A Contrast of Worship
Book of 1 Kings Chapters 12, 14, 15
What is worship? Worship is homage rendered to Jehovah which is idolatry to render to any created being.
Exo 34:14 For thou shalt worship no other god: for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God:
Isa 2:8 Their land also is full of idols; “they worship the work of their own hands, that which their own fingers have made”:
It is sin to worship any created being!
It is sin to worship an angel, who is also created beings!
We are to worship only the Living God!
Jer_10:10 But the LORD is the true God, he is the living God, and an everlasting king: at his wrath the earth shall tremble, and the nations shall not be able to abide his indignation.
We know that Israel was now a divided nation. Rehoboam, the son of Solomon, was king of Judah, which included the tribe of Benjamin.
Jeroboam was now the King of Israel which included only the ten tribes now called Ephraim.
From this point forward the Books of 1 and 2 Kings and 2 Chronicles will record the histories of the different kings of the divided nation of Israel.
What is idolatry?
Idolatry is image worship or divine honor paid to a created object, including mankind and angels.
Rom 1:21 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.
Rom 1:22 Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,
Rom 1:23 And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted beasts, and creeping things.
Rom 1:24 Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves:
Rom 1:25 Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen.
How can we best describe those who are lost, keeping in mind that we were once lost?
Rom 1:28 And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient;
Rom 1:29 Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers,
Rom 1:30 Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents,
Rom 1:31 Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful:
Rom 1:32 Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.
The forms of idolatry are,
(1.) Fetishism, or the worship of trees, rivers, hills, stones, etc.(created objects on earth)
(2.) Nature worship, the worship of the sun, moon, and stars, as the supposed powers of nature.(created objects in the heavens)
(3.) Hero worship, the worship of deceased ancestors, or heroes.(all created objects)
Idolatry in Christian doctrine is anything that interferes between the soul and our Creator is idolatrous and is to be shunned!
1Jn 5:19 And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
1Jn 5:21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.
Jeroboam turned the northern tribes to idolatry.
Idolatry is the religion of Satan! Remember Lucifer was just an angel created by Jehovah.
1Ki 12:26 And Jeroboam said in his heart, Now shall the kingdom return to the house of David:
1Ki 12:27 If this people go up to do sacrifice in the house of the LORD at Jerusalem, then shall the heart of this people turn again unto their lord, even unto Rehoboam king of Judah, and they shall kill me, and go again to Rehoboam king of Judah.
1Ki 12:28 Whereupon the king took counsel, and made two calves of gold, and said unto them, It is too much for you to go up to Jerusalem: behold thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Jeroboam was face to face with the greatest opportunity of his life.
Should he have determined to serve the Lord he might have easily been the mightiest monarch in the history of Israel.
God would have certainly been with him.
But if he disregarded the Word of God his kingdom would have come to nothing which it did.
It was a Prophet of God Ahijah that had told him of these things.
The only safe path of any ruler is the right path!
We could ask ourselves does God truly have any rulers on His side?
We know that the heart is the center of mankind’s personal activities.
Gen 6:5 And GOD saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.
The world created by God before the flood was destroyed because of idolatry which led to wickedness!
Gen 8:21 And the LORD smelled a sweet savour; and the LORD said in his heart, I will not again curse the ground any more for man’s sake; “for the imagination of man’s heart is evil from his youth”; neither will I again smite any more every thing living, as I have done.
We get a firsthand look at how false religions get started. They are conceived in the mind of some man or some woman!
Jehovah had already told Jeroboam how to get His blessings.
Jehovah has told us all how to get His blessings!
1Ki 11:38 And it shall be, if thou wilt hearken unto all that I command thee, and wilt walk in my ways, and do that is right in my sight, to keep my statutes and my commandments, as David my servant did; that I will be with thee, and build thee a sure house, as I built for David, and will give Israel unto thee.
Jeroboam made Shechem his capital city and then Jeroboam does something very foolish.
The apostasy of Jeroboam was willful, it was designed, and it was done deliberately!
He consulted with himself instead of consulting with Jehovah who had made him King of Israel.
The Lord Jesus Christ makes this thing simple to understand.
Luk 6:45 A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh.
Our hearts must be fixed upon the Lord!
Psa 112:7 He shall not be afraid of evil tidings: his heart is fixed, trusting in the LORD.
The fact of the divided kingdom did not mean that the Northern Tribes were exempt from their covenant obligations to Jehovah!
They were still to observe the Books of Moses as much as the Southern Tribes.
All the tribes of Israel had the same Book of Moses!
These things caused stress upon Jeroboam, and he even became afraid for his life.
Jeroboam forgot the promises of God!
We tend to look at the world and forget the promises of God when we know that God has proven to us that He will never break a promise.
We do not need advice on how to do evil, we are born that way!
Jeroboam wanted advice on how to do a bad thing in the best way. He did not consult with God and God would not have answered such a request!
So many churchgoers today go to a place of worship that is convenient rather than seek a “Bible Believing” House of worship.
It is a fact that we will take the easy way out when it is available!
Just as a certain political party did in the days of Covid 19 when it made it a law to abandon the Church for fear of catching the disease forgetting the power of God.
Jeroboam shaped a new religion for his own purpose.
This is the way of radical Islam and other such religions. They rewrite their literature to adapt to changes they see in the world.
The Holy Scriptures never have to change because they were written by Jehovah and are perfect in any age!
Jeroboam even framed his words by the Word of God during the Exodus.
Exo 32:4 And he received them at their hand, and fashioned it with a graving tool, after he had made it a molten calf: and they said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which brought thee up out of the land of Egypt.
Exo 32:5 And when Aaron saw it, he built an altar before it; and Aaron made proclamation, and said, To morrow is a feast to the LORD.
Exo 32:6 And they rose up early on the morrow, and offered burnt offerings, and brought peace offerings; and the people sat down to eat and to drink, and rose up to play.
Jeroboam proposed a perversion of the proper worship of Jehovah God.
“Calf is not a good translation of the Hebrew egel. A young bull in his first strength is meant: for instance, the word can describe a three-year-old animal.
Gen 15:9 And he said unto him, Take me an heifer “of three years old”, and a she goat of three years old, and a ram of three years old, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.
A three-year-old bull would be a bull closer to his prime than a calf.
Jeroboam placed these idols of Baal in two separate locations.
(get pictures)
1Ki 12:29 And he set the one in Bethel, and the other put he in Dan.
1Ki 12:30 And this thing became a sin: for the people went to worship before the one, even unto Dan.
The name Bethel means “house of God” and this city was ten miles from Jerusalem.
This is the same place where Jacob had his vision of the angels of God ascending and descending on a ladder whose top reached into Heaven.
Gen 28:12 And he dreamed, and behold a ladder set up on the earth, and the top of it reached to heaven: and behold the angels of God ascending and descending on it.
Gen 28:13 And, behold, the LORD stood above it, and said, I am the LORD God of Abraham thy father, and the God of Isaac: the land whereon thou liest, to thee will I give it, and to thy seed;
Gen 28:14 And thy seed shall be as the dust of the earth, and thou shalt spread abroad to the west, and to the east, and to the north, and to the south: and in thee and in thy seed shall all the families of the earth be blessed.
Gen 28:20 And Jacob vowed a vow, saying, If God will be with me, and will keep me in this way that I go, and will give me bread to eat, and raiment to put on,
Gen 28:21 So that I come again to my father’s house in peace; then shall the LORD be my God:
Dan, which means (a judge) on the other hand is located at the foot of Mount Hermon.
