Living Word September 2014

Is it at your command that the eagle soars?

(Job 39:27)

www.biblestudiesonline.org.uk

Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights (James 1:17)

In this month’s issue: 4.

Await God’s Appointment

Edwin & Lillian Harvey (USA)

5.

Judging God

Kenn Legg (Australia)

6.

Revelation 19: The Coming of the King

Mathew Bartlett (UK)

8.

The Blood of Jesus

Reinhard Bonnke & Daniel Kolenda (CfaN)

10.

Jubilant Jeremy Johnson

Doreen Harrison (UK)

13.

The Majesty of God’s Word (Sermon Outline)

Mathew Bartlett (UK)

16.

God Speaks Through the Holy Spirit

Daniel Kolenda (CfaN)

17.

Faith-builders Bible Study Mark 12

Derek Williams (UK)

21.

In Depth Study – Zechariah 2

Mathew Bartlett (UK)

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Await God’s Appointment An extract from ”Kneeling We Triumph” by Edwin & Lillian Harvey BUY ON KINDLE! £3.86 Reproduced by kind permission of Harvey Publishers.

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It is yet for a time appointed (Dan. 11:35).

For the vision is yet for an appointed time, but at the end it shall speak, and not lie: though it tarry wait for it; because it will surely come, it will not tarry (Hab. 2:3).

Delays are not refusals. Many a prayer is registered, and underneath it the words—“My time is not yet come.” God has a set time and way, as well as a set purpose.

The loftiest level of answer is where there is absolutely no sign that God hears or cares. With all the repeated, importunate call, there seems to be none that regards the cry, as with the Baal worshippers on Carmel. The Hearer of Prayer keeps silence.

Unbelief would say that the Throne of His Glory is disgraced.

Years pass by, and life’s morning has reached noon, and noon has sunk to night, and there has been no sensible relief. When faith survives such a trial, and still triumphs in God, it rises to the highest level of the sublime, resting calmly on the changeless Word and character of God. It asks no sign, no voice, no vision, willing to wait for explanation, till the eternal morning dawns and all the shadows flee away!

I asked Mr. Müller, a little before his death, whether he had ever prayed for a long time for a blessing, with no answer. He replied with his wonted precision, that, for more than sixty-five years and four months, he had besought God for the conversion of two men, yet in their sins.

But he added: “I shall meet them both in Heaven.

My Heavenly Father would not lay on me the burden of two souls for so many years, had He no purposes of mercy concerning them!” He died without the sight, but without the doubt, a rare example of a faith that could repose upon the immutable Promiser, though more than three score years of apparently vain supplication had put both faith and patience to the test.—A. T. Pierson.

When Samuel Pollard had spent just one year in his new role as missionary in China, something unusual was promised to him.

He was only twenty-four years of age and was about to engage in a ten day special Mission. A week of prayer preceded these efforts.

Tuesday, the ninth day, was spent in fasting and the entire night was spent in prayer. He writes to a friend: “I shall never forget it. Our room was filled

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with glory, and I had a manifestation such as I had never realized before. The glory came down and so filled me that I felt the Holy Ghost from my head to the soles of my feet. I had a promise at that meeting that we are going to have thousands of souls.

Mind, I believe that from the bottom of my heart. Some folks may say, ‘He’s a fool!’ Let them, we’ll have our thousands. ‘He’s gone mad.’ So be it, but we’ll have our thousands.

‘He’s young and enthusiastic.’ Yes, glory be to God, I am, and we’ll have our thousands.”

Did God keep His promise? Yes, but first there was much to be accomplished in Pollard’s youthful character. If the promise were fulfilled prematurely, he might worship “fruit” rather than follow on to know the Lord. The testing of faith and the trying of his soul were all necessary before the promised gift was given. Then, it came. After sixteen long years the answer came.

Pollard’s biographer tells how four Miao scouts came and told the missionaries of a whole tribe waiting for the new teaching.

They swarmed round the missionary for tuition, advice, and counsel. Samuel’s wife, fearing for his health, advised him to go up and lock the bedroom door, but what was her surprise to find later that twelve tribesmen were seated round his bed with their books, so happy to be privileged to have their teacher all to themselves. God had kept His promise, but it was for a time appointed.

Judging God From Grace Roots by Ken Legg Order your copy online PDF AUS $9 Print AUS $19 The original temptation was to eat the forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. It may seem strange that God forbade Adam and Eve to eat from this tree. We might reason, “Surely, the knowledge of good and evil is beneficial.”

In response, let’s begin by asking: “How does God know good and evil?” Only God is essentially good, so everything that is consistent with Him is good and everything that isn’t is evil. Man was meant to know good and evil by coming to God and relating everything to Him. But if he ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil he would form judgments concerning what is morally good and bad, independently of God. And that is what has happened. The fall has resulted in billions of little gods who have an opinion on just about everything and everyone we know.

And we think we are correct most, if not all, of the time!

The chief characteristic of eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, then, is judgmentalism. The first judgment the serpent persuaded Eve to make was one about God. The paraphrased version of what he said to her goes something like this: “Did God really say that you would die if you ate from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil?

You won’t die! God doesn’t want you to eat from that tree because

you will become like Him. You will know what’s right and what’s wrong. You’ll be able to call the shots. You won’t need Him anymore. Do you see what God is doing? He is keeping something from you that is good for you. He doesn’t have your best interests at heart.”

The original sin began by entertaining a lie about the character and nature of God. The accuser sought to kill, steal and destroy man’s trust in God by means of this lie – ‘God is not good!’ Once the seed of doubt was planted in man he would not place his faith in God. Where Does Your Image Of God Come From?

When our vision of God is perverted we will no longer trust Him. How can we trust in someone we believe does not really love us? A.W. Tozer said, “What you believe about God is the most important thing about you.” In Psa.115:1-8 the psalmist explains why this is so. He says that we become like the God we worship. For this reason many Christians have great difficulty relating to God. They believe in a distorted image of Him, and their lives are shaped by what they believe. For example: - If you were brought up in a strict religious institution or environment you will probably believe in a God who forces you to believe, and do, things against your will - If you have been surrounded by flaky Christians, you will believe in a bizarre kind of God who does weird things Satan has done his best to send wrong messages to you about God, hoping you’ll end up with a

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mistaken picture of Him in your mind.

Jesus Is The True And Perfect Image Of God The reason God prohibited man from making any graven image of Him is because whatever image he fashioned would be wrong; it would be a misrepresentation of God. Jesus came to reveal the truth about God. “He is the image of the invisible God” (Col.1:15). God has shown Himself to us perfectly through His Son, who is “the brightness of God’s glory” (Heb.1:3).

The word ‘glory’ refers to the sum total of God’s attributes. Jesus unveiled the attributes of the Father in perfect proportion and balance. John says, “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth…No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (Jn.1:14&18). When you study the beautiful life of Jesus in the gospels every false image you have of God will begin to crumble.

For example: - If you think God is intolerant towards those struggling with unbelief just look at the way Jesus ministered to Thomas, and you will think again. (If only those responsible for the Spanish Inquisition had understood this!)

- If you perceive God as being angry with backsliders then look at how Jesus dealt with Peter after he denied Christ, or the way He ministered to a woman heading into her sixth marriage Each time you read these things remember that this is your God!

Revelation 19 The Coming of the King

The opening verses of Revelation 19 show all heaven rejoicing in the triumph of their victorious King.

Indeed, the only time the word alleluia is used in the New Testament is here, in response to God’s judgment of the great whore, the ungodly world system spoken of in previous chapters. God’s victory over moral, commercial and religious corruption begins an unstoppable flood of victory resulting in the final victory of God. Once God begins to act, there is no stopping him!

Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, "Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people. God Himself will be with them and be their God. And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away." (Rev 21:1-4)

The praise of God’s people builds up to the mighty shout of verse 6 “Alleluia, for the Lord God Almighty Reigns.” He always did reign, but now he is breaking into time to enforce his rule on a hitherto rebellious world.

