No Wedding Garment! #3

Wednesday, July 24, 2024

“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless” (Matthew 22:11,12 KJV).

Who is this who has no “wedding garment?”

Re-read verses 1-6, the context of today’s Scripture. Father God the King has twice sent out messengers or preachers with invitations to Israel to repent (change their mind) and believe the Gospel of the Kingdom (Jesus is Christ/Messiah). Whether Christ’s earthly ministry, or early Acts, both biddings were overwhelmingly refused in unbelief. Furthermore, God’s preachers were mistreated and even killed during those opening chapters of the Book of Acts (see Acts 4:1-3,13-21; Acts 5:17-28,40; Acts 6:9-15; Acts 7:54-60).

We continue The Parable of the Wedding Feast, starting at Matthew 22:7: “But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth:….” Father God was righteously angered that His invitation to attend His Son’s wedding was twice rejected. Apostate Israel had joined lost Gentiles to conspire to murder that Son (Jesus Christ), was still refusing that Son in His resurrection ministry, and now Father’s judgment was looming in accordance with Psalm 2.

“Why do the heathen rage, and the people imagine a vain thing? The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together, against the LORD, and against his anointed, saying, Let us break their bands asunder, and cast away their cords from us. 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 2:1-5; cf. Acts 4:25-28). Stephen foretold this wrath was moments away in Acts 7:55,56 (cf. Acts 2:34-36; cf. Psalm 110:1; cf. Psalm 68:1,2). Yet, here, God paused prophecy and initiated the mystery to save and commission unbelieving Saul of Tarsus in Acts chapter 9 with “grace and peace” (1 Timothy 1:12-16).

Due to the dispensational change introduced with the Apostle Paul, the rest of Matthew 22:7 (“and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city”) was not fulfilled and is still unfulfilled. When prophecy resumes, however, the war will start, Jerusalem will be attacked, and a third call will go forth to Israel….

No Wedding Garment! #2

Tuesday, July 23, 2024

“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless” (Matthew 22:11,12 KJV).

Who is this who has no “wedding garment?”

The Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14) is the third parable the Lord spoke to Israel’s unbelieving religious leaders during His final two days alive. See also Matthew 21:28-32 and Matthew 21:33-46. Let us expound this Parable of the Wedding Feast.

Verses 1-3: “And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come.” The God of Heaven, Father God, the “king,” seeks to host a wedding and accompanying feast for His Son (Jesus Christ).

Father the King commissions His “servants”—John the Baptist of Matthew chapter 3, the Lord Jesus Himself, the 12 Apostles of Matthew chapter 10, and the 70 preachers of Luke chapter 10—to announce invitations to the Jewish people. Alas, the people summoned during Christ’s earthly ministry were overwhelmingly not interested in attending because of their unbelief. “And all the people that heard him, and the publicans, justified God, being baptized with the baptism of John. But the Pharisees and lawyers rejected the counsel of God against themselves, being not baptized of him” (Luke 7:29,30). That is the first call to repentance.

Verses 4-6: “Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.” This is the second call to repentance. In early Acts, the 12 Apostles and the rest of the Little Flock preach as the Holy Spirit empowers them. However, apostate Israel still refuses to believe and continues persecuting these Jewish saints, climaxing in Stephen’s murder in Acts chapter 7….

No Wedding Garment! #1

Monday, July 22, 2024

“And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless” (Matthew 22:11,12 KJV).

Who is this who has no “wedding garment?”

Read today’s Scripture in context, The Parable of the Wedding Feast: “[1] And Jesus answered and spake unto them again by parables, and said, [2] The kingdom of heaven is like unto a certain king, which made a marriage for his son, [3] And sent forth his servants to call them that were bidden to the wedding: and they would not come. [4] Again, he sent forth other servants, saying, Tell them which are bidden, Behold, I have prepared my dinner: my oxen and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready: come unto the marriage. [5] But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his farm, another to his merchandise: [6] And the remnant took his servants, and entreated them spitefully, and slew them.

