Lord – Page 27 – Praying Pint

34.q. “I will not deny you!”

Matthew 26:30 And when they had sung a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus said to them, “You will all fall away because of me this night. For it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go before you to Galilee.” Peter answered him, “Though they all fall away because of you, I will never fall away.” Jesus said to him, “Truly, I tell you, this very night, before the rooster crows, you will deny me three times.” Peter said to him, “Even if I must die with you, I will not deny you!” And all the disciples said the same.

Luke 22:31-32    “Simon, Simon, behold, Satan demanded to have you, that he might sift you like wheat,  but I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.”

Job 19:13-16    “He has put my brothers far from me, and those who knew me are wholly estranged from me.  My relatives have failed me, my close friends have forgotten me.

Psalms 69:20     Reproaches have broken my heart, so that I am in despair. I looked for pity, but there was none, and for comforters, but I found none.

Ezekiel 34:5-6     So they were scattered, because there was no shepherd, and they became food for all the wild beasts. My sheep were scattered;  they wandered over all the mountains and on every high hill. My sheep were scattered over all the face of the earth, with none to search or seek for them.

Exodus 19:8    All the people answered together and said, “All that the LORD has spoken we will do.” And Moses reported the words of the people to the LORD.

1 Corinthians 10:12    Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.

Peter, not convinced of his weakness, or that any temptation could make him guilty of such base conduct so as to deny Christ, claims with great confidence that he will not deny Christ even in the face of death. We are frequently ignorant of our self-confidence which leads us to become over-confident and safe from being tempted away from following, obeying, trusting, and relying on Jesus Christ alone. Those that are least safe are those who in themselves think they are secure.

We never know when or what trial or trouble may fall upon us. We never know how feeble and weak we are until we are tried. Reliance upon our own strength is an act of ignorance of the need for Jesus Christ in all things at all times.

It doesn’t matter what we are engaged in doing, when we go it alone and in our own strength, own ideas, own self-reliance, and own self-interest we expose our lack of reliance on Christ. How many days do we start in our own strength and our own ideas? Can we not ask at the beginning of the day before we are even out of bed for Jesus to guide our thoughts, lead our steps, and keep our hearts and minds free from that which does not honor and glorify Him alone? Can we not ask Him to show us our weaknesses and for His strengthening of our minds? Can we not ask Him to show us where we are being self-reliant? Can we not ask for His protection over the day? Can we not ask Him to continually speak into our hearts and minds? Yes, we can if we would just do it.

34.p. ” In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe”

Hebrews 11:6 And without faith it is impossible to please him, for whoever would draw near to God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him.

Hebrews 3:12     Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

Hebrews 4:2    For good news came to us just as to them, but the message they heard did not benefit them, because they were not united by faith with those who listened.

Hebrews 4:6   Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience,

Revelation 21:8   But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur

Numbers 14:11    And the LORD said to Moses, “How long will this people despise me? And how long will they not believe in me, in spite of all the signs that I have done among them?

John 3:18-19   Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God.  And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.

Psalms 78:22   because they did not believe in God and did not trust his saving power.

Psalms 78:32    In spite of all this, they still sinned; despite his wonders, they did not believe.

Proverbs 11:18     The wicked earns deceptive wages, but one who sows righteousness gets a sure reward.

Jeremiah 29:13-14   You will seek me and find me, when you seek me with all your heart.  I will be found by you, declares the LORD,

Brethren, we call ourselves Christians; let us be honest with ourselves, and rigid in the investigation of the thoughts of our own hearts. Is there a wish for God there? Is there an aching void in His absence, or do we shovel cartloads of earthly rubbish into our hearts, and thus dull desires that can be satisfied only with Him? These are not questions to which any one has a right to expect an answer from another; they are not questions that any Christian man can safely shirk answering to himself and to God. The measure of our seeking is actually settled by the measure of our desire. (MacLaren)

Having one eye of our hearts and minds tuned into and seeking and desiring what the world has to offer, and having the other eye turned toward heaven will not find a place for things of God. The things of earth will eat away any desire and seeking that our hearts and minds would have for things of God. Whatever this world may shout loud and strong into the ears of any who would listen will influence their path in life and hinder any things of God from being heard or seen. The heart of man must want to see and hear things of God above what this world has to offer or they will blindly and deafly follow after what seems right in their own eyes and social norms.

Seek to have God open His Word and give you understanding, knowledge, and wisdom of His grace, mercy and love.