This is the same place where the Danites stole the shrine of Micah and set up false worship.
Jdg 18:29 And they called the name of the city Dan, after the name of Dan their father, who was born unto Israel: howbeit the name of the city was Laish at the first.
Jdg 18:30 And the children of Dan set up the graven image: and Jonathan, the son of Gershom, the son of Manasseh, he and his sons were priests to the tribe of Dan until the day of the captivity of the land.
Jdg 18:31 And they set them up Micah’s graven image, which he made, all the time that the house of God was in Shiloh.
Jeroboam took advantage of this situation as he felt they would have no problem accepting his idols of Baal.
Jeroboam then installed false priests and false worship.
1Ki 12:31 And he made an house of high places, and made priests of the lowest of the people, which were not of the sons of Levi.
1Ki 12:32 And Jeroboam ordained a feast in the eighth month, on the fifteenth day of the month, like unto the feast that is in Judah, and he offered upon the altar. So did he in Bethel, sacrificing unto the calves that he had made: and he placed in Bethel the priests of the high places which he had made.
1Ki 12:33 So he offered upon the altar which he had made in Bethel the fifteenth day of the eighth month, even in the month which he had devised of his own heart; and ordained a feast unto the children of Israel: and he offered upon the altar, and burnt incense.
We should be very clear. Once we are aware of our Creator, we then must worship Him!
This is why the bible begins with the Book of Genesis.
This is why the world clings to the lies of evolution.
Evolution has proven to be wrong so many times it is pathetic that the world clings to it because they have no other theory except now where they use the word aliens so often.
We have only one duty as created beings!
Ecc_12:13 Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God, and keep his commandments: for this is the whole duty of man.
Jeroboam decided that his idols would also need temples as a place to worship and priests.
He was not about to use priests from the tribe of Levi because they might teach the truth of God.
Deu_10:8 At that time the LORD separated the tribe of Levi, to bear the ark of the covenant of the LORD, to stand before the LORD to minister unto him, and to bless in his name, unto this day.
Jeroboam chose priests from every tribe but the Levites, going against the Word of God in any way that he could think of.
This is the way of almost all false man-made religions. They always will change the rules if people start leaving for the truth.
There are a few false religions that have some truth in them, but Christianity is all or nothing and based upon the truth of Jesus Christ and the true Word of God.
Jeroboam chose the eighth month and the fifteenth day to be as close to The Feast of the Tabernacles as he thought would work.
The Feast of the Tabernacles was on the fifteenth day of the seventh month.
Jeroboam did not consult with anyone else to create this false religion!
The people already understood that Jeroboam was chosen by God to lead this new nation, and Jeroboam kept it that way.
The Prophet Amos had confronted one of Jeroboam’s false priests with the truth:
Amo 7:10 Then Amaziah the priest of Bethel sent to Jeroboam king of Israel, saying, Amos hath conspired against thee in the midst of the house of Israel: the land is not able to bear all his words.
Amo 7:11 For thus Amos saith, Jeroboam shall die by the sword, and Israel shall surely be led away captive out of their own land.
Amo 7:12 Also Amaziah said unto Amos, O thou seer, go, flee thee away into the land of Judah, and there eat bread, and prophesy there:
Amo 7:13 But prophesy not again any more at Bethel: for it is the king’s chapel, and it is the king’s court.
Amo 7:14 Then answered Amos, and said to Amaziah, I was no prophet, neither was I a prophet’s son; but I was an herdman, and a gatherer of sycomore fruit:
Amo 7:15 And the LORD took me as I followed the flock, and the LORD said unto me, Go, prophesy unto my people Israel.
It may have been the king’s chapel and the king’s court but he was the wrong king.
Our Lord Jesus had some things to say about man-made religion:
Mat 15:7 Ye hypocrites, well did Esaias prophesy of you, saying,
Mat 15:8 This people draweth nigh unto me with their mouth, and honoureth me with their lips; but their heart is far from me.
Mat 15:9 But in vain they do worship me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men.
The Holy Spirit says: Heb 3:12 Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God.
Those who serve false religion have to understand the judgment of God will come upon them.
1Ki 14:15 For the LORD shall smite Israel, as a reed is shaken in the water, and he shall root up Israel out of this good land, which he gave to their fathers, and shall scatter them beyond the river, because they have made their groves, provoking the LORD to anger.
1Ki 14:16 And he shall give Israel up because of the sins of Jeroboam, who did sin, and who made Israel to sin.
Jehovah had placed Jeroboam on the throne of Ephraim, but it was Jeroboam who had turned against Him.
Jeroboam could have been a mighty king of Israel, but he rebelled against the truth of God.
Jeroboam is still suffering the judgment of God today and he will throughout eternity!
Now comes judgment upon the people who knew better.
Moses had warned these people:
Deu 4:27 And the LORD shall scatter you among the nations, and ye shall be left few in number among the heathen, whither the LORD shall lead you.
Deu 4:28 And there ye shall serve gods, the work of men’s hands, wood and stone, which neither see, nor hear, nor eat, nor smell.
Deu 4:29 But if from thence thou shalt seek the LORD thy God, thou shalt find him, if thou seek him with all thy heart and with all thy soul.
Now judgment would come to Israel, and they would be scattered on the other side of the Euphrates River.
Politics had caused the people of God to sin!
During Covid 19 many of God’s people were directed to sin by our government and many of those who left the Church have never returned.
The Holy Spirit has also warned the Church of the coming judgment of God:
Rom 1:18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
Rom 1:19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
Rom 1:20 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:
Rom 1:21 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.
There will be no more warnings and judgment could come at any time because the “Rapture of the Church is the next thing on God’s timetable.
Once the Church is removed this world will rely on wickedness and idolatry just as those before the flood.
King Rehoboam and his son had also turned against Jehovah and God began his judgment upon Judah beginning with the King of Egypt.
1Ki 14:23 For they also built them high places, and images, and groves, on every high hill, and under every green tree.
1Ki 14:24 And there were also sodomites in the land: and they did according to all the abominations of the nations which the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.
1Ki 14:25 And it came to pass in the fifth year of king Rehoboam, that Shishak king of Egypt came up against Jerusalem:
No doubt that Jeroboam had stirred up this king against Judah, and Shishak broke his peace agreement with King Solomon.
1Ki 14:26 And he took away the treasures of the house of the LORD, and the treasures of the king’s house; he even took away all: and he took away all the shields of gold which Solomon had made.
We know that King David had placed all his treasures in the Temple and so had many others.
We know that those golden shields would be valued at over thirty-three million dollars today.
There is a record of these events in Egypt.
With Judah humbled at the hand of this Egyptian King, Jeroboam had free reign to attack Judah at any time and he did so.
It was in the time of King Asa that change came to Judah.
*1Ki 15:9 And in the twentieth year of Jeroboam king of Israel reigned Asa over Judah.
1Ki 15:10 And forty and one years reigned he in Jerusalem. And his mother’s name was Maachah, the daughter of Abishalom.
1Ki 15:11 And Asa did that which was right in the eyes of the LORD, as did David his father.
1Ki 15:12 And he took away the sodomites out of the land, and removed all the idols that his fathers had made.
1Ki 15:13 And also Maachah his mother, even her he removed from being queen, because she had made an idol in a grove; and Asa destroyed her idol, and burnt it by the brook Kidron.
Finally, a king who was faithful to the Lord.
We should notice that Jehovah is still keeping his promises to King David and He will continue because the prophecy of Kings of Judah will last until King Jesus sits upon the throne of David.
