The Goal of Godliness

¹ Since we have these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit, bringing holiness to completion in the fear of God. – 2 Corinthians 7:1 ESV

What promises? Paul has just quoted from several Old Testament passages containing the following promises from God:

I will walk among you and will be your God, and you shall be my people. – Leviticus 26:12 ESV

My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. – Ezekiel 37:27 ESV

I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. – 2 Samuel 7:14 ESV

Now, with those promises in mind, he asks: what should our reaction be? How should we respond? Paul is reminding his readers that they, like the Old Testament ancestors, have been set apart by God. He has chosen them to be His people and graciously agreed to be their God. He has consecrated them and set them apart from the rest of the nations to be His own possession. As the children of God, they were to live separately and distinctively from the rest of the world; that does not mean that Christians are to live their lives in isolation or in some kind of segregated society, separated from the rest of the world. This is not a call to monastic isolationism, but to sanctification or holiness.

Paul expected the believers to whom he was writing to live in such a way that their behavior differentiated them from everyone else. In the garden on the night He was betrayed, Jesus prayed that His followers would be in the world but not of it.

I have given them your word. And the world hates them because they do not belong to the world, just as I do not belong to the world. I’m not asking you to take them out of the world, but to keep them safe from the evil one. They do not belong to this world any more than I do. Make them holy by your truth; teach them your word, which is truth. – John 17:14-17 NLT

The promise of citizenship in God’s Kingdom was to create in them a passion to live as who God had called them to be. They were His possession, and their lives were to reflect that unique privilege and totally undeserved position. They were to cleanse themselves from every defilement of body and spirit. Their former lives were like stained and soiled garments that required the removal of the impurities that accompanied their sinful flesh. Their old habits and sinful predilections had to be systematically and regularly done away with.

In his letter to the Thessalonians, Paul emphasized the essential nature of this ongoing cleansing of the believer’s life.

God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor—not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a Christian brother in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-7 NLT

The privilege of sonship comes with responsibilities. As children of God, we are to behave in such a way that our lives honor our heavenly Father. Ongoing sin is not to be a defining characteristic of the child of God. Paul was not insinuating that Christians cannot or will not sin. He would have wholeheartedly agreed with the apostle John's assessment.:

If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts. – 1 John 1:8-10 NLT

The presence of and potential for sin is not eliminated when we come to faith in Christ, but sin’s power over us is. We are set free from its control. The Holy Spirit’s presence within us provides us with the supernatural capacity to choose righteousness over unrighteousness. We can refuse to give in to the temptations that once captivated and controlled us. 

Paul’s point in all of this is that our salvation in Christ has a second step: our ongoing sanctification. Coming to faith in Christ is to be accompanied by our continuous transformation into His likeness. And it is as we cleanse ourselves from every defilement of body and spirit that we experience what Paul refers to as “bringing holiness to completion.” The goal of our salvation is our ultimate glorification by God, the day when He will complete the process of renewal and reformation of our lives by giving us a new, completely sanctified body. Sin will be completely eliminated, and our transformation into the likeness of Christ will be complete. John describes that day in the following way:

Dear friends, we are already God's children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is. – 1 John 3:2 NLT

In the meantime, as we wait for that day, we are to strive toward holiness, and to accomplish that objective, we must put off our old sinful nature and put on our new nature. That requires us to allow the Holy Spirit to expose the sin in our lives so we can confess it and enjoy the forgiveness Christ paid for. We are to flee sin and pursue righteousness. Paul repeatedly called believers to pursue a life of radical reformation and holy living.

Run from sexual sin! No other sin so clearly affects the body as this one does. For sexual immorality is a sin against your own body. – 1 Corinthians 6:18 NLT

Run from anything that stimulates youthful lusts. Instead, pursue righteous living, faithfulness, love, and peace. Enjoy the companionship of those who call on the Lord with pure hearts. – 2 Timothy 2:22 NLT

…so run from all these evil things. Pursue righteousness and a godly life, along with faith, love, perseverance, and gentleness. – 1 Timothy 6:11 NLT

Therefore, if anyone cleanses himself from what is dishonorable, he will be a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work. – 2 Timothy 2:21 ESV

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. – Colossians 3:5 NLT

If you have been called by God to be His child, live like it. If you know the joy of having your debt to God paid for and your sins forgiven because of Jesus’ death on the cross, your lifestyle should reflect your gratitude and your recognition that you are a new creation with a new capacity to pursue holiness rather than sinfulness.

A child’s behavior reflects back on their parents. In the same way, our behavior as sons and daughters of God reflects back on our heavenly Father. Our attitudes and actions should honor Him, and our behavior should glorify Him. It was Jesus who said, “Let your good deeds shine out for all to see, so that everyone will praise your heavenly Father” (Matthew 5:16 NLT). Peter echoed that sentiment when he wrote: “Be careful to live properly among your unbelieving neighbors. Then even if they accuse you of doing wrong, they will see your honorable behavior, and they will give honor to God when he judges the world” (1 Peter 2:12 NLT).

Pursue holiness, strive after righteousness, and make godliness your goal — all for the glory of God and the good of others. 

Father, I fully believe that I have been imputed the righteousness of Christ. When You look at me, You see me through the purifying power of His blood. Yet, I know that sin remains a constant reality in my life. I wrestle with it daily. But I know it’s power over me has been broken because of Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection. Sin grip has lost its hold on me. But I need Your constant assistance in putting my old nature to death. Thank You for providing the Holy Spirit as my sin-slaying advocate who provides me with the power to pursue righteousness and to reject ungodliness. I don’t always listen to His prompting or avail myself of His power, but I am grateful that He never leaves me or forsakes me. He continually convicts and confronts me about my sin and graciously leads me back on the the right path. It’s an ongoing battle, but I know that one day, You will bring my holiness to completion. My future glorification is guaranteed because Your Son died, was buried, raised to life, and glorified. One day, He will return and finish what He began. In the meantime, give me the strength to live in this fallen world as a citizen of Your Kingdom. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Protection For Our Affections

15 I speak as to sensible people; judge for yourselves what I say. 16 The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? 17 Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread. 18 Consider the people of Israel: are not those who eat the sacrifices participants in the altar? 19 What do I imply then? That food offered to idols is anything, or that an idol is anything? 20 No, I imply that what pagans sacrifice they offer to demons and not to God. I do not want you to be participants with demons. 21 You cannot drink the cup of the Lord and the cup of demons. You cannot partake of the table of the Lord and the table of demons. 22 Shall we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than he? – 1 Corinthians 10:15-22 ESV

As far as Paul is concerned, this is all about our affections; it is about what we love and choose to prioritize in our lives. As Paul addresses the issue of idols and meat sacrificed to them, he is not implying that the idols actually represent other gods. In fact, he says that when the pagans offer sacrifices to their idols, they are actually sacrificing to demons. The fact that the gods they worshiped were non-existent did not make their activity any less sinful. They were giving their affections to something they believed existed. They were associating themselves with a god who represented an alternative to the one true God, and they were joining with those who shared their beliefs, participating in worship and the offering of sacrifices together. When they held their feasts, they were doing so with those who were of like mind.

Paul uses the Lord’s Table to illustrate what he means. Paul asks the Corinthians to consider that when they take the cup and the bread together as part of communion, “is it not a participation in the body of Christ” (1 Corinthians 10:16 ESV)? The Lord’s Table was a common celebration and commemoration of their shared belief in the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ. When the Israelites made sacrifices to God at the altar in the Tabernacle or Temple, did they not do so with a sense of shared belief in God? And Paul insists that the pagans are doing the very same thing. By participating together in their sacrificial services, feasts, and celebrations, they express their common bond as worshipers of their particular god, whether that god is false or real. And when the Corinthians joined them in their celebrations, they were aligning themselves with the pagan worshipers and their false gods, or, as Paul indicates, demons.

“Paul’s line of reasoning proceeds as follows: Christians who eat the bread at the Lord’s Supper express their solidarity with one another and with Christ. Likewise, Jews who ate the meat of animals offered in the sacrifices of Judaism expressed their solidarity with one another and with the God of Israel. Therefore Christians who eat the meat offered to pagan gods as part of pagan worship express their solidarity with pagans and with the pagan deities.” – Thomas L. Constable, Notes of 1 Corinthians, 2007 Edition

There is a spiritual dimension to virtually everything we do. We are spiritual beings, and there is a spiritual battle taking place all around us, hidden from our view, but as real as the air we breathe. Paul warned the Ephesians about this spiritual war.

For we are not fighting against flesh-and-blood enemies, but against evil rulers and authorities of the unseen world, against mighty powers in this dark world, and against evil spirits in the heavenly places. – Ephesians 6:12 NLT

There is very little in life that is not impacted and influenced by this unseen spiritual conflict. While we may view a particular action or activity as amoral, being neither right nor wrong and not prohibited by God, we need to walk carefully. It is essential that we examine our motives and check our affections. We need to ask ourselves why this activity is so important to us. Would we be unwilling to give it up if the circumstances required it? There were those in the Corinthian church who were eating meat that had been sacrificed to false gods. They were even participating alongside pagan worshipers at the feasts associated with those false gods. But their rationale was that these gods did not exist, so their activity was perfectly acceptable. However, Paul warns them that if their participation caused a brother or sister in Christ to stumble, they were wrong. Not only that, but by joining in the feasts alongside idol worshipers, they were expressing unity with them. To the rest of the world, both pagan and Christian, they appeared to be one with those who worship false gods. And as if that was not bad enough, Paul indicates that they are really associating themselves with demons.

There are many things we are free to do as followers of Jesus Christ. But that does not mean that all of them are things we should do. We are free to read books other than the Bible, but it is imperative that we give thought to the content of the books that we read. As believers, we are free to watch TV and movies, but not every show is one we should expose ourselves to. We need to examine the content and consider the message it sends. There are very few movies that do not have an agenda. The world we live in is heavily influenced by the unseen spiritual battle taking place behind the scenes. Satan will use any resource available to him to influence our affections and diminish our dedication to God.

It always goes back to our affections. When God commanded the Israelites to have no other gods but Him, He was not suggesting that these gods actually existed. He simply knew that He had wired mankind for worship. God’s intention was that humanity share its affections with Him, but men and women are fully capable of giving those affections away.

When the Pharisees asked Jesus to name which was the greatest commandment given by God, He responded, “You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind” (Matthew 22:37 ESV). The most daunting challenge we face as Christians involves our affections. Do we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and mind? The answer is no, because we can’t. We are incapable of doing so. But that does not mean we should not try to make it a high priority in our lives.

The enemy wants to get our minds off of God and to distract our affections from God. He wants our souls to be satisfied by something other than God. There is a spiritual battle taking place all around us, and Satan subtly uses the seemingly innocuous and inconspicuous things of this world to deceive us. Our failure to believe in the demonic realm does not make it non-existent. Just because we don’t see the spiritual warfare taking place all around us doesn’t mean it isn’t there. Because the battle is invisible, we need to arm ourselves with the spiritual weapons God provides. We need spiritual discernment and divine assistance to fight an invisible yet real battle. That is why Paul told the Ephesians, “Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm” (Ephesians 6:13 NLT).

God offers us protection for our affections and a way of escape from every temptation.

God is faithful. He will not allow the temptation to be more than you can stand. When you are tempted, he will show you a way out so that you can endure. – 1 Corinthians 10:13 NLT

Father, we live under constant siege from the enemy, but sometimes act as if the battle is not even real. Through compromise and complacency, we make alliances with the enemy and allow his subtle lies to dilute our faith and diminish our dependence on You. If we refuse to spend time in Your Word, we will be easy prey for the enemy’s deception. We will find ourselves defenseless and powerless to resist his temptations. He loves to deceive us and cause us to compromise our convictions. He doesn’t waste his time trying to get us to walk away from the faith; he simply tries to make our faith a non-factor in the way we walk. But You have called us to live set-apart lives that reflect Your character and demonstrate the Spirit’s power within us. Don’t allow us to compromise or grow complacent. Keep us alert to the enemy’s lies and more determined than ever to live according to the truth of Your Word. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Joy of a Distraction-Free Life

32 I want you to be free from anxieties. The unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord. 33 But the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife, 34 and his interests are divided. And the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit. But the married woman is anxious about worldly things, how to please her husband. 35 I say this for your own benefit, not to lay any restraint upon you, but to promote good order and to secure your undivided devotion to the Lord.

36 If anyone thinks that he is not behaving properly toward his betrothed, if his passions are strong, and it has to be, let him do as he wishes: let them marry—it is no sin. 37 But whoever is firmly established in his heart, being under no necessity but having his desire under control, and has determined this in his heart, to keep her as his betrothed, he will do well. 38 So then he who marries his betrothed does well, and he who refrains from marriage will do even better.

39 A wife is bound to her husband as long as he lives. But if her husband dies, she is free to be married to whom she wishes, only in the Lord. 40 Yet in my judgment she is happier if she remains as she is. And I think that I too have the Spirit of God. – 1 Corinthians 7:32-40 ESV

There is little doubt that Paul’s view is a bit idealistic. His motivation is sincere, but he is looking at the situation through the lens of his own life. He was a single man who had totally dedicated his life to the mission of spreading the gospel among the Gentile nations. He was totally committed to the commission given to him by Christ and would not allow anything or anyone to distract him. When Paul said, “I wish that all were as I myself am” (1 Corinthians 7:7 ESV), he was referring to his singleness. To the unmarried, he stated his opinion that “it is good for them to remain single as I am” (1 Corinthians 7:8 ESV).

Paul knew that life could be difficult and was full of commitments and requirements on one’s time. There are the daily demands of life, such as work, providing for one’s family, relational issues, as well as societal demands and expectations. For the married individual, those things multiply exponentially. Which is why Paul advocated singleness. But this is where his idealistic nature comes out. He says, “the unmarried man is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to please the Lord” (1 Corinthians 7:32 ESV). In an ideal world, an undistracted, fully dedicated Christ-follower may find himself “anxious about the things of the Lord,” but not necessarily. There are plenty of unmarried men and women who find themselves anxious about anything and everything but the Lord. Singleness is not an antidote to spiritual distraction or the cure for an anemic commitment to Christ.

There is little doubt that the fewer earthly commitments and distractions we have, the easier it should be for us to dedicate our time and attention to the things of God. But it doesn’t always work out that way.

Paul writes, “the married man is anxious about worldly things, how to please his wife” (1 Corinthians 7:33 ESV). He is not saying a husband’s commitment to care for the needs of his wife and family is wrong. He is simply emphasizing the reality that the married individual will have a more difficult time finding the time to serve God without neglecting his family. Again, Paul is not indicating that caring for one’s wife and family is somehow unspiritual or insignificant. In reality, Paul knew well that a Christian was required by God to love his or her spouse and family well. They were to live out their faith in Christ within the context of the marriage union and display a Christ-like determination to love sacrificially and selflessly.

To be a godly wife or husband is a huge commitment, and that seems to be Paul’s point. As a single man, Paul was completely free to go and do whatever God demanded of him. He had few, if any, commitments that would keep him from responding to God’s call on his life.

Ideally, “the unmarried or betrothed woman is anxious about the things of the Lord, how to be holy in body and spirit” (1 Corinthians 7:34 ESV). For Paul, singleness brought a singularity of focus, and he longed for others to experience that same freedom from earthly commitments and concerns. It wasn’t that he experienced no anxiety in his life, but that any anxious moments he had were usually associated with his mission as God’s apostle. Any worries he experienced were not about domestic issues, but about the state of the church.

At one point, Paul told the Galatians, “I am again in the anguish of childbirth until Christ is formed in you!” (Galatians 4:12 ESV). His concern for their spiritual growth was like that of a woman anxiously enduring the pains of labor as she waits for her child to be born, healthy and whole. Paul had few worldly distractions. He didn’t have a “honey-do” list, carpool duties, soccer games to attend, recitals to sit through, or do-it-yourself tasks to perform around the house. He was free to worry about the things of God, and he desired that same level of freedom for every believer. That is why he wrote, “ I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible” (1 Corinthians 7:36 NLT).

Paul makes it clear that he is not making the state of singleness more spiritual than that of marriage. To get married was not a sin, and to remain single did not make you a super saint. For Paul, it was a matter of practicality. Single people face fewer distractions and demands. They have more discretion regarding their time.  Paul told Timothy, “No soldier gets entangled in civilian pursuits, since his aim is to please the one who enlisted him” (2 Timothy 2:4 ESV). He seems to have had in mind a stipulation within the Mosaic law.

When a man is newly married, he shall not go out with the army or be liable for any other public duty. He shall be free at home one year to be happy with his wife whom he has taken. – Deuteronomy 24:5 ESV

Undivided attention is difficult when you have divided allegiances. Paul’s primary point in all of this has to do with devotion to God. He believed strongly that he was living in the last days and conducted his life as if Christ could return at any moment. There was no time to waste. The gospel needed to be taken to the ends of the earth. The message of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone needed to be heard by every person on every continent. To accomplish that formidable mission, Paul knew he needed the help of every able-bodied believer. He simply wanted the Corinthians to know that he was out to secure their undivided devotion to the Lord.

I want you to do whatever will help you serve the Lord best, with as few distractions as possible. – 1 Corinthians 7:35 NLT

As Jesus said, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few” (Luke 10:2 ESV). That is the motivating force behind Paul’s words. He lived with the end in mind and deeply desired that every believer would share his passion for proclaiming the good news of Jesus Christ and experience the joy of a distraction-free life dedicated to the cause of Christ.

Father, it is difficult to argue with Paul’s logic, but it is also difficult to accept his conclusion. As a happily married man, I know firsthand that the role of a husband is full of distractions. My wife could easily testify to the many times I have made her walk with the Lord harder than it has to be. But we both know that God has used our marriage relationship to sanctify and perfect us. I strongly believe that we have accomplished more for the kingdom together than we would have even done on our own. Yet, I hear what Paul is saying. I understand his desire to see more believers sold out to the cause of Christ. Show my wife and me how to use our marriage for the good of the Kingdom. Don’t allow us to turn our divinely ordained union into a self-consumed, it’s-all-about-us relationship that loses sight of the Great Commission and fails to put the needs of others first. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Standing Out Rather Than Blending In

7 I wish that all were as I myself am. But each has his own gift from God, one of one kind and one of another.

8 To the unmarried and the widows I say that it is good for them to remain single, as I am. 9 But if they cannot exercise self-control, they should marry. For it is better to marry than to burn with passion.

10 To the married I give this charge (not I, but the Lord): the wife should not separate from her husband 11 (but if she does, she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband), and the husband should not divorce his wife. – 1 Corinthians 7:7-11 ESV

Paul understood well the necessity of marriage. He believed the institution of marriage had been ordained by God and, when treated properly, could provide believers with the full benefits of their sexuality as intended by God. As far as Paul was concerned, marriage was the only appropriate context for sexual expression between a man and a woman, because that was how God had planned it. However, Paul had a personal appreciation for singleness. Evidently, Paul was unmarried at the time this letter was written. It is uncertain whether Paul had ever been married. But when he writes, “I wish that all were as I myself am,” he is stating a personal opinion, not the will of God. He is not declaring singleness as preferable to marriage. He simply understood that marriage demands a great deal of commitment and sacrifice, requiring each person in the relationship to put the needs of the other ahead of their own.

