Category: The Nation Israel

Spellbound! #14

Friday, September 1, 2023

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17,18 KJV).

Let us analyze these “good words and fair speeches.”

Study the following “ministry” conducted in Samaria (central Israel, north of Jerusalem): “But there was a certain man, called Simon, which beforetime in the same city used sorcery, and bewitched the people of Samaria, giving out that himself was some great one: To whom they all gave heed, from the least to the greatest, saying, This man is the great power of God. And to him they had regard, because that of long time he had bewitched them with sorceries” (Acts 8:9-11). Empowered by Satan, Simon worked miracles! He was “giving out” (saying, bragging) that he was “some great one.” The Samaritans were spellbound, considering him “Messiah” (thereby foreshadowing the Antichrist!). Simon used witchcraft to fool them, and they exclaimed, “This man is the great power of God!”

Re-read today’s Scripture: “…they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly.” The “belly” symbolizes the heart or soul: a false teacher’s motivation is a self-serving “appetite” that must be satisfied. As a glutton in the physical realm obsesses over food, so a false teacher’s goal is to gain devotees. The person most vulnerable to such a “ministry” is someone who is “simple.” In Greek, it is “akakos,” literally “without evil.” The victim is unsuspecting, fearing no evil from others, and distrusting no one. That false sense of security is summed up as, “No one will harm me because everyone means well. All preachers and teachers serve God. It does not matter where I attend church or which denomination I join.” While it sounds harsh, this is a foolish, ignorant, or gullible person—and, when multiplied by two billion, Christendom’s tens of thousands of denominations form!

If we understand how today’s Scripture is taken from Romans, the most basic Pauline epistle, then a sure way to avoid falling prey to false teachers is to have a good foundation in grace teaching as furnished in Romans….

Spellbound! #12

Wednesday, August 30, 2023

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17,18 KJV).

Let us analyze these “good words and fair speeches.”

Read Matthew 15:1-9 and Mark 7:1-13. The scribes (Hebrew Bible copyists and teachers) and Pharisees (strict works-religionists) were influential leaders in Judaism. They were greatly agitated when they saw the Lord Jesus’ disciples ignoring the rabbis’ religious tradition of washing hands with a trickle of cool water. Christ countered by asking why they—the scribes and Pharisees—had ignored Father God’s commandments!

The “Corban [Gift] tradition” was a clever manmade invention to bypass the LORD’S orders. As opposed to honoring father and mother (see Exodus 20:12), including financially supporting them in old age, the rabbis granted a man permission to declare his wealth as a “gift” to God and the Jerusalem Temple, thereby freeing the man from the economic obligation to his parents. Of course, “God” was given all the credit—and these religious leaders embezzled “God’s” gift! Such kind of false teaching polluted Judaism and warranted Christ’s repeated condemnations (see Matthew 15:6-9,12-14; Mark 7:6-9,13). Judaism’s religious tradition continuously took precedence over the words of Almighty God—and the same applies to Christendom 2,000 years later!

Upon the rabbis’ urging (false teaching), the “Corban [Gift] tradition” seemed pious and noble from the son’s point-of-view. After all, he was reserving money for “God’s work” (ha!). In reality, he was violating the Fifth Commandment by dishonoring father and mother, and doing nothing more than funding the Devil’s ministers! “Making the word of God of none effect through your tradition, which ye have delivered: and many such like things do ye” (Mark 7:13). The “Corban [Gift] tradition” was just one of countless examples of putting manmade ideas ahead of Divine revelation, transferring authority from God to men. Again, this practice plagues the professing church even now.

As pertaining to the Church the Body of Christ and this the Dispensation of the Grace of God, the Lord through our Apostle Paul alerts us to be on guard, watching out for self-serving religious leaders….

Spellbound! #11

Tuesday, August 29, 2023

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17,18 KJV).

Let us analyze these “good words and fair speeches.”

“And he [the serpent] said unto the woman, Yea, hath God said, Ye shall not eat of every tree of the garden? And the woman said unto the serpent, We may eat of the fruit of the trees of the garden: But of the fruit of the tree which is in the midst of the garden, God hath said, Ye shall not eat of it, neither shall ye touch it, lest ye die” (Genesis 3:1-3). Eve did not quote God verbatim (cf. Genesis 2:16,17). Actually, Satan did a better job repeating what God said!

