56.c. Jos 4:9-24 

 

Jos 4:9-24  And Joshua set up twelve stones in the midst of the Jordan, in the place where the feet of the priests bearing the ark of the covenant had stood; and they are there to this day.  For the priests bearing the ark stood in the midst of the Jordan until everything was finished that the LORD commanded Joshua to tell the people, according to all that Moses had commanded Joshua. The people passed over in haste.  And when all the people had finished passing over, the ark of the LORD and the priests passed over before the people.   The sons of Reuben and the sons of Gad and the half-tribe of Manasseh passed over armed before the people of Israel, as Moses had told them.  About 40,000 ready for war passed over before the LORD for battle, to the plains of Jericho.  On that day the LORD exalted Joshua in the sight of all Israel, and they stood in awe of him just as they had stood in awe of Moses, all the days of his life.  And the LORD said to Joshua,   “Command the priests bearing the ark of the testimony to come up out of the Jordan.”   So Joshua commanded the priests, “Come up out of the Jordan.”  And when the priests bearing the ark of the covenant of the LORD came up from the midst of the Jordan, and the soles of the priests’ feet were lifted up on dry ground, the waters of the Jordan returned to their place and overflowed all its banks, as before. The people came up out of the Jordan on the tenth day of the first month, and they encamped at Gilgal on the east border of Jericho.  And those twelve stones, which they took out of the Jordan, Joshua set up at Gilgal.  And he said to the people of Israel, “When your children ask their fathers in times to come, ‘What do these stones mean?’  then you shall let your children know, ‘Israel passed over this Jordan on dry ground.’  For the LORD your God dried up the waters of the Jordan for you until you passed over, as the LORD your God did to the Red Sea, which he dried up for us until we passed over, so that all the peoples of the earth may know that the hand of the LORD is mighty, that you may fear the LORD your God forever.”

When all were over, then came the twelve and Joshua, who would spend some time in gathering the stones and rearing the memorial in the river-bed. Through all the stir the ark was still. Over all the march it watched. So long as one Israelite was in the channel it remained, a silent presence, to ensure his safety. It let their rate of speed determine the length of its standing there. It waited for the slowest foot and the weariest laggard. God makes His ‘very present help’ of the same length as our necessities, and lets us beat the time to which He conforms. Not till the last loiterer has struggled to the farther shore does He cease by His presence to keep His people safe on the strange road which by His presence He has opened for them.

The form of the miracle was a condescension to weak faith, to which help was ministered by giving sense something to grasp. It was easier to believe that the torrent would not rush down on them when they could look at the priests standing there motionless, with the visible symbol of God’s presence on their shoulders. The ark was no more the cause of the miracle than were its carriers; but, just as Jesus helped one blind man by laying moistened earth on his eyes, and another by sending him to Siloam to wash, so God did here. Children learn best when they have something to look at. Sight is sometimes the servant of faith.

The 12 stones preached at once the duty of remembering, and the danger of forgetting, the past mercies of God. When they were reared, they would seem needless; but the deepest impressions get filled up by degrees, as the river of time deposits its sands on them. We do not forget pain so quickly as joy, and most men have a longer and keener remembrance of their injurers than of their benefactors, human or divine. The stones were set up because Israel remembered, but also lest Israel should forget. We often think of the Jews as monsters of ingratitude; but we should more truly learn the lesson of their history, if we regarded them as fair, average men, and asked ourselves whether our recollection of God’s goodness to us is much more vivid than theirs. Unless we make distinct and frequent efforts to recall, we shall certainly forget ‘all His benefits.’ The cultivation of thankful remembrance is a very large part of practical religion; and it is not by accident that the Psalmist puts it in the middle, between hope and obedience, when he says ‘that they might set their hope in God, and not forget the works of God, but keep His commandments’

The dullest would understand what had wrought the miracle when they saw the immediate consequence of the ark’s leaving its place. Cause and effect seldom come thus close together in God’s dealings; but sometimes He lets us see them as near each other as the lightning and the thunder, that we may learn to trace them in faith, when centuries part them. How the people would gaze as the hurrying stream covered up their path, and would look across to the further shore, almost doubting if they had really stood there that morning! They were indeed ‘Hebrews’-men from the other side-now, and would set themselves to the dangerous task before them with courage. ‘Well begun is half done’; and God would not divide the river for them to thrust them into a tiger’s den, where they would be torn to pieces. Retreat was impossible now. A new page in their history was turned. The desert was as unreachable as Egypt, The passage of the Jordan rounded off the epoch which the passage of the Bed Sea introduced, and began a new era. (MacLaren)

