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My Commentary on First Timothy 1
The epistles to Timothy are among my favorite books in the Bible. In fact, I do not believe enough teaching is done on them in churches perhaps due to the fact that most see them as being written to a pastor who how to conduct his ministry. However, there is a lot of doctrine in these letters. Not to mention, these instructions can be useful to all of us—after all we have a ministry whether paid or not, big or small. We are all charged with the responsibility of sharing the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
So since I do not hear a lot of teaching on these epistles, I thought I’d do my own.
Timothy 1:1-2
Verses 1 and 2 give us both the author, Paul, and the addressee of the letter, Timothy. Paul, again reaffirming his apostleship and stating he is an apostle “by the commandment of God our Savior and the Lord Jesus Christ, our hope.” Paul called Timothy his true son in the faith. Apparently, Timothy was led to Christ by Paul and has been a faithful disciple of Paul ever since.
To his son, Paul, opened his letter with a benediction (or blessing). He pronounced “grace, mercy, and peace” to him which only comes from God our Father and Jesus Christ, our Lord. In this benediction, he reminded Timothy that his real Father was God (who would supply all he needed) and that Jesus Christ was Lord.
1 Timothy 1:3-11
Apparently while Paul was in Ephesus there were those who were preaching other doctrine, doctrine that was contrary to the doctrine Paul had taught them. As a result, when he was called away, he urged Timothy to remain and confront them and give instruction to the congregants not to receive such teaching. These false doctrines included “fables” (untrue accounts) and “endless genealogies” (disputes on lineages of people and possibly of Christ himself). This doctrines lead to disputes that are profitless. They are designed to tear down the body and not build it up. What builds up the body—trusting in God and living in that trust—just as Abraham did.
True doctrine is to unify not divide. Division comes when people attempt to put their own spin on what God has said. But when we listen to the Spirit to understand the true meaning of the word, we will be unified. Just as it is written in Ephesians: “There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all (Ephesians 4:4-6, ESV).”
So what is the purpose of the law and doctrine: love. Many don’t believe that but love is the essence of the Christian faith. Mainly because we do no demonstrate it but Jesus said that the demonstration of our love for one another will be the way we show that we are His disciples. We are to manifest love that comes from a “pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere faith.” When we abide in Christ, His love is manifested in and through us. Unfortunately, many church members do not demonstrate love but selfishness, self-righteousness, and jealousy. Those who manifest these behaviors are like those Paul talks about who have strayed from the faith and turned aside to things that do not edify the Body or glory Christ.
Paul said they want to be teachers of the law but they don’t understand what they teach or affirm. When I think about the churches in America, I am reminded of this statement. Many of the largest churches in America are led by people who do not teach God’s Word of repentance and salvation but a social gospel (I’m Ok, you’re OK) or a prosperity gospel (where God’s favor equals material blessings). These take scriptures out of context and do not hold the Law of God in any esteem. Instead they esteem the goodness of man and the value of worthless, earthly things. However, the Law of God was not done away with just because Christ came.
Christ came to fulfill the Law but those who are apart from Christ are still under the Law. Only those who have accepted Christ as Savior have been forgiven and are not under the Law (John 3:16-17, Romans 3:19, Galatians 4:4-5). And those who are under the Law, whether they recognize the Law or not, will be judged by the Law (Romans 2:12).
So what does Paul say about the Law and doctrine? It is good if it is properly applied. The Law is our schoolmaster. It sets the boundaries of how far we can go. To those who keep the Law, the Law means nothing. Think of a person who never drives. Does a speed limit sign mean anything to him or her? The Law is only a bully to those who refuse to keep it—the rebel, the sinner, whom Paul name: “those who kill their fathers and mothers, for murderers, for the sexually immoral and homosexuals, for kidnappers, liars, perjurers and for whatever else is contrary to the sound teaching”.
