Category: The Nation Israel

David’s Two Wives #2

Thursday, November 7, 2024

“So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite” (2 Samuel 2:2 KJV).

Why did David have two wives? Did the LORD endorse such polygamy?

It is crucial for us to get the chronology straight. Before David had two wives, he had just one. “Now the sons of Saul were Jonathan, and Ishui, and Melchishua: and the names of his two daughters were these; the name of the firstborn Merab, and the name of the younger Michal” (1 Samuel 14:49). “And Michal Saul’s daughter loved David: and they told Saul, and the thing pleased him…. Wherefore David arose and went, he and his men, and slew of the Philistines two hundred men; and David brought their foreskins, and they gave them in full tale [number, count, total] to the king, that he might be the king’s son in law. And Saul gave him Michal his daughter to wife. And Saul saw and knew that the LORD was with David, and that Michal Saul’s daughter loved him” (1 Samuel 18:20,27,28).

Unbelieving King Saul, sensing how the LORD favors (believing) David, now seeks to kill David! “Saul also sent messengers unto David’s house, to watch him, and to slay him in the morning: and Michal David’s wife told him, saying, If thou save not thy life to night, to morrow thou shalt be slain…. So Michal let David down through a window: and he went, and fled, and escaped…. And Michal took an image, and laid it in the bed, and put a pillow of goats’ hair for his bolster, and covered it with a cloth…. And Saul said unto Michal, Why hast thou deceived me so, and sent away mine enemy, that he is escaped? And Michal answered Saul, He said unto me, Let me go; why should I kill thee?” (1 Samuel 19:11-13,17).

With David fleeing Saul’s wrath, Saul retaliates by marrying off Michal to another man: “But Saul had given Michal his daughter, David’s wife, to Phalti the son of Laish, which was of Gallim” (1 Samuel 25:44). As indicated in today’s Scripture, this led to David finding and marrying two other women, Ahinoam and Abigail….

David’s Two Wives #1

Wednesday, November 6, 2024

“So David went up thither, and his two wives also, Ahinoam the Jezreelitess, and Abigail Nabal’s wife the Carmelite” (2 Samuel 2:2 KJV).

Why did David have two wives? Did the LORD endorse such polygamy?

First of all, it was always in God’s design to have monogamous (single-spouse) human marriages. Polygamy (multiple wives at the same time) and polyandry (multiple husbands at the same time) were never His original plan. Just look at the first marriage, Adam and Eve.

“And the LORD God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help [one!] meet for him…. Therefore shall a man leave his father and his mother, and shall cleave unto his wife [one!]: and they shall be one flesh. And they were both naked, the man and his wife [one!], and were not ashamed” (Genesis 2:18,24,25). “And he answered and said unto them, Have ye not read, that he which made them at the beginning made them male and female, And said, For this cause shall a man leave father and mother, and shall cleave to his wife [one!]: and they twain shall be one flesh?” (Matthew 19:4,5; cf. Mark 10:6-8). “Nevertheless, to avoid fornication, let every man have his own wife [one!], and let every woman have her own husband [one!]” (1 Corinthians 7:2).

Howbeit, David in today’s Scripture has two wives at the same time! A Christian woman once complained to me how she thought that was disgusting. Being a Bible ignoramus myself, I struggled to understand it. Why would God include this in His Word? Did He approve it? Here is what we can say. Firstly, the Bible always tells the truth about its heroes—even when they do wrong. The record is correct, factual, historical. We may not like what it says, but we cannot change what it says. Secondly, God the Holy Spirit placed it into the Scriptures, so He had His reasons for teaching it to us. What He expects us to do is look at the passage as spiritual adults, not Bible babies who gripe about matters they have not thought about critically or diligently searched the Scriptures for any possible commentary in other verses….

Was Stephen a Prophet?

Monday, November 4, 2024

“Therefore also said the wisdom of God, I will send them prophets and apostles, and some of them they shall slay and persecute:…” (Luke 11:49 KJV).

