Matthew 7

Notes for BSF

WHO ARE WE TO JUDGE? (Matthew 7:1-5)

We are ALL sinners. We may easily see faults in others, but Jesus points out that we often have worse faults. So, before we are eager to point our fingers at other people, examine ourselves and focus on fixing our own faults instead.

Luke 6:37-42
Condemn not, and you shall not be condemned. Forgive, and you will be forgiven. Give, and it will be given to you: good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom. “Can the blind lead the blind? Will they not both fall into the ditch? A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.

There is a godly way to deal with people who have sinned against us

Example 1 -- Matthew 18:15-17
If someone does something to wrong us, we should go to that person in private and tell him what he has done to hurt us. If he listens, then we have gained a friend. If he doesn’t, then we should take him to talk with 2-3 elders who can offer advice. And if he continue to refuse to listen to reason, then we close the door and shut him out. This may sound "mean," but the idea here is to make sure he doesn't remain in around us, our family, even the church, because he is bad influence. Note here that we do not shut him out immediately. This is reserved as the last resort, when we have tried all methods to reason with him. When a person purposefully chooses to go against God's Word and His people, he choose to side with the devil -- and that is not an influence we should keep around our young and innocent. We protect children from rabid dogs. Why not from devil-driven men?

Example 2 -- Galatians 6:1-5
Help each other out. If we see someone who needs help, we should go and help him. If someone is walking off the path,we should go guide him back. At the same time, we should be aware of our own works. We should never be prideful and think we are doing just fine, that there is nothing wrong with us. We should be open to other people's criticism of us.


JESUS CAME FOR THE JEWS (Matthew 7:6)

In His first coming, Jesus did not come for the Gentiles -- He came for the Jews. Yes, God's salvation is for ALL (2 Peter 3:9), however, Jesus first came to fulfill the Law and the prophecies of His coming, as the Messiah. As God's people, the Israelites were to live by the Word of God, be an example to the world, so that through them, all would come to God. Unfortunately, history taught us that the Israelites not only strayed from God's Word, they also rejected their Messiah.


ASK, SEEK, KNOCK (Matthew 7:7-12)

Matthew 7:8
For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.

Luke 11:13
… how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!

When we come across Scriptures that we don't understand, encounter events that we don't understand, we can claim this promise and ask God for understanding.


BEWARE OF FALSE PROPHETS AND PRODUCE GOOD FRUIT (Matthew 7:13-20)

Jesus is the Narrow Way
Many people like to say that Christianity is exclusive. The Truth, by definition, is exclusive; it excludes everything that is false. So, yes, Christianity is exclusive -- but it is INCLUSIVE as well. Jesus didn't just die for certain groups of people. Jesus died for EVERYONE. The path is narrow, because Jesus is the only One who leads us to salvation. Jesus is the one Truth who excludes all other false religions.

Matthew 7:14
Narrow is the gate and difficult is the way which leads to life, and there are few who find it.

Few find it, because we are not all interested in finding the Truth (John 5:40). We are often more interested in lies and deceptions, anything that allows us to keep living the lives we want to live, as opposed to humbling ourselves and earnestly seek the Truth, seek God. For those who are interested in seeking the Truth, God makes Him evident in the world around us.

John 5:43
I have come in my Father's name, and you do not accept me; but if someone else comes in his own name, you will accept him.

Jesus is the Word incarnate. He is the Truth of God personified. Yet, there are still those who refuse the Truth and would prefer to live in lies. One day, there will be one who would come claiming as the Savior -- and many will follow him, not knowing he will lead them straight into Hell.

Who is this "he," who comes in his own name? The Antichrist. For details, check out all the studies under the tab Revelation.

Be aware of wolves in sheep's clothing
Not all people who claim they are Christians are Christians. They may come as friends, but listen to the things they say, and we will soon find out that they are not here to glorify God but themselves. It is very sad that people use the name of Christianity to advance their own agenda while preying on the innocent and using God's good people (Acts 20:29-30; 2 Peter 2:1-2; 1 John 4:1). They will answer for their actions upon the Great White Throne. However, in the mean time, we should be aware of people who use the name of Christianity to promote false doctrines. How? Study the Word ourselves. Do not just believe everything people tell us, including the things I blog here. Always go directly back to the source of Truth -- God. Measure everything against the Word of God.

Acts 7:11
[The Bereans] were more fair-minded than those in Thessalonica, in that they received the Word with all readiness, and searched the Scriptures daily to find out whether those things were so.

Be fruitful
Trees that do not bear fruit are cut down and thrown into the fire. The fruit of a tree is the result of how productive the tree is. Similarly, if we claim we are Christians, and yet we do nothing of God, we live carnal lives, suffocating our relationship with God, what kind of fruit will we bear? 

The warning we get from this passage is that if we do not produce GOOD fruit, we will be thrown into fire. This is a serious warning. If we say we are Christians, then our lives ought to reflect our claim. Our fruit should be our lives. When we live godly lives, others would see us and learn of God through us.


NOT ALL WHO CLAIM TO KNOW JESUS WILL ENTER THE KINGDOM OF HEAVEN (Matthew 7:21-29)

Matthew 7:22-23
Many will say to Me in that day, "Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?" And then I will declare to them, "I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!"

These people lacked true faith. They say they are Jesus’ disciples, but in reality, the rituals they perform were just that: rituals. They performed these acts with no heart. Worse, they followed through the motions wishing nothing but to glorify themselves, certainly not God. 

They thought they were the most godly people because of all the rituals they were able follow and perform. When we stop to think about it, we realize that these people aren’t doing any of this because they wished to worship God. They did all this because they wanted people to see how godly they are. This is the a good example of what it means to glorify ourselves. When we do things to show off, we are no longer performing God’s will; we are no longer glorifying God but ourselves.

And since their heart was selfish, Jesus will not recognize them at the end of days. Jesus never knew them because they never knew Jesus.

Build upon Jesus, our Rock
We should build our life on a rock, THE rock, which is Jesus Christ!

The true foundation is a tried stone, a precious cornerstone, a sure foundation (Isaiah 28:16).

There is no other true foundation than Jesus Christ (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Jesus is the true foundation, our living stone, who was rejected by men but chosen by God (1 Peter 2:4-8). As Jesus’ disciple, we, too, are a part of that true foundation. For those who believe, the true foundation brings us salvation and joy. For those who do not believe, the true foundation stumbles them.

Matthew 6

Notes for BSF

GLORIFY GOD, NOT OURSELVES (Mathew 6:1-4)

"Do not be like the hypocrites," Jesus continuously reminds us throughout this passage.

We do things because of our HEART. The hypocrites SAY how great they are because of all the things they do – but they do all those things because they want to appear greater than others. That is, although the original intent of the rituals was to get closer to God, yet through the hypocrites manipulation, those rituals had become means for them to show off their religiosity. They carried out these rituals to glorify themselves as opposed to drawing closer to God. This is why Jesus told us to not be like the hypocrites. Here, Jesus taught us to do all things not to “show off” how great we are but to do all things with the heart of God. We pray because we continue to build our personal relationship with God. We give because God first gave us everything -- and we are now merely re-gifting what God has given us.

Does Jesus know us?

Matthew 6:4, NKJV
Your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly.

As Jesus warns us, there were, are, and will be people who claim they know Jesus, who perform miracles in the name of Jesus -- yet, Jesus will separate His true disciples from the hypocrites and false teachers, saying, "I never knew you" (Matthew 7:23).

Jesus knows our hearts. If our heart is not with God, it doesn't matter what we say or what we do. Even if we donate everything we have to charity, if we do so with the wrong heart, we will not enter the Kingdom of God. It is never about we do or say; it is always about dying to our sins (including our pride to glorify ourselves) and being born again in the spirit of God.