34.o. “He will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats”

Matthew 25:31 “When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on his glorious throne. Before him will be gathered all the nations, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats. And he will place the sheep on his right, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on his right, ‘Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.’ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?’ And the King will answer them, Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’ “Then he will say to those on his left, Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’ Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”

The astonishment of the righteous is not modesty disclaiming praise, but real wonder at the undreamed-of significance of their deeds. In the parable of the talents, the servants unveiled their inmost hearts, and accurately described their lives. Here, the other side of the truth is brought into prominence, that, at that day, we shall be surprised when we hear from His lips what we have really done. True Christian beneficence has consciously for its motive the pleasing of Christ; but still he who most earnestly strove, while here, to do all as unto Jesus, will be full of thankful wonder at the grace which accepts his poor service, and will learn, with fresh marvelling, how closely He associates Himself with His humblest servant. There is an element of mystery hidden from ourselves in all our deeds. Our love to Christ’s followers never goes out so plainly to Him that, while here, we can venture to be sure that He takes it as done for Him. We cannot here follow the flight of the arrow, nor know what meaning He will attach to, or what large issues He will evolve from, our poor doings. So heaven will be full of blessed surprises, as we reap the fruit growing ‘in power’ of what we sowed ‘in weakness,’ and as doleful will be the astonishment which will seize those who see, for the first time, in the lurid light of that day, the true character of their lives, as one long neglect of plain duties, which was all a defrauding the Saviour of His due. Mere doing nothing is enough to condemn, and its victims will be shudderingly amazed at the fatal wound it has inflicted on them. There is an awful contrast between the ‘Come! ye blessed,’ and ‘Depart! ye cursed.’ It is even a more awful parallel between ‘eternal punishment’ and ‘eternal life.’ It is futile to attempt to alleviate the awfulness by emptying the word ‘eternal’ of reference to duration. (MacLaren)

This is a description of the last judgment. It is as an explanation of the former parables. There is a judgment to come, in which every man shall be sentenced to a state of everlasting happiness, or misery. Christ shall come, not only in the glory of his Father, but in his own glory, as Mediator. The wicked and godly here dwell together, in the same cities, churches, families, and are not always to be known the one from the other; such are the weaknesses of saints, such the hypocrisies of sinners; and death takes both: but in that day they will be parted for ever. Jesus Christ is the great Shepherd; he will shortly distinguish between those that are his, and those that are not. All other distinctions will be done away; but the great one between saints and sinners, holy and unholy, will remain for ever. The happiness the saints shall possess is very great. It is a kingdom; the most valuable possession on earth; yet this is but a faint resemblance of the blessed state of the saints in heaven. It is a kingdom prepared. The Father provided it for them in the greatness of his wisdom and power; the Son purchased it for them; and the blessed Spirit, in preparing them for the kingdom, is preparing it for them. It is prepared for them: it is in all points adapted to the new nature of a sanctified soul. It is prepared from the foundation of the world. This happiness was for the saints, and they for it, from all eternity. They shall come and inherit it. What we inherit is not got by ourselves. It is God that makes heirs of heaven. We are not to suppose that acts of bounty will entitle to eternal happiness. Good works done for God’s sake, through Jesus Christ, are here noticed as marking the character of believers made holy by the Spirit of Christ, and as the effects of grace bestowed on those who do them. The wicked in this world were often called to come to Christ for life and rest, but they turned from his calls; and justly are those bid to depart from Christ, that would not come to him. Condemned sinners will in vain offer excuses. The punishment of the wicked will be an everlasting punishment; their state cannot be altered. Thus life and death, good and evil, the blessing and the curse, are set before us, that we may choose our way, and as our way so shall our end be. (Henry)

34.n. “But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are His”

Matthew 24:50 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know and will cut him in pieces and put him with the hypocrites. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

Matthew 25:12 But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Matthew 25:30 And cast the worthless servant into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

Psalms 1:6    for the LORD knows the way of the righteous, but the way of the wicked will perish.

John 10:27   My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.

2 Timothy 2:19   But God’s firm foundation stands, bearing this seal: “The Lord knows those who are his,”

How many people build their (false hope and trust) in being harmless to others? They may do no heavenly good but they do no earthly harm. To many, living in peace with others and the fact that they have not been charged with doing harm has made them think they are right before God. It is one of the basic lies of satan. Note that the complacent servant who buried what he was given was cast into outer darkness and eternal torment. He was not charged with an overt offense.