“[7] But when the king heard thereof, he was wroth: and he sent forth his armies, and destroyed those murderers, and burned up their city. [8] Then saith he to his servants, The wedding is ready, but they which were bidden were not worthy. [9] Go ye therefore into the highways, and as many as ye shall find, bid to the marriage. [10] So those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together all as many as they found, both bad and good: and the wedding was furnished with guests.

“[11] And when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man which had not on a wedding garment: [12] And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless. [13] Then said the king to the servants, Bind him hand and foot, and take him away, and cast him into outer darkness, there shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth. [14] For many are called, but few are chosen.”

Let us search the Scriptures for cross-references and study this passage more closely according to them….

333’s 4800th – Wise Fools or Wise Fools

Sunday, July 21, 2024

“Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God…” (1 Corinthians 3:18,19a KJV).

Dear Saints and readers, only by God’s grace, we have reached devotional #4800!

In the Bible, we can be either wise fools or wise fools. For example, “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,…” (Romans 1:20-22).

These wise fools are knowledgeable, intelligent, and clever in their own eyes, but they have forsaken God’s wisdom (true wisdom). To Him, they are but fools. Here is much of the world. “Where is the wise? where is the scribe? where is the disputer of this world? hath not God made foolish the wisdom of this world? For after that in the wisdom of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe” (1 Corinthians 1:20,21).

In today’s Scripture, there are some other wise fools: “Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you seemeth to be wise in this world, let him become a fool, that he may be wise. For the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God.” Any Christian who believes he can live the Christian life by using worldly wisdom (recall Romans 1:20-22) is but a fool in God’s eyes. That is most of Christendom. Yet, we can reject secular wisdom, adopt God’s wisdom, and become wise in God’s sight—though the world sees us as fools.

With each passing day of our sound Bible doctrine studies, we are moving away from wise fools (relying on our wisdom, thus wise in man’s sight but fools in God’s sight) and over to wise fools (relying on God’s wisdom, thus wise in God’s sight but fools in the world’s sight). May we seek God’s approval above all (2 Timothy 2:15)!

Onward we go to #4900! 🙂

Please remember that all studies have been archived here.

No Shepherd for Israel! #9

Saturday, July 20, 2024

“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace” (2 Chronicles 18:16 KJV).

Why does Israel have no shepherd?

Like every nation of the world, Israel’s history abounds with leaders who were spiritual losers. That is the heavy price of sin—and it is a heavy price indeed. All nations could have been spared an incomprehensible amount of pain, suffering, ignorance, and turmoil. Yet, the LORD God created us as free moral agents, not robots, and that means letting man do what he wants. Still, we can be thankful that is not the way things will always be in creation. Before situations and circumstances improve on Earth, though, they will have to deteriorate even more than what we see now.

With each passing day, the world grows closer to the Antichrist’s appearance. This last self-serving, diabolical shepherd—the worst of them all—must operate in Israel’s government before the Lord Jesus Christ comes back to destroy him, sit on David’s throne, and appoint His righteous shepherds (the 12 Apostles). Jesus Christ the “Good Shepherd” is in stark contrast to those shepherds who scatter the sheep, those who do not care about the wellbeing of the sheep (John 10:11-14). Ultimately, Christ will give up His life to save the sheep—a clear reference to Calvary (see John 10:15,17-18). In addition to being the Good Shepherd, who lays down His life at the cross (John 10:11 corresponding to Psalm 22); Jesus Christ is also the “Great Shepherd” who cares for and blesses the sheep (Hebrews 13:20 matching Psalm 23); Christ is also the “Chief Shepherd” who brings the sheep into His Millennial Kingdom (1 Peter 5:4 corresponding to Psalm 24).

The Lord Jesus will lead the lost sheep of Israel back to Himself, as in 1 Peter 2:25: “For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.” Psalm 79:13, Psalm 95:7, and Psalm 100:3 all look to that Millennial Reign of Christ as well. In that day, “no shepherd for Israel” will never be true again!

No Shepherd for Israel! #8

Friday, July 19, 2024

“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace” (2 Chronicles 18:16 KJV).

Why does Israel have no shepherd?