King Asa reigned for forty-one years, and we can see that he had not been influenced by his grandmother Maacah’s false worship.
This Maacah was the daughter of Tamar the daughter of Absolom.
Asa removed his father’s idols.
Asa removed his wicked mother as Queen and her idols burning them in the Brook Kidron.
Asa removed the Sodomites from the land of Judah.
Asa did not remove all the high places of worship, and we do not have an explanation, but we can imagine politics were still involved.
Asa gave his treasures to the House of the Lord.
Amen
Worship
The Promises God Makes
Remembering the Promise to David
Book of Psalms: Psalm 132
This is another Psalm that was sung as the Israelites traveled to Jerusalem for the Feast’s days as commanded by God.
They had begun to remember the promises of God and it brought joy to them just as it does to each of us.
If we take a look into David’s past, we will see all the pains, the trouble, and anxiety he underwent in his lifetime for the cause of God, especially in the establishing a sanctuary in Jerusalem and making preparation for the building of the Temple.
David was building God’s special dwelling place on this Earth, a place where God would meet with His people.
If you do not have a longing to meet with God, then you cannot be a Christian!
You cannot be a Christian because the Holy Spirit will not come to live within you!
Every Christian is a sanctuary for God to dwell in!
If we look at the very first word of this Psalm, we see the word LORD, this is the Almighty God Himself, Jehovah.
David had accomplished what no lowly shepherd could accomplish.
Except we do know of another man who was a shepherd who came to save His people and His name is Jesus the Christ, the Messiah.
We know that special days are set aside to honor special people and some of the heroes of our nation.
In fact, almost every nation has set days to remember their national heroes.
For the Israelites, David was a hero and in fact, David is still honored as one of the Jews greatest heroes.
The Star of David is the national flag of Israel today.
The “Sling of David” is the name of one of the air defense systems of Israel.
This Psalm was probably written for the dedication of the Temple built by Solomon.
We know that David had spent many years gathering the wealth to build a magnificent Home for God, when He would come to visit this planet, but we know that God is everywhere, and He even abides in every “Born Again” child of God.
He lives in every person who has their name written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life.
Rev 21:2 And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband.
Rev 21:27 And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.
David was now dead and gone, we know He is with the Lord, but the Jews had a great fondness for King David.
By remembering the hardships David faced before he was made king, it inspired the Jews to face their own hardships!
It has never been easy to live in this world since the sin of Adam, and it is not always easy to be a Christian.
We do still live in a cursed world!
The word cursed is used seventy-two times in the Bible.
We know that the Serpent who was Satan is cursed:
Gen_3:14 And the LORD God said unto the serpent, Because thou hast done this, thou art cursed above all cattle, and above every beast of the field; upon thy belly shalt thou go, and dust shalt thou eat all the days of thy life:
Gen_3:17 And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life;
If you look up the word cursed in the Bible, you will see that many of our leaders of today are cursed by their actions.
Deu_27:25 Cursed be he that taketh reward to slay an innocent person. And all the people shall say, Amen.
We know we have been sold out by our leaders for riches, they will never spend.
We know that every doctor who is paid to end the life of an innocent baby is also cursed.
God has also placed a curse on all those who reject any part of the Scriptures:
Deu_27:26 Cursed be he that confirmeth not all the words of this law to do them. And all the people shall say, Amen.
And to all those so-called churches that have left the truth of the Bible, God says:
Jer_11:3 And say thou unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel; Cursed be the man that obeyeth not the words of this covenant,
Jer_17:5 Thus saith the LORD; Cursed be the man that trusteth in man, and maketh flesh his arm, and whose heart departeth from the LORD.
God is very serious about the words He has given us to live by.
Let’s begin.
*Psa 132:1 A Song of degrees. LORD, remember David, and all his afflictions:
Psa 132:2 How he sware unto the LORD, and vowed unto the mighty God of Jacob;
Psa 132:3 Surely I will not come into the tabernacle of my house, nor go up into my bed;
Psa 132:4 I will not give sleep to mine eyes, or slumber to mine eyelids,
Psa 132:5 Until I find out a place for the LORD, an habitation for the mighty God of Jacob.
The Psalmist who wrote this Psalm reminded the Lord how David was devoted to Him.
We all say these things such as, “Lord remember me”.
The truth is that God only forgets when He decides to forget.
His memory is perfect!
He has forgotten our sins, and it is He that said we are covered by the blood of Jesus that has washed away our sins.
Rev_1:5 And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood,
We know that King David had made a vow to find a place for the Almighty God to dwell in Jerusalem.
David was determined that He was going to build a House for God for God to dwell in Jerusalem.
This was David’s vow.
David had endured much suffering at the hands of Saul.
David had endured much suffering in finding a neutral place to worship God.
David had not yet taken Jerusalem from the Jebusites so, this too had to be done.
David had to transport the “Ark of the Congregation “ to this new House of God, but it was not in his hands at this time.
David had to also defend Jerusalem from the attacks of the Philistines two times, while all these other things were going on.
These things may have hindered David in completing his vow to God, but it did not stop Him.
In fact, David said; I’m not going to rest until I build a House for the Lord.
David said it was not right that he was living in a beautiful palace and worshiping God in a tent.
We can see that David’s devotion to God provides a worthy example for us to follow.
Many missionaries today have this same vision as David, to build a house for the worship of our God.
I believe Nathan had this vision and I believe Scott David had this vision.
These were church planters as David wanted to be.
*Psa 132:6 Lo, we heard of it at Ephratah: we found it in the fields of the wood.
Psa 132:7 We will go into his tabernacles: we will worship at his footstool.
Psa 132:8 Arise, O LORD, into thy rest; thou, and the ark of thy strength.
Psa 132:9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.
Psa 132:10 For thy servant David’s sake turn not away the face of thine anointed.
Though this Scripture is hard to understand, what we do know is that David found the Ark of the Covenant and moved it to Jerusalem where it would remain until 70 AD when Titus destroyed Jerusalem.
At this time nobody really knows the whereabouts of the Ark!
These people recalled the passion of David to obtain the Ark and bring it to Jerusalem where he intended to build a House for God.
The Ark had been gone so long that many people had forgotten about it.
It was David who had to remind the people:
1Ch 13:2 And David said unto all the congregation of Israel, If it seem good unto you, and that it be of the LORD our God, let us send abroad unto our brethren every where, that are left in all the land of Israel, and with them also to the priests and Levites which are in their cities and suburbs, that they may gather themselves unto us:
1Ch 13:3 And let us bring again the ark of our God to us: for we enquired not at it in the days of Saul.
1Ch 13:4 And all the congregation said that they would do so: for the thing was right in the eyes of all the people.
The people thought the Ark was in Ephratah, but Bethlehem and Kirjath-Jearim were both known as Bethlehem at this time.
There is the city of Bethlehem but there is also the region which was called Bethlehem.
It was Bethlehem Ephratah that provided the sheep for the Temple.
Rth 4:11 And all the people that were in the gate, and the elders, said, We are witnesses. The LORD make the woman that is come into thine house like Rachel and like Leah, which two did build the house of Israel: and do thou worthily in Ephratah, and be famous in Bethlehem:
Mic 5:2 But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.
Kirjath-Jearim would be the place that was in the woods!
We know that David failed the in his first attempt to retrieve the Ark, but he succeeded when He retrieved it according to the Word of God.
We will always fail if we do not do things according to the proven ways of God!
It is easy to see how this Scripture can be applied to the Lord Jesus Christ.
