Good By God's Standards

To the choirmaster. A Maskil of David, when Doeg, the Edomite, came and told Saul, “David has come to the house of Ahimelech.”

1 Why do you boast of evil, O mighty man?
    The steadfast love of God endures all the day.
2 Your tongue plots destruction,
    like a sharp razor, you worker of deceit.
3 You love evil more than good,
    and lying more than speaking what is right. Selah
4 You love all words that devour,
    O deceitful tongue.

5 But God will break you down forever;
    he will snatch and tear you from your tent;
    he will uproot you from the land of the living. Selah
6 The righteous shall see and fear,
    and shall laugh at him, saying,
7 “See the man who would not make
    God his refuge,
but trusted in the abundance of his riches
    and sought refuge in his own destruction!”

8 But I am like a green olive tree
    in the house of God.
I trust in the steadfast love of God
    forever and ever.
9 I will thank you forever,
    because you have done it.
I will wait for your name, for it is good,
    in the presence of the godly. – Psalm 52:1-9 ESV

Doeg the Edomite had done a good thing, or at least he thought so. He had done exactly what the king of Israel had commanded him to do, and he knew it was going to win him favor in the king’s eyes. The fact that he had personally killed 85 priests of God, along with all their family members, didn’t seem to bother him. He seemed unconcerned that King Saul’s personal bodyguards had each refused to kill the Lord’s priests. When the king turned to Doeg and presented him with the opportunity to prove his loyalty, he stepped up to the challenge.

This story began when David was serving in King Saul’s royal administration. He had been hired by Saul after his unexpected victory over Goliath, the Philistine warrior who had repeatedly taunted and mocked the Israelites for their unwillingness to face him in hand-to-hand combat. David, a young shepherd boy, took on the Philistine's challenge and, with God’s help, scored a decisive victory over his much larger and battle-hardened foe. David’s success over the Philistine made David famous and Saul jealous. It wasn’t long before the insecure king viewed David as a threat to his reign.

Possessed by an evil spirit and driven by jealousy, Saul attempted to take David’s life, forcing the young man to flee for his life. Desperate to escape from the demon-possessed king, David sought refuge in the town of Nob, where Ahimelech the priest provided him with food and the sword of Goliath, which had been kept there ever since David had killed the Philistine champion in battle. Little did David know that Doeg the Edomite, one of King Saul’s chief herdsmen, was there in Nob and saw the whole exchange between David and Ahimelech. He returned to Saul and reported that the priest had aided and abetted David, a fugitive from justice.

As a result of Doeg’s news, King Saul commanded the slaughter of all 85 of the priests of God living in Nob, along with their families. When Saul’s bodyguard refused to do his bidding, Doeg the herdsmen was given a chance to improve his station in life by proving his loyalty and displaying his bravery to the king. And evidently, according to David, Doeg the Edomite even bragged about his brave “exploits” against the unarmed priests of God, trying to present himself as a mighty warrior.

Why do you boast about your crimes, great warrior?
    Don’t you realize God’s justice continues forever?
All day long you plot destruction.
    Your tongue cuts like a sharp razor;
    you’re an expert at telling lies.
You love evil more than good
    and lies more than truth. – Psalm 52:1-3 NLT

Doeg had a knack for blowing the whole affair out of proportion, expanding the story with fanciful lies designed to justify his actions and boost his fame. David accused him of being “an expert at telling lies” (Psalm 52:3). He saw Doeg for what he was: a man who loved evil more than righteousness. He distorted reality by making evil appear as if it were good. At the end of the day, Doeg the Edomite cared more about himself than he did about God. His willingness to slaughter God’s priests reveals that he had no fear of the Almighty and no desire to do the right thing. He was obsessed with his own well-being and self-gratification. No doubt Saul rewarded him well for his “brave” handling of the whole affair.

While David was a man after God’s own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), Doeg was a man after Saul’s own heart. Like Saul, he wasn’t interested in doing what God wanted done; he was a selfish, self-centered man who longed to make a name for himself. His murder of God’s priests was probably well rewarded by Saul. More than likely, he was raised from chief herdsman to warrior status. His X-rated exploits got him a promotion, a raise, and the king's praise. But David warned Doeg about the reality of his situation.

You love to destroy others with your words,
    you liar!
But God will strike you down once and for all.
    He will pull you from your home
    and uproot you from the land of the living.  – Psalm 52:4-5 NLT

God was going to repay Doeg in full for what he had done. David says, “Look what happens to mighty warriors who do not trust in God. They trust their wealth instead and grow more and more bold in their wickedness” (Psalm 52:7 NLT). David sarcastically refers to Doeg as a “mighty warrior” and accuses him of trusting his newfound wealth instead of God. He was addicted to his fame and fortune and became increasingly wicked, looking for additional opportunities to pad his resume and expand his wealth.

But Doeg’s “good deed” was in direct opposition to God’s will. He had slaughtered innocent people just to pad his resume and improve his lot in life. He was rewarded richly for his efforts, but God would hold him accountable.

David knew that those who oppose God’s will may receive rewards and recognition in this life, but, in the end, they will always get what they deserve. David preferred to trust in God. Rather than take matters into his own hands and do what appears to be good and expeditious by the world’s standards, David preferred to obey God. He would do only what God would have him do. On two different occasions, David had the opportunity to murder King Saul, and had he done so, he could have ended his fugitive lifestyle. Even David’s companions encouraged him to kill Saul, seeing it as a God-ordained opportunity to take revenge on his enemy. But David refused, knowing that God had not given him permission to kill the king. He believed that God would take care of King Saul in His own time and according to His own terms. In the meantime, David would trust God.

Despite the anger of Saul and the efforts of men like Doeg, God came through for David. Eventually, God eliminated Saul and elevated David to the throne. David trusted, and God provided. This is what led David to say, “I am like an olive tree, thriving in the house of God. I will always trust in God’s unfailing love. I will praise you forever, O God, for what you have done. I will trust in your good name in the presence of your faithful people” (Psalm 52:8-9 NLT).

Doeg trusted in himself. David trusted in God. Doeg was out for himself. David was out for God. Doeg looked successful, but would eventually fail. At one time, David appeared abandoned by God and was an apparent failure in the world’s eyes. But he trusted God and was rewarded for his faithfulness. David did what was right, according to God’s standards, and enjoyed true success. Doeg did what was right in his own eyes and according to the world’s standards, but failed in the end. We aren’t told what happened to Doeg the Edomite, but we can rest assured that God repaid him in full for what he had done – either in this life or the next.

David knew that God would deal with Doeg justly. “But God will strike you down once and for all. He will pull you from your home and uproot you from the land of the living” (Psalm 52:5 NLT). David trusted God.

Father, this world is constantly tempting us to live according to its standards. It wants us to do good on its terms, but You call us to trust You and live according to Your standards. Keep reminding us that Your way is the not only the best way, it is the only way. Your will trumps our will every time. Doing what is right in our own eyes or according to the world’s standards is never a profitable path to take. Trusting in You isn’t always easy, but it is always profitable. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Don’t Worry About the Wicked

A psalm of David.

1 Fret not yourself because of evildoers;
    be not envious of wrongdoers!
2 For they will soon fade like the grass
    and wither like the green herb.

3 Trust in the LORD, and do good;
    dwell in the land and befriend faithfulness.
4 Delight yourself in the LORD,
    and he will give you the desires of your heart.

5 Commit your way to the LORD;
    trust in him, and he will act.
6 He will bring forth your righteousness as the light,
    and your justice as the noonday.

7 Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him;
    fret not yourself over the one who prospers in his way,
    over the man who carries out evil devices!

8 Refrain from anger, and forsake wrath!
    Fret not yourself; it tends only to evil.
9 For the evildoers shall be cut off,
    but those who wait for the LORD shall inherit the land.

10 In just a little while, the wicked will be no more;
    though you look carefully at his place, he will not be there.
11 But the meek shall inherit the land
    and delight themselves in abundant peace.

12 The wicked plots against the righteous
    and gnashes his teeth at him,
13 but the LORD laughs at the wicked,
    for he sees that his day is coming.

14 The wicked draw the sword and bend their bows
    to bring down the poor and needy,
    to slay those whose way is upright;
15 their sword shall enter their own heart,
    and their bows shall be broken.

16 Better is the little that the righteous has
    than the abundance of many wicked.
17 For the arms of the wicked shall be broken,
    but the LORD upholds the righteous.

18 The LORD knows the days of the blameless,
    and their heritage will remain forever;
19 they are not put to shame in evil times;
    in the days of famine they have abundance.

20 But the wicked will perish;
    the enemies of the LORD are like the glory of the pastures;
    they vanish—like smoke they vanish away.

21 The wicked borrows but does not pay back,
    but the righteous is generous and gives;
22 for those blessed by the LORD shall inherit the land,
    but those cursed by him shall be cut off.

23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD,
    when he delights in his way;
24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong,
    for the LORD upholds his hand.

25 I have been young, and now am old,
    yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken
    or his children begging for bread.
26 He is ever lending generously,
    and his children become a blessing.

27 Turn away from evil and do good;
    so shall you dwell forever.
28 For the LORD loves justice;
    he will not forsake his saints.
They are preserved forever,
    but the children of the wicked shall be cut off.
29 The righteous shall inherit the land
    and dwell upon it forever.

30 The mouth of the righteous utters wisdom,
    and his tongue speaks justice.
31 The law of his God is in his heart;
    his steps do not slip.

32 The wicked watches for the righteous
    and seeks to put him to death.
33 The LORD will not abandon him to his power
    or let him be condemned when he is brought to trial.

34 Wait for the LORD and keep his way,
    and he will exalt you to inherit the land;
    you will look on when the wicked are cut off.

35 I have seen a wicked, ruthless man,
    spreading himself like a green laurel tree.
36 But he passed away, and behold, he was no more;
    though I sought him, he could not be found.

37 Mark the blameless and behold the upright,
    for there is a future for the man of peace.
38 But transgressors shall be altogether destroyed;
    the future of the wicked shall be cut off.

39 The salvation of the righteous is from the LORD;
    he is their stronghold in the time of trouble.
40 The LORD helps them and delivers them;
    he delivers them from the wicked and saves them,
    because they take refuge in him. – Psalm 37:1-40 ESV

It’s hard not to worry about the wicked. They’re all around us. Many of them are in positions of power and influence in our country. Others are considered celebrities and stars. They write books, have their own TV shows, create music and art, and define what is in when it comes to everything from clothing to hairstyles. The wicked come in all shapes and sizes, and their wickedness is not always readily apparent or easily recognized. They seem to live lives marked by success, happiness, affluence, and popularity. So it’s sometimes easy to envy or desire to be like them. But David tells us not to worry about the wicked or to covent their lifestyles, because their days are numbered. Yet, we often find ourselves getting angry over the apparent lack of justice in a world where the wicked prosper while the righteous suffer.

Some of these people prosper despite lifestyles marked more by sin than anything else. David reminds us that “it is better to be godly and have little than to be evil and rich” (Psalm 37:16 NLT). To drive the point home, David provides a running contrast between the wicked and the godly. He paints a clear and memorable picture of the stark difference between these two lifestyles.

The wicked will soon fade.
But the godly will find shelter in Him.

This life is temporal, and its rewards are fleeting and ephemeral. While the wicked may appear to enjoy the good life in this life, they face a future judgment. The righteous may suffer in this life, but they have the assurance of God’s presence, protection, and provision — right here, right now.

The wicked will soon wither.
But the godly will never slip from His path.

Things are not always what they seem. What appears to be prosperity and unbridled success is often accompanied by discontentment and dissatisfaction. Wealth and fame cannot immunize anyone from disease, disappointment, or death. The wicked can hide behind the temporal trappings of worldly success, but their sins will find them out (Numbers 32:33). Yet, the righteous will find security and safety in this life by faithfully following the ways of God.

The wicked will be destroyed.
But the godly will be rescued by God.

The wicked stand opposed to God, and He has a way of holding them accountable for their actions. Their present prosperity and seeming immunity from justice will not last. God will have the last word when it comes to their eternal judgment. In the meantime, the righteous must maintain their confidence in God and trust that His eternal reward is far greater than any temporal treasure or pleasure a life of wickedness may offer.

The wicked will disappear.
But the godly will trust in the Lord and do good.

Leave the fate of the wicked up to God. He knows what He is doing and is not fooled by the deceitful ways of those who ignore His will and reject His sovereignty. Their cleverness and covertness make them feel invincible, but their fate is sealed. Nothing is hidden from the eyes of God and no sin goes unpunished. So, rather than worry about the wicked, the righteous need to spend their time doing what pleases God.

The wicked will be gone.
But the godly will never fall.

The righteous must maintain an eternal perspective. This life is not all there is. We are eternal creatures who have a long future ahead of us. This present life is just a blink of the eye in God’s plan for His children’s prosperity. While there will be trials and tribulations in this life, the one to come will be free from sin, suffering, sorrow, and loss. 

The wicked plot against the godly.
But God will take care of the godly because they are innocent.

This world is not always fair, and things don't always turn out how we think they should. But God is in control at all times, and His ways are always just and righteous — even when circumstances paint a very different picture. Because we are finite creatures living in a temporal world, we can't see the big picture. Present pain has a way of clouding our future perspective. But we must rest in knowing that God sees all and knows all. He has a firm grasp on what is going on in His world and has a flawless plan to mete out justice and reward the righteous — in His time.

The wicked snarl at them in defiance.
But God will expose the justice of the cause of the godly.

The prosperity of the wicked won't last forever. It may appear that they get away with murder and escape any form of justice, but God is not done yet. We can’t see what He is doing behind the scenes, but we can know that He will leave no sin unpunished and no wicked individual free from His judgment. 

The wicked draw their swords and string their bows.
But God is the fortress of the godly.

The wicked may appear to be powerful and unstoppable. Their string of victories over the righteous seems endless, but they are no match for Jehovah-Sabaoth, the LORD of Hosts. They may win their fair share of battles, but the war between the righteous and the wicked has already been decided. 

The wicked kill the poor and oppressed.
But the godly live in peace and prosperity.

Despite all the injustice and inequities in this world, those who place their hope and faith in God can rest assured that He is with them and fights on their behalf. They are not alone and far from defenseless. Yes, evil exists, and atrocities happen, but that does not mean God is powerless or impotent. His ways are not our ways. His methodologies may confuse and confound us, but we must trust that He always knows what He is doing and His ways are always just, righteous, and good.

The wicked slaughter those who do right.
But the Lord directs the steps of the godly.

There are two opposing forces at work in the world. Satan, the prince of this world, has aligned himself against all that is good, righteous, and godly. He and his demonic minions stand in opposition to God and pour out their hatred on His children. The wicked of this world are in Satan’s grip and do his bidding, but their actions are limited by the sovereign power of God. As they do their worst, God is directing the steps of His people, guiding, protecting, and blessing them even as the enemy attempts to destroy them.

The strength of the wicked will be shattered.
But the godly will be taken care of by God.

Give God time. Let Him finish what He began and complete the plan of redemption He put in place before He laid the foundations of the world. Our victory is assured. The future is secure. God’s plan has an end, and the outcome has never been in question.

David continues his comparison between the wicked and the godly, pointing out the glaring differences between the two.

The wicked will die.
But the godly will possess the land.

The wicked will disappear like smoke.
But the godly will never be abandoned.

The wicked borrow and never repay.
But the godly give generous loans to others.

The children of the wicked will die.
But the children of the godly are a blessing.

The wicked wait in ambush for the godly.
But God will honor the godly by giving them the land.

The wicked look for an excuse to kill the godly.
But God teaches the godly right from wrong.

The wicked will not succeed.
But the godly will live safely in the land and prosper.

The wicked will be destroyed.
But a wonderful future awaits the godly.

The wicked will appear to flourish, then are gone.
But the godly will not be disgraced in hard times.

The wicked have no future.
But a wonderful future awaits the godly.

David wasn't a glass-half-full, perpetual optimist who refused to acknowledge the disparities and difficulties of life. He was painfully aware of the presence of the wicked. He struggled with their apparent success and seeming immunity from judgment. But he trusted God and knew that justice would be served. The wicked would get what they deserved and the godly would be blessed — in time and according to God’s perfect plan.

As believers, we are to put our hope in God. We are to confidently and faithfully trust the path He has chosen for us to follow and not worry about what might appear to be the unfair advantages of the ungodly. God is just, and He will deal with them in His own way and time. I can leave them in God’s hands and concentrate on honoring Him with my life and trusting Him with my future. He will not let the wicked succeed or the godly be condemned. He has it all under control. So don’t worry.

Father, thanks for this timely reminder from the pen of David. The wicked have always been around and they have always given Your people cause for consternation and concern. They appear so happy and so together. They seem to be getting away with their lifestyle of open rebellion to You, but You are not done yet. You are a just and righteous God who will make sure that all things are taken care of rightly and justly. They will not escape Your notice or Your judgment. I can leave them in Your hands and rest in the knowledge that You have me securely in Your loving grasp as well. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Illusive Life of Integrity

A Psalm of David.

1 Vindicate me, O Lord,
    for I have walked in my integrity,
    and I have trusted in the Lord without wavering.
2 Prove me, O Lord, and try me;
    test my heart and my mind.
3 For your steadfast love is before my eyes,
    and I walk in your faithfulness.

4 I do not sit with men of falsehood,
    nor do I consort with hypocrites.
5 I hate the assembly of evildoers,
    and I will not sit with the wicked.

6 I wash my hands in innocence
    and go around your altar, O Lord,
7 proclaiming thanksgiving aloud,
    and telling all your wondrous deeds.

8 O Lord, I love the habitation of your house
    and the place where your glory dwells.
9 Do not sweep my soul away with sinners,
    nor my life with bloodthirsty men,
10 in whose hands are evil devices,
    and whose right hands are full of bribes.

11 But as for me, I shall walk in my integrity;
    redeem me, and be gracious to me.
12 My foot stands on level ground;
    in the great assembly I will bless the Lord. – Psalm 26:1-12 ESV

There are times when David comes across as a bit full of himself, and this Psalm is a case in point. He begins by asking God to affirm his innocence, and as proof, he makes some rather bold claims.

I have acted with integrity;
    I have trusted in the Lord without wavering… – Psalm 26:1 NLT

For I am always aware of your unfailing love,
    and I have lived according to your truth.
I do not spend time with liars
    or go along with hypocrites.
I hate the gatherings of those who do evil,
    and I refuse to join in with the wicked.
I wash my hands to declare my innocence.
    I come to your altar, O Lord – Psalm 26:3-6 NLT

The first half of this Psalm reads like a transcript from a trial, with David, the accused, standing before the Judge’s bench and declaring his innocence. Facing false accusations from unnamed sources, David is desperate to have God examine the facts of the case. Despite the damaging allegations leveled against him, David remains confident that God will acquit him of all wrongdoing. 

As proof, David asserts his seemingly sterling character, portraying himself as a virtual icon of virtue. But David is not bragging. These are not the words of a self-righteous moralist claiming to live in sinless perfection. He is simply attempting to establish what sets himself apart from his enemies. His words are more of an indictment of them than they are a declaration of David’s spiritual superiority. He is far from perfect, and yet, despite his many shortcomings, he remains faithful to God. He has tried to live according to God’s truth and has refused to consort with those whose lives are marked by wickedness. David may lie, but he isn't pathological about it. Occasionally, he could be hypocritical, but he didn't make a habit of it.    

David could say, “I live with integrity” (Psalm 26:11 NLT). But what does that mean? What was he claiming? He said he had acted or literally “walked” (lived his life) with integrity. In the Hebrew language, the word is tom, and it refers to completeness or wholeness. To live with integrity is to live a life that is non-compartmentalized. There is no such thing as the secular-sacred split. A person who lives in integrity allows the things of God to impact and influence every area of their life, including their home, work, leisure time, recreation, relationships, finances, etc.

There is no area in his life for which someone might be able to point their finger and level an accusation of impropriety or ungodly behavior. It is the same idea found in the qualifications for an elder or deacon in 1 Timothy. 