At His Second Coming, the LORD Jesus Christ will destroy the corrupt pastors/shepherds of Israel (the Antichrist and all his predecessors) and replace them with His 12 Apostles in preparation for the Millennial Kingdom.

Jeremiah 23:1-4: “[1] Woe be unto the pastors that destroy and scatter the sheep of my pasture! saith the LORD. [2] Therefore thus saith the LORD God of Israel against the pastors that feed my people; Ye have scattered my flock, and driven them away, and have not visited them: behold, I will visit upon you the evil of your doings, saith the LORD. [3] And I will gather the remnant of my flock out of all countries whither I have driven them, and will bring them again to their folds; and they shall be fruitful and increase. [4] And I will set up shepherds over them which shall feed them: and they shall fear no more, nor be dismayed, neither shall they be lacking, saith the LORD.” Pay close attention to verse 4, which now leads us to the 12 Apostles and the close of John’s Gospel Record.

See the “lambs” and “sheep” of John 21:15-17: “[15] So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. [16] He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. [17] He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep.”

Let us summarize and conclude this devotionals arc….

No Shepherd for Israel! #7

Thursday, July 18, 2024

“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace” (2 Chronicles 18:16 KJV).

Why does Israel have no shepherd?

Through the centuries, most of Israel’s spiritual “leaders” were that in name only: they were not guiding the nation into the words and ways of JEHOVAH God. Yet, the LORD would not leave His people in the hands of satanic religious leaders forever. Read Isaiah’s prophecy in chapter 40, verses 9-11: “O Zion, that bringest good tidings, get thee up into the high mountain; O Jerusalem, that bringest good tidings, lift up thy voice with strength; lift it up, be not afraid; say unto the cities of Judah, Behold your God! Behold, the Lord GOD will come with strong hand, and his arm shall rule for him: behold, his reward is with him, and his work before him. He shall feed his flock like a shepherd: he shall gather the lambs with his arm, and carry them in his bosom, and shall gently lead those that are with young.”

Messiah Jesus, who is the JEHOVAH God of Isaiah, offered to be Israel’s Shepherd during His earthly ministry of Matthew through John. See John chapter 10, verses 12-16: “But he that is an hireling [false teachers leading Israel], and not the shepherd, whose own the sheep are not, seeth the wolf [more false teachers] coming, and leaveth the sheep, and fleeth: and the wolf catcheth them, and scattereth the sheep. The hireling fleeth, because he is an hireling, and careth not for the sheep. I am the good shepherd, and know my sheep, and am known of mine. As the Father knoweth me, even so know I the Father: and I lay down my life for the sheep. And other sheep I have, which are not of this fold: them also I must bring, and they shall hear my voice; and there shall be one fold, and one shepherd.”

With Israel rejecting and killing Jesus in unbelief, now the Antichrist can enter to further destroy the nation, therefore necessitating Jesus come back in power and great glory so as to reign as Israel’s Shepherd….

No Shepherd for Israel! #6

Wednesday, July 17, 2024

“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace” (2 Chronicles 18:16 KJV).

Why does Israel have no shepherd?

Moving up through Israel’s history, the nation’s religious leaders habitually filled its people with centuries of worthless religious tradition. Whether apostate Levites (the priestly tribe, who should have been teaching and copying Scripture), or false prophets (whose empty words distracted them from God’s pure words), or formalistic Pharisees (who were obsessed with works-religion and self-righteousness), or aristocratic Sadducees (who wallowed in skepticism, doubting the supernatural), all were shepherds who had failed miserably to communicate spiritual knowledge, spiritual wisdom, and spiritual understanding to their people. We also recognize the negligence of many of Israel’s kings (north) and Judah’s kings (south), who themselves were quite busy in being poor spiritual examples.

As touching King Ahab, whose evils his heathen wife Jezebel had inspired (1 Kings 16:29-34; 1 Kings 21:25,26), the LORD would (and did) eliminate him from the throne because his idolatry contributed to Israel’s Assyrian Captivity (part of the curses of the violated Law of Moses). Ahab was no true spiritual shepherd, but, now, he would be gone physically too (see today’s Scripture). He is a preview or type of the Antichrist, who will be the final satanic spiritual-political leader of Israel.