Those who belong to God, we will receive our rewards at the Bema Seat Judgement of Christ (2 Corinthians 5:10). Those who do not belong to God will face the Great White Throne Judgment.


THY KINGDOM COME (Matthew 6:5-18)

Pray to draw close to God
Do not pray to show off to people how religious we are. Pray in private because it’s all about the heart, it’s all about our personal relationship with God.

Along the same line, mean what we say when we are praying. Do not just regurgitate memorized phrases. Mean everything we say -- We are talking to God! Spill our heart out to Him. Spend that time in His presence!

Jesus teaches us how to pray
Many memorize Matthew 6:9-13 as a model prayer. While this is good, I think it's more important to understand the essence of this prayer. After all, if we are only regurgitating the words, we fall into what Jesus has warned us against, "Do not use vain repetitions as the heathens do" (Matthew 6:7).

For example, note the order in which Jesus prayed: Glorify God; seek His will; pray for physical and spiritual sustenance; repent and seek forgiveness; pray for strength to battle against temptations.

Every one of the elements found in this model prayer can guide us in forming our own prayers as we approach God.

Fast to draw close to God
Fasting is an advanced level of praying, in a way. It is not something to just do on a whim, because if not done right, it can be physically harmful. However, when done right, it is a very powerful way to draw close to God -- In fact, many pastors, when seeking major breakthroughs in seeking directions from God, will fast and pray. The idea of fasting is to remove ourselves from our fleshly needs and to depend completely on God fulfilling us. When we are completely in the presence of God, not worrying about worldly concerns, we are given greater visions (Daniel 10).


SEEK ETERNAL TREASURES (Matthew 6:19-34)

Cf. Psalm 119:72; Luke 12:15-21; 1 Corinthians 2:9; 2 Corinthians 4:17-18; Philippians 3:8; 1 Peter 1:4-5

This is a pretty straightforward advice: What would you rather work for? Things that can be lost overnight, or things that last forever? Money, houses, cars, boats, etc. have no eternal value. Any one of these things can be lost due to natural catastrophes, for example. Even social status, our positions on the corporate ladder -- none of that is secure. We can spend our lifetime building this and see it dissipate in front of us because someone back-stabbed us, or we simply get left behind due to corporate goal changes. Knowing this, we have to ask ourselves, why do we bother?

Jesus has offered us eternity with Him. Our salvation in Him is eternal. Our kingship and priesthood with Him is eternal. Our inheritance with Jesus is eternal. And the best news of all, Jesus has already done all that is required for us to receive all this, and no one -- not even Satan -- can take that away (John 10:28).

No one can serve two masters (Matthew 6:24)
A few pastors have stressed that we are always a slave to someone or something. Think about it. We are either a slave to making more and more money, or working toward a bigger home, or getting that promotion, etc. This goes back to the question of what should we seek? Things that are temporal or eternal? The two are polar opposites -- thus, if we run after the temporal, we cannot obtain the eternal. And if we go after the eternal, what would we want with the temporal? This is why Jesus said we cannot serve two masters. We cannot possibly remain loyal to both, especially when the two are complete opposites.

When we put, for example, riches ahead of God, that reveals that in our heart, we care more about riches than doing God’s will. That tells us that we worry more about riches than doing what is right in God’s eyes. Substitute "riches" with drugs, sex, sports... whatever has us addicted, and the concept remains the same. Any time we worry about the materialistic world, we ought to reflect and ask ourselves, “Why am I so reluctant to let go of this idol? Why would I put this ahead of God?” God provides. He created the world; he created us. Whatever idol we worship ahead of God, we should really ask ourselves, “Can this thing provide and protect to the extent that God does?” What do we live for? What do we work for? Money? Power? Pride? Why? Why do we work so hard just to accumulate these things? What can they do for us that can possibly be greater than that of God? As Paul stresses in many of his letters, don’t be fools. Store up what matters. Store up our eternal reward with Christ in Heaven.

Focus on God -- the rest will fall into place

Matthew 6:25
Is not life more than food and the body more than clothing?

Jesus told us not to worry about life, what we will eat or drink, our physical body.

Matthew 6:26
Look at the birds of the air, for they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?

Jesus tells us that God takes even the most care with birds and flowers, who do not produce. We are His children. Would not God take even greater care of us? If God provides for birds and flowers, wouldn't God provide even more for His children? Therefore, rather than worrying earthly things, stay focused on God and His will. When we live in His will, He will always provide. When we are walking His way, He will make sure we are well taken care of so that we can handle the challenges to come.

Matthew 5:17-48

Notes for BSF

JESUS CAME TO FULFILL THE LAW (Matthew 5:17-20)

Matthew 5:17, NKJV
Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.

Jesus did not come to contradict the Old Testament. He came, instead, to fulfill it -- To what extent?

Matthew 5:18, NKJV
... till heaven and earth pass away, one jot or one tittle will by no means pass from the law till all is fulfilled.

Consult the WHOLE counsel of God
Jesus made the bold statement that He has come to fulfill the Old Testament down to the crossing of the t and dotting of the i, literally down to the details! This gives us a very good reason to pay close attention to the Old Testament. The WHOLE book of the Bible is God's Word. It's tempting to stay in our comfort zone and study only what we understand. However, Jesus didn't just come to fulfill the promises -- He came also to fulfill judgment. This is why Paul didn't just teach selected passages of the Scripture; he taught the WHOLE counsel of God (Acts 20:27)!

If we ever come to passages we don't understand, there are a couple of things we should keep in mind:

1. The Bible always explains itself.
The same concept is always explained at least twice in the Bible. If we don’t understand a certain concept, we can continue our studying of the Bible. One day, we will read about it in another passage, which would shed light on the concept, giving us understanding.

2. The Holy Spirit will guide us.
God has promised us that He will reveal ALL things to us through the Holy Spirit.

John 14:26, NKJV
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.

John 16:13, NKJV
... He will guide you into all truth...

Thus, when we come across confounding passages, we can always pray for the Holy Spirit to guide our understanding. When we don’t understand something, we can write it down in a prayer journal. Ask God to help us understand what we do not understand. God may not reveal the answer to us right away, but one day, we may hear something or see something or run into certain people, and suddenly, those experiences will give us the revelation we need to understand. God is faithful. If He has promised us that He will reveal ALL things to us, then He will. We just have to ask.

Reference:
http://blogs.blueletterbible.org/blb/2013/08/01/hoekstra-the-lord-promised-his-spirit-to-teach-us/

Examples of Jesus' fulfillment
Jesus fulfilled the moral law by being the perfect man (Revelation 5)

Jesus fulfilled the ceremonial law of sacrifices by dying on the cross for our sins (1 John 1:7; Revelation 1:5; Revelation 12:11; Hebrews 9:11-28; Hebrews 10:1-18; Hebrews 13:12)

Jesus has already fulfilled HUNDREDS of prophecies listed in the Bible. And He will fulfill ALL prophecies upon His Second Coming. Some of the prophecies that Jesus has fulfilled in the Old Testament include...

- Jesus was born according to the Scripture (Isaiah 7:14)
- Jesus was presented to His people according to the Scripture (Zechariah 9:9)
- Jesus died according to the Scripture (Isaiah 53; Zechariah 12:10)
- Jesus rose from the dead according to the Scripture (Matthew 12:40; 1 Corinthians 15:3-8; Matthew 5:21-26)


SIN BEGINS IN THE HEART (Matthew 5:21-32)

The Law specified that we should not murder or commit adultery. However, in the application of it, Jesus detailed that murder and adultery begins in our heart. When we are unkind toward each other, when we are revengeful and full of contempt, that is murder in our heart. When we start looking at another man or woman lustfully who is not our husband or wife, we have already committed adultery.

The Law limits us physically so that we do not commit murder or adultery. However, Jesus drives home the point that sin is not just in our actions but in our thoughts as well. The first step is to not commit physical sin (murder, lust, etc.) of people. The next step is to not commit sin in the spirit.