Essentials of a Church
Church Steeple
This entry is probably more opinion-based than scripture-based but I felt this needed to be said. I was thinking this morning about people who say they don’t go to church because it is full of hypocrites. I’ve addressed that issue in a previous blog entry. To sum it up, it all boils down to this: if you love Jesus and you want to obey Him, you would not let hypocrites stop you from assembling with other believers who love Jesus and who want to praise Him.
The other thing that occurs to me is that people say the church is always asking for money. For some churches, this is true. Some smaller churches ask for money because they need it to meet the church’s obligations but the people are not paying the tithes God asked them to that would support the church. Because of this, some churches have to ask for money to give a love offering to guest speakers because there is no money in the church’s coffers to do this. Then there are the prosperity preachers. They are always asking for money to increase both the church’s treasury, and their own, with the promise of a return from God down the road. Yet, there is nowhere in the Bible this is mandated or promised.
So this got me thinking: what is the make-up of a “good church”? I believe there are several things a new believer (or even an established believer) needs to look for when picking a new church. So, in no particular order:
Sound biblical teaching. I believe this is a crucial thing a God-honoring, God-endorsed church needs. The teaching must be in line with other scripture and the whole counsel of God not just what the preacher believes or wants to teach. The preacher/teacher must also encourage his congregants to search the scriptures for themselves and not just take his word for it because he, too, is fallible. This is one thing that Paul applauded the Bereans for—they didn’t take the teachings of people at face value but they tested their teachings against the revealed Word of God (Acts 17:11).
Emphasis on sin, repentance, eternal life, not just temporal living. A sound church teaches the full counsel of God. This mean they teach the pleasant things and the not-so-pleasant things. Sin and repentance are not pleasant but they are essential to salvation. {I’ll talk more about this is a later entry.} A sound church wants it members to grow more in the image of Christ and to look less like this world (Galatians 5:24). A sound church has an eternal perspective not just a temporal one (Colossians 3:1-2). What good does giving money to gain wealth do if you die the next day in a car accident? What good is it to live a good life if you die and go to hell because you had no relationship with the Author of life? This world is finite but our souls are eternal. A sound church has a biblical worldview and an eternal perspective.
Jesus is exalted. Christ is the head of the Church. A sound church exalts Him and not the world. Praise songs should be about lifting up the name of Jesus. He is the One who saved us and called us out of darkness into His marvelous light. He is the Author and the Perfecter of our faith.
Worship style. This is the most subjective of all. Everyone’s worship style is different. Some like hymns while others like contemporary. Some like a blend of both. There are churches that are for those who like country music, rap, rock, Vineyard, Celtic, Ethnic, Gospel, and Southern Gospel. The point is for the believer to find a church that worships in a way that speaks to them. God wired us all differently. There are congregations out there that any believer of any taste of music can be a part of.
Desire of believers for spiritual growth. Do the members of the church desire to grow spiritually or are they satisfied with superficial teaching? Do they desire to seek out the deep things of God? Do they desire to have a deeper walk and relationship with Him? Do they want meat or just milk? If they are happy with the milk, move on. Some churches are full of hypocrites because they are full of people who are happy with the milk and shun the meat.
Feeling of belonging. This is another crucial part of a church. If there were a list of the things that turn people off from church, at the top would be the teaching and the people. Who wants to be part of a cold church where when you walk in no one speaks to you or even acknowledges you were there. (That has happened to me.) If truly the love of Jesus is in the hearts of its members, even the most introverted person will leave feeling welcomed. Then there are the cliques. Yes, even churches have cliques. These are social groups that hang together at the church (or even outside the church) that no one else can be a part of. This is not biblical. We should welcome everyone and everyone should feel comfortable talking to anyone. If there is no feeling of connection, visitors will leave and not come back. Not only that, they will tell others about their experience. So, no matter how sound of doctrine a church has, if a person doesn’t feel they belong, they will not be there to hear it.