For Paul, being single allowed him the freedom to dedicate all his time and attention to the spread of the gospel and to his ministry to the growing number of churches around the world. He truly believed that his state of singleness was a gift from God, and it was God who had given him the self-control to live as an unmarried man and to not, as he put it, “burn with passion.” He had a supernatural, God-given capacity to resist the temptations associated with singleness. Lust, an ever-present temptation for every single person, was not an issue for Paul.

Even Jesus alluded to the existence of this gift of singleness. One day, He was confronted by the Pharisees and asked whether it was “lawful to divorce one’s wife for any cause” (Matthew 19:3b ESV). Quoting from the Old Testament, Jesus replied, “‘Therefore a man shall leave his father and his mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.’ So they are no longer two but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let not man separate” (Matthew 19:5-6 ESV). Jesus went on to explain that “whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery—unless his wife has been unfaithful” (Matthew 19:9 NLT). Jesus was declaring marriage to be a binding covenant between two individuals. This declaration led one of the disciples to conclude, “If this is the case, it is better not to marry!” (Matthew 19:10 NLT). To His unnamed disciple’s less-than-enthusiastic statement, Jesus replied, “Not everyone can accept this statement. Only those whom God helps. Some are born as eunuchs, some have been made eunuchs by others, and some choose not to marry for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. Let anyone accept this who can.” (Matthew 19:11-12 NLT).

Jesus Himself never married, for the sake of the Kingdom of Heaven. He said, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will but the will of him who sent me” (John 6:38 ESV). 

When it comes to ministry, singleness has its advantages, but it is not for everyone. So Paul goes on to address those who are married. He speaks first to the women, reminding them that they should not divorce their husbands. Paul was simply repeating the words of Jesus.

“Whoever divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries someone else, she commits adultery.” – Mark 10:11-12 NLT

Paul knew, as Jesus did, that God’s prohibition of divorce did not prevent it from happening. So they both commanded no remarriage after divorce. To do so was to commit adultery. Paul states that if a woman divorces her husband, “she should remain unmarried or else be reconciled to her husband” (1 Corinthians 7:11a ESV). Then he adds, “and the husband should not divorce his wife” (1 Corinthians 7:11b ESV).

Jesus seems to have given only one exception to His no-divorce mandate. When He stated, “whoever divorces his wife, except for sexual immorality, and marries another, commits adultery” (Matthew 19:9 ESV), He appears to present sexual immorality on the part of one of the married partners as the only grounds for divorce. In the case of sexual immorality, the offending partner has broken the covenant of oneness. However, Paul emphasizes that whoever finds themselves divorced for whatever reason should remain single or be reconciled to their partner.

It is important to remember that Paul is calling the Corinthians believers to live out their faith in the midst of a dark, pagan culture where virtually anything was considered acceptable behavior. Divorce was commonplace, and sexual immorality was rampant. Sexual sins of all kinds were prevalent and regularly practiced. That is why he challenges the Corinthians to live lives worthy of their calling as followers of Christ. Their actions and attitudes were to be distinctly different than those of their unbelieving neighbors and friends. Their approach to life was to be determined by their faith, not their feelings. They were to be driven by a desire to please God, rather than the desire to pursue their own physical pleasures. 

It is highly possible that some in the church in Corinth were divorcing their spouses to escape having sexual relations altogether. More than likely, these individuals were influenced by the philosophy of dualism that flourished in Greek culture. This pagan belief taught that anything associated with the body was evil. Divorce allowed them to experience “freedom” from involvement with sex altogether. But that outlook was unbiblical and un-Christian. While the culture around them was distorting God’s views on everything from marriage to human sexuality, Paul was reminding them that they were the church of God, “sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints” (1 Corinthians 1:2 ESV).

Like the Corinthians, we have been called to live lives that are set apart from the world. We are to be holy, different, and distinct. As God’s children, we exist to bring Him glory. As Paul declared to the believers in Ephesus, “we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago” (Ephesians 2:10 NLT).

Father, Your Son made it painfully clear when He stated, “The world would love you as one of its own if you belonged to it, but you are no longer part of the world. I chose you to come out of the world, so it hates you” (John 15:9 NLT). Yet, we often live as if we are still part of this world and we convince ourselves that the world is our friend. But Jesus said the world would hate us just as it hated Him. This world is not our home, but we go out of our way to make ourselves comfortable here. We acclimate, accomodate, compromise, and attempt to co-exist with a system that stands opposed to all that we believe. Paul’s call to live distinctively different lives in the midst of a sin-filled, self-absorbed society still holds true today. Open our eyes to the reality of Your non-negotiable expectation that we live lives worthy of Your calling on our lives. Help us to stand out rather than blend in — for our good and Your glory. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

We Are Far Too Easily Pleased

12 “All things are lawful for me,” but not all things are helpful. “All things are lawful for me,” but I will not be dominated by anything. 13 “Food is meant for the stomach and the stomach for food”—and God will destroy both one and the other. The body is not meant for sexual immorality, but for the Lord, and the Lord for the body. 14 And God raised the Lord and will also raise us up by his power. 15 Do you not know that your bodies are members of Christ? Shall I then take the members of Christ and make them members of a prostitute? Never! 16 Or do you not know that he who is joined to a prostitute becomes one body with her? For, as it is written, “The two will become one flesh.” 17 But he who is joined to the Lord becomes one spirit with him. – 1 Corinthians 6:12-17 ESV

At the heart of Paul’s ongoing discussion with the Corinthians was his defense of and belief in the centrality of the gospel. For Paul, the gospel was about far more than a future residence in heaven. There is no doubt that Paul looked forward to the day when he would be with the Lord in His heavenly kingdom. In fact, in his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul states that he “would rather be away from the body and at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:8 ESV). Speaking of our earthly bodies, Paul says, “we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord” (2 Corinthians 5:2 NLT).

He knew that the day was coming when he would receive a new body, a spiritual body, created by God for eternal life.

For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God himself and not by human hands. – 2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT

But even with the assurance of a redeemed body and a reserved place in eternity, Paul lived with his sights fully set on the present. It was his aim to please God with the life he had been given and to fulfill the commission assigned to him by Christ. It was this view that led him to write, “whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil” (2 Corinthians 5:9-10 ESV).

But what does all this have to do with the passage above? It seems that there were those in the church in Corinth who were living as if what they did in their earthly bodies didn’t matter. As Gentiles living in a Greco-Roman culture, they probably held the view that the body was unimportant; it was nothing more than a receptacle to hold man’s soul.

“The Greeks always looked down on the body. There was a proverbial saying, ‘The body is a tomb.’ Epictetus said, ‘I am a poor soul shackled to a corpse.’” – William Barclay, The Letters to the Corinthians, p. 22.

Evidently, it was this view of the body that led some of the believers in Corinth to commit acts of immorality, and Paul used some of their arguments against them. Some were justifying their actions by saying, “All things are lawful for me.” In other words, they argued that they were free in Christ. As Paul even taught, they were no longer required to keep the Mosaic law and its host of restrictions to be justified before God. However, they were taking their newfound freedom in Christ to an inappropriate extreme, replacing legalism with license. They were embracing Greek dualism, which taught that the body didn’t matter because humans are spiritual beings. This viewpoint was contrary to the gospel because Christ came to redeem body and soul. He died to free us from the future penalty of sin, but also from the present power of sin over our lives. That is why Paul was able to say, “I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me” (Galatians 2:20 ESV). 

As believers, we do experience a newfound freedom in Christ, but that does not mean that everything we are free to do is the right thing to do. Paul said that not all things that are lawful for us are beneficial. For Paul, the gospel was about life change; it was about becoming other-oriented rather than self-focused. It was about dying to self and living for others, just as Jesus had modeled. Paul raises this same issue later in his letter.

You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is good for you. You say, “I am allowed to do anything”—but not everything is beneficial. Don’t be concerned for your own good but for the good of others. – 1 Corinthians 10:23-24 NLT

Living the Christian life isn’t about what is best for me, but what will best benefit the body of Christ and honor God. As Paul so clearly states, “whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31b ESV).

There is a sense in which the Corinthians did not understand the full impact of their conversion. When they accepted Christ as their Savior, they had been joined to Him; they now shared His nature and were inhabited by His Spirit. As Paul states, “your bodies are members of Christ” (1 Corinthians 6:15a ESV).

The Greek word for “members” was commonly used to refer to a limb of the human body, such as an arm or leg. As Christians, we are members of the body of Christ. We have been joined to Him and have a vital role to play in the body’s functionality. He is the head of the body, and we serve as the composite parts. We do not exist for ourselves, and what we do affects the entire body of Christ. That is why Paul asks, “Should a man take his body, which is part of Christ, and join it to a prostitute?” (1 Corinthians 6:15b NLT). And he answers his own question with an emphatic, “Never!”

What we do in our physical bodies has a direct impact on our spiritual lives and the corporate well-being of the body of Christ. We are not dualistic in nature, but holistic. The Hebrew word for “blameless” is תָּמִים (tamiym) and it means “complete, whole, entire, sound, having integrity” (“H8549 - tamiym - Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). We are to live our lives before God with integrity or wholeness. What I think with my mind matters. What I do with my body makes a difference. What I see with my eyes impacts my soul.

Christ died to redeem all of me. He came to save me from what Paul refers to as “this body of death” (Romans 7:24). He died and rose again so that I could have new life here and now. His resurrection proved that He would and could miraculously re-purpose my body for the glory of God. So Paul would remind us, “Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God” (Romans 6:13 NLT).

Father, what a timely reminder that we have been recreated for so much more than we could ever imagine. It reminds me of the quote by C. S. Lewis. “It would seem that our Lord finds our desires not too strong, but too weak. We are half-hearted created fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slim because he cannot imagine what is meant by an offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased” (C. S. Lewis, The Weight of Glory). Your plan of redemption has a future aspect and, yet, we live as if it has no relevant implications for the present world in which we live. Don't let us be satisfied with less. Don't let us be so heavenly minded that we end up being no earthly good. We are new creations who are indwelt by Your Spirit and fully equipped and empowered to walk in newness of life. Let that be our highest priority until Your Son returns. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Spiritual Versus the Natural

14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. 15 The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. 16 “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ. – 1 Corinthians 2:13-16 ESV

The wisdom of God is foolishness to men. The idea that a divine being sent His Son to live as a man and die on a cross to pay for the sins of humanity is ludicrous to them. It is a delusional fable at best or a diabolical lie at worst. But Paul would argue that the problem lies not with the message or with the intent of the messenger; it is that those to whom the message is shared are incapable of receiving it. They are spiritually unable to comprehend it. It would be like an American trying to understand a message spoken to him in a foreign language. The message and the messenger could both be accurate, but the meaning would be lost because the one to whom the message is being given doesn’t speak the language.

The message of the cross is heavenly in nature; it is a spiritually based message that requires interpretation by the Spirit of God. Natural man, as Paul describes him, cannot understand the words and wisdom of God. Paul refers to him as “natural” simply to say that he is not spiritual or of the spirit. Anyone who has not placed their faith in Christ is a natural man or woman; they lack the presence of the indwelling Spirit of God. And as Paul writes, “people who aren’t spiritual can’t receive these truths from God’s Spirit. It all sounds foolish to them and they can’t understand it, for only those who are spiritual can understand what the Spirit means” (1 Corinthians 2:14 NLT). The Spirit of God makes the wisdom and mind of God discernible to human beings. Without His assistance, we would be unable to comprehend the mysterious ways of God.

But it was to us that God revealed these things by his Spirit. For his Spirit searches out everything and shows us God’s deep secrets. No one can know a person’s thoughts except that person’s own spirit, and no one can know God’s thoughts except God’s own Spirit. – 1 Corinthians 2:10-11 ESV

It is impossible for natural man, under the control of his own sinful nature, to discern God’s mind. Even those who placed their faith in Christ as their Savior had to have help from God’s Spirit just to believe. Their eyes had to be opened and their hearts regenerated by the Spirit to comprehend the life-changing nature of the gospel message.

“The natural person can, of course, understand the gospel and experience salvation but only because the Holy Spirit illuminates his or her understanding.” – Robert A. Pyne, “The Role of the Holy Spirit in Conversion,” Bibliotheca Sacra 150:598 (April-June 1993):204-5).

The moment the Spirit opens the eyes of the natural person so that they can see and accept the wonderful message of God’s gracious gift of salvation through Christ, He comes to dwell within them. They go from being natural to spiritual. The word Paul uses is πνευματικός (pneumatikos) and it means “one who is filled with and governed by the Spirit of God” (“G4152 - pneumatikos - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible).

Because of the Spirit’s presence within them, Christ-followers have the capacity to understand the things of the Spirit, or, as Paul refers to them, spiritual truths. It is not the wisdom or eloquence of men that makes the things of God accessible and understandable; it is the Spirit of God. Human wisdom cannot make spiritual truths discernible to men; it requires the Holy Spirit. Even Paul admits, “When we tell you these things, we do not use words that come from human wisdom. Instead, we speak words given to us by the Spirit, using the Spirit’s words to explain spiritual truths” (1 Corinthians 2:13 NLT).

Even if a spiritual person attempts to speak spiritual truth without the Spirit’s help, they will end up relying upon human wisdom, and their message will fall on deaf ears. It will lack power because it will be devoid of truth. It may be eloquent, impressive, and even well-received, but it will not communicate the wisdom of God or contain the power of God.

One of the primary benefits of having the Spirit of God within us is the ability He provides to discern and evaluate all things. We have been given the Word of God and the Spirit of God so that we might understand the will of God. Jesus told His disciples, “When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:13 NLT). With the Spirit’s help, we can accurately evaluate and determine God’s will for any given circumstance. The Spirit guides and directs, comforts and consoles, and provides strength when needed and patience when waiting is necessary.

We have a supernatural source of wisdom that allows us to know the mind of God. In fact, Paul states, “we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16b ESV). With the Spirit’s help, we have access to divine knowledge. We can see life through the eyes of Christ and live as He did. In other words, we have the divine capacity to live Christ-like lives even in our fallen state. We have the capacity to live holy, righteous lives even though we still have our old sin natures and exist in a sin-filled world.

The world will not understand us because natural men and women are incapable of discerning our ways. They will misunderstand and misjudge us. Our lives will make them uncomfortable. Our desire for and pursuit of holiness will leave them confused. Our attempt to live set-apart lives will make them feel judged, and so they will judge us in return. Since they are natural and not spiritual, they will never be able to understand what motivates us. Our love for the Word of God will make no sense to them. Our trust in the will of God will seem naive to them. Our hope in our future salvation by God will come across as little more than wishful thinking to them. But we have the Spirit of God and the mind of Christ, so the inexplicable has become understandable. The indiscernible has become comprehensible and believable. So we believe, wait, and live with hope because the Spirit of God has made the promises of God real and reliable.

Father, thank You for providing Your Spirit so that we can discern Your will and Your ways. Without Him, we would remain hopelessly blind to the reality of salvation made possible through the death and resurrection of Your Son. Your Spirit opened our eyes to see and accept the truth of salvation by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. We didn’t earn it and we could not have comprehended it without the Spirit’s assistance. And now, we live in this world with the help of the Spirit’s presence and power. As Peter wrote, Your “divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through the knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3 BSB). And we are grateful.
Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Set Apart But Not To Stand Alone

1 Paul, called by the will of God to be an apostle of Christ Jesus, and our brother Sosthenes,

2 To the church of God that is in Corinth, to those sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints together with all those who in every place call upon the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, both their Lord and ours:

3 Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.

4 I give thanks to my God always for you because of the grace of God that was given you in Christ Jesus, 5 that in every way you were enriched in him in all speech and all knowledge— 6 even as the testimony about Christ was confirmed among you— 7 so that you are not lacking in any gift, as you wait for the revealing of our Lord Jesus Christ, 8 who will sustain you to the end, guiltless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ. 9 God is faithful, by whom you were called into the fellowship of his Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. – 1 Corinthians 1:1-9 ESV

Paul begins this letter in his usual manner. The first thing he does is introduce himself, which was a common letter-writing style in Paul’s day. It was not because the recipients of the letter did not know him, because he had actually lived among them for 18 months (Acts 18:11) after he had helped found the church in Corinth on his second missionary journey. Paul’s point in re-introducing himself was to establish his calling as an apostle of God. This will become an important factor as his letter unfolds. This letter was likely written from Ephesus, where Paul spent three years on his third missionary journey.

Paul was cordial, even complimentary, in his greeting to the believers in Corinth. But there was a subtle, underlying purpose behind his words. He referred to them as “the church of God in Corinth.” This, too, will prove to have a purpose behind it. Paul wanted them to understand that they belonged to God and no one else. He was preparing to deal with a problem of division that had made its way into the church there. He refers to them as being “sanctified in Christ Jesus” and as “saints.” He uses two words, ἁγιάζω (hagiazō) and ἅγιος (hagios), to describe the believers in Corinth. At salvation, they had been set apart as God and dedicated for His purposes, so they belonged to Him. This also made them saints, or set-apart ones ("G37 - hagiazō, G40 - hagios - Strong’s Greek Lexicon (KJV)." Blue Letter Bible). They no longer belonged to themselves or to this world. And yet, as Paul eventually points out in this letter, they were not living up to their calling as saints. Their actions did not reflect their set-apartness.

Paul’s emphasis in the opening of his letter is on God. He even thanks God for all He has done to bring the Corinthians to faith. It had been God who extended grace to them by allowing them to hear the good news of Jesus Christ. The “testimony about Christ was confirmed” among them (1 Corinthians 1:6 ESV) as they came to faith in Christ and their lives were radically transformed. The believers in Corinth had received the gift of the Holy Spirit and the spiritual gifts He provides. In fact, Paul states that they were “not lacking in any gift” (1 Corinthians 1:7 ESV). God had been good to them; He had called them, and He would be faithful to continue His work among them, and would sustain them to the end. The problem, Paul seems to be saying, was not with God, but with them. It was the Corinthians who were proving to be unfaithful. They had lost sight of their unique standing as God’s holy, set-apart people. His calling on their lives had taken a back seat to their own selfish agendas and worldly outlooks on life. They were missing the point.

Paul was preparing to deal harshly with his readers and was setting them up so that he might call them out. He would tolerate their behavior. The honor of God and the integrity of the gospel were at stake. Their behavior was not in keeping with their status as God’s chosen people. Rather than living as set apart and distinctly different from the world around them, they were allowing themselves to blend in and take on the ungodly characteristics of the society in which they lived. Their professed beliefs and their behavior were inconsistent and contradictory. There was a disconnect between their faith and daily practice. Their spiritual talk and their daily walk were in conflict. So Paul started his letter by reminding them of who they were and to whom they belonged. Later in this same letter, he writes, “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ESV). 