Be filled with the love of God

1 John 3:14-15, NKJV
He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.

1 John 3:17, NKJV
But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his heart from him, how does the love of God abide in him?

1 John 3:18, NKJV
My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.

Allow the love of God to guide us in our interactions with people! God's emphasis on us showing love toward one another is so great that He tells us to fix any broken relationship between ourselves BEFORE we offer Him any praises (Matthew 5:23-24)!

Divorce is no light matter
Because marriage is such a sacred promise between a man and a woman in the presence of God, divorce is not a light matter. In the Bible, divorce is not at all encouraged. In fact, when he preached on the subject, Paul largely advocated against marriage -- If you don't have to get married, then don't get married (1 Corinthians 7). I'm not bringing this up to say marriage is bad or to dissuade people from marrying. I'm bringing this up to illustrate just how serious marital vows are -- They represent the godly covenant between God and the couple. Hence, the idea here is to really think hard before marrying; and once married, work really hard to maintain the relationship -- because this decision ought to be an eternal commitment.

But of course, who are we but imperfect human beings? In the Old Testament, God made only one exception to allow for divorce: adultery (Deuteronomy 24:1-4). If one person commits adultery, then the other can break the marital covenant without sin. He/she can also marry again without sin or causing sin. However, anyone who marries the adulterous person is considered adulterous. Tough law. It doesn't say what happens when one is stuck in an abusive relationship. It also doesn't elaborate on unsatisfying relationship. But that's the Law.

Today, we are no longer under the Law but under God's grace through Jesus Christ. This doesn't mean we can marry whoever we want, divorce whenever we want, and remarry again and again and again. In fact, in some sense, Jesus is even more strict: Adultery is not just an act. It starts in the heart, in our thoughts. Hence, the standards are still the same: Marriage is sacred. Adultery is sin. We can fall and make mistakes, because we are covered by God's grace. We no longer need the Law to detail what exactly constitutes reasonable grounds for divorce, because Jesus has made it very clear: It's all in our heart. Reflect, repent, and seek God. He will make it plain to each one of us how best to deal with the situation we are in.

Whatever sin we are dealing with, cut it out of our lives

Matthew 5: 29-30
If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell.

Jesus is making a strong point here. If we are faced with temptations, it is best to take drastic measures to remove COMPLETELY separate ourselves from those situations. Why is this important? Because Satan will use whatever he can to lure us into his trap. This is why Paul teaches us to never give Satan a foothold (Ephesians 4:27).

Practical examples include, if I am an alcoholic, I should never eat at a bar or meet up with friends at a bar. I clearly have trouble controlling myself around alcohol, so I should cut myself off completely around alcohol until I can control myself. Drinking is not a sin, but getting drunk often gets us into sin (Noah and Lot are great examples).

The big, big picture here is this: We are either ruled by sin or by God. Someone or something always dictates our lives. We may think we are our own masters, but we're not. We are dependent on something -- be it money, power, social status, whatever. And the point that Jesus is making here is, if we cannot commit ourselves to following God, we run the risk of being ruled by sin, and the result of that is grave. It may be difficult to have to cut off certain aspects of life that may seem so pleasurable, but in reality, addiction is a prison that Satan traps us with. It is thus much better to cut off Satan's ball-and-chain than to lose our soul by remaining attached to our addiction. Be addicted to Jesus. Way, way healthier.

Pray to God for the strength to resist temptation, to cleanse our nature, so that we no longer crave those temptations.

1 Corinthians 10:13, NKJV
No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.


DO NOT TAKE THE LORD'S NAME IN VAIN (Matthew 5:33-37)

Matthew 5:34-35
Do not swear at all: neither by heaven, for it is God's throne; nor by the earth, for it is His footstool; nor by Jerusalem, for it is the city of the great King. 

Many people think the command, "Do not swear," is simply about vocabulary -- the F-word, the S-word, etc. This command extends way beyond vocabulary. If we haven't gotten the point yet, Jesus makes it clear that everything we do, it's always all about the heart. Here, the big idea is ambassadorship. As Christians, we represent God. To properly represent Him, we have to be careful not just with our choice of words but also our actions... our entire being. All this, yes, begins in the heart.

Take this idea to the next level, do not take the Lord's name in vain. When we swear upon the Lord, we are putting His name at risk. If we cannot fulfill what we have promised, we defame His good name. This is why Jesus made it clear that we should not swear upon anything of God. In fact, don't swear at all -- because we are imperfect and prone to mistakes, whoever we swear upon, be it our father or mother or even ourselves, we risk the goodness of that name.

Matthew 5:36
Nor shall you swear by your head, because you cannot make one hair white or black.

Jesus tells us to not swear upon anyone -- Not God, not even ourselves -- because we have no real control over our own lives, where is the value in swearing upon ourselves? As Jesus illustrated, we have no power to turn even one hair on our head from black to white – So what's the point of swearing upon ourselves? There is no place for us to be placing oaths likes this. Instead, just remain truthful.

Matthew 5:37
... Let your "Yes" be "Yes," and your "No," "No."

Proverbs 12:22 
The LORD detests lying lips, but he delights in people who are trustworthy.

Just be a man/woman of our word. Say what we mean, and mean what we say. Be straightforward and truthful, and leave swearing on whoever's name out of it.


LOVE OUR ENEMIES (Matthew 5:38-44)

The love of God, on a certain level, is difficult to comprehend. When we are hurt, when we are angry, when we are offended, how are we to "love our enemies"? I can't say I've completely grasped the concept, but this lesson has taught me that all sin starts from the heart. Murder, adultery, envy, jealousy, lies, etc. – even though these are all physical acts, all of them first take root in the heart. Once I know this, my heart must change if I want to be more like Jesus and be less of a sinner. Jesus loved ALL -- including those who murdered Him. How great a heart is that? My understanding of this all is that our love for people ought to so great that even when others hurt us or wrong us, we can see past that and help them to the path of Christ. Ultimately, salvation is all that matters. If we see past ourselves and focus on the salvation of others, perhaps we can begin to understand the great love of God.

Galatians 5:16
Walk by the Spirit and not gratify the desires of the flesh.

Ephesians 4:22-24
Be made new in the attitude of our minds, to put on the new self, created to be lie God in true righteousness and holiness.

Matthew 5:1-16

Notes for BSF

THE BEATITUDES (Matthew 5:1-12)

Blessed are those who (are)...
Poor in spirit (Isaiah 57:15; 61:1; Luke 18:10-14)
Mourn (Isaiah 61:2-3; Romans 7:22-24; James 4:8-10)
Meek (Psalm 25:9; Matthew 11:28-29; Zephaniah 3:11-12)
Hunger and thirst for righteousness (Psalms 19:7-11; 42:1, 2, 11)
Merciful (Matthew 18:21-35)
Pure in heart (Psalm 24:4-5; Matthew 6:21-24; 1 John 3:2-3)
Peacemakers (Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:19-20; Ephesians 2:15-17; 4:3)
Persecuted because of righteousness (John 15:18-20; 17:14; Romans 8:17; 1 Peter 3:14-16; 4:16)


GREAT IS OUR REWARD IN HEAVEN (Matthew 5:11-12)

Salvation is only the beginning

Matthew 5:12, NKJV
Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.

When we receive Christ with our heart, we receive salvation, and our eternity is sealed by the Holy Spirit. This is but the first step in a Christian's walk. Once we start our journey as a follower of Christ, we are guided by the Holy Spirit to do the will of God. That is, our walk in Christ is revealed in our works -- and we will all be rewarded on day for the works that we do.