If someone aspires to be an elder, he desires an honorable position. So an elder must be a man whose life is above reproach. He must be faithful to his wife. He must exercise self-control, live wisely, and have a good reputation. He must enjoy having guests in his home, and he must be able to teach. He must not be a heavy drinker or be violent. He must be gentle, not quarrelsome, and not love money. He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him. For if a man cannot manage his own household, how can he take care of God’s church? An elder must not be a new believer, because he might become proud, and the devil would cause him to fall. Also, people outside the church must speak well of him so that he will not be disgraced and fall into the devil’s trap. In the same way, deacons must be well respected and have integrity. They must not be heavy drinkers or dishonest with money. They must be committed to the mystery of the faith now revealed and must live with a clear conscience. Before they are appointed as deacons, let them be closely examined. If they pass the test, then let them serve as deacons. – 1 Timothy 3:1-10 NLT

A life of integrity does not require sinless perfection. However, it does demand that one conduct their life with motives and attitudes marked by a desire to do what God would have them do. It displays a love for the things of God rather than the things of this world. A person of integrity is willing to trust God with every aspect of their life, dedicating every facet of it to His service and not holding back anything for their own selfish pleasures or desires.

As David indicates, a life of integrity is motivated by God’s unfailing love and is a logical response to His grace and mercy. A person of integrity knows their life does not belong to them but to God. It is not for them to use as they see fit. That is why David refused to associate with liars and hypocrites. He wanted nothing to do with those who do evil. The thought of aligning himself with the wicked was repulsive to him. A person of integrity would rather spend time with God and His people than anyone else. It is a life marked by separateness and set-apartness, not compromise and convenience. This is why David could say, “Put me on trial, Lord, and cross-examine me” (Psalm 26:2 NLT). He was willing to allow God to test the purity of his faithfulness and the validity of his integrity.

What about us? Could our integrity stand up to the heat of God’s scrutiny? Is our life characterized more by compartmentalization or wholeness? Are there any areas of our lives we refuse to let God control? Because of the integrity of his life, David found himself standing on a firm footing. He trusted in the integrity of God and placed his hope in Him. He had seen God to be faithful and true.  God had proven Himself to be anything but compartmentalized in His relationship with and reaction to David.  So David was willing to live for God’s glory in every area of his life.

The apostle Paul described this kind of life to the believers in Rome.

I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. – Romans 12:1 NLT

God wants a complete or whole sacrifice – not partial. His Son died to redeem all of us, not part of us. To live a life of integrity is to surrender your whole life to God because His Son gave His life to redeem all of you.

Jesus put it this way:

“If any of you wants to be my follower, you must give up your own way, take up your cross, and follow me. If you try to hang on to your life, you will lose it. But if you give up your life for my sake, you will save it. And what do you benefit if you gain the whole world but lose your own soul? Is anything worth more than your soul?” – Matthew 16:24-26 NLT

The words of the old chorus, “I Surrender All,” seem appropriate here.

All to Jesus I surrender
All to Him I freely give
I will ever love and trust Him
In His presence daily live

All to Jesus I surrender
Humbly at His feet I bow
Worldly pleasures all forsaken
Take me, Jesus, take me now

I surrender all
I surrender all
All to Thee my blessed Savior
I surrender all

Father, I want my life to be marked by integrity — not the worldly, human version, but the biblical one. I want every area of my life to be Yours. I know I hold areas back, afraid to let You control them. But continue to lovingly pry them from my hands so I can place them on the altar as a sacrifice to You. Amen

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Choose Your Way Wisely

1 Blessed is the man
    who walks not in the counsel of the wicked,
nor stands in the way of sinners,
    nor sits in the seat of scoffers;
2 but his delight is in the law of the Lord,
    and on his law he meditates day and night.

3 He is like a tree
    planted by streams of water
that yields its fruit in its season,
    and its leaf does not wither.
In all that he does, he prospers.
4 The wicked are not so,
    but are like chaff that the wind drives away.

5 Therefore the wicked will not stand in the judgment,
    nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous;
6 for the Lord knows the way of the righteous,
    but the way of the wicked will perish. – Psalm 1:1-6 ESV

The Psalms are a collection of lyrical poems intended to be accompanied by stringed instruments when read. Written over a period of 1,000 years by a variety of different authors, the Psalms reflect Israel’s rich history and provide a backdrop to their relationship with God. The Psalms come in a range of styles, from laments to hymns of praise. Some are songs of thanksgiving, offering gratitude to God for His protection and provision. Others are “songs of ascent” to be sung by faithful Israelites as they made their way to Jerusalem for one of the three annual festivals prescribed in the Law of Moses. There are also psalms of wisdom, victory psalms, royal psalms praising Israel’s Messiah, and songs of Zion

The authors include well-known characters such as Moses, David, and Solomon, as well as lesser-known individuals like Asaph, Heman, and Ethan. In the Hebrew Bible, this book is called Tehillim, which means “praise songs.” When the Hebrew Bible was translated into Greek (Septuagint), the translators used the Greek word psalmos, which means “song sung to a harp. The English title of the Book of Psalms comes from the Greek title Psalmoi.

This first of the 150 Psalms is a mere six verses long but serves as a powerful preface for the rest of the book. The author's name is unknown, but many have speculated that it may be one of the 70-plus Psalms penned by King David. Regardless of who wrote the Psalm, its content is simple and straightforward, providing a stark contrast between the way of the righteous and that of the wicked. The former delights in the law of the LORD, while the latter faces judgment from God for their godless behavior.

The blessed man is the one who refuses to emulate the ways of the wicked, choosing instead to focus his attention on pleasing God by faithfully meditating on and adhering to His law. The imagery contained in this Psalm is important because it portrays the godly life as a journey. Verse one states, “Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked…” (Psalm 1:1 ESV). The Hebrew word for “walk” is hālaḵ which means “to go.” It can be used literally or figuratively to convey the idea of motion or progress. A blessed man does not conduct his life based on ungodly counsel or advice. His actions are not influenced by input from the wicked. Verse 1 describes three kinds of potentially distractive and destructive characters. The first is the wicked (rāšāʿ). The second is sinners (ḥaṭṭā').  Finally, there are the scornful (lûṣ). Each word is designed to provide a different shade of color or hue intended to paint the least-attractive portrait of the prevailing cultural norm. The wicked are the godless masses who operate according to secular philosophies and humanistic values. Their worldview is man-centered and focused on standards of morality that promote personal pleasure over sacrifice and compromise and convenience over conviction and commitment. These individuals live their lives in an atmosphere of self-deluded autonomy and personal preference.

The term “sinners” was often used of criminals or lawbreakers. These were the kind of people who violated the commands of God either knowingly or unintentionally. Their lifestyle was marked by godless behavior that stood in direct opposition to His rules for righteous conduct. A blessed man refuses to associate with such people. To stand among them is to make a conscious decision to consider their godless behavior as not only acceptable but worthy of imitation.

The scornful refers to the arrogant and prideful who refuse to view their behavior through the lens of God’s righteousness. Rather than exhibiting shame for their actions, they mock their detractors and boast about their spiritual superiority.

The author seems to be addressing the issue of guilt by association. Godly people choose to surround themselves with people who share their values and encourage God-honoring behavior. It is no small matter that the author emphasizes “delight in the law of the LORD” (Psalm 1:2 NLT). This isn’t about rule-keeping or forcing oneself to obey a set of onerous and unpleasant regulations. It’s about delight (ḥēp̄eṣ) – a pleasurable and pleasing determination to do what God prefers rather than obeying the desires of the flesh. 

Godly people choose to be godly because they know it results in blessedness. It is preferable because it is profitable. It not only brings joy to God, but it results in blessings on all those who choose to live in obedience to His will. The psalmist described the benefits of such a life.

They are like trees planted along the riverbank,
    bearing fruit each season.
Their leaves never wither,
    and they prosper in all they do. – Psalm 1:3 NLT

The prophet Jeremiah picked up on this idea.

“But blessed are those who trust in the Lord
    and have made the Lord their hope and confidence.
They are like trees planted along a riverbank,
    with roots that reach deep into the water.
Such trees are not bothered by the heat
    or worried by long months of drought.
Their leaves stay green,
    and they never stop producing fruit.” – Jeremiah 17:7-8 NLT

The fruitfulness is not a reward for good behavior; it is the outcome of a of a deeply rooted, God-centered lifestyle. His emphasis is not on the actions done but on the fruit produced, which only God can make happen. Jesus taught this concept when He said, “I am the vine and you are the branches. The one who remains in Me, and I in him, will bear much fruit. For apart from Me you can do nothing” (John 15:5 BSB). Fruitfulness is the byproduct of faithfulness, not hard work.

But the psalmist uses the wicked as a counterpoint. Their lifestyle produces nothing of lasting value. Their “fruit” is worthless and of no benefit to anyone. He compares them to “worthless chaff” (Psalm 1:4 NLT). Chaff was the part of the grain that was separated during the threshing process and discarded because of its non-nutritive value. The apostle Paul described these fruits as “the works of the flesh” and he goes on to describe them in graphic detail.

When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures,  idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. – Galatians 5:19-21 NLT

It’s not that the godless are fruitless, but that their fruit is devoid of quality and value. It is damaging rather than life-giving. It kills rather than fills. It tears down but can’t build up. The path of the godless is a lteral dead-end that results in judgment and condemnation.

They will be condemned at the time of judgment.
    Sinners will have no place among the godly. – Psalm 1:5 NLT

The Psalms could not have started in a more in-your-face, attention-getting manner. From the very beginning, this collection of worship songs established the stark contrast between two lifestyles that result in two distinctly different outcomes. The way of the wicked results in judgment and not just death, but eternal separation from God the Father and those who chose the path of righteousness.  The psalmist couldn’t have made the contrast any more vivid and threatening.

For the Lord watches over the path of the godly,
    but the path of the wicked leads to destruction. – Psalm 1:6 NLT

Those who choose the narrow path of righteousness will one day reap a reward; not for their behavior but for their faithfulness to trust God’s will and obey His Word. But those who choose the broader and more appealing path of personal gain and unbridled pleasure will find themselves headed to a dark and deadly destination.

There are only two paths to choose in this life. One leads to eternal life and the other to death and destruction. Once again, the apostle Paul preached the reality of this two-path choice that every person faces in this life.

For I have told you often before, and I say it again with tears in my eyes, that there are many whose conduct shows they are really enemies of the cross of Christ. They are headed for destruction. Their god is their appetite, they brag about shameful things, and they think only about this life here on earth. But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for him to return as our Savior. He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like his own, using the same power with which he will bring everything under his control. – Philippians 3:18-21 NLT

But Paul was not alone in his assessment of the two paths. The apostle Peter concurred and painted a rather dark picture of those who claimed to be Christ followers but who were misleading the faithful with their pious-sounding lies and lives that produced death rather than life.

These false teachers are like unthinking animals, creatures of instinct, born to be caught and destroyed. They scoff at things they do not understand, and like animals, they will be destroyed. Their destruction is their reward for the harm they have done. They love to indulge in evil pleasures in broad daylight. They are a disgrace and a stain among you. They delight in deception even as they eat with you in your fellowship meals. They commit adultery with their eyes, and their desire for sin is never satisfied. They lure unstable people into sin, and they are well trained in greed. They live under God’s curse. They have wandered off the right road and followed the footsteps of Balaam son of Beor, who loved to earn money by doing wrong. – 2 Peter 2:12-15 NLT

The Proverbs speak to this matter of paths and choices, and warns that the decision one makes has eternal ramifications. So choose carefully and wisely.

The house of the wicked will be destroyed,
    but the tent of the godly will flourish.

There is a path before each person that seems right,
    but it ends in death. – Proverbs 14:11-12 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Strong to the Finish

7 Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. 8 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, 9 and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here.

10 Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, and Mark the cousin of Barnabas (concerning whom you have received instructions—if he comes to you, welcome him), 11 and Jesus who is called Justus. These are the only men of the circumcision among my fellow workers for the kingdom of God, and they have been a comfort to me. 12 Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ Jesus, greets you, always struggling on your behalf in his prayers, that you may stand mature and fully assured in all the will of God. 13 For I bear him witness that he has worked hard for you and for those in Laodicea and in Hierapolis. 14 Luke the beloved physician greets you, as does Demas. 15 Give my greetings to the brothers at Laodicea, and to Nympha and the church in her house. 16 And when this letter has been read among you, have it also read in the church of the Laodiceans; and see that you also read the letter from Laodicea. 17 And say to Archippus, “See that you fulfill the ministry that you have received in the Lord.”

18 I, Paul, write this greeting with my own hand. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. – Colossians 4:7-18 ESV

As Paul prepares to wrap up his letter to the Colossian church, he mentions the names of eight men: Tychicus, Onesimus, Aristarchus, Jesus (Justus), Epaphras, Luke, Demas, and Archippus. Each had played a vital role in Paul’s life and ministry. Two of them, Tychicus and Onesimus, were chosen by Paul to deliver the letter once he had completed it. The first mention of Tychicus in the Scriptures is found in Acts 20, where Luke records his name, as well as that of Aristarchus, among those who accompanied Paul as he left Greece and made his way to Syria.

…he [Paul] decided to return through Macedonia. Sopater the Berean, son of Pyrrhus, accompanied him; and of the Thessalonians, Aristarchus and Secundus; and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy; and the Asians, Tychicus and Trophimus. These went on ahead and were waiting for us at Troas, but we sailed away from Philippi after the days of Unleavened Bread, and in five days we came to them at Troas, where we stayed for seven days. – Acts 20:3-6 ESV

Tychicus, like the rest of these men, had become a disciple of Paul and had aided him in his ministry. In his letter to the Ephesians, Paul refers to Tychicus as his “beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord” (Ephesians 6:21 ESV). Paul had instructed Tychicus to deliver his letter to the Ephesian believers and bring them up to speed on his current situation (Ephesians 6:22). Paul had entrusted Tychicus with the same responsibility regarding the congregation in Colossae.

Tychicus will tell you all about my activities. He is a beloved brother and faithful minister and fellow servant in the Lord. I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are and that he may encourage your hearts, and with him Onesimus, our faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will tell you of everything that has taken place here. – Colossians 4:7-9 ESV

He was accompanied by Onesimus, another disciple of Paul who, at one time, had been a runaway slave. Paul had befriended Onesimus in Rome, where Paul was imprisoned. The young man was hiding from his former master, Philemon. While it is unclear how Paul and Onesimus met, we know that Paul had the privilege of leading Onesimus to Christ. After discipling his young friend for a period of time, he determined to send Onesimus back to his master. What makes this situation rather strange is that Paul knew Onesimus’ master well. The church in Colossae met in Philemon’s home. Paul wrote a letter to Philemon, asking him to receive Onesimus back, not as a runaway slave, but as a brother in Christ.

I appeal to you to show kindness to my child, Onesimus. I became his father in the faith while here in prison. Onesimus hasn’t been of much use to you in the past, but now he is very useful to both of us. I am sending him back to you, and with him comes my own heart.

I wanted to keep him here with me while I am in these chains for preaching the Good News, and he would have helped me on your behalf. But I didn’t want to do anything without your consent. I wanted you to help because you were willing, not because you were forced. It seems you lost Onesimus for a little while so that you could have him back forever. He is no longer like a slave to you. He is more than a slave, for he is a beloved brother, especially to me. Now he will mean much more to you, both as a man and as a brother in the Lord. – Philemon 1:10-16 NLT

According to Colossian 4:9, Onesimus accompanied Tychicus back to Colossae. Tychicus was to deliver Onesimus and the letter from Paul to Philemon. We are not told how this reunion turned out, but it seems likely that Philemon heeded Paul’s advice and treated Onesimus as a “beloved brother” (Philemon 1:16).

Paul also mentions Aristarchus, a Greek who hailed from Thessalonica (Acts 20:4). Paul refers to Aristarchus as his “fellow prisoner” (Colossians 4:10), but it seems unlikely that Paul was inferring that Aristarchus was also under house arrest in Rome. Paul used the term “fellow prisoner” when referring to several of his co-workers in the ministry.

Greet Andronicus and Junia, my kinsmen and my fellow prisoners. They are well known to the apostles, and they were in Christ before me. – Romans 16:7 ESV

Epaphras, my fellow prisoner in Christ Jesus, sends greetings to you, and so do Mark, Aristarchus, Demas, and Luke, my fellow workers. – Philemon 1:23-24 ESV

Paul likely used this term to refer to their shared captivity to the will of God and their constant presence with him during his house arrest. Paul opened up his letter to Philemon by describing himself as “a prisoner for Christ Jesus” (Philemon 1:1 ESV). He used the exact phrase when writing to the church in Ephesus, another Gentile community.

I, Paul, a prisoner of Christ Jesus on behalf of you Gentiles—assuming that you have heard of the stewardship of God’s grace that was given to me for you… – Ephesians 3:1-2 ESV

Paul didn’t consider himself a prisoner of the Roman government but of Jesus Christ. He was where he was because he had faithfully fulfilled Christ's will, and he viewed these other men as fellow captives who shared his commitment to carrying the good news of Jesus Christ to the Gentiles.

In a sense, Paul was name-dropping, providing his readers with a list of individuals they knew well and whose reputations would further enhance and support the content of his letter. The believers in Colossae had never met Paul face to face. They were familiar with his name and had likely heard about his miraculous salvation story and prolific ministry, but he was a stranger to them. Paul used the names of these men to assure the Colossians that his words could be trusted. Over time, the various churches heard about Paul's travels and the assistance he received from various individuals, including John Mark and his cousin Barnabas. That is why Paul mentions their names. John Mark had accompanied Paul on his first missionary journey and Barnabas had been a part of the church since its earliest days in Jerusalem. Luke mentions his name in Acts 4.

Thus Joseph, who was also called by the apostles Barnabas (which means son of encouragement), a Levite, a native of Cyprus, sold a field that belonged to him and brought the money and laid it at the apostles’ feet. – Acts 4:36-37 ESV

Jesus Justus was one of several Jewish Christians (“men of the circumcision”) who made up Paul’s ethnically diverse ministerial team. When Paul wrote, “In this new life, it doesn’t matter if you are a Jew or a Gentile, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbaric, uncivilized, slave, or free” (Colossians 3:11 NLT), he meant it. The apostle to the Gentiles practiced what he preached, surrounding himself with men and women from every walk of life and ethnic background. They all shared a common faith in Christ..

Christ is all that matters, and he lives in all of us. – Colossians 3:11 NLT

Epaphras, a citizen of Colossae, had played a significant role in the church's founding (Colossians 1:7), but he had left his hometown to minister alongside Paul. It seems that Paul had a small contingent of co-workers who accompanied him to Rome and remained by his side while he was under house arrest and awaiting trial. This included Luke, the author of the gospel that bears his name. Luke also wrote the Book of Acts and served as Paul’s “beloved physician” (Colossians 4:14 ESV). This faithful friend remained by the apostle’s side throughout his confinement in Rome. Demas was also at Paul’s side in Rome, but as Paul records in his second letter to Timothy, Demas later allowed his love for the world to replace his commitment to Paul and the gospel ministry.

Demas, in love with this present world, has deserted me and gone to Thessalonica. – 2 Timothy 4:10 ESV

Paul closes out his letter by asking it be shared with the church in Laodicea. Evidently, there was a letter he wrote to the Laodicean congregation that he wished to be read by the Colossians as well. All of these congregations were near one another, and the letters Paul wrote to them were intended to be circulated among them. The messages they contained were universal and applicable in every one of the communities where local congregations were attempting to live out their faith in hostile surroundings.  Remaining faithful in a fallen and often antagonistic world was difficult, and nobody knew that better than Paul. That is why he closed out his letter by calling his children in the faith to “Remember my chains” (Colossians 4:18 ESV). He wanted them to know he had been imprisoned because of the gospel. His own experience with suffering gave him a unique capacity to understand what the Colossians were experiencing. He was not oblivious to their situation but was well acquainted with the trials often accompanying Christian life. He rejoiced that God had deemed him worthy of the privilege of suffering as Christ had suffered – on behalf of His body, the church.