Paul was about to call out the called-out ones. He was going to sit down the set-apart ones and give them a piece of his mind – in love. He would not tolerate their actions or excuse their sinful attitudes. God had sacrificed His Son on their behalf, paying a high price for their salvation. So, Paul was not willing to sit back and watch them waste God’s grace or bring shame to His name. Their profession of faith needed to show up in their walk and talk. Their conduct needed to match their confession. Their status as sons and daughters of God was to be reflected in their actions and attitudes.

One of the mistakes we make when reading the letters of Paul is to take every personal pronoun and make it personal. So every time we read the word "you," we believe he is talking to us as individuals. But in most cases, Paul uses a plural personal pronoun. That's because most of his letters were written to churches, not individuals. In this case, he was writing to the believers in Corinth – all those individuals who made up the corporate body of Christ in that city. So his words are to be taken in a corporate context. But because of our intense individualism as Western Christians, we attempt to make it all about us as individuals. We read these verses and fail to see the community focus of Paul's words. The New Living Translation renders verse 5 in this way: "God has enriched your church in every way…"

In this letter, Paul is addressing the issue of spiritual gifts. He wants the Corinthian believers to know that they have been given spiritual gifts as individual believers, but those gifts are intended and designed for use within the body of Christ. The gifts of the Spirit were meant to enhance life within the community. My spiritual gift is not for me, but for the benefit of others with whom I live as part of the body of Christ.

In verse 7, Paul makes it clear that he is talking about spiritual gifts when he writes, "Now you have every spiritual gift you need as you eagerly wait for the return of our Lord Jesus Christ." The body of Christ in Corinth had been blessed by God with a full assortment of spiritual gifts designed to enhance and encourage their spiritual growth and vitality as a community. Even when Paul writes, "He will keep you strong to the end so that you will be free from all blame on the day when our Lord Jesus Christ returns" (1 Corinthians 1:8 NLT), he has a community focus in mind.

Through the proper use of their spiritual gifts, God would keep the church in Corinth strong until the Lord returned. Paul knew that their spiritual well-being and health depended on the proper use of their individual gifts. But there were abuses of the spiritual gifts going on in Corinth, and Paul was going to address this vital issue. From the outset, he wants them to understand that the gifts were God-given and designed to be life-giving to the community. A healthy body is one in which all the members are performing their intended tasks faithfully and with the overall well-being of the body in mind. There is no place for selfishness or self-centeredness within the body of Christ.

Father, how easy it is to make it all about me. We are wired to think about ourselves and to neglect the needs of others. Our instincts of self-preservation and survival have allowed us to misunderstand the spiritual life. We make it an individual pursuit and fail to recognize that You intended it to be a corporate experience – a team sport. As we read through the letter to the Corinthians, remind us again of the power of the gifts used in the context of community as You designed them to be used. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Love Versus Lust

9 Now concerning brotherly love you have no need for anyone to write to you, for you yourselves have been taught by God to love one another, 10 for that indeed is what you are doing to all the brothers throughout Macedonia. But we urge you, brothers, to do this more and more, 11 and to aspire to live quietly, and to mind your own affairs, and to work with your hands, as we instructed you, 12 so that you may walk properly before outsiders and be dependent on no one. – 1 Thessalonians 4:9-12 ESV

It’s interesting to note how, in this passage, Paul contrasts love and lust. In verses 1-8, he points out the need for the Thessalonian believers to “abstain from sexual immorality” (1 Thessalonians 4:3 ESV). They were to abstain or refrain from practicing sexual sin or, as the word means in Greek, “to hold one's self off.” As believers, they possessed a new capacity to hold off their old desires that were driven by their sinful natures. Upon placing their faith in Christ, they received the presence and power of the indwelling Holy Spirit, and, as a result, they were able to say no to lustful desires.

The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. – Galatians 5:17 NLT

The sinful nature lusts after or desires the wrong things. Paul pointed out to the Galatian believers that those who allowed their lives to be driven by the desires of their old nature, rather than the Spirit, would produce ungodly fruit in their lives. The first three he mentions are tied to sexual sin.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. – Galatians 5:19-21 NLT

Paul reminded the Thessalonian church, “Each one of you know how to control his own body in holiness and honor, not in the passion of lust like the Gentiles who do not know God” (1 Thessalonians 4:4-5 ESV). John Piper defines lust as “a sexual desire that dishonors its object and disregards God” (John Piper, Battling the Unbelief of Lust, www.desiringgod.org). And he expands on that definition by adding:

“Sexual desire in itself is good. God made it in the beginning. It has its proper place. But it was made to be governed or regulated or guided by two concerns: honor toward the other person and holiness toward God. Lust is what that sexual desire becomes when that honor and that holiness are missing from it.” – John Piper, Battling the Unbelief of Lust, www.desiringgod.org

Paul wanted the Thessalonians to understand that they had a new obligation to live so that everything they did brought glory and honor to God. With the Spirit’s help, they were to control their bodies, not allowing their natural, God-given desires to become perverted or distorted by sin. Sexual desire is not a sin, but it is actually a gift from God. But like everything else in life since the fall, this godly gift has been stained by the presence of sin. Rather than being an expression of self-sacrificing love for another, it turns in on itself, demanding that someone satisfy our selfish desire for sexual pleasure. God gets left out of the picture, and love gets replaced by lust. That is why Paul points out that their lives were to be marked by holiness, not impurity.

For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. Therefore whoever disregards this, disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. – 1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 ESV

This was not a message Paul reserved just for the Thessalonians. He shared the same warning to the believers in Rome.

Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. – Romans 6:12-13 NLT

Lust versus love. Love can become lust when we dishonor the other person by using them for purely selfish reasons. In the end, this disobeys and dishonors God. But when we truly love as God has called us to love, sacrificially and selflessly, the other person is treated with value, dignity, and honor. And God receives glory.

A Christian marriage is to be the proving ground of the Spirit’s life-transforming power, where the selfless, sacrificial love of Christ is modeled in everyday life. In his letter to the church in Ephesus, Paul wrote, “Submit to one another out of reverence for Christ” (Ephesians 5:21 NLT). Then he provided two specific examples of what that mutual submission looks like in the context of marriage.

For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For a husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of his body, the church. As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up his life for her to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God’s word. – Ephesians 5:22-26 NLT

While we find it easy to get hung up on Paul’s call for the wives to submit, it is essential to understand that he is calling both the husband and the wife to practice selfless submission out of reverence to Christ. Earlier in the same chapter, Paul provided a call for the Ephesians to imitate God and to follow the example of Christ.

Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. – Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT

Then he added a what-not-to-do element to his instructions.

Let there be no sexual immorality, impurity, or greed among you. Such sins have no place among God’s people. – Ephesians 5:3 NLT

Love, not lust — that is the call placed on the believer by God Himself. But the kind of love God had in mind was modeled by Christ. However, this selfless kind of love was not just reserved for marriage; it was to be displayed in all their relationships. God has called His children to love others in the same way He has loved them.

But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners. – Romans 5:8 NLT

And He expects them to follow the example of Christ.

We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. – 1 John 3:16 NLT

Paul reminds the Thessalonians that they don’t require any more instructions regarding the kind of love God has in mind “for God himself has taught you to love one another” (1 Thessalonians 4:9 NLT). The apostle John lets us know how God modeled selfless love to sinful people so that we might follow His example.

God showed how much he loved us by sending his one and only Son into the world so that we might have eternal life through him. This is real love—not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to take away our sins.

Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other. – 1 John 4:9-11 NLT

Paul compliments the Thessalonian church for having displayed the very kind of love he was writing about. They had already given evidence of their selflessness and willingness to sacrifice on behalf of others. In his second letter to the church in Corinth, Paul bragged on the tangible expressions of love displayed by the Macedonian churches, including the fellowship in Thessalonica.

Now I want you to know, dear brothers and sisters, what God in his kindness has done through the churches in Macedonia. They are being tested by many troubles, and they are very poor. But they are also filled with abundant joy, which has overflowed in rich generosity.

For I can testify that they gave not only what they could afford, but far more. And they did it of their own free will. They begged us again and again for the privilege of sharing in the gift for the believers in Jerusalem. They even did more than we had hoped, for their first action was to give themselves to the Lord and to us, just as God wanted them to do. – 2 Corinthians 8:1-5 NLT

But Paul didn’t want them to rest on their laurels. In fact, he begged them “to do this more and more” (1 Thessalonians 4:10 ESV). They were to keep loving and they were to stop lusting. Then Paul adds three characteristics or marks of a life lived in love.

1. Their lives would exhibit peace and calm, rather than strife and turmoil. Paul told the Romans, “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12:18 NLT). Peaceful lives create an atmosphere in which others feel safe and secure, and that is an expression of love.

2. They were to tend to their own affairs, refusing to meddle in the concerns of others. This is not a call to disregard the needs or life circumstances of others, but it is simply an extension of Jesus’ admonition to “get rid of the log in your own eye; then you will see well enough to deal with the speck in your friend’s eye” (Matthew 7:5 NLT).

3. They were to be diligent workers, using whatever skills they had to provide for themselves, and refusing to become a burden to others. There was no place for laziness or a spirit of entitlement in their lives.

And Paul had a purpose behind his call for selfless, sacrificial living.

Then people who are not believers will respect the way you live, and you will not need to depend on others. – 1 Thessalonians 4:12 NLT

Paul was interested in seeing the Thessalonian believers live out their faith in tangible ways that exhibited the power of the Spirit and gave proof of their status as God’s children. Love, not lust, was to be the defining characteristic of their lives.

Father, we live in a lust-obsessed world that has turned sexual desire into a twisted and destructive force that is leaving behind a wake of damaged lives and failed marriages. Even the body of Christ has been unable to escape the siren’s call of lust as men and women have succumbed to its allure and promises of instant gratification and unrestricted personal pleasure. But You have called us to more. You have equipped us with Your Holy Spirit so that we might live set-apart lives that imitate the selfless and sacrificial love of Christ. Would you awaken Your people and call them back to holiness? Through the Spirit’s power, may we say to lust and yes to love. Let us be beacons of light in the darkness that surrounds us. Show us how to tap into the power You provided so that we might live the abundant, fruit-filled lives Jesus’ death and resurrection made possible. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Obedience Is Non-Optional

1 As soon as Solomon had finished building the house of the LORD and the king’s house and all that Solomon desired to build, 2 the LORD appeared to Solomon a second time, as he had appeared to him at Gibeon. 3 And the LORD said to him, “I have heard your prayer and your plea, which you have made before me. I have consecrated this house that you have built, by putting my name there forever. My eyes and my heart will be there for all time. 4 And as for you, if you will walk before me, as David your father walked, with integrity of heart and uprightness, doing according to all that I have commanded you, and keeping my statutes and my rules, 5 then I will establish your royal throne over Israel forever, as I promised David your father, saying, ‘You shall not lack a man on the throne of Israel.’ 6 But if you turn aside from following me, you or your children, and do not keep my commandments and my statutes that I have set before you, but go and serve other gods and worship them, 7 then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 8 And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’ 9 Then they will say, ‘Because they abandoned the LORD their God who brought their fathers out of the land of Egypt and laid hold on other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore the LORD has brought all this disaster on them.’” – 1 Kings 9:1-9 ESV

Twenty years into what would prove to be a 40-year reign, Solomon received a second vision from God. Having completed all the major building programs he had initiated, including the Temple, Solomon was ready to focus his attention elsewhere. So, God revealed Himself to Solomon in a dream, just as He had done at Gibeon 20 years earlier.

At Gibeon the LORD appeared to Solomon in a dream by night… – 1 Kings 3:5 ESV

In this second divinely inspired dream, Solomon heard God reaffirm His commitment to honor the Temple by bestowing His presence upon it. In doing so, God would set the Temple apart and make it holy.

“I have heard your prayer and your petition. I have set this Temple apart to be holy—this place you have built where my name will be honored forever. I will always watch over it, for it is dear to my heart.” – 1 Kings 9:3 NLT

At the dedication of the Temple, when the fire descended from heaven and consumed the sacrifices, God demonstrated His acceptance of both the offering and the Temple. This was followed by the cloud of His presence taking up residence in the Holy of Holies. These actions signified that the building Solomon had constructed had been consecrated to God and was now deemed for His use alone. The Temple, its grounds, and all the furniture and utensils contained within it belonged exclusively to God. He affirmed His approval of the Temple and His willingness to grace it with His presence, power, and protection. But Yahwehn also expected His people to treat the Temple with a requisite degree of reverence and awe.

Next, God turned His attention to Solomon. It was not enough to have a Temple dedicated to the service and worship of God; Yahweh also expected His king to live a life that was totally set apart and consecrated to Him. So, He gave Solomon a sobering reminder of His expectations.

“As for you, if you will follow me with integrity and godliness, as David your father did, obeying all my commands, decrees, and regulations, then I will establish the throne of your dynasty over Israel forever. For I made this promise to your father, David: ‘One of your descendants will always sit on the throne of Israel.’” – 1 Kings 9:4-5 NLT

Notice the conditional nature of this statement. God said, “if you will…then I will.” The promise God made to David was conditional. David could expect to have a line of descendants to sit on his throne, but God expected those men to live in faithfulness and obedience to Him. As the firstborn son to inherit the crown from his father, Solomon was expected to live a life marked by integrity and godliness, just as his father did. God was demanding that Solomon follow in the footsteps of David, who, throughout his life, had displayed a commitment to living and leading in godliness. The psalmist reminds us that David had been chosen by God to shepherd His people, and David had done his job well.

He chose David his servant
    and took him from the sheepfolds;
from following the nursing ewes he brought him
    to shepherd Jacob his people,
    Israel his inheritance.
With upright heart he shepherded them
    and guided them with his skillful hand. – Psalm 78:70-72 ESV

Now, it was Solomon’s turn. He had done an excellent job of constructing the Temple, but now it was time to lead the people with integrity of heart and to guide them with skillful hands. As God’s appointed and anointed king, he was to be an example for the nation, displaying a commitment to God that revealed his consecrated status. Like the Temple, Solomon belonged to God. He had been dedicated to God’s service and was expected to shepherd God’s people according to His will. Yahweh warns Solomon of the severe consequences he or any of his descendants will face if they fail to remain faithful.

“But if you or your descendants abandon me and disobey the commands and decrees I have given you, and if you serve and worship other gods, then I will uproot Israel from this land that I have given them. I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name. I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations.” – 1 Kings 9:6-7 NLT

Anyone familiar with Israel's history recognizes that this warning from God is more than prescriptive; it is also prophetic. In other words, God is not only giving Solomon a list of prohibitions, but He is also providing him with a glimpse into the nation's future fate. Despite all He had done for them, the people of Israel would end up turning their backs on Him. It would begin with their kings, the very men whom God had promised to bless if they would follow Him with integrity and godliness.

Look closely at what God says He will do.

I will uproot Israel from this land… – Vs. 7

I will reject this Temple that I have made holy to honor my name… – Vs. 7

I will make Israel an object of mockery and ridicule among the nations… – Vs. 7

If Solomon or any of his descendants failed to keep their covenant commitment to God, the nation would suffer God's judgment. They would forfeit the inheritance they had received from Him. Rather than living in the land of promise, a land flowing with milk and honey, they would find themselves eking out an existence as exiles in a foreign land.

Even the majestic Temple would become an eyesore, prompting people to question what could have caused God to bring such a calamity upon His house and His people.

“…all who pass by will be appalled and will gasp in horror. They will ask, ‘Why did the LORD do such terrible things to this land and to this Temple?’” – 1 Kings 9:8 NLT

In his dream, Solomon receives the sobering answer to their question.

“Because his people abandoned the LORD their God, who brought their ancestors out of Egypt, and they worshiped other gods instead and bowed down to them. That is why the LORD has brought all these disasters on them.” – 1 Kings 9:9 NLT

The author of 1 Kings already knows the rest of the story; his inclusion of this incident is meant to foreshadow and explain all that is to come. His audience will be reading this chapter long after Solomon is gone and his successors have begun to reveal their penchant for disobedience and unfaithfulness. The final verses of the last chapter conclude on a somber and poignant note.

Ahaziah son of Ahab began to rule over Israel in the seventeenth year of King Jehoshaphat’s reign in Judah. He reigned in Samaria two years. But he did what was evil in the LORD’s sight, following the example of his father and mother and the example of Jeroboam son of Nebat, who had led Israel to sin. He served Baal and worshiped him, provoking the anger of the LORD, the God of Israel, just as his father had done. – 1 Kings 22:51-53 NLT

By this time in the story, the nation of Israel had suffered a civil war that left it divided into two competing kingdoms: Israel and Judah. Both are characterized by wickedness and idolatry. Nearly all of their kings displayed a blatant disregard for God, violating His commands and failing to shepherd His people with integrity of heart or guiding them with skillful hands. For the most part, they turn out to be poor shepherds who refused to keep their end of God’s covenant agreement. As a result, the whole nation suffered.

Solomon’s dream was intended as a warning. God wanted His king to understand that a Temple would not be enough. A place to worship God would prove to be insufficient if the heart of the king remained uncommitted to God. Years later, God would speak through the prophet Isaiah, declaring the blatant hypocrisy of His people, who confused the ritual of worship with genuine, heartfelt devotion to God.

 “These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
    is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” – Isaiah 29:13 NLT

The promise of God’s abiding presence among them was contingent upon their obedience and obeisance. Yahweh placed a high priority on the covenant commitment they had made to Him. The Book of Exodus records the enthusiastic response of God’s people when Moses read the contents of the Book of the Law to them in the wilderness. 

“We will do everything the Lord has commanded. We will obey.” – Exodus 24:7 NLT

Years later, at Moab, Moses would rearticulate Yahweh’s expectations and explain that their commitment to the covenant would be binding on all their descendants. 

“You are standing here today to enter into the covenant of the LORD your God. The LORD is making this covenant, including the curses. By entering into the covenant today, he will establish you as his people and confirm that he is your God, just as he promised you and as he swore to your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob.

“But you are not the only ones with whom I am making this covenant with its curses. I am making this covenant both with you who stand here today in the presence of the LORD our God, and also with the future generations who are not standing here today.” – Deuteronomy 29:12-15 NLT

There was no escape clause or statute of limitations. Future generations of Israelites could not claim ignorance or opt out of the commitment their ancestors had made. It was binding and non-negotiable. So, as Solomon took in the words that Yahweh spoke in his vision, he understood the gravity of the moment and the sobering significance of the message he had just received: Obey or risk God’s judgment.  