Shepherded. This goes hand-in-hand with a sense of belonging; however, this is about feeling more connected with the leadership. For smaller churches, do you have a connection with the pastor? Does he know you or your family? Has he reached out to you? How about the deacons or ministry leaders? Do they know your name? Have you been invited to be a part of a ministry? For larger churches where the pastor cannot possibly know everyone, does it have a cell, pod, or small group leader that you can interact with? Are they aware of your personality, gifting, and needs? Have they reached out to you to be a part of ministry or fellowship? Do you feel that you are getting the spiritual nourishment and guidance you need from leadership? Whether it is a senior pastor or small group pastor, you should not feel like a castaway Christian who has to fend for himself all alone on an island of salvation. If you do, move on.
These are just a few of the things that I believe people need to consider when picking a church. Now I know there are things that I have left off that you will remind me of, like ministries and community involvement, but I felt these are the essentials. If a church has these things, there shouldn’t be too many hypocrites in it for long.
Being a Disciple
It is said that a wise person is a lifelong learner. If there is an area that this is true, it is in the Christian life. We are to be lifelong learners of the Word. We should always be prepared to hear what our Heavenly Father has to say to us. How does He speak to us? Primarily, He speaks to us through His Word—the Holy Bible.
For many the Holy Bible is a book gathering dust on a shelf. What a treasure God has given us that we often neglect! God is living and His Word is living that is one reason why every time we read it, we get something new from it. When we approach God’s Word, we should come with the attitude that we are about to have an encounter with our Father, the living God.
When we open us the pages of that Book, God speaks to us. As we read and meditate on what we read, the Holy Spirit gives us understanding. As Jesus said, “[The Spirit] will guide you into all truth (John 16:13).” Once we have an understanding of the Word, we are to put it into practice. This is living righteously.
As we learn and apply the Word of God, our minds begin to change. This is because our minds are being renewed according to knowledge (Romans 12:2, Ephesians 4:23, Colossians 3:10).A change of heart leads to a change of mind. A change of mind leads to a change of behavior.
The problem with self-help and motivational media is that they seek to change only the mind, thus changing the behavior. However, unless there is a heart change, any behavioral change is temporary at best. Now, this is not say that some self-help media do intend to change the heart leading to behavioral change, but only God can change the heart. Once the heart is changed, the behavior changes.
When we study the word and allows the Holy Spirit to put the Word in our hearts, it then become a part of us, inseparable. When this happens, we cannot help but to do it.
Reception is hearing the Word, reading the Word—what does it say.
Comprehension is understanding the Word—what does it mean.
Application is doing the Word—how do I live it.
EVERY KNEE WILL BOW
One day, every knee will bow and every tongue will confess that Jesus is Lord. Those who denied that Jesus was real will bow. Everyone who denied that Jesus was the Son of God will bow. Everyone who has denied that Jesus was God will bow. Everyone who has denied that Jesus was the Messiah will bow. Everyone who has denied that Jesus was the only way will bow. That means that Mormons will bow, Muslims will bow, Jehovah’s Witnesses will bow, Satanists will bow, and atheists will bow. Even Hitler will bow. Pharaoh will bow. Hussein will bow. Satan will bow. Everyone will bow and confess that Jesus is Lord to the glory of God the Father.
Will you bow now by choice?
Praise God from whom all blessing flow, praise Him all creatures here below; praise Him above ye heavenly hosts. Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.
Amen
The Old and the New, Part 2
A new nature? A new mindset? What’s that all about? Perhaps you may have said to yourself, “Why do I need this new nature? Aren’t I good enough for Heaven the way I am? After all, I’m not a thief or a murderer or a pedophile.” Getting into Heaven is not about being ‘good enough’. That is a lie from the devil. No one is good enough for Heaven (save Jesus Christ).
No it is not about being good enough. It is about being perfect. Only Jesus was perfect. In order for us to qualify for Heaven we must not only trust in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior but we must be changed. We must be transformed. The Greek word metamorphosed is the word translated changed. It is the same root of the word used by the narrator of the old Incredible Hulk series when he would describe the transformation of David Banner into the Hulk—“a startling metamorphosis”. When Banner was the Hulk he didn’t look like Banner and when Banner was himself he did not look like the Hulk. When a person is transformed by God, they should not look like their old self because they are, in essence, a different person.