Superlatively and eternally blessed are those who are called to the marriage supper of the Lamb. And who are they? They are those he has redeemed, collectively called ‘the church’, which is described here as his bride. These are made white through the blood of the lamb; and only those who wash their robes in Jesus blood have the right to enter the eternal city of God.

They have good reason to rejoice, for the events they have witnessed show that the time for the marriage of the lamb has finally come.

Though it is a time for judgment on earth—bringing the end to world rebellion—it is important to keep these events in perspective. They are the necessary prelude to the unveiling of an eternal state of righteousness and bliss which will be the portion of all God’s people forever.

Truth for Today A brief extract from our forthcoming book.

By Mathew Bartlett

That time will witness the inauguration of a never ending nearness between God and his people; the beginning of which is symbolized as a ‘wedding supper’.

In fact, as we shall see, as soon as the matter of sin has been fully and finally dealt with in chapter 20, chapter 21 begins with the words, “Now I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away.

Also there was no more sea. Then I, John, saw the holy city, New

Image © Pidiyath100

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So in this great chapter we see Christ taking up his power to reign and taking his bride to himself.

Hence it depicts the consummation of the end of the ages. Though its message is one of judgment, we look beyond this to the outcome of that judgment: the final removal of the pollution of sin and the bringing in of everlasting righteousness. So then, let us consider our Coming King as: The King of Love What a majestic scene John witnessed! Yet it must also have been a truly terrible sight. We might initially question what these scenes of awful judgment have to do with Christ the King of Love. But remember that our Lord was manifested as our Saviour in order

to destroy sin. He did this through his sacrifice on Calvary, where he died bearing the sin of the whole world; the sin of every man, woman and child who has ever lived or shall live. The reference to this in chapter 19 is striking. Christ is described as being clothed in a robe dipped in blood. The word dipped literally means whelmed or soaked - and in disagreement with some commentators I believe that his own blood that is implied. The tragic scene illustrates the reason for the judgment. Christ bore the sin of the world, yet those who reject him remain in their sin and rebellion. This affront to the King of Love means that he cannot remove their sin by salvation, in the way that he desires. Even though God is not willing that any should perish, here we witness the tragedy that man is not willing to be saved. Let this message be a stark warning to you reader, if you are still unconverted; for if God cannot remove your sin because your hardened heart resists his love, then he will remove your sin from before his sight in another way - by terrible acts of judgment, banishing you forever from his presence.

One of the most heart rending statements Jesus ever made to those who rejected him was simply this: ‘You will die in your sins.’ The one who died for you, the King of Love who bore your sin, cannot save you from hell if you insist in continuing your unreasonable rebellion against him. Will you receive him, or will you die in sin?

There is no second chance after death. He is the King of Love - why don’t you submit to his redeeming love and become one of his blood washed people while you still can?

The King of Eternity As Christ descends from an open heaven he is described as riding on a white horse, a war horse. This is the symbol of his ultimate victory and absolute conquest.

He conquers by divine right because of who he is. Our text proffers many titles to describe him: he is trustworthy and true, the one who accomplished the Father’s will; and he is the King of Righteousness, who takes just vengeance on his enemies.

In particular, John tells us that His name is the LOGOS, the WORD, the divine expression of God; that is, the disclosing of God’s essential being and person. This is Christ, the King of Eternity.

He is followed by those he has redeemed with his blood, also ride white horses (the symbol of the victory he has obtained for them), clothed in clean white linen, which sinless purity he has purchased for them by the blood of his cross.

His eyes are like a flame of fire flashing with the divine love, divine anger against sin and the omniscience of God. On his heads, are many diadems, and he is the rightful and worthy possessor of them all. He is the king of Glory (Psa. 24:7); the king who is God (Psa. 74:12); the creator of the ends of the earth (Isa. 43:15); the everlasting king (1 Tim. 1:17; Jer. 10:10); and the great King (Psa. 47:2; Mal. 1:14).

V12 reveals the mystery of the King of Eternity. No one knows his name, but himself. You see, the truth is that only God can really know God. If you would know God as fully as God knows God then you have to would be God! The amazing truth of

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the gospel—that humanity can know God—can only be true because God chooses to reveal himself to us. So whilst other religions present means by which humankind might seeking for God and his truth, the Bible presents God revealing himself to us, God seeking for humanity.

The King of Nations The occasion of Christ’s descent from heaven is induced, you may remember, by the kings of the earth gathering their armies together at Armageddon to fight against Him. The Lord accepts the challenge and descends from heaven to the fight.

But please notice - he has no sword at his thigh. Our heavenly king is not a soldier; and instead of a sword one finds written on his thigh his name - King of Kings and Lord of Lords. Our God, the King of the Nations (Jer. 10.7), has no need of weapons to execute his wrath.

Instead (v15), his judicial might and power are found in his word; this is the ‘sharp sword’ with which he will smite the nations and destroy all rebellion, root and branch. To his people, he is the good shepherd who gently cares for the sheep; yet he rules rebels with sternness and severity—a ‘rod of iron’—and will tread them down in the winepress of God’s wrath.

The anticipated battle fails to begin, for one word of judgment from the mouth of Christ slays his enemies in a literal blood bath of slaughter.

There is another reference to this event in Revelation 14v20: “And the winepress was trampled outside the city, and blood came out of the winepress, up to the horses' bridles, for one thousand six hundred furlongs.”

The bodies of these rebels are disposed of with the help of the birds, who share the feast; filling their bellies with the flesh of these would be assassins of Christ. What fools to have thought they could oppose and kill the Christ - didn’t they know that Christ, having been raised from the dead “dies no more for death has no more dominion over him”!

But if their bodies are disposed of on earth, their souls shall be forever tormented in hell. The instigators of world rebellion, the beast (antichrist) and the false prophet are seized by force as the slaughter starts, and are thrown ALIVE into the lake of fire. They are, as far as we know, the first ones, human or otherwise, to enter it. Sadly, they shall not be the last.

Conclusion Although the person designated as ‘antichrist’ has not yet been revealed in history, an antichristian spirit is becoming increasingly prevalent in our world. Consider how Christ himself is slandered, blasphemed and openly defied; and that not by a small minority. How long shall it be before the armies of the world gather together, and our Lord himself descends to battle?

We can be certain of only one winner. People who blaspheme Christ may not respond to public protests or the outcry of committed Christians, but they shall one day answer to the King Himself. Our God is the King of Kings - He is the King of Love, King of Eternity and King of the Nations. We are given the opportunity in this life to bow before him willingly, in loving submission to his will. I came to Jesus and made him my King. Will you make him king of your life?

The Blood of Jesus A Bible Study by Reinhard Bonnke & Daniel Kolenda Blood has a very short life span. The average person’s body has about ten pints. Over half of it is liquid, called plasma. Most of the remaining substance consists of red cells that die after 120 days. So they are constantly being replaced. In contrast, gold is one of the most durable substances on earth. Not even salt water affects it – even if it lies in it for centuries.

These facts make a comment by Peter seem strange: “It was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed … but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect” (1 Peter 1:18-19).

Naturally speaking gold is not perishable. Blood, on the other hand, is certainly perishable. Yet Peter knew what he was talking about. He meant to startle us into seeing a powerful truth. The world values wealth above everything. But Peter insists that the world’s riches carry no spiritual value at all. There are no cash payment bargains in the Spirit! In God’s economy, the blood of Jesus is the only currency with lasting value. When heaven and earth vanish, the redeeming power

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of Christ’s blood will continue forever.

We talk about “precious metals” such as silver and gold, but Peter would rather talk about “the precious blood of Christ.” It does what money cannot do – it cleanses sinners. For no one can claim to be without sin. In fact, the greatest sin is to say we have no sin. That is absolute self-deception. “If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us” (1 John 1:8). Thus everyone has a sin problem, but no means to pay for it. No amount of gold or silver could ever make restitution for such a debt. That is why Christ’s blood is so precious. It is the only substance with enough power and weight to erase our debt of sin.