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

One Last Thing

12 Then Solomon said, “The LORD has said that he would dwell in thick darkness. 13 I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.” 14 Then the king turned around and blessed all the assembly of Israel, while all the assembly of Israel stood. 15 And he said, “Blessed be the LORD, the God of Israel, who with his hand has fulfilled what he promised with his mouth to David my father, saying, 16 ‘Since the day that I brought my people Israel out of Egypt, I chose no city out of all the tribes of Israel in which to build a house, that my name might be there. But I chose David to be over my people Israel.’ 17 Now it was in the heart of David my father to build a house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 18 But the LORD said to David my father, ‘Whereas it was in your heart to build a house for my name, you did well that it was in your heart. 19 Nevertheless, you shall not build the house, but your son who shall be born to you shall build the house for my name.’ 20 Now the LORD has fulfilled his promise that he made. For I have risen in the place of David my father, and sit on the throne of Israel, as the LORD promised, and I have built the house for the name of the LORD, the God of Israel. 21 And there I have provided a place for the ark, in which is the covenant of the LORD that he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.” – 1 Kings 8:12-21 ESV

Having completed construction of the Temple and safely secured the Ark of the Covenant within the Holy of Holies, Solomon was ready to formally dedicate the new structure. This was a momentous occasion for the entire nation of Israel, and a large number of them had assembled to witness the official arrival of the Ark, the symbol of God’s presence, power, and mercy. The people of Israel had a vested interest in the new Temple, having witnessed and participated in its construction for more than seven years. By the order of Solomon, tens of thousands of Israelites had been conscripted to serve as laborers, carpenters, masons, cooks, and foremen on this massive project. David had come up with the idea of building a house for God, and Solomon had made it a reality, but the people had supplied the blood, sweat, and tears. It had become a community project for which they took great pride.

Standing before the temple, with the citizens of Israel spread out behind him, Solomon summarized the fruit of their labor.

“O LORD, you have said that you would live in a thick cloud of darkness. Now I have built a glorious Temple for you, a place where you can live forever!” – 1 Kings 8:12-13 NLT

Speaking directly to Yahweh, Solomon affirmed the LORD’s holy and transcendent nature. He paraphrased the words that God had spoken to Moses on Mount Sinai after He had delivered the people of Israel from their captivity in Egypt.

And the LORD said to Moses, “Behold, I am coming to you in a thick cloud, that the people may hear when I speak with you, and may also believe you forever.” – Exodus 19:9 NLT

Moses was told to assemble the people of Israel and prepare them for an encounter with God. Three days later, they gathered at the base of Mount Sinai.

On the morning of the third day there were thunders and lightnings and a thick cloud on the mountain and a very loud trumpet blast, so that all the people in the camp trembled. Then Moses brought the people out of the camp to meet God, and they took their stand at the foot of the mountain. Now Mount Sinai was wrapped in smoke because the LORD had descended on it in fire. The smoke of it went up like the smoke of a kiln, and the whole mountain trembled greatly. – Exodus 19:16-18 ESV

God made Himself visible to the people of Israel, manifesting His presence in the form of a thick, dark cloud that resembled smoke belching from a kiln. This tangible representation of the Almighty was accompanied by a frightening pyrotechnic show that further enhanced His greatness and instilled fear in the people.

Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid and trembled, and they stood far off and said to Moses, “You speak to us, and we will listen; but do not let God speak to us, lest we die.” Moses said to the people, “Do not fear, for God has come to test you, that the fear of him may be before you, that you may not sin.” The people stood far off, while Moses drew near to the thick darkness where God was. – Exodus 20:18-21 ESV

Forty years later, on the banks of the Jordan River, Moses addressed a new generation of Israelites who were preparing to enter the land of Canaan. He reminded them of that fateful day when God appeared to their fathers and mothers at Mount Sinai.

“You came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, while flames from the mountain shot into the sky. The mountain was shrouded in black clouds and deep darkness. And the LORD spoke to you from the heart of the fire. You heard the sound of his words but didn’t see his form; there was only a voice.” – Deuteronomy 4:11-12 NLT

God had chosen to reveal Himself to His people. Ever since the day they left Egypt, He had traveled before them in the form of a pillar of fire by night and a pillar of cloud by day (Exodus 40:34-38). When God gave Moses instructions to build the Tabernacle, He had also promised to make His presence known by appearing in the form of a cloud over the mercy seat, which sat on top of the Ark, located within the Holy of Holies.

“Tell Aaron your brother not to come at any time into the Holy Place inside the veil, before the mercy seat that is on the ark, so that he may not die. For I will appear in the cloud over the mercy seat.” – Leviticus 16:2 ESV

With the transfer of the Ark of the Covenant into the newly constructed Temple, Solomon was welcoming God into His new home. It was “a glorious Temple” (1 Kings 8:13 NLT), where God would dwell permanently. This was no tent, designed to be erected, taken down, and then transported from one place to another. It was a massive stone structure built to last forever, providing Yahweh with an everlasting dwelling place on earth. And Solomon rejoiced over having been able to play a part in this great endeavor.

“I have indeed built you an exalted house, a place for you to dwell in forever.” – 1 Kings 8:13 ESV

This was not an expression of pride or arrogance on Solomon’s part. He was simply expressing his amazement at having been used by God to make his father’s dream a reality. Turning and addressing the people, Solomon gave them a brief history lesson, outlining the events that had led up to this great day.

While David had conceived the idea of building a permanent house for God, he was not given the privilege of making it a reality. Instead, God would build David’s kingdom, using David’s military prowess to ensure that the nation of Israel had secured all the land that God had promised as their inheritance. David proved successful at his God-given task. He fought many battles, conquered the enemies of Israel, and established the nation as a formidable force in the region. But it was because of David’s bloody conquests that he would be denied the privilege of building a house for God.

“You have killed many men in the battles you have fought. And since you have shed so much blood in my sight, you will not be the one to build a Temple to honor my name. But you will have a son who will be a man of peace. I will give him peace with his enemies in all the surrounding lands. His name will be Solomon, and I will give peace and quiet to Israel during his reign.” – 1 Chronicles 22:8-9 NLT

Solomon reminds the people that, while David’s intentions had been admirable, God had declared that the honor of building the temple would fall to his son. Solomon had been divinely ordained to carry out the wishes of his father.

“You wanted to build the Temple to honor my name. Your intention is good, but you are not the one to do it. One of your own sons will build the Temple to honor me.” – 1 Kings 8:18-19 NLT

Solomon wanted the people to understand that the Temple was not to be a monument to his own greatness. It had been built to honor the name of God and existed for His glory alone. Solomon realized that he sat on the throne of Israel solely at God’s discretion.

“…now the LORD has fulfilled the promise he made, for I have become king in my father’s place, and now I sit on the throne of Israel, just as the LORD promised.” – 1 Kings 8:20 NLT

Solomon makes it clear that his ascendancy to the throne had been ordained and orchestrated by God so that he might build a house for God.

“I have built this Temple to honor the name of the LORD, the God of Israel.” – 1 Kings 8:20 NLT

He had successfully completed the task assigned to him by God. His nearly eight-year-long commitment to this project had come to an end, and now he could rest in the knowledge that the LORD had taken up residence in His new home, assuring Israel of His permanent presence in their midst.

Yet, as will be revealed in Solomon’s prayer of dedication, he knew that God would not actually dwell in the Temple. Yahweh was too great to be confined to a building built by human hands. But Solomon understood that the Temple, in all its glory, would be a constant reminder to the people of Israel of both God's greatness and nearness. He would go on to ask the God who dwells in heaven to honor His Temple on earth by hearing and answering the prayers offered up in its courts.

“May you watch over this Temple night and day, this place where you have said, ‘My name will be there.’ May you always hear the prayers I make toward this place. May you hear the humble and earnest requests from me and your people Israel when we pray toward this place. Yes, hear us from heaven where you live, and when you hear, forgive.” – 1 Kings 8:29-30 NLT

As Solomon stood gazing at the massive structure he had helped to create, his heart must have swelled with pride. He had spent seven decades and a good portion of the royal treasury to make his father's dream a reality. But despite the Temple's impressive facade and its no-expenses-spared interior, he knew the Temple was nothing more than a building built by human hands. Without Yahweh's presence, it would be a hollow shell, devoid of significance and powerless to provide and protect those who worshiped within its walls. The Temple was always meant to be a means to an end. It was to a meeting place, where the God of heaven would make Himself visible and accessible to those who honored and revered His name. 

Years later, Solomon would pen the following words in the only Psalm attributed to him. 

Unless the LORD builds a house,
    the work of the builders is wasted.
Unless the LORD protects a city,
    guarding it with sentries will do no good.
It is useless for you to work so hard
    from early morning until late at night,
anxiously working for food to eat;
    for God gives rest to his loved ones. – Psalm 127:1-2 NLT

As proud as he was of his awe-inspiring Temple, Solomon knew his hope was in the LORD. Unless Yahweh showed up, the Holy of Holies would remain empty, and the fate of his kingdom would be in question. Solomon must have recalled the words that Moses spoke to Yahweh in the wilderness of Sinai. While the people of Israel had encamped at the base of Mount Sinai, Moses had grown accustomed to having regular encounters with Yahweh in the tent of meeting. But God had informed Moses it was time to leave Sinai and lead the people to the land of promise. To which Moses responded:

“If you don’t personally go with us, don’t make us leave this place. How will anyone know that you look favorably on me—on me and on your people—if you don’t go with us? For your presence among us sets your people and me apart from all other people on the earth.” – Exodus 33:15-16 NLT

Moses knew that it was Yahweh's presence that set the people of Israel apart. Without it, they were no different from any other nation. Solomon understood that reality as well. He knew that without Yahweh’s presence, the Temple would mean nothing and his kingdom would amount to nothing. His hope for the future was dependent upon Yahweh showing up and setting His people apart with His presence, power, and provision.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Power of God's Presence

1 Then Solomon assembled the elders of Israel and all the heads of the tribes, the leaders of the fathers’ houses of the people of Israel, before King Solomon in Jerusalem, to bring up the ark of the covenant of the LORD out of the city of David, which is Zion. 2 And all the men of Israel assembled to King Solomon at the feast in the month Ethanim, which is the seventh month. 3 And all the elders of Israel came, and the priests took up the ark. 4 And they brought up the ark of the LORD, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. 5 And King Solomon and all the congregation of Israel, who had assembled before him, were with him before the ark, sacrificing so many sheep and oxen that they could not be counted or numbered. 6 Then the priests brought the ark of the covenant of the LORD to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the Most Holy Place, underneath the wings of the cherubim. 7 For the cherubim spread out their wings over the place of the ark, so that the cherubim overshadowed the ark and its poles. 8 And the poles were so long that the ends of the poles were seen from the Holy Place before the inner sanctuary; but they could not be seen from outside. And they are there to this day. 9 There was nothing in the ark except the two tablets of stone that Moses put there at Horeb, where the LORD made a covenant with the people of Israel, when they came out of the land of Egypt. 10 And when the priests came out of the Holy Place, a cloud filled the house of the LORD, 11 so that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the house of the LORD. – 1 Kings 8:1-11 ESV

After nearly seven and a half years of construction, the temple was finally completed. The only thing left to do was to retrieve the Ark of the Covenant from its resting place in the City of David and transfer it to its new home within the Most Holy place of the new Temple. However, while this might sound like a relatively easy task, considering all the time, energy, and effort that went into building the Temple, it is actually a challenging and dangerous endeavor. As the son of David, Solomon would have been well aware of the stories surrounding his father’s past attempts to transport the Ark. He was not interested in repeating his father’s mistakes.

God had given Moses precise instructions on the proper way to move the Ark from one place to another. Because it was considered to be holy, it had to be handled with extreme care and treated with deep reverence. God had provided clear guidelines concerning both how and who was to transport the Ark and the other holy vessels.

“When the camp is to set out, Aaron and his sons shall go in and take down the veil of the screen and cover the ark of the testimony with it. Then they shall put on it a covering of goatskin and spread on top of that a cloth all of blue, and shall put in its poles.… And when Aaron and his sons have finished covering the sanctuary and all the furnishings of the sanctuary, as the camp sets out, after that the sons of Kohath shall come to carry these, but they must not touch the holy things, lest they die. These are the things of the tent of meeting that the sons of Kohath are to carry.” – Numbers 4:5-6, 15 ESV

Throughout the 40 years that the Israelites spent wandering in the wilderness, long before they settled in the land of Canaan, this was the method used to transport the Ark from place to place. But after Israel finally settled in the land of promise, the Ark had come to rest in the town of Kiriath-jearim, and was kept under the care of a man named Abinadab. When David became the second king of Israel and established Jerusalem as his capital, he determined to relocate the Ark and the Tent of Meeting (also known as the Tabernacle). So, he consulted with all his officials, including the generals and captains of his army, and then announced his plans to the people of Israel.

“If you approve and if it is the will of the LORD our God, let us send messages to all the Israelites throughout the land, including the priests and Levites in their towns and pasturelands. Let us invite them to come and join us. It is time to bring back the Ark of our God, for we neglected it during the reign of Saul.” – 1 Chronicles 13:2-3 NLT

Having received the unanimous support of the people, David organized an elaborate parade to accompany the Ark on its journey from the home of Abinadab to Jerusalem. It was a festive and joyous occasion, featuring music, dancing, and a worshipful celebration of God.

Then David and all Israel went to Baalah of Judah (also called Kiriath-jearim) to bring back the Ark of God, which bears the name of the Lord who is enthroned between the cherubim. They placed the Ark of God on a new cart and brought it from Abinadab’s house. Uzzah and Ahio were guiding the cart. David and all Israel were celebrating before God with all their might, singing songs and playing all kinds of musical instruments—lyres, harps, tambourines, cymbals, and trumpets. – 1 Chronicles 13:6-8 NLT

But the joy quickly turned to sorrow, and the dancing was replaced by mourning. David had disobeyed God's commands. In his zeal to move the Ark of the Covenant, he had neglected to do so according to God’s clearly revealed will. As a result, tragedy struck.

But when they arrived at the threshing floor of Nacon, the oxen stumbled, and Uzzah reached out his hand and steadied the Ark of God. Then the LORD’s anger was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him dead because of this. So Uzzah died right there beside the Ark of God. – 2 Samuel 6:6-8 NLT

God had never commanded the Ark to be transported by a cart pulled by oxen. However, David had devised this ingenious plan to expedite the process of transporting the Ark. In his mind, it would be a much quicker and easier way of getting the job done. But his plan resulted in Uzzah’s death. As the oxen stumbled and the Ark began to fall, Uzzah attempted to steady the Ark with his hand. In doing so, he disobeyed God's command.

“…they must not touch the holy things, lest they die.” – Numbers 4:15 ESV

David was angry and frustrated over Uzzah’s death. But he was also confused and wondered how he would ever get the Ark safely transported into Jerusalem. Unsure of what to do, he simply ordered the Ark to be moved to the house of Obed-edom of Gath, where it remained for three months. Eventually, David was informed that the presence of the Ark had resulted in great blessings for Obed-edom. This news appears to have prompted David to take another chance at moving the Ark, but this time he chose to do it God’s way.

So David went there and brought the Ark of God from the house of Obed-edom to the City of David with a great celebration. After the men who were carrying the Ark of the LORD had gone six steps, David sacrificed a bull and a fattened calf. And David danced before the LORD with all his might, wearing a priestly garment. So David and all the people of Israel brought up the Ark of the LORD with shouts of joy and the blowing of rams’ horns. – 2 Samuel 6:12-15 NLT

Fortunately, Solomon was able to use his knowledge of these past events and the wisdom given to him by God to make the right decision. He chose to follow God’s commands and treat the Ark of the Covenant with the honor and reverence it deserved.

…the priests took up the ark. And they brought up the ark of the LORD, the tent of meeting, and all the holy vessels that were in the tent; the priests and the Levites brought them up. – 1 Kings 8:3-4 ESV

When the priests had successfully moved the Ark into the Most Holy Place of the new Temple, a significant event occurred. Because they had followed God’s instructions, they received a visible sign that God was pleased with their efforts.

When the priests came out of the Holy Place, a thick cloud filled the Temple of the LORD. The priests could not continue their service because of the cloud, for the glorious presence of the LORD filled the Temple of the LORD. – 1 Kings 8:10-11 NLT

Yahweh showed up. He entered the Most Holy Place, in the form of a cloud, and settled over the Mercy Seat, which covered the Ark of the Covenant. This visible manifestation was meant to assure Solomon and the people of Israel that Yahweh had taken up residence in the newly completed Temple. It was a tangible reminder of how God had revealed Himself to their ancestors in the wilderness hundreds of years earlier.

Then the cloud covered the tent of meeting, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. And Moses was not able to enter the tent of meeting because the cloud settled on it, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. – Exodus 40:34-35 ESV

Solomon had managed to build a one-of-a-kind structure of unsurpassed beauty. But it was the presence of the cloud that transformed what was an opulent but ordinary building into the dwelling place of God. Solomon had built a building. But only when God showed up did it truly become a Temple. The apostle Paul would later remind his fellow believers in Christ that they, too, had become temples of God because of the presence of the Spirit of God within them.

Don’t you realize that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit, who lives in you and was given to you by God? You do not belong to yourself, for God bought you with a high price. So you must honor God with your body. – 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 NLT

Do you not know that you yourselves are God’s temple, and that God’s Spirit dwells in you? – 1 Corinthians 3:16 BSB

It was not the massive stones, elaborate carvings, precious gems, intricately woven fabrics, and expensive metals that made the Temple glorious; it was the presence of God. The cloud of His presence made the Temple holy, just as the presence of the Holy Spirit sets apart every believer as “a vessel for honorable use, set apart as holy, useful to the master of the house, ready for every good work” (2 Timothy 2:21 ESV).

Yahweh anointed Solomon’s Temple with His divine presence. In a sense, He gave the Temple His Good Housekeeping Seal of Approval. Without the presence of Yahweh, the Temple would have remained just another building. It would have been impressive to look at, but devoid of power. It was only when Yahweh showed up that the Temple was transformed from a brick-and-mortar edifice to the earthly dwelling place of Israel’s God. The apostle Paul reminds us that the same thing takes place each time the Spirit of God takes up residence in the life of a believer.   

For God, who said, “Let there be light in the darkness,” has made this light shine in our hearts so we could know the glory of God that is seen in the face of Jesus Christ.

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. – 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 NLT

As human beings, our only claim to fame is that we have been made in the image of God. But because of indwelling sin, our ability to reflect His image has been marred. However, when a sinner places His faith in the life-transforming work of the Son of God, he is immediately filled with the Holy Spirit and receives “power from on high” (Luke 24:49 ESV). At that moment, the glory of God takes up residence in the believer’s life and transforms a fragile clay jar into a temple worthy of Yahweh’s presence and overflowing with Yahweh’s power. 

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

No Detail Too Small

13 And King Solomon sent and brought Hiram from Tyre. 14 He was the son of a widow of the tribe of Naphtali, and his father was a man of Tyre, a worker in bronze. And he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. He came to King Solomon and did all his work.