If King David did not have the zeal for the Lord that he had, we do not know if anyone would have remembered the Ark of God.
David challenged the people to get back to the worship of Jehovah God.
David referred to the Ark as the Lord’s footstool.
1Ch 28:2 Then David the king stood up upon his feet, and said, Hear me, my brethren, and my people: As for me, I had in mine heart to build an house of rest for the ark of the covenant of the LORD, and for the footstool of our God, and had made ready for the building:
1Ch 28:3 But God said unto me, Thou shalt not build an house for my name, because thou hast been a man of war, and hast shed blood.
Psa 99:5 Exalt ye the LORD our God, and worship at his footstool; for he is holy.
The world knows nothing about the Holiness of God and many in the Church have also.
Rom 6:22 But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
David built a tent for the Ark of the Covenant, but he must have also built a place where the people could gather to worship though many of them and the priests still went to the Tabernacle that was in Gibeon, but did not have the Ark of the Covenant in the Holy Place.
The reality of these things is that God will sit on the throne of David in Jerusalem.
1) The Ark is not only a symbol of God’s presence, but it is also a symbol of God’s power!
2) The priests that serve the Lord will be godly servants and agents of righteousness!
3) The saints of God will be a happy people.
4) God would not reject David’s anointed successor. Solomon would be the next king, but these things also make reference to God’s truly anointed which is the Lord Jesus Christ.
Today we worship together in a building set up for worship.
It is the people that are the Church.
The building or the place that we worship is just that, a building or a place.
We should never defile our bodies with the sins of the flesh.
We must obey the commands of God which say we are to separate ourselves from all unrighteousness and ungodliness.
2Co 6:17 Wherefore come out from among them, and be ye separate, saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing; and I will receive you,
2Co 6:18 And will be a Father unto you, and ye shall be my sons and daughters, saith the Lord Almighty.
Today, God is still searching for people like David who love to worship Him.
Joh 4:21 Jesus saith unto her, Woman, believe me, the hour cometh, when ye shall neither in this mountain, nor yet at Jerusalem, worship the Father.
Joh 4:22 Ye worship ye know not what: we know what we worship: for salvation is of the Jews.
Joh 4:23 But the hour cometh, and now is, when the true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirit and in truth: for the Father seeketh such to worship him.
Joh 4:24 God is a Spirit: and they that worship him must worship him in spirit and in truth.
We must be wholly devoted to the Lord!
Next we will see some of the promises made to David.
*Psa 132:11 The LORD hath sworn in truth unto David; he will not turn from it; Of the fruit of thy body will I set upon thy throne.
Psa 132:12 If thy children will keep my covenant and my testimony that I shall teach them, their children shall also sit upon thy throne for evermore.
There is no greater promise of the Lord Jesus Christ than this.
This verse points to the Messiah and His Kingdom!
Psa 89:3 I have made a covenant with my chosen, I have sworn unto David my servant,
Psa 89:4 Thy seed will I establish for ever, and build up thy throne to all generations. Selah.
Psa 89:35 Once have I sworn by my holiness that I will not lie unto David.
2Sa 7:28 And now, O Lord GOD, thou art that God, and thy words be true, and thou hast promised this goodness unto thy servant:
2Sa 7:29 Therefore now let it please thee to bless the house of thy servant, that it may continue for ever before thee: for thou, O Lord GOD, hast spoken it: and with thy blessing let the house of thy servant be blessed for ever.
The thing we know is true is, that a descendant of David will occupy the throne in Jerusalem.
That throne is the government, and that government will be located in Jerusalem and the Messiah will rule the world from Jerusalem.
There were some conditions to be met for each descendant of David.
We should clearly understand that our unfaithfulness cannot defeat God’s purpose and neither could those sons of David who rejected the truth of God.
We know that God will keep His oaths, and He expects us to keep ours!
It is Jehovah God who chose Jerusalem when He could have chosen anywhere.
King Jesus will rule from Jerusalem.
*Psa 132:13 For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired it for his habitation.
Psa 132:14 This is my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have desired it.
We know that some of the descendants of David turned from God and He had to discipline them.
The Israelites would be singing this Psalm as they traveled toward Jerusalem.
We know for a time there was no son of David sitting on the throne in Jerusalem, the fulfillment of the promises had been interrupted and it will stay that way until King Jesus takes control of the governments that remain in this world from Jerusalem.
God’s promise will be fulfilled, and the world is moving toward that moment when the Messiah will return.
The promise will be fulfilled in two stages:
1) Jesus Christ returns and rules the entire earth from Jerusalem for one thousand years.
Jer 3:17 At that time they shall call Jerusalem the throne of the LORD; and all the nations shall be gathered unto it, to the name of the LORD, to Jerusalem: neither shall they walk any more after the imagination of their evil heart.
2) When Christ Jesus takes us to New Jerusalem and reigns from there forever and ever.
Rev 22:3 And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:
Rev 22:4 And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.
God promises to provide abundantly for those who are now His people.
*Psa 132:15 I will abundantly bless her provision: I will satisfy her poor with bread.
Psa 132:16 I will also clothe her priests with salvation: and her saints shall shout aloud for joy.
I believe this speaks of the point when the Jews will join the Church.
God will provide any and all needs to His children.
The poor will not lack food and necessities as they had on Earth. These are material needs.
Mat 6:33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.
Then God will supply their Spiritual needs.
In verse nine we see that it was a prayer that asked the Lord for the priests be clothed in righteousness.
Psa 132:9 Let thy priests be clothed with righteousness; and let thy saints shout for joy.
We see in verse sixteen that God has answered that prayer.
I still believe that this is the Jews as they have now joined the Church, and all the saints will shout with joy for the Church is now complete and the Bride of Christ can join with the Bridegroom.
*Psa 132:17 There will I make the horn of David to bud: I have ordained a lamp for mine anointed.
Psa 132:18 His enemies will I clothe with shame: but upon himself shall his crown flourish.
The Lord promised to make the horn of David to sprout.
To sprout means to bud to spring forth and grow.
The “horn” is a symbol of power.
This phrase means that a powerful ruler will come forth from the line of David and this ruler will fulfill all the promises made to David.
He will be a lamp or a light to all the world!
The “lamp” and that “horn” mean the Messiah.
1) Zec 6:13 Even he shall build the temple of the LORD; and he shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule upon his throne; and he shall be a priest upon his throne: and the counsel of peace shall be between them both.
2) Jer 33:15 In those days, and at that time, will I cause the Branch of righteousness to grow up unto David; and he shall execute judgment and righteousness in the land.
3) Isa 49:6 And he said, It is a light thing that thou shouldest be my servant to raise up the tribes of Jacob, and to restore the preserved of Israel: I will also give thee for a light to the Gentiles, that thou mayest be my salvation unto the end of the earth.
Zacharias the father of John the Baptist said:
Luk 1:69 And hath raised up an horn of salvation for us in the house of his servant David.
Luk 1:79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.
We know what is going on in Israel today is turbulent times for them.
We need to remember these promises of God to David, and they will be fulfilled.
As far as the Church, we need to pray for the peace of Jerusalem which will take place at the return of Jesus Christ.
We know that the conclusion of God’s plan may be nearing its end, and we will live forever in the presence of the Mighty God!
All evilness and wickedness will be gone, and we will finally be at peace on New Earth and the New Jerusalem.
Amen
Greater Things Lie Ahead for Those Who Love the Lord
A Better Sanctuary
Book of Hebrews Chapter 9
As we study the Book of Hebrews, we are learning that the New Covenant is far better than the Old Covenant.