“Why, for this reason, for barely doing no harm, he is consigned to outer darkness. He is pronounced a wicked, because he was a slothful, an unprofitable servant. So mere harmlessness, on which many build their hope of salvation, was the cause of his damnation! Observe this well, reader; slothful servants, who do nothing with respect to the purpose of their being sent into the world, nothing to answer the end of their birth and baptism, who are no way serviceable to the glory of God, or the good of others, will be reckoned with as unprofitable servants. A slothful servant is a withered member in the body, a barren tree in the vineyard, an idle drone in the hive, that is good for nothing.” (Benson)

Eternity in heaven is not obtained by the merits of the right or wrong of what we do. Satan loves to convince people to this way of thinking – performing your way to be right in the eyes of God. If this had any merit there would be no reason for God to send His one and only Son to die as a sacrifice for our sin. Satan would have each, so-called good person, believe that it is the sacrifice that Jesus paid on the cross “PLUS” our good works that make a person right before God and entitles a person eternity in heaven. Nothing god be further from the truth. Listen carefully, Jesus Christ alone paid the price for our sin and any hope in our salvation that is placed on and in our own goodness denies what Jesus did was enough. Belief, faith, trust, and reliance on Him alone are the message of the Gospel. There is nothing more a person can do to make themselves right before God.

Why then should we be studying His Word, being obedient, and doing good works if they add nothing to our salvation, redemption, and forgiveness? We study His Word to know Him more and more. We study His Word to understand more and more of His grace, mercy, love, and holiness. We study His Word so we might continue to grow in how we can be used for His honor and glory. We study His Word so that we are continually being transformed in what we think, say, and do so that in all things we seek and desire to honor and glorify Him alone. Any “good works” that we do are for Him alone and they are wasted if we try to keep even a small portion for ourselves.

34.l. “Prepared waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God”

Matthew 25:1 “Then the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish, and five were wise. For when the foolish took their lamps, they took no oil with them, but the wise took flasks of oil with their lamps. As the bridegroom was delayed, they all became drowsy and slept. But at midnight there was a cry, ‘Here is the bridegroom! Come out to meet him.’ Then all those virgins rose and trimmed their lamps. And the foolish said to the wise, ‘Give us some of your oil, for our lamps are going out.’ But the wise answered, saying, ‘Since there will not be enough for us and for you, go rather to the dealers and buy for yourselves.’ And while they were going to buy, the bridegroom came, and those who were ready went in with him to the marriage feast, and the door was shut. Afterward the other virgins came also, saying, Lord, lord, open to us.’ But he answered, ‘Truly, I say to you, I do not know you.’ Watch therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour.

Matthew 3:2    “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.”

2 Timothy 4:8     Henceforth there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, will award to me on that day, and not only to me but also to all who have loved his appearing.

2 Peter 3:12-13   waiting for and hastening the coming of the day of God, because of which the heavens will be set on fire and dissolved, and the heavenly bodies will melt as they burn!  But according to his promise we are waiting for new heavens and a new earth in which righteousness dwells.

The Gospel church state; See Gill on Matthew 13:24 either as it would be a little before the coming of the son of man to take vengeance on the Jews; or as it will be a little before his second coming to judgment: for the parable is manifestly connected with, and refers to the preceding chapter, which chiefly treats of Jerusalem’s destruction: but though the Jews were in great security before their utter ruin, yet it does not appear that the Christian church was then in such a lukewarm, drowsy, and sleepy condition, as this parable represents; and since, in the latter part of the preceding chapter, there are some hints of Christ’s second and last coming; when the servant found doing his Lord’s will, will be greatly honoured, and the wicked, cruel, and licentious servant will be severely punished; and since, at the close of this and the following parable, there is a very lively description given of the last judgment; as also, because it appears elsewhere, that such will be the formal, lukewarm, cold, indifferent, secure, and sleepy state of the church, before the second coming of Christ: it seems right and best to understand this parable, and the following, as having respect to that: and that the design of it is to show, what will be the case of professors at that time; the difference between nominal and real Christians; how far persons may go in a profession of religion, and yet, at last, be shut out of heaven: as also the suddenness of Christ’s coming; the necessity of being ready for it; and how watchful the saints should be, that they be not surprised with it. Now some time before this, the Gospel church state, or the body of professing Christians, will be likened unto ten virgins; to “virgins” for quality; being betrothed ones to Christ, at least in profession. All his elect will be prepared for him, beautified and adorned as a bride for her husband; when he will come and take them home to himself, and will avow them to be his before his Father, and his holy angels: and which will be a time of great glory, and great joy. (Gill)

Our (lamp) hearts and souls can be either filled with the oil of grace, mercy, and love (the Gospel of Jesus Christ) or they can be empty even though our outward appearance can seem as though we are prepared for the Bridegroom (Jesus Christ). Having an outward appearance of being ready for His return and being ready for His return is the theme of this parable. One is ready and looking, continually expectant, with their lamp ready. The other is dressed and appears ready but their lamp is empty.