15 He cast two pillars of bronze. Eighteen cubits was the height of one pillar, and a line of twelve cubits measured its circumference. It was hollow, and its thickness was four fingers. The second pillar was the same. 16 He also made two capitals of cast bronze to set on the tops of the pillars. The height of the one capital was five cubits, and the height of the other capital was five cubits. 17 There were lattices of checker work with wreaths of chain work for the capitals on the tops of the pillars, a lattice for the one capital and a lattice for the other capital. 18 Likewise he made pomegranates in two rows around the one latticework to cover the capital that was on the top of the pillar, and he did the same with the other capital. 19 Now the capitals that were on the tops of the pillars in the vestibule were of lily-work, four cubits. 20 The capitals were on the two pillars and also above the rounded projection which was beside the latticework. There were two hundred pomegranates in two rows all around, and so with the other capital. 21 He set up the pillars at the vestibule of the Temple. He set up the pillar on the south and called its name Jachin, and he set up the pillar on the north and called its name Boaz. 22 And on the tops of the pillars was lily-work. Thus the work of the pillars was finished.

23 Then he made the sea of cast metal. It was round, ten cubits from brim to brim, and five cubits high, and a line of thirty cubits measured its circumference. 24 Under its brim were gourds, for ten cubits, compassing the sea all around. The gourds were in two rows, cast with it when it was cast. 25 It stood on twelve oxen, three facing north, three facing west, three facing south, and three facing east. The sea was set on them, and all their rear parts were inward. 26 Its thickness was a handbreadth, and its brim was made like the brim of a cup, like the flower of a lily. It held two thousand baths.

27 He also made the ten stands of bronze. Each stand was four cubits long, four cubits wide, and three cubits high. 28 This was the construction of the stands: they had panels, and the panels were set in the frames, 29 and on the panels that were set in the frames were lions, oxen, and cherubim. On the frames, both above and below the lions and oxen, there were wreaths of beveled work. 30 Moreover, each stand had four bronze wheels and axles of bronze, and at the four corners were supports for a basin. The supports were cast with wreaths at the side of each. 31 Its opening was within a crown that projected upward one cubit. Its opening was round, as a pedestal is made, a cubit and a half deep. At its opening there were carvings, and its panels were square, not round. 32 And the four wheels were underneath the panels. The axles of the wheels were of one piece with the stands, and the height of a wheel was a cubit and a half. 33 The wheels were made like a chariot wheel; their axles, their rims, their spokes, and their hubs were all cast. 34 There were four supports at the four corners of each stand. The supports were of one piece with the stands. 35 And on the top of the stand there was a round band half a cubit high; and on the top of the stand its stays and its panels were of one piece with it. 36 And on the surfaces of its stays and on its panels, he carved cherubim, lions, and palm trees, according to the space of each, with wreaths all around. 37 After this manner he made the ten stands. All of them were cast alike, of the same measure and the same form.

38 And he made ten basins of bronze. Each basin held forty baths, each basin measured four cubits, and there was a basin for each of the ten stands. 39 And he set the stands, five on the south side of the house, and five on the north side of the house. And he set the sea at the southeast corner of the house. – 1 Kings 7:13-39 ESV

The first question that comes to mind when reading this section of Chapter Seven is why the author took such great pains to describe each and every item in such precise detail. The amount of information is almost overwhelming, and even with all the helpful descriptions, it’s virtually impossible to determine what each item actually looked like.  So, why dedicate so much time and space to their description?

In a sense, the author is telling his readers that Solomon was a man who took a keen interest in every phase of the massive construction project he had commissioned. His father had left him with the overwhelming responsibility to create a house worthy of the God of Israel, and that was not something he took lightly. Solomon was a hands-on construction manager who cared deeply about every detail concerning this once-in-a-lifetime undertaking. While he delegated much of the work, there was never a moment when Solomon was not intimately and personally involved in it. He cared deeply about this project and wanted to ensure that the finished product was both beautiful and functional. When completed, the Temple would become the focal point of Israel’s worship of Yahweh. So, Solomon intended for every item associated with its construction and its ultimate operation to be of the finest craftsmanship.

From the quarrying of the massive stones used to build the temple to the carving of the intricate reliefs that adorned the bronze stands, Solomon oversaw everything. To ensure that the workmanship was of the highest quality, Solomon hired the finest craftsman money could buy.

Verse 13 states that Solomon sought out the services of a skilled craftsman from the city of Tyre, a gifted worker in bronze. But notice the additional details concerning Hiram’s qualifications:

And he was full of wisdom, understanding, and skill for making any work in bronze. – 1 Kings 7:1 ESV

This brings to mind a passage from the book of Exodus where God provided Moses with the identity of another man who would assist in the construction of the Tabernacle.

The LORD said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah, and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship, to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze, in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.” – Exodus 31:1-5 ESV

As was the case with Moses, it seems that Solomon was receiving divine assistance in procuring the services of the right people to help him complete this one-of-a-kind project. Hiram came highly recommended and divinely gifted for the job.

Once he arrived in Jerusalem, Hiram set to work casting the two bronze pillars that would grace the entrance to the Temple. At 27 feet in height, these two immense pillars were likely more decorative than functional. Since they were cast from a relatively soft metal like bronze and featured hollow interiors, they would have been incapable of providing support to the Temple’s roof.

These pillars were intended to frame the entrance to the Temple and provide symbolic significance to the One who dwelt within. Each pillar had a name. One was called Boaz, which means “In Him is strength.” The other was named Jachin, which means “He shall establish.” Both names were explicit references to the God of Israel. Every detail that adorned these pillars, from the water lilies to the pomegranates, was intended to illustrate the goodness and greatness of God. The Israelites served a God who provided them with everything they needed, including fertility and fruitfulness.

Next, Hiram crafted “the sea,” a large bronze basin that would sit outside the Temple's entrance. This massive bowl was designed to replace the bronze laver that God had prescribed for the Tabernacle, while serving the same function as the original. According to Exodus 30, the first laver was used by the priests to purify themselves before offering sacrifices to God.

“You shall also make a basin of bronze, with its stand of bronze, for washing. You shall put it between the tent of meeting and the altar, and you shall put water in it, with which Aaron and his sons shall wash their hands and their feet. When they go into the tent of meeting, or when they come near the altar to minister, to burn a food offering to the Lord, they shall wash with water, so that they may not die. They shall wash their hands and their feet, so that they may not die. It shall be a statute forever to them, even to him and to his offspring throughout their generations.” – Exodus 30:18-21 ESV

The new basin was 15 feet in diameter, 47 feet in circumference, with a depth of 7.5 feet. It could hold up to 18,000 gallons of water, and its large size appears to have been designed to allow priests to completely immerse themselves, rather than just washing their hands and feet. It rested on the backs of 12 bronze oxen, arranged in groups of three, with each group facing a different direction on the compass. These bronze bulls may have been intended to represent the 12 tribes of Israel. But regardless, they were clearly symbols of strength.

Hiram then crafted ten mobile carts, each equipped with a large bronze basin. They featured wheels that allowed them to be moved about the Temple courtyard.

He also made ten basins in which to wash, and set five on the south side, and five on the north side. In these they were to rinse off what was used for the burnt offering, and the sea was for the priests to wash in. – 2 Chronicles 4:6 ESV

Each cart was six feet square and five and one-half feet high, and it held a bronze basin that could hold up to 240 gallons of water. As the Chronicles passage indicates, they were strategically located around the Temple courtyard and used by the priests to cleanse the blood from the sacrificial animals before they were offered to God.

You can almost sense that Solomon was attempting to improve on every item used in the original Tabernacle. He was making significant upgrades. Every item Hiram created was bigger and better than the original. Solomon was obsessed with making the house of God a grand and glorious structure, with every detail reflecting the majesty of its divine occupant. He could have saved himself a lot of time and money by reusing the original items, but Solomon would not settle for anything less than the best. So, he poured countless hours and resources into creating a Temple worthy of his great God, down to the last detail.

Solomon was following the instructions Yahweh gave to Moses from Mount Sinai when He ordered the creation of the original Tabernacle.

“Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them. You must build this Tabernacle and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.” – Exodus 25:8-9 NLT

Moses received detailed plans for the construction of the LORD’s house, with nothing left to the imagination. God was explicit in describing every facet of the Tabernacle’s design, and ordered Moses, “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain” (Exodus 25:40 NLT). Evidently, Moses received a vision of what the completed Tabernacle should look like, and he was to ensure that the finished product was an accurate facsimile. He was not to cut corners, leave out any detail, or make alterations to its design. No expense was to be spared, no shortcuts taken, and no cost-cutting measures considered because this was to be the house of Yahweh. The God of the universe deserved nothing but the best. If the people of Israel expected Him to dwell among them, they would need to build a house worthy of housing His presence. 

“I will meet the people of Israel there, in the place made holy by my glorious presence. Yes, I will consecrate the Tabernacle and the altar, and I will consecrate Aaron and his sons to serve me as priests. Then I will live among the people of Israel and be their God, and they will know that I am the LORD their God. I am the one who brought them out of the land of Egypt so that I could live among them. I am the LORD their God.” – Exodus 29:43-46 NLT

Solomon shared Moses’ commitment to build a house that Yahweh would deem worthy of bearing His name and containing His glory. So, he went out of his way to ensure that this house met Yahweh's exacting standards, because he longed for the assurance of Yahweh's presence and power.       

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The ABCs of God's Word

Alef

1 Blessed are those whose way is blameless,
    who walk in the law of the LORD!
2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies,
    who seek him with their whole heart,
3 who also do no wrong,
    but walk in his ways!
4 You have commanded your precepts
    to be kept diligently.
5 Oh that my ways may be steadfast
    in keeping your statutes!
6 Then I shall not be put to shame,
    having my eyes fixed on all your commandments.
7 I will praise you with an upright heart,
    when I learn your righteous rules.
8 I will keep your statutes;
    do not utterly forsake me!

Beth

9 How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word.
10 With my whole heart I seek you;
    let me not wander from your commandments!
11 I have stored up your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you.
12 Blessed are you, O LORD;
    teach me your statutes!
13 With my lips I declare
    all the rules of your mouth.
14 In the way of your testimonies I delight
    as much as in all riches.
15 I will meditate on your precepts
    and fix my eyes on your ways.
16 I will delight in your statutes;
    I will not forget your word.

Gimel

17 Deal bountifully with your servant,
    that I may live and keep your word.
18 Open my eyes, that I may behold
    wondrous things out of your law.
19 I am a sojourner on the earth;
    hide not your commandments from me!
20 My soul is consumed with longing
    for your rules at all times.
21 You rebuke the insolent, accursed ones,
    who wander from your commandments.
22 Take away from me scorn and contempt,
    for I have kept your testimonies.
23 Even though princes sit plotting against me,
    your servant will meditate on your statutes.
24 Your testimonies are my delight;
    they are my counselors. – Psalm 119:1-24 ESV 

This anonymous psalm contains 175 verses, making it the longest chapter in the Bible. Another unique feature of this psalm is its acrostic arrangement around the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. The author has painstakingly arranged each set of eight verses around a different Hebrew letter, with the first word of each verse beginning with that letter. Verses 1-8 start with the letter aleph, verses 9-16 begin with the letter beth, and verses 17-24 use the letter gimel. This pattern continues to the final eight verses, which feature the letter taw. 

This acrostic arrangement could have served as a catechismal tool, providing an easy-to-remember format for teaching doctrinal truth to children. The author uses a variety of synonyms throughout the psalm to encourage obedience to and reverence for God's word.

• The law 

• Testimonies

• Way(s)

• Precepts

• Statutes

• Commandments

• Rules

• Word

• Works

• Promises

Each of these synonyms refers to God's spoken word as recorded in the Hebrew Scriptures, which included the Law and the Prophets. The Law was how the Israelites referred to the books written by Moses: Genesis, Exodus, Leviticus, Numbers, and Deuteronomy. The Prophets includes the prophetic and poetic books that form the rest of the Old Testament. In his gospel account, Luke records the journey of two of Jesus’ dejected disciples who were making their way from Jerusalem to Emmaus. They had just witnessed the death of Jesus and were mourning their loss when suddenly, Jesus appeared before them. At first, they failed to recognize Him, but when they finally realized they were talking to their resurrected Rabbi, they were shocked. This led Jesus to gently rebuke them, saying, “You foolish people! You find it so hard to believe all that the prophets wrote in the Scriptures. Wasn’t it clearly predicted that the Messiah would have to suffer all these things before entering his glory?” (Luke 24:25-26 NLT). Then Luke adds, “Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself” (Luke 24:27 NLT). 

So, when the psalmist refers to “the word” of God, he speaks of the Old Testament, the same Scriptures Jesus used to instruct His two disciples on the road to Emmaus. But his emphasis on the Word should not be mistaken for worship of the Word. The psalmist goes out of his way to use synonyms that illustrate the spoken word of God. The Israelites believed that the Law of Moses was received directly from Yahweh on Mount Sinai. It was divinely inspired and, therefore, sacred. The prophets spoke on behalf of Yahweh, having been called and commissioned by Him to declare His message of repentance to His people. But Yahweh also “spoke” through His actions, demonstrating His power, holiness, and transcendence through His “wondrous ways.” 

Yahweh wasn’t just a character from the stories recorded on ancient scrolls. He was the living God who made Himself known through creation and His mighty acts of judgment and deliverance. He made promises and kept them because He is trustworthy and true. He gave laws and expected them to be obeyed because He is righteous and just. He provided rules for living because He was sovereign, all-wise, and knew what was best for His children. 

This entire psalm is one man's testimony to Yahweh's praiseworthiness. For 176 verses, covering every one of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet, the psalmist encourages unbridled worship of Yahweh in the form of willing obedience. 

Joyful are people of integrity,
    who follow the instructions of the Lord.
Joyful are those who obey his laws
    and search for him with all their hearts. – Psalm 119:1-2 NLT

He expresses his own longing to live in keeping with the laws of God, but acknowledges his incapacity to do so.

Oh, that my actions would consistently
    reflect your decrees! – Psalm 119:5 NLT

He makes a personal promise to do everything in his power to remain obedient but confesses that he may need help.

As I learn your righteous regulations,
    I will thank you by living as I should!
I will obey your decrees.
    Please don’t give up on me! – Psalm 119:7-8 NLT

In the second set of eight verses, the psalmist admits how difficult it is for sinful man to live up to Yahweh's holy standards. He opens verse eight with the proverbial question: “How can a young person stay pure?” The psalmist would have been well acquainted with the psalm of David.

The LORD looks down from heaven
    on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
    if anyone seeks God.
But no, all have turned away;
    all have become corrupt.
No one does good,
    not a single one! – Psalm 14:2-3 NLT

He would have also known about the prophet Isaiah's less-than-flattering assessment of humanity.

We are all infected and impure with sin.
    When we display our righteous deeds,
    they are nothing but filthy rags.
Like autumn leaves, we wither and fall,
    and our sins sweep us away like the wind. – Isaiah 64:6 NLT

When he asked how any young man might live a pure life, he already knew the answer: Obedience to the word of God. Purity wasn't self-determined and could not be self-produced. Left to their own devices, sinful men and women will follow the desires of their sin-prone hearts. The prophet Jeremiah provided a stark assessment of the human heart.

The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? – Jeremiah 17:9 BSB

And the Book of Proverbs describes the futility of pursuing self-purification.

Who can say, “I have kept my heart pure; I am cleansed from my sin”? – Proverbs 20:9 BSB

The psalmist knew that his only hope was in the Word of Yahweh.

I have hidden your word in my heart,
    that I might not sin against you. – Psalm 119:11 NLT

This is about more than inculcating knowledge or storing up information. It's about life change that comes through heart transformation. The psalmist knew from experience that behavior modification was not enough. Reformed habits were not a long-term solution to a sinful heart. 

For the psalmist, the law was a means of knowing Yahweh better. Like creation, Yahweh's Word was intended to be a revelation of Himself. His righteous statutes, commands, and precepts were designed to reflect His holiness. When God gave the law to Moses, He told him, “Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD your God, am holy” (Leviticus 19:2 NLT). 

The written law was a reflection of Yahweh's character. It was the code of conduct He required of His chosen people. They were to live set-apart and distinctively different lives from the nations around them. In living in obedience to His commands, they would reflect their status as His treasured possession. Their lives would mirror His glory and righteousness to a world mired in darkness and sin.

In the third set of eight verses, the psalmist acknowledges his dependence upon Yahweh. Not only does he need Yahweh's Word, but he also requires Yahweh's help to understand and obey it.

Open my eyes to see
    the wonderful truths in your instructions.
I am only a foreigner in the land.
    Don’t hide your commands from me! – Psalm 119:18-19 NLT

He doesn't gloat in his set-apart status as a child of God or boast in his identity as a descendant of Abraham. Instead, he refers to himself as a foreigner, an undeserving stranger who needed Yahweh's help to know and obey His commands. This mindset is starkly different from that of the Jews with whom Jesus spoke and recorded by John in his gospel account. 

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.” – John 8:31-32 NLT

Notice that Jesus ties true discipleship with obedience to His Word or teachings. He offers His audience freedom in exchange for faith in His words concerning Himself. Jesus would later claim, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. If you had really known me, you would know who my Father is. From now on, you do know him and have seen him!” (John 14:6-7 NLT). He was the Living Word that provided access to the Father and the power to live in obedience to His commands. 

But the Jews to whom Jesus spoke took exception with His words.

“But we are descendants of Abraham,” they said. “We have never been slaves to anyone. What do you mean, ‘You will be set free’?” – John 8:33 NLT

They were cocky and bit overconfident in their status as God's chosen people. They took great pride in their heritage as Abraham's descendants and viewed themselves as Yahweh's treasured possession.  Yet, Jesus was unsparing in His assessment of their true status.

“I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. Yes, I realize that you are descendants of Abraham. And yet some of you are trying to kill me because there’s no room in your hearts for my message. I am telling you what I saw when I was with my Father. But you are following the advice of your father.” – John 8:34-38 NLT

Even in Jesus' day, the Jews put a higher value on their inheritance than on obedience. Their status as Jews was of more importance than Yahweh's command to obey. Jesus was speaking the words of His Father, but they refused to hear and obey. They prided themselves on their adherence to the Mosaic Law, but Jesus had come to fulfill the law and the prophets. He was the latest revelation of God. According to the opening lines of John's gospel, “So the Word became human and made his home among us. He was full of unfailing love and faithfulness. And we have seen his glory, the glory of the Father’s one and only Son” (John 1:14 NLT).

Long before Jesus appeared in human form, the psalmist wrestled with a desire to know and understand God's truth. He desperately desired to obey God's Word as revealed through the Scriptures. But he knew how difficult this could be.