The sanctuary in the Old Covenant was the Tabernacle and later on the Temple, which was built similar to the Tabernacle in design.
What was the purpose of the Tabernacle?
1) The Tabernacle provided a way for God to dwell in the midst of the nation of Israel.
Exo 25:8 And let them make me a sanctuary; that I may dwell among them.
This sanctuary was called the Holy of Holies and only the High Priest could enter this place and then, only once a year.
Today upon our own salvation, we become that Holy of Holies as the Holy Spirit moves into our hearts.
2) The Tabernacle provided a way for God to reveal His glory.
Exo 40:34 Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
Exo 40:35 And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.
3) The Tabernacle provided a way for sinful people to approach God because it was the center of sacrificial worship.
Lev 17:11 For the life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.
4) The Tabernacle was a reminder of the separation of our Holy God from sinful people.
5) The Tabernacle was built in anticipation of the redemption in the Lord Jesus Christ!
Heb 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
The entire Tabernacle worship system reminded the nation of Israel that a Mediator was necessary to approach God!
They had a need to learn that no one can approach God without a Mediator!
They found that God is holy, and His holiness demands moral and upright people to serve Him.
This was the reason for the Ten Commandments!
The Ten Commandments are our Schoolmaster!
They learned that God cares for His people and would dwell with them under certain conditions.
They learned that “blood” was important to worship this Holy God.
They should have learned that the Levitical priesthood was pointing ahead to a Mediator, who would once and for all reconcile sinful people to a Holy God!
They also should have learned that when God makes covenants, He will keep them!
That when God makes promises, He will not break them.
That when God makes an oath, He will follow through with it.
That God means what He says and also says what He means!
They should also have learned that far greater things lie ahead for those who love God and are obedient to Him!
*Heb 9:1 Then verily the first covenant had also ordinances of divine service, and a worldly sanctuary.
Heb 9:2 For there was a tabernacle made; the first, wherein was the candlestick, and the table, and the shewbread; which is called the sanctuary.
We should understand that there are rules that must be observed if, we want to be acceptable to God, God being the Lord Jesus Christ!
There are some rules that must be observed if we want to have fellowship with God!
Today we understand that according to the perfect Word of God, it is only by the work of the Lord Jesus Christ that we can gain access to Heaven’s Tabernacle!
The tabernacle of Moses was an earthly sanctuary or tabernacle, and it was set aside for the worship of God, but it was only an earthly sanctuary.
Heaven’s sanctuary is served by the Lord Jesus Christ who provides all good things.
Jas_1:17 Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning.
The Tabernacle of Moses was of God and was made according to the Tabernacle in Heaven.
Heb 8:5 Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount.
There are many things that we need to understand about that Tabernacle.
The walls of white linen symbolized the righteousness and the holiness of God.
Our Savior, the Lord Jesus, is set apart from this world!
When we look at our Savior, we must see that He dwells in “righteousness” and “holiness” and He cannot change His ways and still be God!
When we attempt to approach God, we must approach Him in “reverence” and “awe” of His “majesty” and His “power”.
We must approach Him in “adoration” and in “worship”.
We must approach God in thankfulness.
We must approach God with our praise of Him!
We just do not praise God as we should, and it is evident in the modern Church!
It is the Lord Just Christ that fulfilled the symbolism of those white linen walls!”
2Co 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
There was only one entrance to this earthly Tabernacle.
It was made of fined twined linen and was blue, purple, and scarlet representing the robes Jesus wore at His false trial.
That door taught us that there is only one way to enter into God’s presence. There are not several ways as the world would have you believe.
God has to be approached even though it is He who will first call you.
No person can live with God unless they approach God!
It is the Lord Jesus Christ who fulfilled the symbolism of this door!
Joh 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture.
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism of the “Brazen Altar”!
Mar 10:45 For even the Son of man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism of the “Brazen Laver”!
Joh 13:8 Peter saith unto him, Thou shalt never wash my feet. Jesus answered him, If I wash thee not, thou hast no part with me.
Then there was the Sanctuary of the Tabernacle.
*Heb 9:3 And after the second veil, the tabernacle which is called the Holiest of all;
Heb 9:4 Which had the golden censer, and the ark of the covenant overlaid round about with gold, wherein was the golden pot that had manna, and Aaron’s rod that budded, and the tables of the covenant;
Heb 9:5 And over it the cherubims of glory shadowing the mercyseat; of which we cannot now speak particularly.
There were distinct parts of this Sanctuary which symbolized the distinct parts in our approach to God.
**Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism of the walls and the roof.
Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:
Rom 5:2 By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
**Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism the veil or the curtain.
The outer veil taught us that a person cannot rush into the presence of God.
We are to never disrespect to our Holy God! This is lacking so much in most Churches today!
There is only one way into the “deeper things” of God!
There are deeper things we must know of our God than just making a sacrifice and the forgiveness of our sin.
We must worship in Spirit and Truth with this deeper knowledge of our Savior!
Joh 17:3 And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.
Joh 17:4 I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do.
Joh 17:5 And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was.
**Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism of the candlestick or the lampstand.
We all need light and illumination in order to know and to serve God!
Without the light of Christ we would remain in pitch darkness that comes by this world we live in, and we would be unable to serve the Lord or even to know Him.
2Co 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.
2Co 4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.
**The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism of the Table of Shewbread.
The knowledge of our Savior is the “Bread of Life” in this world!
He is the nourishment upon which we are to feed upon.
Joh 6:33 For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.
**The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism of the Altar of Incense.
The “Altar of Incense” symbolized our prayers that have reached into Heaven.
Prayers are an especially important part of our worship!
We can have no relationship with our Savior without prayer!
Rom 8:34 Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.
**There was also an inner veil to the Holy of Holies and the Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism of this inner veil.
This inner veil taught that fellowship and communion with God Himself is the supreme act of worship.
Christ and Christ alone is the way to have fellowship with the Almighty God!
It is much more than just a head knowledge!
Our relation to God must be up close and personal!
Do not say you are worshipping God and then, be unable to enter this inner veil!
Heb 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.
Heb 2:18 For in that he himself hath suffered being tempted, he is able to succour them that are tempted.
*Heb 9:7 But into the second went the high priest alone once every year, not without blood, which he offered for himself, and for the errors of the people:
Heb 9:8 The Holy Ghost this signifying, that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing:
Heb 9:9 Which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices, that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience;
Heb 9:10 Which stood only in meats and drinks, and divers washings, and carnal ordinances, imposed on them until the time of reformation.
The “Ark of the Covenant” was built like a trunk out of acacia wood and covered with gold.
The lid on top of the Ark was called the “Mercy Seat”.
**It is at the “Seat of Mercy” where we meet with the Lord and not the “seat of God’s wrath” whom the world will meet.
Exo 25:22 And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony, of all things which I will give thee in commandment unto the children of Israel.
Isa 37:16 O LORD of hosts, God of Israel, that dwellest between the cherubims, thou art the God, even thou alone, of all the kingdoms of the earth: thou hast made heaven and earth.
The Ark contained three items.
1) The broken tables of the law.
Deu 9:9 When I was gone up into the mount to receive the tables of stone, even the tables of the covenant which the LORD made with you, then I abode in the mount forty days and forty nights, I neither did eat bread nor drink water:
Deu 9:10 And the LORD delivered unto me two tables of stone written with the finger of God; and on them was written according to all the words, which the LORD spake with you in the mount out of the midst of the fire in the day of the assembly.
