October 30, 2017

Luke 16:22-24

(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)

How the tables turn! In this mortal life…

•      …the beggar Lazarus was begging at the rich man’s gate, hungry, alone, and full of sores!  His only companions were dogs! (See Luke 16:20, 21)

•      …the rich man (identified in tradition as Dives – Latin for rich man) “…was clothed in purple and fine linen and fared sumptuously every day.” (Luke 16:19).

But in eternity (our featured Scripture of Luke 16:22 through 24 tells us)…

      So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s
      bosom.  The rich man died and was buried.  And being in torments in Hades,
      he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. 
      Then he cried out and said, “Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send
      Lazarus that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue;
      for I am tormented in this flame.”

In the last blog, we were began to look at Dives “…being in torments in Hades…” (verse 23) and crying out, “…I am tormented in this flame…” (verse 24).  Just where is Hades, and what is Hades like?

•      Where is Hades?  Apparently it is somewhere inside the earth!

      ✞      We are told in Ephesians 4:8 through 10 (verse 8 quoting Psalm 68:18):

      “When He [Jesus] ascended on high, He led captivity captive, and gave
      gifts to men.”  (Now this, “He ascended” — what does it mean but that
      He also first descended into the lower parts of the earth?  He who de-
      scended is also the One who ascended far above all the heavens, that He
      might fill all things).

This passage speaks of Christ’s ascension into heaven, but first He descended into Hades!  Why did Jesus descend into Hades?

      ✞      In I Peter 3:18 through 20 it says, “…by the Spirit…He went and preached to the spirits in prison, who formerly were disobedient….”  These were the spirits of those condemn by God!  Why did Jesus go there?  Was it to give them the good news of His payment for sin, and – as some think – to offer them a second chance for salvation?  No! Apparently the Lord went there to announced to them His final victory over sin (by the perfect sacrifice of Himself on the cross), and so the justness of God’s condemnation upon them because of their unrepentance and unbelief!

      ✞      I coined a phrase some time ago:  God is an economist!  What do I mean?  He does not engage in extra work superceding what He accomplished long ago!  (See the example in the February 20, 2017 blog, What The Hell…? – IV).  In the case of Hades and the suffering of the damned in flames in that place, the core of the earth is hot and fiery from the time of creation!  So God apparently made that the site of Hades!

•      What is Hades like?

      ✞      It is a “…place of torment.” (Luke 16:28).  The rich man cried out, “…I am tormented in this flame.” (Luke 16:24).  Remember, we are told in verse 22, “The rich man…died and was buried.”  So it was not his physical body that was experiencing torture, but his soul (his human spirit, according to I Peter 3:18).  He could feel the effects of the flame – extreme heat and thirst – but that fire did not end his existence! (The doctrines of Jehovah’s Witnesses and Christadelphians, among others, express the annihilation of the wicked).

      ✞      It is a place of conscious remembering!  The rich man knew the identity of both Abraham and Lazarus, and he remembered that he had five brothers! (See Luke 16:28).  Also (and apparently from what Abraham told him in Luke 16:25) he could remember specifics of this life on earth! “ Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things….”

      ✞      It is inferred in this passage that Hades is a place of loneliness!  While Lazarus is seen enjoying fellowship and comfort with Abraham (and apparently other godly souls), the rich man is totally alone!

•      Hades is not the final hell!  The description of the great white throne judgment is in Revelation 20:11 through 14.  Here is what is says in Revelation 20:13 and 14:

      …Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them.  And they
      were judged, each one according to his works.  Then Death and Hades
      were cast into the lake of fire.  This is the second death. (verses 13 and
      14).

There is yet “…the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death….And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever….” (Revelation 20:14; 14:11). Actually hell…

      ✞      …is not designed as a place for the wicked of humanity to occupy!  Jesus said in Matthew 25:41, the “…everlasting fire [is] prepared for the devil and his angels….”  But it is logical that if someone let’s Satan lead him or her in this life, they will follow the devil into the next!

      ✞      …may not even be created yet!  After all, Hades is the waiting place of the dead!

•       Hades is not just a place of preliminary torture for the damned!  According to our featured Scripture, Lazarus was in Paradise, then also a part of Hades – the place of those who had died.  But he was across an impassable “…great gulf fixed…” (Luke 16:26).  However (as stated above in Ephesians 4:9) Jesus “…ascended on high, He led captivity captive…” – the meaning of which is that those who were held ‘captive’ in the righteous part of Hades, the Lord took with Him to heaven.  That part of Hades is no longer across a great gulf fixed, but it in the presence of the ascended Christ Himself!

There will be one more blog on Wednesday to this series.

October 27, 2017

Luke 16:22, 23

(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)

We are looking at The Rich And The Poor as Jesus described them in the parable of Luke 16:19-31. The rich man is Dives – the name given by tradition to the one to whom we are introduced in verse 19. The poor man is Lazarus – described in verses 20 and 21 thus:

      …a certain beggar named Lazarus, full of sores…was laid at…[the
      rich man’s] gate, desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from
     the rich man’s table. Moreover the dogs came and licked his sores.

It is obvious who is The Rich one and who is The Poor one!

•      Dives (pronounced Dive’-ees) is described in Luke 16:19 as “…clothed in purple and fine linen and far[ing]…sumptuously every day.” Purple dyed cloth and fine Egyptian linen were so expensive that only the very rich could afford such garments! The sumptuous meals he ate were as if it was an extravagant party every day!

•      Lazarus, on the other hand, and according to Luke 16:20, was totally destitute, full of sores, starving, and apparently lame – because someone else must have carried him and laid him at the rich man’s gate!

But our sight is limited to the physical in this mortal side of life. Jesus gives us a peek at the other side – and, oh, the difference in this case between The Rich And The Poor in eternity! For Jesus said in Luke 16:22 and 23 (our featured Scripture)…

      So it was that the beggar died, and was carried by the angels to Abraham’s
      bosom. The rich man died and was buried. And being in torments in Hades,
      he lifted up his eyes and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom.