“And the serpent said unto the woman, Ye shall not surely die: For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil” (Genesis 3:4,5). Only now—later in the conversation—did Satan contradict God. Furthermore, he suggested he cared more for Adam and Eve than God did! In effect, he proposed, “Eve, I want you and Adam to enjoy something God has willingly withheld from you! You can possess some ‘hidden’ knowledge and become your own authority!” Of course, Eve believed the lie and Adam followed her lead (verses 6,7; 1 Timothy 2:11-15). Creation has suffered ever since!

Read Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-13. Satan never said, “Thou art not the Son of God,” for his lie would have been obvious. Instead, it was, “If thou be the Son of God…” (Matthew 4:3,6; Luke 4:3,9). Those hints of doubt were meant to cause Jesus to question His identity, and, to make Him prove Himself (which was unnecessary). Furthermore, the Devil even quoted some Scripture (Matthew 4:6; Luke 4:10,11)—again appearing legitimate, benevolent, godly. The Lord Jesus was not tricked. Though biblical (Psalm 91:11,12), Satan was not dispensational.

Unless we are grounded in sound Bible doctrine, we will be overcome like Eve instead of overcoming like Christ. We must (!) remember today’s Scripture….

Spellbound! #9

Sunday, August 27, 2023

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17,18 KJV).

Let us analyze these “good words and fair speeches.”

Christendom abounds with “scholars,” “outstanding authorities,” “experts,” “wise counsellors,” and a host of other people with impressive appellations—all using a passage of Scripture here and there, of course!—but do not be so sure everyone is telling the truth. For example, when a concerned Christian woman inquired about her granddaughter’s works-religion cult, the young lady reassured her, “But, Granny, they read the Bible at my church!” As long as they use the Bible, all is well—or is it? Quoting Bible verses does not automatically qualify a speaker or writer as a sound spiritual adviser!

“But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ. For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or if ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with him” (2 Corinthians 11:3,4). If this says what it means (it does!) and means what it says (it does!), then a false teacher could, in fact, talk about “Jesus,” “the spirit,” and/or “the gospel.” There is no outright denial of Scripture, just a presentation of Bible words with faulty definitions attached. The Bible’s concepts are not considered dispensationally—that is, as the Apostle Paul explains them.

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction” (2 Peter 3:15,16). These false teachers “wrest” (twist all out of shape, distort, pervert) the Scriptures. Note well: they do not avoid or ignore the Scriptures, but use them!

Recall the “ministry” of the first false teacher….

Spellbound! #8

Saturday, August 26, 2023

“Now I beseech you, brethren, mark them which cause divisions and offences contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned; and avoid them. For they that are such serve not our Lord Jesus Christ, but their own belly; and by good words and fair speeches deceive the hearts of the simple” (Romans 16:17,18 KJV).

Let us analyze these “good words and fair speeches.”

Continuing the theme of 2 Peter 2:1-3, verse 18 describes false teachers as follows: “For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.” A companion passage is Jude 16: “These are murmurers, complainers, walking after their own lusts; and their mouth speaketh great swelling words, having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage.”

Using these “great swelling” (extravagant, immoderate, or arrogant) words, false teachers convert followers. “Having men’s persons in admiration because of advantage” aligns with Tertullus’ speech in Acts 24:1-4; the talker aims to profit from his audience, so he resorts to cheap flattery. Second Peter 2:18 sums it up as “vanity” (emptiness, worthlessness). Sounding impressive on the surface, a closer examination reveals it to be valueless. It was just a cruel ploy to take from the gullible!

Recall 2 Peter 2:1, how there were false prophets among the ancient people of Israel. One example is in the Book of Jeremiah, 600 years before Christ. “They have healed also the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 6:14). “For they have healed the hurt of the daughter of my people slightly, saying, Peace, peace; when there is no peace” (Jeremiah 8:11). Whereas the LORD was judging the apostate Jewish people because of their habitual idolatry (disobedience to the Law of Moses), the false prophets reassured Israel that all was well and no evil would come upon them (just like the feel-good teachers and preachers of modern Christendom!). Jerusalem would fall to the Babylonian army, and no amount of wishful thinking, “inspirational messages,” or “positive thinking” would alter that fact.