I am glad when I suffer for you in my body, for I am participating in the sufferings of Christ that continue for his body, the church. – Colossians 1:24 NLT

For Paul, the walk of faith was challenging but well worth the effort. He knew the Colossian believers were suffering persecution and wrestling with doubts because of the influence of false teachers. But he wanted them to remain firm in their faith and committed to the cause of Christ. Paul played the long game, concentrating on the promise of Christ's return and the assurance of eternal life as the final reward.

I press on to possess that perfection for which Christ Jesus first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Christ Jesus, is calling us. – Philippians 3:12-14 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

A New Way of Living

5 Put to death therefore what is earthly in you: sexual immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and covetousness, which is idolatry. 6 On account of these the wrath of God is coming. 7 In these you too once walked, when you were living in them. 8 But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene talk from your mouth. 9 Do not lie to one another, seeing that you have put off the old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator. 11 Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. – Colossians 3:5-11 ESV

How were the believers in Colossae supposed to set their minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth? Was Paul suggesting they be so heavenly-minded that they were no earthly good? Paul has just challenged them to adopt a Christ-focused perspective that highlights the eternal aspect of their relationship with Him. Christ is seated at the right hand of His Father in heaven, and one day He will return. His presence at His Father’s side demonstrates that He successfully completed the initial phase of His earthly mission. The apostle Peter addressed the significance of Jesus’ resurrection and exaltation when he delivered his first sermon to the crowds at Pentecost.

“God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us…” – Acts 2:32-33 NLT

Jesus’ death was efficacious. It accomplished the will of His heavenly Father and required no supplemental aids or add-ons to increase its effectiveness. Paul assured the believers in Rome that because Jesus died and rose again, they were assured of eternal life with Him.

We are sure of this because Christ was raised from the dead, and he will never die again. Death no longer has any power over him. When he died, he died once to break the power of sin. But now that he lives, he lives for the glory of God. So you also should consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus. – Romans 6:9-11 NLT

Paul picks up the same theme with the believers in Colossae. He wants them to live according to their new status as spiritually transformed and fully adopted children of God. Jesus didn’t die so that they might have their best life now but so that they might enjoy glorified life forever. However, Paul knew this future-focused mindset was challenging to maintain while living in the present. That’s why he provides them with practical guidance for navigating life in a fallen world. He is expanding the theme he began back in chapter two.

Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith… – Colossians 2:6-7 ESV

For Paul, it was always about faith. He firmly believed and persistently taught that faith was the key to our salvation and sanctification, and Jesus Christ is to be the sole focus of that faith. It is through Christ that we have access to the Father, and it is because of Christ that we have the assurance of eternal life. As Paul stated to the believers in Rome, the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit was made possible because of Christ’s resurrection. Look closely at what Paul told the Roman believers: “Consider yourselves to be dead to the power of sin and alive to God through Christ Jesus” (Romans 6:11 NLT).

Their union with Christ gave them unprecedented power to live godly lives – even in the ungodly environment of Rome. The same thing was true for the Colossian Christians. Paul has already told them, “You have died with Christ, and he has set you free from the spiritual powers of this world. So why do you keep on following the rules of the world…” (Colossians 2:20 NLT).

Paul constantly admonished believers for their tendency to regress in their faith. They seemed to have no problem believing that Jesus could save them, but they had difficulty trusting that He could keep them saved and help them grow in godliness. So, they kept reverting to their old lifestyles based on human effort and self-righteousness.

So now that you know God (or should I say, now that God knows you), why do you want to go back again and become slaves once more to the weak and useless spiritual principles of this world? – Galatians 4:9 NLT

Paul was calling for complete separation from and dependence upon the things of this world. If Jesus was to be the believer’s sole source of salvation and sustenance, why were they continually turning to the world for satisfaction, fulfillment, significance, and hope? Their actions directly conflicted with their calling and expressed commitment to Jesus Christ. Their behavior did not accurately reflect their belief in a transformed life. That is why Paul demands they do an about-face, turning their backs on their former way of life and seeking things above.

So put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within you. Have nothing to do with sexual immorality, impurity, lust, and evil desires. Don’t be greedy, for a greedy person is an idolater, worshiping the things of this world. – Colossians 3:5 NLT

Paul was well aware that his flock in Colossae was struggling with the ongoing presence of their sinful natures. Paul was not exempt from this internal battle between godliness and wickedness. In his letter to the Romans, he divulged his own struggle with indwelling sin.

I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. I love God’s law with all my heart. But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? – Romans 7:21-24 NLT

But Paul answered his own pleading question, joyfully declaring, “Thank God! The answer is in Jesus Christ our Lord” (Romans 7:25 NLT). The solution to the problem of indwelling sin is Jesus. Because of Jesus, we have been given the gift of the Holy Spirit, who empowers us to say no to sin and yes to God. His divine presence provides us with all we need to put to death the sinful, earthly things lurking within us. Peter put it this way: “By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence” (2 Peter 1:3 NLT).

Peter was addressing the power and presence of the indwelling Holy Spirit. Godly living wasn’t a matter of self-control, hard work, and a commitment to keeping a list of rules and religious rituals. Self-effort can only produce self-righteousness. But the kind of righteousness God demands can only be produced by the Spirit of God. That is why Paul told the Galatian church, “So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves” (Galatians 5:16 NLT). He went on to say, “Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there” (Galatians 5:24 NLT).

Because of their relationship with Christ, their former sinful habits had been nailed to the cross with Him. But every believer knows how easy it is to breathe life into those old, dead habits and “resurrect” them again. So, Paul demands that they “put to death” those things. But how? Is he suggesting that this is an ongoing, daily action? Is it the fate of every Christian to live their entire earthly existence in a daily struggle to put sin to death? The answer is found in the grammar of Paul’s statement. When he states, “put to death,” he uses the Aorist Active Imperative (AAM) tense. The action described by the verb indicates that it is a past event. In other words, it has already taken place. Paul is stating that our old sinful habits have already been put to death – on the cross. So, we must constantly return them to their rightful place: the cross. Our present action is based on a past reality.

The action Paul commands is a natural byproduct of belief. If we truly believe that Jesus “canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross” (Colossians 2:14 NLT), then we should confidently return those sinful habits right where they belong: to the cross. They are dead to us. They no longer possess power over us. Paul is reminding the Colossians that their new life in Christ is meant to reflect a new way of living.

You used to do these things when your life was still part of this world. But now is the time to get rid of anger, rage, malicious behavior, slander, and dirty language. – Colossians 3:7-8 NLT

They had been cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. They were now clothed in His righteousness. Yet, metaphorically,  they were constantly going back to the closet of sin and picking out old, soiled garments to wear. That’s why Paul reminds them that they had already “put off the old self with its practices” (Colossians 3:9 ESV) and “put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge after the image of its creator” (Colossians 3:10 ESV). It was a past action that required constant repeating in the present. But they were guilty of putting on the old self. In a sense, they were reaching into the closet of their past life and selecting one of their old, comfortably fitting sins to wear out in public. 

In this passage, Paul describes the ongoing nature of sanctification or spiritual growth. The Christian life is not meant to be static or stagnant. Once saved, always saved doesn’t mean that there is no ongoing transformation in the believer’s life. Peter indicates believers are to “grow into a full experience of salvation” (1 Peter 2:2 NLT). Paul told the Ephesians that they were to grow “in every way more and more like Christ” (Ephesians 4:15 NLT).

Growth in Christlikeness is non-optional for the believer, but it is not a matter of hard work and determination. One of the primary roles of the Holy Spirit is to assist Christians in their knowledge of Christ and their ongoing transformation into His likeness. This transformation is for all believers, regardless of their ethnic or cultural background. Each is to individually experience the Spirit’s transformative power so that, together, we might reflect that nature of Christ and bring glory to God the Father.

…you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What’s more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. – 1 Peter 2:5 NLT

Jesus made our salvation possible and ensured our ongoing sanctification. Our transformation into His likeness is a supernatural work of God that requires our participation but not our power. We must willingly cooperate with the Spirit by submitting to His will and obeying His promptings. We put off the old in His power, not our own. We live to righteousness in His strength, not our own. Our ongoing renewal and reformation is His work, not ours.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Knowing and Doing God’s Will

9 And so, from the day we heard, we have not ceased to pray for you, asking that you may be filled with the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding, 10 so as to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God; 11 being strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might, for all endurance and patience with joy; 12 giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in light. 13 He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son, 14 in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. – Colossians 1:9-14 ESV

Upon hearing of the Colossians’ ongoing display of faith, hope, and love, Paul let them know that his prayers had been answered. He states that he and Timothy had regularly and zealously prayed that God would fill them with “the knowledge of his will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding” (Colossians 1:9 ESV).

The prayers of Paul, many of which are recorded in his letters, reveal a shepherd’s heart for his dispersed and ever-increasing flock. These prayers provide a rare glimpse into the great 1st-century apostle’s approach to ministry and discipleship. Paul was a dedicated missionary and church planter with a passion for the gospel and a love for people that revealed itself in how he prayed for them. While it’s likely that he received many personal prayer requests from Christians he met along the way during his many journeys, his recorded prayers are more universal in nature and deal with the spiritual needs of the congregations to which he wrote. There is little doubt that he faithfully lifted up to the Lord the personal requests of individual believers, but his real passion for people extended beyond the surface needs and desires they may have expressed. While he took their physical needs seriously and cared deeply about their health and well-being, his deep-seated concern was for their spiritual lives and relationship with God.

In the opening lines of his letter to the believers in Colossae, Paul encourages them by informing them that they have been in his prayers – constantly. He tells them that he and Timothy have not ceased to pray for them. What a blessing it is to hear that someone has been praying for you. What an encouragement to know that someone cares enough about you to lift you up before the throne of God. Paul even reveals to them the content of his prayers. This is where it gets interesting and revealing.

He states that his request to God was for them to know the Father’s will. Paul uses the Greek word proseuchomai, which carries much more force behind it than our English word for prayer. It means “to pray earnestly for” and reflects Paul’s strong desire for God to reveal His will to the believers in Colossae. In a real sense, Paul is begging God to make His will known. Not only that, he asks God to fill them with that knowledge.

Once again, the original Greek language is much richer and more forceful in its meaning. When Paul asks God to fill them, he means “to fill to the top: so that nothing shall be wanting to full measure, to fill to the brim.” In other words, he is asking God to fill them so fully that there isn’t room for anything else – including their own wills. For the believer, knowing the will of God is essential. It is what directs our actions and influences our attitudes. It is what gives us direction in our lives. As we live in this world, we are constantly influenced by our own sinful nature and the world around us. We face the relentless temptation to control our lives and live according to our own will.

Paul warned the believers in Rome, “Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect” (Romans 12:2 NLT). So, there is a sense in which we have to turn our attention from the things of this world and concentrate on God’s will as revealed in His Word. God is out to transform us by influencing our thinking and altering our behavior – from the inside out.

But Paul goes on to qualify his request. He says that he is asking that they be filled with a knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding. This indicates that God’s will must be spiritually discerned because it is not of this world. In fact, the wisdom of God will often, if not always, stand in conflict with the ways of this world. It will appear illogical and make no sense from a human perspective. To know God’s will requires spiritual wisdom and understanding, which can only be provided with the Holy Spirit’s help. Paul told the believers in Corinth, “The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14 ESV). Then he reminded them, “But we have the mind of Christ” (1 Corinthians 2:16 ESV). We have the mind of Christ because we have the Spirit of Christ living within us. We are spiritual creatures with a God-given capacity to understand and know His will. Paul prayed that his brothers and sisters in Christ would overflow with that knowledge.

However, for Paul, being aware of and filled with the knowledge of God was not enough. Knowing the will of God is useless if it is not put into action. That is why Paul states that his prayers for them had an objective. He wanted them “to walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to him: bearing fruit in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Colossians 1:10 ESV). Knowledge of God’s will is useless if not obeyed. The idea of being filled to overflowing conveys the image of the contents of a cup spilling out and onto its surroundings. Knowing His will should produce a desire to live it out in daily life, impacting all with whom we come in contact.

While the Greek word peripateō can be translated as “walk,” it can also convey the idea of conducting one’s life. When Paul states that he wants the Colossians to “walk in a manner worthy of the Lord,” he expresses his prayerful desire that they live their daily lives in submission to and in keeping with God’s will. Doing so will please the Father, produce a life of spiritual fruitfulness, and result in an even greater awareness of His will. Paul wanted them to know that, as they expended energy doing God’s will, they would tap into an inexhaustible power supply based on His “glorious might” (Colossians 1:11 ESV). Rather than growing weak or weary, they would find themselves with an overabundance of endurance and patience even amid the trials of life. God would supply them with strength for the task, causing them to respond with joyful thanksgiving. 

Paul desperately desired that the Colossian believers understand the magnitude of the gift they received when they placed their faith in Jesus. Something truly remarkable occurred when they accepted the free gift of salvation through faith alone in Christ alone. They were immediately “delivered…from the domain of darkness and transferred…to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13 ESV). As a result, they shared in the inheritance of the saints in light. They had a permanent place reserved for them in God’s eternal kingdom. The apostle Peter expressed it this way:

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see. – 1 Peter 1:3-5 NLT

The author of Hebrews also wrote of this inheritance of the saints. In his great “Hall of Faith,” he mentions such Old Testament luminaries as Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, and Sarah and describes how they were distinguished by their faith in God.

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Obviously people who say such things are looking forward to a country they can call their own. If they had longed for the country they came from, they could have gone back. But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. – Hebrews 11:13-16 NLT

When Paul tells the Colossians that God has “delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son” (Colossians 1:13 ESV), he lets them know that they are as good as there. God's promises are so sure and certain that the Colossians can live in perfect peace in the here and now because God has guaranteed their hereafter. They were already citizens of that eternal kingdom, even while living here on earth.

Paul lets them know that this kingdom to come belongs to Jesus Christ, the one who made possible their redemption and forgiveness from sin. Jesus was not only their Savior but their King who would one day come to rule on earth. With His return, their redemption and justification will result in their glorification. Paul’s ongoing prayer for them was that they might continue to grow in their knowledge of the full scope of God’s grand redemptive plan for them. They needed to know that God’s will extended far beyond their next earthly need or personal desire. According to Paul, God’s will was their sanctification and ultimate glorification (1 Thessalonians 4:3).

Paul's prayer provides a great example of how we should pray for one another. There is nothing wrong with praying for someone’s physical healing, the restoration of their marriage, the provision of their financial need, or any other concern they may have. But it is far more important to desire their understanding of God’s will for them. One of the problems believers face is understanding what we’re supposed to do in life. We must know how to use our time, talents, and resources. We need to discern what God is trying to teach us through the trials and troubles we face in life. How would God have us respond to the situations and circumstances in which we find ourselves? It is not difficult to discern our will. That comes easy. But knowing the will of God takes intention and requires that we listen to the Spirit of God and patiently wait to hear God speak. There is no more impactful prayer we could pray for a friend or family member than that God would fill them with a knowledge of His will – his good, pleasing, and perfect will.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Let Your Light Shine

14 “You are the light of the world. A city set on a hill cannot be hidden. 15 Nor do people light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on a stand, and it gives light to all in the house. 16 In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.” – Matthew 5:15-16 ESV

Some of Jesus’ first commands were given during His Sermon on the Mount in the early days of His earthly ministry. In His sermon, Jesus addressed a large crowd of Jews, including His disciples. His message was meant to shock and surprise His Hebrew audience, as He frequently referenced the Mosaic Law and demanded a form of righteousness that excelled that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20). His words were difficult to understand and impossible to apply. His commands to exhibit a superior brand of righteousness were inconceivable to people who already found adherence to the 613 ordinances in the Mosaic Law an unachievable standard to keep. 

The Israelites in His audience knew they were the chosen people of God. In fact, they took great pride in their status as His set-apart people. Over the centuries, He had repeatedly pointed out the unique privilege they enjoyed as His covenant people.

“I am the Lord; I have called you in righteousness;
    I will take you by the hand and keep you;
I will give you as a covenant for the people,
    a light for the nations,
   to open the eyes that are blind,
to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon,
    from the prison those who sit in darkness.” – Isaiah 42:6-7 ESV

“It is too light a thing that you should be my servant
    to raise up the tribes of Jacob
    and to bring back the preserved of Israel;
I will make you as a light for the nations,
    that my salvation may reach to the end of the earth.” – Isaiah 49:6 ESV

Arise, shine, for your light has come,
    and the glory of the Lord has risen upon you.
For behold, darkness shall cover the earth,
    and thick darkness the peoples;
but the Lord will arise upon you,
    and his glory will be seen upon you.
And nations shall come to your light,
    and kings to the brightness of your rising. – Isaiah 60:1-3 ESV

The Jews, God’s chosen people in the Old Testament, were to have been an example to the rest of the nations. They were to act as lights to the blind and to provide freedom to those living in captivity to sin. But they failed. Instead, they chose to live like the nations around them. Rather than influencing the world, they became infected by it. Instead of modeling godliness, they mirrored worldliness.

Those who gathered to listen to Jesus’ words were primarily from the working class. They were peasants, farmers, shepherds, craftsmen, fishermen, homemakers, and widows. They were looked down on by their own religious leaders, who viewed them as irreligious law-breakers whose unrighteous behavior forestalled the Messiah’s coming. Yet, Jesus demanded more from them, not less. He reminded them of their status as God-ordained world influencers. Jesus didn’t say, “You should be the light of the world;” He said “You are!” (Matthew 5:14 ESV). But their radiance had dimmed because of their inability to live up to God’s exacting standards. Rather than demonstrating faith and obedience through their adherence to the Law, they treated God’s sacrificial system as a kind of get-out-of-jail-free card. They knew if they sinned, they could get forgiveness. But to make matters worse, the nation of Israel had a track record of apostasy and spiritual adultery that God found unforgivable.

“Has any nation ever traded its gods for new ones,
    even though they are not gods at all?
Yet my people have exchanged their glorious God
    for worthless idols!
The heavens are shocked at such a thing
    and shrink back in horror and dismay,”
    says the Lord.  – Jeremiah 2:11-12 NLT

So, when Jesus commanded them to let their lights shine, He knew was dropping a truth bomb on His unsuspecting audience that they would both convict and confuse them. He was demanding that they come out of their period of prolonged darkness and shine as lights in a sin-cloaked world. But He knew His words would be impossible to keep without divine help. They would be no more successful at keeping this command than they had been at obeying the 613 regulations found in the Mosaic Law.

The key to keeping all the commands found in the Sermon on the Mount would be the death and resurrection of Jesus. Only by belief in His substitutionary death on the cross and His miraculous restoration to life would they be able to “shine out for all to see” (Matthew 5:16 NLT). It would be His incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection that provided the means for the Jews in His audience to become the lights they were meant to be.

The apostle John, who had a front-row seat to the Sermon on the Mount, later wrote, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it” (John 1:1-5 ESV).

Jesus was the light and He came to illuminate the darkness that pervaded the hearts of men, including the chosen people of God. But John goes on to say, “He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him” (John 1:12 ESV). Many of those who heard His message that day would refuse to believe His words or accept His offer of salvation through faith in Him alone. They would continue to try to earn God’s favor through rule-keeping and sacrifice. Yet, John points out that the alternative Jesus offered was far more preferable and profitable. 

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God. – John 1:12 ESV

The command to be lights shining in the darkness applies to all those who have placed their faith in Christ. Light penetrates and permeates. Light illuminates and eliminates the darkness. Just as physical light has a transformative nature, so does the Light of the world. Jesus said, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life” (John 8:12 ESV).

Those who have placed their faith in Jesus Christ have had the darkness of their lives penetrated by the Light. They have been given the Spirit of God, resident within them, to enlighten and empower them to live in such a way that their lives make a difference. But to have an illuminating impact on the world requires that the Light have its full influence. The apostle John wrote: “The darkness is disappearing, and the true light is already shining” (1 John 2:8 NLT). This is a statement of fact. The Light of Christ shines in the lives of those who call themselves His disciples, and they have the responsibility and capability to illuminate and eliminate the darkness that pervades the world.