54.g. Joshua 4:1-8

 

 

 Jos 4:1-8  When all the nation had finished passing over the Jordan, the LORD said to Joshua, “Take twelve men from the people, from each tribe a man, and command them, saying, ‘Take twelve stones from here out of the midst of the Jordan, from the very place where the priests’ feet stood firmly, and bring them over with you and lay them down in the place where you lodge tonight.’” Then Joshua called the twelve men from the people of Israel, whom he had appointed, a man from each tribe.  And Joshua said to them, “Pass on before the ark of the LORD your God into the midst of the Jordan, and take up each of you a stone upon his shoulder, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel,  that this may be a sign among you. When your children ask in time to come, ‘What do those stones mean to you?’ then you shall tell them that the waters of the Jordan were cut off before the ark of the covenant of the LORD. When it passed over the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan were cut off. So these stones shall be to the people of Israel a memorial forever.”And the people of Israel did just as Joshua commanded and took up twelve stones out of the midst of the Jordan, according to the number of the tribes of the people of Israel, just as the LORD told Joshua. And they carried them over with them to the place where they lodged and laid them down there.

 The stones would be a sign and a memorial for Israel, reminding them of the remarkable miracle of the dry riverbed crossing of the Jordan River. This was the final miracle of the exodus journey. Israel left Egypt through miraculously parted waters (Exodus 14), and they entered Canaan through miraculously parted waters. This was worth remembering.  It was a sign because of where the stones came from: the dry riverbed of the Jordan, making them unique markers of a work that could no longer be seen. It was a memorial, establishing a lasting testimony remembering God’s great work.

This memorial looked forward to future generations that did not personally experience the miracle of the Jordan crossing. God did not want His work to be forgotten among the generations.  God’s people often fail in their trust in God because they forget the great things He has done. The faith of future generations is often weak because they have never been told how great and real God is.

· Memorials are necessary because God’s people forget what they should remember.

· Memorials are necessary because the truth of what God has done does not diminish with time.

· Memorials are helpful in teaching the children of believers.

· Memorials may be visible or unseen.

· Memorials are especially helpful in times of crisis. (Guzik)

The works of the Lord are so worthy of rememberance, and the heart of man is so prone to forget them, that various methods are needful to refresh our memories, for the glory of God, our advantage, and that of our children. God gave orders for preparing this memorial. (Henry)

51.q. Wilderness – 15.w. “Do what is right in the sight of the LORD.”

 

Deu 21:1-9  “If in the land that the LORD your God is giving you to possess someone is found slain, lying in the open country, and it is not known who killed him, then your elders and your judges shall come out, and they shall measure the distance to the surrounding cities. And the elders of the city that is nearest to the slain man shall take a heifer that has never been worked and that has not pulled in a yoke. And the elders of that city shall bring the heifer down to a valley with running water, which is neither plowed nor sown, and shall break the heifer’s neck there in the valley. Then the priests, the sons of Levi, shall come forward, for the LORD your God has chosen them to minister to him and to bless in the name of the LORD, and by their word every dispute and every assault shall be settled. And all the elders of that city nearest to the slain man shall wash their hands over the heifer whose neck was broken in the valley, and they shall testify, ‘Our hands did not shed this blood, nor did our eyes see it shed. Accept atonement, O LORD, for your people Israel, whom you have redeemed, and do not set the guilt of innocent blood in the midst of your people Israel, so that their blood guilt be atoned for.’ So you shall purge the guilt of innocent blood from your midst, when you do what is right in the sight of the LORD.

Num 35:33-34  ‘So you shall not pollute the land where you [are]; for blood defiles the land, and no atonement can be made for the land, for the blood that is shed on it, except by the blood of him who shed it. ‘Therefore do not defile the land which you inhabit, in the midst of which I dwell; for I the LORD dwell among the children of Israel.’ “

This passage shows that the blood of unsolved, unavenged murder defiles and pollutes the land. Therefore, if there is a murder unavenged, some kind of cleansing is necessary, so the land will not be defiled. First, the matter of jurisdiction had to be settled. These elders were responsible to make the sacrifice to atone for and cleanse the murder-polluted land. 