Deu 10:5 And I turned myself and came down from the mount, and put the tables in the ark which I had made; and there they be, as the LORD commanded me.
2) The golden pot of manna.
Exo 16:32 And Moses said, This is the thing which the LORD commandeth, Fill an omer of it to be kept for your generations; that they may see the bread wherewith I have fed you in the wilderness, when I brought you forth from the land of Egypt.
Exo 16:33 And Moses said unto Aaron, Take a pot, and put an omer full of manna therein, and lay it up before the LORD, to be kept for your generations.
Exo 16:34 As the LORD commanded Moses, so Aaron laid it up before the Testimony, to be kept.
3) Aaron’s rod
Num 17:10 And the LORD said unto Moses, Bring Aaron’s rod again before the testimony, to be kept for a token against the rebels; and thou shalt quite take away their murmurings from me, that they die not.
Num 17:11 And Moses did so: as the LORD commanded him, so did he.
Notice this rod of Aaron could have been no longer than the length of the Ark of testimony which makes it a different rod than the rod of Moses.
**The Lord Jesus Christ fulfilled the symbolism of the “Ark of the Covenant”!
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
1Jn 2:3 And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments.
1Jn 2:4 He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him.
When the Lord Jesus Christ returns, we will not need symbolism for we will see the Lord in His perfect truth!
*Heb 9:11 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building;
Heb 9:12 Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us.
We should also understand that even in Heaven, when we are in that Heavenly Tabernacle, we will be expected to worship God our Savior.
If you do not like to worship now, you would not like to worship in Heaven!
There will be many differences:
1) The Heavenly Sanctuary will have a “perfect” High Priest.
The High Priest of Heaven is not a man but is the Son of God!
He is perfect and He is also eternal, and He will always be the High Priest of Heaven!
Heb 8:6 But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises.
Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens;
Heb 7:27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people’s: for this he did once, when he offered up himself.
2) The worship in that Heavenly Sanctuary will be “spiritual” and it will be “perfect”!
In it, we will be led by the Lord Jesus, the Son of God in the very presence of God.
On earth we are imperfect beings, but in Heaven we will also be perfect.
3) The Heavenly Sanctuary and worship will have a perfect sacrifice.
There will be no animals sacrificed.
There will be no human sacrificed.
There will be no sacrifices at all!
God has already sacrificed Himself, so no other sacrifice would have any meaning.
There will no more sacrifice because there will be no more sin!
On earth, we could not escape sin, death, and condemnation, but in that Heavenly Sanctuary these things do not exist!
4) The Heavenly Sanctuary and Worship is for saved people only. The Heavenly Sanctuary is a place for those who are pure!
Heb 9:23 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these.
You see these things are the good things to come, because there is nothing good upon this earth but God!
1Jn 2:27 But the anointing which ye have received of him abideth in you, and ye need not that any man teach you: but as the same anointing teacheth you of all things, and is truth, and is no lie, and even as it hath taught you, ye shall abide in him.
1Jn 2:28 And now, little children, abide in him; that, when he shall appear, we may have confidence, and not be ashamed before him at his coming.
1Jn 2:29 If ye know that he is righteous, ye know that every one that doeth righteousness is born of him.
Amen
Praying Devotedly
Praying Devotedly
James 5
We have found that James has been teaching us things that we should all practise as Christians.
To be a Christian is still to be like Jesus Christ.
How did this name come about?
A handful of Jews from Jerusalem had gone to Antioch of Syria and preached the “Gospel” to the Gentiles.
Act 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him unto Antioch. And it came to pass, that a whole year they assembled themselves with the church, and taught much people. And the disciples were called Christians first in Antioch.
It is the “Gospel” of the Lord Jesus Christ that makes Christians.
If we are not like Jesus Christ then we are not Christians!
James has been preaching to Christians, who were scattered because of persecution, and this lesson continues today in chapter 5.
We ended last weeks lesson with this verse:
Jas 4:17 Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.
When we know how to do good by the Word of God, and reject God’s Word then we are living in sin!
Let’s Begin:
*****Jas 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
The Church is a mixed blend of people from all parts of society and from all cultures in this world. We should not be surprised when we find some in the Church who are rich.
It is not sin to become rich!
If those riches come from your own sweat and the work of your own hands then you need to thank God for what he has done.
But when those riches come at the expense of others then it was gained in a fraudulent manner.
James begins to condemn this type of rich man.
Happiness can never come from the riches in this world!
The quicker we find this out the better off we will be!
A comedian once said “money talks but all it says to me is goodbye”
Most of us find this to be true.
To “weep” is to be in misery and is a sure sign of grief.
To “howl” is to be in overwhelming distress as this misery has taken over your life.
Where does this misery come from?
*****Jas 5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
That word riches means “all possessions”.
That word “corrupted” means all those possessions have perished or will perish.
Many of the early Christians had been robbed of all their possessions simply because they had become disciples of Jesus Christ.
A moth breeds in yarn and garments and will eat the material thus destroying that garment.
That word “motheaten” means “the ways” of the rich will be destroyed!
*****Jas 5:3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
That word “cankered” means that the best your riches will ever do for you, is to provide corruption.
That word “rust” is what happens to metals such as steel or iron, but the same Greek word used here can also mean the poisonous venom that is emitted by a serpent.
It is hard to have a good testimony and be very rich, if you have not used those riches to further the “Gospel” of Jesus Christ.
It is even harder to have a good testimony if you have lost those riches but still have a great desire for them!
It is that “lust for those riches” that will eat at your flesh and gnaw at your conscience until you have been consumed in your own misery.
Communism began when a certain group of the rich, took advantage of the hopeless poor. And on the backs of these poor they built themselves great riches and in some cases large nations.
By the means of slavery, many men have become rich and prosperous and human trafficking is still prevalent in our world today and it is still about riches.
Even today in what is called democracy and democratic governments, the reality is, that wealth and political influence have concentrated the wealth of the world into the hands of only a small number of multinational power brokers.
It is these men that have more control over the things of this world than we realize!
Even in America, even in an administration that says they are taking from the rich to give to the poor, the super rich have gotten even richer.
The intent of our governments today is not to take away from the rich to help the poor, it is to take away from what is called the middle-class, and make them all poor, while the rich just get richer.
The proof is in the results and not what the politicians say!
These things have always taken place and these things will increase until the time of Christ, when He will put an end to them!
Mar 14:7 “For ye have the poor with you always”, and whensoever ye will ye may do them good: but me ye have not always.
But when our Lord returns we also have this promise:
Rev 18:2 And he cried mightily with a strong voice, saying, Babylon the great is fallen, is fallen, and is become the habitation of devils, and the hold of every foul spirit, and a cage of every unclean and hateful bird.
Rev 18:3 For all nations have drunk of the wine of the wrath of her fornication, and the kings of the earth have committed fornication with her, and “the merchants of the earth are waxed rich through the abundance of her delicacies”.
Rev 18:11 And the merchants of the earth shall weep and mourn over her; “for no man buyeth their merchandise any more”:
Rev 18:17 For in one hour “so great riches is come to nought”. And every shipmaster, and all the company in ships, and sailors, and as many as trade by sea, stood afar off,
Rev 18:20 Rejoice over her, thou heaven, and ye holy apostles and prophets; “for God hath avenged you on her”.
There is the sinful Babylon of false religion.
There is the sinful Babylon of those rich who have gotten rich off the backs of innocent people.
Both will fall at the return of Jesus Christ!