•      The rich one in eternity was Lazarus – very rich!

      ✞      Jesus did not emphasize Lazarus’ faith in this parable…

              ▸      …but Lazarus must have been a man of faith! Eternal life has always been gained by faith! Paul tells us in Romans 4:24 and 26:

      [Righteousness]…shall be imputed to us who believe in Him who raised
      up Jesus our Lord from the dead, who was delivered up because of our
      offenses, and was raised because of our justification.

For his example of Old Testament imputed righteousness, Paul used Abraham (see Genesis 15:5, 6). It is not by keeping the Jewish law that anyone is saved (see Romans 3:20; Galatians 3:6-9), because when Abraham was declared righteous before God, it “…was four hundred and thirty years…” (Galatians 3:17) before the law was given! It is not by any form of human works that we gain God’s eternal favor! (See Ephesians 2:8, 9; Titus 3:5). According to Isaiah 64:6, even “…our righteousnesses [the very best we can do] are like filthy rags….” It has always been by faith – believing the promises of God!

                     ➨      Before the advent of Christ, it was believing God’s prophecies of the Messiah’s coming! (See for instance Isaiah 9:6, 7; 53:1-12).

                     ➨      After His coming, it is believing the record of His life, death, and resurrection, and trusting in the promise of eternal life when we open our hearts to Him! (See John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24).

              ▸      The fact that Lazarus was in paradise after his death is proof that he had personal faith in the promises of God!

      ✞      He “…was carried by the angels…” (Luke 16:22). This is another proof of Lazarus’ righteous standing before God! Angels, according to Hebrews 14, are “…ministering spirits sent forth to minister for those who will inherit salvation.” Oh, to be escorted into the presence of divinity by angels!

      ✞      “…the beggar…was carried…to Abraham’s bosom.” (Luke 16:22). This was a Jewish term used to describe paradise. Jews prided themselves concerning their being descended from Abraham – their first patriarchal father! It would be considered the highest honor to be so physically close to Abraham that one could rest leaning on his breast! (See the example of John with Jesus in John 13:23, 25). On earth the beggar was hardly noticed by anyone! In eternity, he is held in highest honor – by the honorable Abraham himself!

      ✞      There is another blessing Lazarus was experiencing, and it is implied by the term Abraham’s bosom.  Here we need to quote John 13:23:  “Now there was leaning on Jesus’ bosom one of His disciples, whom Jesus loved.”  This was most likely the Apostle John.  The setting is the last supper in the upper room.  And you have to understand how such dining was done in Jesus’ day.

              ▸      A carpet or sheet was spread on the floor upon which the food was placed.  Those partaking would lie on their left side, feet out behind them, their head supported by the left hand, with the elbow on the floor.  The right hand would then be used to partake of the food, dipping into common bowls or dishes.

              ▸      The next person to the right of them would be in the same position, close by.  If something needed to be said to the person behind you, you would simply lean back into his bosom and talk.

              ▸      That Lazarus was leaning into Abraham’s bosom implies they were dining together!  Lazarus, who was starving in mortal life, was now feasting!

      ✞      “…now he [Lazarus] is comforted…” (Luke 16:25). Comforted is from the Greek παρακαλέω (pronounced par-ak-al-eh’-o). In this case it means “to call to one’s side for comfort.” I’m sure Lazarus, in his pitiful mortal existence, would have loved to have someone come to him, sit down, and commiserate with him, offering some comfort! But no one came – surely not the rich man! Now he is comforted – with totally satisfying eternal comfort!

•      The poor one in eternity was Dives – very poor!

      ✞      In Luke 16:22 there is no mention of angelic escort for this rich man – only that he died and was buried ! But that was his physical body. His soul was still very much alive and aware! For it says in verses 23 and 24…

      ✞      “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes…cried and said…‘I am tormented in this flame.’ ” This experience of the rich man in Hades will take some time and space to explain. So we will continue this series on Monday.

October 25, 2017

Luke 16:19, 20

(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)

Jesus told a parable in Luke 16:19 through 31 from which we can learn some valuable lessons!  Actually, it may not be a parable.  If it is, then it is the only parable in the Bible in which proper names are used!  It involves a poor beggar named Lazarus and a another main character identified as a certain rich man.  Tradition has it that his name was Dives (pronounced dye-vees, dee-vays, or dee-wees).  Dives, a Latin word, simply means “rich man.”  If it is not a parable, then it is an incident that Jesus divinely knew about, since it involves the afterlife of these two men!  Here are the first two verses of the incident:

      There was a certain rich man who was clothed in purple and fine linen
      and fared sumptuously every day.  But there was a certain beggar named
      Lazarus, full of sores, who was laid at his gate.

Who was rich and who was poor?

•      Obviously Dives was the rich one!

      ✞      He “…was clothed in purple and fine linen….”

              ▸      Garments that were dyed purple were reserved for kings, high officials, and the very rich!  Purple dye was very expensive!  Why? Because it was derived from tiny shellfish of the Mediterranean.  When these shellfish were crushed and left to putrefy in the sun for a week or more, their glands would produce a minute drop of liquid turned purple or red by the process.  The smell of rotten sea life was overwhelming!  That may be why the city of Sidon located their processing facility almost ten miles to the south!  It took about 10,000 shellfish to produce one gram of dye!  Toward the end of the third century AD, one pound of Tyrian Purple dye cost three pounds of gold – over $61,000 today!

              ▸      Fine linen was probably Egyptian linen, produced from flax grown along the Nile River.  So fine could be the weave that it was known as woven air!  It is said that a robe of such fine linen was worth twice its weight in gold!

This Scripture gives us the idea that this was the everyday wear of this wealthy man!

      ✞      He “…fared sumptuously every day.”  Literally, Dives was ‘making merry’ (see Luke 15:23-32) in a splendid way!  And not just occasionally, but he fared this way every single day!

•      Also obviously, Lazarus was the poor one!