We will be rewarded for our works

1 Corinthians 3:9, NKJV
... Each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

We will be rewarded according to our own labor. Each of us have our own responsibilities to fulfill and should do so with great care. No one can get rewarded for our efforts, just as we cannot get rewarded for someone else’s efforts. Hence, there is absolutely no value in comparing ourselves against others, because God does not judge our works based on what others have done. Rather, God judges each of our works based on the abilities ("talents") He has given us (Luke 19:11-27). We may not all be given the same amount of talent -- We may not all be born with the best parents, the best brains, the best whatever -- but Jesus expects each one of us to do the best we can with what we are given. We may envy those who seem "just have it all," but remember, "For everyone to whom much is given, from him, much will be required" (Luke 12:48)!

Serve with all our HEART

1 Corinthians 3:12-15, NKJV
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Jesus has already laid the foundation of our lives. Upon this foundation, what do we choose to build our lives with? The best of materials (gold, silver, previous stones) or the worst of materials (wood, hay, straw)? In other words, when we do the works of God, how do we do it (Matthew 6:3-6, 16-18; Colossians 3:23-24; Hebrews 11:6)? What is the condition of our heart? Do we do it because we want to be awarded, because we want to be glorified? Or, do we do it because we are grateful for the love that God has shown us, because we want to glorify Him?

When we do good deeds in the name of the Lord, we should do it out of our HEART, not to show off to people to see how “good of a person” we are, not to grudgingly do it only because "God expects us to." God doesn't expect us to do anything. He only wants us to know that He loves us -- and then, allow that love to transform us from the inside out. God knows our deeds. He also know our HEART when we do our deeds. If our heart is not with God, then the works we do is nothing but a ritualistic waste of time.

We are rewarded for our works; we are NOT saved by works

1 Corinthians 3:12-15, NKJV
Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one's work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one's work, of what sort it is. If anyone's work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

Our works, on Judgment Day, will be judged by Jesus. If our works stand righteous, we will be rewarded. If our works do not hold under Jesus' scrutiny, we will have no reward – We will not lose our salvation, but we will have no reward.

If we are ever caught between choosing to please God or man, think hard about the materials (gold or straw?) we are building upon the foundation Jesus has laid for us; think hard about how well our works would hold up against the judging fire of Jesus; and then, remember, our salvation and our rewards come from not just a man, but the one and only God-man, Jesus Christ!

Therefore, REJOICE -- Even more so when we are persecuted!

Acts 5:41, NKJV
So they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name.

1 Peter 4:12-14, NKJV
Beloved, do not think it strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened to you; but rejoice to the extent that you partake of Christ's sufferings, that when His glory is reveled, you may also be glad with exceeding joy. If you are reproached for the name of Christ, blessed are you, for the Spirit of glory and of God rests upon you. On their part He is blasphemed, but on your part He is glorified.

Walking with Christ is not easy. We look forward to great rewards, but until that Day comes, we will suffer persecution for following Christ (Matthew 10:16-26).

Although it's not fun to have to go through persecutions, there are some comforting thoughts:
1) On our part, we are glorifying God -- while our persecutors unwittingly blasphemes God
2) Again, unwittingly, our persecutors are indirectly complementing our faith for God! When we are persecuted for doing God’s work, rejoice, because that means we’re doing a good job! If we are doing a horrible job representing the Lord, His enemies couldn't be happier with our failures. It's only when we shine God's light where they want darkness would they jump up and try to stop us through persecution.

Hence, when we are persecuted, do not be discouraged. Take it as a compliment, remain encouraged, and look forward to our reward in heaven (Hebrews 10:35; 11:26)! Rejoice that we had been worthy of suffering disgrace for God!


WE ARE THE SALT; WE ARE THE LIGHT (Matthew 5:13-16)

Matthew 5:13, NKJV
... if the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out...

Salt is used to not just to flavor food but to preserve food as well. It prevents the proliferation of microorganisms that spoils our food.

We are likened to be the salt of the world. And so, like salt, we should preserve the goodness of the world by staying true to the Word of God; we should prevent the proliferation of practices that promotes evil in the world by walking and living the Word of God.

Living as salt can be easy or hard, depending on our environment. If everyone around us is also salt, it doesn't take much for us to preserve the Word of God in the world. However, if we are the only few grains of salt in an environment devoid of other fellow Christians, we will have to work much harder.

This passage tells us that when the salt is no longer salty, it serves no purpose and needs to be thrown away. Additionally, Salt flavors food -- without food, salt serves no purpose. Applying this concept to us, if we claim to be Christians, but we don't live His Word, we don't uphold His Word, can we say that we keep Christ in the center of our lives? And if Christ is not in the center of our lives, how "salty" can we really be?

No matter how easy or difficult the task in front of us is, we must never lose the saltiness of our walk. If we are no longer effective representatives of the Word of God, are we really still walking with God? Instead of being salt, have we become part of the rot? 

Matthew 5:16, NKJV
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.

Just as light is meant to reveal what darkness has hidden, we, too, should live as godly examples to reveal the Word of God to those around us.

Luke 11:35-36
Therefore take heed that the light which is in you is not darkness. If then your whole body is full of light, having no part dark, the whole body will be full of light, as when the bright shining of a lamp gives you light.

Shine the light of Christ. Share the Word of God. Stand for God’s ways -- So that people may see the glory of God through our deeds.

Matthew 4

Notes for BSF

SATAN TEMPTS JESUS IN THE WILDERNESS (Matthew 4:1-11)

Satan tempted Jesus at His weakest moment (Matthew 4:2)
Satan didn't tempt Jesus at the beginning of His fast. No. Instead, Satan came at Jesus' most vulnerable moment, when He was hungry, tired, and weak. The reason is simple: Why fight us when we are strong? We are much easier to be taken advantage of when we are exhausted and too fatigued to fight!

Jesus, as man, resisted the temptations of Satan by relying on the Word of God (Matthew 4:3-11)
Each time Satan tempted Jesus, Jesus would speak the Word of God to deter the temptations.

Why is SPEAKING the Word so critical?

First, the sword is one of the two offensive weapons we have in the Armor of God to battle against Satan and his demons (Ephesians 6). (The other is prayer.)

Hebrews 4:12, NKJV
For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

Second, when God spoke His Word the first time, He created the first edge of the sword. When we speak his Word, we create that second edge! This is why when we SPEAK OUT the Word of God, there is POWER in those words, enough power to defeat Satan!

What might happen if we go up against Satan's temptations without the Word of God?

One biblical example is Adam and Eve. Both caved into Satan’s temptation when they chose to rely on their own reasoning rather than trusting in God's wisdom.

Jesus, on the other hand, relied not on His own thoughts -- especially when He was physically weak -- but on the Word of God. Every time Satan offered Jesus something, Jesus would faithfully look to God's Word for guidance and support.

We, too, can resist Satan's temptations by relying on the Word of God (Hebrews 2:14-18) 
Jesus defeated Satan's temptations not because He was God. Jesus defeated Satan's temptations while He was fully man who relied on God's Word for guidance and strength.

Knowing the above, Hebrews 2:18 makes so much sense:
"Because he himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted."

When we are weak, we need to be aware that Satan is just around the corner, ready to take advantage of us. Yet, even though we are weak, we should have great faith, that if we depend on God's Word, we, too, can overcome any temptation.

Satan KNEW Jesus as the Son of God 
Satan challenged Jesus by repeating this phrase, "If you are the Son of God" (Matthew 11:3, 6). 

We learn two important details from this simple passage.

1) Jesus never corrected Satan's statement
2) Satan knows who Jesus is

What is the significance of these details?

For one, Jesus states that He is the Son of God. This statement is either true or false. For the believers among us, we obviously know it to be true.

For the non-believers among us, it is worth consider that if it is NOT true, that would make Jesus either a liar (in which case, He would know that it's not true but claim it's true anyway) or a lunatic (in which case, He would truly think He is God but really isn't). Take a look at the amount of evidence available and think this through, friends. Think of the implications of this fact because nothing else impacts our eternity more.