Redeeming blood Gold is precious because it is rare.

But there is wonder-working power in the blood of Jesus Christ. The apostle John said, “The blood of Jesus Christ [God’s] son cleanses us from all sin” (1 John 1:7). Matthew records Christ’s own words: “He took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink from it, all of you. For this is my blood of

the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission of sins’” (Matthew 26:27-28). The book of Revelation depicts millions upon millions all singing to Christ as Lord, “You were slain, and with your blood you purchased men for God … You have made them to be a kingdom and priests to serve our God, and they will reign on the earth” (Revelation 5:9-10).

He turned red blood into royal redemption. Men took a lovely tree, stripped it, and twisted it into the stark beams of the cross. It was their logo of hate. Christ picked it up, stained it with His life’s blood, and gave it back to us as His logo of love. He invested that tree with a glory it never had before. Its wood became a door of hope and made us worth all that we cost Him.

Long ago, drop by drop, the liquid treasure of Christ’s life seeped from His heart. It stained Calvary’s hill, spelling out in crimson letters the story of the love that surpasses all love. Today, hundreds of millions around the whole world – the simple and the wise, those living in jungles and concrete apartment blocks, factory workers and academics – take that message as the truth above all truths. It reveals the compassion of God’s heart and a wisdom far above the height of human ingenuity. Great intellects have bowed to it. Saul of Tarsus, once full of biting hatred, came to see the Cross as God’s logic. He said it was a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Greeks, but the power of God to all who believe (1 Corinthians 1:23-24).

The blood of Jesus proclaims the truth about God. And that truth is no delicate bloom cultivated in a convent like a lily in a hot house. It is rather a revolutionary act of love.

For wickedness is an awful stench in the nostrils of God and cannot be disguised by perfumed poetry. It must be removed at the root. So God could not deal with it from a nice cushioned pulpit, but only from the Roman death-rack where He was nailed. He invaded the devil’s territory and hunted him down, tackling sin, death and hell head-on.

Never could such an encounter be without blood.

Logo of love Christ’s death was His greatest achievement – and God’s greatest act. The power of love conquered the love of power. It was no mistake, no misfortune, and no accident. Christ was not a martyred victim, but a mighty victor, our champion and God’s hero. The Father in heaven sent Him to hunt out and destroy the devil and evil. A greater David faced a greater Goliath. The Son of God overthrew our greatest enemy, sin – and our final foe, death.

The price is paid All the world’s great religions show that people expect to pay for their sins. Some do penance, while others believe they will suffer in a future life by reincarnation. Many expect some awful judge to pass sentence on judgment day and pronounce their eternal destiny, while still others expect to suffer cleansing agonies in the flames of Purgatory. The Christian gospel has a different message! It says: “Jesus has paid for it all.” That is the matchless glory of the gospel – the gospel Paul and Peter preached.

They took that message into a world laden with guilt. “My brothers,” Paul said, “I want you to know that through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to 9

you” (Acts 13:38). If the blood of Jesus, God’s Son, cleanses believers from all sin – if He has already suffered and paid the price for our debt, as Scripture clearly declares – what need is there for us to suffer or pay for that debt again? It is finished!

When soldiers hammered nails through Christ’s living flesh, His blood covered their hands. Yet Jesus kept on praying, “Father, forgive them, for they do know not what they do” (Luke 23:34). If they received His forgiveness, then the same blood that stained their hands also washed their hands – and their hearts. “Without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Hebrews 9:22).

Before the world heard that message, ancient Israel offered animal sacrifices to God. But the blood of those animals was not “precious.” The sacrifices only “covered” the sin of the people. If you have a table with a bad stain on it, you cover it with a nice cloth so nobody will notice. Yet the stain is still there and needs removing. The people making sacrifices in the Temple longed for sin to be taken away rather than merely covered.

That is why the last of their great prophets, John the Baptist, proclaimed such good news. He saw Jesus, realized who He was and cried out, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world” (John 1:29). The blood of Jesus works “beneath the tablecloth.” It removes the stain – the deep-rooted sin – for people of all ages and tongues.

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also played the flute, oboe and clarinet, passing all her music exams with distinction. Juliet played the violin, viola and cello.

She was so talented was she that had already performed violin solos in her parents’ gala concerts in London, Rome and Prague; making a name for herself as a child prodigy: a wonder musician.

An extract from our new Christian book for children! We hope you enjoy reading chapter one of ‘Jubilant Jeremy Johnson’!

The School Concert John Jeremy Johnson was a young boy who belonged to a very talented musical family. His mother was an opera singer who sang with famous choirs and performed at sell-out solo converts. Jeremy’s mum was occasionally joined on stage by his father, who was himself an accomplished singer with a magnificent tenor voice. The couple had appeared together on various television programmes in several countries and performed in operas and concerts all over the world.

Jeremy had two sisters: Joanne was fourteen and Juliet was twelve. Joanne was a pretty good musician and had already passed her eighth grade in piano, which meant that she could sometimes play the music for her parents, especially at the smaller charity concerts. She

Ten year old Jeremy, on the other hand, had no particular musical ability. They had christened him John Jeremy after his father; but the name appeared to be the only thing the two had in common. As he grew up, Jeremy had been introduced to all kinds of musical instruments, and given music lessons, but all to no avail.

Jeremy was a non-starter as far as music was concerned – he was tone deaf! As a member of the Johnson family, you can be sure that his lack of musical talent was a great disappointment to his parents and a real embarrassment for Jeremy.

Because the family were in great demand for operas and concert appearances across Europe, Mrs Johnson had decided to home school her children. So, for much of the year, they lived and travelled in a bright red mobile home, which was neither more nor less than a converted double-decker bus.

On the ground floor of this remarkable rolling residence was a well equipped kitchen, a small 10

school room and a larger area for eating, playing and watching television. During the day this room also served as the practice room for their concerts; whilst in the night the seats were folded down into a bed for Mr and Mrs Johnson. On the upper deck there was a bathroom and two small bedrooms, each with bunk beds and a wardrobe. The bathroom always had hot water, since whenever Mr Johnson— the sensible man—parked the bus he always chose a well serviced site so that he could hook up to electricity and water.

Such a deluxe mobile home cost a lot of money, but the Johnsons were well able to afford it, being well paid for their professional skills. Mr Johnson was very proud of this unique vehicle and had the words, “Jubilant Johnsons” written in large letters across both sides.

Whenever he was driving, Mr Johnson would encourage Jeremy by telling him that one day he would have the important job of driving the bus.

Every morning and evening, the family would meet together in the happy clutter of the downstairs room to pray and read from the family Bible. This was a special time for Jeremy; he loved the closeness of his family, even if he was the odd one out musically. He never really thought much about whether or not God heard or answered their prayers – it was just something they all did

together because mum and dad were Christians.

One summer, the family had a series of concerts in the North of England and since they would be there for three months, Mrs Johnson decided to allow herself a holiday from teaching at home and send the children to local schools. Jeremy jumped with delight when he heard the news!

At last, a chance to meet and play with other boys his own age; boys who couldn’t sing a note; boys who couldn’t care less about playing pianos or oboes; boys just like him!

In reality, school meant lessons and hard work, but Jeremy didn’t care; all that mattered to him was the sport and rough and tumble way he played with the boys after school and at playtime. Every day he would arrive back at the bus dirty and dishevelled but well satisfied with the day’s fun. It was the best summer he had ever had!

Yet even as he played, Jeremy could not get away from the shadow of his family. His new friends were very curious to know what it was like to live as one of the famous Jubilant Johnsons and when they were allowed round to tea they were very impressed with the double decker mobile home.

Then it happened! There was to be a school concert at the end of term, and Mr Phelps the head teacher wanted all the pupils in the oldest class to take part.