      ✞      He “…was a certain beggar….”  He had no means of supporting himself other than begging for meager handouts from other people! (See Mark 10:46; Acts 3:2-5).  The word beggar has a connotation of poor, and is in contrast to Dives who was rich!

      ✞      He “…was…full of sores….”  Whether Lazarus was a leper or not, we don’t know.  But obviously, he was sick!  He was covered with sores as was Job! (See Job 2:7, 8).  Such a condition could be the result of malnutrition.  It tells us in Luke 16:21, “…and dogs came and licked his sores.”  Apparently the only creatures that could tolerate this man’s pitiful presence were dogs – unclean animals to the Jews!

      ✞      He “…was laid at his [Dives’] gate.”  The beggar must not have been able to walk!  Being laid at his gate implies someone had to carry him there!

      ✞      In Luke 16:21 it says Lazarus was “…desiring to be fed with the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table.”  It does not say that his desire was ever fulfilled!  He was hungry to the point of starvation all the time!

But this is only the view from the temporal side of life!  Both of these men died and found themselves in eternal afterlife!

•      Apparently, Lazarus was first to die – perhaps from disease and/or starvation.  But what does it say of him in Luke 16:22?  “So it was that the beggar died and was carried by the angels into Abraham’s bosom.”

      ✞      Abraham’s bosom was a Jewish term for their concept of paradise!  Abraham was the Jews first patriarch – the father of all Israel (and, by the way, of faithful non-Jews also – see Romans 4:11, 12).

      ✞      Lazarus was carried by the angels – a big difference than being carried by those who laid him at Dives’ gate!  That was probably a disgusting and begrudging task!  The angels carried him willingly – in love and joy!  We are told in Hebrews 1:14, angels are “…all ministering spirits sent forth to minister to those who will inherit salvation.”

•      It says of Dives in Luke 16:22, “The rich man also died and was buried.”

      ✞      No angelic escort to paradise!  Instead all it says is, he died and was   buried !

      ✞      No comfort of resting in Abraham’s bosom!  Instead we are told in the next two verses, “And being in torments in Hades, he lifted up his eyes…cried and said…‘I am tormented in this flame.’ ”  He was fully conscious and in agony!

So now who is rich, and who is poor?  Let’s continue this on Friday.

October 23, 2017

I Samuel 27:1, 2

(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)

One more time we will feature I Samuel 27:1 and 2:

      And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand
      of Saul.  There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily es-
      cape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek
      me anymore in any part of Israel.  So I shall escape out of his hand.” 
      Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were
      with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

According to I Samuel 27:7, David was Dwelling In The Devil’s Dominion – the Philistine territory – for “…one full year and four months.”  That’s a long time to be out of fellowship with God!  Remember, the Philistines were inveterate enemies of Israel for centuries!  And we have been seeing how that extended stay affected David and all those who were with him – up to maybe two thousand people!  There were “…six hundred men…their wives, their sons, and their daughters…” (I Samuel 27:2; 30:2).

What effect can our getting away from God have on us and those around us?

•      God had told Isaac in Genesis 26:2, “Do not go down to Egypt; dwell in the land of [Canaan]….Sojourn in this land, and I will be with you and bless you.”

      ✡      Egypt in the Bible has been used as an example of the world without God!

              ▸      God brought the Israelites out of Egypt to be His people! (See Exodus 19:4; 20:2).

              ▸      Moses gave instructions in Deuteronomy 17:14 through 20 concerning the king the Israelites would have in the future.  In verse 16 Moses said, “[The future king]…shall not…cause the people to return to Egypt….You shall not return that way again.”

              ▸      Revelation 11:8 adds light to Egypt representing the heathen world.  The verse concerns the two future prophets who are identified by God as “….My two witnesses….”  Further in Revelation 11:2 we read, “And their dead bodies will lie in the street of the great city [Jerusalem] which spiritually is called Sodom and Egypt, where also our Lord was crucified.”  That’s a slam on Egypt!

      ✡      Although there is no direct command from God to Abraham that he should not go down to Egypt (as his son Isaac was instructed), I believe we can surmise the same directive was given to him!

              ▸      There is no record of Abraham worshiping Jehovah while he was in Egypt!  He built an altar before he went into that country (see Genesis 12:8), and he came back to that altar and worshiped only after he had left Egypt (see Genesis 13:3, 4).

              ▸      While in Egypt, Abraham got into trouble! (See Genesis 12:11-20).  He deceived Pharaoh, but was found out, and the king kicked him out of the country! (See Genesis 12:19, 20).

              ▸      When he came out of Egypt with his family (his nephew Lot accompanied him during his stay in that country), Lot chose as his dwelling place in Canaan, “…all the plain of Jordan…well watered everywhere…like the garden of the LORD, like the land of Egypt as you go toward Zoar.” (Genesis 13:10).  His choice was made by recalling what he had experienced and loved – in Egypt!  Some years later, that place Lot chose turned into a wasteland, when God destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah! (See Genesis 18:20 and 21; 19:1 through 29).  Egypt influenced Lot’s terrible and worldly choice!

•      There is no direct statement in the Bible whether or not David worshiped (was close to) God while he was in Philistia!  But there is indirect evidence:

      ✡      We might assume that David did not worship Jehovah in that land because there is no mention of it either way!  It is called “an argument from silence.” but that can be a dangerous practice!  For instance, concerning infant baptism:  There is nothing directly written in Scripture (and little inference) that supports the practice of it – or condemns it.  So many practice and promote it because of Scriptural silence!

      ✡      There are apparently no Psalms written by David during his time in the land of the Philistines!  Although the Blue Letter Bible website – https://www.blue letterbible.org/study/parallel/paral18.cfm – suggests that Psalms 16 and 141 were written when David was considering fleeling to Philistia, nothing is definite in several other internet searches.  Although David is called “…the sweet psalmist of Israel…” in II Samuel 23:1, a thorough study of his life reveals that of the 150 psalms, David wrote 75 of them!  But none of his psalms were written when he was away from the Lord!  The same occured during another time of unconfessed sin – concerning Bathsheba and Uriah (see II Samuel 11:1 – 12:12).