Second, while humans struggle about the God-hood of Jesus, Satan and his demons have no such struggle. They always recognize Jesus from miles away -- They need no convincing. Why not? Because they have witnessed His God-hood from the beginning of their existence.

What does this mean for us?

James 2:19, NKJV
You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble!

What is James' point? It is not enough for us to just recognize God is God. It is not enough for us to just acknowledge God is God -- because even the demons have this knowledge and look where they are fated! What we choose to do with this knowledge is key.

Many people misunderstand the Book of James and believe he proposes that we are saved by our works, in contrast to what Paul proposes, which is that we are saved by faith. However, there is no discrepancy between their teachings. Paul preached heavily on faith, whereas James focused on the NEXT step. Our faith should be reflected in our walk. If we claim we know God, and yet, we behave as if we don't, how are we any different than Satan and the rest of the fallen angels? As always, it's a heart thing. If our heart is with God, we will live a life that shows it.

Satan tried to tempt Jesus to circumvent the Cross
Why would Satan tempt Jesus?

The following is speculation, since it cannot be proven, but I do believe it to be a valuable brain exercise, so I thank you for indulging me.

Satan recognizes Jesus as the Son of God. Satan knows the Bible well enough to distort it and misquote it. Satan may not know God's complete plan for humanity, but he knows enough to know about the prophecies detailed in the Bible:

1) Satan knows Israelites are God's people, and he's never stopped going after them. If he could corrupt the bloodline, then the Messiah couldn't be born (Genesis 6). Alas, God intervened, and the bloodline of His people was preserved, bringing Jesus into the world.

2) Since Satan couldn't prevent Jesus' birth, the next best thing is to have Him killed (Matthew 2:16). Alas, God intervened and helped Joseph and Mary to take Jesus into safe country.

Now what? Satan keeps trying.

As Jesus prepares to start His ministry, here comes Satan, ready to thwart God's plan again. If Satan could prevent Jesus from fulfilling the prophecy of dying on the Cross, then he would have succeeded in breaking God's promise.

By offering Jesus all that glory (Matthew 4:9), Satan was really offering Jesus a way around the Cross. His temptation was essentially asking Jesus, "Why die and be tortured? You can have all this kingdom right here, without suffering." If Jesus had fallen prey to this temptation, humanity would not have any way to salvation!

The key here is that there is no way around the Cross. Jesus' blood is the only agent that can free us from our sins. Additionally, we learn that the Word of God is our eternal source of food and support, that we should not test God, and that we should worship God and only God.

Satan fell from Heaven because he wanted to be worshiped like God. And here, even as he tempted Jesus, he still sought to be worshiped. From Jesus’ responses, we learn that by using God’s Word, we can overcome Satan’s temptations and remain firm that we worship God and only God.

It may be tempting to say, "Well, of course, Jesus could resist Satan's temptation. He is God!" However, we do need to bear in mind that when Jesus was man on Earth, He was fully man and did not live as "God trapped in a man's body," so to speak. He battles all that we battle. And so, we ought to realize that Satan will always be there to offer us the easy way out -- especially when we are at our weakest, ready to give up. Hang in there, hang on to God's Word!


JESUS BEGINS HIS MINISTRY AND CALLS HIS DISCIPLES (Matthew 4:12-25)

Jesus fulfilled the following prophecies

Isaiah 9:1-2
Jesus is the light that shines on His people, who will lead His people.

Isaiah 11:1-3
Jesus is a direct descendant of Jesse.

The following is also true of Jesus: 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.

Jesus' disciples left their lives to follow Jesus 
When called, Jesus' disciples immediately dropped what they were doing and followed Him. These disciples were uneducated and relied on the only skills they have to make a living: fishing. Jesus comes and tells them that He would make them fishers of men. They trusted Jesus enough to let go of the only thing they know, to let go of what they know is comfortable, and to step into the unknown with Him. They didn't just leave their way of leaving -- They also left their families.

Matthew 10:35-37, NKJV
For I have come to "set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law"... He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me.

Why would Jesus say that?

Romans 1:1-4, NKJV
The Gospel of God which He promised before through His prophets in the Holy Scriptures, concerning His Son Jesus Christ our Lord, who was born of the seed of David according to the flesh, and declared to e the Son of God with power according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.

Understand this: Jesus came to bring us Light, to bring us the Truth. Jesus came as Truth, the Word. Jesus also comes to bring us the Good News, that through Him, we receive eternal salvation. This Truth is so significant, it literally dictates whether we spend our eternity with God or without God (the definition of Hell).

So, do we follow Jesus or not?

When placed in a vacuum, it is not hard to make this decision. Follow Jesus, eternal life. Reject Jesus, eternal condemnation. Not very hard. BUT. We do not live in a vacuum. We live in a world where we are constantly exposed to Satan's temptations -- one of which is our ties to this world. Satan will use whatever he can get his hands on to keep us tied to his world, be it money, power, or people -- or more specifically, loved ones.

Jesus is not telling us to go against people. Instead, He is using this message to make a very strong point: Anything we hold more dear than God is the thing that will rip us away from God and put us right into the palm of Satan's hands.

We shouldn't hear Jesus' message and think, "Why is Jesus making me choose between loved ones and Him?" But instead, we should see the bigger picture: If we cannot stand strong with Jesus to secure our salvation, how can we go and preach the Good News to loved ones and make sure they also accept salvation through Jesus? Focus on the eternal, and Jesus' message becomes very clear. Our love for the people around us has no real value if it costs our eternal life in God. We have to love them so much that we are able to see past the material, to keep fighting the demons that blind their eyes until... until they are saved!

Do we have that kind of commitment? Doesn't our loved ones deserve that kind of commitment? If we truly know Jesus, doesn't He at least deserve that kind of commitment?

Ezekiel 20-21

Home Bible study with Dr. Chuck Missler

EZEKIEL 20: A HISTORY OF ISRAEL’S REBELLION

Chapters 20-24 contain the final predictions concerning the judgment of Jerusalem. Under every facet and circumstance, man has sought to be rebellious and to go any way other than that which the Lord had ordained. Ezekiel 20 thus reviews the history of Israel seen from God’s point of view.

Israel’s rebellion…
in Egypt (Ezekiel 20:5-9)
in the Wilderness (Ezekiel 20:10-17)
of the 2nd generation (Ezekiel 20:18-26)
upon entering Canaan (Ezekiel 20:27-29)
of Ezekiel’s generation (Ezekiel 20:30-32)
of the Diaspora and Selective Return (Ezekiel 20:33-39)
in the Kingdom Established (Ezekiel 20:40-44)

God refuses the inquiries of His people (Ezekiel 20:1-3)
God refused to respond to the inquiries of Israelites. This ought to be surprising to any Christian with a mature prayer life! We see here that as great as God’s mercy is, there can come a time when God deems enough is enough. The moral state of the Israelites precluded them from capability of knowing the Will of God (Psalm 66:18; Proverbs 28:9; John 7:17).

One of the interesting things about Ezekiel’s prophecies to his people was that they were not collective calls to repentance (as was the case for Jonah’s preaching, or the preaching of other prophets recorded in the Bible). The whole burden of Ezekiel’s prophecies, up to about Ezekiel 25, had to do with the certainty of God’s judgment that was coming, and why it had to come.

God charges Israel of her rebellion in Egypt (Ezekiel 20:4-10)
God goes back to the very beginning when He called these people out of the land of Egypt, delivered them out of their slavery there, and brought them into the wilderness.

“... I chose Israel” (Ezekiel 20:5)
The basis here is God’s sovereign choice (Cf. Exodus 6:1-4; Deuteronomy 7:6; Jeremiah 33:24; Isaiah 40-66; Genesis 15:17-21) – It wasn’t that the Israelites (or even us, Christians, today) who chose God. GOD FIRST CHOSE US.