Observe today’s Scripture to appreciate how false teaching adversely affects us, the Church the Body of Christ….

God’s Profaned Name #10

Thursday, August 17, 2023

“And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes” (Ezekiel 36:23 KJV).

How was God’s great name “profaned among the heathen?” In what way will He “sanctify” it?

Today’s Scripture is definitely part of the prophetic program. It involves God’s purpose and plan for Israel and the Earth. The Holy Spirit comments on how the nation Israel in time past abandoned the identity that their Creator gave them. They were not reflections of the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob. Despite their infidelity, He, in the ages to come, will be faithful in bringing to pass His original promise to them. They are to be His vessels to reach the Gentiles when the Lord Jesus Christ comes back to reign.

What about us, the Church the Body of Christ? Can we profane God’s name? Yes, we can. If we are not careful to walk in our identity in Christ, as described in Romans to Philemon, we can misrepresent Him as Israel did long ago. “And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:17).

If what we say and do is incompatible with all that the Lord Jesus would say and do (His “name”), then non-Christians will see and hear conflicting information. Our misconduct will become the scoffer’s principle: “I am not a Christian and never want to be a Christian because ‘Christians’ lead a worse life than I do as a non-Christian.” It will be similar to ancient Israel’s detractors: “For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written” (Romans 2:24). “If that nonsense is what it means to be a worshipper of JEHOVAH God, we will keep our idols and die as heathen!”

As we (the Body of Christ) seek to avoid Israel’s disasters, we bear in mind passages such as Philippians 1:9-11 and Philippians 2:13-16. “And let ours also learn to maintain good works for necessary uses, that they be not unfruitful” (Titus 3:14).

God’s Profaned Name #9

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

“And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes” (Ezekiel 36:23 KJV).

How was God’s great name “profaned among the heathen?” In what way will He “sanctify” it?

Defining His Kingdom Constitution—the Sermon on the Mount (Matthew chapters 5–7)—Christ addressed His Jewish believing remnant (the Little Flock) with this exhortation: “Ye are the light of the world. A city that is set on an hill cannot be hid. Neither do men light a candle, and put it under a bushel, but on a candlestick; and it giveth light unto all that are in the house. Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14-16).

He was drawing from Isaiah 60:1-3, a prophecy about His Second Coming and subsequent Kingdom: “Arise, shine; for thy [Israel’s] light is come, and the glory of the LORD is risen upon thee. For, behold, the darkness shall cover the earth, and gross darkness the people: but the LORD shall arise upon thee, and his glory shall be seen upon thee. And the Gentiles shall come to thy light, and kings to the brightness of thy rising.” Take notice also of Isaiah 59:20,21 (cf. Romans 11:26,27).

The LORD’S original purpose and plan for the nation Israel finally comes to pass, as the New Covenant erases their sin debt accumulated under the Old Covenant (see Jeremiah 31:31-34; Acts 3:19-21; Hebrews 8:8-13; Hebrews 9:11-17; Hebrews 10:1-22). Here is the goal of the prophetic program. Israel is now qualified to be blessed as per the Abrahamic Covenant of Genesis 12:1-3, and able to be a channel of salvation and blessing to all the world. The “heathen” (nations, Gentiles) of today’s Scripture will look at redeemed Israel and see light (ages to come) instead of darkness (time past). Filled with God’s Spirit and life, Israel will impart His knowledge to the Gentiles, resulting in worldwide revival (see Zechariah 8:20-23)!

Now, as touching the mystery program and us the Church the Body of Christ, let us consider if we can “profane” God’s name….

God’s Profaned Name #8

Tuesday, August 15, 2023

“And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes” (Ezekiel 36:23 KJV).

How was God’s great name “profaned among the heathen?” In what way will He “sanctify” it?

The Law of Moses cannot grant a sinner the power to keep it any more than a mirror can beautify the hideous person looking into it (check Romans 3:19,20 and 1 John 3:4). Via the Abrahamic Covenant of Genesis 12:1-3, the LORD purposed to create a people for Himself, but that nation decided to make themselves presentable to Him and accepted the Mosaic Covenant of Exodus 19:3-8.

