the things of lusting society. God will expose their inward deceptions that hide their contempt for the righteous commandments and truths of the Bible.
Our LORD also condemned people who seek for signs. The antichrist will entertain those who seek for them and will provide them (16:13-14). Christ declared and exposed, those who seek for signs are evil and adulterous (Matthew 12:39).
In contrast, the true dedicated believers in the days of the tribulation will guard themselves from the strange and supernatural alluring signs of the demonic mystical world. They will walk by faith not by sight. They will not be afraid to be different and will move in Christ’s righteous light of separation, holy living, and bashful purity. Naming the name of their slain Lamb will not be for personal gain or recognition, but truly selfless and sacrificial.
Moses is mentioned in verse 3, as his song will be sung. Moses was God’s true “bond-servant” and his hymn of the Lamb (Jesus Christ) will be uplifted in this day and time. Moses will not be hated in heaven as one who stifled women’s rights in his day and age. Many restrictions were allotted to women in Moses’ day; far more than today, but all by the design of God. This day, some women in the church cast hate toward Paul, but will rarely or never mention Moses. Yes, funny-strange. Of course, Moses and Paul wrote the Words of God in vivid reality. Women’s libber hate is in fact directed at God who wrote His inerrant Word—the Bible in its true accurately translated text.
The complete songs of Moses can be located in Exodus 15, Deuteronomy 32 and Psalm 90. Moses may have written more Psalms as some of the Psalms have no listed author. In the Deuteronomy 32 song, verse 11 speaks powerfully of the love of God for the Hebrews as it proclaims, “Like an eagle that stirs up its nest, that hovers over its young, He spread His wings and caught them, He carried them in His pinions.” Verses 41-43 appear to be directed at the time of tribulation and God’s final judgment of the earth: “If I sharpen My flashing sword, And My hand takes hold on justice, I will render vengeance on My adversaries, And I will repay those who hate Me. I will make My arrows drunk with blood, And My sword will devour flesh, With the blood of the slain and the captives, From the long-haired leaders of the enemy.’ Rejoice, O nations, with His people; For He will avenge the blood of His servants, And will render vengeance on His adversaries, And will atone for His land and His people.”
These songs of Moses address God’s equitability in fulfilling His Word. Moses sung of the securing omnipotence of God who is forever faithful to His people. Verse 10 of Psalm 90 is faith-precious—stating, “we fly away,” referring to the finale of believers. We ourselves can pray and sing the words of Moses as well as countless verses in Scripture. We can worship in past tense as well regarding God fulfilling His stated words to us in the past. We can give thanks for the various times God delivered the Jews and fulfilled His Word to them in the past. When we repeat Scripture to God, we know we are always praying or praising in the will of God. Paul left us examples of intercessions such as Colossians 1:9-14—that includes imploring God for spiritual discernment and for the power to walk in the way that pleases Him in every manner.
Here is one of Moses’ most powerful songs “The Song of the Lamb,” which uplifts Christ as King of the nations—all kingdoms will come and worship before Him and fear Him.
This will be strum on lovely harps held by those who will not yield to the antichrist or any false way.
The Song of the Lamb
Great and marvelous are thy works,
Lord God Almighty;
Just and true are thy ways,
Thou King of saints.
Who shall not fear thee,
O Lord, and glorify thy name?
For thou only art holy:
For all nations shall come and worship before thee;
For Thy judgments are made manifest.
This extolling segment is reminiscent of chapter 5, verses 11-14.
Following this interlude of rightful praise, John tells us the temple of the tabernacle will open in heaven; verse 5. It is unveiled to present before us seven angels clothed in clean and bright linen, with their chests girded with sashes of gold (these are the same angels stated in verse 1). Unquestionably, the bright linen represents the righteousness of God and the gold—His despot royalty. Heaven is a sinless realm where there is no spot or wrinkle and all continually glorify God Almighty. These angels walk out of the temple to perform all God’s commands in the way of bringing in His final judgment plagues.
We next observe through John’s unerring eyes, one of the four living creatures providing the seven angels with the seven bowls of the wrath of God; verse 7.
To conclude this ceremony, the temple is filled with smoke from the glory of God, revealing His supreme dynamism. From this moment, no one will be able to enter the temple until these closing plagues conclude.
Remember God’s judgment began with the seven seals that were to be poured on the earth beginning in chapter 6. Following the six seals, we were presented with the trumpets of judgment, which were introduced by the seventh seal.
Love in our Savior who never lies or changes His holy Bible,
Val Lee
(1 John 5:10-13—the Bible) http://vallee7.wordpress.com/2009/02/26/paradise/
Photo by Val Lee
November 10, 2009 Posted by Val Lee | Bible, Bible Commentary, Christian, Christianity, Church, Heresy, New Babylon, Religion, Revelation, Salvation, Theology, Uncategorized | Revelation Chapter 15 | No Comments Yet