Then, appropriate sacrifice had to be made. This heifer was sacrificed by the sons of Levi in the presence of the city elders, who washed their hands over the sacrificed animal. This washing of the hands, done in the presence of the sons of Levi, who by their word every controversy and every assault shall be settled, was a powerful proclamation by the elders: “We have done all we could to settle this case, but cannot. We are clean from all guilt in the matter of this slain man.” Of course, this ceremony of washing the hands over the sacrificed animal meant nothing if the elders had in fact not done what they could to avenge the murder; apart from that, this washing of the hands was just as much an empty gesture as Pilate’s washing of his hands at the trial of Jesus. 

Unavenged murders defile and pollute the land and atonement must be made for the land itself. When Israel followed God’s instructions for atonement, He honored His word by taking away their guilt. But the removal of guilt was always based on blood sacrifice, on a substitutionary atonement – looking forward to the work of Jesus on the cross for the entire world. (Guzik)

If a murderer could not be found out, great solemnity is provided for putting away the guilt from the land, as an expression of dread and detesting of that sin. The providence of God has often wonderfully brought to light these hidden works of darkness, and the sin of the guilty has often strangely found them out. The dread of murder should be deeply impressed upon every heart, and all should join in detecting and punishing those who are guilty. The elders were to profess that they had not been any way aiding or abetting the sin. The priests were to pray to God for the country and nation, that God would be merciful. We must empty that measure by our prayers, which others are filling by their sins. All would be taught by this solemnity, to use the utmost care and diligence to prevent, discover, and punish murder. We may all learn from hence to take heed of partaking in other men’s sins. And we have fellowship with the unfruitful works of darkness, if we do not reprove them. (Henry)

If the land and people on that land needed atonement for an unsolvable murder, how much more so would the lands where abortion is rampant and approved. It is the murder of innocent babies still in the womb. Making laws that condone it mean nothing in absolution of the guilt of it.  Read this from the WHO website:

Around 73 million induced abortions take place worldwide each year. Comprehensive abortion care is included in the list of essential health care services published by WHO in 2020. Abortion is a simple health care intervention that can be effectively managed. Restrictive abortion regulation can cause distress and stigma, and risk constituting a violation of human rights of women and girls, including the right to privacy and the right to non-discrimination and equality, while also imposing financial burdens on women and girls.

  • Lack of access to safe, timely, affordable and respectful abortion care is a critical public health and human rights issue.

51.n. Wilderness – 15.t. “Both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD”

 

 

Deu 19:15-20  “A single witness shall not suffice against a person for any crime or for any wrong in connection with any offense that he has committed. Only on the evidence of two witnesses or of three witnesses shall a charge be established. If a malicious witness arises to accuse a person of wrongdoing, then both parties to the dispute shall appear before the LORD, before the priests and the judges who are in office in those days. The judges shall inquire diligently, and if the witness is a false witness and has accused his brother falsely, then you shall do to him as he had meant to do to his brother. So you shall purge the evil from your midst. And the rest shall hear and fear, and shall never again commit any such evil among you.

This isn’t just because it is possible for one witness to lie without having his story corroborated. It is because one witness can be confused, or mistaken in his testimony. It is a basic measure of reliability that it must be more than a simple case of “my word against theirs.” At the trial of Jesus, many false witnesses rose up against him, and were demonstrated to be false witnesses by their confused and contradictory testimony (Matthew 26:59-60). The false witnesses, under Jewish law, should have been put to death, because that is the punishment they sought for Jesus.

Many modern people doubt that the punishment of others is an effective deterrent to crime; but the Bible clearly says that it is. Weak or inconsistent punishment does not deter crime, but effective punishment does. This was an important principle for the Biblical court of law; here, connected to the punishment described for false witness, it shows that whatever evil was planned or practiced against another, a similar punishment should be brought against the false witness.

Our tendency is to want to do more to the offending party than what they have done to us. But we cannot punish from a motive of revenge, only from a motive of justice.

Many Rabbis in Jesus’ day taught that the eye for eye law meant you were obligated to avenge yourself of a personal insult or attack brought against you. Jesus rightly disallowed the application of this law in our personal relationships; it was a law intended to guide the judges in the law courts of Israel, not to guide our personal relationships. (Guzik)

It is hard for us to know the truth of a witness. How could we? However, many people are swayed by the charismatic or crafty words of a single witness. How many true things have happened and a witness proclaims it, but there is no collaborative witness? How many false things have happened and a witness proclaims it, but there is no collaborative witness? 