Why does a person have to be changed before they can enter Heaven? If God let people who were not transformed into Heaven, Heaven would become like earth full of liars, thieves, blasphemers, and lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God. Jesus said that unless a person is transformed or regenerated, they cannot even comprehend God and His Kingdom. A person who has not committed themselves to Christ has no real desire to go to Heaven, especially when they find out what Heaven really will be like—worshipping God throughout all eternity. They don’t even know if there is a Heaven. They just desire not to go to Hell.
Perfection is required to get into Heaven. Though we are not perfect now, we are being perfected through a process called sanctification. Sanctification can best be described using the words of John the Baptist—“I must decrease and He must increase.” It is being conformed more and more into the spiritual image of Christ.
How does this transformation process work? As we immerse ourselves in the Word, our minds are transformed and our thought process is changed through the work of the Holy Spirit. He opens our spiritual eyes and gives us a new understanding. He reveals God’s truths to us (Matthew 13:11). As we apply those truths to our lives, our lives begin to take on a new definition, a new purpose, and a new look.
If you have trusted in Christ as your Lord and Savior, does your life look different than it did when you first believed? Have you abandoned some bad habits? Some unsupportive friends? Some old haunts? Some sins? Have you found yourself doing something for the Kingdom that you thought you’d never be doing. If so, then that is the new nature at work in your life.
Too Many Hypocrites
Perhaps you’ve heard the phrase, “I don’t go to church because there are just too many hypocrites down there.” I’ve always said that that was a copout. People don’t keep people from going to other places they want go to. After all, what is a hypocrite? A hypocrite is a person who is a pretender. It is derived from the Greek term that means an actor, actually a person behind a mask. Jesus used the term to describe the Pharisees because they used a mask of piety to hide their sinfulness.
The Pharisees hid behind religion. Jesus called them hypocrites because they knew the Law but did not follow it. Ron Carpenter, pastor of Redemption World Outreach Center, once said about religious people, “Religious people are full of rules but don’t follow any of the rules they’re full of.” We’ve all heard the motto of the hypocrite: “Do as I say and not as I do.”
This is why hypocrites should not come between us and our God. My question is this: what does that hypocrite have to do with our relationship with the Lord? We already know they are not doing what they are supposed to be doing, so because the hypocrite isn’t doing what he or she should be doing, what has that to do with us? When we worship God, it should be between us and God. Our focus should be on Him and not on anyone else. Our worship of God has nothing to do with anyone else. We can use another person’s spiritual progress to encourage our own, but we should not allow another’s failure to discourage us.
Second, shouldn’t we know that the devil put hypocrites in the church for just that reason? In Matthew 13: 24-30, Jesus told us that the devil would sow tares among the wheat. What are tares other than pretenders—hypocrites? Tares pretend to be wheat when they are not. Hypocrites pretend to be Christians when they are not. Why does he sow tares among the wheat? He does so to dissuade and divide the believers and lead them into heresy. So when people refuse to go to church because of hypocrites, they are playing into the devil’s hands and just doing what he wants them to do, which is really what they want to do anyway—not go—and they use hypocrites as an excuse. The question could be asked, “Who is really the hypocrite?”
This is why I say it is a copout for people to use hypocrites as a reason for them to not go to church.
What’s Wrong with Harry Potter?
Unlike most people, I am not a part of the Harry Pott
er or Twilight craze. I didn’t see the appeal. I don’t know if you’ve noticed but there has been a sudden increase in movies and television shows that promote the supernatural. Movies like Zombieland, Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark, Freak Night, Twilight Saga, and of course, Harry Potter and television shows like True Blood, Vampire Diaries, Ghost Hunters, and Paranormal Files literally litter the box office and airwaves. They promote demonic and ungodly ideals. Why has there been a sudden influx of movies like this?
