PSALM 63

A PSALM OF DAVID, WHEN HE WAS IN THE WILDERNESS OF JUDAH.

63:1 O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee:

my soul thirsteth for thee,

my flesh longeth for thee

in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is;

2 To see thy power and thy glory,

so as I have seen thee in the sanctuary.

The desire to dwell in the presence of God overwhelms David as he dwells in exile he cries out for God

3 Because thy lovingkindness is better than life,

my lips shall praise thee.

4 Thus will I bless thee while I live:

I will lift up my hands in thy name.

Relationship with the Lord of life is expressed in what can only be described as rapturous praise!

5 My soul shall be satisfied as with marrow and fatness;

and my mouth shall praise thee with joyful lips:

6 When I remember thee upon my bed,

and meditate on thee in the night watches.

7 Because thou hast been my help,

therefore in the shadow of thy wings will I rejoice.

Clearly all desire and satisfaction is met in the relationship which David had with God

8 My soul followeth hard after thee:

thy right hand upholdeth me.

9 But those that seek my soul, to destroy it,

shall go into the lower parts of the earth.

10 They shall fall by the sword:

they shall be a portion for foxes.

11 But the king shall rejoice in God;

every one that sweareth by him shall glory:

but the mouth of them that speak lies shall be stopped.

In whatever state or distress of life we may be found, there is a calling out to God which will refresh us. Find your encouragement in his presence and in the salvation that he brings. 

Esau and the Edomites

Gen 25:9 And Jacob sod pottage: and Esau came from the field, and he was faint:... 30 And Esau said to Jacob, Feed me, I pray thee, with that same red pottage; for I am faint: therefore was his name called Edom. 31 And Jacob said, Sell me this day thy birthright. 32 And Esau said, Behold, I am at the point to die: and what profit shall this birthright do to me? 33 And Jacob said, Swear to me this day; and he sware unto him: and he sold his birthright unto Jacob. 34 Then Jacob gave Esau bread and pottage of lentiles; and he did eat and drink, and rose up, and went his way: thus Esau despised his birthright.

This is the most famous passage about Esau. He was a descendant of Abraham, and as we will see, the Edomites as a nation did not follow on to know the Lord. His descendents had an opportunity to be blessed within the blessing of Abraham, and yet they ultimately failed, oppressing their brother and being cursed. We will see their start as a nation, their role in expelling giants, and then subsequently their treacherous treatment of Israel. David brought them into the blessed kingdom, but they rebelled and were cut off.

I did a similar look at Moab previously; See kingdom of Moab Here.

Gen 36 descendents of Esau listed as part of the descendents of Abraham.

1 Chr 1:43 Now these are the kings that reigned in the land of Edom before any king reigned over the children of Israel; Bela the son of Beor: and the name of his city was Dinhabah. 44 And when Bela was dead, Jobab the son of Zerah of Bozrah reigned in his stead. 45 And when Jobab was dead, Husham of the land of the Temanites reigned in his stead. 46 And when Husham was dead, Hadad the son of Bedad, which smote Midian in the field of Moab, reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Avith. 47 And when Hadad was dead, Samlah of Masrekah reigned in his stead. 48 And when Samlah was dead, Shaul of Rehoboth by the river reigned in his stead. 49 And when Shaul was dead, Baalhanan the son of Achbor reigned in his stead. 50 And when Baalhanan was dead, Hadad reigned in his stead: and the name of his city was Pai; and his wife's name was Mehetabel, the daughter of Matred, the daughter of Mezahab.

51 Hadad died also. And the dukes of Edom were; duke Timnah, duke Aliah, duke Jetheth, 52 Duke Aholibamah, duke Elah, duke Pinon, 53 Duke Kenaz, duke Teman, duke Mibzar, 54 Duke Magdiel, duke Iram. These are the dukes of Edom.

God brought out his people from Egypt with a mighty hand, the purpose to drive out the Canaanites. Edom and Moab had opportunity to remain.

Ex 15:15 Then the dukes of Edom shall be amazed; the mighty men of Moab, trembling shall take hold upon them; all the inhabitants of Canaan shall melt away.

God had Moses reach out to the Edomites, but instead of welcoming them, they refused to let them pass. You can see they did not trust Israel, but this was because they did not believe God.

Num 20:14 And Moses sent messengers from Kadesh unto the king of Edom, Thus saith thy brother Israel, Thou knowest all the travail that hath befallen us: 15 How our fathers went down into Egypt, and we have dwelt in Egypt a long time; and the Egyptians vexed us, and our fathers: 16 And when we cried unto the LORD, he heard our voice, and sent an angel, and hath brought us forth out of Egypt: and, behold, we are in Kadesh, a city in the uttermost of thy border: 17 Let us pass, I pray thee, through thy country: we will not pass through the fields, or through the vineyards, neither will we drink of the water of the wells: we will go by the king's high way, we will not turn to the right hand nor to the left, until we have passed thy borders. 18 And Edom said unto him, Thou shalt not pass by me, lest I come out against thee with the sword. 19 And the children of Israel said unto him, We will go by the high way: and if I and my cattle drink of thy water, then I will pay for it: I will only, without doing any thing else, go through on my feet. 20 And he said, Thou shalt not go through. And Edom came out against him with much people, and with a strong hand. 21 Thus Edom refused to give Israel passage through his border: wherefore Israel turned away from him.

Num 21:4; 24:18; 33:37; 34:3; Josh 15:1, 21; Judges 5:4; 11:17-18 all speak of Israel going around Edom and not encroaching upon its borders. So many times this fact is mentioned that it must be extremely important. But even though they refused, Israel was commanded to treat them as a brother.

Deut 23:7 Thou shalt not abhor an Edomite; for he is thy brother: thou shalt not abhor an Egyptian; because thou wast a stranger in his land. 8 The children that are begotten of them shall enter into the congregation of the LORD in their third generation.

Many nations were to be cut off, but Edom to be embraced.

In Deut we have a detailed account of this interaction.

Deut 2:1 Then we turned, and took our journey into the wilderness by the way of the Red sea, as the LORD spake unto me: and we compassed mount Seir many days. 2 And the LORD spake unto me, saying, 3 Ye have compassed this mountain long enough: turn you northward. 4 And command thou the people, saying, Ye are to pass through the coast of your brethren the children of Esau, which dwell in Seir; and they shall be afraid of you: take ye good heed unto yourselves therefore: 5 Meddle not with them; for I will not give you of their land, no, not so much as a foot breadth; because I have given mount Seir unto Esau for a possession. 6 Ye shall buy meat of them for money, that ye may eat; and ye shall also buy water of them for money, that ye may drink. 7 For the LORD thy God hath blessed thee in all the works of thy hand: he knoweth thy walking through this great wilderness: these forty years the LORD thy God hath been with thee; thou hast lacked nothing. 8 And when we passed by from our brethren the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, through the way of the plain from Elath, and from Eziongaber, we turned and passed by the way of the wilderness of Moab. 9 And the LORD said unto me, Distress not the Moabites, neither contend with them in battle: for I will not give thee of their land for a possession; because I have given Ar unto the children of Lot for a possession. 10 The Emims dwelt therein in times past, a people great, and many, and tall, as the Anakims; 11 Which also were accounted giants, as the Anakims; but the Moabites call them Emims. 12 The Horims also dwelt in Seir beforetime; but the children of Esau succeeded them, when they had destroyed them from before them, and dwelt in their stead; as Israel did unto the land of his possession, which the LORD gave unto them. 13 Now rise up, said I, and get you over the brook Zered. And we went over the brook Zered. 14 And the space in which we came from Kadeshbarnea, until we were come over the brook Zered, was thirty and eight years; until all the generation of the men of war were wasted out from among the host, as the LORD sware unto them. 15 For indeed the hand of the LORD was against them, to destroy them from among the host, until they were consumed.