Beware, there is a huge difference between having a visible outward appearance and profession of religion and exercising faith on/in Jesus and in His coming, with earnest and expectancy of the heart and soul. I fear many will be found with empty lamps as their faith is more in line with an outward appearance than conversion of their heart and soul.

If your lamp is filled with grace and mercy (the gospel of Jesus Christ) Prais God – keep looking for His soon return with eager urgent expectancy. If you are unsure what your lamp is filled with, ask God to open the eyes of your heart and soul to what it means to truly repent, believe, trust, rely on, follow, and obey Jesus Christ.

34.h. “A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish”

Matthew 24:29 “Immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken. Then will appear in heaven the sign of the Son of Man, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he will send out his angels with a loud trumpet call, and they will gather his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.

Isaiah 13:10   For the stars of the heavens and their constellations will not give their light; the sun will be dark at its rising, and the moon will not shed its light.

Jeremiah 4:23-28    I looked on the earth, and behold, it was without form and void; and to the heavens, and they had no light.  I looked on the mountains, and behold, they were quaking, and all the hills moved to and fro.  I looked, and behold, there was no man, and all the birds of the air had fled.  I looked, and behold, the fruitful land was a desert, and all its cities were laid in ruins before the LORD, before his fierce anger.  For thus says the LORD, “The whole land shall be a desolation; yet I will not make a full end.  “For this the earth shall mourn, and the heavens above be dark; for I have spoken; I have purposed; I have not relented, nor will I turn back.”

Ezekiel 32:7-8   When I blot you out, I will cover the heavens and make their stars dark; I will cover the sun with a cloud, and the moon shall not give its light.  All the bright lights of heaven will I make dark over you, and put darkness on your land, declares the Lord GOD.

Joel 2:10    The earth quakes before them; the heavens tremble. The sun and the moon are darkened, and the stars withdraw their shining.

Joel 2:30-31   “And I will show wonders in the heavens and on the earth, blood and fire and columns of smoke.  The sun shall be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

Amos 5:20     Is not the day of the LORD darkness, and not light, and gloom with no brightness in it?

Zephaniah 1:14-15    The great day of the LORD is near, near and hastening fast; the sound of the day of the LORD is bitter; the mighty man cries aloud there.  A day of wrath is that day, a day of distress and anguish, a day of ruin and devastation, a day of darkness and gloom, a day of clouds and thick darkness,

Acts 2:19-20    And I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood, and fire, and vapor of smoke;  the sun shall be turned to darkness and the moon to blood, before the day of the Lord comes, the great and magnificent day.

Revelation 6:12-17    When he opened the sixth seal, I looked, and behold, there was a great earthquake, and the sun became black as sackcloth, the full moon became like blood,  and the stars of the sky fell to the earth as the fig tree sheds its winter fruit when shaken by a gale.  The sky vanished like a scroll that is being rolled up, and every mountain and island was removed from its place.  Then the kings of the earth and the great ones and the generals and the rich and the powerful, and everyone, slave and free, hid themselves in the caves and among the rocks of the mountains,  calling to the mountains and rocks, “Fall on us and hide us from the face of him who is seated on the throne, and from the wrath of the Lamb,  for the great day of their wrath has come, and who can stand?”

Several prophetic passages describe the cosmic disturbances that will precede and surround the glorious return of Jesus. All these signs are figures of great and terrible calamities. The roaring of the waves of the sea denotes great tumult and affliction among the people. “Perplexity” means doubt, anxiety; not knowing what to do to escape. “Men’s hearts should fail them for fear,” or by reason of fear. Their fears would be so great as to take away their courage and strength. Barnes)

But I am more inclinable to interpret them of the last judgment, and to think that our Saviour is now passed to satisfy the disciples about their other question, concerning the end of the world; for although Christ’s coming may sometimes signify that remarkable act of his providence in the destruction of his enemies, yet the next verses speaking of his coming with great power and glory, and of his coming with his angels, and with the sound of a trumpet, and gathering his elect from the four winds, the phrases are so like the phrases by which the Scripture expresses Christ’s coming to the last judgment, and Christ speaking to his disciples asking of him as well about that as the destruction of Jerusalem, I should rather interpret this verse with reference to the last judgment, than the destruction of Jerusalem before spoken of, or at least that these signs should be understood common both to the one and the other, as divers of the other signs mentioned in this chapter are. Some think that the darkening of the sun and the moon here, the falling of the stars, and the shaking of the powers of heaven, are to be taken metaphorically, as signifying the great change there should be in the ecclesiastical and civil state of the Jews; and it is true that such kind of expressions do often in Scripture so signify. But without doubt the literal sense is not to be excluded, whether we understand the text of the destruction of Jerusalem, or of his coming to his last judgment; for as historians tell of great prodigies seen before the former, so the apostle confirms us that there will be such things seen before the day of judgment. (Poole)