We have social media where people say just about anything, about anybody, and there are no checks or balances to it. The same can easily be said about news outlets. The truth of the matter is that people lie or embellish events to suit their narrative. It would do us well to keep our eyes and ears away from it, but that seems impossible due to the wide acceptance of both social media and news outlets. 

The heart that is seeking to honor and glorify Jesus Christ in all thoughts, words, and actions will need to be continually attentive to the Holy Spirit’s leading in all things. God’s Word is truth. God’s Word benefits the heart, mind, and soul. God’s Word is sharper than a double-edged sword and able to discern the intents of every person. 

Our hearts get filled with so much worthless dribble if we let it. We get swayed by it. We even chase after it. We like it. We talk about it. We worry about it. We get angry about it. We get confused by it. We get to the point where we even believe what is being said is true. We might even proclaim it. 

This should not be so. What would our lives be like if we were to desire and seek truth from God’s Word with the intent of honoring and glorifying Jesus Christ in all of our thoughts, words, and actions? What would our lives be like if we had a deep desire to know more and more about God? 

God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, three in one, will bear witness for us or against us. God knows our every thought and intent. He knows it all and were we to stand before Him and He is the witness against us – who would be guiltless? What defense could be given? We would stand before Him on judgment day and be declared guilty, without hope of appeal. But praise be to God. He sent His one and only Son to bear our punishment and be our witness as to the debt of our offenses being paid in full by His death.  Jesus is our advocate, savior, and redeemer. 

Confess and repent of your sins and trust in, cling to, and rely on Jesus Christ’s work completed on the cross for all who believe.

45.v. “Wilderness” – 10.a. “Levites assigned their work for God and Israel”

 

Numbers 3:17  And these were the sons of Levi by their names: Gershon and Kohath and Merari.

Num 3:25-26  And the guard duty of the sons of Gershon in the tent of meeting involved the tabernacle, the tent with its covering, the screen for the entrance of the tent of meeting, the hangings of the court, the screen for the door of the court that is around the tabernacle and the altar, and its cords—all the service connected with these.

Num 3:29  The clans of the sons of Kohath were to camp on the south side of the tabernacle,  with Elizaphan the son of Uzziel as chief of the fathers’ house of the clans of the Kohathites. And their guard duty involved the ark, the table, the lampstand, the altars, the vessels of the sanctuary with which the priests minister, and the screen; all the service connected with these.

Num 3:36  And the appointed guard duty of the sons of Merari involved the frames of the tabernacle, the bars, the pillars, the bases, and all their accessories; all the service connected with these;  also the pillars around the court, with their bases and pegs and cords.

The Levites were in three classes, according to the sons of Levi; Gershon, Kohath, and Merari; and these were subdivided into families. The posterity of Moses were not at all honoured or privileged, but stood upon the level with other Levites; thus it was plain, that Moses did not seek the advancement of his own family, or to secure any honours to it. The tribe of Levi was by much the least of all the tribes. God’s chosen are but a little flock in comparison with the world. (Henry)

Having been called into service and assigned to things of God over the Tabernacle, the Levites took their place, not as preparing for war but rather for ministering for and of the things of God. 

There is a holy honor and blessing in service to God and the things of God. Being a child of God, chosen, and called, we will do well to camp our hearts and minds in ready service to the work He directs us to do.

44.k. “Wilderness” – 8.q. “For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God”

 

 

Exodus 28:1  “Then bring near to you Aaron your brother, and his sons with him, from among the people of Israel, to serve me as priests—Aaron and Aaron’s sons, Nadab and Abihu, Eleazar and Ithamar. And you shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother, for glory and for beauty. You shall speak to all the skillful, whom I have filled with a spirit of skill, that they make Aaron’s garments to consecrate him for my priesthood.

 Hebrews 5:1-5   For every high priest chosen from among men is appointed to act on behalf of men in relation to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins.  He can deal gently with the ignorant and wayward, since he himself is beset with weakness. Because of this he is obligated to offer sacrifice for his own sins just as he does for those of the people.  And no one takes this honor for himself, but only when called by God, just as Aaron was.  So also Christ did not exalt himself to be made a high priest, but was appointed by him who said to him, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”;

 Exodus 31:3-5  The LORD said to Moses, “See, I have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah  and I have filled him with the Spirit of God, with ability and intelligence, with knowledge and all craftsmanship,  to devise artistic designs, to work in gold, silver, and bronze,  in cutting stones for setting, and in carving wood, to work in every craft.