As light increases and spreads, darkness diminishes and fades. Yet, it would be easy to look at the world and conclude that the darkness is winning. Evil appears to be increasing. But could the problem be that we, as children of light, have allowed the darkness to overtake the light in our own lives? Are our lamps too feeble? Is our faith too small? Is our light too weak to penetrate the darkness around us? 

Paul gives us words of encouragement. “The night has advanced toward dawn; the day is near. So then we must lay aside the works of darkness, and put on the weapons of light” (Romans 13:12 ESV). We must live with the realization that the light wins. The darkness loses. There is a movement of God going on that is transforming the world from darkness to light. We may not be able to see it. We may not feel it. But as soon as Jesus entered the world, the light of God penetrated the darkness and began to spread. We have a responsibility to make the light of Christ our highest priority. To do so, we must refuse to love the darkness more than the light. We must choose to live as children of the light, fanning the flame of faith through regular time in the Word, fellowship with other believers, and a reliance upon the Spirit of God for strength, wisdom, and exposure of any darkness that remains in our lives. The darkness in our lives should be diminishing with each passing day. The light – the righteousness and holiness of God – should be increasing.

Everywhere we go, our lives should provide light in the darkness. Our actions should be proof of the transforming power of God made available through Jesus Christ. When Jesus commissioned Paul to take His offer of salvation to the Gentiles, He said, “I am sending you to open their eyes so that they turn  from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, so that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me. (Acts 26:17-18 ESV).

So, not only is the light in our lives to be increasing, slowly and steadily eliminating the last vestiges of darkness; but it is to be emanating from us into the darkness surrounding us.

For God, who said, “Let light shine out of darkness,” has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. But we have this treasure in jars of clay, to show that the surpassing power belongs to God and not to us. – 2 Corinthians 4:6-7 ESV

We have the light of God within us, and that light should be increasing in intensity and influence. It should be shining through all the cracks and flaws in our lives, revealing the power of God at work within us. When people look at us, they will still see clay jars; flawed, cracked, and seemingly without value. But they should also see God’s light shining through us and out of us to all those around us.

We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. – 2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT

We are simply receptacles of His glory. We are the conduits of His life-changing, darkness-diminishing light. As the children’s song says, “This little light of mine, I’m gonna let it shine! Let it shine, let it shine, let it shine!” But we must never forget that our ability to illuminate others and eliminate darkness is not self-produced, but a by-product of walking in the light. So, let your light (the Light of Christ) shine.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Our Faithful God

1 And the word of the LORD of hosts came, saying, 2 “Thus says the LORD of hosts: I am jealous for Zion with great jealousy, and I am jealous for her with great wrath. 3 Thus says the LORD: I have returned to Zion and will dwell in the midst of Jerusalem, and Jerusalem shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain. 4 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Old men and old women shall again sit in the streets of Jerusalem, each with staff in hand because of great age. 5 And the streets of the city shall be full of boys and girls playing in its streets. 6 Thus says the Lord of hosts: If it is marvelous in the sight of the remnant of this people in those days, should it also be marvelous in my sight, declares the LORD of hosts? 7 Thus says the LORD of hosts: Behold, I will save my people from the east country and from the west country, 8 and I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.”

9 Thus says the they shall be my people, and I will be their God of hosts: “Let your hands be strong, you who in these days have been hearing these words from the mouth of the prophets who were present on the day that the foundation of the house of the LORD of hosts was laid, that the temple might be built. 10 For before those days there was no wage for man or any wage for beast, neither was there any safety from the foe for him who went out or came in, for I set every man against his neighbor. 11 But now I will not deal with the remnant of this people as in the former days, declares the LORD of hosts. 12 For there shall be a sowing of peace. The vine shall give its fruit, and the ground shall give its produce, and the heavens shall give their dew. And I will cause the remnant of this people to possess all these things. 13 And as you have been a byword of cursing among the nations, O house of Judah and house of Israel, so will I save you, and you shall be a blessing. Fear not, but let your hands be strong.”

14 For thus says the LORD of hosts: “As I purposed to bring disaster to you when your fathers provoked me to wrath, and I did not relent, says the LORD of hosts, 15 so again have I purposed in these days to bring good to Jerusalem and to the house of Judah; fear not. 16 These are the things that you shall do: Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; 17 do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the LORD.” – Zechariah 8:1-17 NLT

Yahweh continues to provide Zechariah with words of encouragement to deliver to the people of Judah. Their work on the Temple was not yet complete and they must diligently carry out His command to rebuild His house, restore the city of Jerusalem, and rekindle their covenant commitments to Him. Yahweh wasn’t interested in religious ritualism and heartless adherence to a set of rules. He wanted them to live holy lives that reflected their status as His set-apart people. When Moses delivered them out of captivity in Egypt and led them through the wilderness to the promised land, God made the following promise to the people of Israel.

“…if you will indeed obey my voice and keep my covenant, you shall be my treasured possession among all peoples, for all the earth is mine; and you shall be to me a kingdom of priests and a holy nation.” – Exodus 19:5-6 ESV

As His treasured possession, the people of Israel were expected to carry themselves in a way that set them apart from all the other nations on earth. But rather than stand out, they had chosen to blend in, mirroring the attitudes and actions of their pagan neighbors. It was their propensity for godless behavior that led to their eventual fall to the Babylonians and their seven decades of exile in a foreign land. But Yahweh had graciously restored them and given them a second chance to make a good first impression.

In the last chapter, Zechariah was given a non-negotiable mandate from the LORD that clearly articulated His expectations regarding their behavior.

“Render true judgments, show kindness and mercy to one another, do not oppress the widow, the fatherless, the sojourner, or the poor, and let none of you devise evil against another in your heart.” – Zechariah 7:9-10 ESV

And Yahweh reiterates these words in His latest message to Zechariah.

“Speak the truth to one another; render in your gates judgments that are true and make for peace; do not devise evil in your hearts against one another, and love no false oath, for all these things I hate, declares the Lord.” – Zechariah 8:16-17 ESV

But sandwiched in-between these two passages is a powerful statement regarding what God intends to do for His chosen people. He will not be sitting idly by as His people build the Temple and work on their interpersonal relationships. Yahweh wants them to know that He too will be busy as He carries out His divine plan for their future. He declares His unwavering love for the city that bears His name.

“My love for Mount Zion is passionate and strong; I am consumed with passion for Jerusalem!” – Zechariah 8:2 NLT

He declares His intentions to once again dwell among His people and bless them with His presence. He informs them that the former glory of Jerusalem will be restored and it “shall be called the faithful city, and the mountain of the LORD of hosts, the holy mountain” (Zechariah 8:3 ESV). Then He adds some color commentary to describe what this renewal and revitalization of Jerusalem will look like.

“Once again old men and women will walk Jerusalem’s streets with their canes and will sit together in the city squares. And the streets of the city will be filled with boys and girls at play.” – Zechariah 8:4-5 NLT

When this message was delivered, few elderly people would have been living in Jerusalem. Their advanced age would have prevented them from making the arduous trip from Babylon to Judah. So, what God describes to Zechariah is a scene from Jerusalem’s future. This is a prophecy of good things to come. But knowing that this message would sound too good to be true to the rag-tag former exiles, Yahweh provides them with an important reminder of His omnipotence.

“All this may seem impossible to you now, a small remnant of God’s people. But is it impossible for me? says the Lord of Heaven’s Armies.” – Zechariah 8:6 NLT

They were having difficulty imagining a day when their work on the Temple would be complete, let alone a time when the old and young alike lived in peace and security within the walls of Jerusalem. They were surrounded by devastation and destruction. The stones of the walls still lay in heaps of rubble. The homes inside the city walls remained unrestored and unoccupied. Enemies surrounded them and constantly taunted them. The Persians still ruled over them. But Yahweh wanted them to know that He was not done. His work was not yet complete.

“You can be sure that I will rescue my people from the east and from the west. I will bring them home again to live safely in Jerusalem. They will be my people, and I will be faithful and just toward them as their God.” – Zechariah 8:7-8 NLT

Once again, Yahweh is speaking of the future and letting them know that His plans for them include blessings beyond their wildest imaginations that will take place long after the Temple is complete and their time on earth is up. So, they were to do their part and finish the assignment given to them by God.

“Be strong and finish the task! Ever since the laying of the foundation of the Temple of the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, you have heard what the prophets have been saying about completing the building.” – Zechariah 8:9 NLT

Haggai, Zechariah, and Ezra were just a few of the prophets God used to communicate His command to rebuild the Temple. But there had been constant delays and setbacks. Despite repeated calls to complete their mission, the people of Judah had been unsuccessful. So, Yahweh reiterates His demand that they complete what they started. He also reminds them that He had been faithful to improve their living conditions since they returned to the land.

“Before the work on the Temple began, there were no jobs and no money to hire people or animals. No traveler was safe from the enemy, for there were enemies on all sides. I had turned everyone against each other.” – Zechariah 8:10 NLT

Yahweh urges them to get on with the plan, stating, “Don’t be afraid. Be strong, and get on with rebuilding the Temple!” (Zechariah 8:13 NLT). But knowing that they require incentive, He provides them with a glimpse of the future that is meant to instill hope and remind them of His faithfulness.

“I am planting seeds of peace and prosperity among you. The grapevines will be heavy with fruit. The earth will produce its crops, and the heavens will release the dew. Once more I will cause the remnant in Judah and Israel to inherit these blessings.” – Zechariah 8:12 NLT

While Israel and Judah had become the symbols of divine wrath and judgment, Yahweh assures them that they will one day be “a symbol and a source of blessing” ( Zechariah 8:13 NLT). Their past actions had resulted in the outpouring of God’s judgment but He promises that His future treatment will be far different.

“…now I am determined to bless Jerusalem and the people of Judah. So don’t be afraid.” – Zechariah 8:15 NLT

The rebuilding of the Temple will just be the beginning. If they will faithfully do their part, God will fulfill all His promises to bless them as a nation. Verse 8 records an important part of God’s covenant promise to the people of Judah.

“I will bring them to dwell in the midst of Jerusalem. And they shall be my people, and I will be their God, in faithfulness and in righteousness.” – Zechariah 8:8 ESV

God is reiterating a promise that He has made for generations. He wants them to know that His goal for them has never changed, despite all their disobedience and unfaithfulness. He has always viewed them as His treasured possession and chosen people, and that has not changed. Over the centuries, God had repeatedly stated His commitment to be their God.

“I will certainly bring my people back again from all the countries where I will scatter them in my fury. I will bring them back to this very city and let them live in peace and safety. They will be my people, and I will be their God. And I will give them one heart and one purpose: to worship me forever, for their own good and for the good of all their descendants.” – Jeremiah 32:37-39 NLT

“When the people return to their homeland, they will remove every trace of their vile images and detestable idols. And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God.” – Ezekiel 11:18-20 NLT

“I will make a covenant of peace with them. It shall be an everlasting covenant with them. And I will set them in their land and multiply them, and will set my sanctuary in their midst forevermore. My dwelling place shall be with them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. Then the nations will know that I am the Lord who sanctifies Israel, when my sanctuary is in their midst forevermore.” – Ezekiel 37:26-28 ESV

“I will look favorably upon you, making you fertile and multiplying your people. And I will fulfill my covenant with you. You will have such a surplus of crops that you will need to clear out the old grain to make room for the new harvest! I will live among you, and I will not despise you. I will walk among you; I will be your God, and you will be my people.” – Leviticus 26:9-12 NLT

God’s will for His covenant people has never changed. But they had a bad track record when it came to keeping with His law and living in faithfulness to their covenant commitments to Him. Yet, God was assuring Zechariah that He would keep His end of the agreement. He would not turn His back on His chosen people – despite all they had done and all they had yet to do.

Centuries later, God would send His Son to earth as the long-awaited Messiah of Israel, but “his own people did not receive him” (John 1:11 NLT). Instead, they chose to turn down His offer of salvation and turn Him over to the Roman authorities for crucifixion. In his address to the Jews on the day of Pentecost, Peter clearly indicted them for their role in the death of Jesus, their promised Messiah.

“People of Israel, listen! God publicly endorsed Jesus the Nazarene by doing powerful miracles, wonders, and signs through him, as you well know. But God knew what would happen, and his prearranged plan was carried out when Jesus was betrayed. With the help of lawless Gentiles, you nailed him to a cross and killed him. But God released him from the horrors of death and raised him back to life, for death could not keep him in its grip.” – Acts 2:22-24 NLT

Yet, despite their rejection of Jesus, “God has not rejected his own people, whom he chose from the very beginning” (Romans 11:2 NLT). The apostle Paul points out that God remains firmly committed to His covenant people.

Did God’s people stumble and fall beyond recovery? Of course not! They were disobedient, so God made salvation available to the Gentiles. But he wanted his own people to become jealous and claim it for themselves. Now if the Gentiles were enriched because the people of Israel turned down God’s offer of salvation, think how much greater a blessing the world will share when they finally accept it. – Romans 11:11-12 NLT

The prophet Ezekiel wrote of a future day when God will

“I will gather you up from all the nations and bring you home again to your land. Then I will sprinkle clean water on you, and you will be clean. Your filth will be washed away, and you will no longer worship idols. And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart. And I will put my Spirit in you so that you will follow my decrees and be careful to obey my regulations.” – Ezekiel 36:24-26 NLT

God will do for the people of Israel would they could never do on their own. And, one day, He will restore them and all His faithful followers to a right relationship with Himself in His eternal Kingdom.

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.

I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” – Revelation 21:1-4 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Most Important Thing About You

 What do you know about God? If someone asked you to describe your understanding of who God is and how He operates in the world, what would you tell them? It was A. W. Tozer who wrote, "What comes into our minds when we think about God is the most important thing about us" (A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy). But far too often, we think far too little about God. Even when He comes to mind our thoughts about Him can be inaccurate or simply incomplete.

Tozer goes on to say, “It is impossible to keep our moral practices sound and our inward attitudes right while our idea of God is erroneous or inadequate. If we would bring back spiritual power to our lives, we must begin to think of God more nearly as He is” (A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy).

So, the question before us is “What is the nature of our God?” This is not the kind of question one should take lightly because the answer will reveal much about an individual’s moral well-being. Our view of God is the lens through which we view and understand the world. Once again, Tozer provides insight into this matter.

“…no people has ever risen about its religion, and man’s spiritual history will positively demonstrate that no religion has ever been greater than its idea of God. Worship is pure or base as the worshiper entertains high or low thoughts of God.” (A. W. Tozer, The Knowledge of the Holy)

Determining our view of God is a worthy exercise that will pay dividends in the future. It will force us to face our errant ideas about the Almighty and bring them into alignment with what the Scriptures have to say about Him. Interestingly, God’s Word is one of the places where humanity is encouraged to question His identity and character.

To whom then will you liken God,
    or what likeness compare with him? – Isaiah 40:18 ESV

“To whom will you liken me and make me equal, and compare me, that we may be alike?” – Isaiah 46:5 ESV

Who is like you, O LORD, among the gods? Who is like you, majestic in holiness, awesome in glorious deeds, doing wonders? – Exodus 15:11 ESV

Who is a God like you, pardoning iniquity and passing over transgression for the remnant of his inheritance? – Micah 7:18 ESV

If we’re honest, there is much about God of which we are ignorant or, perhaps, indifferent. Some of us have known Him for decades but, if put to the test, there would be little we could share that could give evidence that we knew Him intimately. So much of what we know about God is academic in nature, a compilation of disconnected bits of information that bear little resemblance to the one true God.

If I asked you if you knew the President of the United States, you would probably respond by telling me his name. If pressed, you could probably tell me the year he was elected, his political party affiliation, his wife’s name, and your personal assessment of his administration’s policies and programs. Your knowledge of him would have been gleaned from news reports, the op-ed section of the local paper, and from the opinions of others. You would have had no personal encounters with him. No one-on-one conversations would have taken place between the two of you. Any claim to truly know him would be a stretch of the imagination.

Sadly, it’s likely that the average Christian has more familiarity with the Commander-in-Chief of our nation than they do with God. Some of us spend far more time keeping up with the Kardashians than we do with the Creator God. We live in the information age, a time when access to knowledge about virtually any topic or individual is at our fingertips. And yet, we suffer from a lack of intimacy with and intelligence about God.

The goal of this series of posts is to help us get to know our God better. To do so, we will explore the attributes of God that He alone possesses. As the verses above so clearly state, our God is without equal and totally incomparable. He is not one among many; He is the solitary and sovereign God of the universe whose power, knowledge, and all-pervading presence are unparalleled and non-reproducible. God can be mimicked but never matched. He is, to put it mildly, one of a kind. Yet, how easy it is to treat Him with a familiarity that borders on contempt.

To know God. That was the divinely ordained objective when God created Adam and Eve in the garden. They were made so that they might enjoy unbroken fellowship and undiminished intimacy with Him. But sin changed all that. Because the first man and woman chose to disobey God, they were banned from His presence. They found themselves cast from the garden and operating in isolation far from the one who had made them. And with each succeeding generation, humanity moved further and further away from the garden and, at the same time, far from the presence of God.

But God still desires for men to know Him, not just cognitively but intimately and personally. As the apostle Paul points out, God has revealed Himself in the universe He created. He has placed signs of His presence and proofs of His character all around us. Yet, most of humanity has remained blind to the evidence and oblivious concerning the God to whom it points.

They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.

Yes, they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. – Romans 1:19-23 NLT

Despite the sobering nature of Paul’s words, the prophet Jeremiah points out that God still longs for mankind to know Him, and he intimates that this relationship with God is not only possible but preferable.

This is what the Lord says:
“Don’t let the wise boast in their wisdom,
    or the powerful boast in their power,
    or the rich boast in their riches.
But those who wish to boast
    should boast in this alone:
that they truly know me and understand that I am the Lord
    who demonstrates unfailing love
    and who brings justice and righteousness to the earth,
and that I delight in these things.
    I, the Lord, have spoken!” – Jeremiah 9:23-24 NLT

God is knowable but He is also irreplicable. There is nothing in all creation that remotely resembles Him. Even men, who are made in the image of God, are not mini versions of God. We can reflect His glory but are incapable of sharing it.  Even in His thought processes, God remains distinctly different from humanity.

“My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,” says the Lord.
    “And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.
For just as the heavens are higher than the earth,
    so my ways are higher than your ways
    and my thoughts higher than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9 NLT

Yet, we tend to view God as little more than a slightly more powerful version of ourselves. Because of the finite nature of our minds, we are incapable of fully grasping the “otherness” of God. Unable to comprehend His transcendence, we try to transform the incomparable God into a new and improved version of ourselves. The psalmist alludes to this common misconception when he quotes God’s assessment of man’s dumbing down of His divine image.

“…you thought that I was one like yourself.” - Psalm 50:21 ESV

The French agnostic, Voltaire is reported to have said, “God created man in His own image, and man returned the favor.” And his rather sarcastic statement supports what Paul wrote in his letter to the Romans.

…they knew God, but they wouldn’t worship him as God or even give him thanks. And they began to think up foolish ideas of what God was like. As a result, their minds became dark and confused. Claiming to be wise, they instead became utter fools. And instead of worshiping the glorious, ever-living God, they worshiped idols made to look like mere people and birds and animals and reptiles. – Romans 1:21-23 NLT

Failure to know and recognize God for who He is creates a vacuum in the soul of man that must be filled. When we neglect a proper understanding of God, we end up with false views of His character. We fabricate our own version of Him, leaving us with an emasculated, impotent deity who looks nothing like the God of the Bible.

Psalm 97:9 describes God as “most high over all the earth” and as “exalted far above all gods.” He is transcendent. That simply means that He is totally distinct from all that He has made. He cannot be reproduced and there is nothing that remotely mirrors His likeness. Psalm 99:2 adds that God “is exalted over all the peoples.” Men are not mini-gods. Being made in His image does not infer that we resemble God. That is why Isaiah 40:18 asks the rhetorical question: “To whom then will you liken God, or what likeness compare with him?” The answer is “No one and nothing!” God alone is God.