First, I want to add that I know that shows like this have always been around. There was Bewitched. There was Sabrina, the Teen-aged Witch, Charmed, Witches of Eastwick, and Lost Boys. There were even the Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street movies, but those movies came once a year, maybe. Supernatural movies come yearly or more often. The television shows are on weekly, on more than one network. Their popularity is growing.
Some may argue that the reason why there are a plethora of shows is because studios know what is popular and they make clones of them. This is the reason there were a bunch of Apprentice clones (like Richard Branson’s Quest for the Best and The Cut with Tommy Hilfiger) that came out during the show’s heyday. I believe there is another reason.
The Bible says that the antichrist will come with signs and lying wonders (2 Thess. 2:9). His powers will be supernatural except they will be from the devil rather than from God. I believe that the reason there is a number of supernatural movies is to prepare and even instill this philosophy to ready a generation to receive the antichrist. That is the reason why we have seen so many of these types of movies like never before.
As I wrote in my hub, The Bible—Book of Truth, things are coming together, setting up the stage for the end time. The Bible describes what the days will be like in the end times. The news speaks about how nations in the Middle East are coming together with Russia in alignment against Israel. These are the same nations named in Ezekiel 38 and 39. As stated earlier, there will be supernatural events during those days. In addition to the 2 Thessalonians passage, Revelation 13 says that the False Prophet will cause a statue to speak, among other lying wonders.
Through the entertainment industry and the education system, people are being introduced to witchcraft and being turned away from God. They are being introduced to this false power, which can be enticing to young minds. These shows and movies teach that by tapping into this power or by chanting magic words, they can do what Harry Potter or the women of Charmed can do. I know that in these movies, there is still evil. Sometimes that evil is the devil. The devil doesn’t care if you don’t worship him. He just doesn’t want you to seek and worship God. So, to ensure this, he is willing to play the villain.
God led me to write this hub to hopefully open the eyes of the people to see that these movies have an ulterior purpose. That purpose is to lead people away from God. Seeking these ungodly powers, this black magic, comes with a heavy price. Demons and demonic possession are nothing to play with. Plus, people who play with this are putting their immortal souls in jeopardy. Jesus said that hell was made for the devil and his angels. People who follow the devil will also end up in hell with the devil. That is God’s Word.
What is the answer? Turn from these movies and ask Jesus to come into your heart and to deliver you from the power of Satan. Though he has no real power, the devil’s influence on the unsaved is powerful. Christians should not follow Harry Potter or Twilight because they should recognize that these are ungodly movies cloaked in action and romance. But look behind the plotlines and see the story. Harry Potter is about a boy who is a wizard (a person who practices witchcraft). The Bible says that Christians are to avoid witchcraft and those who practice it. Twilight and its clones are about vampires and the undead and the underworld. There is no such thing as the undead. The underworld is the abode of demons.
I cannot encourage you enough to turn away from movies and shows like this. Instead, get into the Word of God. His Spirit will give you enlightenment, if you ask God for it. Tell others about the dangers of these movies. Though they seem innocent, they are not. Yet, their apparent innocence will ensnare you and before you know it, you’ll be submerged in a world of evil. The devil is seeking to draw the minds of people from God and he is using the entertainment industry to do it.
Psalm 23 Commentary
Psalm 23 is perhaps one of the best known passages in the whole Bible; at least it was when I was growing up. I don’t know if it was because it was easy to memorize or because of what the passage says to the person. What a wonderful passage it is. David is believed to be the writer of this passage. David was a shepherd. It was from shepherding that David was anointed to be king of Israel. As a shepherd, David knew what made for a good shepherd, and in this passage you can see his heart; the heart of one shepherd for Another.