Jesus said in Matthew 6:24, “No one can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other.”  He was talking about serving God or mammon (money, and the things money can buy).  But this applies to trying to serving God and the world at the same time (see James 4:4), or God and anything in opposition to Him!

•      Serving God through Jesus Christ is to make the Son of God Lord of your life!  As Paul wrote in I Corinthians 12:3, “…no one speaking by the Spirit of God calls Jesus accursed, and no one can say that Jesus is Lord except by the Holy Spirit.”  It is only by the power of the Spirit that we can call Him Lord and rightly serve God!

•      Paul warned us in I Thessalonians 5:19, “Do not quench the Spirit.”  Sin in our lives does just that!  And if we are off somewhere Dwelling In The Devil’s Dominion, nothing but repentance and confession will please God!

So be very careful where you find yourself dwelling!  Your spiritual life depends on it!  And it will greatly influence the lives of those around you!

October 20, 2017

I Samuel 27:1, 2

(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)

We are considering David Dwelling In The Devil’s Dominion – when this future king of Israel fled from King Saul to hide in the territory of the Philistines for sixteen months! (See I Samuel 27:7). Our featured Scripture is I Samuel 27:1 and 2:

      And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand
      of Saul. There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily es-
      cape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek
      me anymore in any part of Israel. So I shall escape out of his hand.”
      Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were
      with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

David, after escaping to the land of the Philistines was slipping further and further into idolatry, putting something else in God’s place – first in the lives of His followers – loving Him and obeying Him! (See Mark 12:29 and 30; John 14:15). The most grievous examples of David’s idolatrous sin start in I Samuel 28:1: “…the Philistines gathered their armies…to fight with Israel. And Achish said to David, ‘You assuredly know that you…and your men…will go out with me to battle….”

•      Remember, the Philistines were an idol-worshiping people, inveterate enemies of Israel (and so Israel’s God) for a thousand years! Here let’s apply what is recorded in Luke 4:5 and 6:

      …the devil taking [Jesus]…up on a high mountain, showed Him all the
      kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. And the devil said to Him,
      “All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been
      delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish.”

Satan usurped man’s “…dominion over…the earth…” (Genesis 1:28) when Adam bowed to his headship rather than God’s! (See Genesis 3:1-6). And the point of this Biblical fact is that the Philistines, being heathen, were under The Devil’s Dominion! David’s idolatry involved his submission to King Achish of the Philistines instead of God!

•      What was David’s response to King Achish’ statement? He told the king, “Surely you know what your servant can do.” (I Samuel 28:2).

      ✡      David was claiming himself to be a servant to a Godless king! (according to Strong’s Hebrew Dictionary, the word means a bond-man or a bond-servant in bondage or servitude to a master). He should have called to mind Samuel’s words to the Israelites in I Samuel 7:3:

      “If you return to the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the
      foreign gods…from among you, and prepare your hearts for the
      LORD, and serve Him only…He will deliver you from the hand of
      the Philistines.”

      ✡      “Surely you know what your servant can do.” In effect David was saying, “I will show you how Godless I have become! You will be impressed! ” Is this the way we are to present Jesus Christ to an unbelieving world in need of Him? (See John 17:17-23).

•      We read later in I Samuel 29:4 and 5 that when the Philistine army’s muster was taking place, the other Philistine princes didn’t trust David to side with them!

      “Is this not David, of whom they sang to one another in dances, saying,
      ‘Saul had slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’?…Do not
      let him go down with us to battle, lest he…become our adversary. For
      with what could he reconcile himself to his master, if not with the heads
      of these men? ”

They were not taken in by David’s deceptive practices – as was Achish! So the king called David and sent him home with these words:

      ✡      I Samuel 29:6 – “Surely, as the LORD lives, you have been upright, and your going out and your coming in with me in the army is good in my sight. For to this day I have not found evil in you since the day of your coming to me. Nevertheless the [other Philistine] lords do not favor you.” Quite the testimony! But since the world is upside down in God’s eyes (see Isaiah 29:15, 16 – 1965 Bible in Basic English), the fact that Achish said, “…I have not found evil in you…” is actually saying that in God’s eyes, He had found evil in David! So do we really want that said of us by the heathen who are enemies of God?!!

      ✡      I Samuel 29:7 – “Therefore, return now, and go in peace, that you may not displease the lords of the Philistines.” Whom are we seeking to please as God’s children – the world or the Lord Jesus Christ?

      ✡      I Samuel 29:8 – “Then David said to Achish, ‘But what have I done…that I may not go and fight against the enemies of my lord the king?’ ”

              ▸      What had David done? He had aligned himself for almost a year and a half to a heathen king and country, the enemies of Jehovah God, to the extent that this man – of whom it is said in Acts 13:22 that he was “…a man after [God’s] own heart…” – was also identifying himself as the LORD’s enemy!

              ▸      He actually called God’s chosen people – his own people – the Israelites, “…enemies of my lord the king…” and so enemies of God! (See Romans 5:10; 8:7; Philippians 3:18, 19; Colossians 1:21; James 4:4 to see what God views as His enemies!).

              ▸      David was willing to go and fight against the enemies of the Philistines – God’s people! The Pharisee Gamaliel warned the Jews in Acts 5:39 that if anything “…is of God, you cannot overthrow it — lest you even be found to fight against God.” And one who fights against God will never win!

              ▸      “…my lord the [heathen] king….” This is just about the bottom depth of David’s idolatry! To think he called King Achish – this enemy of God – his lord?!!

Such is the slippery slope of idolatry! Be careful to “…love [and obey – see John 14:15] the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.” (Mark 12:30). You will then avoid the depths to which David fell!