There is no valid reason why the physical phenomena mentioned in this verso are not to be taken literally, even if we see also in them a spiritual significance. It is only reasonable to expect that the end of this world should be accompanied by stupendous changes in the realm of nature. The sun was miraculously darkened when Jesus hung on the cross. What wonder if similar catastrophes signal his coming to judgment? (unknown)

Men of the world scheme and plan for generation upon generation here, but they plan not with reference to the overwhelming, approaching, and most certain event of Christ’s second coming, which shall do away every human scheme, and set aside for ever all that God forbids. Christ here shows the state of the old world when the deluge came. They were secure and careless; they knew not, until the flood came; and they believed not. Did we know aright that all earthly things must shortly pass away, we should not set our eyes and hearts so much upon them as we do. The evil day is not the further off for men’s putting it far from them. What words can more strongly describe the suddenness of our Saviour’s coming! Men will be at their respective businesses, and suddenly the Lord of glory will appear. Women will be in their house employments, but in that moment every other work will be laid aside, and every heart will turn inward and say, It is the Lord! Am I prepared to meet him? Can I stand before him? And what, in fact, is the day of judgment to the whole world, but the day of death to every one who is not prepared for the return of Jesus Christ? (Henry)

34.c. “What sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness?”

Matthew 24:1 Jesus left the temple and was going away, when his disciples came to point out to him the buildings of the temple. But he answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, I say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

Ezekiel 8:6   And he said to me, “Son of man, do you see what they are doing, the great abominations that the house of Israel are committing here, to drive me far from my sanctuary? But you will see still greater abominations.”

Jeremiah 6:8    Be warned, O Jerusalem, lest I turn from you in disgust, lest I make you a desolation, an uninhabited land.”

1 Kings 9:7-8    then I will cut off Israel from the land that I have given them, and the house that I have consecrated for my name I will cast out of my sight, and Israel will become a proverb and a byword among all peoples.  And this house will become a heap of ruins. Everyone passing by it will be astonished and will hiss, and they will say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and to this house?’

Jeremiah 26:18    “Micah of Moresheth prophesied in the days of Hezekiah king of Judah, and said to all the people of Judah: ‘Thus says the LORD of hosts, “‘Zion shall be plowed as a field; Jerusalem shall become a heap of ruins,

Ezekiel 7:22     I will turn my face from them, and they shall profane my treasured place. Robbers shall enter and profane it.

2 Peter 3:11     Since all these things are thus to be dissolved, what sort of people ought you to be in lives of holiness and godliness,

Josephus says that “Cesar gave orders that they should now demolish the whole city and temple, except the three towers Phaselus, Hippicus, and Mariamne, and a part of the western wall; but all the rest was laid so completely even with the ground, by those who dug it up from the foundation, that there was nothing left to make those who came thither believe that it had ever been inhabited.”

It is said that for eight whole years together he kept 10,000 men a-work about it; and that for magnificence and stateliness, it exceeded Solomon’s temple.” The Jewish historian Josephus said that the temple was covered with gold plates, and when the sun shone on them it was blinding to look at. Where there was no gold, there were blocks of marble of such a pure white that from a distance strangers thought there was snow on the temple.

Christ foretells the utter ruin and destruction coming upon the temple. A believing foresight of the defacing of all worldly glory, will help to keep us from admiring it, and overvaluing it. The most beautiful body soon will be food for worms, and the most magnificent building a ruinous heap. See ye not all these things? It will do us good so to see them as to see through them, and see to the end of them. Our Lord having gone with his disciples to the Mount of Olives, he set before them the order of the times concerning the Jews, till the destruction of Jerusalem; and as to men in general till the end of the world. (Henry)

Man will try hard to build beautiful righteous structures of themselves. They adorn the outside with nothing but the observed best so that when seen or heard of, the observer of such will be impressed by the appearance given. What is inside of such a structure? How secure is it? The temple was built with large base stones so large it is hard for use even today to know how they were laid, let alone how they could be destroyed. How could such a fortress of strength and beauty come to ruin as if it had never been there? Men will build observable righteousness but their inner being lacks the very thing (righteousness) they are trying to get others to see and admire. One stone after another they apply self-reliance on what they are building. They can build this observable structure with generosity, good works, and acts of kindness, but on the inside, this is lacking grace, mercy, and love for both God and others. It is solely being built to acquire self-worth before man and God. Though a person, as such, may have the observed appearance of righteousness by saying and doing things observed, it is within the heart and mind where God sees the thoughts and intents of each living soul.