You rebuke the arrogant;
    those who wander from your commands are cursed. – Psalm 119:21 NLT

Despite setbacks, personal attacks, and struggles with disobedience and unfaithfulness, the psalmist remained committed to knowing and keeping God's word. He also knew that any attempts to obey were hopeless without God's help.

Even princes sit and speak against me,
    but I will meditate on your decrees.
Your laws please me;
    they give me wise advice. – Psalm 119:23-24 NLT

He didn't view God's commands as onerous or burdensome. They were a delight because they reflected God's wisdom, glory, goodness, and power. God's laws were a window into His very nature, providing earth-bound humans with a glimpse into His majesty, holiness, grace, and mercy. As the psalmist will later confess, “Your word is a lamp to guide my feet and a light for my path” (Psalm 119:105 NLT).

Father, I love Your Word because it reveals You. When I open Your Word, I get a glimpse into Your character, a reminder of Your power, and encouragement that You are the same yesterday, today, and forever. You are the unchanging, all-powerful, gracious, and merciful One who saves, sanctifies, redeems, restores, loves, and disciplines. Your written Word and the Living Word reveal You in all Your glory. Give me a greater desire to know both better so that I might obey You more readily and willingly. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

God is Greatly to be Feared and Praised

To the choirmaster: according to Do Not Destroy. A Psalm of Asaph. A Song.

1 We give thanks to you, O God;
    we give thanks, for your name is near.
We recount your wondrous deeds.

2 “At the set time that I appoint
    I will judge with equity.
3 When the earth totters, and all its inhabitants,
    it is I who keep steady its pillars. Selah
4 I say to the boastful, ‘Do not boast,’
    and to the wicked, ‘Do not lift up your horn;
5 do not lift up your horn on high,
    or speak with haughty neck.’”

6 For not from the east or from the west
    and not from the wilderness comes lifting up,
7 but it is God who executes judgment,
    putting down one and lifting up another.
8 For in the hand of the LORD there is a cup
    with foaming wine, well mixed,
and he pours out from it,
    and all the wicked of the earth
    shall drain it down to the dregs.

9 But I will declare it forever;
    I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
10 All the horns of the wicked I will cut off,
    but the horns of the righteous shall be lifted up. – Psalm 75:1-10 ESV

In this psalm of thanksgiving, Asaph speaks on behalf of the people of God, expressing their gratitude for His presence and power to deliver them. Asaph infers explicitly that God’s name is near, a fact that was intended to provide comfort and confidence to His people. For centuries, the Israelites had known God as Yahweh, the name Moses was instructed to use when he gave them God’s message of deliverance in Egypt.

God also said to Moses, “Say this to the people of Israel: ‘The LORD [Yahweh], the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you.’ This is my name forever, and thus I am to be remembered throughout all generations.” – Exodus 3:15 ESV

That name was tied to God’s presence. He is the great “I Am,” the one who was, is, and always will be. He is ever-present and always near, no matter the circumstances. During their 400 years of captivity in Egypt, God had been aware of their less-than-ideal conditions and He had heard their cries of despair.

“I have certainly seen the oppression of my people in Egypt. I have heard their cries of distress because of their harsh slave drivers. Yes, I am aware of their suffering. So I have come down to rescue them from the power of the Egyptians and lead them out of Egypt into their own fertile and spacious land. It is a land flowing with milk and honey—the land where the Canaanites, Hittites, Amorites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites now live. Look! The cry of the people of Israel has reached me, and I have seen how harshly the Egyptians abuse them. Now go, for I am sending you to Pharaoh. You must lead my people Israel out of Egypt.” – Exodus 3:7-10 NLT

Yahweh had always been with them, even in their darkest moments. It was Yahweh who had heard and delivered them from their bondage in Egypt. He had led them across the Red Sea on dry land. He guided them across the wilderness, providing them with food and water along the way. He went before them and gave them victories over their enemies as they occupied the land of promise.

The name Yahweh was near and dear to the Israelites’ hearts because it represented their unique relationship with Him. It was the name by which they knew Him as their personal and intimate God. He was always near and constantly interceding on their behalf. No other nation enjoyed that kind of relationship with Him. In fact, Moses reminded the people of Israel that the Law had been given to them by God to set them apart as His chosen people.

“Look, I now teach you these decrees and regulations just as the Lord my God commanded me, so that you may obey them in the land you are about to enter and occupy. Obey them completely, and you will display your wisdom and intelligence among the surrounding nations. When they hear all these decrees, they will exclaim, ‘How wise and prudent are the people of this great nation!’ For what great nation has a god as near to them as the Lord our God is near to us whenever we call on him? And what great nation has decrees and regulations as righteous and fair as this body of instructions that I am giving you today?” – Deuteronomy 4:5-8 NLT

God was near and always ready to assist His people, but He demanded obedience and faithfulness. Their relationship with God was reciprocal, requiring them to keep their part of the covenant by worshiping Him alone.

“Now if you will obey me and keep my covenant, you will be my own special treasure from among all the peoples on earth; for all the earth belongs to me. And you will be my kingdom of priests, my holy nation.’ This is the message you must give to the people of Israel.” – Exodus 19:5-6 NLT

In his psalm, Asaph provides a short but powerful monologue spoken by Yahweh.

“At the time I have planned,
    I will bring justice against the wicked.
When the earth quakes and its people live in turmoil,
    I am the one who keeps its foundations firm. 

“I warned the proud, ‘Stop your boasting!’
    I told the wicked, ‘Don’t raise your fists!
Don’t raise your fists in defiance at the heavens
    or speak with such arrogance.’” – Psalm 75:2-5 NLT

This divine speech is intended to remind the Israelites of Yahweh’s sovereignty and to call the wicked to repentance. He is a God of justice who deals with the boastful and defiant. He can rescue, but also pour out His wrath on the unrighteous. They were not to take His nearness for granted or to treat His mercy with disdain. Yahweh was holy and expected those who bore His name to reflect His character. 

“Give the following instructions to the entire community of Israel. You must be holy because I, the LORD [Yahweh] your God, am holy.” – Leviticus 19:2 NLT 

“So set yourselves apart to be holy, for I am the LORD [Yahweh] your God. Keep all my decrees by putting them into practice, for I am the LORD [Yahweh] who makes you holy.” – Leviticus 20:7-8 NLT

“You must be holy because I, the LORD [Yahweh], am holy. I have set you apart from all other people to be my very own.” – Leviticus 20:26 NLT

Through the medium of song, Asaph reminds his audience that it is Yahweh “alone who judges; he decides who will rise and who will fall” (Psalm 75:7 NLT). While expressing gratitude to Yahweh for His goodness and grace, Asaph also wants to stress the painful reality of God’s judgment against the prideful, disobedient, and wicked. He describes Yahweh as pouring out a cup of judgment designed to leave all those who drink it staggering from its effects. This imagery of God’s judgment as intoxicating wine is found throughout the Scriptures.

Wake up, wake up, O Jerusalem!
    You have drunk the cup of the LORD’s [Yahweh] fury.
You have drunk the cup of terror,
    tipping out its last drops. – Isaiah 51:17 NLT

You have rejected us, O God, and broken our defenses.
    You have been angry with us; now restore us to your favor.
You have shaken our land and split it open.
    Seal the cracks, for the land trembles.
You have been very hard on us,
    making us drink wine that sent us reeling. – Psalm 60:1-3 NLT

Asaph wants his fellow Israelites to remember that their gracious, loving God is also jealous and holy and demands fidelity and faithfulness from His people. Picking up on the cup of wrath imagery, Asaph warns, “He pours out the wine in judgment, and all the wicked must drink it, draining it to the dregs” (Psalm 75:8 NLT). Yahweh’s love is worth celebrating, but His penchant for pouring out His judgment on the unrighteous also deserves remembering.

But Asaph closes his psalm on a positive note by expressing His trust in Yahweh’s sovereignty and justice.

But as for me, I will always proclaim what God has done;
    I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.
For God says, “I will break the strength of the wicked,
    but I will increase the power of the godly.” – Psalm 75:9-10 NLT

He knows that as long as he lives obediently, he will have nothing to fear. Yahweh knows and sees all, and He will always reward the righteous and punish the wicked. Asaph will always have ample reason to praise Yahweh because he intends to obey Yahweh’s commands.

Father, You are a gracious and good God who pours out blessings on Your people. But You are also a holy and righteous God who hates sin and demands that Your people live in keeping with their identity as Your children. You are holy and You expect those who bear Your name to reflect Your character. But You don't expect us to do it in our own strength. You have given us the Holy Spirit, Your Word, and the Body of Christ to make our holiness possible. As Peter put it, You have “given us everything we need for living a godly life” (2 Peter 1:3 NLT). We don't have to manufacture holiness in our own strength because You have clothed us in the righteousness of Christ. That is why we owe You our praise and thanksgiving. With Asaph, I say, “I will always proclaim what God has done; I will sing praises to the God of Jacob.” Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Illusive Life of Integrity

A Psalm of David.

1 Vindicate me, O Lord,
    for I have walked in my integrity,
    and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me;
    test my heart and my mind.
3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
    and I walk in your faithfulness.

4 I do not sit with men of falsehood,
    nor do I consort with hypocrites.
5 I hate the assembly of evildoers,
    and I will not sit with the wicked.

6 I wash my hands in innocence
    and go around your altar, O Lord,
7 proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
    and telling all your wondrous deeds.

8 O Lord, I love the habitation of your house
    and the place where your glory dwells.
9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
    nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 in whose hands are evil devices,
    and whose right hands are full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
    redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 My foot stands on level ground;
    in the great assembly I will bless the Lord. – Psalm 26:1-12 ESV

There are times when David comes across as a bit full of himself, and this Psalm is a case in point. He begins by asking God to affirm his innocence, and as proof, he makes some rather bold claims.

I have acted with integrity;
    I have trusted in the Lord without wavering… – Psalm 26:1 NLT

For I am always aware of your unfailing love,
    and I have lived according to your truth.
I do not spend time with liars
    or go along with hypocrites.
I hate the gatherings of those who do evil,
    and I refuse to join in with the wicked.
I wash my hands to declare my innocence.
    I come to your altar, O Lord – Psalm 26:3-6 NLT

The first half of this Psalm reads like a transcript from a trial, with David, the accused, standing before the Judge’s bench and declaring his innocence. Facing false accusations from unnamed sources, David is desperate to have God examine the facts of the case. Despite the damaging allegations leveled against him, David remains confident that God will acquit him of all wrongdoing. 

As proof, David asserts his seemingly sterling character, portraying himself as a virtual icon of virtue. But David is not bragging. These are not the words of a self-righteous moralist claiming to live in sinless perfection. He is simply attempting to establish what sets himself apart from his enemies. His words are more of an indictment of them than they are a declaration of David’s spiritual superiority. He is far from perfect, and yet, despite his many shortcomings, he remains faithful to God. He has tried to live according to God’s truth and has refused to consort with those whose lives are marked by wickedness. David may lie, but he isn't pathological about it. Occasionally, he could be hypocritical, but he didn't make a habit of it.    

David could say, “I live with integrity” (Psalm 26:11 NLT). But what does that mean? What was he claiming? He said he had acted or literally “walked” (lived his life) with integrity. In the Hebrew language, the word is tom, and it refers to completeness or wholeness. To live with integrity is to live a life that is non-compartmentalized. There is no such thing as the secular-sacred split. A person who lives in integrity allows the things of God to impact and influence every area of their life, including their home, work, leisure time, recreation, relationships, finances, etc.

There is no area in his life for which someone might be able to point their finger and level an accusation of impropriety or ungodly behavior. It is the same idea found in the qualifications for an elder or deacon in 1 Timothy. 

If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position. So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? An elder must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap. In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. – 1 Timothy 3:1-10 NLT

A life of integrity does not require sinless perfection. However, it does demand that one conduct their life with motives and attitudes marked by a desire to do what God would have them do. It displays a love for the things of God rather than the things of this world. A person of integrity is willing to trust God with every aspect of their life, dedicating every facet of it to His service and not holding back anything for their own selfish pleasures or desires.

As David indicates, a life of integrity is motivated by God’s unfailing love and is a logical response to His grace and mercy. A person of integrity knows their life does not belong to them but to God. It is not for them to use as they see fit. That is why David refused to associate with liars and hypocrites. He wanted nothing to do with those who do evil. The thought of aligning himself with the wicked was repulsive to him. A person of integrity would rather spend time with God and His people than anyone else. It is a life marked by separateness and set-apartness, not compromise and convenience. This is why David could say, “Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me” (Psalm 26:2 NLT). He was willing to allow God to test the purity of his faithfulness and the validity of his integrity.

What about us? Could our integrity stand up to the heat of God’s scrutiny? Is our life characterized more by compartmentalization or wholeness? Are there any areas of our lives we refuse to let God control? Because of the integrity of his life, David found himself standing on a firm footing. He trusted in the integrity of God and placed his hope in Him. He had seen God to be faithful and true.  God had proven Himself to be anything but compartmentalized in His relationship with and reaction to David.  So David was willing to live for God’s glory in every area of his life.

The apostle Paul described this kind of life to the believers in Rome.

I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. – Romans 12:1 NLT

God wants a complete or whole sacrifice – not partial. His Son died to redeem all of us, not part of us. To live a life of integrity is to surrender your whole life to God because His Son gave His life to redeem all of you.

Jesus put it this way:

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” – Matthew 16:24-26 NLT

The words of the old chorus, “I Surrender All,” seem appropriate here.

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live

All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, take me now

I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all

Father, I want my life to be marked by integrity — not the worldly, human version, but the biblical one. I want every area of my life to be Yours. I know I hold areas back, afraid to let You control them. But continue to lovingly pry them from my hands so I can place them on the altar as a sacrifice to You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Be Perfect!

43 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ 44 But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45 so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and on the unjust. 46 For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47 And if you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.” – Matthew 5:43-48 ESV

In all that Jesus has said in His Sermon on the Mount up to this point, the final line in this passage jumps out like no other, and He makes it at the tail end of a discussion on love. Jesus has let them know that the kind of love God expects from those who are blessed and approved by Him is a non-discriminatory love. It isn’t a love that has to be earned or deserved in some way. There is no expectation or demand for love in return. In other words, it’s not reciprocal in nature. Human love says, “I’ll love you, as long as you love me back,” but that’s a self-centered kind of love. Jesus said, “If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that” (Matthew 4:47-48 NLT).

Our model for love is to be God, not man. This led Jesus to say, “But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect” (Matthew 5:49 NLT). If we’re honest, the first thought that goes through our minds when we hear that statement is, “You’ve got to be kidding!” Is Jesus serious? Is He really asking us to live up to some kind of godly form of perfection? Is He calling His listeners to do the impossible? YES!

What Jesus is demanding is righteousness – God’s brand of righteousness. Mankind is adept at producing flesh-based, sin-infused righteousness. That is what Jesus has been addressing during this opening section of His message. He knew that His audience measured their righteousness based on adherence to external rules or standards. Here’s how they approached righteousness:

“As long as I don’t commit adultery, I’m doing okay with God.”

“If I don’t kill anyone, I am obeying God’s law and keeping Him happy with me.”

“If I happen to divorce my wife I’ll still be okay with God, as long as I do it as prescribed in His law.”

“I thank God for oaths that allow me to break my word, but in a way that God will accept, even if my friends don’t.”

“God even approves of me when I harm others, as long as I’m doing it to get even.”

“I can keep God loving me as long as I love my neighbor and hate my enemies.”

But all of those thoughts are based on a human understanding of righteousness, a merit-based concept that connects righteousness to behavior. But Jesus is presenting a radically different view that teaches that God’s ultimate expectation of men is nothing short of sinless perfection. In fact, the Greek word Jesus uses that is translated as “perfect” is teleios and it means “whole” or “complete.” It was used to refer to consummate human integrity and virtue. Jesus wasn’t calling for a better, slightly improved version of human righteousness; He demanded sinless perfection. And there wasn’t a single person in His audience that day who could pull it off, including His 12 disciples. We are all totally incapable of doing what Jesus is commanding – without His help.

What Jesus is demanding is simply a reiteration of what His Father had demanded of the Israelites centuries earlier.

And the Lord spoke to Moses, saying, “Speak to all the congregation of the people of Israel and say to them, You shall be holy, for I the Lord your God am holy.” – Leviticus 19:1-2 ESV

The Hebrew word translated as “holy” is the word qadowsh. It means “pure, clean; free from defilement of crimes, idolatry, and other unclean and profane things” (“H6918 – qadowsh – Strong’s Hebrew Lexicon (KJV).” Blue Letter Bible). It was also used when referring to someone or something having been “set apart” by God for His use.

“You shall be holy to me, for I the LORD am holy and have separated you from the peoples, that you should be mine.” – Leviticus 20:26 ESV

It was a call to separation and distinctiveness. The people of Israel were to be holy, set apart by God for His use. But their holiness was not to be simply a positional reality. It was to have practical ramifications. God had expectations regarding their behavior, but also regarding the condition of their hearts. They were expected to “love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might” (Deuteronomy 6:5 ESV). And they were expected to “love your neighbor as yourself” (Leviticus 19:18 ESV).

The apostle Peter would echo the words of Jesus in his first letter.

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” – 1 Peter 1:14-16 ESV

Be holy – in all your conduct. Be perfect – just as your heavenly Father is perfect. Those are some staggering concepts to get your mind around. They come across as so far-fetched and impossible that we end up treating them as some form of hyperbole or over-exaggeration on Jesus’ part. Surely, He can’t expect us to be holy like God is holy, or perfect in the same way God is perfect. But Jesus is simply revealing the standard God demands. He doesn’t grade on a curve. He doesn’t dumb down the test because of the spiritual acumen of the students in His classroom. One of the issues Jesus is exposing in His message is that the Jews were guilty of lowering God’s holy and righteous standards so they could measure up. That’s why Jesus said, “If you ignore the least commandment and teach others to do the same, you will be called the least in the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:19 NLT). He topped that off with the bombshell: “Unless your righteousness is better than the righteousness of the teachers of religious law and the Pharisees, you will never enter the Kingdom of Heaven” (Matthew 5:20 NLT).

God has always expected and demanded perfection. He has always required that His people be holy, just as He is holy. There is no lower standard. God doesn’t look at mankind, recognize their inability to live up to His expectations and lower the bar so more people can qualify. Later in this sermon, Jesus elaborates on the exacting nature of God’s standard for righteousness. 

“You can enter God’s Kingdom only through the narrow gate. The highway to hell is broad, and its gate is wide for the many who choose that way. But the gateway to life is very narrow and the road is difficult, and only a few ever find it.” – Matthew 7:13-14 NLT

God’s way is not easy. The kind of righteousness He demands and expects is not easily achieved. In fact, it’s impossible. The standard of holiness He requires of those who would be His children is measured by His own holiness. It is a holiness and righteousness far superior to anything the Pharisees or teachers of religious law could ever hope to produce.