October 18, 2017

I Samuel 27:1, 2

(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)

Our study, Dwelling In The Devil’s Dominion, is based on I Samuel 27:1 and 2:

      And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand
      of Saul.  There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily es-
      cape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek
      me anymore in any part of Israel.  So I shall escape out of his hand.”
      Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were
      with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

In the last blog, we were looking at the effects of David’s decision!  It is obvious that David was personally affected by his sixteen month stay in Philistia (see I Samuel 27:7).  There are always consequences to the decisions we make!  But there were six hundred men and their families with him – perhaps as many as two thousand people for whom David was responsible!  Someone has said, “We don’t sin in a vacuum! ”  Our choices affect those around us – family (even future generations), friends, neighbors, work and school associates, etc.  And the more authority we have, the greater the effect will be!  Also, according to James 3:1, God will hold us accountable for the influence we exert!

•      We began examining David slipping more and more into idolatry!  But first, let’s broadly define what idolatry is:  Idolatry is putting something else in God’s place!  What is God’s place to be in the life of a believer?  Jesus tells us in Mark 12:29 and 30:

      The first of all the commandments is:  “Hear, O Israel, The LORD our
      God, the LORD is one.  And you shall love the LORD your God with all
      your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your
      strength.”

And in John 14:15, Jesus clarified what loving God is all about:  “If you love Me, keep My commandments.”  So we could quote what is known as the Great Commandment this way:  “…you shall obey the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”  Anything less than fully loving (obeying) God is descending into idolatry – putting something else where God belongs…in absolute first place in our life!

Was David putting God first when, in fear of his life, he sought refuge in enemy territory?  Remember, the LORD had anointed him to be the next king of Israel (see I Samuel 16:1, 13).  That kingship was even confirmed by Jonathan, Saul’s son (see I Samuel 23:17), and later by Saul himself! (See I Samuel 24:20).  If God was to be trusted in what He promised, David was invincible until that promise was fulfilled!

      ✡      In review, we looked at I Samuel 27:5 – David requested of King Achish, “If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there.”  David sought favor from this Philistine king!  Are we to court the favor of the world or of God?  Consider what it says in John 15:18 and 19, John 17:14 through 18 and 25, I Corinthians 6:14 through 18, James 4:4, and I John 2:15 through 17 – and you decide!

      ✡      We also learned from I Samuel 27:8 through 12 that David regularly lied to King Achish!  Is this appropriate behavior for a follower of the LORD? (See Zechariah 8:16; Ephesians 4:25).

      ✡      And why was he raiding “…the Gehurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites…” (I Samuel 27:8) in the first place?  He was trying to provide for up to two thousand dependants!  I suppose we could then excuse him for his raiding actions…but for the truth of God’s provision!  We learn in Exodus 17:35, “…the children of Israel ate manna forty years…until they came to the border of the land of Canaan.”  God miraculously fed not two thousand people, but up to two million Israelites for four decades!  According to Exodus 16:16, they were to daily gather “…one omer for each person…” (a little over two quarts per person per day).  Since an omer is a dry measure, it is a bit difficult to calculate the weight of two quarts of manna.  But let’s just say that two quarts of dry manna weighed about two pounds.  2,000,000 people x two pounds x 365 days x 40 years = 58,400,000,000 (over 58 billion) pounds of miraculously provided food!  Do you think God could have provided enough for David and two thousand under his care to live on without him going on murderous raids… and lying about it?

      ✡      What were the lies he was telling King Achish, when the king asked him, “Where have you made a raid today? ” (I Samuel 27:10).  “And David would say, ‘Against the southern area of Judah, or against…the Jerahmeelites, or against…the Kenites.’ ” (I Samuel 27:10).  These to peoples mentioned are related to Israel in one way or another.  The result of these lies? “So Achish believed David, saying, ‘He had made his people Israel utterly abhor him; therefore he will be my servant forever.’ ” (I Samuel 27:12).  What would be the consequences of non-believers saying that because of our actions, it is obvious that he or she utterly abhors Christians!  And do we want to be considered a servant (slave) of unbelievers forever?!! (See Romans 6:16-23).

We’ll pause here because there is yet a major idolatrous move that David made, and it will take some space to study it out.

October 16, 2017

I Samuel 27:1, 2

(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)

Our featured Scripture is I Samuel 27:1 and 2:

      And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand
      of Saul.  There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily es-
      cape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek
      me anymore in any part of Israel.  So I shall escape out of his hand.” 
      Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were
      with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

A discouraged and depressed David escaped to the land of the Philistines, located along the Mediterranean coast south of Palestine.  Having been hounded by King Saul for at least four years – Saul trying to kill this one whom God ordained to replace him as king of Israel – David came up with the idea of hiding in Philistia, or Dwelling In The Devil’s Dominion!  And he stayed there for a year and four months! (See I Samuel 27:7).  Why do I call the land of the Philistines The Devil’s Dominion?  Because for more than 400 years, the Philistines were enemies of Israel and Israel’s God!  And they would continue to be so for at least 500 years after David’s time! (see Exodus 13:17; Ezekiel 25:16).

This was David’s second time fleeing from Saul to the land of the Philistines!  The first time was about four years earlier when King Saul first started seeking to kill David.  We are told in I Samuel 21:10:  “Then David arose and fled that day from before Saul, and went to Achish the king of Gath.”  This first time didn’t turn out very well!

•      He was most likely alone this first time, and armed only with a sword!  It was Goliath’s sword (see I Samuel 21:8, 9), Goliath, whom David had killed some years before (see I Samuel, chapter 17).  That sword was easily recognized by the Philistines, for it says in verse 4 of chapter 17, Goliath was their champion!  We learn other details about Goliath from verse 4:  He was also from Gath, the very city where David was seeking asylum!  We also learn that Goliath’s “…height was six cubits and a span…” – about 9 feet eight inches tall!  So the sword of Goliath was most likely far too big for David to use as his own!

•      Having recognized both the sword and its bearer (according to I Samuel 21:11)…

      …the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the
      land?  Did not they sing of him to one another in dances saying, ‘Saul
      has slain his thousands, and David his ten thousands’!”