“... idols of Egypt” (Ezekiel 20:7)
God highlights the idolatry of Israelites. Their idolatry is also hinted in other verses (Leviticus 17:7, 18:3; Exodus 6:6-7; Joshua 24:14, etc.).

Leviticus 17:7
They must no longer offer any of their sacrifices to the goat idols to whom they prostitute themselves. This is to be a lasting ordinance for them and for the generations to come.

“Goat idols,” in Hebrew, is “seirim,” which was the symbol of the false god, Pan, whom the Israelites have gone “a-whoring” (using Dr. Missler’s terminology).

The call of God by Moses was as much to them to separate from idols and follow Jehovah as it was to Pharaoh to let them go forth; hence the need of their being removed out of the contagion of Egyptian idolatries by the exodus. Israel did not invent the golden calf; they were falling back to a practice that they had observed in Egypt (resembling the Egyptian ox, Apis; Cf. Exodus 32:4).

The problem of idol worship is that it isn’t just some meaningless sense of superstition. There is involvement of evil spirits, and participating in idol worship often grants entry into our lives for the evil spirits.

His Name’s Sake
God would have been justified to just wipe out the Israelites. Repeatedly, however, He extended His mercy and grace to them for His Name’s sake.

The relationship was not just between God and Israel: It was intended to be a demonstration, a form of visibility, to the nations around there. He did this only for His name’s sake, for His glory among those nations.

God was attempting to communicate to all nations that He was a righteous God, therefore He had to judge sin. On the other hand, He wanted to demonstrate His mercy. However, that ran the risk of being misunderstood by the nations around them that He was not powerful enough to enforce His own laws.
Moses understood the significance of God’s Name’s sake and used that when he negotiated; he would plead on behalf of His Name’s sake (Exodus 32:12, Numbers 14:16).

God would thus make a very dramatic demonstration to show Himself strong, not only to the Egyptians but to all the world. And the name of God was indeed heard throughout the world—For example, during the days of Joshua, Rahab admitted to the two spies that she and her people (Gentiles) have heard of the Hebrew God.

God charges Israel of her rebellion in the wilderness (Ezekiel 20:11-20)
All the way through this part of Ezekiel, we see many statements of “I, I, I”—Emphasizing that God is the primary agent of action here. Yes, God called on godly men to bid His Will, but the greater point here is that GOD DID IT. God led them out of Egypt; God led them into the Wilderness; etc.
God is showing us here that the Law gives life (Ezekiel 20:11-20). Ezekiel recognized, almost in the very language of Deuteronomy 30:16-20, as fully as the writers of Psalms 19 and 119 had recognized, the excellence of the Law.

Why couldn’t the Israelites keep the Law? Because there was no enablement of keeping the Law mentioned by Paul in Romans 8:3 – and because they couldn’t keep the Law, they were dead in their sins. Worse, there was also no provision of life, mentioned in Galatians 3:21, and so they remained dead in their sins.

Both the enablement of keeping the Law (Romans 8:3) and the provision of life (Galatians 3:21) did not become available until the arrival of Jesus Christ!

“… my Sabbaths” (Ezekiel 20:13)
Note that the Sabbath was first instituted at Sinai, as if it were an exclusively Jewish ordinance (Genesis 2:2-3), but it was then more formally enacted, when, owing to the apostasy of the world from the original revelation, one people was called out to be the covenant-people of God (Deuteronomy 5:15). The Sabbath was a sign that the Lord was their God, and they were His people (Ezekiel 20:20; Exodus 31:12-17; Isaiah 66:2-4). The Sabbath was a SIGN of their covenant relationship with God.

The observance of the Sabbath contemplated by God was not a mere outward rest but a spiritual dedication of the day to the glory of God and the good of man. Otherwise it would not be, as it is made, the pledge of universal sanctification (Exodus 31:12-17; Isaiah 58:13-14). All sanctity will flourish or decay, according as this ordinance is observed in its full spirituality or not.

The generation that went into the wilderness rebelled against God, and He let them die in the wilderness. They “rebelled” in the very place where death and terror were on every side and where they depended on His miraculous bounty every moment!

“... for the sake of my name” (Ezekiel 20:14)
Psalms 95:11; 106:26; Numbers 14:20-35; Cf. Hebrews 4:1-11

Israel “profaned” God’s holy name (Cf. Ezekiel 36:20). The Third Commandment deals with our ambassadorship (Exodus 20:7) — Proverbs 30:9 is one of the verses that validates this view.

God charges Israel of her second generation having rebelled against God (Ezekiel 20:21-26)
The next generation of Israelites was also rebellious and no better than their fathers (Numbers 25:1, 2; Deuteronomy 31:27). The Israelites fell into the fearful apostasy on the plains of Moab at the close of the wilderness sojourn.

“… among the nations and scatter them” (Ezekiel 20:23)
This was known as the period of Diaspora (not just the Babylonian Captivity; Cf. Deuteronomy 28:63-68).

“ So I gave them other statutes that were not good and laws through which they could not live” (Ezekiel 20:25)
Since the Israelites would not follow God’s statutes that were good, God gave them their own (Ezekiel 20:18) and their fathers’ statutes, “which were not good” – These statutes were spiritually corrupting and subsequently destroyed them. This was an example of righteous retribution (Cf. Psalm 81:12; Hosea 8:11; Romans 1:24; 2 Thessalonians 2:11; Isaiah 63:17).

On the plains of Moab (Numbers 25:1-18), in chastisement for the secret unfaithfulness to God in their hearts, God permitted Baal’s worshippers, proving the inward unsoundness of the tempted. This ended necessarily in punitive judgments.

“I defiled them” (Ezekiel 20:26)
God judicially gave up the Israelites to pollute themselves. This was a just retribution for their polluting of God’s Sabbaths (Ezekiel 20:24).

God charges Israel for rebelling against God upon entering Canaan (Ezekiel 20:27-29)

“…any high hill” (Ezekiel 20:28)
This refers to Canaanite idolatry.

Throughout the Bible, we see references made against the “groves” and the “high hills.” Why? “Groves,” “high hills” are phallic symbols and such that point to Canaanite idolatry. Canaanite idolatry also included perverse sexual practices.
Bamah (Ezekiel 20:29) means “high place” in Hebrew. “Ba” means “to go;” mah means “where.” Bamah thus is a contemptuous pun, because it literally means “going nowhere.”

God charges Israel’s rebellion in Ezekiel’s generation (Ezekiel 20:30-32)
The questions asked by God were obviously rhetorical questions with the implied answer of the Israelites continuing to choose to defile themselves with false idols.

“Am I to let you inquire of me, you Israelites?” (Ezekiel 20:31)
This is paired with the opening verses. All of the above charges were a part of the presentation to the elders of Israel who had come to inquire of God. God was basically saying, “Shall I be inquired of by YOU?!”

The Israelites have for nineteen centuries dispersed among all nations, without a home, but still remained a distinct people. This is a standing witness for the truth of the prophecy given so long ago.

Passages up to this point have all been historical: Egypt, the deliverance, the wilderness wanderings and so forth. Now, we are shifting to the future.
Ezekiel 20:33-39: The Devine Re-Gathering
Ezekiel 20:40-44: The Future Blessing

The Diaspora and the Devine Re-gathering (Ezekiel 20:33-39)
The scattering of His people and then the re-gathering mentioned through these passages aren’t just speaking of re-gathering them from Babylonian captivity. This idea of scattering and re-gathering is stated throughout the Bible (see notes below), and as hinted by these passages here, it reaches far beyond their current Babylonian captivity. Despite scattering His people, God tells the Israelites that He intends to bring them back into the land. God’s purpose with Israel will yet be fulfilled.