Indeed, grace was tossed aside and works-religion was taken up in its place. Sinners actually declared they could be as perfect as God, that they were able to produce a nation that could be just as useful to Him as a nation He Himself would make. While senseless as it sounds, it did happen at Mount Sinai. Moreover, billions today are repeating the transgression—ignoring God’s righteousness (Calvary) and going about to establish their own righteousness. “I want to work for my trip to Heaven! If I am not going there after all the ‘good’ things I have done, no one is going there!”

As touching Israel’s kingdom restoration under the New Covenant, yet future from us, see The (oft-misunderstood) “Our Father” Prayer: “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen” (Matthew 6:9-13). This connects to today’s Scripture, when the LORD fills sinful Israel with His very Spirit, life, and glory, and all the nations (who saw nothing but wickedness and darkness in Israel in time past) finally witness the LORD glorified through His earthly people….

God’s Profaned Name #7

Monday, August 14, 2023

“And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes” (Ezekiel 36:23 KJV).

How was God’s great name “profaned among the heathen?” In what way will He “sanctify” it?

The Bible states “the law [of Moses]… was added because of transgressions” (Galatians 3:19). It was in force for over 1,500 years (Moses to Paul) to prove to the Jewish people that, if they were to be God’s favored nation in the Earth, it would be only (!) because of His goodness and His performance (grace)—not their goodness and their performance (law). They were not “good” and thus could not perform! Galatians 3:15-23 explains how the Law was to point them (and us) to the Saviour, Jesus Christ.

Our failure to meet the perfect standard of the Law indicates we are sinners: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin…. For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;…” (Romans 3:19,20,23). See also 1 Timothy 1:8-10.

Learning the lesson of the Law, a believing remnant in Israel—the Messianic Church—trusted Jesus as Christ/Saviour during the time of Matthew to John. They recognized that, ultimately, the nation Israel who would serve God would result from the original covenant, the Abrahamic Covenant (grace) of Genesis 12:1-3, as opposed to the Mosaic Covenant (law) that was added later because of unbelief in the Abrahamic Covenant.

“Hallowed [Sanctified, made holy] be thy name” (Matthew 6:9; Luke 11:2)—one of the petitions of the so-called “Lord’s Prayer,” but better titled “The ‘Our Father’ Prayer”—is the Messianic Church praying in response to their Jewish ancestors’ profanation of the LORD’S name (see today’s Scripture). These saints are they who want God to make them His kingdom of priests in the Earth, which again loops to the LORD sanctifying His name as foretold in Ezekiel’s prophecy….

God’s Profaned Name #6

Sunday, August 13, 2023

“And I will sanctify my great name, which was profaned among the heathen, which ye have profaned in the midst of them; and the heathen shall know that I am the LORD, saith the Lord GOD, when I shall be sanctified in you before their eyes” (Ezekiel 36:23 KJV).

How was God’s great name “profaned among the heathen?” In what way will He “sanctify” it?

Re-read today’s Scripture. The word “profane” means “make common or ordinary.” It is the opposite of “sanctify, set apart, hallow, make holy or special.” Whereas JEHOVAH God’s name was unique, distinct from the gods and goddesses of heathenism, the nation Israel misrepresented Him amongst the Gentiles to whom belonged those idols. You can consult the Prophet Daniel’s prayer of confession in Daniel 9:3-20, which was said in obedience to Leviticus 26:40-46. Like Daniel, the Prophet Ezekiel looked forward to the day when Israel would be restored to the LORD’S service.

The context of today’s Scripture—Ezekiel chapter 36—prophesies how the LORD will take Israel from under the Old Covenant (Law of Moses) and put them under the New Covenant. Curses give way to blessings, as sin is replaced with righteousness; wrath fades and grace overflows. Read the verses that follow today’s Scripture: “[24] For I will take you from among the heathen, and gather you out of all countries, and will bring you into your own land. [25] Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. [26] A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. [27] And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. [28] And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God.”

Here is how God will “sanctify” His great name that the Jewish people soiled while under the Dispensation of the Law of Moses….