Apparently the Philistines believed the prophecies concerning David being the next king of Israel…more than David did!  In their minds, he was already the king!  Does the unbelieving world sometimes have more faith in what God has said than we do as Christians?

•      To save his own neck, David “…feigned madness in their hands, scratched on the doors of the gate, and let his saliva fall down on his beard.” (I Samuel 21:12).  Achish, the king, basically kicked him out of Gath, saying, “Look, you see the man is insane….Have I need of madmen…?  Shall this fellow come into my house? ” (I Samuel 21:14 and 15).

And David went back there four years later?!!  You would think he had learned his lesson!  Yes, we should sometimes call to mind our past failures – not to dwell upon them, but to learn from them!

What were the effects of David’s decision to Dwell In The Devil’s Dominion?

•      At that time of his flight to Gath (one of the five major cites in Philistia), David was the leader of six hundred men who were with him, and their families!  Including the women and children, perhaps there were a couple of thousand under David’s leadership!  We read in I Samuel 22:1 and 2 that earlier in David’s flight from Saul…

      …his brothers and all his father’s house…went…to him.  And everyone
      who was in distress, everyone who was in debit, and everyone who was
      discontented gathered to him.  So he became captain over them.  And
      there were about four hundred men with him.

These were a rag-tag bunch of people for the most part who aligned themselves with David!  And, apparently, by the time he fled to Gath for an extended stay, two hundred more men and their families had joined him!  David’s lack of faith in Jehovah’s protection and provision affected all these followers!

We are told in James 3:1, “My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.”  In other words, leaders will be held accountable before God for their influence over others who follow them!  Paul told the Corinthian believers in I Corinthians 11:1, “Imitate me, just as I imitate Christ.”  If we are going to influence others (and we all do) we had better make sure we do so in a positive way for God and good!  And the more influence we have over others, the more accountable we are before God!

•      David was slipping more and more into idolatry in this heathen country!  Remember, idolatry is putting something else before God and loving Him – obeying Him! (See John 14:15).  The most common form of idolatry is putting our own selves before Him, our wills before His! (See Luke 22:42 for the best way to avoid this idolatry).

      ✡      I Samuel 27:5 – He said to King Achish, “If I have now found favor in your eyes, let them give me a place in some town in the country, that I may dwell there.”  David sought to find favor in the eyes of a heathen king!  James warns us in James 4:4:  “Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God?  Whoever therefore wants to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.” (See also II Corinthians 6:14-18).  Paul tells us in Colossians 1:21, “…you…once were alienated and enemies is your minds by wicked works, yet now He has reconciled….”  We are not to return to our former Godless ways!  The penalty for such is extremely great! (See Hebrews 6:4-8).

      ✡      I Samuel 27:8-12 – To support himself, his family, and his followers, “David and his men…raided the Gehurites, the Girzites, and the Amalekites…the inhabitants of the land from of old…[and] left neither man nor woman alive…” (verses 8 and 9), “…lest they inform on us, saying, ‘Thus David did’ ” (verse 11).  These tribes that David raided were most likely allies of the Philistines.  So David habitually lied to the king of Gath!  What are we to do as followers of the LORD?  “…putting away lying, each one speak truth with his neighbor…” (Ephesians 4:25).  Be truthful…and let God take care of the details!

We will examine further idolatrous actions of David Dwelling In The Devil’s Dominion in our next blog.

October 13, 2017

I Samuel 27:1, 2

(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)

David – “…a man after My own heart…” God said in Acts 13:22, “…dwelt in the country of the Philistines…one full year and four months.” (I Samuel 27:7).  We saw in the last blog that the Philistines were inveterate enemies of Israel and Israel’s God!  How did David, the great and future king of the Jews end up Dwelling In The Devil’s Dominion?  We start again with our featured Scripture, I Samuel 27:1 and 2:

      And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand
      of Saul.  There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily es-
      cape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek
      me anymore in any part of Israel.  So I shall escape out of his hand.” 
      Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were
      with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

By the time this incident happens, David had been on the run from King Saul (the first king of Israel) for about four years!  That’s a long time to have your life hang in the balance because of being hunted by a crazy man with a lot of resources at his disposal!  Yes, with God’s help, David had escaped the king several time before:

•      I Samuel 18:10, 11; 19:10 – He dodged Saul’s spear at least twice!

•      I Samuel 19:11-17 – With the help of his wife, Michal, David escaped Saul’s men sent to bring him to the king – even with orders to carry David to the palace on his sickbed if necesssary!

•      I Samuel 19:18-24 – By the LORD’s power, Saul’s soldiers – and even Saul himself – were overcome by the Spirit when on route to capture David in Samuel’s hometown!

•      I Samuel 23:6-13 – By God’s leading through the priestly ephod (Urim and Thummim – see Leviticus 8:8; Numbers 27:21), David escaped Saul’s hand in Keilah (a town 15 miles southwest of Jerusalem).

•      I Samuel 23:25-28 – With Saul and his army closing in on David and his troops (in the Wilderness of Maon – verse 25), God allowed the Philistines to invade Israel, and Saul had to go and repel them!

•      I Samuel 24:2-22 – “…on the Rocks of the Wild Goats…” (verse 2), Saul stopped chasing David for awhile after he spared the king’s life!

•      I Samuel 26:1-25 – At “…the hill of Hachilah…” (verse 1), David again spared Saul’s life – and the king stopped chasing him!

You would think that in light of all this, David would be trusting God to continue to deliver him safe and sound!  After all, Samuel anointed him to be the next king of Israel! (See I Samuel 16:1, 12, 13).  And it was confirmed by Jonathan, Saul’s own son (see I Samuel 23:17), and even later by Saul himself! (See I Samuel 24:20).