The Re-gathering
• The Diaspora: The Israelites were dispersed into all the nations (Deuteronomy 30:1-11) and re-gathered in stages (Ezekiel 36).
• “The 2nd time”: May 14, 1948 (Isaiah 11:11-16). The first time the Lord re-gathered His people was after the Babylonian captivity. The second re-gathering of God’s people started on May 14, 1948 to the present day.

Israel is going to attain their role. What God had wanted them to do was be the mechanism by which He could show Himself strong throughout the earth. They failed at that all through history, but in this period, they are going to achieve that destiny (Isaiah 49:17-23; 60:1-22; 61:4-6; Cf. Isaiah 61:7-10; Jeremiah 23:1-8).

It will be interesting to note how the “north country” (Jeremiah 23:8) is earmarked in these forthcoming passages. The country that is predominately north of Israel is Russia, the descendants of the Magog (the Scythians). We will get into this more in Ezekiel 36, 37, 38, 39; Cf. Amos 9:11-15 and Zechariah 10:8-12).

“… as you pass under my rod” (Ezekiel 20:37)
The concept of being “passed under the rod” is like a shepherd counts sheep (Cf. Leviticus 27:32; Jeremiah 33:13; Matthew 25:31-40).

“… you will loathe yourselves” (Ezekiel 20:43)
When God gives the insight to see our sin, we are filled with loathing. Job experienced that in Job 42; so did Isaiah in Isaiah 6 when he saw the Throne of God and realized the righteousness of God, he loathed himself. Apparently Israel will also, when they realize, as they look back at their history, they will loathe themselves for their unbelief and for the evils they have committed against the Lord.


EZEKIEL 21: THE PROPHECY OF THE SWORD (Ezekiel 20:45-21:32)

Up to this point, the mercy of God has been extended, but now coming judgment is inevitable and there is no alternative.
The sword in view here is Nebuchadnezzar. In 588 BC, he had a campaign to quell the revolts of Tyre, Judah, and Ammon, the three principalities that were revolting against him. He launched a siege which ended in 586 BC with the destruction of Jerusalem.

Ezekiel 21 is one of the most important chapters in the Book of Ezekiel as it makes it very explicit that the King of Babylon is going to remove the last king of the Davidic line until Messiah comes (Ezekiel 21:25-27).

“... south... south... southland” (Ezekiel 20:46)
Three different Hebrew words were used for each “south.” The three Hebrew words used each also additionally mean “right hand,” “brilliant/midday,” and “dry land,” respectively. Each also describes, respectively, Jerusalem, the holy places, and the land of Israel.

I am about to set fire to you (Ezekiel 20:47)
The whole idea of a fire is judgment. The green tree is generally an idiom for that which bears fruit; and somebody righteous and dry is typically someone spiritually withered (e.g., Luke 23:31).

Ezekiel complains that by this parabolic form of prophecy he only makes himself, and it, a jest to his countrymen. God therefore permits him to express the same prophecy more plainly in Ezekiel 21:1-32.

Future Judgment of Israel
This judgment determines who in that day enters the Kingdom (Psalm 50:1-7; Ezekiel 20:33-44; Malachi 3:2-5; 4:1-2). Israel’s glory is yet future (Romans 11:26). Ancient methods are also to be restored (Isaiah 1:26; Judges 2:18; Matthew 19:28).

Other Future Judgments
• Sheep & Goats (Matthew 25:31-40)
• Bema Seat of Messiah (2 Corinthians 5:10; 1 Corinthians 3:11-15)
• Of Fallen Angels (Jude 1:6)
• Great White Throne (Revelation 20:11)

Plus the two most critical for us:
• This world (at the cross) (John 12:31)
• Self-judgment (to avoid chastisement) (1 Corinthians 11:31-32)

“For on my holy mountain, the high mountain of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD, there in the land all the people of Israel will serve me, and there I will accept them. There I will require your offerings and your choice gifts, along with all your holy sacrifices” (Ezekiel 20:40)
The time is coming when He will accept their offerings and will welcome their offerings: the Kingdom period (Isaiah 66:18; Zechariah 14:16-19).

“I am against you” (Ezekiel 21:3)
This is the first time He has said this about His city of Jerusalem. The righteous and the wicked take the place of the “green” and the “dry” tree (Cf. Ezekiel 20:47).

“... my sword...”
The “sword” is the fire of Ezekiel 20:47 (Cf. Ezekiel 21:5; 30:24-25; 32:10). The sword drawn against Israel is Nebuchadnezzar (Cf. Ezekiel 21:19; 12:13; 17:20).

“… it will not return again” (Ezekiel 21:5)
The time for judgment has come.

“Groan before them with broken heart and bitter grief” (Ezekiel 21:6)
The Lord was instructing Ezekiel to express his breaking heart and emotion, in order to convey, through him, the intensity that God felt here.

“Every heart will melt with fear and every hand go limp; every spirit will become faint and every leg will be wet with urine” (Ezekiel 21:7)
This was speaking of the coming judgment of Nebuchadnezzar on them in 588-586 BC.

Titus the Roman came in 70 AD and leveled Jerusalem—just as Nebuchadnezzar is about to do in Ezekiel’s time (Cf. Isaiah 24:17; 66:16; Luke 21:26).

“Mark out two roads for the sword of the king of Babylon to take” (Ezekiel 21:19)
There is a fork in the road, and God asked Ezekiel to now draw a map: Southwest it went to Judah and Jerusalem; Southeast it went to Rabbath-Ammon. The prophet was commanded to mark on the sand, or possibly on a brick or tile (Cf. Ezekiel 4:1), two lines representing two roads which the king of Babylon and his army would follow. These roads come forth from the same land, Babylon, and follow the same route hundreds of miles to the Orontes Valley before diverging.

In Greco-Roman times, Rabbath was called Philadelphia; today it is known as Amman. It is situated at the source of the Jabbok, twenty-five miles northeast of the Dead Sea. Rabbath-Ammon lay on one road and Jerusalem on the other. Both were guilty of conspiracy against Babylon (Jeremiah 27:1-3).

Divination (Ezekiel 21:21)
One way of divining known by the Greeks was to put arrows into a quiver, with names (in this case probably Rabbath and Jerusalem) written on them. Another way was to consult images (Judges 18:18; Hosea 3:4). A third way was hepatoscopy, familiar in Greek, Etrurian, and Roman divination: They would cut open an animal, typically a sheep, and depending on the marks of the liver, decide what the choice might be.

The Lord was not here sanctioning the use of divination. He knew how the Babylonian king was going to do it and, of course, the Lord had it come out so that Jerusalem was the king’s choice (Proverbs 16:33).

“Take off the turban, remove the crown. It will not be as it was” (Ezekiel 21:26)
God is speaking of Zedekiah, who was to be brought low, and there will not be another king to sit upon the throne of David “until Shiloh come.”

“The crown will not be restored until he to whom it rightfully belongs shall come; to him I will give it” (Ezekiel 21:27)
This is Ezekiel’s first distinct reference to the personal Messiah, who will have the right to wear the crown and will be a true king (Cf. Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 2; Ezekiel 34:23). The repetition expresses the superlative degree (Cf. Isaiah 6:3; Jeremiah 22:29).

The key here is that the Messiah will not just be the King but also the High Priest. There are only 3 groups of people who are both kings AND priests: Melchizedek, Jesus, and the Church.

Hebrews 5-7: Jesus as the High Priest comes after the order of Melchizedek, not Aaron.
(Cf. Psalm 110:2-4; Isaiah 9:6; Zechariah 6; Psalm 72; Isaiah 9:6; 42:1; Jeremiah 23:5; 33:17)

Jacob’s Final Prophecy
Genesis 49:10
The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler's staff from between his feet, until he to whom it belongs shall come and the obedience of the nations shall be his.