Deut 2:22 As he did to the children of Esau, which dwelt in Seir, when he destroyed the Horims from before them; and they succeeded them, and dwelt in their stead even unto this day:

Josh 24:4 And I gave unto Isaac Jacob and Esau: and I gave unto Esau mount Seir, to possess it; but Jacob and his children went down into Egypt.

So God kept his promises to Edom and to Moab and Ammon, they were treated well, even though they refused to be a blessing themselves.

During the time of the judges Moab would oppress the Israelites, but apparantly Edom did not. However in later times we see Saul contending with enemies on every side, including the Edomites.

1 Sam 14:46 Then Saul went up from following the Philistines: and the Philistines went to their own place...47 So Saul took the kingdom over Israel, and fought against all his enemies on every side, against Moab, and against the children of Ammon, and against Edom, and against the kings of Zobah, and against the Philistines: and whithersoever he turned himself, he vexed them. 48 And he gathered an host, and smote the Amalekites, and delivered Israel out of the hands of them that spoiled them.

He began to fulfill the promise that Israel had failed to do under the Judges and Shiloh, gaining the extent of the kingdom promised to Abraham.

David continued the policy:

2 Sam 8:14a And he put garrisons in Edom; throughout all Edom put he garrisons, and all they of Edom became David's servants.

1 Chr 18:11 Them also king David dedicated unto the LORD, with the silver and the gold that he brought from all these nations; from Edom, and from Moab, and from the children of Ammon, and from the Philistines, and from Amalek. 12 Moreover Abishai the son of Zeruiah slew of the Edomites in the valley of salt eighteen thousand.

13 And he put garrisons in Edom; and all the Edomites became David's servants.

See the extent of David's kingdom

Solomon controlled Edom

1 Ki 9:26 And king Solomon made a navy of ships in Eziongeber, which is beside Eloth, on the shore of the Red sea, in the land of Edom. (2 Chr 8:17)

But Solomon began to violate the commands of the Lord.

1 Ki 11:1; Solomon took wives of them

1 Ki 11:14 And the LORD stirred up an adversary unto Solomon, Hadad the Edomite: he was of the king's seed in Edom. 15 For it came to pass, when David was in Edom, and Joab the captain of the host was gone up to bury the slain, after he had smitten every male in Edom; 16 (For six months did Joab remain there with all Israel, until he had cut off every male in Edom:) 17 That Hadad fled, he and certain Edomites of his father's servants with him, to go into Egypt; Hadad being yet a little child. 18 And they arose out of Midian, and came to Paran: and they took men with them out of Paran, and they came to Egypt, unto Pharaoh king of Egypt; which gave him an house, and appointed him victuals, and gave him land. 19 And Hadad found great favour in the sight of Pharaoh, so that he gave him to wife the sister of his own wife, the sister of Tahpenes the queen. 20 And the sister of Tahpenes bare him Genubath his son, whom Tahpenes weaned in Pharaoh's house: and Genubath was in Pharaoh's household among the sons of Pharaoh. 21 And when Hadad heard in Egypt that David slept with his fathers, and that Joab the captain of the host was dead, Hadad said to Pharaoh, Let me depart, that I may go to mine own country. 22 Then Pharaoh said unto him, But what hast thou lacked with me, that, behold, thou seekest to go to thine own country? And he answered, Nothing: howbeit let me go in any wise.

After Solomon the divided kingdoms had up and down relations with Edom

1 Ki 22:45 Now the rest of the acts of Jehoshaphat, and his might that he shewed, and how he warred, are they not written in the book of the chronicles of the kings of Judah? 46 And the remnant of the sodomites, which remained in the days of his father Asa, he took out of the land. 47 There was then no king in Edom: a deputy was king.

King of Edom working with Israel and Judah

2 Ki 3:6 And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. 7 And he went and sent to Jehoshaphat the king of Judah, saying, The king of Moab hath rebelled against me: wilt thou go with me against Moab to battle? And he said, I will go up: I am as thou art, my people as thy people, and my horses as thy horses. 8 And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom. 9 So the king of Israel went, and the king of Judah, and the king of Edom: and they fetched a compass of seven days' journey: and there was no water for the host, and for the cattle that followed them...on through verse 26

2 Chr 21:8 In his days the Edomites revolted from under the dominion of Judah, and made themselves a king. 9 Then Jehoram went forth with his princes, and all his chariots with him: and he rose up by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him in, and the captains of the chariots. 10 So the Edomites revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day.

2 Ki 8:16 And in the fifth year of Joram the son of Ahab king of Israel, Jehoshaphat being then king of Judah, Jehoram the son of Jehoshaphat king of Judah began to reign...20 In his days Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah, and made a king over themselves. 21 So Joram went over to Zair, and all the chariots with him: and he rose by night, and smote the Edomites which compassed him about, and the captains of the chariots: and the people fled into their tents. 22 Yet Edom revolted from under the hand of Judah unto this day. 2 Chr 25:19-20)

2 Ki 14:7 He (Amaziah) slew of Edom in the valley of salt ten thousand, and took Selah by war, and called the name of it Joktheel unto this day. (Also verse 10)

2 Chr 28:16 At that time did king Ahaz send unto the kings of Assyria to help him. 17 For again the Edomites had come and smitten Judah, and carried away captives.

Lastly we see them working with the Chaldeans to destroy Israel

Jer 49:7 Concerning Edom, thus saith the LORD of hosts;

Is wisdom no more in Teman? is counsel perished from the prudent? is their wisdom vanished?

8 Flee ye, turn back, dwell deep, O inhabitants of Dedan; for I will bring the calamity of Esau upon him, the time that I will visit him....

13 For I have sworn by myself, saith the LORD, that Bozrah shall become a desolation, a reproach, a waste, and a curse; and all the cities thereof shall be perpetual wastes...

17 Also Edom shall be a desolation: every one that goeth by it shall be astonished, and shall hiss at all the plagues thereof.

18 As in the overthrow of Sodom and Gomorrah and the neighbour cities thereof, saith the LORD, no man shall abide there, neither shall a son of man dwell in it....

20 Therefore hear the counsel of the LORD, that he hath taken against Edom; and his purposes, that he hath purposed against the inhabitants of Teman: Surely the least of the flock shall draw them out: surely he shall make their habitations desolate with them.

21 The earth is moved at the noise of their fall, at the cry the noise thereof was heard in the Red sea.

22 Behold, he shall come up and fly as the eagle, and spread his wings over Bozrah: and at that day shall the heart of the mighty men of Edom be as the heart of a woman in her pangs. Edom will be punished as Judah is destroyed and they rejoice, sudden destruction is upon them.

Lam 4:21 Rejoice and be glad, O daughter of Edom, that dwellest in the land of Uz; the cup also shall pass through unto thee: thou shalt be drunken, and shalt make thyself naked. 22 The punishment of thine iniquity is accomplished, O daughter of Zion; he will no more carry thee away into captivity: he will visit thine iniquity, O daughter of Edom; he will discover thy sins.

Ezek 25:12 Thus saith the Lord GOD; Because that Edom hath dealt against the house of Judah by taking vengeance, and hath greatly offended, and revenged himself upon them; 13 Therefore thus saith the Lord GOD; I will also stretch out mine hand upon Edom, and will cut off man and beast from it; and I will make it desolate from Teman; and they of Dedan shall fall by the sword. 14 And I will lay my vengeance upon Edom by the hand of my people Israel: and they shall do in Edom according to mine anger and according to my fury; and they shall know my vengeance, saith the Lord GOD. (see 32:29)

Joel 3:19 Egypt shall be a desolation, and Edom shall be a desolate wilderness, for the violence against the children of Judah, because they have shed innocent blood in their land.

Amos 1:11-12 Thus saith the LORD; For three transgressions of Edom, and for four, I will not turn away the punishment thereof; because he did pursue his brother with the sword, and did cast off all pity, and his anger did tear perpetually, and he kept his wrath for ever: But I will send a fire upon Teman, which shall devour the palaces of Bozrah.