Some were already in the school

choir, whilst others performed music in a small ensemble and the school gymnastics club had put together an amazing sequence of jumps and balances for the show. As the Headmaster ticked off the names of each pupil taking part in the concert, he looked up. “Ah, Jeremy,” he said, “Your turn. Since you are one of the Jubilant Johnsons, a truly talented family, perhaps we could use your talents to open our concert – you can be our star performer! What would you like to do for us?”

Jeremy nearly choked; but he kept his wits about him. He quickly worked out that his parents’ next performance was in London and so he would probably have left the school before the concert. All the same, here was an opportunity to have what he had always wanted: his name on a concert programme, just like dad. It would probably be the only chance he would ever get; and so never mind what he should have said, what actually Jeremy did say was, “Oh yes Sir! I’d be delighted to sing the opening solo!”

So the programmes were hastily printed, and on the front, in large letters, was the announcement, “Special Guest Soloist: John Jeremy Johnson.”

Jeremy proudly took his copy of the programme to read on the way home; but as he came near the bus he hid it as best he could inside his coat. He simply couldn’t show it to the family.

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Perhaps when they had moved on he would bring it out so that his mother could display it, like she did with other programmes of the family’s concerts.

However, Jeremy still felt rather worried about misleading his teacher and lying to his school friends; what would they think of him when they found out? No problem, he thought, I’ll just pretend I didn’t know we were going away, and that I’m sorry I can’t sing at the concert after all.

Then it all went wrong. One evening, not long after Jeremy had brought the programme home, his dad had an important announcement to make over dinner. “Jeremy,” he said, “I know how much you have enjoyed being at school this summer and I didn’t want you to miss out on all the special end of term activities. So I’ve agreed with the opera company that we won’t begin any concerts in London until after term ends.

We’ll be here for sports day, the school trip and the end of term concert.”

Jeremy was horrified! What could he do? His mother was too shrewd to be fooled by any suggestions of stomach ache, headache or any other imaginary ache he might invent. So far he had managed to keep his friends in the dark by informing them that he could not take part in concert rehearsals, because he wanted his solo item to be a surprise on the night. “Blimey!

It’ll be a surprise alright!” thought Jeremy.

That night, Jeremy couldn’t sleep. There were only two days left before the concert, and his name was on the front of the glossy programme. What could he do? Eventually, he gave in, and went to see his dad. Dad never went to sleep early; he was practicing scales on a portable keyboard with his headphones on in case he woke the children. Jeremy showed dad the programme for the school concert and humbly explained his predicament. Dad listened carefully to Jeremy; and when he had finished said, “We can’t expect the school to reprint all the programmes. I think we had better pray to God and ask him what to do.” So that is what they did. Jeremy’s dad asked God for wisdom to know the right thing to do, and for his help in making everything work out for good. Jeremy felt quite relieved; he didn’t know why but the concert didn’t seem to matter so much as it had.

All the same, by the night of the concert, Jeremy began to feel really sick. He could see his mother and sisters sitting in the front row to watch Jeremy – the star performer – sing his solo. As Jeremy sat with his class mates on the platform, he wished the floor would open up and swallow him. The hall was packed; all the seats were full and a large crowd of people were standing at the back.

Soon Mt Phelps came to the front of the stage, wearing a smart blue suit for the occasion

with a red carnation in his button hole. He thanked everyone for coming and then he announced, “Ladies and gentlemen, to open our school concert tonight I am proud to present to you the world famous tenor—Mr John Jeremy Johnson.“ Jeremy’s jaw dropped; he thought he would die on the spot. He began to get up out of his chair to face the inevitable when he suddenly noticed that the cheering crowd were not looking at him at all; they were not even looking in his direction.

As Jeremy followed their gaze he saw someone—a man— appearing from the other side of the stage. The man came and took the microphone from Mr Phelps, took a bow and began to sing. It was Jeremy’s dad! What a relief! Jeremy nearly forgot to sit back down. So they were getting John Jeremy Johnson to sing at the school concert after all – only it was the father and not the son. When Jeremy’s dad finished his performance the whole audience stood to clap and shouted, “Encore!” Mr Johnson raised a hand for quiet, and then announced, “I expect you were surprised to see me here, after all, this is the pupils’ end of term concert. However, you have accepted my only son, Jeremy, into your school, and treated him well. This has been my way of saying thank you to everyone. And now - let the show go on.”

That night, at family prayers, Jeremy was happy but unusually

12

quiet. Dad got out the family Bible and read a verse: “Once, Jesus Christ suffered for our sins, the righteous for those who were not righteous, in order to bring us to God” from 1 Peter 3:18.

“Stop dad!” Jeremy suddenly came awake. “I know what that verse means! You took my place tonight. You sang on stage to get me out of the mess I got myself into. That’s what it means – God’s son Jesus took my place and got me out of the mess I was in. He took the punishment I deserved for my sin by dying on a cross before coming alive again. It is because of him I can come near to God; and it’s because of him that God hears my prayers.”

And that night, for the first time that he could remember, Jeremy really meant it when he—not out loud but in his heart—said thank you to God for answering his prayers and for solving his problem.

Doreen Harrison draws on her many years’ experience as a head teacher and Christian minister in this charming tale.

The Word of God is the beginning of our spiritual life, but it is also the means by which that life grows. If you want a description of a man or woman whose life is being constantly renewed by the living spiritual activity of God then it is this – they have their nose in the Bible. Men and women who are wholly devoted to God appreciate the vital importance of God’s word for their spiritual lives.

Revelation in the Word Through the Word we can seek God Spiritual hearts will always seek God. Such a desire for the Lord is expressed in Psalm 63:1 - O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.

And Psalm 143:6 I stretch out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land. Selah In Psalm 119:2 seeking God is connected with keeping his word.

Ps. 119:2 Blessed are those who keep his testimonies, who seek him with their whole heart, In verses 20, 40 & 131 we see that the praying man of God has a longing for God’s word at all times.

Ps. 119:20 My soul is consumed with longing for your decrees at all times. Ps. 119:40 Look, I long for your precepts; revive me through your righteousness. Ps. 119:131 I open my mouth and pant as I long for your commands.

And Job says:

I have esteemed the words of his mouth more than my necessary food. (Job 23:12b)

Ps. 119:58 I entreated your favour with my whole heart: be merciful unto me according to your word.

David also knew this: Ps. 19:9b-10 the judgments of the LORD are true and righteous altogether. More to be desired are they than gold, yea, than much fine gold: sweeter also than honey and the honeycomb.

‘According to Word’ reveals that the Psalmist based his hope for God’s mercy on God’s nature and action as revealed in his Word. Hence the Word reveals his eternal character and provides the basis for his relationship with humanity.

Whether we are under law or grace, it’s the same God. The means of relationship may be different but the person to whom we relate is the same. He has not changed our relationship to him has.

In the New Testament Peter tells us the same thing, for having been born again of the incorruptible seed of the word of God, we are to: 1 Peter 2:2 Like new-born babies, thirst for the pure milk of the word so that by it you may grow in your salvation.

The Word is where we can Find God The reason the Bible gives for this necessity of seeking God in his word in that God is a self-revealing God, and the manner of his communication is the scripture. So as we seek God in his word he is revealing himself to us.

Ps. 119:18 Open my eyes so I can truly see the marvellous things in your law!

The Word of God tells us the nature and character of God, relating his dealings with people in the past.

When God says I am the Lord I change not, the eternal God is your refuge, who has measured heaven with a span, and so on; he is revealing aspects of his nature to us. That is why his word is so important nothing can rightly be said concerning God which does not agree with what he has said about himself in his word. So the Psalmist prays: 13

Relationship through the Word The Revelation of the Word is the only rock on which we can build our relationship with God. But Christians must recall that here is no such thing as a one way relationship. That’s why relationship always means responsibility.

The Responsibility to obey the word First of all, it is God’s word that leads us to repentance (Ps. 119:59, 65). Repentance results in a changed life, and that change is also brought about by the Word. (Psa. 119:9, 11 – hidden in my heart).