The Scepter
The scepter refers to their tribal identity and their right to apply and enforce Mosaic Laws and adjudicate capital offenses: jus gladii. Even during their 70-year Babylonian captivity (606-537 BC), the tribes retained their tribal identity. They retained their own logistics, judges, etc. (Ezekiel 1:5,8). [Josh MacDowell, Evidence that Demands a Verdict, pp. 108-168.]

Shiloh
Shiloh: he whose it is -- “The scepter will not depart from Judah until He comes to whom it belongs.” The term “Shiloh” was understood by the early rabbis and Talmudic authorities as referring to the Messiah. [Targum Onkelos; Targum Jonathan; Targum Yerusahlmi. Cf. The Messiah: An Aramaic Interpretation; The Messianic Exegesis of the Targum, Samson H. Levy, Hebrew Union College Jewish Institute of Religion, Cincinnati, 1974.]

The Scepter Departs
Herod the Great died. Herod Antipater had been murdered. Herod Archelaus was appointed “Entharch” by Caesar Augustus but was broadly rejected: Dethroned, Banished (6-7 AD), Cf. Josephus, Antiqities, 17:13.

Caponius was appointed Procurator—the legal power of the Sanhedrin was immediately restricted and the adjudication of capital cases was lost. This was normal Roman policy (Cf. Josephus, Wars of the Jews, 2:8.). After the death of the procurator Festus, when Albinus was about to succeed him, the high priest Ananius considered it a favorable opportunity to assemble the Sanhedrin. He therefore caused James, the brother of Jesus, who was called Christ, and several others, to appear before this hastily assembled council, and pronounced upon them the sentence of death by stoning. All the wise men and strict observers of the law who were at Jerusalem expressed their disapprobation of this act... Some even went to Albinus himself, who had departed to Alexandria, to bring this breach of the law under his observation, and to inform him that Aranius had acted illegally in assembling the Sanhedrin without the Roman authority. [Josephus, Antiquities, 20:9]

The priests officially mourned: “Woe unto us for the scepter has departed from Judah and the Messiah has not come!” (Cf. Babylonian Talmud, Chapter 4, folio 37.) They believed the Word of God had failed! The scepter had, indeed, been removed from Judah, but Shiloh had come.

While the Jews wept in the streets of Jerusalem, a young son of a carpenter was growing up in Nazareth. He would present Himself as the Meshiach Nagid, Messiah the King, on the very day which had been predicted by the Angel Gabriel to Daniel five centuries earlier (Daniel 9:24-27)!

From Zedekiah down to the Lord Jesus, there has been no one in the line of David who ever sat on that throne. Ezekiel is saying that no one would ever be able to do so. The Lord Jesus is the only One who will.

Right now He is sitting at God’s right hand, waiting until His enemies are made His footstool when He comes to this earth to rule (Cf. Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 2:1-4; Matthew 3:2).

“This is what the Sovereign LORD says about the Ammonites and their insults” (Ezekiel 21:28)
Ezekiel now turns to the other city: denouncing judgment against Ammon, without the prospect of a restoration such as awaited Israel. Rabbat of the Ammonites was the other city mentioned in Ezekiel 21:20 along with Jerusalem. The lot fell on Jerusalem as the first one to be dealt with.

Now it is Ammon’s turn.

Ammon
Ammon and Jerusalem, though enemies, had allied against Babylon. When Nebuchadnezzar decided to attack Jerusalem, Ammon was relieved and happy. They were thankful that Jerusalem would suffer in their place. In fact, after Jerusalem’s fall the Ammonites organized a coup that caused the death of Gedaliah, the governor of the land appointed by Nebuchadnezzar (Jeremiah 40:13-41:10).

The Ammonites tried to set up another government in Israel that would be opposed to Babylon—probably so Nebuchadnezzar would again attack Judah instead of Ammon! Five years after the fall of Jerusalem, Ammon was destroyed for aiding Ishmael in usurping the government of Judea against the will of the king of Babylon (2 Kings 25:25; Jeremiah 41:15).
Ammon, too, had false diviners who flattered them with assurances of safety; the only result of which will be to add the Ammonites to the headless trunks of the slain of Judah, and “whose day” of visitation for their guilt “is come.”

Ezekiel is speaking of the judgment of the Ammonites, but we also have again the expression, “when their iniquity shall have an end,” suggesting the end of this age (Cf. 2 Thessalonians 2:8).

“You will be remembered no more” (Ezekiel 21:32)
In contrast to Israel, there would be no future restoration for Ammon. The sword is against Ammon in this latter part of Ezekiel 21. Ezekiel 25 is going to deal also with this judgment against Ammon. Ammon rejoiced at the fall of Jerusalem, as did Edom as well. Of course Edom is the subject of Obadiah’s prophecy, while Ammon is the subject of both this and some subsequent remarks.


MESSIANIC AGENDA (Matthew 23:37-39)
• The Purpose of all history
• The Tragedy of all history
• The Triumph of all history

History is God’s answer to man’s questions!

The Purpose of All History

Matthew 23:37 
Jerusalem, Jerusalem, you who kill the prophets and stone those sent to you, how often I have longed to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings…

The purpose of all history is that God might gather His children together. (Jerusalem is a synecdoche for all of Israel). The image of the mother bird gathering and covering her brood is a familiar one. Moses used it in his farewell sermon (Deuteronomy 32:11). It is a picture of love, tender care, and a willingness to die to protect others. Jesus did die for the sins of the world, including the nation of Israel. Sadly, “His own received Him not” (John 1:11).

The Tragedy of All History

Matthew 23:37-38 
… and you were not willing. Look, your house is left to you desolate.

The Triumph of All History

Matthew 23:39 
For I tell you, you will not see me again until you say, ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.

“... until”
Jesus left the nation with a promise: He would one day return, and the nation would see Him and say, “Blessed be He that cometh in the name of the Lord!” This is a quotation from Psalm 118:26, the great messianic psalm that was quoted so many times in His last week of ministry. The crowds had used those very words (Matthew 21:9).


THE 69 WEEKS (Daniel 9:25)

Daniel 9:25
Know and understand this: From the time the word goes out to restore and rebuild Jerusalem until the Anointed One, the ruler, comes, there will be seven 'sevens,' and sixty-two 'sevens.' It will be rebuilt with streets and a trench, but in times of trouble.

The Meshiach Nagid -- “The Messiah the King”
The prediction is to the presentation of the Messiah the King (dygIn Nagid = “ruler, captain, prince,” is first used of King Saul, 1 Samuel 9:16, 10:1). On several occasions in the New Testament when they attempted to take Jesus as a King, He invariably declined, “Mine hour is not yet come.” (John 6:15; 7:30, 44) Then one day, He arranges it.

The Triumphal Entry

Zechariah 9:9
Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Luke 19:38-40
Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “If they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”

Jesus held them accountable to recognize this very day (Luke 19:41-44)! 

Judgment Declared

Luke 19:41-44 
As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes. The days will come upon you when your enemies will build an embankment against you and encircle you and hem you in on every side. They will dash you to the ground, you and the children within your walls. They will not leave one stone on another, because you did not recognize the time of God’s coming to you.

The Interval

Daniel 9:26
After the sixty-two 'sevens,' the Anointed One will be put to death and will have nothing. The people of the ruler who will come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end will come like a flood: War will continue until the end, and desolations have been decreed.

Rabbinical Confirmations of Daniel 9:26
• Messianic; prior to the Temple destroyed [Yalkut, Vol II, 32b, p.79 Nazir edition.]
• Messiah to exit prior to 33 a.d. [Midrash Berishit, p.243 Warsaw edition; re: Yakov Prasch.]

Hosea 5:15
Then I will return to my lair until they have borne their guilt and seek my face-- in their misery they will earnestly seek me.