God needs nothing. He has no lack or insufficiencies. He requires no complement or counterpart to complete Himself. He did not create humanity because He was lonely or needed companionship. Nothing was missing in God’s character; His being is whole and holy. The apostle John reminds us, “God is light, and in him is no darkness at all” (1 John 1:5 ESV). Timothy adds, “He alone is immortal and dwells in unapproachable light” (1 Timothy 6:16 BSB).

Yet, God has made Himself known to men. He has displayed His divine attributes through the universe He has made. We are surrounded by the evidence of His power, glory, wisdom, creativity, grace, mercy, and love. Our very existence is proof that He exists. Even man, with his vast knowledge and scientific discoveries, has been unable to explain the universe's existence. Our most educated and well-reasoned theories are little more than shots in the dark.

In the book of Job, we have recorded the words of God as He confronts the arrogance and audacity of mere humans who question His will and His work.

“Who is this that questions my wisdom
    with such ignorant words?
Brace yourself like a man,
    because I have some questions for you,
    and you must answer them.

“Where were you when I laid the foundations of the earth?
    Tell me, if you know so much.
Who determined its dimensions
    and stretched out the surveying line?
What supports its foundations,
    and who laid its cornerstone
as the morning stars sang together
    and all the angels shouted for joy?

“Who kept the sea inside its boundaries
    as it burst from the womb,
and as I clothed it with clouds
    and wrapped it in thick darkness?
For I locked it behind barred gates,
    limiting its shores.
I said, ‘This far and no farther will you come.
    Here your proud waves must stop!’” – Job 38:2-11 NLT

Man has no business questioning God or trying to explain the existence of the universe apart from God. Everything, both the invisible and the visible, exists by the expressed will of God. He spoke and it came into being, and all that He made God reveals His glory and greatness. But that points out one of the most important aspects of God’s nature. He must reveal Himself to man to be known by man. Humanity cannot discover God on its own. Left to his own devices, no man would even attempt to find God. According to the apostle Paul, “no one seeks for God” (Romans 3:11 ESV), and his assessment echoes the words of David.

God looks down from heaven
    on the entire human race;
he looks to see if anyone is truly wise,
    if anyone seeks God.
But no, all have turned away;
    all have become corrupt. – Psalm 53:2-3 NLT

Amazingly enough, this transcendent, invisible, and unfathomable God has chosen to reveal Himself to man. And we will see more of His divine attributes on display as we continue our quest to know God better.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The One True King

1 Now these are the last words of David:

The oracle of David, the son of Jesse,
    the oracle of the man who was raised on high,
the anointed of the God of Jacob,
    the sweet psalmist of Israel:

2 “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me;
    his word is on my tongue.
3 The God of Israel has spoken;
    the Rock of Israel has said to me:
When one rules justly over men,
    ruling in the fear of God,
4 he dawns on them like the morning light,
    like the sun shining forth on a cloudless morning,
    like rain that makes grass to sprout from the earth.

5 “For does not my house stand so with God?
    For he has made with me an everlasting covenant,
    ordered in all things and secure.
For will he not cause to prosper
    all my help and my desire?
6 But worthless men are all like thorns that are thrown away,
    for they cannot be taken with the hand;
7 but the man who touches them
    arms himself with iron and the shaft of a spear,
    and they are utterly consumed with fire.” – 2 Samuel 23:1-7 ESV

The Psalm of David, recorded in chapter 22, is now followed by the last words of David. The former represented the establishment of his kingdom when he was delivered from Saul and crowned king of Israel. The latter, written at the end of his life, contains David’s reflections on his unique relationship with God. His legacy as a king and his future dynasty are both directly tied to God.

In this last testament, David passes on the lessons he has learned from serving as the king of Israel, the God-appointed shepherd of His people.

David is described as the “son of Jesse,” a reflection of his humble beginnings. David had not come to the throne of Israel due to a royal birth or bearing a high pedigree. He was just a commoner, the youngest son of Jesse, and a shepherd of sheep. Yet, God called and anointed him to be the next king of Israel. He “was raised on high” by God, not because he deserved to be but because God chose to do so. It would be easy to assume that, because God referred to David as a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14), this was the reason he had been chosen by God. But this would infer that God’s choice of David was based on works or merit, something that does not gel with the rest of Scripture. God’s Word makes it quite clear that no one can merit or earn God’s favor.

Surely there is not a righteous man on earth who does good and never sins. – Ecclesiastes 7:10 ESV

None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks for God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one. – Romans 3:10-12 ESV

David had a heart for God, but that does not mean he somehow deserved to be king. He had not earned his way into the position. As is evident from his life story, David was fully capable of committing sin, just like any other man. He was guilty of adultery and murder. He struggled with impulsiveness and demonstrated poor parenting skills. He battled with procrastination and exhibited less-than-stellar leadership skills at times. He was far from perfect and yet God had hand-picked him and placed him in the highest position in the land. This flawed and failure-prone man received the anointing of the prophet of God and was designated as God’s official spokesman.

David wrote, “The Spirit of the Lord speaks by me; his word is on my tongue” (2 Samuel 23:2 ESV). This rather arrogant-sounding statement should not be taken as braggadocio or a case of David tooting his own horn. He is simply expressing his amazement at being given the privilege and responsibility to speak on God’s behalf. As king, he was God’s mouthpiece, and one of the messages God gave him had to do with righteous leadership.

The one who rules righteously,
    who rules in the fear of God,
is like the light of morning at sunrise,
    like a morning without clouds,
like the gleaming of the sun
    on new grass after rain. – 2 Samuel 23:3-4 NLT

David had not always done this well. But, by the end of his life, he had learned that a king who rules righteously, in the fear of the Lord, radiates joy and blessings on his people. Through his many acts of self-inflicted harm, David discovered the very real truth that a king who rules unrighteously plunges his people into darkness and despair. His failure at times to fear God resulted in pain and suffering for the people under his care, and that truth is played out over and over again in the history of Israel’s kings. Obedience brings blessings. Disobedience brings curses. Righteous rulers bring light. Unrighteous rulers bring darkness.

David’s next statement reflects his comprehension of God’s promise.

Is it not my family God has chosen?
    Yes, he has made an everlasting covenant with me.
His agreement is arranged and guaranteed in every detail.
    He will ensure my safety and success. – 2 Samuel 23:5 NLT

David was not intended to be a flash in the pan, a one-and-done experiment on God’s part. God had made it clear that He was going to pour out blessings on future generations of David’s descendants. David was to be the beginning of a long legacy of godly leaders.

Moreover, the Lord declares to you that the Lord will make you a house. When your days are fulfilled and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your offspring after you, who shall come from your body, and I will establish his kingdom.…And your house and your kingdom shall be made sure forever before me. Your throne shall be established forever. – 2 Samuel 7:11-12, 16 NLT

But God expected all of His kings to rule righteously. David was to have served as the model of righteousness for future generations of Israelite kings. Solomon, his son and the heir to his throne, got off to a good start and seemed to have inherited David’s love for God. He ruled well for the majority of his reign, exhibiting a God-given wisdom and capacity for leadership that transformed Israel into a powerful nation-state. But sadly, Solomon’s reign did not end well. His great accomplishments, immense wealth, and reputation for wisdom were eclipsed by his obsession with women and his love affair with false gods. 

He had 700 wives of royal birth and 300 concubines. And in fact, they did turn his heart away from the Lord. In Solomon’s old age, they turned his heart to worship other gods instead of being completely faithful to the Lord his God, as his father, David, had been. Solomon worshiped Ashtoreth, the goddess of the Sidonians, and Molech, the detestable god of the Ammonites. In this way, Solomon did what was evil in the Lord’s sight; he refused to follow the Lord completely, as his father, David, had done. – 2 Kings 11:3-6 NLT

God had kept His promise and placed a descendant of David on the throne, but Solomon proved unfaithful, so God divided his kingdom. The nation of Israel was split in two, forming two nations, Israel and Judah, that ended up in a state of constant tension, marked by hostility and warfare. They would see a succession of kings, whose reigns would not be marked by a fear of God, but by wickedness and idolatry. Along the way, there would be a few good apples in the barrel, but for the most part, the kings of both nations would fail to meet God’s expectations. The result would be spiritual darkness among the people and, ultimately, the discipline of God. He would eventually send both nations into captivity for their sin and rebellion against him.

Almost prophetically, David writes:

But the godless are like thorns to be thrown away,
    for they tear the hand that touches them.
One must use iron tools to chop them down;
    they will be totally consumed by fire. – 2 Samuel 23:6-7 NLT

Godless leaders produce godless people, and in the case of the people of Judah and Israel, they found themselves living in exile because of their stubborn, rebellious hearts. Yet, despite the long list of unfaithful kings and godless people, the everlasting covenant to which David refers has not been abrogated. God has not broken His promise; He is faithful and never fails to keep His Word. What He says, He does. What He promises to do, He fulfills. God had made a covenant with David to establish his throne forever. But ever since Israel and Judah went into captivity in Assyria and Babylon, there have been no descendants of David to serve as king. Centuries passed and the throne remained empty. So has God failed to keep His word? Was His promise to David nullified by the sinful actions of the kings of Israel and Judah? No. God has kept His word. The apostle John tells us exactly what happened.

The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world did not know him. He came to his own, and his own people did not receive him. But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. – John 1:9-13 NLT

After hundreds of years of spiritual darkness, God broke through, sending His Son as the light of the world. Jesus, a descendant of David and God’s appointed successor to the throne of David, made His entrance into the world. The light of God penetrated the darkness. Yet, He was met with rejection by His own people. They failed to recognize Him as the Messiah, the Savior sent by God. Jesus even revealed that the people loved the darkness over the light. They preferred living in sin over the freedom they could have by placing their faith in Him.

“There is no judgment against anyone who believes in him. But anyone who does not believe in him has already been judged for not believing in God’s one and only Son. And the judgment is based on this fact: God’s light came into the world, but people loved the darkness more than the light, for their actions were evil. All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed. But those who do what is right come to the light so others can see that they are doing what God wants.” – John 3:18-21

David was a good king. Some even consider him to have been a great king. But he was not the one true King. He was not the Savior of Israel. That role was reserved for one who would come later. Jesus, a descendant of David, was God’s appointed heir to the throne. He was sent by God to do what David and the other kings of Israel and Judah could have never done. As the sinless Son of God, He provided a means for receiving freedom from slavery to sin and restoration to a right relationship with God. David could win victories over the Philistines but he could not defeat sin and death. He could provide his people with periods of relative peace and tranquility, but he could not give them peace with God.

Jesus came to battle the spiritual forces of evil. The selfless sacrifice of His sinless life on the cross broke the bonds of sin and death that had long held humanity captive. Yet, some refused His gracious offer of salvation. They preferred to live in darkness, rather than enjoy the light of freedom and the joy of God’s forgiveness.

David would eventually die. His son Solomon would ascend to the throne but his kingdom would end up divided and eventually, the people of God would end up living in captivity in foreign lands. But God was not done with Israel or with David’s throne. He would not break His promise to David. Despite the unfaithfulness of David’s successors, God would prove faithful and eventually send the one who would be the consummate man after His own heart. He would send His Son who would bring the greatest victory any king could ever hope to deliver.

“Death is swallowed up in victory.
O death, where is your victory?
    O death, where is your sting?”

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. – 1 Corinthians 15:54-56 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Unfailing Faithfulness of God

17 “He sent from on high, he took me;
    he drew me out of many waters.
18 He rescued me from my strong enemy,
    from those who hated me,
    for they were too mighty for me.
19 They confronted me in the day of my calamity,
    but the Lord was my support.
20 He brought me out into a broad place;
    he rescued me, because he delighted in me.

21 “The Lord dealt with me according to my righteousness;
    according to the cleanness of my hands he rewarded me.
22 For I have kept the ways of the Lord
    and have not wickedly departed from my God.
23 For all his rules were before me,
    and from his statutes I did not turn aside.
24 I was blameless before him,
    and I kept myself from guilt.
25 And the Lord has rewarded me according to my righteousness,
    according to my cleanness in his sight.

26 “With the merciful you show yourself merciful;
    with the blameless man you show yourself blameless;
27 with the purified you deal purely,
    and with the crooked you make yourself seem tortuous.
28 You save a humble people,
    but your eyes are on the haughty to bring them down.
29 For you are my lamp, O Lord,
    and my God lightens my darkness.
30 For by you I can run against a troop,
    and by my God I can leap over a wall.
31 This God—his way is perfect;
    the word of the Lord proves true;
    he is a shield for all those who take refuge in him. – 2 Samuel 22:17-31 ESV

This section of David’s psalm contains an interesting contrast. In it, David continues to exalt his God, while at the same time seemingly praising himself for his own blamelessness, guiltlessness, and righteousness. At first glance, David appears to have an overinflated and inaccurate view of himself, boasting about things he has no right to claim. Even if this psalm was written in the early days of his reign, immediately after the fall of Saul, David was far from a sinless man. Yet he claims, “The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence” (2 Samuel 22:21 NLT).

He boldly claims to have kept himself from sin. Not only that, he insists that God has rewarded him for his right and righteous behavior. It all sounds as if David is either delusional or disingenuous. He can’t really believe what he is saying, can he? However, David’s bold assertions are far too many to be dismissed as mere rhetoric or hyperbole. But how can he justly defend the following statement?

For I have kept the ways of the Lord;
    I have not turned from my God to follow evil.
I have followed all his regulations;
    I have never abandoned his decrees. – 2 Samuel 22:22-23 NLT

What about his affair with Bathsheba? Was that not a violation of God's regulation against adultery? Was his complicity in the death of Uriah not in direct violation of God’s laws concerning murder? Did his failure to prosecute and punish Amnon for the rape of Tamar not qualify as wickedness in God’s eyes? Was his decision to allow his son Absalom to get away with murder without having to face the consequences not an abandonment of God’s decrees?

The list could go on. So how do we explain David’s dishonesty or apparent lack of self-awareness? Is David simply delusional or suffering from an overactive sense of self-worth? One of the things we have to remember is that this passage is virtually identical to Psalm 22, written in the early days of David’s reign. This chapter opened with the descriptor: “David spoke to the Lord the words of this song on the day when the Lord delivered him from the hand of all his enemies, and from the hand of Saul” (2 Samuel 22:1 ESV).

So David’s eloquent statement of praise to God that features a rather flattering portrayal of himself was written in the early stages of his career as king. So, context is critical to understanding the content of David’s words. It would seem that this psalm was written well before David committed many of the sins outlined above. Yet, even if those transgressions are eliminated, it would seem inappropriate for David to refer to himself as “blameless.” His glowing self-assessment comes across as far from honest and bordering on shamelessness.

Part of the problem is how we interpret the word “blameless.” We tend to insert the word “sinless” and assume that David is claiming himself to be fully righteous and free from sin. But the Hebrew word David used is tāmîm and it carries the idea of having integrity of heart or wholeness of character. It is the same word God used when He spoke to Abraham centuries earlier.

“…walk before me, and be blameless.” – Genesis 17:1 ESV

God was not expecting Abraham to live a sinless life; He was calling His servant to live a fully committed and wholly transparent life. God was calling Abraham to live a completely sold-out and non-compartmentalized life, solely dedicated to Him.

David’s claim of blamelessness was not a braggadocious declaration of sinlessness. He wasn’t boasting about his own righteousness; he was confessing that he had nothing to hide from God and no reason to fear being punished by God. You might say that he was “confessed up” and in good standing with God.

At this early stage of his career as king, David had a desire to live in accordance with God’s will. He wanted to do the right thing. In Psalm 101, he states his intentions to live and rule with integrity and blamelessness.

1 I will sing of your love and justice, Lord.
    I will praise you with songs.
2 I will be careful to live a blameless life—
    when will you come to help me?
I will lead a life of integrity
    in my own home.
3 I will refuse to look at
    anything vile and vulgar.
I hate all who deal crookedly;
    I will have nothing to do with them.
4 I will reject perverse ideas
    and stay away from every evil.
5 I will not tolerate people who slander their neighbors.
    I will not endure conceit and pride.

6 I will search for faithful people
    to be my companions.
Only those who are above reproach
    will be allowed to serve me.
7 I will not allow deceivers to serve in my house,
    and liars will not stay in my presence.
8 My daily task will be to ferret out the wicked
    and free the city of the Lord from their grip. – Psalm 101:1-8 NLT

David knew that he didn’t deserve to be the king of Israel. He suffered no delusions of grandeur and harbored no thoughts of being a self-made man. God had placed him on the throne. The Almighty had graciously rewarded him with the highest position in the land. But David could remember the years he spent running from King Saul. He could vividly recall the many nights he slept in caves and lived as a fugitive in the Judean wilderness. But God had rescued and redeemed him.

He rescued me from my powerful enemies,
    from those who hated me and were too strong for me.
They attacked me at a moment when I was in distress,
    but the Lord supported me.
He led me to a place of safety;
    he rescued me because he delights in me. – 2 Samuel 22:18-20 NLT

David recognized that his years of suffering had not been because of something he had done. He was not being punished by God for any wickedness he had committed. That is why he could state that he had been rescued by God because he had done nothing to deserve God’s displeasure or punishment. David’s suffering under the hand of Saul had not been due to his own sinfulness. He had been the innocent victim of Saul’s anger and jealousy against him.

When this psalm was originally written, David had been living under constant threat of losing his life because of Saul’s hatred for him. When David writes, “The Lord rewarded me for doing right. He has seen my innocence” (2 Samuel 22:25 NLT), he acknowledges that he had done nothing to deserve his suffering. On two separate occasions, he had the opportunity to take Saul’s life and refused to do so. He could have eliminated the threat to his life and fast-tracked his ascension to the throne but, instead, he showed respect for the Lord’s anointed. He feared God more than he despised his own circumstances. This left David with a clear conscience before God.

But this psalm is less about David than it is about God. It is David’s acknowledgment that God had been fully aware of the circumstances surrounding his life. David had come to understand that his suffering had not been the result of his own sin but was the divine will of a sovereign, all-powerful God. God had seen David’s plight, heard his cries, and responded by rescuing His anointed one from his trials. God had shown Himself faithful to David because David had remained faithful to Him. He responded to David with integrity because David had shown himself to be a man of integrity. This wouldn’t always be true of David’s life. As we have seen, there were moments when David failed to live blamelessly and with integrity. But at the time at which this psalm was written, David could confidently state, “The Lord rewarded me for doing right; he restored me because of my innocence. For I have kept the ways of the Lord; I have not turned from my God to follow evil” (2 Samuel 22:21-22 NLT).

What makes this psalm so interesting is its placement at the close of Second Samuel which records the closing days of David’s reign and life. This psalm was originally penned decades earlier but reappears as David’s reign is coming to an end. It reflects a reality that David experienced throughout his life but that did not mark every phase of his life. We know of his sin with Bathsheba. We are well aware of the murder of Uriah. We have read about his many faults and failings. David was not always a man of integrity. He didn’t always do the right thing or react appropriately. Oftentimes, he failed to seek God and rely on Him for help. He had a habit of taking matters into his own hands. But in principle, David knew that God rescues the humble, rewards the righteous, and restores the innocent.

In this eloquently worded psalm, David is attempting to exalt God, not himself. He is simply stating an indisputable reality when it comes to God’s relationship with men: He doesn’t reward the wicked or pour out His blessings on the prideful. He refuses to forgive the sins of those who remain unrepentant and self-reliant. David states, “God’s way is perfect. All the Lord’s promises prove true. He is a shield for all who look to him for protection” (2 Samuel 22:31 NLT).

That had been David’s personal experience with God and he had seen it proven true time and time again. At no point in his life could David point his finger at God and accuse Him of dealing falsely or faithlessly with him. God’s way was perfect, even when David’s way was not. God had always dealt faithfully with David. Even when David sinned, God responded lovingly and faithfully. God repeatedly rescued and restored David, despite his many indiscretions and lapses of integrity. Yes, David suffered for his sins. He was forced to endure the consequences of his disobedience to God. But nowhere along the way did God prove unfaithful, unloving, or unwilling to keep His promises to David.