Obedience to Gods’ word remains the key to spiritual growth throughout the Christian life. That is why James says 1:22 But be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only.

The Responsibility to Keep the Word Ps. 119:16 I will delight myself in thy statutes: I will not forget thy word.

PS. 119:35 Make me to go in the path of thy commandments; for therein do I delight.

Delight in your word – do not forget.

Ps. 119:17 Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live, and keep your word.

In the Old Testament sense to keep the word of God means to obey it.

But notice that the Psalmist also exhorts us not to forget God’s word, not to let it go. We must keep hold of it tightly. This image fits in the with New Testament idea of keeping the word, not only in terms of obedience but in terms of guarding it from error. Ps. 119:104 Through your precepts I get understanding: therefore I hate every false way. Ps. 119:128 Therefore I esteem all your precepts concerning all things to be right; and I hate every false way.

Jude 1:3-4 Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.

2 Tim. 1:13-14 Hold fast the form of sound words, which you hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus. That good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwells in us.

Heb. 2:1-4 Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at

any time we should let them slip.

For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompense of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him; God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?

Realization of the Word That is, when we see how God’s Word can come true for us here and now. The Word of God is not a collection of mouldy old love letters. It is alive and active; a LIVING WORD, lively or living oracles (Acts 7:38) passed on to us.

The word is firm, complete as it is delivered; but it is alive (Hebrews 4). E.g. Teach me (33) indicates Psalmist’s belief that here and now God was active in leading his children-but leading them according to his word.

Trust the Word 119:42 So shall I have wherewith to answer him that reproaches me: for I trust in your word.

Ps. 119:66 Teach me good judgment and knowledge: for I have believed your commandments.

Rom. 10:17 So then faith coms by hearing, and hearing by the word of God. Take the Word Ps. 119:38 Establish your word unto your servant, who is devoted to your fear.

Take the promise of the word for your situation here and now; you 14

will find there is a promise to fit every situation. Believe God’s Word and claim his promise. How many times have we put our finger on one of these promises and claimed then in private prayer until they have been fulfilled for us! God wants us to do that.

Ps. 119:49 Remember the word unto your servant, upon which you hast caused me to hope.

Talk the Word Ps. 119:46 I will speak of your testimonies also before kings, and will not be ashamed.

It is our knowledge of the Word of God which enables our witness to the Word of God. Notice See how Peter and Paul use the Old Testament in their preaching (e.g.

Acts 2 & Acts 13). Ps. 119:41 Let your mercies come also unto me, O LORD, even your salvation, according to your word.

Salvation is according to scriptures (see 1 Cor. 15:3-4). You cannot bear a true witness to Christ without the exposition of scripture. As Peter shows us in Acts 2, as Paul shows us in Acts 13 and even among the Corinthians many of whom were not at first familiar with the Old Testament, true gospel preaching is expository preaching or to put that in simple language it is the Word (or Scriptures) explained to men and women.

Paul’s instruction to Timothy will never be outdated; it is as relevant today to every preacher of the gospel as it was then – PREACH THE WORD (2 Tim. 4:2). How many churches are diminishing the role of the word of God in their services?

Judging by what I hear I would say most of them, in the UK at least.

Powerless pulpits can only lead to

problem pews. Churches today are fully signed up to social action, with food banks, debt management courses and even music therapy being the latest fads. But let me tell you solemnly the church that is not acting as mouthpiece of God bringing his word to all people is a spiritual and social irrelevance. Why should I devout my time to any other concern when I have in my possession the soul saving, sin forgiving, miracle working, devil defeating, life renewing Word of the Living God. For the church even to survive in the UK today there must be a return to expository preaching of the Word as the main activity of church life. As Charles Haddon Spurgeon put it, ‘there is only one thing that will ever take the place of preaching and that is: better preaching’ Revival by the Word Having seen how important God’s word is to the growth of our spiritual life, let us observe how God’s word can revive our spiritual lives. Ps. 119:25b Revive me with your word! ; Ps. 119:37 Turn my eyes away from what is worthless!

Revive me with your word! Ps. 119:40 Look, I long for your precepts. Revive me with your deliverance!

Revival is a renewal or revitalisation of the spiritual life of God’s church.

In these verses true spiritual revival is inextricably linked to our determination to give God’s word first place in our lives. A renewed attitude of interest in the Word of God will revitalize your spiritual life, and bring among others the following essential features of personal revival.

Ps. 119:28 I collapse from grief.

Sustain me by your word!

It can enlarge your heart to keep his word whole heartedly.

Ps.119:32 I will run the way of your commandments, when you shalt enlarge my heart.

Failure and defeat can be turned into steadfastness and victory Ps. 119:47-48 And I will delight myself in your commandments, which I have loved. My hands also will I lift up unto your commandments, which I have loved; and I will meditate in your statutes.

A revival based on God’s Word will enable Christians to stand firm in the face of opposition and persecution. Ps. 119:61 The bands of the wicked have robbed me: but I have not forgotten your law.

Psalm 1:1-3 Blessed is the man that walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful. But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night. And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that brings forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he dos shall prosper.

God’s Word leads to the liberty and life which always accompany true revival.

Ps. 119:45 And I will walk at liberty: for I seek your precepts.

Ps. 119:50 This is my comfort in my affliction: for your word hath quickened me.

God’s Word can strengthen your soul – 15

One more point is that revival will also give rise to a renewal of joy and of singing among God’s people.

Ps. 119:54 Your statutes have been my songs in the house of my pilgrimage.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly; in all wisdom teaching and admonishing one another with psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts unto God. (Col 3:16) It is the Word of God dwelling richly in you that will give you ‘songs in the night’. Christian singing is to consist of Psalms, hymns, spiritual songs; all of whose whose contents are the themes contained within the word of God. My lips shall utter praise, when thou hast taught me thy statutes.

(Psa 119:171)

Conclusion When you have lunch today, would you rather eat bread with it, or some dry straw? What would you rather hear from the pulpit, and fill your own spiritual life with? God says if we hunger after his word he will feed us with the finest of the wheat, the very best food. Accept nothing less than God’s Word to feed your spiritual life!

The prophet that hath a dream, let him tell a dream; and he that hath my word, let him speak my word faithfully. What is the chaff to the wheat? says the LORD. Is not my word like as a fire? says the LORD; and like a hammer that breaks the rock in pieces? (Jer. 23:28-29)

God Speaks Through the Holy Spirit Bible Study by Daniel Kolenda (CfaN) Photo: © Ellah By kind permission of CfaN, an extract from Daniel’s new bookLive before you die. £9.99 BUY NOW.

In the church many sincere, bornagain believers have divided themselves into two camps. There are the “Spirit” people and the “Word” people.

The “Spirit” people put their emphasis on the experiential aspects of Christianity: power, anointing, supernatural manifestations, and so on. The “Word” people prefer a more cerebral approach. They think of themselves as serious students of the Word and shy away from anything that seems to be emotionally driven. To me these distinctions are nonsense.

If any form of emotional and experiential Christianity is not based on Scripture, it is nothing more than New Age mysticism. And if any form of Christianity is entirely cerebral and has no impact on real Word experience, it is nothing more than an empty shell.

People of the Word must also be people of the Spirit, and people of the Spirit must also be people of the Word. There is no need to separate the two. In fact, to do so is dangerous!

In Ephesians 6 Paul talks about the “armor of God,” which includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the Word of God (vv. 1417). I want you to notice that we have no offensive weapon in this list. Now you will invariably disagree and point to the sword, the Word of God, but look carefully. The Word of God is not called “the sword of the Christian.”

It is called the sword of the Spirit. In other words, it belongs to the Spirit.

He alone can wield it properly.