Amos 9:11-12 In that day will I raise up the tabernacle of David that is fallen, and close up the breaches thereof; and I will raise up his ruins, and I will build it as in the days of old: That they may possess the remnant of Edom, and of all the heathen, which are called by my name, saith the LORD that doeth this.

Obadiah 1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom;

entire book devoted to judgment upon Edom.

Mal 1:4 Whereas Edom saith, We are impoverished, but we will return and build the desolate places; thus saith the LORD of hosts, They shall build, but I will throw down; and they shall call them, The border of wickedness, and, The people against whom the LORD hath indignation for ever.

Jesus will come from Edom in the end of days to execute final judgment

Psalm 63:1 Who is this that cometh from Edom,

with dyed garments from Bozrah?

this that is glorious in his apparel,

travelling in the greatness of his strength?

I that speak in righteousness, mighty to save.

Edom and the Chaldeans

This is the beginning of a look at the history of Edom. The descendents of the brother of Jacob, Esau. God had promised to bless the descendents of Abraham, and Esau would be included. What we will see is that through rebellion and strife they fought with their brother and received only judgment. Esau never had the blessing and he sold the birthright. What did God say about Edom and what opportunities did they have?

This post is solely about one episode in the story of these peoples, the destruction of Jerusalem, and how the scripture shows us that Edom allied with Babylon to destroy it. Key; it seems that it was Edom who urged destruction of the temple, and may have been the party to get it done.

First the records of the destruction:

2Ki 25:8 And in the fifth month, on the seventh day of the month, which is the nineteenth year of king Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, a servant of the king of Babylon, unto Jerusalem: 9 And he burnt the house of the LORD, and the king's house, and all the houses of Jerusalem, and every great man's house burnt he with fire. 10 And all the army of the Chaldees, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down the walls of Jerusalem round about. 11 Now the rest of the people that were left in the city, and the fugitives that fell away to the king of Babylon, with the remnant of the multitude, did Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carry away. 12 But the captain of the guard left of the poor of the land to be vinedressers and husbandmen.

2Chr 36:19 And they burnt the house of God, and brake down the wall of Jerusalem, and burnt all the palaces thereof with fire, and destroyed all the goodly vessels thereof.

(they being the king of the Chaldees)

Jer 39:8 And the Chaldeans burned the king's house, and the houses of the people, with fire, and brake down the walls of Jerusalem. 9 Then Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard carried away captive into Babylon the remnant of the people that remained in the city, and those that fell away, that fell to him, with the rest of the people that remained. 10 But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left of the poor of the people, which had nothing, in the land of Judah, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.

Jer 52:12 Now in the fifth month, in the tenth day of the month, which was the nineteenth year of Nebuchadrezzar king of Babylon, came Nebuzaradan, captain of the guard, which served the king of Babylon, into Jerusalem, 13 And burned the house of the LORD, and the king's house; and all the houses of Jerusalem, and all the houses of the great men, burned he with fire: 14 And all the army of the Chaldeans, that were with the captain of the guard, brake down all the walls of Jerusalem round about.

So we see that here in summary that the Babylonians (Chaldeans) had destroyed Jerusalem. Yet it is also noted that Edom played a role in this destruction. See the following scriptures:

Lament for Jerusalem

Ps 137:5 If I forget thee, O Jerusalem,

let my right hand forget her cunning.

6 If I do not remember thee,

let my tongue cleave to the roof of my mouth; if I prefer not Jerusalem above my chief joy.

7 Remember, O LORD, the children of Edom in the day of Jerusalem;

who said, Rase it, rase it, even to the foundation thereof.

8 O daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed;

happy shall he be, that rewardeth thee

as thou hast served us.

9 Happy shall he be, that taketh

and dasheth thy little ones against the stones.

Obadiah

1:1 The vision of Obadiah. Thus saith the Lord GOD concerning Edom;...

9 And thy mighty men, O Teman, shall be dismayed,

to the end that every one of the mount of Esau may be cut off by slaughter.

10 For thy violence against thy brother Jacob shame shall cover thee,

and thou shalt be cut off for ever.

11 In the day that thou stoodest on the other side,

in the day that the strangers carried away captive his forces,

and foreigners entered into his gates,

and cast lots upon Jerusalem,

even thou wast as one of them.

In the day that Jerusalem was destroyed, Edom was a participant in the destruction. Edom was a part of what it appears was a coalition against Judah. They joined with the enemies of their brother and it explains much about how they are treated in the last days.

Lastly see this in the OT apocrypha:

1 Esdras 4:45 You also have vowed to build up the temple, which the Edomites burned when Judea was made desolate by the Chaldees

This statement shows that the Edomites were the ones that burned the temple, they called, in Obadiah, raze it, raze it, and they brought fullness of destruction upon Jerusalem.

Appendix:

Oddity, was temple destroyed after the city? Was it the Edomites who said raze it because it continued a place that men would go to worship and that finally Neduchadrezzer let it be destroyed at the urging of the Edomites?

Jer 41Worshippers coming after the destruction, why is temple already destroyed?

key question, how were they coming to worship in the house of the Lord if it was destroyed?

Jer 41:5 That there came certain from Shechem, from Shiloh, and from Samaria, even fourscore men, having their beards shaven, and their clothes rent, and having cut themselves, with offerings and incense in their hand, to bring them to the house of the LORD.

The Foreknowledge of God

    Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. 29 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. 30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

I want to look at this question. Who is the "whom" that he (God) did foreknow? He not only knew him/them before, but predestinated a plan for him/them to be conformed to the image of his son and therefore be the firstborn among many brethren. What will be shown here is all the scripture which is found using these words and ultimately what the passage above tells us.

FOREKNOW

Gr. prog-in-os-ko; comes from 2 words, before and knowledge. (occurs 5 times)

    Rom 8:29 For whom he did foreknow...

    Rom 11:1 I say then, Hath God cast away his people? God forbid. For I also am an Israelite, of the seed of Abraham, of the tribe of Benjamin. 2 God hath not cast away his people which he foreknew.

    Acts 26:4 My manner of life from my youth, which was at the first among mine own nation at Jerusalem, know all the Jews; 5 Which knew me from the beginning, if they would testify, that after the most straitest sect of our religion I lived a Pharisee.

    2 Pet 3:17 Ye therefore, beloved, seeing ye know these things before, beware lest ye also, being led away with the error of the wicked, fall from your own stedfastness.

So we see this word in the sense of knowing someone, Israel, Paul, or some things, before the current time. It actually does not speak so much of knowledge of the future, but of knowledge possessed of or in the past.

But here is the most important example of prog-in-os-ko for our purposes.

    1Pet 1:18 Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; 19 But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:20 Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you,

Here the word is translated foreordained, but really foreknown is better. It clearly speaks of Christ who was known before, but manifested in these last times for us. This is the same as what is found in Rom 8:29; Jesus was foreknown and came down conformed to the image of the son.  In Jn 1:1-2 and in 1 Jn 1:1-3 we see the emphasis that The word was with God in the beginning; the Father knew the Word before anything was created. The ultimate foreknowledge. We also see in Heb 1:5 a particular day in which Jesus was begotten.

PREDESTINATE

Gr. pro-or-id-zo; from 2 words, before and to appoint or decree (occurs 6 times)

    Acts 4:28 For to do whatsoever thy hand and thy counsel determined before to be done. (Speaking to God)

Rom 8:29 and 8:30; see above

    1 Cor 2:7 But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory:

    Eph 1:5 …predestinated us unto the adoption of children…

    Eph 1:10 That in the dispensation of the fulness of times he might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth; even in him: 11 In whom also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestinated according to the purpose of him who worketh all things after the counsel of his own will: 12 That we should be to the praise of his glory, who first trusted in Christ.

This passage in Ephesians is very similar in character to Rom 8:28-30. It is the clearly predetermined plan to gather all together in Jesus. This predestination is clearly that all would be brought together in Christ.