God appointed those who were called from the people to serve as priests. He also gave intelligence and ability, with knowledge for craftsmanship to others who were called to make the garments for the priesthood. God called and appointed those who were to serve as priests. As well, God gifted those who were to make special garments for this priesthood. (A calling and gifting with a filling of the Spirit of God ) 

We are all called to repent, believe, trust, follow, and obey. Likewise, upon answering this call, we are filled with the Holy Spirit of God and gifted for service to the honor and glory of Him. The natural talents of people are still gifting from God. No one can say it is by their own hard work and dedication, for the seeds of talent are planted by God, watered by God, and harvested for His intended plans and purposes. Whatever the gifting it is essential to note that these gifts of talent are for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ. Any use of your talents for self-reliance, worth, honor, or praise is robbing honor and glory from Jesus. Being good with your hands and/or brains are gifts from God to be used for His honor and glory. Use your gifts for His honor and glory.

32.p. “But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.”

 

Matthew 12:1 At that time Jesus went through the grainfields on the Sabbath. His disciples were hungry, and they began to pluck heads of grain and to eat. But when the Pharisees saw it, they said to him, “Look, your disciples are doing what is not lawful to do on the Sabbath.” He said to them, “Have you not read what David did when he was hungry, and those who were with him: how he entered the house of God and ate the bread of the Presence, which it was not lawful for him to eat nor for those who were with him, but only for the priests? Or have you not read in the Law how on the Sabbath the priests in the temple profane the Sabbath and are guiltless? I tell you, something greater than the temple is here. And if you had known what this means, I desire mercy, and not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the guiltless. For the Son of Man is lord of the Sabbath.” He went on from there and entered their synagogue. And a man was there with a withered hand. And they asked him, “Is it lawful to heal on the Sabbath?”—so that they might accuse him. He said to them, “Which one of you who has a sheep, if it falls into a pit on the Sabbath, will not take hold of it and lift it out? Of how much more value is a man than a sheep! So it is lawful to do good on the Sabbath.” Then he said to the man, “Stretch out your hand.” And the man stretched it out, and it was restored, healthy like the other. But the Pharisees went out and conspired against him, how to destroy him.

Matthew just quoted Jesus offering us an easy yoke and a light burden. Now he shows us the kind of heavy burdens and hard yokes the religious leaders put upon the people. When the disciples began to pluck the heads of grain, in the eyes of the religious leaders they were guilty of: reaping, threshing, preparing food. At this time, many rabbis filled Judaism with elaborate rituals related to the Sabbath and observance of other laws. Ancient rabbis taught that on the Sabbath a man could not carry something in his right hand or in his left hand, across his chest or on his shoulder; but he could carry something with the back of his hand, with his foot, elbow, or in the ear, on the hair, in the hem of his shirt, or in his shoe or sandal. On the Sabbath one was forbidden to tie a knot – except a woman could tie a knot in her girdle. So if a bucket of water had to be raised from a well, one could not tie a rope to the bucket, but a woman could tie her girdle to the bucket and then to the rope.

Remember it had been over 400 years since a prophet of God had been among them. It is important to note that left to our own wisdom, man will attempt to do things that seem right in their own eyes to make themselves worthy or acceptable before God. The religious leaders set heavy burdens and rules on the people. When you make the rules it is easy to point out all of the actions that break them. Calling out Jesus’s disciples for picking heads of grain to eat indicates they were out there watching and hoping to catch them breaking a law of God. They were searching for some way to accuse Jesus and stop all of the people from following after Him. 

Jesus departs from the field and went straight to the synagogue and exposed their hypocrisy. Where is the mercy in not healing a person because of the day of the week? Jesus had compassion, power, and wisdom. The pharisees had hardness of their hearts, rejection, and retaliation.  A man was healed of a useless hand and it was restored. What Law was broken? If the Pharisees did not fully despise Jesus they certainly became single minded in their plot against Him. 

A person can always find reason to reject Jesus fully or in part. The end is the same, trusting and reliance in self-worth before God. No one will be right with God on their own and their own ideas of worthiness. It is only in and through Jesus Christ and humbly surrendering, repenting, believing, following, trusting, and relying on Him, that our sin is wiped away and we become sons of the living God. Jesus takes away the heavy burden people place on themselves to be worthy of eternal life. Try as hard as they want there is no peace or rest in their soul. They are forever searching and never finding because they search through works and not through surrender of self, and belief, trust, faith, and reliance in Jesus Christ.