Let our righteous structure be built on nothing less and nothing more than the blood of Jesus Christ and His atonement for our sin. Let whatever is observed of our lives by others be for the glory and honor of Him alone.

35. “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Matthew 23:11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

Luke 22:26-27    But not so with you. Rather, let the greatest among you become as the youngest, and the leader as one who serves.  For who is the greater, one who reclines at table or one who serves? Is it not the one who reclines at table? But I am among you as the one who serves.

Galatians 5:13   For you were called to freedom, brothers. Only do not use your freedom as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another.

Philippians 2:5-8    Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus,  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,  but emptied himself, by taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.  And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Psalms 138:6    For though the LORD is high, he regards the lowly, but the haughty he knows from afar.

Proverbs 15:33   The fear of the LORD is instruction in wisdom, and humility comes before honor.

Proverbs 16:18-19    Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.  It is better to be of a lowly spirit with the poor than to divide the spoil with the proud.

Isaiah 57:15    For thus says the One who is high and lifted up, who inhabits eternity, whose name is Holy: “I dwell in the high and holy place, and also with him who is of a contrite and lowly spirit, to revive the spirit of the lowly, and to revive the heart of the contrite.

And whosoever shall exalt himself,…. Above his fellow Christians, or fellow ministers, by entertaining too high an opinion of himself, by boasting of his gifts, as preferable to others, and as if he had not received them; by assuming, or eagerly coveting titles of honour among men, or by affecting honour that do not belong to him, or, abusing what he has: “shall be abased”; or humbled by God, or men, or both; such shall lose the honour they have, and come greatly short of what they are ambitious of; they shall fall into disgrace with men, and are abominable in the sight of God: “and he that shall humble himself”; by entertaining low thoughts, and a mean opinion of himself, behaving modestly among men; not being elated with his gifts, but acknowledging that they are owing to the grace and goodness of God; and using them in an humble manner, for, the advantage of others; not coveting honour from men, nor lifted up with what is conferred on him: “shall be exalted”; by God, or men, or both; if not in this world, yet in the world to come: and indeed, generally speaking, such modest, humble, persons, are most esteemed among men; and God gives more grace unto them, and will at last give them glory. This is a saying, often used by our Lord on different accounts, both with respect to his disciples, for their instruction, and with regard to the scribes and Pharisees, for their embarrassment and humiliation. (Gill)

Normally, people estimate greatness by how many people serve and honor them. Jesus reminded His followers that in His kingdom it should be different, and that we should estimate greatness by how we serve and honor others. (Guzik)

Humbleness can be something that eludes the hearts of many in a high position of responsibility, authority, and power. Some may even, under the guise of serving and protecting, yield to pride and wield their authority and power in such ways that harm the people they are supposed to serve. They will find a reason to listen to false data, choose to deny facts, and succumb to their own pride-filled hearts while forcing others to their will. This false servitude is discernible by God and to Him, they will answer on the day of judgment. Their own pride-filled hearts guide them down destructive paths. The problem is that many will blindly follow these people and condemn those who do not. Even with a humble heart, a person can say, no to the wishes of these people filled with hunger and desire for authority, power, and pride.

We do well to have the eyes to our hearts and minds filled with discernment that only the Holy Spirit can give and use this discernment in humble boldness to proclaim the Gospel of Jesus Christ and His grace, mercy, and love.

34.t. “Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts”

Matthew 21:28 “What do you think? A man had two sons. And he went to the first and said, ‘Son, go and work in the vineyard today.’ And he answered, ‘I will not,’ but afterward he changed his mind and went. And he went to the other son and said the same. And he answered, ‘I go, sir,’ but did not go. Which of the two did the will of his father?” They said, “The first.” Jesus said to them, “Truly, I say to you, the tax collectors and the prostitutes go into the kingdom of God before you. For John came to you in the way of righteousness, and you did not believe him, but the tax collectors and the prostitutes believed him. And even when you saw it, you did not afterward change your minds and believe him.