We see that whom he knew before he also predetermined to a purpose, and part of that was to be conformed...

CONFORMED

Gr. soom-mor-fos; again from 2 words, union and form.

Only seen this way in Rom 8:29 and Phil 3:21

    Phil 3:21 Who shall change our vile body, that it may be fashioned like unto his glorious body, according to the working whereby he is able even to subdue all things unto himself.

From this we could get the idea that the conforming of Rom 8:29 is our being conformed to be like his glorious body, but that is not the context of Rom 8. If we add to our list of words the solo version of "form" we can see Jesus being conformed into the likeness of men.

Gr. mor-fay; form.

    Mark 16:12 After that he appeared in another form unto two of them, as they walked, and went into the country.

    Phil 2:5 Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: 6 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: 7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:

We see Jesus being in 2 forms; that of God and then being made into that of a servant in the likeness of men. He was determined to leave the form of God and be born into the form of men. The Word became the son of God through a miraculous birth, the promise much greater than Isaac. He was made in the likeness (Rom 8:3) of sinful man, the seed of David according to the flesh (Rom 1:3), so that he could condemn sin and then die and be resurrected so we could all be brought into the same fellowship with him, joining with him as one of his many brethren.

SO, who did God foreknow in Rom 8?

It is clear that Jesus, the Word, was the one who was foreknown. In addition it was determined before by the Father that he would be conformed to the likeness of his son for the expressed purpose of his being the firstborn among many brethren. This is the goal which God purposed before.

    Rom 8:30 Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

This can be read as (and/with the one predestinated, THEM he also called). This THEM is referring back to Rom 8:28, THEM who are called according to his purpose (or plan). The word translated Moreover is actually a particle or conjunction, often rendered as and in a form of continuance. So the sense is that He was foreknown, predestinated and "next" them he also called. This finishes the thought of 8:28.

Try reading it like this:

Rom 8:28 And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose,...(Christ is the firstborn among many brethren)... them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified.

The called have in them the righteousness and glory of Jesus, the ultimate statement of everything working together for good.

So in terms of God and his foreknowledge, we understand that it speaks of knowing what was before, not knowing what will happen in the future. God did not know me before, (He can know one from their mother's womb, Gal 1:15) but he knew the Word before and he predestined a plan that includes whosoever will!

Oppressing the Poor

Prov 22:22 Rob not the poor, because he is poor: neither oppress the afflicted in the gate: 23 For the LORD will plead their cause, and spoil the soul of those that spoiled them.

The oppression of the poor was clearly prohibited in the kingdom of Israel. The Father made it clear that no one should oppress the poor or the stranger.

Ex 22:21 Thou shalt neither vex a stranger, nor oppress him: for ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Ex 23:9 Also thou shalt not oppress a stranger: for ye know the heart of a stranger, seeing ye were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Dt 24:14 Thou shalt not oppress an hired servant that is poor and needy, whether he be of thy brethren, or of thy strangers that are in thy land within thy gates: 15 At his day thou shalt give him his hire, neither shall the sun go down upon it; for he is poor, and setteth his heart upon it: lest he cry against thee unto the LORD, and it be sin unto thee.

This last passage in Deuteronomy hits particularly hard in the culture we live in today. Look at the number of people who rely on their paycheck to make it another day. How do the rulers oppress them? Tax burdens and fees and costs to move forward at all. How many have been a part of sin in oppressing the poor?

In the tenth psalm, a discussion of the evil of oppression and how the wicked does not know that God will require it of them is followed by this admonition:

Ps 10:17 LORD, thou hast heard the desire of the humble:

thou wilt prepare their heart, thou wilt cause thine ear to hear:

18 To judge the fatherless and the oppressed,

that the man of the earth may no more oppress.

Amos and Micah also have a word from God about oppression in the latter days of the kingdom of Judah. Clearly oppressing the poor does not turn out well.

Amos 4:1 Hear this word, ye kine of Bashan, that are in the mountain of Samaria,

which oppress the poor, which crush the needy,

which say to their masters, Bring, and let us drink.

2 The Lord GOD hath sworn by his holiness,

that, lo, the days shall come upon you,

that he will take you away with hooks,

and your posterity with fishhooks.

Micah 2:1 Woe to them that devise iniquity, and work evil upon their beds!

when the morning is light, they practise it,

because it is in the power of their hand.

2 And they covet fields, and take them by violence;

and houses, and take them away:

so they oppress a man and his house,

even a man and his heritage.

Because of their rebellion, Jeremiah prophesied of the nation of Judah's coming destruction. One of the things he clearly pointed out was the oppression of the stranger and the poor, here noted as the fatherless and the widow. He called them to repent and return to right doing.

Jer 7:5 For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; 6 If ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: 7 Then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever.

Jer 21:12 O house of David, thus saith the LORD; Execute judgment in the morning, and deliver him that is spoiled out of the hand of the oppressor, lest my fury go out like fire, and burn that none can quench it, because of the evil of your doings.

Ezekiel joins in to describe the conditions which got Israel to the point of captivity. First is the parable of the son and his father. A call to do right and a precursor to understanding that every man will be judged for his own iniquity. The iniquity here is the oppression of the poor, one who will not do it contrasted to one who does.

Ezek 18:14 Now, lo, if he beget a son, that seeth all his father's sins which he hath done, and considereth, and doeth not such like, 15 That hath not eaten upon the mountains, neither hath lifted up his eyes to the idols of the house of Israel, hath not defiled his neighbour's wife, 16 Neither hath oppressed any, hath not withholden the pledge, neither hath spoiled by violence, but hath given his bread to the hungry, and hath covered the naked with a garment, 17 That hath taken off his hand from the poor, that hath not received usury nor increase, hath executed my judgments, hath walked in my statutes; he shall not die for the iniquity of his father, he shall surely live. 18 As for his father, because he cruelly oppressed, spoiled his brother by violence, and did that which is not good among his people, lo, even he shall die in his iniquity.

Ezek 22:29 The people of the land have used oppression, and exercised robbery, and have vexed the poor and needy: yea, they have oppressed the stranger wrongfully.

Ezek 45:8 In the land shall be his possession in Israel: and my princes shall no more oppress my people; and the rest of the land shall they give to the house of Israel according to their tribes.

Finally we hear the admonitions from God about amending the ways of the people of Judh and Israel as they move out of captivity and the chastisement of God.

Zech 7:9 Thus speaketh the LORD of hosts, saying,

Execute true judgment, and shew mercy and compassions every man to his brother:

10 And oppress not the widow, nor the fatherless, the stranger, nor the poor;

and let none of you imagine evil against his brother in your heart.

Mal 3:5 And I will come near to you to judgment;

and I will be a swift witness

against the sorcerers, and against the adulterers, and against false swearers,

and against those that oppress the hireling in his wages,

the widow, and the fatherless,

and that turn aside the stranger from his right, and fear not me,

saith the LORD of hosts.

6 For I am the LORD, I change not;

therefore ye sons of Jacob are not consumed.

So how does this apply in the New Covenant? The oppression of the poor continues. Matt 18 gives an admonition to carefully consider how you treat the children of God and then talks about offenses. The whole chapter speaks of offences and the uncaring attitude that many have for the poor. It pays to read the whole chapter multiple times.

Matt 18:1 At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven? 2 And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, 3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. 4 Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. 5 And whoso shall receive one such little child in my name receiveth me. 6 But whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depth of the sea.

And lastly the call from James not to follow in the same manner of sin as Israel did.

James 2:5 Hearken, my beloved brethren, Hath not God chosen the poor of this world rich in faith, and heirs of the kingdom which he hath promised to them that love him? 6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats? 7 Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?

So therefore hear the Lord God as he declares that we should not give ourselves to offense towards one of these little ones.

Peace on Earth?

Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, 14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

When Jesus was born the heavenly host declared peace on earth. And this is true, Jesus brings peace with God and peace among all those who call upon his name. (Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us) But there is another statement made by Jesus which catches people by surprise.

Luke 12:51 Suppose ye that I am come to give peace on earth? I tell you, Nay; but rather division:

How is it that these are both true? The key is understanding the difference between the people of God and the people of this world. There are those who confess Jesus before men, and those who deny him.

Matt 10:32 Whosoever therefore shall confess me before men, him will I confess also before my Father which is in heaven. 33 But whosoever shall deny me before men, him will I also deny before my Father which is in heaven. 34 Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword. 35 For I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against her mother, and the daughter in law against her mother in law. 36 And a man's foes shall be they of his own household.

Jesus tells us that persecution is to be expected.

Matt 5:10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness' sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.

12 Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.

And this is the way of those who carry the gospel. But having this sentence, to be persecuted we bless and declare the way of peace which has been brought to us by Jesus.

1 Cor 4:12 And labour, working with our own hands: being reviled, we bless; being persecuted, we suffer it:

Here is the passage which brings it all together:

John 16:29 His disciples said unto him, Lo, now speakest thou plainly, and speakest no proverb. 30 Now are we sure that thou knowest all things, and needest not that any man should ask thee: by this we believe that thou camest forth from God. 31 Jesus answered them, Do ye now believe? 32 Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me. 33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.

We have Peace with God, and it is truly available to everyone who calls upon his name, but this world will refuse to believe and will persecute those who stand for righteousness.

Lastly, why do we see a lack of peace, even great division among those who claim to be walking in the way of Peace?

James 4:1 From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 2 Ye lust, and have not: ye kill, and desire to have, and cannot obtain: ye fight and war, yet ye have not, because ye ask not. 3 Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts. 4 Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God?

So walk in Peace with God, but do not be surprised when your good is evil spoken of, and you are persecuted for righteousness sake. Go out with joy and be led of peace (Isa 55:12) In all of the tribulation of this world we have peace, because God is for us and Jesus is our peace.

The Way of Peace

 Luke 1:78 Through the tender mercy of our God; whereby the dayspring from on high hath visited us,

79 To give light to them that sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.

The end of the prophetic utterance of Zacharias the Father of John the Baptist. He declares by the spirit of God the salvation which has come, and which his son would usher in. A prominent part of this is that the salvation to come would guide our feet in the way of peace.

This phrase, way of peace, comes from a particular passage in Isaiah.

Isa 59:8 The way of peace they know not;    and there is no judgment in their goings:

they have made them crooked paths:    whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

This verse is in the middle of God's declaration of the fault in Israel. How they have refused his ways. It begins with the following:

Isa 59:1 Behold, the LORD's hand is not shortened, that it cannot save;    neither his ear heavy, that it cannot hear:

2 But your iniquities have separated between you and your God,    and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.

3 For your hands are defiled with blood,    and your fingers with iniquity;

your lips have spoken lies,    your tongue hath muttered perverseness.

It ends with this declaration:

Isa 59:20 And the Redeemer shall come to Zion,    and unto them that turn from transgression in Jacob, saith the LORD.

This contrasts clearly that there is a way of destruction, and a way of salvation. The way of peace will be shown to all those who put their trust in the salvation which God has provided. Zacharias is declaring that the way out of the place of condemnation has been made. Salvation is coming to guide us in the way of peace that we have not known.

This passage in Isaiah is also quoted in Romans. Paul declaring that every man needs the salvation which God provides.

Rom 3:10 As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11 There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12 They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13 Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14 Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15 Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16 Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17 And the way of peace have they not known: 18 There is no fear of God before their eyes.

This is the state of men without a redeemer. But praise be to God the conclusion of Paul's treatise on salvation is this:

Rom8:1 There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Peace is a wonderful path. Freedom from condemnation, relationship with the Father in heaven, and the ability to be a peacemaker. It is a path which is only found by wholly trusting in Jesus. It is a way that man cannot find on his own, we need a guide! Praise the Lord salvation has come, Jesus has shown us the way of peace and sent us the paraclete from heaven to guide us in peace. Oh how wonderful to know the love of God which declares to us that the way of peace is open unto us.

Notice that it is the presence of iniquity and sin which have prevented the salvation of God. Your iniquity. Your Sin! God declares. Praise the Lord that the blood of Jesus cleanses from all sin! The way of peace is found in that state of sinlessness before God. Zacharias had also declared in his prophecy that we should serve God-

Luke 1:75 In holiness and righteousness before him, all the days of our life.

The iniquity is removed and the sin purged and the way of no condemnation is available to us.

A few months after Zacharias' prophecy, at the birth of Jesus we see this scene:

Luke 2:13 And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying,

14 Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men.

And 8 days after that this declaration:

Luke 2:29 Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word:

30 For mine eyes have seen thy salvation,

31 Which thou hast prepared before the face of all people;

32 A light to lighten the Gentiles, and the glory of thy people Israel.

Simeon declares that the salvation of God is here, and he can now depart in peace.

The way has come and He will declare and show Peace between God and man. This is the peace that we are declaring. God the Father has reconciled man unto himself, he has made peace between Jew and Gentile and he has redeemed all men who will put their trust in him.

Jesus declared peace:

Luke 7:50 And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.   (Woman at Simon's house)

Luke 8:48 And he said unto her, Daughter, be of good comfort: thy faith hath made thee whole; go in peace.   (Woman with the issue of blood) Mark 5:34

These are similar to when he said to the woman caught in adultery:

John 8:10 When Jesus had lifted up himself, and saw none but the woman, he said unto her, Woman, where are those thine accusers? hath no man condemned thee? 11 She said, No man, Lord. And Jesus said unto her, Neither do I condemn thee: go, and sin no more.

Jesus is the way of salvation; reconciliation unto God. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be white as snow. (Isa 1:18)

Jesus comes declaring the kingdom of God and that peace is at the center of it. In fact Paul defines the kingdom of God in contrast to earthly rituals.

Rom 14:17 For the kingdom of God is not meat and drink; but righteousness, and peace, and joy in the Holy Ghost.

In the opening most of Paul's epistles is this declaration:

Gal 1:3 Grace be to you and peace from God the Father, and from our Lord Jesus Christ,

Rom 1:7; 1 Cor 1:3; 2 Cor 1:2; Eph 1:2; Phil 1:2; Col 1:2; 1 Th 1:1; 2 Th 1:2; 1 Ti 1:2; 2 Ti 1:2; Tit 1:4; Phm 1:3

Peter John (Rev 1:4) and Jude (Jude 1:2) do as well:

1 Pet 1:2b Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.

2 Jn 1:3 Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love.

Peace with God is an important aspect of this life in Christ Jesus.

Rom 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ:

Col 3:15 And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful

Phil 4:7 And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

8 Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. 9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

Eph 2:14 For he is our peace, who hath made both one, and hath broken down the middle wall of partition between us; 15 Having abolished in his flesh the enmity, even the law of commandments contained in ordinances; for to make in himself of twain one new man, so making peace; 16 And that he might reconcile both unto God in one body by the cross, having slain the enmity thereby: 17 And came and preached peace to you which were afar off, and to them that were nigh. 18 For through him we both have access by one Spirit unto the Father.

So be reconciled to God; trust in him alone. For he has made this way of peace, and will guide you in it. He has taken away iniquity and forgiven and destroyed sin and brought us into his way of the spirit wherein is no condemnation. Oh the glorious riches of the beauty of the salvation of God!

Gainsaying; be careful what you speak against

Rom 10:21 But to Israel he saith, All day long I have stretched forth my hands unto a disobedient and gainsaying people.