Examine your mind and the actions you do.  Are they for the honor and glory of Jesus Christ or for somehow to balance the good and bad ledger book of your life before God. 

20.h. “Desire without knowledge is not good”

Romans 10:1  Brothers, my heart’s desire and prayer to God for them is that they may be saved. For I bear them witness that they have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge.  

Acts 26:9-10    “I myself was convinced that I ought to do many things in opposing the name of Jesus of Nazareth.  And I did so in Jerusalem. I not only locked up many of the saints in prison after receiving authority from the chief priests, but when they were put to death I cast my vote against them.

 Galatians 1:14   And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers.

 Proverbs 19:2   Desire without knowledge is not good

 2 Corinthians 4:4    In their case the god of this world has blinded the minds of the unbelievers, to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

 Philippians 1:9     And it is my prayer that your love may abound more and more, with knowledge and all discernment,

This is where so many religious people – even sincere Christians – go astray. They have plenty of zeal but little knowledge. This is a perfect description of Paul himself before his conversion. Saul of Tarsus was a notorious persecutor of Christians before Jesus confronted him on the road to Damascus.  Knowing the bible inside out, reading it endlessly, attending church services faithfully, etc…, are all good things to be zealous about.  But, what is missing?  There is a key element missing or not placed first ahead of all this zealous action. What is the purpose of these zealous actions?  What reason can you give to be zealous in these matters?  You can do everything right (in your own eyes and understanding and knowledge) and still be so very wrong.  

Jesus Christ is to be honored in all we do, say, and think.  Being zealous for this alone we bring all other godly living in-line.  When our zealous actions omit honor and glory to Jesus Christ first, then they are wrong.  When we want to take or receive honor and glory for our zealous actions, or if we want to share honor and glory with Jesus Christ, we lack knowledge and understanding.  ALL honor and glory are His.  Any zealous acts, thoughts, words, should only be zealous for bringing honor and glory to Him.  Being zealous will have a purpose, otherwise, why would you be zealous.  Herein lies the issue. Purpose!  If our hearts,  minds, and soul have a deep zealous desire to honor and glorify Jesus Christ, then our zealous purpose has meaning.  If our hearts, minds, and souls have a deep zealous desire to know and understand Him more and more, then our zealous purpose has meaning. Being zealous apart from bringing all honor and glory to Jesus Christ is fruitless. Desire and being zealous without knowledge is not good.

14.p. ““I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness,”

John 1:19   And this is the testimony of John, when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem to ask him, “Who are you?” He confessed, and did not deny, but confessed, “I am not the Christ.” And they asked him, “What then? Are you Elijah?” He said, “I am not.” “Are you the Prophet?” And he answered, “No.” So they said to him, “Who are you? We need to give an answer to those who sent us. What do you say about yourself?” He said, “I am the voice of one crying out in the wilderness, ‘Make straight the way of the Lord,’ as the prophet Isaiah said.”

(Now they had been sent from the Pharisees.) They asked him, “Then why are you baptizing, if you are neither the Christ, nor Elijah, nor the Prophet?” John answered them, “I baptize with water, but among you stands one you do not know, even he who comes after me, the strap of whose sandal I am not worthy to untie.” These things took place in Bethany across the Jordan, where John was baptizing.

Malachi 4:5    “Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the great and awesome day of the LORD comes.

Matthew 11:13-14     For all the Prophets and the Law prophesied until John, and if you are willing to accept it, he is Elijah who is to come.

Matthew 17:10-12   And the disciples asked him, “Then why do the scribes say that first Elijah must come?”  He answered, “Elijah does come, and he will restore all things.  But I tell you that Elijah has already come, and they did not recognize him, but did to him whatever they pleased. So also the Son of Man will certainly suffer at their hands.”

Luke 1:17    and he will go before him in the spirit and power of Elijah, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just, to make ready for the Lord a people prepared.”

Luke 1:76-79     And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High; for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,  to give knowledge of salvation to his people in the forgiveness of their sins,  because of the tender mercy of our God, whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high  to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.”

 With emphasis, John told the Jewish leaders who he was not. He did not come to focus attention on himself, because he was not the Messiah. His job was to point to the Messiah.  John rejected any claim that would elevate himself above the coming Messiah.  His purpose was to prepare the way not to get in the way.