*****Jas 5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
That word “behold” means that the things written in the Book of Revelation will come to be true, “as sure as all the Word of God”!
God will avenge all the wrong that has been done to His people!
God will avenge all the wrong that has been done to His creation!
Jesus had these words:
Luk 18:7 And shall not God avenge his own elect, which cry day and night unto him, though he bear long with them?
Our God is a righteous God!
God came down from Heaven in the flesh to become our Savior!
Our Savior will return again as Judge and what we look for in a true Judge is “equity”.
Psa 94:20 Shall the throne of iniquity have fellowship with thee, which frameth mischief by a law?
Psa 94:21 They gather themselves together against the soul of the righteous, and condemn the innocent blood.
Psa 94:22 But the LORD is my defence; and my God is the rock of my refuge.
Psa 94:23 And he shall bring upon them their own iniquity, and shall cut them off in their own wickedness; yea, the LORD our God shall cut them off.
Our God is righteous in all His ways!
2Th 1:6 Seeing it is a righteous thing with God to recompense tribulation to them that trouble you;
2Th 1:7 And to you who are troubled rest with us, when the Lord Jesus shall be revealed from heaven with his mighty angels,
That Lord of the Sabaoth is in fact the Lord of Hosts!
The Lord Jesus shall be revealed coming from Heaven with His mighty angels and that day gets closer every tick of the clock!
Those that have oppressed the people of God’s creation, will be judged!
*****Jas 5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
Jas 5:6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.
That judgment will come to all who have lived and gained their wealth off the backs of others and ignored the Word of God.
They have lived in luxury on this Earth but there is no luxury in Hell.
They have indulged in wantonness or have made a sport of the way they live.
In other words they take great pleasure in all the evil things they have done!
They have fed off their desires, like beast eat their prey until they can eat no more.
Like sharks, they love the “feeding frenzy” over those less fortunate than themselves!
There are sometimes another reasons for the great wars that we see.
Most all wars have no real winners except for those that financed them and who are the underwriters of those wars.
In our past there have been those that have financed both sides at the same time, not choosing sides but only choosing riches over the death of the masses of people.
This still happens today, there are great riches to be made in every war!
In some wars the truly guilty are those that supply the weapons that have condemned those that are innocent and cannot resist!
God’s answer is patience!
*****Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Just as the farmer must be patient until his crop comes to harvest, the Lord is very patient waiting on His precious fruit!
This is something that we all need to understand!
There are somethings that are just worth waiting for and the Lord sees every “Born Again” child of God as “one worth waiting for”!
There is great joy in the presence of angels in Heaven at every salvation!
It has now been over 2000 years since the Lord Jesus went to prepare our place.
He knows exactly how many places to prepare and He is truly waiting on those to fill those mansions.
Not one home in Heaven will be unoccupied!
Not one home will ever be sold or up for rent!
Someday soon the last part of the Body of Christ will be saved and the Church will be complete and we will all go to our new home in Heaven!
As the Lord is patient until this time we need also to be patient!
*****Jas 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
We are living in sin, “if we do not live expecting the Lord to come at any time”!
We should know that the Lord Himself prays for each of us and this is one of His prayers as He prayed for Peter!
Luk 22:32 But I have prayed for thee, “that thy faith fail not”: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Our time to go home draws closer every moment that passes!
The Lord will make all things right when He comes in “judgment”!
*****Jas 5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
What are the signs of impatience? To “grudge”, is to murmur, and groan and express your feelings against those that oppress the Church.
When we do these things it will affect our testimony and if one soul is lost because of our actions we will face that judgment also, at the judgment seat of Christ!
The eyes of the Lord are on every thing that has been done to us and is being done to His Church but His eyes are also on us in any wrongdoing!
If we study the Word of God and listen to it’s truth, and see the things that are going on in our world, we should have no doubt that our “Judge is standing before the door”, prepared to come to us at any time!
We are not the only ones who have seen hard times!
*****Jas 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
“My Brethren”, means all God’s people, and we should know that all those that have spoken in the name of the Lord are our examples of others who have suffered.
Heb 11:36 And others had trial of cruel mockings and scourgings, yea, moreover of bonds and imprisonment:
Heb 11:37 They were stoned, they were sawn asunder, were tempted, were slain with the sword: they wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins; being destitute, afflicted, tormented;
Heb 11:38 (Of whom the world was not worthy:) they wandered in deserts, and in mountains, and in dens and caves of the earth.
Heb 11:39 And these all, having obtained a good report through faith, received not the promise:
Heb 11:40 God having provided some better thing for us, that they without us should not be made perfect.
Though some may be able, not many of us can say we have suffered as these mentioned in the Book of Hebrews.
These are our examples for suffering affliction.
The Bible never says that God’s people will never suffer!
These that gone before, are our example in suffering and also our example in patience!
And God says those that do not believe, those that trust the world, are not even worthy of one child of God left behind to tell them about Jesus.
We are all a part of God’s “Grace” to the unbeliever when we follow in the ways of Jesus Christ!
*****Jas 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
God saved each of us for a specific purpose and God knows what is best for each of us to fulfill that purpose!
Not many will ever prosper and be much help to others if they have had an easy life!
We will never realize what a good day is all about, until we have actually had a bad day.
True happiness comes from enduring what “has to be” endured!
To be a Christian is to be like Jesus Christ and Christ “had to endure” all the things that happened to Him in order to bring joy, first to Himself, and then for us.
Heb 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; “who for the joy that was set before him” endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.
What does endurance look like?
Act 8:32 The place of the scripture which he read was this, He was led as a sheep to the slaughter; and like a lamb dumb before his shearer, “so opened he not his mouth”:
All things were created by the Lord Jesus and we know that “God spoke” our world into existence.
But when He could have stopped His own death, He endured all these things and “opened not His mouth” and He did this for you and I.
We read many things in the Bible, such as the patience of Job, to encourage us in our bad times but we seem to forget the perfect example of our Lord as He endured death so that we can live and live forever!
Job was a real person and the story of Job is a real story and Job did have much to endure but after these things, then Job had real joy.
The Lord Jesus had much to endure and then came His joy for our Salvation!
When we endure the things of this world we should remember the absolute “joy” that is soon coming for all those that love the Lord.
And there are other things we need to do.
*****Jas 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.
We must remember that as Christ Jesus endured the all the things that led Him to the cross, He also opened not His mouth!
We should remember there are no victories in Jesus until there are battles!
Blessings can come while we are in our trials but the greater blessings will come after we have endured that trial!
When we become impatient in our trials and temptations, it first noticed in our speech and then in our ways.
It is easy to say things that we do not mean, when we are suffering!
The Jews would swear often to back up the statements they had made but they were very careful not to blaspheme God in their swearing.
They would swear by heaven or by earth or even Jerusalem, but James teaches us all that all these things were created by the Lord and “it is impossible” to avoid swearing by God in any oath.
It is always better to just say yes when the answer is yes and no when the answer is no!
Even Jesus said to speak more than these things, is sin!
Mat 5:37 But let your communication be, Yea, yea; Nay, nay: “for whatsoever is more than these cometh of evil”.
So what is the best way to use our tongues? Prayer!
We may think that we are nourished by the food we eat and it is important.
But the absolute best use of our mouths are in prayer!
*****Jas 5:13 Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.
When we find ourselves in the furnace, the most important thing we can do is pray!
Heb 4:14 Seeing then that we have a great high priest, that is passed into the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our profession.
Heb 4:15 For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.
Heb 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.
It was the cross of Jesus that tore down the barrier that was between us and God.