Once, someone read a Bible study wherein I called Stephen a “prophet.” This person replied, “Stephen was no prophet!” (Such is Bible ignorance.)

Simply put, a “prophet” is a man who speaks for God—God’s messenger or spokesman. Prophets speaking the words of the LORD are common in the Bible. “And the LORD spake by his servants the prophets, saying,…” (2 Kings 21:10). “…[A]ccording to the word of the LORD, which he spake by his servants the prophets” (2 Kings 24:2). “The which Jeremiah the prophet spake…” (Jeremiah 25:2). “…[T]he words of the LORD, which he spake by the prophet Jeremiah” (Jeremiah 37:2). “The word that the LORD spake… by Jeremiah the prophet” (Jeremiah 50:1). “Neither have we hearkened unto thy servants the prophets, which spake in thy name…” (Daniel 9:6).

“As he spake by the mouth of his holy prophets….” (Luke 1:70). “That the saying of Esaias the prophet might be fulfilled, which he spake…” (John 12:38). “…[W]hich God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began” (Acts 3:21). “…Well spake the Holy Ghost by Esaias the prophet unto our fathers,…” (Acts 28:25). “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets,…” (Hebrews 1:1). “Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation. For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost” (2 Peter 1:20,21). See also Jeremiah 23:37; Jeremiah 26:16; Ezekiel 22:28; Ezekiel 38:17; Hosea 12:10; Matthew 1:22; Matthew 2:15,17; et al.

In Acts chapter 7, Stephen spoke a 52-verse-long sermon to apostate Israel’s unbelieving religious leaders. Stephen was “full of the Holy Ghost” (verse 55)—as in, “the Spirit gave [him] utterance [speech, ability to preach]” (Acts 2:4). Stephen was here stoned to death, one of the prophets referred to in today’s Scripture (see also Matthew 23:34). “…[T]he Jews: Who both killed the Lord Jesus, and their own prophets [such as Stephen!], and have persecuted us; and they please not God, and are contrary to all men:…” (1 Thessalonians 2:14,15). Indeed, Stephen was a prophet.

Saints, please remember this work of the ministry requires monthly financial support to operate (Galatians 6:6; Philippians 4:16-17; 2 Corinthians 9:6-7). Those who prefer electronic giving can donate securely here: https://www.paypal.me/ShawnBrasseaux. Anyone who wishes to donate by regular mail can visit https://333wordsofgrace.org/contact-us-mailing-address-for-donations/ for details. Thanks to all who give to and pray for us! Unfortunately, since our ministry audience is so large and our ministry staff is so small, I can no longer personally respond to everyone. Thanks so much for understanding in this regard. 🙂

Thy Life Shall Be For a Prey Unto Thee #3

Sunday, November 3, 2024

“For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 39:18 KJV).

What is this, “thy life shall be for a prey unto thee?”

The Hebrew word for “prey” here is “salal” (pronounced “shaw-lawl”). Usually, in our King James Bible, it was translated “spoil/spoils”—as in the spoils or plunder of war, treasures the victor takes from the loser. See, for example, Numbers 31:11,12; Deuteronomy 2:35; Deuteronomy 3:7; Deuteronomy 20:14; Joshua 7:21; Joshua 8:2,27; Joshua 11:14; Joshua 22:8; Judges 5:30; Judges 8:24,25; 1 Samuel 14:32; 1 Samuel 30:19,20,22; 2 Samuel 12:30; 1 Chronicles 20:2; 1 Chronicles 26:27; 2 Chronicles 15:11; 2 Chronicles 28:15; Psalm 119:162; Proverbs 1:13; Jeremiah 49:32.

In the case of Jeremiah 21:9 and Jeremiah 38:2 (cf. Jeremiah 45:5), the idea is how a man’s life will be spared if he surrenders to the Babylonians as they overthrow the city of Jerusalem. His life itself is a “prey” or spoil—something gained instead of lost in the war. Think of it like this: “I have escaped such extreme peril with my life, so I will gladly run away with it as I would scurry off with gold, silver, precious stones, fine apparel, or any other valuables I found on the battlefield or in the town I plundered!”