The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want. In the very first verse, David says that God is his shepherd; therefore, he will lack nothing. When I first read this verse, I thought it was saying the Lord was his shepherd which he didn’t want. No, it was saying just the opposite. He was glad the Lord was his shepherd. It is because the Lord was his shepherd that he will not be in want for any good thing. He will have no unmet wants, no unmet needs. He goes on to tell how God meets his needs. Seek first the kingdom of God and all these things will be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).
He makes me to lie down in green pastures. One of the first duties of a shepherd is to lead the sheep. Sheep are not smart animals. They need to be led. David says the Lord leads him into green pastures and causes him to lie down there in peace and safety. He leads him besides the still waters. Still waters reaffirm the idea of peace, calm, and tranquility. God brings peace and tranquility to His people.
He restores my soul. He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name’s sake. God restores, or refreshes, the soul of His people. When we are weary from the world or from fighting off evil, the Lord sends His refreshing upon us and we are revived. He also leads His people in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake. Proverbs 3: 5-6 tells us that if we trust in the Lord that He will direct our paths, literally, make our paths straight. God will never misdirect us. Psalms 37:23 says that the steps of the righteous are ordered (directed) by the Lord. Why does He do this? It is so that His name will be exalted. God wants our lives to be a glory to His name.
Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil. Another responsibility of a shepherd is to protect the flock. David says that God protects him when he goes through the valley of the shadow of death. What is the valley of the shadow of death? There are likely as many answers to this question as there are people asked. The best interpretation of this phrase is likely a deep, dark time in a person’s life. It may or may not actually involve physical danger. Regardless, the truth is the same. When God’s people go through this time we will not fear because God is with us, much like He was with Daniel in the lion’s den or with the three Hebrew boys were in the fiery furnace. No harm comes to God’s people without God’s permission and when it happens, it becomes an occasion for God to be glorified.
For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me. David says that not only does God’s presence give him comfort, but so do His rod and His staff. With his rod, also known as the shepherd’s crook, he gently guides the sheep and keeps them from harm. With his staff, a shepherd beats away any wild animal that tries to attack the flock. What are the Shepherd’s rod and staff? Matthew Henry says that they refer to the Word of God (Christ) and the Holy Spirit. Could it be that the Word guides and the Spirit protects us from that which would harm us?
You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies. The third duty of the shepherd is to provide for the sheep. David says his Shepherd provides for him by preparing a table for him, even in the presence (or face) of his enemies. This alludes both to God’s protection and His provision. When a person can eat in front of his enemies without fear, he does so knowing that he is protected. Where did this food come from? It came from the Shepherd.
Matthew Henry adds that not only is the provision physical but also spiritual. God has provided all things pertaining to both life and godliness… all things requisite both for body and soul, for time and eternity.” God provided His Son Jesus to be the payment for our sin. Because of His sacrifice, the enemy, the devil, has no power over us. We belong to Him and we are protected by Him. Though the devil tries to come against us and steal from us, God is abundant in His provisions, both physical and spiritual.
You anoint my head with oil. In the Bible, anointing with oil has two meanings. The first is the consecration of a person for God’s service. David himself was anointed by Samuel to be the next king of Israel. The second meaning is to become refreshed. In Matthew 6, during Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, He told the people not to fast like the hypocrites who do it to be seen of men. He told them, “But you, when you fast, anoint your head and wash your face so that you do not appear to men to be fasting, but to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly.” David acknowledges that God has set him apart for His purpose. The anointing he is referring to could either be literal or symbolic.
My cup runs over. As David looks back over the blessings of the Lord, he realizes that he is so blessed that he cannot contain them all. When Nathan the prophet confronted David about his affair with Bathsheba and his murder of Uriah, he told David of the blessings of the Lord: “I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. 8I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!” What a statement!
When Solomon became king after his father David, God asked him what would he like for God to give him. Solomon requested wisdom so he could better rule God’s people. In response, God said to Solomon, “Because you have asked this thing, and have not asked long life for yourself, nor have asked riches for yourself, nor have asked the life of your enemies, but have asked for yourself understanding…13 And I have also given you what you have not asked: both riches and honor, so that there shall not be anyone like you among the kings all your days. 14 So if you walk in My ways, to keep My statutes and My commandments, as your father David walked, then I will lengthen your days.” God is able to do exceedingly, abundantly more than we can ask or think.
Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life and I will dwell in the house of the Lord forever. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever. If God has been good to Him in the past, He will be good to him in the future. David has this confidence because he knows the character of the Shepherd and because God’s Word confirms it. He also knows that when it is all said and done, and life comes to an end, he will be welcomed into His Father’s house where he will dwell forever.
David recognized what a good Shepherd God is. He provides. He protects. He leads. He comforts. He anoints. He restores. He saves. Jesus, the Good Shepherd, demonstrated the goodness and mercy and care He had for His sheep by laying down his life to protect His sheep from death and to provide them eternal rest. Is He your Shepherd? If not, ask Him to let you join His flock. If you do, you will be like David who said, “Because the Lord is my Shepherd, all may needs are taken care of.”
Honor the Sabbath
“Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. 9 Six days you shall labor and do all your work, 10 but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates. 11 For in six days the Lord made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the Lord blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.”
The next commandment God gave the Israelites was to remember the Sabbath and to keep it holy. Just as the Israelites were commanded to be holy, set apart (Deuteronomy 7:6), they were to set apart, consecrate, the seventh day as a holy day. The Sabbath is holy in that it was set apart, different from the rest of the week. The rest of the week they were to work but on the Sabbath, they were to rest.
The word, Sabbath, comes from the ‘shabath’ (shaw-bath’), which means repose, rest, or intermission. The Sabbath was a day of rest or intermission in the week. The Israelites were not to do any work on the Sabbath. This did not mean that they were not to labor but that they were not to work for profit. After Jesus healed someone on the Sabbath, the Pharisees accused Him of breaking the Law. As Jesus pointed out to the Pharisees that if their donkey had fallen into a ditch on the Sabbath they would have gotten it out; yet they accuse Him of sinning because He healed someone. He didn’t seem to suggest that saving the animal was a sin but was pointing out the fact that they valued their property more than they valued people.
Jesus told the Pharisees that the Sabbath was made for man not man for the Sabbath. God made the Sabbath as a day of rest for mankind. The Pharisees saw the Sabbath as a day to do no work. They legalistically said what could and what could not be done on the Sabbath thus Jesus’ previously-mentioned encounter with them.
They were not only commanded to honor the Sabbath but they were commanded to remember the Sabbath. Remembering the Sabbath means that they were to keep it before them. They were to calendar it. They were not to forget it. He knew that people’s drive for money, power, and success would cause them to work constantly without rest and the body was not designed to work for long periods at that level. The body needs to rest and be free from stress. Even steel will break under constant stress.
What does this mean for us today? Many businesses are open seven days a week. Some people work two jobs. Should we go back to the days when everything was closed on Sunday? Christians are still called to honor the spirit of the Law if not the letter. The spirit is that we are to take a day off from work to rest. It is also that we are to set aside time for the worship of God and communion with Him. Since we are the church, we no longer have to go to a building to worship Him; we can worship Him anytime, anywhere. In that vein, everyday is a Sabbath Day. But we are not to ignore God’s command to rest. He even used Himself as the example. Six days He created the heavens and the earth and everything in it in six days. On the seventh day, the Lord rested (Genesis 2:2).
Love Thy God
On Mount Sinai God gave Moses Ten Commandments. These were the first among many laws that God gave the Israelites. These first Ten Commandments were to instruct the Israelites how they were to treat God and treat each other. These Commandments were initially inscribed on stone tablets by the hand of God, Himself (Exodus 31:18). In this lesson, we will look at the first three of the Ten Commandments—the ones that pertain to our treatment of God.
“I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of Egypt, out of the land of slavery. You shall have no other gods besides me (Exodus 20:2-3).”