Without the illumination that the Holy Spirit brings, the Bible is just black ink on white paper. This is why some of the most disciplined students of Scripture, even professors and scholars, can be atheists and agnostics. These are people who are studying the Scriptures from a purely intellectual and cognitive perspective. These people have used the Bible to commit the sin of idolatry. All they see are objections, and all they gain is doubt. At the end of Jesus’s earthly ministry as He was preparing to die on the cross, He 16

“The letter kills,” Paul says, “but the Spirit gives life” (2 Cor. 3:6, NKJV). told His disciples, “But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you” (John 14:26, NKJV). The Holy Spirit is not a doctrine or denomination or optional experience reserved for only a few Christians.

The importance of this truth cannot be overstated. He is the third person of the Trinity given by the Father in response to the prayer of Jesus to be and to do everything Jesus would do in our lives were He still here physically. Hearing the voice of God is actually hearing the voice of the Holy Spirit in our hearts.

Without His active participation in our lives the heavens would be silent, for He is the one who reveals the voice of God in our hearts.

The more we give the Holy Spirit’s presence a place of honor in our lives, the more sensitive we become to His voice. It’s this fellowship and communion with the Holy Spirit that sharpens our spiritual sensitivity and makes our hearts better able to hear the voice of the Lord when He speaks to us.

The Faith-builders Bible study series The ‘Faith-builders Bible study series’ has been developed a useful resource for today’s students of God’s Word and their busy lifestyles.

Pastors, home or study group leaders and indeed for anyone wishing to study the Bible for themselves will benefit from using Faith-builders studies.

Each volume is the result of many years of group Bible study, and has been revised again and again to be relevant, challenging and faith building whilst remaining clear and easy to understand.

Each chapter has thought provoking questions to aid study and sample answers are provided.

Below is an extract from the study notes for Mark chapter 9.

Buy paperback now for £5.20 Kindle Edition only £2.01

The ‘Faith-builders Bible study series’ has been developed a useful resource for today’s students of God’s Word and their busy lifestyles.

Mark Chapter 12

By Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett (UK) Image © Rorem Israel’s Rejection of the Messiah 12:1 Then he began to speak to them in parables: ‘A man planted a vineyard. He put a fence around it, dug a pit for its winepress, and built a watchtower. Then he leased it to tenant farmers and went on a journey.

The parable of the workers in the vineyard is loosely based upon Isaiah 5:1-7 and so the people, particularly the religious leaders, would almost immediately have recognized that Jesus was talking about them. The man who planted the vineyard is a reference to God who planted Israel in the land of Canaan. He had promised this land to Abraham and his descendants (Gen. 12:6 -7) and although it was many years later that the promise was fulfilled, God kept his word (2

Peter 3:8-9). After God had brought them out of Egypt he gave them the land which he had prepared (or planted) for them. The fence around the vineyard speaks of the divine protection which was given to his people, as the angel of the Lord encamped around them (Psalm 34:17) and God was as a wall of fire around them (Zech. 2:5). The fence can also speaks of separation, for God separated Israel to himself to be his holy people (Lev. 20:26) to keep his laws and walk in his ways.

Jerusalem itself. The owner of the vineyard leased it to tenants, and God gave his land, his laws, his protection and his promises to Image © Rorem Israel that they might be his stewards. The vineyard owner left the tenants to care for the vineyard and produce its fruit until he returned. Believers are to be good stewards of all that God has entrusted with us until he returns in the person of Christ (Luke 19:13; 1 Cor. 6:20; 1Pet. 4:10). However Israel had failed their trust. They had not kept the covenant which God had made with them; they broke his laws, mixing with the heathen in the land and serving their idols.

Mark Chapter 2 (abstract)

By Derek Williams & Mathew Bartlett (UK)

The winepress might represent the temple where the people were meant to bring the fruit of the vine in tithes and offerings which were made into wine. Spiritually, this may be a reference to the worship, devotion, thanksgiving, and offerings of Israel. The tower (a place of defence) was the city of 17

12:2-5 At harvest time he sent a slave to the tenants to collect from them his portion of the crop. But those tenants seized his slave, beat

him, and sent him away emptyhanded. So he sent another slave to them again. This one they struck on the head and treated outrageously.

He sent another and that one they killed. This happened to many others, some of whom were beaten, others killed.

When it was harvest time, the vineyard owner sent his servants to receive his rightful share of the fruit of his vineyard. But the tenants refused to hand it over and beat the servants, sending some away empty handed, and killing others. In a similar way, God had sent his prophets to call Israel to bring him his rightful dues of love, obedience and worship. Again and again they rejected, beat and killed his prophets; yet God in his mercy and longsuffering did not reject or give up on these wicked people. He sent more prophets, inviting the people to repent and receive forgiveness; but they would not listen and killed these also (Heb. 11:36-37).

12:6 He had one left, his one dear son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.'

Finally, the owner sent his only son to the tenants thinking that they would respect him. In the same way God sent his only begotten Son, whom he loved, the Lord Jesus Christ (Heb. 1:1-2). Here he was, addressing the scribes and Pharisees, and surely if these religious leaders were sincere in their worship of God as they professed to be, then surely they would respect and honour his Son. 12:7-8 But those tenants said to one another, 'This is the heir. Come, let's kill him and the inheritance will be ours!' So they seized him, killed him, and threw his body out of the vineyard.

The tenants of the vineyard recognised the son of the owner.

Jesus may be implying that although they refused to acknowledge it, in their hearts the Pharisees knew him to be speaking the truth that he was God’s Son. Nevertheless, they rejected him (John 1:11). They took him to be crucified outside the city walls so that they may keep the inheritance (the nation of Israel) for themselves.

12:9 What then will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy those tenants and give the vineyard to others.

Because of Israel's rejection of Christ they became blinded and were cut off from receiving the salvation which he came to give (Rom. 11:7). Within a generation of Jesus uttering these words, Jerusalem and its temple were destroyed by Roman armies. Yet through their rejection a way was made for the Gentiles to receive salvation (Rom. 11:15). Moreover, this blindness of the Jews is only temporary; it will remain only until the full number of the Gentiles is gathered in (Rom. 11:25).

12:10 Have you not read this scripture: 'The stone the builders rejected has become the cornerstone.

This verse is a quote from Psalm 118:22. The “builders” are the leaders of Israel and the “stone” is Jesus Christ whom they rejected but whom God exalted (Phil. 2:9; Rev. 5:12).

Rightful Ownership 12:11-13 This is from the Lord, and it is marvellous in our eyes'?’ Now they wanted to arrest him (but they feared the crowd), because they realized that he told this parable 18

against them. So they left him and went away. Then they sent some of the Pharisees and Herodians to trap him with his own words.

The Pharisees and Herodians were bitter enemies but they joined together for the purpose of entrapping and destroying Jesus.

12:14 When they came they said to him, ‘Teacher, we know that you are truthful and do not court anyone's favour, because you show no partiality but teach the way of God in accordance with the truth. Is it right to pay taxes to Caesar or not?

Should we pay or shouldn't we?’

They decided to approach Jesus with flattering words. Although they described him as “truthful” they did not acknowledge him to be the truth (John 14:6). They flattered him with being without personal prejudice (Acts 10:34) and for speaking the truth about God (even though they did not believe or obey this truth).

Their question concerned the matter of paying tribute to Rome; “Is it right to give taxes to Caesar?” they asked.

12:15 But he saw through their hypocrisy and said to them, ‘Why are you testing me? Bring me a denarius and let me look at it.’

Jesus knew what they were doing and saw through their hypocrisy.

The fact that he asked them to produce a denarius is not insignificant, for it shows that although they were Jews, deriding the Roman money as idolatrous, yet they were using the coin of the Roman Empire for their business transactions.

12:16-17 So they brought one, and he said to them, ‘Whose image is this, and whose inscription?’ They replied, ‘Caesar's.’ Then Jesus said

to them, ‘Give to Caesar the things that are Caesar's, and to God the things that are God's.’ And they were utterly amazed at him.

Jesus’ answer made reference to the markings on the coin. Since Caesar’s head and name were engraved on the coin, it clearly belonged to him. People, on the other hand, bear the image of God, being made in his likeness (Gen. 1:26) and so Jesus concluded that we must give to Caesar what is Caesar’s (his money) and to God what is God’s (ourselves- Rom. 12:1).