Holiness and godly perfection are high standards, and they are impossible to produce in the flesh. You can’t manufacture what God is demanding. You can’t be like God without the help of God. The apostle Paul wrote to the believers in Corinth and reminded them:

Don’t team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? And what union can there be between God’s temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said:

“I will live in them
    and walk among them.
I will be their God,
    and they will be my people.
Therefore, come out from among unbelievers,
    and separate yourselves from them, says the Lord.
Don’t touch their filthy things,
    and I will welcome you.
And I will be your Father,
    and you will be my sons and daughters,
    says the Lord Almighty.” – 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 NLT

Then, he follows this up with a logical conclusion or application.

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. – 2 Corinthians 7:1 NLT

You see, there is an expectation of separation. We are to live differently and distinctively from those around us. Part of how our holiness should manifest itself is in the alternative way of living that we model. As God’s children, we have the capacity to live set-apart lives that cause us to stand out from the rest of humanity. We can live truly righteous lives because we have received the righteousness of Christ. We have the Spirit of God living within us and empowering us to live as Christ did. Our standard is Jesus Christ Himself. He is the model of righteousness we are to emulate – not scribes, Pharisees, Rabbis, pastors, teachers, evangelists, parents, or friends – unless they are modeling their lives after Christ. Paul actually challenged his disciples to imitate him but added an important caveat: “…just as I imitate Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1 NLT).

So, when Jesus said to the crowd seated on the hillside that day, “You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect,” He wasn’t presenting anything new.  He was simply reminding them that God’s standard had not changed. The bar had not been lowered. Human alterations and amendments to God’s laws might make them easier to live up to, but they can’t produce the kind of righteousness God demands. That’s why, as Paul reminds us, God did for us what the law could never have done.

The law of Moses was unable to save us because of the weakness of our sinful nature. So God did what the law could not do. He sent his own Son in a body like the bodies we sinners have. And in that body God declared an end to sin’s control over us by giving his Son as a sacrifice for our sins. He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. – Romans 8:3-4 NLT

Holiness and perfection are only impossible if we try to produce them in our own strength. But God never expected His chosen people to live up to His exacting standards. Yes, He demanded obedience, but He knew that sinful men would never be able to keep His righteous law perfectly. The law presented God’s divine criteria for holiness and made painfully clear what He demanded in the way of behavior from mankind. But in the end, it was intended to reveal man’s sin and need for outside help. This is what Martin Luther referred to as an “alien righteousness” – a righteousness outside of ourselves. The apostle Paul reminds us that it is the righteousness of Christ that makes us right with God, not a righteousness we produce on our own.

God has united you with Christ Jesus. For our benefit God made him to be wisdom itself. Christ made us right with God; he made us pure and holy, and he freed us from sin. Therefore, as the Scriptures say, “If you want to boast, boast only about the Lord.” – 1 Corinthians 1:30-31 NLT

Jesus introduced the concept of godly perfection and prepared His listeners for the day when He would offer Himself as the payment for mankind's sins and the means by which they would be made right with a holy God. Godly perfection would be made available to men through the death of the Son of God and the indwelling power of the Spirit of God. This is what led Paul to state, “I no longer count on my own righteousness through obeying the law; rather, I become righteous through faith in Christ. For God’s way of making us right with himself depends on faith.” (Philippians 3:9 NLT).

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Holy to the LORD

16 Then everyone who survives of all the nations that have come against Jerusalem shall go up year after year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Booths. 17 And if any of the families of the earth do not go up to Jerusalem to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, there will be no rain on them. 18 And if the family of Egypt does not go up and present themselves, then on them there shall be no rain; there shall be the plague with which the LORD afflicts the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths. 19 This shall be the punishment to Egypt and the punishment to all the nations that do not go up to keep the Feast of Booths.

20 And on that day there shall be inscribed on the bells of the horses, “Holy to the LORD.” And the pots in the house of the LORD shall be as the bowls before the altar. 21 And every pot in Jerusalem and Judah shall be holy to the LORD of hosts, so that all who sacrifice may come and take of them and boil the meat of the sacrifice in them. And there shall no longer be a trader in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day. – Zechariah 14:16-21 ESV

In the closing verses of his book, Zechariah describes a coming day when Jesus the Messiah will reign on earth from His throne in Jerusalem. This will be in fulfillment of the promise God made to King David.

“Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build a house for my name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever. I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son. When he commits iniquity, I will discipline him with the rod of men, with the stripes of the sons of men, but my steadfast love will not depart from him, as I took it from Saul, whom I put away from before you. And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me.Your throne shall be established forever.’”– 2 Samuel 7:11-16 ESV

While this promise was partially fulfilled when David’s son Solomon inherited his throne and kingdom, Jesus, “the Son of David,” will establish the everlasting Davidic Kingdom. The apostle Paul declares, “In his earthly life he was born into King David’s family line” (Romans 1:3 NLT). The gospel of Matthew records Jesus’ genealogy through His stepfather Joseph, tracing His roots all the way back to David, making Him a legally certified descendant of the great king. Luke also traces the genealogy of Jesus but does so through the line of Mary, ensuring that He is of the bloodline of David.

When the angel Gabriel appeared to Mary and made his shocking announcement about God’s plan for her, he reaffirmed the promise God made to David.

“And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” – Luke 1:31-33 ESV

Jesus will be “the King, the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 14:16 ESV) who will receive worship from all the nations that survive the great final battle. Zechariah recorded Yahweh’s earlier promise concerning this great day.

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies says: People from nations and cities around the world will travel to Jerusalem. The people of one city will say to the people of another, ‘Come with us to Jerusalem to ask the Lord to bless us. Let’s worship the Lord of Heaven’s Armies. I’m determined to go.’ Many peoples and powerful nations will come to Jerusalem to seek the Lord of Heaven’s Armies and to ask for his blessing.” – Zechariah 8:20-22 NLT

This picture of worldwide peace and prosperity under Messiah’s reign was a common theme for Isaiah as well.

In the last days, the mountain of the Lord’s house
will be the highest of all—
the most important place on earth.
It will be raised above the other hills,
and people from all over the world will stream there to worship.
People from many nations will come and say,
“Come, let us go up to the mountain of the Lord,
to the house of Jacob’s God.
There he will teach us his ways,
and we will walk in his paths.”
For the Lord’s teaching will go out from Zion;
his word will go out from Jerusalem.
The Lord will mediate between nations
and will settle international disputes.
They will hammer their swords into plowshares
and their spears into pruning hooks.
Nation will no longer fight against nation,
nor train for war anymore.– Isaiah 2:2-4 NLT

Your eyes will shine,
and your heart will thrill with joy,
for merchants from around the world will come to you.
They will bring you the wealth of many lands.
Vast caravans of camels will converge on you,
the camels of Midian and Ephah.
The people of Sheba will bring gold and frankincense
and will come worshiping the Lord.
The flocks of Kedar will be given to you,
and the rams of Nebaioth will be brought for my altars.
I will accept their offerings,
and I will make my Temple glorious.– Isaiah 60:5-7 NLT

Zechariah describes the Gentile nations taking part in the annual feasts of Israel, particularly the Feast of Booths. This news must have surprised Zechariah because observance of the feasts and festivals had always been reserved for the chosen people of God. The Feast of Booths was an annual commemoration of the wilderness wanderings of the Israelites after their deliverance from Egypt. The details of this feast are provided in the Book of Leviticus.

“And you shall take on the first day the fruit of splendid trees, branches of palm trees and boughs of leafy trees and willows of the brook, and you shall rejoice before the Lord your God seven days. You shall celebrate it as a feast to the Lord for seven days in the year. It is a statute forever throughout your generations; you shall celebrate it in the seventh month. You shall dwell in booths for seven days. All native Israelites shall dwell in booths, that your generations may know that I made the people of Israel dwell in booths when I brought them out of the land of Egypt: I am the Lord your God.”– Leviticus 23:40-43 ESV

The Jews associated the Feast of Booths with the coming of Messiah and the establishment of His Kingdom. This is evident in Peter’s response to seeing Jesus in His transfigured form accompanied by Elijah and Moses. He believed this spectacular event to be a sign of the Kingdom’s coming, and responded, “Master, it’s wonderful for us to be here! Let’s make three shelters as memorials—one for you, one for Moses, and one for Elijah” (Luke 9:33 NLT). The text states that Peter spoke without knowing what he was saying. He was completely unaware that his words were prophetic.

But the worship of Christ in His Millennial Kingdom will be voluntary and not coerced. The nations will choose to journey to Jerusalem to worship and seek His favor. But all those who refuse to honor Him as King and participate in the celebration of the Feast of Booths will suffer the consequences.

…the Lord will punish them with the same plague that he sends on the other nations who refuse to go.  Egypt and the other nations will all be punished if they don’t go to celebrate the Festival of Shelters. – Zechariah 14:18-19 NLT

The psalmist wrote of this coming day when the nations will have to willingly pledge allegiance to the King of kings and Lord of lords.

Now then, you kings, act wisely!
Be warned, you rulers of the earth!
Serve the Lord with reverent fear,
and rejoice with trembling.
Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry,
and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities—
for his anger flares up in an instant.
But what joy for all who take refuge in him!– Psalm 2:10-12 NLT

Drought, famine, and plagues symbolize the withholding of spiritual blessings. The nations of the earth depend upon rain for their crops to grow. When it is withheld, hunger, thirst, and death are the necessary consequences. For the Egyptians, rain was less of a necessity because of the abundant water supplied by the Nile. So, their punishment would be plagues that destroyed their crops and polluted their water supply, just as God had done in the days of Moses and the exodus.

Failure to worship the Messiah will be costly in those days. But these punishments will have a purpose; they are intended to produce a hunger and thirst for the things of God. The prophet Isaiah records the LORD’s plea for all who thirst to come to Him.

“Is anyone thirsty?
    Come and drink—
    even if you have no money!
Come, take your choice of wine or milk—
    it’s all free!
Why spend your money on food that does not give you strength?
    Why pay for food that does you no good?
Listen to me, and you will eat what is good.
    You will enjoy the finest food.

“Come to me with your ears wide open.
    Listen, and you will find life.
I will make an everlasting covenant with you.
    I will give you all the unfailing love I promised to David.
See how I used him to display my power among the peoples.
    I made him a leader among the nations.
You also will command nations you do not know,
    and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey,
because I, the Lord your God,
    the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious.” – Isaiah 55:1-5 NLT

This invitation to come and eat was issued by Jesus Himself on the final day of the Feast of Booths. John records it in his gospel account.

After this Jesus went about in Galilee. He would not go about in Judea, because the Jews were seeking to kill him. Now the Jews' Feast of Booths was at hand.…On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” – John 7:1-2, 37-38 ESV

The withholding of rain and the sending of plagues will be intended to produce hunger and thirst for righteousness. Jesus spoke of this in His Sermon on the Mount.

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be satisfied.” – Matthew 5:6 ESV

Jesus would later proclaim, “I am the bread of life. Whoever comes to Me will never hunger, and whoever believes in Me will never thirst” (John 6:34 BSB). In His Millennial Kingdom, He will remain the source of all sustenance but everyone will have to decide to seek Him. In the Book of Revelation, John records the incredible benefits of honoring Jesus as King and Lord.

“They will never again be hungry or thirsty;
    they will never be scorched by the heat of the sun.
For the Lamb on the throne
    will be their Shepherd.
He will lead them to springs of life-giving water.
    And God will wipe every tear from their eyes.” – Revelation 7:16-17 NLT

The closing verses of the Book of Zechariah declare that Christ’s Millennial Kingdom will be marked by holiness. Everything and everyone will be set apart for God’s glory, from the bells on the horse’s bridle to the pots used for cooking in the Temple. The holiness of the Messiah will permeate every aspect of life, transforming all that was once considered common into that which is consecrated for God. At one time, the priests had been responsible for differentiating between the common and the holy.

“They will teach my people the difference between what is holy and what is common, what is ceremonially clean and unclean.” – Ezekiel 44:23 NLT

In the Millennial Kingdom, that aspect of their role will no longer be necessary. The presence of the Messiah will eliminate the need for differentiation. As a final emphasis on the transformative nature of Christ’s coming Kingdom, Yahweh states that no Canaanites will be “in the house of the LORD of hosts on that day” (Zechariah 14:21 ESV). The Hebrew word translated “traders” is kᵊnaʿănî and while it can refer to a “merchant,” it is most commonly translated as “Canaanite.” The Canaanites were perennial enemies of Israel and came to represent all that was wicked and reprehensible to Yahweh. It became an all-inclusive term used to speak of the enemies of God. So, when God states that no Canaanite will enter the house of the LORD of Hosts on that day, it may simply mean that no unclean or unrepentant person

“No foreigner uncircumcised in heart and flesh may enter My sanctuary—not even a foreigner who lives among the Israelites.” – Ezekiel 44:9 BSB

But there may be more to this statement than meets the eye. It makes even more sense to consider that this verse is a promise that no foreigner will ever enter the Temple to desecrate and destroy it again. Never again will “Canaanites” like the Babylonians or Romans invade the city of Jerusalem and profane God’s holiness with their presence. The Messiah will preserve and protect the holiness of His Father and the sanctity of His house.

As Zechariah completed his book and considered the unfinished work of completing the Temple, he must have been encouraged by all he had seen and heard. Yahweh was in control and had a plan that was far greater than anything Zechariah could have ever imagined. The future of Israel was secure because Israel’s God was sovereign. The days ahead would be difficult but the Yahweh would be with them and had His best in store for them.

“For I know the plans I have for you,” says the Lord. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.” – Jeremiah 29:11 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Our Faithful God

1 And the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. 3 Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain. 4 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the LORD of hosts? 7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

9 Thus says the they shall be my people, and I will be their God of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. 10 For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts. 12 For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13 And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.”

14 For thus says the LORD of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, 15 so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. 16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; 17 do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.” – Zechariah 8:1-17 NLT

Yahweh continues to provide Zechariah with words of encouragement to deliver to the people of Judah. Their work on the Temple was not yet complete and they must diligently carry out His command to rebuild His house, restore the city of Jerusalem, and rekindle their covenant commitments to Him. Yahweh wasn’t interested in religious ritualism and heartless adherence to a set of rules. He wanted them to live holy lives that reflected their status as His set-apart people. When Moses delivered them out of captivity in Egypt and led them through the wilderness to the promised land, God made the following promise to the people of Israel.

“…if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” – Exodus 19:5-6 ESV

As His treasured possession, the people of Israel were expected to carry themselves in a way that set them apart from all the other nations on earth. But rather than stand out, they had chosen to blend in, mirroring the attitudes and actions of their pagan neighbors. It was their propensity for godless behavior that led to their eventual fall to the Babylonians and their seven decades of exile in a foreign land. But Yahweh had graciously restored them and given them a second chance to make a good first impression.

In the last chapter, Zechariah was given a non-negotiable mandate from the LORD that clearly articulated His expectations regarding their behavior.

“Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” – Zechariah 7:9-10 ESV

And Yahweh reiterates these words in His latest message to Zechariah.

“Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.” – Zechariah 8:16-17 ESV

But sandwiched in-between these two passages is a powerful statement regarding what God intends to do for His chosen people. He will not be sitting idly by as His people build the Temple and work on their interpersonal relationships. Yahweh wants them to know that He too will be busy as He carries out His divine plan for their future. He declares His unwavering love for the city that bears His name.

“My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem!” – Zechariah 8:2 NLT

He declares His intentions to once again dwell among His people and bless them with His presence. He informs them that the former glory of Jerusalem will be restored and it “shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain” (Zechariah 8:3 ESV). Then He adds some color commentary to describe what this renewal and revitalization of Jerusalem will look like.

“Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play.” – Zechariah 8:4-5 NLT

When this message was delivered, few elderly people would have been living in Jerusalem. Their advanced age would have prevented them from making the arduous trip from Babylon to Judah. So, what God describes to Zechariah is a scene from Jerusalem’s future. This is a prophecy of good things to come. But knowing that this message would sound too good to be true to the rag-tag former exiles, Yahweh provides them with an important reminder of His omnipotence.

“All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” – Zechariah 8:6 NLT

They were having difficulty imagining a day when their work on the Temple would be complete, let alone a time when the old and young alike lived in peace and security within the walls of Jerusalem. They were surrounded by devastation and destruction. The stones of the walls still lay in heaps of rubble. The homes inside the city walls remained unrestored and unoccupied. Enemies surrounded them and constantly taunted them. The Persians still ruled over them. But Yahweh wanted them to know that He was not done. His work was not yet complete.

“You can be sure that I will rescue my people from the east and from the west. I will bring them home again to live safely in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be faithful and just toward them as their God.” – Zechariah 8:7-8 NLT

Once again, Yahweh is speaking of the future and letting them know that His plans for them include blessings beyond their wildest imaginations that will take place long after the Temple is complete and their time on earth is up. So, they were to do their part and finish the assignment given to them by God.

“Be strong and finish the task! Ever since the laying of the foundation of the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you have heard what the prophets have been saying about completing the building.” – Zechariah 8:9 NLT

Haggai, Zechariah, and Ezra were just a few of the prophets God used to communicate His command to rebuild the Temple. But there had been constant delays and setbacks. Despite repeated calls to complete their mission, the people of Judah had been unsuccessful. So, Yahweh reiterates His demand that they complete what they started. He also reminds them that He had been faithful to improve their living conditions since they returned to the land.

“Before the work on the Temple began, there were no jobs and no money to hire people or animals. No traveler was safe from the enemy, for there were enemies on all sides. I had turned everyone against each other.” – Zechariah 8:10 NLT

Yahweh urges them to get on with the plan, stating, “Don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple!” (Zechariah 8:13 NLT). But knowing that they require incentive, He provides them with a glimpse of the future that is meant to instill hope and remind them of His faithfulness.

“I am planting seeds of peace and prosperity among you. The grapevines will be heavy with fruit. The earth will produce its crops, and the heavens will release the dew. Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah and Israel to inherit these blessings.” – Zechariah 8:12 NLT

While Israel and Judah had become the symbols of divine wrath and judgment, Yahweh assures them that they will one day be “a symbol and a source of blessing” ( Zechariah 8:13 NLT). Their past actions had resulted in the outpouring of God’s judgment but He promises that His future treatment will be far different.

“…now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid.” – Zechariah 8:15 NLT

The rebuilding of the Temple will just be the beginning. If they will faithfully do their part, God will fulfill all His promises to bless them as a nation. Verse 8 records an important part of God’s covenant promise to the people of Judah.

“I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.” – Zechariah 8:8 ESV

God is reiterating a promise that He has made for generations. He wants them to know that His goal for them has never changed, despite all their disobedience and unfaithfulness. He has always viewed them as His treasured possession and chosen people, and that has not changed. Over the centuries, God had repeatedly stated His commitment to be their God.