With this in mind, see today’s Scripture again: “For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.” Here are God’s words to Ebedmelech, the king’s official who had treated the Prophet Jeremiah (God’s messenger or spokesman) with compassion in chapter 38. You may re-read Jeremiah 39:15-18, today’s Scripture in context. The LORD states, “because thou hast put thy trust in me.” God promised to protect believing Ebedmelech—ensure his survival—as the dreadful Babylonian troops terrorized and leveled Jerusalem. Whatever became of Ebedmelech is unknown, for he never appears in Scripture again, but we are sure God was faithful to him in this regard.

Thy Life Shall Be For a Prey Unto Thee #2

Saturday, November 2, 2024

“For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 39:18 KJV).

What is this, “thy life shall be for a prey unto thee?”

The proverb is found four times in the Authorized Version, one being today’s Scripture. “He that abideth in this city [Jerusalem] shall die by the sword, and by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth out, and falleth to the Chaldeans that besiege you, he shall live, and his life shall be unto him for a prey” (Jeremiah 21:9). “Thus saith the LORD, He that remaineth in this city [Jerusalem] shall die by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: but he that goeth forth to the Chaldeans shall live; for he shall have his life for a prey, and shall live” (Jeremiah 38:2). “For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 39:18). “And seekest thou great things for thyself? seek them not: for, behold, I will bring evil upon all flesh, saith the LORD: but thy life will I give unto thee for a prey in all places whither thou goest” (Jeremiah 45:5).

God’s counsel to Jerusalem was, paraphrased, “Willingly surrender to the Babylonian armies!” Otherwise, famine (shortage of food) and pestilence (disease, plague) in the city would surely kill these Jews. If he submitted to Babylon and came out of hiding freely, any man of Judah would have “his life… unto him for a prey.” Jeremiah 21:9 and Jeremiah 38:2 qualify this with, “he shall live.” The King James word “prey” here seems to confuse people, so, provided we have a good definition, we will have no problem. “Prey” means “something gained or won.” To wit, life itself—in this context of the invading soldiers of Babylon—is considered a prize or loot that should be seized upon and run away with….

ARCHIVED: “Should Christians observe All Souls’ Day?”

Thy Life Shall Be For a Prey Unto Thee #1

Friday, November 1, 2024

“For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD” (Jeremiah 39:18 KJV).

What is this, “thy life shall be for a prey unto thee?”

“Ebedmelech” (Hebrew for “servant of a king”) was the name of a Gentile who was both a believer and a friend of the Prophet Jeremiah. Back in Jeremiah chapter 38, Ebedmelech heard how Jeremiah was on the verge of death in the dungeon (he had been shut up there for preaching God’s “offensive” words about impending judgment against Judah’s habitual sins). Jeremiah was confined to a muddy, empty inground cistern (see Jeremiah 38:6). Ebedmelech, one of the eunuchs or officials of spineless King Zedekiah, reports to the king how he fears Jeremiah will starve to death. Suffice it to say, Ebedmelech heads a rescue party to save Jeremiah from the pit! (If needed, read all 28 verses of chapter 38.)

Coming to chapter 39, today’s Scripture and its context, we see a flashback to something God had revealed to Jeremiah: “[15] Now the word of the LORD came unto Jeremiah, while he was shut up in the court of the prison, saying, [16] Go and speak to Ebedmelech the Ethiopian, saying, Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel; Behold, I will bring my words upon this city for evil, and not for good; and they shall be accomplished in that day before thee. [17] But I will deliver thee in that day, saith the LORD: and thou shalt not be given into the hand of the men of whom thou art afraid. [18] For I will surely deliver thee, and thou shalt not fall by the sword, but thy life shall be for a prey unto thee: because thou hast put thy trust in me, saith the LORD.”