When God delivered the Israelites out of the land of Egypt, He delivered them from a land of people who were pantheistic—they worshipped many gods. There was a god of the harvest, the moon god, the sun god, etc. God wanted them to know that there was just one God and He was Him. Who was this God? He was the One who used a mighty hand to deliver the children of Israel out of the land of slavery. He was their Deliverer. It was not the sun god, nor the moon god, nor the god of cattle nor the god of rain. It was He and the Israelites were not to give tribute or worship to any other so-called god.
“You shall not make for yourself an image in the form of anything in heaven above or on the earth beneath or in the waters below. 5 You shall not bow down to them or worship them; for I, the Lord your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sin of the parents to the third and fourth generation of those who hate me, 6 but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments (Exodus 20:4-6).
Not only were the Egyptians polytheistic, they were also idol worshippers. The sun was the symbol for Ra, the Sun god. Anubis was half man and half jackal. Hathor, the goddess of motherhood, was imaged as a cow (sometimes female) with a sundisk on her head. This was the culture the Israelites were delivered from. This was the culture they spend four hundred years being indoctrinated into. So, when God gave the command that they should make no graven (or carved) images to Him, this was a whole new way of living, a whole new way of worship. It was a whole new lifestyle. Some people in Egypt made their living making and selling idols. Now God was saying that that was no longer acceptable.
Why was idolatry so bad? First, God was separating His people from the rest of the world. Nearly every other nation had an idol for a God. Even the Philistines had Dagon, a half man, half fish idol. He didn’t want the Israelites to be like the other nations. He was setting them apart.
Another reason is that God wanted His people to have a personal relationship with Him. He did not want them giving His praise to a piece of stone or wood. He wanted them to worship Him directly. As Jesus told the woman at the well in John 4, “God is Spirit and those who worship Him must worship Him in spirit and truth.” Worship is a matter of the heart. It is our heart touching the heart of God with praise and adoration. God did not want praise going to anything (or anyone) else.
God says that He is a jealous God. This does not mean that God is envious of the idols that got worshipped. God is saying that He is protective of the worship that He is due and He gets angry when people assign worship due Him to anything or anyone else. Besides that, oftentimes, demons would associate themselves with these idols, thus robbing God of His praise and causing people worship them unaware. Worshipping idols is an empty act.
“You shall not misuse the name of the Lord your God, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name (Exodus 20:7).”
God is holy and His name is holy. When it is spoken, it is be for a purpose and with reverence. Nowadays, people name their children all sorts of “cute” names, but in the Bible days, names meant something. Abraham’s name meant Father of Nations, which he was. He was the father of Israel through Jacob and Arab people through Esau. Jacob’s name meant Deceiver and that is what he was. Samuel’s name meant Heard by God or God Hears, which was exemplified in 1 Samuel 2 when God called and ordained Samuel a prophet to Israel . Jonah’s name means Dove. The dove is a symbol of peace (Genesis 8:11). Jonah brought a message of peace to the Ninevites. God’s name, Jehovah, means I AM.
This is the name by which He called Himself. He doesn’t live because He is life. He doesn’t just exist because all that exist emanate from Him. He is. Not only Is He, but He is whatever you need Him to be in any situation. For Abraham, He was Jehovah-Jireh, the God that Provides. For David, He was Jehovah-Shalom-the God of Peace. As He was for them, He will be the same for us.
There is power in God’s name. This is evident in our society. I am amazed how people take the name of God in vain. I often hear GD this and GD that. Then there’s JESUS CHRIST. Let’s not forget, “Holy Cow, Batman!” Yet, you never hear people misuse the name of Allah, Buddha, Confucius, Mohammad, or Joseph Smith. Why? There’s no power in their names. There’s no spiritual sense of ‘rebellion’ in misusing their names. So people don’t do it.
As we can see from these first three commandments, they are not burdensome nor are they for naught. There is a reason for each of His commands. Next time we will see the purpose and benefits of the Fourth Commandment.
Cyber-Discipleship 