The ways of God are perfect. All His promises prove true. He is there when we seek for Him. But He is also there when we fail to recognize or rely upon Him. There had been many times when David abandoned God, but he had learned the reassuring truth that at no point had God ever abandoned him.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Where He Leads Me, I Will Follow

1 The Lord spoke to Moses, saying, 2 “Make two silver trumpets. Of hammered work you shall make them, and you shall use them for summoning the congregation and for breaking camp. 3 And when both are blown, all the congregation shall gather themselves to you at the entrance of the tent of meeting. 4 But if they blow only one, then the chiefs, the heads of the tribes of Israel, shall gather themselves to you. 5 When you blow an alarm, the camps that are on the east side shall set out. 6 And when you blow an alarm the second time, the camps that are on the south side shall set out. An alarm is to be blown whenever they are to set out. 7 But when the assembly is to be gathered together, you shall blow a long blast, but you shall not sound an alarm. 8 And the sons of Aaron, the priests, shall blow the trumpets. The trumpets shall be to you for a perpetual statute throughout your generations. 9 And when you go to war in your land against the adversary who oppresses you, then you shall sound an alarm with the trumpets, that you may be remembered before the Lord your God, and you shall be saved from your enemies. 10 On the day of your gladness also, and at your appointed feasts and at the beginnings of your months, you shall blow the trumpets over your burnt offerings and over the sacrifices of your peace offerings. They shall be a reminder of you before your God: I am the Lord your God.” – Numbers 10:1-10 ESV

God was leading His people. In chapter nine, Moses recorded how God had chosen to manifest His glory and presence in the form of a pillar of cloud that would rest over the Tabernacle. It was to serve as a visual reminder of God’s presence among them and as a means by which God directed their journey through the wilderness.

…when the cloud lifted in the morning, they set out, or if it continued for a day and a night, when the cloud lifted they set out. – Numbers 9:21 ESV

But in the opening verses of chapter 10, Moses records a secondary source of divinely ordained directional aid: Two silver trumpets.

Now the Lord said to Moses, “Make two trumpets of hammered silver for calling the community to assemble and for signaling the breaking of camp.” – Numbers 10:1-2 NLT

“The last directions given at Sinai deal with the manufacture and use of two silver trumpets to coordinate the movements of the tribes on their march through the wilderness. Though they were to be guided by the cloud, more precise means of control were necessary if the people were to march in the tight-knit formations envisaged in chapters 2-3.” – Gordon J. Wenham, Numbers, Tyndale Old Testament Commentaries

From the moment God delivered the Israelites from their captivity in Egypt, He had directed their path. He had gone before them, guiding their every step along the way, and providing for their every need. But they had to follow. They couldn’t veer to the right or the left or go off in another direction. If they did, they would suffer the consequences.

God’s leadership required faithful followers. It reminds me of the chorus of the classic old hymn, Where He Leads Me I Will Follow. It simply states, “Where He leads me I will follow; I’ll go with Him, with Him, all the way.”

The people of Israel had spent nearly a year camped at the base of Mount Sinai. During that time, God had given them His law and provided them with the construction plans for the Tabernacle. He had also given them the sacrificial system as a means of atoning for sin and receiving forgiveness. There at Mount Sinai, they enjoyed God’s presence and provision, but Mount Sinai was not their final destination. They were not where God wanted them to be. So, “In the second year, in the second month, on the twentieth day of the month, the cloud lifted from over the tabernacle of the testimony, and the people of Israel set out by stages from the wilderness of Sinai. And the cloud settled down in the wilderness of Paran” (Numbers 10:11-12 ESV).

God led and the people followed. The trumpets blew and the people gathered to receive their marching orders. As the cloud lifted from above the Tabernacle, it signaled that it was time to break camp and follow God’s leading.

God had a purpose behind everything He did. To get the people of Israel all the way through the wilderness, He knew it was going to require much more than good directions. He could lead them and they could follow but they would have to do so according to His terms. Their following would have to include faithful obedience to His righteous rules and divine requirements. They would have to follow obediently.

God could have miraculously transported them straight to the promised land and eliminated the need for a journey altogether but, instead, He took His time. He gave them rules of conduct. He painstakingly provided them with commands designed to regulate their conduct as they followed Him. The wilderness wanderings were going to be a time of testing; to see if they would live set-apart lives, faithfully following God’s prescribed plan for His people. God didn’t just expect the people to follow, He wanted them to do so faithfully. In other words, they were to follow according to His terms. They had to keep His laws. They had to celebrate His festivals. They had to keep the Sabbath. They had to regularly sacrifice for their sins. They had to deal with impurity in their midst.

Their journey from Mount Sinai to the land of Canaan was to be marked by obedience. When the silver trumpets sounded, they were to heed the call and follow God’s lead. Following God requires faithful adherence to His commands. From our vantage point on this side of the cross, it’s sometimes easy to look back at the Israelites and wonder how they could have failed to realize just how good they had it. They seem to have been slow to comprehend how blessed they were to have God’s actual presence living among them. They got to witness incredible miracles and experience amazing acts of provision, such as manna that fell from the sky and fresh water that flowed from a rock. They wore sandals and clothes that never wore out. Yet despite all this, they continued to disobey Him by disregarding His commands. Yes, when the trumpets sounded, the Israelites followed the cloud but their actions along the way revealed that they were simply going through the motions.

The psalmist writes, “How often they rebelled against him in the wilderness, and insulted him in the desert! They again challenged God, and offended the Holy One of Israel” (Psalm 78:40-41 ESV).

But before we point our fingers in accusation and derision, we need to realize that their story is far too often our story. We too are on a journey. We’re walking through this life on our way to another “land” that God has promised to give us. He has chosen us as His own and He has given us the indwelling presence of His Spirit who leads and directs us. God speaks to us through His Word and He calls us to live lives that reflect our unique standing as His children. He has commanded us to live holy lives and provided us with everything we need to make it possible.

By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence. – 2 Peter 1:3 NLT

And yet, Peter also revealed that God’s Spirit-empowered children will have to constantly fight the urge to replace godliness with worldliness.

As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former ignorance, but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” – 1 Peter 1:14-16 ESV

For the Israelites, Mount Sinai held special meaning; it was there that they received God’s law. At the base of the mountain, they had received God’s plan for the sacrificial system and the hope of atonement for sin. But they were not meant to remain in Sinai’s shadow. God had other plans for them. As life-altering as Sinai had been, it was not their final destination. While they could have grown comfortable living beneath the mountain peak where God’s glory was displayed in smoke, fire, thunder, and lightning, their future lay elsewhere. When the cloud moved, the trumpets would sound, and the people of God would leave Sinai in their rear-view mirror. The place where God appeared in glory, declared His law, gave instructions for the Tabernacle, and established the sacrificial system would soon become a distant memory. But the God of Sinai had not abandoned them; He was going before them, guiding them to the land of promise.

For many of us as Christians, we bask in the glory of our salvation story. We focus on the day that we placed our faith in Jesus Christ as our personal Savior and remain content to dwell on that occasion as the most significant moment of our lives. But our salvation experience was just the beginning of the journey. God expects us to move on, following His leading and relying on His Spirit to continue His sanctifying work in our lives. We must recognize the fact that our salvation was the beginning, not the end. There is life to be lived – in Christ. He is to be followed, not just believed in.

Jesus told His disciples, “If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his cross and follow me” (Matthew 16:24 ESV). There is a cost and a commitment to following Christ. It is a daily event that requires faithful obedience to His will and His way.

Jesus had many followers when He walked this earth. But when things got tough and they discovered that His journey was going to include suffering and even death, the majority of his followers fled. Believing in Jesus was easy; following Him would prove to be a difficult and sometimes risky proposition. A fact His 12 disciples would soon learn

The religious leaders of Jesus’ day were thought to be faithful followers of God but Jesus repeatedly condemned them for their hypocrisy and self-righteousness. He compared them to their ancient ancestors who had killed God’s prophets because they despised God’s message. Like their predecessors, the Pharisees were followers of God in name only. They lived by their own set of standards and put on a facade of faithfulness but were actually blind to the will of God for their lives. Highly knowledgeable of God’s Scriptures, they were unable to recognize the Word of God standing in their midst. They refused to acknowledge Jesus as their Messiah and Savior.

Following is not easy, especially when we’re prone to go our own way. Even after salvation, we are constantly tempted to take our lives into our own hands and determine our own destiny. But God has a plan for our lives and a path for each of us to take. We are on a journey from salvation to our ultimate glorification. The future Kingdom is to be our final home. But for the present, we are wandering through this earthly wilderness, led by God’s Spirit and buoyed by the promise of our eternal inheritance.

The apostle Peter encourages us to live with our eyes on the prize so that we might endure the pitfalls and perils of the journey.

It is by his great mercy that we have been born again, because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead. Now we live with great expectation, and we have a priceless inheritance—an inheritance that is kept in heaven for you, pure and undefiled, beyond the reach of change and decay. And through your faith, God is protecting you by his power until you receive this salvation, which is ready to be revealed on the last day for all to see.

So be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead, even though you must endure many trials for a little while. – 1 Peter 1:3-6 NLT

We are living in what Paul Tripp calls “the gospel gap.” Our salvation is in our past; the eternal Kingdom is in our future. For now, we live in that in-between time where our sanctification is taking place. We are in the process of being transformed into the image of Christ as we faithfully follow His example of love, obedience, humility, and service. It is during our time on this planet that we are to live out our salvation in tangible and practical ways that emulate the nature of Christ. We do so by allowing the indwelling Spirit of God to powerfully flow through us, producing a lifestyle that is radically different than the world around us. As we faithfully follow Christ it results in our reflection of His nature to the world around us. It is as we walk with Him, living in obedience to Him, that we become increasingly more like Him.

The silver trumpets were to be used to call the people to action. Whether they were a signal for gathering, celebrating, traveling, or going to war, the trumpets were to be obeyed. God was leading and He expected His people to follow. He was declaring His will and they were to submit to it – willingly and faithfully.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Stop Pointing the Finger and Point Them to God

1 And Elihu continued, and said:

2 “Bear with me a little, and I will show you,
    for I have yet something to say on God's behalf.
3 I will get my knowledge from afar
    and ascribe righteousness to my Maker.
4 For truly my words are not false;
    one who is perfect in knowledge is with you.

5 “Behold, God is mighty, and does not despise any;
    he is mighty in strength of understanding.
6 He does not keep the wicked alive,
    but gives the afflicted their right.
7 He does not withdraw his eyes from the righteous,
    but with kings on the throne
    he sets them forever, and they are exalted.
8 And if they are bound in chains
    and caught in the cords of affliction,
9 then he declares to them their work
    and their transgressions, that they are behaving arrogantly.
10 He opens their ears to instruction
    and commands that they return from iniquity.
11 If they listen and serve him,
    they complete their days in prosperity,
    and their years in pleasantness.
12 But if they do not listen, they perish by the sword
    and die without knowledge.

13 “The godless in heart cherish anger;
    they do not cry for help when he binds them.
14 They die in youth,
    and their life ends among the cult prostitutes.
15 He delivers the afflicted by their affliction
    and opens their ear by adversity.
16 He also allured you out of distress
    into a broad place where there was no cramping,
    and what was set on your table was full of fatness.

17 “But you are full of the judgment on the wicked;
    judgment and justice seize you.
18 Beware lest wrath entice you into scoffing,
    and let not the greatness of the ransom turn you aside.
19 Will your cry for help avail to keep you from distress,
    or all the force of your strength?
20 Do not long for the night,
    when peoples vanish in their place.
21 Take care; do not turn to iniquity,
    for this you have chosen rather than affliction.” – Job 36:1-21 ESV

Okay, I've officially had enough of Elihu. He is a highly eloquent, but loquacious young man who just doesn't know when to shut up. While he has said a lot of wonderful things about God, he has ended up painting a very conflicted and confusing image of the Almighty. He boastfully claims that all he is doing is defending the integrity and name of God.

“Let me go on, and I will show you the truth.
    For I have not finished defending God!
I will present profound arguments
    for the righteousness of my Creator.” – Job 36:2-3 NLT

But his lofty words concerning God seem to be a thinly veiled excuse for condemning Job and trying to coerce a confession out of him. This young man has had more to say than Eliphaz, Bildad, and Zophar combined. He is on a roll and shows no signs of letting up. His attacks on Job have been relentless and severe, but he continues to wrap them in a thin veneer of pious-sounding rhetoric meant to sanctify his words and justify his anger with Job.

Much of what he says about God is true but he is using these powerful truths as weapons in his attacks on Job. They are not intended to provide Job with comfort, but are meant to convict him of sin. Look closely at what he says.

“God is mighty, but he does not despise anyone!
    He is mighty in both power and understanding.
He does not let the wicked live
    but gives justice to the afflicted.
He never takes his eyes off the innocent,
    but he sets them on thrones with kings
    and exalts them forever.” – Job 36:5-7 NLT

There is no way for Job to argue with those statements because they are true. But Job knows that Elihu is using these lofty statements about God as a way to condemn him of guilt. It was perfectly clear to Job that he was one of the “wicked” whom God will not allow to live. And just in case Job missed the point and placed himself in the role of the innocent, Elihu makes sure that he understands that they too will suffer at the hands of God.

“If they are bound in chains
    and caught up in a web of trouble,
he shows them the reason.
    He shows them their sins of pride.
He gets their attention
    and commands that they turn from evil.” – Job 36:8-10 NLT

According to Elihu, even the innocent can enjoy great blessings or terrible tragedies. If they suddenly find themselves cast from the throne room and into chains, it is because of sin – case closed. God is simply trying to get their attention by breaking their pride and turning from their wicked ways. Basically, Elihu is stating that bad things don’t happen to good people; they are reserved for the wicked. So, Job must be a wicked person.

Elihu never mentions Job by name and does not address him directly, but it’s clear that his entire speech is directed at his suffering friend. He has designated Job as a wicked and stubborn sinner who will continue to suffer the wrath of God until he repents. Job doesn’t need an audience with God, he needs to confess his sins.

“If they [the wicked] listen and obey God,
    they will be blessed with prosperity throughout their lives.
    All their years will be pleasant.” – Job 36:11 NLT

Elihu is brutal and unwavering in his assessment of Job, and he warns his “friend” that the future will end in death and not deliverance unless Job repents.

“But if they refuse to listen to him,
    they will cross over the river of death,
    dying from lack of understanding.
For the godless are full of resentment.
    Even when he punishes them,
    they refuse to cry out to him for help.” – Job 36:12-13 NLT

When Elihu looked at Job, he saw a man who was obviously a sinner who refused to admit his guilt, Job’s relentless defense of his innocence was the proof. Elihu firmly believed that Job remained blind to his sins because he was too busy trying to prove his innocence. What Job failed to understand was that all the pain and suffering he had endured had been a divine wake-up call designed to show him his sins and lead him to repentance.

“God is leading you away from danger, Job,
    to a place free from distress.
    He is setting your table with the best food.
But you are obsessed with whether the godless will be judged.” – Job 36:16-17 NLT

Again, there is an element of truth in what Elihu says but is applying it like a sledge hammer. He accuses Job of wickedness and assures him that he is suffering at the hand of God for his sinful actions. He tells Job to repent of his sins and all will go well with him. Elihu's is a simple and simplistic view of God. He keeps talking about the majesty and incomprehensibility of God, yet he seems to have God boxed in and figured out. He alone knows the ways of God. He even brags that he speaks on behalf of God.

"Be patient with me a little longer and I will instruct you, for I still have words to speak on God’s behalf." – Job 36:2 NET

He even brags that his wisdom is perfect and complete.

"For in truth, my words are not false; it is one complete in knowledge who is with you." – Job 36:4 NET

Here is a young man who is wise in his own conceit. Not only does he have Job figured out, he has a handle on God as well. For all his spouting about God's majesty and power, his God is really a small, petty, vengeful and reactionary God. But his God is not the God of the Bible. He doesn't know or understand the ways of God. None of us do. Just about the time we think we have Him figured out, He surprises us. We will never fully know or understand His ways. We can never predict His actions. But we can rest assured in His character. He is a loving, holy, and righteous God. He is a God of judgment but He is also a God of mercy.

Where we get into trouble is when we start trying to determine what He is doing in the world or in the lives of those we know. We can jump to wrong conclusions and assume that natural disasters like earthquakes are meant to punish nations for their sins. We can’t make that claim because we don’t know the mind of God. We can't make those kind of sweeping assumptions because we do NOT know. Rather than trying to figure out the why, we need to ask God what and how. What does He want us to do about it? How does He want us to react to it? We know God has a purpose. We know He has a plan. Our job is not to determine the cause of what has happened, but to reach out in love and compassion to those who are caught in the midst of it.

I have no problem with Job's friends pointing out that Job might have sinned and that his suffering could be a result of that sin. But once Job denied it, they needed to move on and help Job seek God in the midst of it all. They needed to point Job back to God and keep him focused on the mercy and love of God. We need to do the same. And this ministry of pointing people to God needs to be self-applied. When we find ourselves going through difficult times, we need to look to God. Rather than seeking the cause of our suffering, we need to pursue the hope of our restoration. We need to look for the God who is ultimately in charge of all that goes on in the world. We need to ask Him to examine our hearts and expose anything that needs to be revealed. But more importantly, we need to ask Him to open our eyes so that we might see Him more clearly.

Elihu had reached his conclusion and he was not willing to consider any other option. Job was guilty and there was no need for discussion or debate. That is what led him to matter-of-factually state:

“Be on guard! Turn back from evil,
    for God sent this suffering
    to keep you from a life of evil.” – Job 36:21 NLT

But what if he was wrong?

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Too Wise for His Own Good

23 “If there be for him an angel,
    a mediator, one of the thousand,
    to declare to man what is right for him,
24 and he is merciful to him, and says,
    ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
    I have found a ransom;
25 let his flesh become fresh with youth;
    let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’;
26 then man prays to God, and he accepts him;
    he sees his face with a shout of joy,
and he restores to man his righteousness.
27     He sings before men and says:
‘I sinned and perverted what was right,
    and it was not repaid to me.
28 He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit,
    and my life shall look upon the light.’

29 “Behold, God does all these things,
twice, three times, with a man,
30 to bring back his soul from the pit,
that he may be lighted with the light of life.
31 Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
be silent, and I will speak.
32 If you have any words, answer me;
speak, for I desire to justify you.
33 If not, listen to me;
be silent, and I will teach you wisdom.”– Job 33:23-33 ESV

According to Elihu, Job has only one chance for redemption and restoration, and that involves the intercession of an angel or mediator sent from God. It is difficult to tell whether this divine agent is mediating on behalf of the guilty party before God, or whether their goal is to show the sinner the error of his ways. The English Standard Version Bible translates verse 23 as “to declare to man what is right for him.” The New English Translation takes a similar approach: “to tell a person what constitutes his uprightness.” These translations seem to indicate that the angel has been sent to reveal the path to righteousness to the wayward sinner.

But the New Living Translation translates the same line a slightly different way: “to intercede for a person and declare that he is upright.” This would indicate that the angel or agent is mediating on behalf of the falsely accused victim and declaring his innocence before God.

Based on Elihu’s earlier declarations of his own uprightness, it would appear that the NET Bible and the ESV Bible have rendered the text accurately. Elihu seems to be alluding to himself as the angel or mediator sent from God. Look back at how he described himself to Job when he began his address.

“I speak with all sincerity;
    I speak the truth.
For the Spirit of God has made me,
   and the breath of the Almighty gives me life.” – Job 33:3-4 NLT

Elihu believes he has been sent to Job by God in order to call him to repentance. That is why he is so adamant and repetitive in his calls for Job to listen to what he has to say.

“Listen to my words, Job;
    pay attention to what I have to say.” – Job 33:1 NLT

“…you are wrong, and I will show you why.” – Job 33:12 NLT

“…listen to me.
    Keep silent and I will teach you wisdom!” – Job 33:33 NLT

Elihu’s entire speech is a not-so-subtle master’s class in self-promotion. He is out to toot his own horn and establish himself up as Job’s divinely-ordained rescuer. He even alludes to the fact that he is the “dream” sent from God to serve as the wake-up call that will deliver Job from his living nightmare of a life.