Do you ever wonder if your life, the way you think, speak, and act points to Jesus Christ or prepares people to meet Jesus Christ through the Gospel?  We get lost in our day to day lives, lost in living, lost in self, lost in pride, lost in hate, lost in jealousy, lost in fear of rejection, etc…. and at the end of the day no one we have come in contact with is any closer, and quite possibly, is further away.  It is as if our shadow blocks the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  The light of Jesus Christ should permeate out of us like the sun in a clear sky.  I think what happens is that we absorb the light of Jesus Christ but it does not shine through us.  Grace, mercy, love, hope, faith, joy, peace, godliness, kindness, gentleness, patience, truth, reliance, and obedience are the rays of light in our lives that should shine bright and point those we come into contact with to the reason for the hope that is in us, Jesus Christ.  The light of Jesus Christ gets absorbed and darkens when there is pride, greed, selfishness, hate, fear, worry, lust, and coveting things this world has to offer over humbly serving, honoring, glorifying, following, trusting, and obeying Jesus Christ.  If you look into a mirror of the life you live does the light of Jesus Christ blind you or is it so dim you have to squint to make out the slightest glimmer of a spark of light?  There is no better time than right now to confess and repent of the shadows in your life blocking the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.  It is an intentional choice to dim the light of self and shine bright the light of Jesus Christ.  This light will grow brighter and brighter as you spend more and more time in His Word.  It will grow Brighter and Brighter day by day as things of this world grow dimmer and dimmer in the light of His Word.  Spend more time in His Word with a heart, mind, and soul-deep desire to shine for Him today and every day until we unite with Him in eternity.

14. “If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name”

Malachi  2:1 “And now, O priests, this command is for you. If you will not listen, if you will not take it to heart to give honor to my name, says the Lord of hosts, then I will send the curse upon you and I will curse your blessings. Indeed, I have already cursed them, because you do not lay it to heart. Behold, I will rebuke your offspring, and spread dung on your faces, the dung of your offerings, and you shall be taken away with it. So shall you know that I have sent this command to you, that my covenant with Levi may stand, says the Lord of hosts. My covenant with him was one of life and peace, and I gave them to him. It was a covenant of fear, and he feared me. He stood in awe of my name. True instruction was in his mouth, and no wrong was found on his lips. He walked with me in peace and uprightness, and he turned many from iniquity. For the lips of a priest should guard knowledge, and people should seek instruction from his mouth, for he is the messenger of the Lord of hosts. But you have turned aside from the way. You have caused many to stumble by your instruction. You have corrupted the covenant of Levi, says the Lord of hosts, and so I make you despised and abased before all the people, inasmuch as you do not keep my ways but show partiality in your instruction.”

Their (sin) humble service and obedience to God turned into a hollow formality, false piety, and honor lacking worship of Him. It was a service of outward pretending and saying the right things but never from their heart. I recently read this about what it means to be a humble and obedient servant of Jesus Christ. Fear and reverent before His name, speaking the truth, walking in peace and justice, knowing God’s Word, and proclaiming the Good News of Jesus Christ. Being steadfast in these commitments comes from the heart, mind, and soul.  It comes from and through the living water spring of Holy Spirit dwelling within the hearts, minds, and souls of those who are intentional in their commitment, walk, service, reverence, obedience, and worship of Jesus Christ. There is peace, joy, hope, power, refuge, and many more blessings given to those whose heart, mind and soul seeks and desires to honor, follow, trust, and obey.  How can a person become nothing more than a robot in their service to God?  It is when they take their eyes off of Jesus Christ, neglect His Word, and allow things of this world to capture their heart.  What can be so important in this world the creator of it is cast aside for the things created? To know God’s Word is more than just reading it.  It must be something cherished.  It must be something desired more than the things of this world.  It is the promises of God.  It reveals the love and power of God.  In it we find peace, joy, hope, power, courage, and refuge.  Too many times it appears people just want enough of it to get the blessings of eternity in heaven and they forget the purpose of knowing God through His Word is to be ever-increasing in humble service, knowledge, understanding, honor, worship, obedience, and reliance in Jesus Christ for taking away our sin.  There is no room in the heart for commitment and service to two masters.  We will either serve one or the other.  Begin today with a new commitment and intentional choice to give all your heart, mind, and soul to the honor and glory of Jesus Christ.  Repent if you have been pretending and performing.  Turn away from that which will rob your soul of knowing and honoring Jesus Christ.  Do not be hollow in your commitment and service to Him.