G483; from G473 (anti) and G3004 (discourse); antilego, dispute, refuse; 10 times

Luke 2:34 which shall be spoken against

Luke 20:27 deny

Jn 19:12 speaketh against (Caesar)

Acts 13:45 spake against and contradicting

Acts 28:19 spake against

Acts 28:22 spoken against

Titus 1:9 gainsayers

Titus 2:9 answering again

G485; from G483; antilogia; dispute, disobey; 4 times

Jude 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Heb 6:16 strife

Heb 7:7 contradiction

Heb 12:3 contradiction

3 For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.

Isa 65:2 I have spread out my hands all the day unto a rebellious people, which walketh in a way that was not good, after their own thoughts;

We see this example of the call to stop refusing to come to Jesus, and yet they continue to refuse and choose their own way.

Matt 23:37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!

Luke 13:34 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, which killest the prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto thee; how often would I have gathered thy children together, as a hen doth gather her brood under her wings, and ye would not!

Another english gainsaying, but different, without gainsaying is similar to cannot be spoken against.

Acts 10:29 Therefore came I unto you without gainsaying, as soon as I was sent for: I ask therefore for what intent ye have sent for me?

Peter to Cornelius, obeying the direction of God without gainsaying, only time seen, not spoken against

Gamaliel gave good advice to the Jews

Acts 5:8 And now I say unto you, Refrain from these men, and let them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: 39 But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God.

Understanding

 How do we understand the Bible?

Is the word of God understandable, or is it beyond the mind of men? Is it required that one studies for many years just to gain enough knowledge or is it so simple that the learned miss it? The reality is that God's ways are so much higher than the ways of men, it is impossible to seek to know what God has not revealed. The good news includes the knowledge that God has not revealed these things to the wise and prudent, but has revealed them unto babes.

Isa 55:6 Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:

7 Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

8 For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD.

9 For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

10 For as the rain cometh down, and the snow from heaven, and- 52:1 Who hath believed our report?

and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed? not thither, but watereth the earth, and maketh it bring forth and bud, that it may give seed to the sower, and bread to the eater:

11 So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

We see the futility of trying to understand God's ways, especially using our own. But we also see a promise that God's word would not return void, but accomplish what God desired.

The revelation of God's word, both the spoken word and the word Christ Jesus is the answer for revelation! Because of what Jesus has done we have received his very spirit along with a new heart.

Deut 29:29 The secret things belong unto the LORD our God: but those things which are revealed belong unto us and to our children for ever, that we may do all the words of this law.

1 Sam3:7 Now Samuel did not yet know the LORD, neither was the word of the LORD yet revealed unto him.

Isa 53:1 Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

1 Cor 2:9 But as it is written, Eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. 10 But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.

Calming the storm

Ps 107:23 They that go down to the sea in ships,    that do business in great waters;

24 These see the works of the LORD,    and his wonders in the deep.

25 For he commandeth, and raiseth the stormy wind,    which lifteth up the waves thereof.

26 They mount up to the heaven, they go down again to the depths:    their soul is melted because of trouble.

27 They reel to and fro, and stagger like a drunken man,    and are at their wits' end.

28 Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble,    and he bringeth them out of their distresses.

29 He maketh the storm a calm,    so that the waves thereof are still.

30 Then are they glad because they be quiet;    so he bringeth them unto their desired haven.

31 Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!

32 Let them exalt him also in the congregation of the people, and praise him in the assembly of the elders.

Mark 4:36 And when they had sent away the multitude, they took him even as he was in the ship. And there were also with him other little ships. 37 And there arose a great storm of wind, and the waves beat into the ship, so that it was now full. 38 And he was in the hinder part of the ship, asleep on a pillow: and they awake him, and say unto him, Master, carest thou not that we perish? 39 And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still. And the wind ceased, and there was a great calm. 40 And he said unto them, Why are ye so fearful? how is it that ye have no faith? 41 And they feared exceedingly, and said one to another, What manner of man is this, that even the wind and the sea obey him?

Luke 8:22 Now it came to pass on a certain day, that he went into a ship with his disciples: and he said unto them, Let us go over unto the other side of the lake. And they launched forth. 23 But as they sailed he fell asleep: and there came down a storm of wind on the lake; and they were filled with water, and were in jeopardy. 24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm. 25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.

The Law is Holy and Good

God gave commandments for men to follow

Lev 18:4 Ye shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am the LORD your God. 5 Ye shall therefore keep my statutes, and my judgments: which if a man do, he shall live in them: I am the LORD.

Deut 4:1 Now therefore hearken, O Israel, unto the statutes and unto the judgments, which I teach you, for to do them, that ye may live, and go in and possess the land which the LORD God of your fathers giveth you. 2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you.

Deut 6:24 And the LORD commanded us to do all these statutes, to fear the LORD our God, for our good always, that he might preserve us alive, as it is at this day. 25 And it shall be our righteousness, if we observe to do all these commandments before the LORD our God, as he hath commanded us.

Ps 19:7 The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul:

the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple.

8 The statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart:

the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes.

Ezekiel 20:11 And I gave them my statutes, and shewed them my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them. 12 Moreover also I gave them my sabbaths, to be a sign between me and them, that they might know that I am the LORD that sanctify them. 13 But the house of Israel rebelled against me in the wilderness: they walked not in my statutes, and they despised my judgments, which if a man do, he shall even live in them; and my sabbaths they greatly polluted: then I said, I would pour out my fury upon them in the wilderness, to consume them.

Without a change of heart there can be no righteousness

Deut 5:29 O that there were such an heart in them, that they would fear me, and keep all my commandments always, that it might be well with them, and with their children for ever!

Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

Gal 3:22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed.

Rom 3:19 Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20 Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Rom 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: 4 That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

The law makes sin known, making clear the curse upon man

Rom 4:15 Because the law worketh wrath: for where no law is, there is no transgression.

Rom 5:20 Moreover the law entered, that the offence might abound. But where sin abounded, grace did much more abound: 21 That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign through righteousness unto eternal life by Jesus Christ our Lord.

Rom 7:5 For when we were in the flesh, the motions of sins, which were by the law, did work in our members to bring forth fruit unto death. 6 But now we are delivered from the law, that being dead wherein we were held; that we should serve in newness of spirit, and not in the oldness of the letter.

7 What shall we say then? Is the law sin? God forbid. Nay, I had not known sin, but by the law: for I had not known lust, except the law had said, Thou shalt not covet.

Gal 3:10 For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them.

13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

Col 2:20 Wherefore if ye be dead with Christ from the rudiments of the world, why, as though living in the world, are ye subject to ordinances, 21 (Touch not; taste not; handle not; 22 Which all are to perish with the using;) after the commandments and doctrines of men? 23 Which things have indeed a shew of wisdom in will worship, and humility, and neglecting of the body; not in any honour to the satisfying of the flesh.

Left in this place, there is no ability to improve nor perfect the human nature. Yes, God still has mercy, but he calls us to divine life. Christ came not to destroy the law, but to fulfill it.

Matt 5:17 Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. 18 For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. 19 Whosoever therefore shall break one of these least commandments, and shall teach men so, he shall be called the least in the kingdom of heaven: but whosoever shall do and teach them, the same shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven. 20 For I say unto you, That except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

The resurrection is the key, newness of life in Christ Jesus, a new heart!

Col 3:1 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God. 4 When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with him in glory.

5 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things' sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.

Phil 3:9 And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:

A Single Eye

Matt 6:19-24 Lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth, where moth and rust doth corrupt, and where thieves break through and steal: But lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust doth corrupt, and where thieves do not break through nor steal: For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. The light of the body is the eye: if therefore thine eye be single, thy whole body shall be full of light. But if thine eye be evil, thy whole body shall be full of darkness. If therefore the light that is in thee be darkness, how great is that darkness! No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.

What does it mean to have an eye that is evil, to be full of darkness? This is found within a description of a divided heart. Trying to serve two masters and holding onto earthly treasure. To be right your eye must be single! Serve the Lord and him alone.

Ex 20:3 Thou shalt have no other gods before me.