There is not any part of the day that we cannot go to the Lord in prayer!
We have no set times as some do, that we can reach out to the Lord. Our God is available 24 hours a day and 7 days a week.
To be afflicted is to suffer from some difficult things in our life.
These are things that come not by our own sin, but by the things that we must go through in this life.
We are not to grumble and complain!
We are not to blame the Lord or anyone else!
“We are” to go to the only One who can help and that is our God in prayer!
This is the time to pray and not put it off!
Even Paul prayed that God would change his circumstances but God just gave Paul more “grace”.
The Lord Jesus prayed, if there could be another way than to be separated from His Father for even one moment but God gave Jesus more strength.
And while you are going through your troubles there will always be others who are not!
If we are not down in the valley of transgression and are on the mountain top then we need to be singing Psalms of praise!
BUT, it is the “mature” Christian who can sing Psalms of praise and pray “while he is yet suffering those afflictions”!
Anyone can sing after their troubles are over!
It is through our prayers and our songs that we can worship our Lord!
This is what true worship is all about!
What songs should we sing?
Col 3:16 Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in “psalms and hymns and spiritual songs”, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
The Bible teaches us much about prayer and when we sing we need to be singing?
We need to be singing, Psalms, Hymns, and Spiritual Songs!
*****Jas 5:14 Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord:
Jas 5:15 And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
It would be a rare thing to find a congregation that gathered that did not have someone who was sick in some way among them.
The Greek word “astheneo” is used here and it means to be feeble, diseased, sick, or weak.
No doubt that this person should also be praying for themselves in closet prayer!
Mat 6:6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly.
Today this person would also ask to be put on a prayer list at his place of worship.
But James says to also call on those that have been Christians for a long time, the elders in the Church, and not so much the novices, who are new converts.
1Ti 3:5 (For if a man know not how to rule his own house, how shall he take care of the church of God?)
1Ti 3:6 “Not a novice”, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.
These would be men who have been through many trials and temptations and would have experienced many blessings of the Lord and had followed and lived by the Word of God!
Pro 4:10 Hear, O my son, and “receive my sayings; and the years of thy life shall be many”.
These would be men who had “the gift and the grace of prayer” but they could also offer a word of counsel and advice.
It is true that in the time of the Apostles that they and some few others, had the gift of healing but James is not saying this in this passage.
When the Lord healed and the Apostles healed the results were instantaneous, the were complete, and they were permanent.
They were also unconditional and each one had a purpose!
And these healings were always secondary to the Word of God!
Luk 9:6 And they departed, and went through the towns, “preaching the gospel, and healing every where”.
The preaching came before the healing!
The “gift of healing” terminated once the New Testament was written!
There was no further need for the “gift of healing” and there are no more Apostles.
God now responds to the prayers of His children “at His own will and for His own purpose” but He will still respond!
We should also remember that even in the day of James and Paul, God chose not to heal everyone.
Timothy was a preacher of the Gospel but Timothy was not healed:
1Ti 5:23 Drink no longer water, but use a little wine for thy stomach’s sake and thine often infirmities.
The Apostle Paul prayed to be healed 3 times but God would not heal Paul:
2Co 12:8 For this thing I besought the Lord thrice, that it might depart from me.
2Co 12:9 And he said unto me, “My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness”. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.
This is the same answer that is given the most today!
God’s “Grace” must be sufficient enough for us to get through the trials of life!
In the day of James, oil was one of the few medicines that existed, and to be anointed with oil and the laying on of the hands are symbolic of the “healing power of God” and a sign of seeking the divine “Grace of God”.
In other words “let them use oil who can by their prayers obtain recovery for the sick”.
All healing then and now, are by the hand of God!
No human possesses the gift and the power to heal!
How do we know this?
*****Jas 5:15 And “the prayer of faith shall save the sick”, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.
It is not the oil, it is not the laying on of the hands, nor is it any medicine that heals and saves, It Is The Prayer Of Faith!
And it is by the will of God and and the purpose of God that all prayers are answered!
The sick cannot be raised up unless the Lord raises them up!
The lost cannot be saved unless they are saved by the Lord!
Sins cannot be forgiven unless they are forgiven by the Lord!
Sin is the greatest sickness in this world we live and God sent His Son to solve that problem!
1Jn 4:10 Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.
And this is also why a prayer of faith is required!
Act 16:30 And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved?
Act 16:31 And they said, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved”, and thy house.
Prayer is the key to life on this Earth!
And without Prayer in the name of Jesus, you will never make it to Heaven!
*****Jas 5:16 Confess your faults one to another, and pray one for another, that ye may be healed. The effectual fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.
To confess means a full, a frank, and an open confession!
If we have sinned against any person, then we need also to forgive them!
Mat 6:14 For if ye forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you:
We must pray for each other, and not to some priest as Rome insists!
Pro 28:13 He that covereth his sins shall not prosper: “but whoso confesseth and forsaketh them shall have mercy”.
We must intercede for one another because we have a Savior who intercedes for us all!
Jesus Christ’s intercession restores us to fellowship with God when that fellowship is broken through sin!
1Jn 2:1 My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:
1Jn 2:2 And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.
To pray for one another is also some of the “good works” that come from a “saving faith”!
That word “availeth” means “the profit of”!
The effectual fervent prayer is a prayer that profits!
This is not just a prayer from someone.
This is the prayer of someone who is justified by the righteousness of Jesus Christ, and has the truth of God’s “Grace” within him.
Tit 2:11 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,
Tit 2:12 Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world;
Tit 2:13 “Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ”;
Tit 2:14 Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.
This is the “Grace” that saves and also the “Grace” that heals!
If you are not looking for that blessed hope, the appearing of the great God and Savior, Jesus Christ, then do not expect much from your prayers nor your prayer life!
It is this one thing that can energize our prayers above all other things!
It is this one thing that makes for fervent prayers!
Elijah was such a man.
*****Jas 5:17 Elias was a man subject to like passions as we are, and he prayed earnestly that it might not rain: and it rained not on the earth by the space of three years and six months.
Jas 5:18 And he prayed again, and the heaven gave rain, and the earth brought forth her fruit.
When the rain stopped it was because Elijah prayed, and it was by the hand of God!
The systems that make rain, put in place by the creating hand of God,were still in place but all God’s creation is still under His direct control.
Luk 8:25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! “for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him”.
Pro 30:4 Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? “who hath established all the ends of the earth”? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell?
Pro 30:5 Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.
There are many great wonders of nature but “they are all” under the absolute control of our supernatural God!
God can answer any prayer at any time because it is He who sits on the throne of His Own Creation!
All prayers that meet God’s conditions will be answered!
*****Jas 5:19 Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him;
Jas 5:20 Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and “shall hide a multitude of sins”.
What is one good reason for “soul winning”?
There will be at that point in time, less sin in our world!
The more souls saved, the less sin in our world!
What is the truth?
Joh 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.
Too many churches have erred from this truth!
Jesus Christ is the “only way” to our Father in Heaven!
Jesus Christ is “the truth” of what we will find in the Father when we get to Heaven!
Col 2:9 For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.
Jesus Christ is all the life that can be given to us from our Father in Heaven!
1Jn 5:20 And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life.
When we can incite others to come to the Lord Jesus Christ for all their needs, we are completing the Will of God in our lives that we live for Jesus!
Every soul that is saved is one less soul that will never see spiritual death!
This will complete our study in the Book of James.
Next week we will look at some things in the Book of 1 Thessalonians.
Questions?
Let’s Pray!
LESSONS IN GOD'S WORD 