But, after being hounded by King Saul for four years and having your life in danger all that time, perhaps we can forgive David for letting his faith slip!  In I Corinthians 10:11, Paul tells us concerning all the incidents and examples in the Old Testament:  “Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they are written for our admonition, on whom the ends of the ages have come.”  So what are the warnings we can receive from David’s slip of faith where he ends up Dwelling In The Devil’s Dominion?  A few things…

•      When the pressures of life crowd in upon us, let us be warned that our faith in God and His care, provision, and deliverance can be shaken enough that we just might make some stupid and faithless decisions!  As Paul wrote in I Corinthians 10:12 (the next verse from the one above!):  “Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall.”

•      Under pressure – and David was under a lot of extended pressure – David began thinking of ways he could get out from the situation of Saul’s pursuit and persecution!  I Samuel 27:1:

      And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand of
      Saul.  There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily escape to
      the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me to seek me anymore
      in any part of Israel.  So shall I escape out of his hand.”

      ✡      By this time, it seems David was in deep depression!  Depression (and I have experienced deep clinical depression in the past) can greatly exacerbate the perception of an already troubling situation!

      ✡      Even in the best of circumstance, we may think our own ideas are brilliant!  But Depression tends to isolate, and cuts one off from interaction with others!  Consider:

              ▸      David said in his heart….  It says in Jeremiah 17:9, “The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it? ”  Because of a sinful nature permeating our being, do not rely on the thinking of your own heart (mind)!  We need the input of others – other godly people – to keep us straight!

              ▸      David said in his heart…. We are not at the wisest by ourselves!  It is written in Proverbs 12:15, “…he who heeds counsel is wise.”  And in Proverbs 19:20 we are told, “Listen to counsel and receive instruction, that you may be wise in your latter days.”

•      Our faith needs to be strong to face life’s trials, troubles, and temptations!

      ✞      And our faith is made strong by feeding regularly and abundantly on God’s Word! (See Romans 10:17; Colossians 3:16).

      ✞      The time to strengthen our faith is now – not when the trials, troubles, and temptations are already upon us!

•      Such trials, troubles, and temptations are bound to come according to what Jesus said in Luke 17:1 (God’s Word to the Nations):  “Situations that cause people to lose their faith are certain to arise.”  So expect the challenges of life to appear – and be prepared!

More on Dwelling In The Devil’s Dominion on Monday.

October 11, 2017

I Samuel 27:1, 2

(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)

David was a strong believer in Jehovah, God of Israel!  He was chosen to be king and the head of the line of descendants who eventually brought forth the Messiah! (See Matthew 1:6-16; Luke 3:23-31).  In II Samuel 23:1 he is called, “…the sweet psalmist of Israel…,” having composed 76 of the 150 psalms in our Bible (74 are attributed to him in psalm superscriptions, and two more in Acts 4:25 and Hebrews 4:7).  It is written of David in I Kings 15:5 that…

      …David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and had not turned
      aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, ex-
      cept in the matter of Uriah the Hittite.

This I Kings 15 Scripture presents too rosy of a picture of King David!  For he sinned in the related incident of adultery with Bathsheba (see II Samuel 11:2-5); his multiple wives and concubines (see I Samuel 18:27; 25:39; 25:43; II Samuel 3:3-5; 5:13; 15:16 – in apparent disobedience to Deuteronomy 17:17); and several examples of unbelief.  Perhaps the most egregious example of unbelief in David’s life is in I Samuel 27:1 and 2!

      And David said in his heart, “Now I shall perish someday by the hand
      of Saul.  There is nothing better for me than that I should speedily es-
      cape to the land of the Philistines; and Saul will despair of me, to seek
      me anymore in any part of Israel.  So I shall escape out of his hand.” 
      Then David arose and went over with the six hundred men who were
      with him to Achish the son of Maoch, king of Gath.

According to I Samuel 27:7, “…the time that David dwelt in the country of the Philistines was one full year and four months.”  That’s a long time to be Dwelling In The Devil’s Dominion!

Why do I call this series Dwelling In The Devil’s Dominion?  Because the Philistines were perennial enemies of Israel, and so they were enemies of Israel’s God!

•      The Philistines are mentioned in the Old Testament more than any other national group that opposed Israel – 291 times! (Philistines, Philistine, Philistia in the KJV).

•      According to I Chronicles 1:12 and Amos 9:7, “…the Philistines [came] from Caphtor….”  According to Eerdman’s The New Bible Dictionary, p. 199, Caphtor “…refer[s] in all probability to Crete….At its height in the second millennium, Minoan Crete controlled much of the Aegean area….”

•      They were Israel’s enemies…

      ✡      …from the time of the Exodus (see Exodus 13:17 – circa. 1440 BC); even from the time of the Patriarchs (see Genesis 26:12-21 – circa 1780 BC).

      ✡      …to the time of Ezekiel and the beginning of the Babylonian captivity (see Ezekiel 25:16 – circa 588 BC).

•      Two gods and a goddess are mentioned in relation to the Philistines:

      ✡      Dagon – possibly was a vegetation or grain god.  The worship of Dagon was prevalent in the time of Samson (see Judges 16:23-30); in the days of Samuel, when the ark of God was captured by the Philistines (see I Samuel 5:1-14); and when Saul was killed by this warring tribe (see I Samuel 31:1-4), “…and…they… fastened his head in the temple of Dagon.” (I Chronicles 10:10).

      ✡      Ashtaroth – We are told in I Samuel 31:10 (English Standard Version) that when the Philistines killed Saul, “They put his armor in the temple of Ashtaroth.”  The Good News Bible translates it:  “…they put his weapons in the temple of the goddess Astarte….”  Ashtaroth /Astarte is identified as “…a mother goddess with aspects as goddess of fertility, love, and war…whose cult as practiced by the Canaanites was depraved in the extreme.” (ibid. p. 96).