Isaiah 35:8    And a highway shall be there, and it shall be called the Way of Holiness; the unclean shall not pass over it. It shall belong to those who walk on the way; even if they are fools, they shall not go astray.

Jeremiah 6:16    Thus says the LORD: “Stand by the roads, and look, and ask for the ancient paths, where the good way is; and walk in it, and find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We will not walk in it.’

2 Peter 2:21   For it would have been better for them never to have known the way of righteousness than after knowing it to turn back from the holy commandment delivered to them.

Psalms 81:11-12    “But my people did not listen to my voice; Israel would not submit to me.  So I gave them over to their stubborn hearts, to follow their own counsels.

Zechariah 7:11-12  But they refused to pay attention and turned a stubborn shoulder and stopped their ears that they might not hear.  They made their hearts diamond-hard lest they should hear the law and the words that the LORD of hosts had sent by his Spirit through the former prophets. Therefore great anger came from the LORD of hosts.

Hebrews 3:12   Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God.

This is a parable; the design of which is to show the hypocrisy and deceit of the Scribes and Pharisees, in pretending to works of righteousness, and not doing them; and to reprove them for their disbelief and rejection of John’s ministry; and to make it appear, that the worst of sinners in the Jewish nation were preferable to them. There are many churchgoers that imitate these sons. They admit that the Word of God is true. They intend to get serious about it someday. They talk about doing the Father’s work. They keep up the external appearance of religion, but their heart is not right with God. They think that words and promises are enough. “The second son said, ‘I go, sir,’ but he went not; and these people do not go. They talk of repenting, but they do not repent. They speak of believing, but they never believe. They think of submitting to God, but they have not submitted themselves to him yet. They say it is time they broke up the fallow ground, and sought the Lord, but they do not seek him. It all ends in a mere promise.” (Spurgeon)

The point of this parable is clear. What matters is living for God, not saying the right words. The religious leaders were good at talking righteous talk, but their stubbornly unrepentant hearts showed that repentant sinners would enter the kingdom before them. When you meet people with hearts like flint, you know they did not become that way overnight. There was a gradual, certain progression to their present place of hardness. It begins with simply refusing to heed God, then a self-justifying shrugging of their shoulders, then stopping their ears. It all ends with hearts as hard as flint. In their hardened state, they just didn’t want to hear God’s word. When we lose our hunger for God’s word it is sobering evidence of the progression of rejection and hardness of heart. The progression from a soft heart (able to hear the call of God to repentance) to a hardened heart (unable to recognize or hear the call of God to repentance) is one that can happen very fast (immediate and lasting rejection) or it can happen over a long period of time (a continued recognition of the call to repentance and rejecting it over and over again until it can’t be heard). At the end of the day, both have rejected the loving, merciful, and graceful call of God. Though some may have the appearance of doing the right things and saying the right things, their hearts are as hard as stone to the call from God to repentance.

“Today, if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts”

34.q. “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”

Matthew 21:12 And Jesus entered the temple and drove out all who sold and bought in the temple, and he overturned the tables of the money-changers and the seats of those who sold pigeons. He said to them, “It is written, My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you make it a den of robbers.”

Malachi 3:1-2    “Behold, I send my messenger, and he will prepare the way before me. And the Lord whom you seek will suddenly come to his temple; and the messenger of the covenant in whom you delight, behold, he is coming, says the LORD of hosts.  But who can endure the day of his coming, and who can stand when he appears? For he is like a refiner’s fire and like fullers’ soap.

John 2:14-17  In the temple he found those who were selling oxen and sheep and pigeons, and the money-changers sitting there.  And making a whip of cords, he drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and oxen. And he poured out the coins of the money-changers and overturned their tables.  And he told those who sold the pigeons, “Take these things away; do not make my Father’s house a house of trade.”  His disciples remembered that it was written, “Zeal for your house will consume me.”

Deuteronomy 14:24-26 And if the way is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, when the LORD your God blesses you, because the place is too far from you, which the LORD your God chooses, to set his name there,  then you shall turn it into money and bind up the money in your hand and go to the place that the LORD your God chooses  and spend the money for whatever you desire—oxen or sheep or wine or strong drink, whatever your appetite craves. And you shall eat there before the LORD your God and rejoice, you and your household.