“I will certainly bring my people back again from all the countries where I will scatter them in my fury. I will bring them back to this very city and let them live in peace and safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants.” – Jeremiah 32:37-39 NLT

“When the people return to their homeland, they will remove every trace of their vile images and detestable idols. And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.” – Ezekiel 11:18-20 NLT

“I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” – Ezekiel 37:26-28 ESV

“I will look favorably upon you, making you fertile and multiplying your people. And I will fulfill my covenant with you. You will have such a surplus of crops that you will need to clear out the old grain to make room for the new harvest! I will live among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.” – Leviticus 26:9-12 NLT

God’s will for His covenant people has never changed. But they had a bad track record when it came to keeping with His law and living in faithfulness to their covenant commitments to Him. Yet, God was assuring Zechariah that He would keep His end of the agreement. He would not turn His back on His chosen people – despite all they had done and all they had yet to do.

Centuries later, God would send His Son to earth as the long-awaited Messiah of Israel, but “his own people did not receive him” (John 1:11 NLT). Instead, they chose to turn down His offer of salvation and turn Him over to the Roman authorities for crucifixion. In his address to the Jews on the day of Pentecost, Peter clearly indicted them for their role in the death of Jesus, their promised Messiah.

“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.” – Acts 2:22-24 NLT

Yet, despite their rejection of Jesus, “God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning” (Romans 11:2 NLT). The apostle Paul points out that God remains firmly committed to His covenant people.

Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it. – Romans 11:11-12 NLT

The prophet Ezekiel wrote of a future day when God will

“I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.” – Ezekiel 36:24-26 NLT

God will do for the people of Israel would they could never do on their own. And, one day, He will restore them and all His faithful followers to a right relationship with Himself in His eternal Kingdom.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” – Revelation 21:1-4 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Robbing God of Glory

1 Again I lifted my eyes and saw, and behold, a flying scroll! 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” I answered, “I see a flying scroll. Its length is twenty cubits, and its width ten cubits.” 3 Then he said to me, “This is the curse that goes out over the face of the whole land. For everyone who steals shall be cleaned out according to what is on one side, and everyone who swears falsely shall be cleaned out according to what is on the other side. 4 I will send it out, declares the Lord of hosts, and it shall enter the house of the thief, and the house of him who swears falsely by my name. And it shall remain in his house and consume it, both timber and stones.” – Zechariah 5:1-4 ESV

In God’s economy, the roles of king and priest were essential for maintaining the civil and moral order of the nation. Together, Zerubbabel and Joshua were responsible for rebuilding the Temple and re-instituting the sacrificial system of Israel. But Yahweh knew that the Temple could not guarantee an obedient people and the sacrifices could devolve into repetitious rituals that held no meaning and made no difference in the people’s behavior.

The reason the people of Judah had spent 70 years exiled in Babylon was because of their sinfulness and disobedience. Jeremiah the prophet had warned them that the Temple could not save them from God’s righteous wrath.

“Even now, if you quit your evil ways, I will let you stay in your own land. But don’t be fooled by those who promise you safety simply because the LORD’s Temple is here. They chant, ‘The LORD’s Temple is here! The LORD’s Temple is here!’ But I will be merciful only if you stop your evil thoughts and deeds and start treating each other with justice; only if you stop exploiting foreigners, orphans, and widows; only if you stop your murdering; and only if you stop harming yourselves by worshiping idols. Then I will let you stay in this land that I gave to your ancestors to keep forever.” – Jeremiah 7:4-7 NLT

The prophet Isaiah delivered a stinging indictment against God’s chosen people for their faux-faithfulness and hypocritical display of ritualistic and heartless worship.

…the Lord says,
    “These people say they are mine.
They honor me with their lips,
    but their hearts are far from me.
And their worship of me
    is nothing but man-made rules learned by rote.” – Isaiah 29:13 NLT

God had warned them of the consequences for their disingenuous displays of adoration and rule-keeping.

“…I will bring disaster upon you,
    and there will be much weeping and sorrow.…

“I will be your enemy,
    surrounding Jerusalem and attacking its walls.
I will build siege towers
    and destroy it.” – Isaiah 29:2-3 NLT

God expected both heart transformation and behavior modification. His Law was intended to be a road map for righteous living. The sacrificial system was graciously provided as a means for maintaining a right standing with Him when the sins were inevitably committed. 

In his role as governor, Zerubbabel was expected to deal with matters related to law and order. He was responsible for policing and enforcement of all civil laws designed to ensure the community’s safety and well-being. 

When there is moral rot within a nation, its government topples easily.
    But wise and knowledgeable leaders bring stability. – Proverbs 28:2 NLT

As the high priest, Joshua was responsible for fostering the spiritual well-being of the nation. He and his fellow priests, along with the Levites, were to care for the Temple and orchestrate the sacrifices and feasts prescribed by God. But they were also to serve as judges, providing legal counsel and judicial decisions on difficult cases.

“Suppose a case arises in a local court that is too hard for you to decide—for instance, whether someone is guilty of murder or only of manslaughter, or a difficult lawsuit, or a case involving different kinds of assault. Take such legal cases to the place the Lord your God will choose, and present them to the Levitical priests or the judge on duty at that time. They will hear the case and declare the verdict. You must carry out the verdict they announce and the sentence they prescribe at the place the Lord chooses. You must do exactly what they say.” – Deuteronomy 17:8-10 NLT

Zerubbabel and Joshua represent the religious and civil leadership of the nation. As God’s appointed caretakers, they were expected to shepherd His flock. This would require equal amounts of love and discipline, something their predecessors failed to provide.

“What sorrow awaits the leaders of my people—the shepherds of my sheep—for they have destroyed and scattered the very ones they were expected to care for,” says the LORD.” – Jeremiah 23:1 NLT

All of these factors provide important background to what takes place in chapter 5. In his sixth vision, Zechariah is shown a giant scroll, measuring 30 feet in length and 15 feet in height. On one side of this massive parchment is a list of all those who have committed theft. The other side contains the names of all who are guilty of swearing. This massive scroll contains only the name of thieves and those who pledge false oaths. But why did God focus on these two transgressions? Aren’t there far worse crimes that deserve God’s attention and judgment?

It seems that these two categories of sin both deal with taking what something that belongs to another. The seventh commandment clearly forbade stealing, and God but in the Book of Leviticus God expands His list of prohibitions.

“Do not steal. Do not deceive or cheat one another. Do not bring shame on the name of your God by using it to swear falsely. I am the Lord. Do not defraud or rob your neighbor. Do not make your hired workers wait until the next day to receive their pay. Do not insult the deaf or cause the blind to stumble. You must fear your God; I am the Lord. Do not twist justice in legal matters by favoring the poor or being partial to the rich and powerful. Always judge people fairly. Do not spread slanderous gossip among your people.” – Leviticus 19:11-16 NLT

Stealing and swearing seem to serve as broad categories that encompass all sins of speech and action. There are a lot of ways to steal from someone else. You can take their property and possessions but you can also rob them of their reputation. An employer can commit theft by failing to pay his workers a decent wage or by withholding payment for purely selfish reasons. But as the Leviticus passage makes clear, our words can also rob others of their joy, honor, dignity, and self-worth.

Later in this same book, God will expand on this topic of theft and swearing.

“I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid. 16 But this is what you must do: Tell the truth to each other. Render verdicts in your courts that are just and that lead to peace. Don’t scheme against each other. Stop your love of telling lies that you swear are the truth. I hate all these things, says the Lord.” – Zechariah 8:15-17 NLT

But there appears to more here than meets the eye. This scroll and the names of the guilty it contains is meant to get Zechariah’s attention. Its sheer size conveys the number of names that Zechariah saw, and he must have recognized many of them. Perhaps he saw his own name in the list. It seems likely that everyone living in Judah at the time would have found their name written on both sides of the scroll.

In the Book of Malachi, God issues a stern warning to the descendants of Jacob, calling them change their behavior. He accuses them of stealing from Him and they seem shocked by His words.

“For I the LORD do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. From the days of your fathers you have turned aside from my statutes and have not kept them. Return to me, and I will return to you, says the LORD of hosts. But you say, ‘How shall we return?’ Will man rob God? Yet you are robbing me. But you say, ‘How have we robbed you?’ In your tithes and contributions. You are cursed with a curse, for you are robbing me, the whole nation of you.” – Malachi 3:6-9 ESV

The people were guilty of short-changing God. They had repeatedly failed to give the required tithes and offerings, leaving the storehouses of the Temple empty. And God declares the entire nation to be guilty of this crime.

But that wasn’t the only transgression God’s people had committed. According to the Book of Numbers, God outlawed the making of false or fraudulently pledges to Him.

“This is what the Lord has commanded: A man who makes a vow to the Lord or makes a pledge under oath must never break it. He must do exactly what he said he would do.” – Numbers 30:1-2 NLT

The Book of Numbers reiterates this command.

“When you make a vow to the Lord your God, be prompt in fulfilling whatever you promised him. For the Lord your God demands that you promptly fulfill all your vows, or you will be guilty of sin.” – Deuteronomy 23:21-21 NLT

Swearing an oath to God and failing to honor it was a form of stealing. It was to rob God of what was rightfully His. Jesus picked up on this theme of vows and swearing in His Sermon on the Mount. As with all His other saying in this famous sermon, Jesus took the Old Testament teachings on vows, swearing, and oaths and made them even more practical.

“You have also heard that our ancestors were told, ‘You must not break your vows; you must carry out the vows you make to the LORD.’ But I say, do not make any vows! Do not say, ‘By heaven!’ because heaven is God’s throne. And do not say, ‘By the earth!’ because the earth is his footstool. And do not say, ‘By Jerusalem!’ for Jerusalem is the city of the great King. Do not even say, ‘By my head!’ for you can’t turn one hair white or black. Just say a simple, ‘Yes, I will,’ or ‘No, I won’t.’ Anything beyond this is from the evil one.” – Matthew 5:33-37 NLT

Stealing and swearing were common practice among the people of God in Zechariah’s day, and Zerubbabel and Joshua were far from guiltless. All stood before God condemned of robbing Him of glory, cheating Him of what was rightfully His, and offering false assurances of adoration and praise to cover up for their transgressions. But God wanted His people to know that He took their sins seriously and would deal with them harshly.

“…my curse will remain in that house and completely destroy it—even its timbers and stones.” – Zechariah 5:4 NLT

Yahweh wanted true heart change. He would not be satisfied with false piety, faux faithfulness, or fraudulent forms of worship. And God’s expectations remain just as high today. The apostle Paul reminded the believers in Thessalonica that God demanded words and actions that reflected true devotion and a commitment to holiness. Their behavior was to reflect their beliefs.

God’s will is for you to be holy, so stay away from all sexual sin. Then each of you will control his own body and live in holiness and honor—not in lustful passion like the pagans who do not know God and his ways. Never harm or cheat a fellow believer in this matter by violating his wife, for the Lord avenges all such sins, as we have solemnly warned you before. God has called us to live holy lives, not impure lives. Therefore, anyone who refuses to live by these rules is not disobeying human teaching but is rejecting God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you. – 1 Thessalonians 4:3-8 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A Light in the Darkness

1 And the angel who talked with me came again and woke me, like a man who is awakened out of his sleep. 2 And he said to me, “What do you see?” I said, “I see, and behold, a lampstand all of gold, with a bowl on the top of it, and seven lamps on it, with seven lips on each of the lamps that are on the top of it. 3 And there are two olive trees by it, one on the right of the bowl and the other on its left.” 4 And I said to the angel who talked with me, “What are these, my lord?” 5 Then the angel who talked with me answered and said to me, “Do you not know what these are?” I said, “No, my lord.” 6 Then he said to me, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts. 7 Who are you, O great mountain? Before Zerubbabel you shall become a plain. And he shall bring forward the top stone amid shouts of ‘Grace, grace to it!’” – Zechariah 4:1-7 ESV

The vision in chapter 3 centered around Joshua the high priest. In this chapter, the fifth vision features Zerubabbel, the governor of Judah. These two men served as the leaders of the remnant community that had returned to the land. They were also responsible for overseeing the construction of the Temple that King Cyrus had authorized and funded (Ezra 1:1-4). 

The former vision accentuated the need for cleansing. As Judah’s top religious leader, Joshua stood as a symbol for the entire nation. The description of his filthy clothes in chapter 3 was meant to symbolize the spiritual state of the people. They had been chosen by God and were expected to live distinctively different lives that set them apart from all the other nations on earth.

“…you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” – Exodus 19:5-6 ESV

But they had failed to keep the covenant they made with God. Generations of Israelites had violated their covenant commitment and proven their unwillingness to remain faithful to God. As a result, He punished them by sending the Babylonians to conquer their land, destroy their capital city, demolish the Temple, and take them into captivity. After 70 years of exile in Babylon, God had allowed a remnant to return. Joshua and Zerubabbel had led the small band of Judahites that returned to the land of promise with intentions to rebuild the Temple. But when Zechariah had these visions, the Temple was only halfway complete.

God’s cleansing of Joshua was a sign that He was willing to forgive the people for their many transgressions against Him. But having been cleansed, they would still need to obey His Law and carry out His command to rebuild the Temple. That is where Zerubbabel came in. As the governor of Judah, he represented the civil authority and was expected to provide the people with godly leadership.

At the end of the previous vision, Zechariah fell into an unconscious state and had to be “awakened” by the angel. The first thing he saw was a golden lampstand with a bowl on top surrounded by seven lamps. On either side of the lampstand stood two olive trees. Since olive oil was the primary source of fuel for lamps, it makes sense that this elaborate golden lampstand was bookended by these trees. 

In Zechariah’s world, there was no electricity, so light was difficult to come by. Lamps were the primary source of light and required oil and constant upkeep. In antiquity, darkness symbolized evil while light represented righteousness and goodness. Light dispelled the darkness, providing illumination and freedom from fear. The prophet Isaiah describes a future day when the darkness of the world will be illuminated by a great light.

The people who walk in darkness
    will see a great light.
For those who live in a land of deep darkness,
    a light will shine.
You will enlarge the nation of Israel,
    and its people will rejoice.
They will rejoice before you
    as people rejoice at the harvest
    and like warriors dividing the plunder. – Isaiah 9:2-3 NLT

That same chapter goes on to describe the source of that penetrating and joy-producing light.

For a child is born to us,
    a son is given to us.
The government will rest on his shoulders.
    And he will be called:
Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God,
    Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
His government and its peace
    will never end.
He will rule with fairness and justice from the throne of his ancestor David
    for all eternity.
The passionate commitment of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies
    will make this happen! - Isaiah 9:6-7 NLT

This prophetic passage speaks of the coming of the Messiah. In his gospel, the apostle John picked up on this when he identified Jesus as the light that shines in the darkness.

In the beginning the Word already existed.
    The Word was with God,
    and the Word was God.
He existed in the beginning with God.
God created everything through him,
    and nothing was created except through him.
The Word gave life to everything that was created,
    and his life brought light to everyone.
The light shines in the darkness,
    and the darkness can never extinguish it. – John 1:1-5 NLT

According to John, Jesus was “the true light, who gives light to everyone” (John 1:9 NLT). He was the fulfillment of all the prophetic promises recorded by men like Isaiah. One of the repeated themes surrounding this coming Messiah was that of darkness and light. In Isaiah 42, the prophet writes about God’s chosen servant in whom His heart delights (Isaiah 42:1). Later in that same chapter, God declares that this servant will display His righteousness, be a symbol of His covenant, and a light to guide the nations (Isaiah 42:6). Then God provides a job description for His chosen servant.

Thus says God, the Lord,
    who created the heavens and stretched them out,
    who spread out the earth and what comes from it,
who gives breath to the people on it
    and spirit to those who walk in it:
“I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
    I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
    a light for the nations,
    to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
    from the prison those who sit in darkness.
I am the Lord; that is my name;
    my glory I give to no other,
    nor my praise to carved idols.” – Isaiah 42:5-8 ESV

Ultimately, Jesus fulfilled this prophetic promises. He became the light to the world. So, ultimately, the light featured in Zechariah’s vision points to Him. But Jesus was a Jew, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Judah, and the rightful heir to David’s throne.

The nation of Israel had been expected to be a light to the world, but they loved the darkness rather than the light. They even rejected “the light of the world” by demanding His crucifixion. But at the time of Zechariah’s vision, God was calling them to repent and return to Him. They needed to complete their job assignment to reclaim possession of the promised land and rebuild the Temple of God. For Jesus to come into the world, the Jewish state needed to exist. For Him to become the light that shines in the darkness, the nation of Israel had to be restored, the city of Jerusalem repopulated, and the Temple rebuilt. Jesus was born a Jew in the small Jewish community of Bethlehem. His entire earthly ministry was dependent upon His Hebrew roots and His access to Jerusalem, the Temple, and the chosen people of God.

By the time He appeared on the scene, the nation of Israel was back on the map but, once again, under the domination of a foreign power. The Temple had been expanded by their pseudo-king, Herod. The sacrificial system was in operation and the people were observing all the feasts, festivals, and required offerings. But when Jesus appeared, He entered into a time of great spiritual darkness and moral depravity. Yet, He described Himself as the light of the world. 

“I am the light of the world. If you follow me, you won’t have to walk in darkness, because you will have the light that leads to life.” – John 8:12 NLT

This vision in Zechariah 4 is difficult to understand and it left the prophet scratching his head in confusion. He asked, “What are these, my lord?” (Zechariah 4:4 ESV). To which the angel responded with surprise, “Do you not know what these are?” (Zechariah 4:5 ESV). Even as a prophet of God, Zechariah had no way of knowing what any of this meant. He was operating at a deficit and had no idea what the lampstand, bowl, lamps, and olive trees symbolized. But the meaning would be made clear in time. For now, the angel simply said, “This is the word of the LORD to Zerubbabel: Not by might, nor by power, but by my Spirit, says the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6 ESV).

Zechariah was given a message to share with Zerubbabel. The task of completing the Temple was formidable and stood before the people of Judah like an insurmountable mountain. They had completed half the work but ran out of steam. The building remained in an unfinished state but God wanted them to know that its completion was not up to them. It would be done by His power. He alone could provide the resources and strength needed to finish the project. God was with them and wanted them to know that He would assist them in their work.

To Zerubbabel and the people, the temple rebuilding project was impossible. It loomed over them like a mountain but God promised to transform that mountain into a plain. As the prophet Jeremiah so aptly put it, “O Sovereign LORD! You made the heavens and earth by your strong hand and powerful arm. Nothing is too hard for you!” (Jeremiah 32:17 NLT).

The Temple would be rebuilt. The walls of the city would be restored. Jerusalem would be repopulated. The centuries would pass and Mary would become betrothed to Joseph. She would bear a son who would become Immanuel, God with us. The light would shine in the darkness and the hope of the world would make Himself known.

“If you trust me, you are trusting not only me, but also God who sent me. For when you see me, you are seeing the one who sent me. I have come as a light to shine in this dark world, so that all who put their trust in me will no longer remain in the dark” – John 12:44-46 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.