Jer 25:5 They said, Turn ye again now every one from his evil way, and from the evil of your doings, and dwell in the land that the LORD hath given unto you and to your fathers for ever and ever: 6 And go not after other gods to serve them, and to worship them, and provoke me not to anger with the works of your hands; and I will do you no hurt. 7 Yet ye have not hearkened unto me, saith the LORD; that ye might provoke me to anger with the works of your hands to your own hurt.

Serving Mammon, or finances, is very much a version of idolatry.

Matt 6:31 Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? 32 (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. 33 But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. 34 Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.

Psalm 110

 Psalm 110:1 The LORD said unto my Lord,

Sit thou at my right hand,

until I make thine enemies thy footstool. (quoted Matt 22:44; Mk 12:35 Luke 20:43; Heb 1 and 10)

2 The LORD shall send the rod of thy strength out of Zion:

rule thou in the midst of thine enemies.

3 Thy people shall be willing in the day of thy power, in the beauties of holiness

from the womb of the morning: thou hast the dew of thy youth.

4 The LORD hath sworn, and will not repent,

Thou art a priest for ever

after the order of Melchizedek. (quoted Hebrews 5 and 7)

5 The Lord at thy right hand

shall strike through kings in the day of his wrath.

6 He shall judge among the heathen, he shall fill the places with the dead bodies;

he shall wound the heads over many countries.

7 He shall drink of the brook in the way:

therefore shall he lift up the head.

This Psalm describes what The LORD, God the Father, declared about my Lord Jesus. The Lord has declared him to be a priest forever.

Heb 7:26 For such an high priest became us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and made higher than the heavens; 27 Who needeth not daily, as those high priests, to offer up sacrifice, first for his own sins, and then for the people's: for this he did once, when he offered up himself. 28 For the law maketh men high priests which have infirmity; but the word of the oath, which was since the law, maketh the Son, who is consecrated for evermore.

Jesus is our high priest, ordained to offer for us the spiritual sacrifice which he provided. Our part is repentance and faith in the offering he made. He dwells our high priest forever!

Reverence and Holiness

Reverence and Holiness

Lev 19:30 Ye shall keep my sabbaths, and reverence my sanctuary: I am the LORD.

Ps 89:7 God is greatly to be feared in the assembly of the saints, and to be had in reverence of all them that are about him.

Eph 5:25 Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it; 26 That he might sanctify and cleanse it with the washing of water by the word, 27 That he might present it to himself a glorious church, not having spot, or wrinkle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. 28 So ought men to love their wives as their own bodies. He that loveth his wife loveth himself. 29 For no man ever yet hated his own flesh; but nourisheth and cherisheth it, even as the Lord the church: 30 For we are members of his body, of his flesh, and of his bones. 31 For this cause shall a man leave his father and mother, and shall be joined unto his wife, and they two shall be one flesh. 32 This is a great mystery: but I speak concerning Christ and the church. 33 Nevertheless let every one of you in particular so love his wife even as himself; and the wife see that she reverence her husband.

Heb 12:7 If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? 8 But if ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye bastards, and not sons. 9 Furthermore we have had fathers of our flesh which corrected us, and we gave them reverence: shall we not much rather be in subjection unto the Father of spirits, and live? 10 For they verily for a few days chastened us after their own pleasure; but he for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. 11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby.

Heb 13:17 Obey them that have the rule over you, and submit yourselves: for they watch for your souls, as they that must give account, that they may do it with joy, and not with grief: for that is unprofitable for you.

The holiness of God is not a light thing. When Holiness encounters the unclean there is a reaction where the darkness is swallowed up by the light. We see this in a negative sense in the following Holiness Encounters which did not end well.

Nadab and Abihu (Lev 10/Num 3)

Achan (Josh 7; 22:20)

Uzza (1Chr 13)

Ananias and Sapphira (Acts5)

Because of the blood of Jesus we have had all our uncleanness removed and only the holy exists in our lives. This allows us to enter into the holiest place by the blood and through the flesh of Jesus Christ. The key part of reverence is to honor the Lord and those things which belong to him, this ultimately includes even the least of the brethren. Hold in reverence the holiness of God and do not treat it as a light thing, but for what it is, an intense light which no man without the new creation in Christ Jesus can approach unto.

God's Blessings through Balaam

These are the blessings which God caused Balaam to utter when he was hired to curse Israel. This is a companion piece to the post on Balaam

Balaam's first blessing of Israel

Num 23:6-10

"Balak the king of Moab hath brought me from Aram, out of the mountains of the east, saying, Come, curse me Jacob, and come, defy Israel.

How shall I curse, whom God hath not cursed? or how shall I defy, whom the LORD hath not defied?

For from the top of the rocks I see him, and from the hills I behold him: lo, the people shall dwell alone, and shall not be reckoned among the nations. Who can count the dust of Jacob, and the number of the fourth part of Israel? Let me die the death of the righteous, and let my last end be like his!"

Balaam's second blessing of Israel

Num 23:18-24

"Rise up, Balak, and hear; hearken unto me, thou son of Zippor:

God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

Behold, I have received commandment to bless: and he hath blessed; and I cannot reverse it.

He hath not beheld iniquity in Jacob, neither hath he seen perverseness in Israel: the LORD his God is with him, and the shout of a king is among them.

God brought them out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn.

Surely there is no enchantment against Jacob, neither is there any divination against Israel: according to this time it shall be said of Jacob and of Israel, What hath God wrought!

Behold, the people shall rise up as a great lion, and lift up himself as a young lion: he shall not lie down until he eat of the prey, and drink the blood of the slain."

Balaam's third blessing of Israel

Num 24:3-9

"Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said:

He hath said, which heard the words of God, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

How goodly are thy tents, O Jacob, and thy tabernacles, O Israel!

As the valleys are they spread forth, as gardens by the river's side, as the trees of lign aloes which the LORD hath planted, and as cedar trees beside the waters.

He shall pour the water out of his buckets, and his seed shall be in many waters, and his king shall be higher than Agag, and his kingdom shall be exalted.

God brought him forth out of Egypt; he hath as it were the strength of an unicorn: he shall eat up the nations his enemies, and shall break their bones, and pierce them through with his arrows.

He couched, he lay down as a lion, and as a great lion: who shall stir him up? Blessed is he that blesseth thee, and cursed is he that curseth thee."

Balaam's final blessing of Israel in the last days

Num 24:14-24

"And now, behold, I go unto my people: come therefore, and I will advertise thee what this people shall do to thy people in the latter days.

And he took up his parable, and said, Balaam the son of Beor hath said, and the man whose eyes are open hath said: He hath said, which heard the words of God, and knew the knowledge of the most High, which saw the vision of the Almighty, falling into a trance, but having his eyes open:

I shall see him, but not now: I shall behold him, but not nigh: there shall come a Star out of Jacob, and a Sceptre shall rise out of Israel, and shall smite the corners of Moab, and destroy all the children of Sheth. And Edom shall be a possession, Seir also shall be a possession for his enemies; and Israel shall do valiantly.

Out of Jacob shall come he that shall have dominion, and shall destroy him that remaineth of the city.

And when he looked on Amalek, he took up his parable, and said, Amalek was the first of the nations; but his latter end shall be that he perish for ever.

And he looked on the Kenites, and took up his parable, and said, Strong is thy dwelling place, and thou puttest thy nest in a rock. Nevertheless the Kenite shall be wasted, until Asshur shall carry thee away captive.

And he took up his parable, and said, Alas, who shall live when God doeth this! And ships shall come from the coast of Chittim, and shall afflict Asshur, and shall afflict Eber, and he also shall perish for ever.

Balaam, the full story

The story of Balaam is extensively referenced in the Bible. Most children have heard about the donkey talking to him, but do you know how important this story is to be referenced so often?

The first mention of Balaam is in Numbers 22:4-5, and you can read his full story in chapters 22-25, and 31.