Ebedmelech treated God’s messenger (Jeremiah) with kindness. Though the LORD will punish Jerusalem to the point of political fall and physical leveling via the invading Babylonian troops, Ebedmelech’s life shall be for a prey unto him….

ARCHIVED: “Should Christians observe All Saints’ Day?”

Arrayed in Hypocrisy

Thursday, October 31, 2024

“Woe unto you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! for ye are like unto whited sepulchres, which indeed appear beautiful outward, but are within full of dead men’s bones, and of all uncleanness. Even so ye also outwardly appear righteous unto men, but within ye are full of hypocrisy and iniquity” (Matthew 23:27,28 KJV).

“Looks can be deceiving” is not only true during Halloweentime, but confirmed year-round within Christendom.

Today is Halloween, when children dress up and feign themselves to be creatures they are not. Likewise, many church leaders today wear “Christian” garbs, but their ministries do not bring the Lord Jesus Christ glory and honor. They promote their denomination, and seek to perpetuate it, rather than serve and exalt the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ. The Bible manifests these who appear to be good, as “wolves in sheep’s clothing.”

In today’s Scripture, Jesus Christ exposed Israel’s corrupt religious leaders who misled the nation in His day. In His Parable of the Tares, Matthew 13:24-30,37-43, Christ explained how just as He had sown good seed (wheat, believing Jews) in Israel, Satan had also sown tares/weeds (unbelieving Jews). Tares resemble wheat; unbelieving Jews resemble believing Jews. The unbelieving Pharisees and scribes, for instance, looked like God’s people (believing Israel). Judas Iscariot was another example of Satan’s tares—the apostles never realized who Judas really was until it was too late!

But Satan’s counterfeit believers are not confined to Israel’s program. Today, within local assemblies of the Body of Christ, there are people feigning themselves to be Christians: “For such are false apostles, deceitful workers, transforming themselves into the apostles of Christ. And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light. Therefore it is no great thing if his ministers also be transformed as the ministers of righteousness; whose end shall be according to their works” (2 Corinthians 11:13-15).

Beloved, beware of the church leaders who are arrayed in hypocrisy, “and avoid them” (Romans 16:17b). If their teaching does not agree with the rightly divided King James Bible, you have no business as a child of God to be listening to them.

*This is excerpted from a larger Bible study with the same name. The Bible study can be read here or watched here.

You may also see our special study, “Should Christians celebrate Halloween?” In addition, “What does the Bible say about ghosts?”

Note the Horizon! #20

Sunday, October 27, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

A Christian of nearly four decades—a deacon in my family’s former church and teacher of home Bible studies—came to understand dispensational Bible study. He told me, “The Bible is so clear now! Difficult passages make sense!” All those years he had struggled in the Scriptures. There was more darkness than understanding because much of what he believed was so shallow. His story is just one of innumerable reports throughout church history and around the world.

Organized religion and denominationalism will always contain “nuggets of truth” (for even the worst lie is not 100 percent false). Nevertheless, no study system has yet to open the Scriptures more fully than Pauline dispensationalism (recognizing Paul’s ministry is God’s dispensation for us, His set of instructions for us to believe and obey). Having spent many years in doctrinal error and spiritual childishness, my family and I can testify to that firsthand. I can honestly say I have no interest in returning to being one of the millions of “ignorant brethren!”

Unless we study to seek God’s approval, “rightly dividing the word of truth” (2 Timothy 2:15), we are completely out of His will and we do not know what He is doing. If we are not doing by faith what the Holy Spirit is doing, we are doing the Devil’s work for him. As long as people do not see Paul’s distinctive ministry (separate from, not an extension of, the 12 Apostles’ ministry), as long as they mix law and grace, as long as they combine Israel with the Body of Christ, as long as they blend Heaven and Earth, as long as they confound prophecy with mystery, they have not noted the horizon—and thus have neither a hope nor a prayer of understanding and enjoying the Bible. Far better it is, or so they have been programmed to believe, to defend and maintain manmade church tradition than admit wrongdoing and believe the pure Holy Bible.