“For God speaks again and again,
    though people do not recognize it.
He speaks in dreams, in visions of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on people
    as they lie in their beds.
He whispers in their ears
    and terrifies them with warnings.
He makes them turn from doing wrong;
    he keeps them from pride.” – Job 33:14-17 NLT

Elihu is convinced that he is Job’s deliverer. While his three companions have failed in their attempts to persuade Job of his guilt, Elihu is convinced of his success because he believes he speaks for God. As a further sign of his self-inflated worth, Elihu claims to have direct access to the Almighty and enough influence to intercede on Job’s behalf. Look closely at what he promises Job.

“If there be for him an angel,
    a mediator, one of the thousand,
    to declare to man what is right for him,
and he is merciful to him, and says,
    ‘Deliver him from going down into the pit;
    I have found a ransom;
let his flesh become fresh with youth;
    let him return to the days of his youthful vigor’” – Job 33:23-25 ESV

This arrogant young man states that he has the power to offer Job mercy and to provide him with a ransom that will atone for all his sins. According to Elihu, his  “gracious” and undeserved mercy will restore Job to health and happiness. But Elihu is not only overly confident in his assertion; he is sorely mistaken. Elihu seems to suffer from a bad case of savior complex. He is fully convinced that he is the remedy to Job’s problem and can restore him to health and happiness. He even believes he can provide a ransom that will satisfy the just demands of a holy and righteous God. But compare his words with those of the psalmist.

Truly no man can ransom another,
    or give to God the price of his life,
for the ransom of their life is costly
    and can never suffice,
that he should live on forever
    and never see the pit.

But God will ransom my soul from the power of Sheol,
    for he will receive me. – Psalm 49:7-9, 15 ESV

Elihu provides no details concerning the ransom he intends to offer on Job’s behalf. But the psalmist would argue that there is nothing Elihu can offer that would ever cover the cost for a man’s sin. Even the sinner himself cannot ransom his own life.

Elihu is so over-confident that he places God is a subsidiary role, with nothing more to do than to rubber stamp the transaction that Elihu has arranged. Once Job has seen the error of his ways and Elihu has offered whatever ransom he has in mind, then all Job has to do is pray and “he will be accepted. And God will receive him with joy” (Job 33:26 NLT). Because of Elihu’s efforts, God will restore Job to righteousness. Done deal. Case closed.

Elihu attempts to manipulate his suffering friend by describing a future scene that pictures Job is confessing his sins and rejoicing in his redemption.

“‘I sinned and perverted what was right,
    and it was not repaid to me.
He has redeemed my soul from going down into the pit,
    and my life shall look upon the light.’” – Job 33:27-28 ESV

All Job has to do is admit his guilt and all will be well. That is the deal Elihu is offering and it is nothing more than a form of plea bargaining. In his desperation to get a full confession out of Job, Elihu guarantees absolution and complete restoration. But those things are not his to give. He has no power or authority to promise Job anything. Elihu does not speak for God, and he is not an angel sent from God.

He is right about one thing; God can and does rescue and restore those who are suffering.

“God does these things
    again and again for people.
He rescues them from the grave
    so they may enjoy the light of life.” – Job 33:29-30 NLT

But Elihu has no business guaranteeing such an outcome to Job or anyone else. And he is way out of bounds when he places himself in the role of Job’s savior and ransom provider. Yet, he is so self-deceived and over-confident that he demands Job’s undivided attention to his words.

“Pay attention, O Job, listen to me;
    be silent, and I will speak.” – Job 33:31 ESV

After all, he is the “angel” of God, the divine mediator who has the power to redeem Job from the grave. He is Job’s self-appointed Messiah and he has a direct line to the throne of God in heaven. So, if Job wants to see his fortunes restored and his life spared, he will need to listen to what Elihu has to say.

And sadly, Elihu was far from finished. He has another entire speech to deliver, in which he will lecture Job on the justice of God. His primary purpose will be to refute Job’s claim on innocence and establish God’s right to judge justly. But in all of this, Elihu will mirror the mistakes of his predecessors. He will make assumptions and draw conclusions based on incomplete data. He will say right things about God but make false accusations against Job – all because he is ignorant of all the facts. This “angel of God” will prove to be a lousy spokesperson for God because he doesn’t know the mind of God. 

If only Elihu could have accessed the wisdom of the apostle Paul, he could have avoided the pitfalls of the savior complex and spared Job a lot of grief.

Oh, how great are God’s riches and wisdom and knowledge! How impossible it is for us to understand his decisions and his ways!

For who can know the Lord’s thoughts?
    Who knows enough to give him advice?
And who has given him so much
    that he needs to pay it back?

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! – Romans 11:33-36 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Consider the Source

1 “Surely there is a mine for silver,

    and a place for gold that they refine.
2 Iron is taken out of the earth,
    and copper is smelted from the ore.
3 Man puts an end to darkness
    and searches out to the farthest limit
    the ore in gloom and deep darkness.
4 He opens shafts in a valley away from where anyone lives;
    they are forgotten by travelers;
    they hang in the air, far away from mankind; they swing to and fro.
5 As for the earth, out of it comes bread,
    but underneath it is turned up as by fire.
6 Its stones are the place of sapphires,
    and it has dust of gold.

7 “That path no bird of prey knows,
    and the falcon's eye has not seen it.
8 The proud beasts have not trodden it;
    the lion has not passed over it.

9 “Man puts his hand to the flinty rock
    and overturns mountains by the roots.
10 He cuts out channels in the rocks,
    and his eye sees every precious thing.
11 He dams up the streams so that they do not trickle,
    and the thing that is hidden he brings out to light.

12 “But where shall wisdom be found?
    And where is the place of understanding?
13 Man does not know its worth,
    and it is not found in the land of the living.
14 The deep says, ‘It is not in me,’
    and the sea says, ‘It is not with me.’
15 It cannot be bought for gold,
    and silver cannot be weighed as its price.
16 It cannot be valued in the gold of Ophir,
    in precious onyx or sapphire.
17 Gold and glass cannot equal it,
    nor can it be exchanged for jewels of fine gold.
18 No mention shall be made of coral or of crystal;
    the price of wisdom is above pearls.
19 The topaz of Ethiopia cannot equal it,
    nor can it be valued in pure gold.

20 “From where, then, does wisdom come?
    And where is the place of understanding?
21 It is hidden from the eyes of all living
    and concealed from the birds of the air.
22 Abaddon and Death say,
    ‘We have heard a rumor of it with our ears.’

23 “God understands the way to it,
    and he knows its place.
24 For he looks to the ends of the earth
    and sees everything under the heavens.
25 When he gave to the wind its weight
    and apportioned the waters by measure,
26 when he made a decree for the rain
    and a way for the lightning of the thunder,
27 then he saw it and declared it;
    he established it, and searched it out.
28 And he said to man,
‘Behold, the fear of the Lord, that is wisdom,
    and to turn away from evil is understanding.’” – Job 28:1-28 ESV

This chapter contains what appears to be Job’s inner musings concerning man’s endless and often futile search for wisdom. According to Job, humanity has an insatiable desire for wisdom and diligently seeks to find it like a miner prospecting for precious gems.

But despite man’s most ardent efforts, wisdom remain illusive and difficult to find. While there are mines that contain rare metals and tunnels where sapphires and onyx are found, the source of wisdom remains a mystery. It‘s value is incalculable which makes its allure so irresistable.

In this chapter, Job asks and answers the question, "Do people know where to find wisdom?" And, at first glance, it appears as if Job is fairly pessimistic about the prospect of discovering wisdom. He asserts that we may be able to mine precious metals from the depths of the earth, but we don't have the foggiest idea where to find wisdom. It eludes us and remains a mystery to us no matter how hard we search for it. And yet, Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, had a markedly different outlook. 

Wisdom shouts in the streets.
    She cries out in the public square.
She calls to the crowds along the main street,
    to those gathered in front of the city gate:
“How long, you simpletons,
    will you insist on being simpleminded?
How long will you mockers relish your mocking?
    How long will you fools hate knowledge?
Come and listen to my counsel.
I’ll share my heart with you
    and make you wise.” – Proverbs 1:20:23 NLT

Solomon personified wisdom as a woman wandering the streets offering her valuable product to anyone who would accept it. There was no effort required; simply a desire to become wise. But wisdom discovered few takers. No one was interested in what she had to “sell.”

Yet, men continue to seek it, traveling vast distances, consulting with sages, reading volumes of books, and offering their fortunes in exchange for it. They recognize its value but it eludes their grasp.

This entire sililoguy is a direct assault on the so-called wisdom of Job’s three friends. They waltzed into Uz with a cocky assurance that they knew exactly what was behind Job’s suffering and they have dispensed their wise words with abandon and a total lack of compassion. Their prideful assertions of Job’s guilt and God’s judgment have been relentless and have left Job demoralized and more than a bit defensive. He has had enough of their attacks and is now making a few assertions of his own.

When it comes to wisdom, “No one knows where to find it, for it is not found among the living” (Job 28:13 NLT), and that includes his three friends. Despite its great value, “It cannot be bought with gold. It cannot be purchased with silver” (Job 28:15 NLT). Bildad, Eliphaz, and Zophar may think they’ve garnered the market on wisdom, but Job asserts that they are sorely mistaken.

“It is hidden from the eyes of all humanity.
    Even the sharp-eyed birds in the sky cannot discover it.” – Job 28:21 NLT

Again, Job’s words seem to contradict those of Solomon. So, who is right? Which man offers the correct perspective? The answer is that Job and Solomon are both right. Each man is describing an invaluable resource that is impossible to find unless you know the source. And both Solomon and Job describe wisdom as coming from God. 

“God alone understands the way to wisdom;
    he knows where it can be found.” – Job 28:23 NLT

Fear of the Lord is the foundation of true knowledge,
    but fools despise wisdom and discipline. – Proverbs 1:7 NLT

Job knew that God was the sole source of wisdom and He alone could solve the mystery of his suffering. Only God could explain why Job has lost everything and only God could resolve the debate about Job’s guilt of innocence. The reason he kept demanding an audience with God was because of his fear and reverence for his Maker. Job didn’t have all the answers but he knew that God did. 

Without realizing it, Job was taking the advice of Solomon.

Tune your ears to wisdom,
    and concentrate on understanding.
Cry out for insight,
    and ask for understanding.
Search for them as you would for silver;
    seek them like hidden treasures.
Then you will understand what it means to fear the Lord,
    and you will gain knowledge of God.
For the Lord grants wisdom!
    From his mouth come knowledge and understanding. – Proverbs 2:2-6 NLT

Job wasn’t searching for wisdom so he could impress his friends. He was seeking to know the will and the ways of God. He was trying to make sense of all the madness that had enveloped his life and left him destitute, disease-ridden, and alone. And he knew that the only one who could answer all his questions and bring relief to his suffering was God.

Job asserts that God alone “looks throughout the whole earth and sees everything under the heavens” (Job 28:24 NLT). This is a direct slam on his three arrogant friends. They spoke as if they had a monopoly on wisdom and insight, but they were nothing more than blind men seeking to find treasure in a darkened pit. Rather than heeding the cries of wisdom, they were filling the air with the sound of their own self-righteous ramblings and false assumptions.

But Job saw things differently. He viewed God as the source of all wisdom, it was God alone who “saw wisdom and evaluated it. He set it in place and examined it thoroughly” (Job 28:27 NLT). And if Job’s three friends would shut up long enough to listen, they might hear the words of God.

“…this is what he says to all humanity: ‘The fear of the Lord is true wisdom; to forsake evil is real understanding.’” – Job 28:28 NLT

Job was willing to put his trust in God. He continued to reject the words of his three friends because he knew they were wrong. They were not speaking for God and so their wisdom was not from God. Job was convinced that wisdom was available and accessible but you had to go to seek it at the source. Godly wisdom could only be found in God’s presence.

“He grants a treasure of common sense to the honest.
    He is a shield to those who walk with integrity.
He guards the paths of the just
    and protects those who are faithful to him.” – Proverbs 2:7-8 NLT

Wisdom is a rare commodity these days, but that doesn’t mean it’s illusive or unavailable. We just need to go to the source.

Father, I want and need wisdom. But I tend to seek it in all the wrong places. I look to myself and I look to others. Instead I need to seek it in You. I need to fear You. Not in a timid, cowering way, but out of awe, reverence and respect for Your power, majesty, and holiness. Rather than question You, I need to learn to trust You. Rather than whine and moan at You, I need to learn to thank You for the fact that You are in control of my life and my future. Help me get my focus off of me and put it on You. Because You alone grant wisdom. Amen.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

With Friends Like These…

1 “Has not man a hard service on earth,
    and are not his days like the days of a hired hand?
2 Like a slave who longs for the shadow,
    and like a hired hand who looks for his wages,
3 so I am allotted months of emptiness,
    and nights of misery are apportioned to me.
4 When I lie down I say, ‘When shall I arise?’
    But the night is long,
    and I am full of tossing till the dawn.
5 My flesh is clothed with worms and dirt;
    my skin hardens, then breaks out afresh.
6 My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle
    and come to their end without hope.

7 “Remember that my life is a breath;
    my eye will never again see good.
8 The eye of him who sees me will behold me no more;
    while your eyes are on me, I shall be gone.
9 As the cloud fades and vanishes,
    so he who goes down to Sheol does not come up;
10 he returns no more to his house,
    nor does his place know him anymore.

11 “Therefore I will not restrain my mouth;
    I will speak in the anguish of my spirit;
    I will complain in the bitterness of my soul.
12 Am I the sea, or a sea monster,
    that you set a guard over me?
13 When I say, ‘My bed will comfort me,
    my couch will ease my complaint,’
14 then you scare me with dreams
    and terrify me with visions,
15 so that I would choose strangling
    and death rather than my bones.
16 I loathe my life; I would not live forever.
    Leave me alone, for my days are a breath.
17 What is man, that you make so much of him,
    and that you set your heart on him,
18 visit him every morning
    and test him every moment?
19 How long will you not look away from me,
    nor leave me alone till I swallow my spit?
20 If I sin, what do I do to you, you watcher of mankind?
    Why have you made me your mark?
    Why have I become a burden to you?
21 Why do you not pardon my transgression
    and take away my iniquity?
For now I shall lie in the earth;
    you will seek me, but I shall not be.” – Job 7:1-21 ESV

Job pulls out all the stops, unleashing a torrent of pain-induced questions mixed with a heavy dose of invectives against his so-called friend, Eliphaz. He has had enough of listening to pious-sounding advice that only intensifies his misery while raising more questions than answers.

Job’s statements recorded in this section contain direct attacks on Eliphaz as well as more veiled questions aimed at God. It is partly a self-defense and a soliloquy. Job seems to be letting his inner thoughts pour out with no attempt to manage their intensity or worry about the impact they may have on the hearer. He can no longer constrain his growing frustration and allows a barrage of pent-up anger to flow from his lips unabated.   

But even considering his circumstances, Job’s words are shocking to the ears. As followers of God, we can’t help but question the propriety of his unfiltered and ungodly-sounding speech. Can he say the things he is saying? Is it okay for someone to talk like that, especially to God? It all sounds so unfaithful. The degree of his pessimism appears to be off the charts. Where's his faith? Just listen to his words:

"I hate this life! Who needs any more of this? Let me alone! There's nothing to my life – it's nothing but smoke." – Job 7:16 MSG

A believer isn't supposed to think like this, let alone talk like this, is he? Just listen to the way he addresses God.

"Let up on me, will you? Can't you even let me spit in peace?" – Job 7:19 MSG

How can he get away with that? Shouldn't we say something? Shouldn't I quote a verse to him? Doesn't he need a good dose of Romans 8:28?

And we know that God causes all things to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose.

Or how about 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18? That's a good one. "Always be joyful. Keep on praying. No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God’s will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." This guy just needs someone to read him the proverbial riot act and tell him to shut up and shape up.

But wait a minute. Before we blow into another person's despair with our gems of wisdom and some ill-placed and taken-out-of-context Scriptures, let's try to understand where they're coming from. Let's enter into their situation and feel their pain. Let's share their grief. Let's get into their shoes and try to experience what they are going through.

Too often, we try to alleviate someone else's misery because we want it to go away for our sake, not theirs. We want the other person's pain to go away because it causes us to doubt. It tests our faith. Listen to what Job said about his friends: "They arrive so confident – but what a disappointment! They get there, and their faces fall! And you, my so-called friends, are no better – there's nothing to you! One look at a hard scene and you shrink in fear" (Job 6:20-21 MSG).

You see, pain is – well, painful. It is hard to watch someone suffer and even more difficult to walk into someone else's heartache and simply be there for them. We want to fix it. We want to pray them out of their situation. We want to counsel them back into wholeness. And while there’s nothing wrong with prayer or biblically-based counsel, God may simply want us to go through this moment with them to provide love and concern. He may not want us to fix them; He may just want us to care about them.

There is something uncomfortable about Job's words in this chapter. He is being brutally honest and it assaults our Christian sensibilities. He is saying things that "good" Christians should not say. He is being TOO honest, and it makes us squirm. But in the midst of his pain, Job has lost all his pious inhibitions. He is beyond worrying about what others think about him because he is fighting for his life. Loss has a way of peeling away the layers of pretense and getting us down to the bare reality of life. It causes us to question, and those questions make others uncomfortable.

But why does the pain and suffering of others make us uncomfortable? It’s usually because we don't have the answers. Of course, those of us who have grown up in the church have the standard Sunday School answers. We know a handful of verses we can apply to a given situation but most of us don't speak from experience. We have been programmed with the proper responses but our words don’t always reflect a personal point of reference.

Job's friends had not walked in his sandals. They had never been through what he was experiencing, so they couldn't relate and it made them uncomfortable. But if any one of them had suffered the kind of losses Job had, they would probably have said less and hugged more. They would have allowed their friend to vent, understanding that it was part of the healing process.

Is there a time to speak up? Certainly. But sometimes it is enough just to show up; to give those who are going through tragedy a chance to express their grief, vent their anger, and ask their questions. God can handle it, so why can't we? I think it’s because, in the back of our minds, we don't like to witness the suffering of others because it raises doubts in our own minds. Where is God? Why does He allow good people to go through difficulties? If it can happen to them, what guarantee do I have that the same thing won’t happen to me?

Suffering causes us to doubt. It tests our own belief system. But that's okay. Part of the reason God placed us within the body of Christ is that we might go through difficulty together. I can learn from the heartache and hurt of others. I can grow from their difficulty – alongside them. Job's friends could have learned a lot – if they would have only listened.

Job made it clear. He was in pain and he was no longer willing to keep quiet.

“I cannot keep from speaking.
    I must express my anguish.
    My bitter soul must complain.” – Job 7:11 NLT

And while Job’s skin was covered with sores, his mind was filled with questions. He couldn’t understand what was happening to him. He desperately needed to know he was still loved because he felt completely abandoned and alone. And in a desperate attempt to seek solace and comfort from God, he cried out, “Why not just forgive my sin and take away my guilt? For soon I will lie down in the dust and die. When you look for me, I will be gone” (Job 7:21 NLT).

It was at that moment that Job needed his friends to show up and wrap their arms around him. He needed to know he was not alone. He needed to be reminded that his God still loved him. But as we will see, Job’s friends failed to hear what he had to say. Rather than listen and love, they will take turns berating their beaten-down friend and attempting to set themselves up as his spiritual superiors and moral betters. With friends like these, who needs enemies?

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

When Well-intended Words Become a Weapon

1 Then Eliphaz the Temanite answered and said:

2 “If one ventures a word with you, will you be impatient?
    Yet who can keep from speaking?
3 Behold, you have instructed many,
    and you have strengthened the weak hands.
4 Your words have upheld him who was stumbling,
    and you have made firm the feeble knees.
5 But now it has come to you, and you are impatient;
    it touches you, and you are dismayed.
6 Is not your fear of God your confidence,
    and the integrity of your ways your hope?