"And Balak the son of Zippor was king of the Moabites at that time. He sent messengers therefore unto Balaam the son of Beor to Pethor, which is by the river of the land of the children of his people"

Pethor is best identified with a city on the river Euphrates. This makes him separate from the people of Israel, and while we know his Father's name, we do not know what people he is descended from, though he is mentioned to be of Mesopotamia in Deut 23:4 "Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia"

Balak asks Balaam to curse this people who have come up out of Egypt. Balaam is known by Balak to be able to curse or bless (vs 6) and the price of divination is sent (vs 7).

God forbids Balaam to go with them (vs 12), Balaam sends the princes away and that would seem to be the end.

Balak does not give up, and sends even greater princes, leading to God telling Balaam he can go, but warning him to speak only what he is told. (vs 20) Balaam saddles up and takes his two servants, and goes with them (vs 21)

Here is the story most children remember, though interestingly his two servants who went with him are rarely mentioned.

"And God's anger was kindled because he went: and the angel of the LORD stood in the way for an adversary against him." (vs 22)

In verse 20 God had agreed he could go, yet now stands against him. Three times the ass veers away or falls to stop the encounter of the sword of the angel with Balaam. God opens the mouth of the donkey to speak about being so cruelly treated by Balaam, and then God says this to Balaam:

"And the angel of the LORD said unto him, Wherefore hast thou smitten thine ass these three times? behold, I went out to withstand thee, because thy way is perverse before me:" (vs 32)

It seems that God is making it clear to Balaam that he is against this errand, even to allowing him to go and demonstrating in no uncertain terms, with an ass speaking, that this is not his will. The encounter ends with a repeat of the admonition of verse 22.

"And the angel of the LORD said unto Balaam, Go with the men: but only the word that I shall speak unto thee, that thou shalt speak. So Balaam went with the princes of Balak." (vs 35)

Balaam seems inclined to follow the command of God, he at first obeys the command not to go and then declares he can only follow the word of God as he is directed.

"And when Balak heard that Balaam was come, he went out to meet him unto a city of Moab, which is in the border of Arnon, which is in the utmost coast. And Balak said unto Balaam, Did I not earnestly send unto thee to call thee? wherefore camest thou not unto me? am I not able indeed to promote thee to honour? And Balaam said unto Balak, Lo, I am come unto thee: have I now any power at all to say any thing? the word that God putteth in my mouth, that shall I speak." (vs 36-38)

The story continues into chapter 23 with Balaam instructing the princes of Moab to build seven altars and make sacrifice upon them as he goes to seek the Lord God.

The result is glorious blessing upon the people of Israel; these blessings are compiled in the post on God's blessings through Balaam.

"And Balak said unto Balaam, Neither curse them at all, nor bless them at all. But Balaam answered and said unto Balak, Told not I thee, saying, All that the LORD speaketh, that I must do?"

Balak was quite upset, but he tried again, let's get a different view angle, maybe we will get a different result. He didn't. Balak, a very persistent ruler, tried a second time, and a third time, the result again was the same.

Balak tells Balaam he would have made him great in the earth and Balaam prophesies greatness in Israel for a fourth time!

Num 24:13 "If Balak would give me his house full of silver and gold, I cannot go beyond the commandment of the LORD, to do either good or bad of mine own mind; but what the LORD saith, that will I speak?"

This story is mentioned again in Deuteronomy:

Deut 23:3-6 "An Ammonite or Moabite shall not enter into the congregation of the LORD; even to their tenth generation shall they not enter into the congregation of the LORD for ever: Because they met you not with bread and with water in the way, when ye came forth out of Egypt; and because they hired against thee Balaam the son of Beor of Pethor of Mesopotamia, to curse thee. Nevertheless the LORD thy God would not hearken unto Balaam; but the LORD thy God turned the curse into a blessing unto thee, because the LORD thy God loved thee. Thou shalt not seek their peace nor their prosperity all thy days for ever.

It is read in Nehemiah's day:

Neh 13:1 On that day they read in the book of Moses in the audience of the people; and therein was found written, that the Ammonite and the Moabite should not come into the congregation of God for ever; Because they met not the children of Israel with bread and with water, but hired Balaam against them, that he should curse them: howbeit our God turned the curse into a blessing.

It is retold in Joshua

Josh 24:9 "Then Balak the son of Zippor, king of Moab, arose and warred against Israel, and sent and called Balaam the son of Beor to curse you: But I would not hearken unto Balaam; therefore he blessed you still: so I delivered you out of his hand."

Micah prophesies regarding this story as well:

Micah 6:5 "O my people, remember now what Balak king of Moab consulted, and what Balaam the son of Beor answered him from Shittim unto Gilgal; that ye may know the righteousness of the LORD."

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What follows in Numbers 25 is the sin of Israel with the Moabite and Midianite women, but Balaam is not mentioned here. We learn that Israel committed great sin, It is the incident of Baalpeor, or Peor.

Num 25:3 "And Israel joined himself unto Baalpeor: and the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel"

And again noted in Deuteronomy

Deut 4:2 Ye shall not add unto the word which I command you, neither shall ye diminish ought from it, that ye may keep the commandments of the LORD your God which I command you. 3 Your eyes have seen what the LORD did because of Baalpeor: for all the men that followed Baalpeor, the LORD thy God hath destroyed them from among you. 4 But ye that did cleave unto the LORD your God are alive every one of you this day.

We learn detail of what happened from Num 31. Moses last great task before being gathered unto his people is to avenge them upon the Midianites.

Num 31:8 And they slew the kings of Midian, beside the rest of them that were slain; namely, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, five kings of Midian: Balaam also the son of Beor they slew with the sword.

This is retold in Josh 13:21-22 "And all the cities of the plain, and all the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites, which reigned in Heshbon, whom Moses smote with the princes of Midian, Evi, and Rekem, and Zur, and Hur, and Reba, which were dukes of Sihon, dwelling in the country. Balaam also the son of Beor, the soothsayer, did the children of Israel slay with the sword among them that were slain by them.

Finally the final sin of Balaam is declared:

Num 31:15-16 "And Moses said unto them, Have ye saved all the women alive? Behold, these caused the children of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to commit trespass against the LORD in the matter of Peor, and there was a plague among the congregation of the LORD."

Here is where we understand what Balaam had done, he counseled Moab and Midian how to curse Israel by causing them to sin. This is the story related in Num 25. It also seems that there was a confederation which included Moab, Ammon and Midian. Because of the greatness of their sin, they were to be cut off from the congregation of Israel. Balaam becomes a representative for loving the wages of unrighteousness and overthrowing others for gain:

2Pet 2:13-16 "And shall receive the reward of unrighteousness, as they that count it pleasure to riot in the day time. Spots they are and blemishes, sporting themselves with their own deceivings while they feast with you; Having eyes full of adultery, and that cannot cease from sin; beguiling unstable souls: an heart they have exercised with covetous practices; cursed children: Which have forsaken the right way, and are gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Bosor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; But was rebuked for his iniquity: the dumb ass speaking with man's voice forbad the madness of the prophet."

Jude 1:11 Woe unto them! for they have gone in the way of Cain, and ran greedily after the error of Balaam for reward, and perished in the gainsaying of Core.

Ballam is listed with Cain and Core (Korah) as outstanding examples of corrupting oneself.

And lastly in the letters to the church in Revelation we find this:

Rev 2:14 But I have a few things against thee, because thou hast there them that hold the doctrine of Balaam, who taught Balac to cast a stumblingblock before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed unto idols, and to commit fornication.

Men corrupting themselves, selling others into sin in order to get gain, in all of its various forms is condemned, using Balaam as an example.

So in conclusion we see two stories involving Balaam, though they are related to one another. First, he was hired to curse Israel, going greedily after the wages of unrighteousness, but could only bless in the end, and second, He taught Balak (Balac) how to curse Israel by getting them to sin. Learn the lesson of Balaam, and let not yourself be greedy for the wages of unrighteousness, nor be involved in causing others to sin.