The Resurrection 12:18 Sadducees (who say there is no resurrection) also came to him and asked him, After the Pharisees and Herodians had failed to trap Jesus, the Sadducees decided to try. These were a religious party who rejected any belief in life after death, resurrection, angels or spirits (Acts 23:8).

12:19-23 ‘Teacher, Moses wrote for us: 'If a man's brother dies and leaves a wife but no children, that man must marry the widow and father children for his brother.'

There were seven brothers. The first one married, and when he died he had no children. The second married her and died without any children, and likewise the third. None of the seven had children. Finally, the woman died too. In the resurrection, when they rise again, whose wife will she be? For all seven had married her.’

So they came to Jesus, not with an enquiring mind, but with a ridiculous hypothetical situation in order to discredit him. If a woman had married seven times in the way

they described (Deut. 25:5-6), whose wife would she be after the resurrection?

declares himself to be not the God of the dead but of the living!

The Greatest Commandment

12:24 Jesus said to them, ‘Aren't you deceived for this reason, because you don't know the scriptures or the power of God? Jesus replied that these so called experts in the law had no understanding of the word of God (1 Tim. 1:7) and were completely ignorant of his power.

12:25 For when they rise from the dead, they neither marry nor are given in marriage, but are like angels in heaven.

The resurrection body will be different in quality to the earthly body. It will be heavenly, incorruptible and immortal (1 Cor. 15:42-44, 49) like Christ's resurrection body (Phil. 3:21). There will be no gender distinction in heaven and so there will be no marriage or sexual intercourse.

These Sadducees did not appreciate God’s power was able to raise up and change the body in this way (1 Cor. 6:14).

12:26-27 Now as for the dead being raised, have you not read in the book of Moses, in the passage about the bush, how God said to him, 'I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob'?

He is not the God of the dead but of the living. You are badly mistaken!’

Jesus further pointed out to the Sadducees that their position contradicted the writings of Moses.

He referred them to Exodus 3:6 where God spoke of himself as the “I am”, not “I was”, “God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob”. These men had already been dead for some time before God spoke these words to Moses. Hence God 19

12:28 Now one of the experts in the law came and heard them debating.

When he saw that Jesus answered them well, he asked him, ‘Which commandment is the most important of all?’

The experts in the law were not a separate religious party but were interpreters of law. One such expert was impressed by the way that Jesus had answered his opponents, and so asked a question which may have been intended to probe whether Jesus upheld the true religion. Which is the greatest commandment?

12:29-30 Jesus answered, ‘The most important is: 'Listen, Israel, the Lord our God, the Lord is one. Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.'

In reply Jesus quoted Deuteronomy 6:4-5. God is one God and there is no other God besides him. He is to be loved with the whole heart, soul mind and strength. The heart is the seat of the affections; our emotions and will. The soul is the very life of a person. The mind is the centre of understanding; and “strength” is a reference to all a person’s physical abilities. This is the first and greatest commandment; and yet Jesus links it closely to the second.

12:31 The second is: 'Love your neighbour as yourself.' There is no other commandment greater than these.’

Those who fulfil the first commandment will also fulfil the second one - to love our neighbour as ourselves (Lev. 19:18). We

cannot say we love God and hate a person who is made in God’s image.

So Jesus unites the two commandments as one for he says “there is no other commandment [singular] greater than these”.

12:32-33 The expert in the law said to him, ‘That is true, Teacher; you are right to say that he is one, and there is no one else besides him.

And to love him with all your heart, with all your mind, and with all your strength and to love your neighbour as yourself is more important than all burnt offerings and sacrifices.’

The scribe is overwhelmed by Jesus’ answer and expresses not only his admiration but also his agreement; for he too considered keeping this commands to be far more acceptable to God than all the offerings and sacrifices that have ever been made (1 Sam. 15:22).

12:34 When Jesus saw that he had answered thoughtfully, he said to him, ‘You are not far from the kingdom of God.’ Then no one dared any longer to question him.

When Jesus perceived that the man answered carefully and sensibly he told him that he was near to the kingdom of God. We do not know if he ever accepted Jesus as Saviour, although a number of scribes did.

After this encounter, Jesus’ opponents remained silent, for they did not dare to ask him anything more.

He is Lord 12:35-37 While Jesus was teaching in the temple courts, he said, ‘How is it that the experts in the law say that the Christ is David's son? David himself, by the Holy Spirit, said, 'The Lord said to my lord, ‘Sit at my right hand, until I put your enemies under your feet.’' If David himself calls him

'Lord,' how can he be his son?’ And the large crowd was listening to him with delight.

they would receive the heavier sentence of condemnation.

Giving All

Jesus now asks a question of them concerning the teaching of the scribes who said that Christ was the son of David. How can this be when David himself inspired by the Holy Spirit declared that the Lord (Jehovah God) said to his Lord (that is, David's Lord, the Christ) sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool under you (Ps.110:1). If David calls the Christ his own Lord then how can he be David’s son? He must surely be someone greater than David.

An Outward Show of Godliness 12:38-40 In his teaching Jesus also said, ‘Watch out for the experts in the law. They like walking around in long robes and elaborate greetings in the marketplaces, and the best seats in the synagogues and the places of honor at banquets. They devour widows' property, and as a show make long prayers. These men will receive a more severe punishment.’

In these verses Jesus warns against those who make a big demonstration of their godliness whilst in reality their godliness is mere play acting (2 Tim. 3:5). The experts in the law were like this they loved to dress up in flowing robes as a mark of their office and to get greetings in the public places, in the front seats in the synagogues and the places of honour at feasts.

They revelled in earthly honour. Yet for all their devout appearance they were unscrupulous, with no moral principles. They robbed the widows of their homes (perhaps they were involved in money lending) and to cover up their greed said long prayers. Because of their hypocrisy 20

12:41-44 Then he sat down opposite the offering box, and watched the crowd putting coins into it. Many rich people were throwing in large amounts. And a poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, worth less than a penny. He called his disciples and said to them, ‘I tell you the truth, this poor widow has put more into the offering box than all the others. For they all gave out of their wealth. But she, out of her poverty, put in what she had to live on, everything she had.’

Perhaps it was not by chance that Mark includes this incident of the widow casting in her mites after Jesus’ statement about the experts in the law oppressing widows. Jesus might have been already sat near the place where the offerings were placed when he gave his earlier warning about the experts in the law.

Jesus noticed how the rich gave out of their wealth; they could give and have plenty left over. But he took even more notice of one poor widow woman who gave an apparently insignificant amount.

Jesus knew that out of her poverty she had given all that she had to God. There is nothing anyone may do for God that is beneath his notice. It is not the amount we give to God that matters, but our willingness and the act of faith in giving, trusting that he will supply all our needs in Christ Jesus (Phil.

4:19). Since God so loved the world that he gave his Son, what ought we to give in return?

Our In Depth Study Zechariah Chapter 2

By Mathew Bartlett Photo © Jacob Gegory

Scripture taken from the NET Bible®.

This article is an extract from The Prophet of Messiah – a Zechariah Bible Commentary Buy Paperback £2.54

Vision Three: The Man with a Measuring Line vv. 1-5 2:1-3 I looked again, and there was a man with a measuring line in his hand. I asked, "Where are you going?" He replied, "To measure Jerusalem in order to determine its width and its length." At this point the angelic messenger who spoke to me went out, and another messenger came to meet him At the end of chapter one we saw the craftsmen coming to rebuild Jerusalem, and God promising Judah's enemies would be thwarted in their attempts to stop the work.

The same vision continues with Zechariah being shown a man approaching Jerusalem–once again like a builder–with a measuring line in his hand. His purpose was to determine Jerusalem’s measurements, for from the human point of view, such things are necessary for rebuilding.