7 “Remember: who that was innocent ever perished?
    Or where were the upright cut off?
8 As I have seen, those who plow iniquity
    and sow trouble reap the same.
9 By the breath of God they perish,
    and by the blast of his anger they are consumed.
10 The roar of the lion, the voice of the fierce lion,
    the teeth of the young lions are broken.
11 The strong lion perishes for lack of prey,
    and the cubs of the lioness are scattered.”

12 “Now a word was brought to me stealthily;
    my ear received the whisper of it.
13 Amid thoughts from visions of the night,
    when deep sleep falls on men,
14 dread came upon me, and trembling,
    which made all my bones shake.
15 A spirit glided past my face;
    the hair of my flesh stood up.
16 It stood still,
    but I could not discern its appearance.
A form was before my eyes;
    there was silence, then I heard a voice:
17 ‘Can mortal man be in the right before God?
    Can a man be pure before his Maker?
18 Even in his servants he puts no trust,
    and his angels he charges with error;
19 how much more those who dwell in houses of clay,
    whose foundation is in the dust,
    who are crushed like the moth.
20 Between morning and evening they are beaten to pieces;
    they perish forever without anyone regarding it.
21 Is not their tent-cord plucked up within them,
    do they not die, and that without wisdom?’” – Job 4:1-21 ESV

We all have them – well-meaning friends who step alongside us during times of difficulty and seasons of suffering spouting sanctimonious sermonettes on our condition. They're the Scripture police who tend to quote passages they don't fully understand and draw conclusions based on scant information and little or no experience. These people don't intend to hurt anyone, but in their zeal to "encourage," they do more harm than good.

Job's friend, Eliphaz, was one of these types of individuals. In the midst of all of Job's grief and suffering, he shows up on the scene lobbing all kinds of theological and psychological hand grenades into Job's pity party. He has taken one look at Job's circumstances and reached a conclusion: Job is guilty of something. He has to be.

But Eliphaz prefaces his verbal barrage on his suffering friend with what appears to be a kind and gracious request to share his thoughts. He and his companions have completed a seven-day-long wake, where they sat by Job’s side as he mourned the deaths of his ten children and the loss of his entire economic empire. They sat in silence as their devastated friend attempted to heal from his deep emotional wounds while suffering from a debilitating and painful skin disease.

In time, Eliphaz grew impatient and decided it was time to speak. He had seen enough and was ready to help his friend come to grips with the real source of Job’s problems. Knowing that Job is in no mood to hear what he has to say, Eliphaz begs his friend to show patience as he shares his enlightened insights. Then, in a somewhat heavy-handed attempt to gain Job’s ear, Eliphaz flatters his suffering friend by recalling how Job had so often played the role of comforting counselor in the lives of others.

“In the past you have encouraged many people;
    you have strengthened those who were weak.
Your words have supported those who were falling;
    you encouraged those with shaky knees.” – Job 4:3-4 NLT

In a sense, Eliphaz is saying, “I’m only doing what you would do if the shoe was on the other foot.” Eliphaz is trying to prepare Job for the “truth bomb” he is about to drop. In the lengthy speech he has prepared, Eliphaz is going to share some things that Job is not going to want to hear. Eliphaz knows his words are going to be painful and difficult to accept but they need to be said, and he challenges Job to accept them like a man. 

He levels an accusation of duplicity, suggesting that Job has always been quick to hand out advice to his suffering friends but now that he is the one doing the suffering, he crumples like a house of cards.

“But now when trouble strikes, you lose heart.
    You are terrified when it touches you.” – Job 4:5 NLT

These words seem to echo the sentiments found in the Book of Proverbs.

An open rebuke
    is better than hidden love!

Wounds from a sincere friend
    are better than many kisses from an enemy. – Proverbs 27:5-6 NLT

The heartfelt counsel of a friend
is as sweet as perfume and incense. – Proverbs 27:9 NLT

As iron sharpens iron,
    so a friend sharpens a friend. – Proverbs 27:17 NLT

But friendship isn’t necessarily a guarantee of wise counsel. Well-intentioned friends can end up giving poor advice and questionable counsel. A close and intimate relationship doesn’t automatically qualify someone to serve as an infallible source of wisdom. Eliphaz meant well, and much of what he had to say contained a semblance of truth, but there was a great deal about Job’s situation to which he was ignorant.

From his limited vantage point, Eliphaz had come to certain conclusions regarding Job’s circumstances. From the outside looking in, he assessed the scene and determined the cause of Job’s suffering, and he validated his conclusions by spiritualizing them. He claims to have had a vision in the night.

“This truth was given to me in secret,
    as though whispered in my ear.
It came to me in a disturbing vision at night,
    when people are in a deep sleep.
Fear gripped me,
    and my bones trembled.
A spirit swept past my face,
    and my hair stood on end.
The spirit stopped, but I couldn’t see its shape.
    There was a form before my eyes.
In the silence I heard a voice…” – Job 4:12-16 NLT

Eliphaz doesn’t attribute this vision to Yahweh. He never claims to have received a word from God Almighty. He simply saw “a form” that whispered a cryptic message in his ear.

“Can a mortal be innocent before God?
    Can anyone be pure before the Creator?” – Job 4:17 NLT

Eliphaz heard a voice but he could not name its source. He had a vision but he had no way of knowing who this “spirit” was or whether the message was God-ordained. From his ethereal night encounter, Eliphaz built an entire case against Job. He wrongly concluded that Job must be guilty of something. Otherwise, why would he be suffering so much loss and pain?

In the second half of his speech, he draws the following conclusion:

"…evil does not spring from the soil, and trouble does not sprout from the earth. People are born for trouble as predictably as sparks fly upward from a fire." – Job 5:6-7 NLT

Bad things don't just happen. They're the result of bad choices made by individuals. In other words, you reap what you sow. And Job must have sown some really wild oats at some point in his past. Eliphaz admits that Job was a pretty good guy. He had been an encouragement to a lot of people over the years. He had been a source of comfort and strength to others when they needed him. He had always been there with a kind word and a listening ear. But he must have done something to deserve this bizarre turn of affairs. These things don't just happen.

The problem with Eliphaz's speech is that it contains a modicum of truth. He has a lot of good things to say but he suffers from bad timing and a lousy understanding of reality. He speaks of things he doesn't know. He makes assumptions about things he doesn't understand. He is judging based on the circumstances, but can't see what God sees. He can't even see God working behind the scenes. And isn't that how we all approach the presence of trials and troubles in our lives?

We draw conclusions. We make assumptions. And we pass out words of wisdom like they were so much Valentine's candy. We mix a touch of biblical truth with a little bit of home-spun wisdom and then baste our friends with this toxic marinade of self-righteous piety. Eliphaz was dispensing truth like a doctor handing out prescriptions for a condition he had yet to diagnose; a process that will render perfectly safe drugs potentially deadly. We do that when we reach hasty conclusions about the spiritual condition of others based on circumstances alone. It reminds me of the story in the Gospel of John. Jesus is walking with His disciples and they encounter a man blind from birth. His disciples reveal a lot about their theology when they ask Jesus, "Teacher, why was this man born blind? Was it a result of his own sins or those of his parents?" (John 9:2 NLT). To their surprise, Jesus responded, "It was not because of his sins or his parents’ sins, he was born blind so the power of God could be seen in him" (John 9:3 NLT).

The truth is, we don't know what God is doing behind the scenes. We don't know why certain situations are as they are, and if we’re not careful, like Eliphaz we can hastily draw wrong conclusions and hand out poor advice. When Job needed comfort, he got unnecessary conviction. When he needed a listening ear, he got a lecture. Was a lot of what was said true? You bet. But it was misapplied and mistakenly meted out. In his commentary on the book of Job, John Gill says this about Eliphaz's little speech:

"and he ‘said’ not anything by way of condolence or consolation, not pitying Job's case, nor comforting him in his afflicted circumstances, as they required both; but reproaching him as a wicked and hypocritical man, not acting like himself formerly, or according to his profession and principles, but just the reverse: this was a new trial to Job, and some think the sorest of all; it was as a sword in his bones, which was very cutting to him; as oil cast into a fiery furnace in which he now was, which increased the force and fury of it; and as to vinegar an opened and bleeding wound, which makes it smart the more." – John Gill, Exposition on the Entire Bible, the Book of Job

A big part of ministering to others is learning to listen well. Sometimes the greatest form of comfort is silence. But if you're going to say anything at all, maybe we could take notes from the words of Isaiah.

Strengthen the feeble hands, steady the knees that give way; say to those with fearful hearts, 'Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, he will come with vengeance; with divine retribution he will come to save you. – Isaiah 35:4-5 NIV

Strengthen, steady, encourage, and point them to God. Lift them up, don't tear them down.

Timely advice is lovely,
    like golden apples in a silver basket.

To one who listens, valid criticism
    is like a gold earring or other gold jewelry.

Trustworthy messengers refresh like snow in summer.
    They revive the spirit of their employer. – Proverbs 25:11-13 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Lessons from the Land of Uz

1 There was a man in the land of Uz whose name was Job, and that man was blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil. 2 There were born to him seven sons and three daughters. 3 He possessed 7,000 sheep, 3,000 camels, 500 yoke of oxen, and 500 female donkeys, and very many servants, so that this man was the greatest of all the people of the east. 4 His sons used to go and hold a feast in the house of each one on his day, and they would send and invite their three sisters to eat and drink with them. 5 And when the days of the feast had run their course, Job would send and consecrate them, and he would rise early in the morning and offer burnt offerings according to the number of them all. For Job said, “It may be that my children have sinned, and cursed God in their hearts.” Thus Job did continually. – Job 1:1-5 ESV

This book contains the story of a man named Job; a rather obscure individual whose life would have passed on with little fanfare and no recollection in the collective human memory, except for the fateful events of his life recorded by an unnamed writer and eventually included in the canon of Scripture. In a sense, Job represents every man, with his life serving as a living lesson on the sometimes inexplicable and often unexpected ways of God.

While the book bears his name, Job is not intended to be the hero of the story it contains. All of the events recorded by the author revolve around the life of Job but the primary focus of the book’s message is on God. He is the real point of the story. Verse 7 of the opening chapter introduces us to the LORD (Yᵊhōvâ), better known to us as Jehovah. He is the same God worshiped by Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, which had led many scholars to believe that this book was written sometime during the patriarchal period. There is no clear consensus regarding the dating of this book or its authorship, but its inclusion in the canon of Scripture provides ample evidence of its divine inspiration and the reliability of the message it contains. It is not a work of fiction or a cleverly crafted tale from the mind of a superstitious individual living in a less enlightened age.   

“God inspired this book to reveal answers to questions that arise from God’s nature and His ways with human beings. Specifically, what is the basis on which God deals with people?” – Thomas L. Constable, Notes on Job: 2023 Edition

Job is described as an inhabitant of the land of Uz. While there is no consensus on the exact location of Uz, the book of Lamentations associates it with the land of Edom.

Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom,
    you who dwell in the land of Uz – Lamentations 4:21 ESV

Most likely, Uz was located somewhere south of the Dead Sea. In this somewhat inhospitable region of the Middle East, Job had managed to establish for himself a very comfortable lifestyle. He was a successful man who had a large family, plenty of assets, and a glowing reputation among his neighbors and peers. He was well-off and well-liked.

Not only that, Job was “blameless and upright, one who feared God and turned away from evil” (Job 1:1 ESV). This glowing assessment of Job is not intended as flattery or a ringing endorsement of his spotless spiritual qualifications. Like any other man, Job was born with a sin nature and a built-in propensity to pursue his own will and to act as his own god. But somewhere along the way, Job had been introduced to Jehovah, the one true God, and become an ardent follower and God-fearer. Job was neither sinless nor perfectly righteous, but he was faithful.

Job is described as “blameless,” a Hebrew word (tām) that means “sound, whole, or complete.” He was a man of integrity and spiritual maturity. The idea of “wholeness” is meant to convey a sense of completeness. Job didn’t live a compartmentalized life. There were no areas of his life that he had deemed off-limits to God. His entire life was an open book and every facet of his daily experience was lived out in full view of his all-knowing God. This is the same idea that God conveyed to Abraham when he was 90 years old.

“I am God Almighty; walk before me, and be blameless (tām)…” – Genesis 17:1 ESV

Abraham was being ordered to “walk” or to conduct his life with the constant awareness that God was watching. He was to live with integrity or wholeness, never withholding or attempting to conceal any part of his life from God. And that was the way Job had lived his life.

It seems quite clear that the author wants his readers to understand that Job was wel-off, both spiritually and materially. He had seven sons and three daughters, a sign of God’s blessings.

Children are a gift from the Lord;
    they are a reward from him.
Children born to a young man
    are like arrows in a warrior’s hands.
How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! – Psalm 127:3-5 NLT

Not only did Job have a quiver full of arrows, but he also had fields full of flocks and herds. He was a wealthy man; “in fact, the richest person in that entire area” (Job 1:3 NLT). Job had a reputation for godliness and, because of his extensive wealth, would have been viewed as a man who had been greatly blessed by God. In that day and age, wealth was considered to be practical proof that a man was living in a way that pleased God. His assets were viewed as rewards for a life well-lived.

The blessing of the Lord makes rich,
    and he adds no sorrow with it. – Proverbs 10:22 ESV

Even Moses reminded the people of Israel that wealth and success were the purvue of God Almighty.

“You shall remember the LORD your God, for it is he who gives you power to get wealth, that he may confirm his covenant that he swore to your fathers…” – Deuteronomy 8:18 ESV

So, Job is portrayed as a poster-boy of God’s pleasure and his prosperity is provided as the proof. This man was so well-off that his seven sons took turns hosting elaborate and expensive parties in their homes to which they invited all their siblings.

Job’s sons would take turns preparing feasts in their homes, and they would also invite their three sisters to celebrate with them. – Job 1:4 NLT

It seems that this recurring feast cycle was always ended by Job offering a sacrifice “purify his children” (Job 1:5 NLT). Perhaps that was a father’s attempt to remedy any debauchery or immorality that may have taken place during the seven days of feasting and festivities. Job cared about the spiritual well-being of his children and acted as a priest for his family, ensuring that any sins they may have committed were properly atoned for.

“Perhaps my children have sinned and have cursed God in their hearts.” – Job 1:5 NLT

This was a man who cared. He had a deep and abiding love for God and a desire to see that his children remained faithful to Jehovah all their lives. He was not willing to let his affluence negatively influence his children to live lives of excess and immorality.

Here is a man who had it all: Wealth, material possessions, a lovely family, and a vibrant relationship with his God. But these opening verses are meant to be the preface for all that comes next. The reader is given a glimpse into the life of a man who was living a storybook life. In a way, Job’s circumstances are meant to create a certain sense of jealousy or envy. It’s as if we’re reading a headline story about someone who just won the national lottery. It’s difficult to read these five verses and not want to picture yourself in Job’s sandals. What would it be like to have those kinds of resources at your disposal? How would it feel to be revered for your spiritual life and envied for your material success? There is little doubt that Job had plenty of friends and neighbors who outwardly conveyed their love and respect for him, while at the same time harboring deep and resentful feelings of jealousy and anger. There were likely those who wished his trouble-free world would come crashing down around him.

That’s where the rest of the story comes in. Unbelievable tragedy was about to rock Job’s righteous and all’s-right-with-the-world life. This faithful servant of God would suddenly find himself wrestling with an unexpected and seemingly unwarranted wave a tragic circumstances that would leave his head spinning and his world turned upside down. And worse yet, his long-held views of God would be tested like never before.

Everything he knew about his God was about to be challenged. How would he feel about Jehovah when the blessings were taken away? What would his response be when the seeming incongruities of life disrupted his once perfect world? How would his faith hold up when it appears as if his faithful God failed to show up? The story of Job is the story of all those who choose to follow God in a fallen world.

“The book of Job deals essentially with man’s relationship with God, centering on two questions. The first question is, Why does man worship God? . . .

“The second question is, How will man react to God when God seems unconcerned about his problems?” – Roy B. Zuck, "A Theology of the Wisdom Books and the Song of Songs," in A Biblical Theology of the Old Testament

The stage is set. The protagonist has been introduced. But the rest of the players wait in the wings and the rest of the story waits to be revealed.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Obey. Submit. Pray.

17 Obey your leaders and submit to them, for they are keeping watch over your souls, as those who will have to give an account. Let them do this with joy and not with groaning, for that would be of no advantage to you.

18 Pray for us, for we are sure that we have a clear conscience, desiring to act honorably in all things. 19 I urge you the more earnestly to do this in order that I may be restored to you the sooner. – Hebrews 13:17-19 ESV

In our culture, we tend to view leadership through a distorted lens. We aspire to leadership. We see it as something to be sought after and as kind of a reward for a job well done. Leaders are the successful ones, the over-achievers who have earned the right to be followed and to enjoy all the benefits that come with their title.

For many of us, leaders are not so much to be followed as envied. We covet their corner office and exorbitant salaries. We grow jealous of their prestige and power, and we dream of the day when we will get our moment in the spotlight. This mentality, while mostly visible in the secular arena, can even make its way into the church, the body of Christ. It can even lead to a sense of disrespect for leadership among God’s people. But this is nothing new.

Moses, the man whom God chose to deliver the people of Israel out of captivity in Egypt and lead them to the promised land, found himself constantly questioned and blamed for everything. His own brother and sister tried to stage a coup and force him to share his power and authority with them.

The prophets of God were all ignored, disliked, and treated like social outcasts – all because their message was not what the people wanted to hear.

Jesus Himself was a victim of leadership loathing. As long as He performed miracles, handed out free meals, and talked about a new kingdom, the people flocked to hear what He had to say. But as soon as He started talking about suffering, taking up your cross, and dying to self, the crowds quickly thinned out. When He entered into Jerusalem riding on a donkey, fresh off the heels of His raising of Lazarus from the dead, the people celebrated Him with great gusto. But when news of His arrest got out, His former cheerleaders disappeared from sight, including His twelve disciples.

The author of Hebrews knew that people can be fickle when it comes to leadership, even in the church. So he encouraged his readers to do three things: Obey, submit, and pray. He knew that the role of a leader was difficult and virtually impossible if those being led refused to follow. He also knew that reluctant or disgruntled followers could make the life of any leader miserable. Gossips, grumblers, and discontented followers can become like cancer, spreading discord and disunity throughout the body. So, he encouraged his readers to obey and submit.

The Greek word for obey is peithō and it means “to listen to, obey, yield to, comply with.” But it also carries the idea of trust and confidence. As believers, we are to place our trust and confidence in those whom God has placed in leadership over us. We are to see them as hand-picked by Him, and we are to submit to them. The Greek word he uses is hypeikō and it means “to yield to authority and admonition.” It includes the concept of non-resistance. When we submit to and obey the leadership God has placed over us, we are ultimately placing our faith in Him. We are displaying our belief that He knows what He is doing and is working through those He has placed in authority over us.

Finally, the author of Hebrews encourages us to pray for those who lead us. It is easy to complain about leadership. We won’t always agree with what they are doing or where they are leading us. But rather than question our leaders, we should pray for them. Theirs is not an easy job, and we must never lose sight of the fact that they will one day answer to God for how they have led. Leaders in the church answer to a higher authority – God Himself. They will have to give an account of how they have cared for the flock of God.

It was Peter who warned the elders of the local church to “care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly – not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God” (1 Peter 5:2 NLT). Paul told the elders of the church in Ephesus, “Pay careful attention to yourselves and to all the flock, in which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to care for the church of God, which he obtained with his own blood” (Acts 20:28 ESV).

Leading the church of God is not easy. Shepherding the flock of God is a big responsibility. Do some godly leaders do their job in a less-than-godly way? Certainly. Do all pastors, teachers, elders, and deacons always lead in the way that God would have them? Sadly, the answer is no.

Moses was far from perfect. David had his flaws and failings. Solomon was wise, but not always the brightest bulb in the box when it came to leadership. But God had placed each of them where they were. Praying for our leaders is the best way to ensure that they become godly leaders. Obeying and submitting to them as having been placed over us by God is an expression of our faith in His sovereignty. But we must never forget that godly followers are essential to the success of any godly leader.

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.