      ✡      Baal-Zebub – is referred to as “…the god of Ekron…” in verses 2, 3, 6, and 16 of II Kings chapter 1.  Ekron is identified as one of the five major cities of the Philistines (see Joshua 13:3; I Samuel 5:1, 8, 10; 6:16, 17; 17:4). Baal-Zebub means “lord of flies.”  It may be a Hebrew corruption mocking Baal-Zebul, meaning “lord of the high place” (ibid. p. 116).  “The Hebrew word ba‘al means ‘master’, ‘possessor’, or ‘husband’….[but] Yahweh was the ‘master’, and ‘husband’ of the Israelites…” (ibid. p. 115).  Canaanite Baal worship was often closely associated with that of Ashtaroth /Astarte, and so “…involved the usual lascivious practices of fertility cults…even such abominations as child sacrifice…” (ibid – see Jeremiah 19:5).

And so the Philistines were not just martial enemies of Israel, but they were also corrupters of Israel’s God-given religion (see I Kings 11:4-8) which often resulted in the LORD’s judgment upon His covenant people! (See Jeremiah 25:4-7; 44:2-6).

The point I will make here –and in the next blogs of this series – is that David, who is said by God Himself to be “…a man after My own heart…” (Acts 13:22) – if he can find himself Dwelling In The Devi’s Dominion of Israel’s and God’s enemy; if he can live there for almost a year and a half – how susceptible are we as Christians to find ourselves settling down in Satan’s territory?  We will see how it happened to David, and what we need to do to prevent such a tragedy from happening to us!

October 9, 2017

Psalm 14:1-3

(All Scripture is from the New King James Version unless otherwise indicated)

Two men worked in the office of a large company.  One was a dedicated Christian who tried to share his faith with his co-workers in a non-offensive way.  But the other man claimed to be an atheist, and he held the Christian man in contempt, often poking rather cruel verbal jabs at his co-worker’s belief in God and the Bible.  One day, fed up with the atheist’s comments, he told the unbeliever, “You know, the Bible actually has a verse that speaks about you.”  The atheist smirked and asked, “And just what might that be?”  “It’s in Psalm 14:1,” he told him, “and it says, ‘The fool has said in his heart, “There is no God.”’ ”

David wrote Psalm 14. Here are verses 1 through 3:

      The fool has said in this heart, “There is no God.”  They are corrupt,
      they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.  The
      LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if
      there are any who understand, who seek God.  They have all turned
      aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good,
      no, not one.

Why is an atheist called a fool in verse1?

•      The first reason is a logical argument!  Russian cosmonaut, Yuri Gagarin was the first human in space when his Vostok 1 spacecraft orbited the earth on April 12, 1961.  It has been reported that when he returned to earth he said, “I looked and looked, but I didn’t see God.”  According to Gagarin’s friend, Colonel Valentin Petrov, there is no record of the cosmonaut saying these words.  But they echo what Russian premier Nikita Khrushchev said in a speech at the plenum of the Central Committee of the CPSU about the state’s anti-religion campaign:  “Gagarin flew into space, but didn’t see any god there.”

Why is the first reason a logical argument?

▸      Because saying, “There is no God,” when we haven’t seen Him is illogical compared to the plain statements of Scripture!

               ✞      John 4:24 – Jesus told the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well that “God is spirit….”  Spirits, unless they chose otherwise, are generally invisible to mortal human beings!

               ✞      I Timothy 1:17 – Early in this epistle, Paul writes what seems like a benediction that belongs at the end:  “Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, to God who alone is wise, be honor and glory forever and ever.  Amen.”  How can anyone see someOne who is invisible?

               ✞      I Timothy 6:16 (Contemporary English Version) – “Only God lives forever!  And He lives in light that no one can come near.  No [mortal] human has ever seen God or ever can see Him.” (See Exodus 33:20; I John 3:2).

      ▸      Because saying, “There is no God,” implies that you know everything there is to know!  If you don’t know absolutely everything, something that you don’t know just might be God!  So a claim of atheism is not only illogical, but very egotististical!

•      In our featured Scripture of Psalm 14:1 through 3, David gives important information concerning atheists:

      ▸      Verse 1 – “They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none who does good.” There are those who do not believe there is a God who have accomplished good – and even great – works that benefit society.

                     Stephen Hawking – ranked 25th in the BBC’s poll of the 100 Greatest Britons in 2002, Hawking is a brilliant theoretical physicist, cosmologist, author and Director of Research at the Centre for Theoretical Cosmology within the University of Cambridge.

                      Alan Turing – has been called the founder of computer science, and the founder of artificial intelligence.  He was instrumental in cracking German codes during World War II.

                      Thomas Alva Edison – called “the wizard of Menlo Park,” Edison has been described as America’s greatest inventor!  He held 1,093 patents in his name, and is remembered especially for electitric lighting, power utilities, sound recording, and motion pictures.

By society’s standards, they are/were great human beings!  But by God’s perfect standards (see Matthew 5:48) they fell far short!  Only in Jesus Christ can we overcome corruption, abominable works, and be good in God’s eyes! (See II Corinthians 5:21).

      ▸      Verse 2 – “The LORD looks down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there are any who understand, who seek God.”  As the author of Hebrews wrote in Hebrews 4:13:  “…there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are naked and open to the eyes of Him to whom we must give account.” (See also Job 26:6; II Chronicles 16:9; Psalm 33:13-15; Proverbs 15:11).

      ▸      Verse 3 – “They have all turned aside, they have together become corrupt; there is none who does good, no, not one.”  Sin has infected all of the human race! (See Romans 5:12).  Isaiah 64:6 tells us that sin has so marred us, even “…our righteousnesses are like filthy rags….”  If our righteousnesses – the very best we can do from a human standpoint – are like filthy rags before God, what do our sins look like to Him?  Is it any wonder we all need someOne else to pay for our sins and make us acceptable to God? (See I Corinthians 15:3; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:6; I Peter 2:24).

Here is the kicker:  It is not just atheists who stand eternally condemned before God!  It is every one of us (see Romans 3:10, 23) before we receive His salvation provided for us by the sacrifice of Jesus dying for our sins! (See I Thessalonians 5:9; II Timothy 3:15).  So, please, as Paul wrote in II Corinthians 5:20, I “…implore you on Christ’s behalf, be reconciled to God.”