2:4 and said to him, "Run, say to that young man: Jerusalem shall be inhabited like villages without walls, because of the multitude of people and animals in it.

Yet God intervenes and promises that ultimately human measurements would appear unnecessary; God himself would

sovereignly oversee the rebuilding of Jerusalem and the re-founding of the nation of Israel. This message is conveyed in the vision form by means of a second angel announcing this to the first. God’s message is announced to the man with the measuring line so that Zechariah might hear and relay to the people that ‘Jerusalem shall be like a city without walls’.

This did not indicate that the walls of the city were not to be literally built (for we know that they were eventually built later under the supervision of Nehemiah), nor that measuring lines ought not to be used in their building; rather the message signified that God’s blessing would overflow the city. So many people would come to dwell there during this period of peace that multitudes would dwell outside the city wall, whilst still considered residents of Jerusalem. Walls could not contain the Jerusalem that God would build.

Later history indicates that this promise was not fulfilled at once.

Did this suggest a lack of faith and urgency in the hearts of the people, or was God, through Zechariah, presenting the ‘long view’? More than a generation later, Nehemiah was governor of a much smaller 21

population than that which was promised here. But it has been suggested that by Jesus’ time, Jerusalem was truly overflowing, especially with pilgrims on holy days.

2:5 But I (the LORD says) will be a wall of fire surrounding Jerusalem and the source of glory in her midst.'

Here is the reason why Jerusalem would be regarded as a city without walls - for the walls themselves would not be the city’s principal means of defence. It would be the LORD who would protect the city, and he assures the returning exiles that his presence would be a wall of fire shielding them within and deterring their enemies without; his presence dwelling among them would be their glory.

This language is reminiscent of the Exodus, for when God brought Israel out of Egypt he sent a pillar of fire by day to defend his people.

The implication is that in spite of all that had happened prior to the exile, the covenant which God had made with them still stood. In fact, the exile was a sign of God’s keeping his covenant of love, not a sign of his annulling that covenant (Deut. 28:64). Similarly, as the people returned from exile, they could expect God to remember his

covenant, giving them back their home in the Promised Land. It would be like a second Exodus.

Time to Return vv. 6-13 2:6-8 “You there! Flee from the northland!" says the LORD, "for like the four winds of heaven I have scattered you," says the LORD. "Escape, Zion, you who live among the Babylonians!" For the LORD who rules over all says to me that for his own glory he has sent me to the nations that plundered you -- for anyone who touches you touches the pupil of his eye.

As we saw in chapter one, it was the Lord who had scattered the nation of Israel because of their sins. The first three visions being ended, Zechariah calls on the people of Israel to return to God and to the land. Not least because at the same time that God was rebuilding the nation of Israel, he would judge the lands to which they had been taken captive. The safest place for God’s people is always in the centre of his will, and for the Israel of Zechariah’s day that meant ‘return to Zion!’

It was for the sake of his own glory that God would bring Israel back into their land. He did not want the nations who took them away captive to think that this had been achieved by their own might; it was his doing. God’s dealings with his people were no business of the heathen then, and they are not today. We can have nothing in common with unbelievers. God’s people were then, as they still are today, the apple of his eye (Deut.

32:10). Those who touch them (in the sense of doing evil to them) can expect retribution; and this is what is being promised here (see Rom. 12:19).

2:9 “I am about to punish them in such a way," he says, "that they will be looted by their own slaves." Then you will know that the LORD who rules over all has sent me.

God would punish the Babylonians by raising up against them those who had formerly been subject to them. The nations which had once been vassals of Babylon would become its masters. This could be a reference to the way that the reign of the Persians had changed the Jew’s status – they were no longer slaves since Cyrus had decreed their return to Judah. The LORD God had revealed himself in all of these events to be sovereign: everything that was happening on the world stage was his doing.

2:10 “Sing out and be happy, Zion my daughter! For look, I have come; I will settle in your midst," says the LORD. This teaching that God is sovereign and immutable in his purpose should have caused rejoicing among his people; for God’s purpose is ever to bless his own. God had redeemed them and would now show his blessing by dwelling among them. To the Jew, this may have been taken as a sign that God would once again establish the temple at Jerusalem; the centre of religious life and the ‘dwelling’ of the uncontainable God (2 Chron.

6:18).

2:11 “Many nations will join themselves to the LORD on the day of salvation, and they will also be my people. Indeed, I will settle in the midst of you all." Then you will know that the LORD who rules over all has sent me to you.

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God still wishes to dwell among his people, whether Jew or Gentile, who belong to his church today. He says this in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.

The messages of the prophets gave frequent glimpses of a future day in which God’s blessing to Israel would overflow to reach the whole world.

When this day of salvation was announced, many non–Jews would be added to the number of God’s people, and God’s promise was to dwell among them without making any distinction between Jew and Gentile. Even the early church found this difficult to understand (Acts 10:34-35; Acts 11:18). Yet when God speaks of nations joining themselves to Him, this implies vast numbers of Gentiles turning to God (Rev. 7:9).

2:12 The LORD will take possession of Judah as his portion in the holy land and he will choose Jerusalem once again.

The message that God would include the Gentiles in his plan of salvation ought not to make anyone suppose that he had therefore rejected the Jews as his people. This message was originally given to encourage the people as they returned to Judah to start again as a nation. Israel would be his people living in his land and he would again ‘choose’ Jerusalem – that is, his presence would abide there; and wherever he is becomes holy (Exodus 3:5).

It is true that today the Lord has chosen his church, redeemed by his blood, to be the place in which he will dwell forever by his spirit (Eph. 2:22). Yet part of the New Testament’s message is that Israel has not been rejected; in a future day they will be restored to God in a way which is very reminiscent of

their restoration in the time of Zechariah (Rom. 11:26).

2:13 Be silent in the LORD's presence, all people everywhere, for he is being moved to action in his holy dwelling place.

The message of Zechariah’s opening two chapters has been consistent: God is sovereign. If in any way he had been thought to be inactive whilst his people were in exile, he had now acted in such a way that all nations could clearly observe what he was doing in the holy land. The wisest response of the nations was to watch God’s work with silent awe and stillness; for once the Lord has begun to do a thing, it is futile for anyone to try and stop him.

The message of Zechariah was given to the exiles as they faced times of difficulty and uncertainty; albeit that those difficulties were concurrent with a time of emerging national and spiritual renewal.

When confronted with times of difficulty or uncertainty, a similar exhortation is suitable for Christian believers.

We have often found God’s mercies to be mingled with our sorrows – and have learned that these are not contrary one to the other. And we know that God is working his purpose out for his church and for each of us individually (Rom. 8:28), knowing what is best for our eternal benefit. There are times for us, too, to be reminded to remain still and silent, leaving ourselves in the hands of a sovereign, loving and covenant-keeping God (1 Pet. 4:19).

Discussion Questions for Mark Chapter 12 Continued from Pages 17-20

1. vv. 1-12. In your own words, explain what you think this parable means.

2. vv. 13-17. Why should the Christian pay taxes to the state? (See also Romans 13:17)

3. vv. 28-34. According to Jesus, what is the greatest commandment?

4. vv. 35-37. Whose Son is the Christ? See also Psalm 2:7, 2 Sam. 7:14 and Psalm 45:6.

5. vv. 12:41-44. Why was the widow’s offering worth more to God than all the others?

Suggested answers: 1. God had made Israel his own people and given them the land to live in. He gave them his word and many godly leaders to teach them his ways. He sent many prophets who taught the people to repent and return to give God his due in terms of obedience and worship – but they would not. Instead they abused and killed the prophets. When God finally sent his own Son to them, they refused to listen and obey him too, casting him out and crucifying him. For this, God would punish them.

2. Taxes are used to support government and the works of the state. Christians are to play an active part in the society in which they live, even though they are citizens of heaven.

3. The greatest commandment is to love God with all your heart, soul and mind, and your neighbour as yourself.

4. The Christ is greater than David or all the prophets, for he is the Son of God.

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