The Antichrist is known as “a foolish shepherd” and “the idol shepherd:” “And the LORD said unto me, Take unto thee yet the instruments of a foolish shepherd. For, lo, I will raise up a shepherd in the land, which shall not visit those that be cut off, neither shall seek the young one, nor heal that that is broken, nor feed that that standeth still: but he shall eat the flesh of the fat, and tear their claws in pieces. Woe to the idol shepherd that leaveth the flock! the sword shall be upon his arm, and upon his right eye: his arm shall be clean dried up, and his right eye shall be utterly darkened” (Zechariah 11:15-17).

When Christ returns and destroys the Antichrist, Israel will again be without a shepherd….

No Shepherd for Israel! #5

Tuesday, July 16, 2024

“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace” (2 Chronicles 18:16 KJV).

Why does Israel have no shepherd?

Back up in Ezekiel chapter 34 to now read: “[1] And the word of the LORD came unto me, saying, [2] Son of man, prophesy against the shepherds of Israel, prophesy, and say unto them, Thus saith the Lord GOD unto the shepherds; Woe be to the shepherds of Israel that do feed themselves! should not the shepherds feed the flocks? [3] Ye eat the fat, and ye clothe you with the wool, ye kill them that are fed: but ye feed not the flock. [4] The diseased have ye not strengthened, neither have ye healed that which was sick, neither have ye bound up that which was broken, neither have ye brought again that which was driven away, neither have ye sought that which was lost; but with force and with cruelty have ye ruled them. [5] And they were scattered, because there is no shepherd: and they became meat to all the beasts of the field, when they were scattered. [6] My sheep wandered through all the mountains, and upon every high hill: yea, my flock was scattered upon all the face of the earth, and none did search or seek after them.

“[7] Therefore, ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; [8] As I live, saith the Lord GOD, surely because my flock became a prey, and my flock became meat to every beast of the field, because there was no shepherd, neither did my shepherds search for my flock, but the shepherds fed themselves, and fed not my flock; [9] Therefore, O ye shepherds, hear the word of the LORD; [10] Thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I am against the shepherds; and I will require my flock at their hand, and cause them to cease from feeding the flock; neither shall the shepherds feed themselves any more; for I will deliver my flock from their mouth, that they may not be meat for them.”

God is most displeased with Israel’s religious leaders who selfishly govern His sheep-nation and lead them astray….

No Shepherd for Israel! #4

Monday, July 15, 2024

“Then he said, I did see all Israel scattered upon the mountains, as sheep that have no shepherd: and the LORD said, These have no master; let them return therefore every man to his house in peace” (2 Chronicles 18:16 KJV).

Why does Israel have no shepherd?

Ezekiel 34:11-16: “For thus saith the Lord GOD; Behold, I, even I, will both search my sheep, and seek them out. As a shepherd seeketh out his flock in the day that he is among his sheep that are scattered; so will I seek out my sheep, and will deliver them out of all places where they have been scattered in the cloudy and dark day. And I will bring them out from the people, and gather them from the countries, and will bring them to their own land, and feed them upon the mountains of Israel by the rivers, and in all the inhabited places of the country. I will feed them in a good pasture, and upon the high mountains of Israel shall their fold be: there shall they lie in a good fold, and in a fat pasture shall they feed upon the mountains of Israel. I will feed my flock, and I will cause them to lie down, saith the Lord GOD. I will seek that which was lost, and bring again that which was driven away, and will bind up that which was broken, and will strengthen that which was sick: but I will destroy the fat and the strong; I will feed them with judgment.”

During His earthly ministry, Christ thus commissioned His 12 Apostles: “But go rather to the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 10:6). Also, “But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matthew 15:24). Israel is like a shepherd-less flock of sheep, wandering around, straying from the proper path. Read Luke 15:1-7, the Parable of the Lost Sheep—how one sheep recognizes its lost estate (Israel’s believing remnant) whereas the 99 sheep (national Israel) are too self-righteous to realize they need the shepherd’s guidance too. Why are all these sheep out of the way, not where they should be?

Israel’s spiritual leaders have been negligent for centuries….