To avoid their blunders, dear friend, note the horizon of today’s Scripture!

-FINIS!-

Note the Horizon! #19

Saturday, October 26, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

While the Bible timeline from end to end is replete with changes to God’s dealings with mankind, that which is of utmost importance to us is how Paul’s ministry demarcates—establishes a horizon for—His current program for man. There are the “time past” before Paul, the “but now” of Paul, and the “ages to come” after Paul (see Ephesians 2:7,11-13). “But now” is the 13 Pauline epistles, Romans to Philemon. To reach outside of these epistles and try to apply verses is to attempt to force God to do something He is no longer doing or will do later.

We do not throw away anything from Genesis through Revelation, and we study all 66 Books of the Bible, but we do know our “marching orders” are confined to Romans through Philemon (victorious grace/Christian living in this the Dispensation of Grace). To make everything in the Bible applicable to everyone at all times is to go the way of denominationalism and traditional theology—compounding Bible ignorance, multiplying misunderstanding, and perpetuating spiritual immaturity that so stifles growth, development, and Divine power.

One day, Paul’s ministry will finally come to an end. The mystery program or Dispensation of Grace will close forever. As God extended His hand of grace to the whole world going back to Acts chapter 9, so He will withdraw it at last when no one else wishes to believe Paul’s Gospel (1 Corinthians 15:3,4). The Church the Body of Christ will be removed from Earth for the prophetic program to begin again. In that day, it will have been far better had the nations heard absolutely nothing from the Lord through Paul. How dreadful it shall be for them to have had the Pauline epistles, Romans through Philemon, for at least 2,000 years—for they did not believe a word of them. “He that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh: the LORD shall have them in derision. Then shall he speak unto them in his wrath, and vex them in his sore displeasure” (Psalm 2:4,5).

Let us conclude this devotionals arc….

Note the Horizon! #18

Friday, October 25, 2024

“Paul, a servant of Jesus Christ, called to be an apostle, separated unto the gospel of God,…” (Romans 1:1 KJV).

Friend, do you see the horizon here? How can it facilitate your understanding and enjoyment of the Bible?

Carefully read Romans 11:11-14 to comprehend national Israel’s current status before God in this the Dispensation of the Grace of God. Basically, in spite of Israel’s unbelief, and through Israel’s fall, the salvation and blessings of God are coming to the Gentiles or nations via Paul’s apostleship, ministry, message (1 Corinthians 15:1-4; cf. Acts 20:24). Gentiles can approach Israel’s God through faith in Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary—without coming by means of Judaism, physical circumcision, or any other “time-past” requirement. You may also read Ephesians 2:1-18.

It was to be expected that, when the Gentiles would hear this message (Israel’s fall, setting aside, casting away), these nations would gloat or arrogantly delight (smirking, chuckling, teasing—“God turned to us Gentiles because you, Israel, were in unbelief!”). Thus, the Holy Spirit through Paul in that very chapter (see Romans 11:15-36) alerted these nations to fear instead of boast. Why? As God rejected and set Israel aside because of their sin of unbelief, so He will reject the nations because of their unbelief in due time (and, in the ages to come, return Israel to her exalted status as in time past). Our “but now” is only temporary; the nations’ access to God without Israel is but momentary. “For I would not, brethren, that ye should be ignorant of this mystery, lest ye should be wise in your own conceits; that blindness in part is happened to Israel, until the fulness of the Gentiles be come in. And so all Israel shall be saved…” (Romans 11:25,26a).

We are not Israel, and we have not replaced Israel. Yet, the Gentiles or nations resemble Israel in that they have responded to God in the same way Israel did. Israel overwhelmingly ignored all the prophets, John the Baptist, Christ’s earthly ministry, the 12 Apostles, and Father God’s other messengers to them. Likewise, the nations these last 20 centuries have not heeded the Apostle Paul (God’s spokesman to them).

Let us summarize this devotionals arc….