The part of the temple which he now visited, and which was profaned to secular use, was the court of the Gentiles, separated from the sanctuary by a stone partition, and considered of lesser sanctity, though really an integral part of the temple. In this large open space a market had been established, with the connivance, and much to the pecuniary emolument, of the priests. These let out the sacred area, of which they were the appointed guardians, to greedy and irreligious traders, who made a gain of others’ piety. (unknown)

Pilgrims came from all parts of the world to keep the Passover, to offer their sacrifices, sin-offerings, or thank-offerings, according to the circumstances of each case. They did not bring their live sacrifice with them. What plan, it might seem, could be more convenient than that they should find a market where they could buy them as near as possible to the place where the sacrifice was to be offered? One of the courts of the Temple was therefore assigned for the purpose, and probably the priests found their profit in the arrangement by charging a fee or rent of some kind for the privilege of holding stalls. The pilgrims brought with them the coinage of their own country—Syrian, Egyptian, Greek, as the case might be—and their money was either not current in Palestine, or, as being stamped with the symbols of heathen worship, could not be received into the Corban, or treasury of the Temple. For their convenience, therefore, money-changers were wanted, who, of course, made the usual profit, on each transaction. We must picture to ourselves, in addition to all the stir and bustle inseparable from such traffic, the wrangling and bitter words and reckless oaths which necessarily grew out of it with such a people. (Ellicott)

A harbour of wicked men; a place where traffic is carried on by persons of the most infamous character, who live by deceit and oppression, and practise the vilest extortion, even in the house of the most righteous and blessed God. (Benson)

If Christ came now into many parts of his visible church, how many secret evils he would discover and cleanse! And how many things daily practised under the cloak of religion, would he show to be more suitable to a den of thieves than to a house of prayer! (Henry)

The people coming to Jerusalem were coming to observe the “Passover” in remembrance of the 10th plague against the Egyptians, where God freed the Israelites from slavery over 1,500 years ago. This day was never to be forgotten. This day was to be remembered for all generations. It was a time to give thanks to God for what He did and to also perform sacrifices in line with forgiveness, obedience, and thanksgiving. Surely there were people, who, out of a pure heart to God, made long journeys for this observance. When they got there they were met with greed and extortion. God’s temple was not to be a place of this.

With the age of computer technology and social media, the Word of God is more than available to any who searches for it. I have seen this great availability occur in my lifetime. I remember when you would hear a preacher on the radio and send off a letter and wait to get the outline for the bible study. There wasn’t much chance you could hear a full message series. I am not sure when it happened, but happened it did. Soon, some of these preachers would offer these in book form for the price it cost to print. Fast forward to today. Now we can hear, or go to a website and listen to the whole message series. Never before have the Word of God and God-honoring messages been so accessible to people across the globe. There are many seeking souls who hunger for growth in God’s Word and its availability is beyond full understanding. Some preachers use this opportunity to reach the lost and feed believers with truth. Others, however, use it as a means for profit just like these money changers and animal sellers. They market God’s Word. You listen to a message, you sign up to get on a mailing list, and the next thing you know you are getting offers to buy the latest and greatest series on whatever, that will walk you through life problems, open your eyes to new truths, give you purpose in this life, make you more financially stable, how to handle difficult people, how to find peace, how to be more effective in your Christian walk, etc……….. for a price. They market and sell. There is little difference between what Jesus drove out of the Temple and what these people are doing. They have adopted the way of this world into a practice that is not honoring or glorifying to Jesus Christ. It is not that selling is wrong but the way in which it is being marketed and sold. God’s Word and messages of understanding and application should be made available and making this availability known is good. To market, it is not. To gain profit is not. To gain fame is not.

Over 50 years ago Dr. J. Vernon McGee, a great man of God, started a daily radio 5-year through the bible series. Just prior to his death 34 years ago he told his staff to continue with this broadcast until the money ran out. To this day it is still being broadcast. It was not by marketing and selling but through the Hand of God that it still exists on the air.

I often listen to him and many others on the radio. I have no doubt there are many pastors who have support staff who take care of the “business” side of their ministry where marketing and selling are being managed like a product to be sold. The next time you are listening to someone on the radio, listen for the marketing that usually comes just before the conclusion of the message or at the end. Do not allow yourself to think this is ok. It is not. Do things of God need to be marketed? Can He not fund these? Does He need earthly and worldly wisdom to figure out ways to fund broadcasts, books, podcasts, and publications? I fear too many have fallen into seeing this type of marketing and selling as it being ok. It is not. If it is God’s will then it is God’s bill. He will supply what is needed. It is not by gifted marketing strategies or flooding email accounts with pleas. It is by the will of God.

There could be many arguments made against my thoughts on this and all of them would have some merit, but at the end of the day incorporating worldly techniques to market and sell is just not right or good for the people of God.