A New Voice of Freedom

Podcast 122, Hebrews, “Pt 3, Ch 3” Christ is given many names in the Holy Scriptures. Each name is significant for they reveal who Christ is. He is a very difficult person to define considering his role in the Kingdom of God. Isaiah gave us many titles of Christ: Immanuel, Wonderful, Counselor, The Mighty God, The Everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace, The Rod out of the Stem of Jesse, A Light to the Gentiles, The Servant of the Lord, The Holy One of Israel, The Mighty One of Jacob, A Precious Corner Stone, A Sure Foundation, The Shepherd, The Lamb, A Man of Sorrows, The Lord our Redeemer.John also gave us many titles of Christ.Only Begotten Son, Only Begotten of the Father, Son of God, The Light of the World, The Holy One of God, The Lamb of God, The Saviour of the World, The Bread of Life, The Living Bread, The Resurrection and the Life, Jesus Christ, The King of Israel, King of Kings, Lion of the Tribe of Judah, The Alpha and Omega, The Almighty, Bright and Morning Star, The Light of the World. In Hebrews 3 Paul gives us another title.Hebrews 3:1Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus;Such a nice use of “our profession.” What is our profession? Our profession is to know Christ. In the Intercessory Prayer we learn: John 27:3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.Isaiah referred to Christ as “The Servant of the Lord” which certainly elevates the word servant. As in all things, Christ is the perfect model of all that is good. Hebrews 3:2-4Who was faithful to him that appointed him, as also Moses was faithful in all his house. For this man was counted worthy of more glory than Moses, inasmuch as he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. For every house is builded by some man; but he that built all things is God. We learn from the above that Christ is creator of all things. There is an additional image that is beautiful to consider, and that is the idea that we are the house that Christ is building if we allow it. First look at the above images of house. ·      he who hath builded the house hath more honour than the house. ·      every house is builded by some man; ·      he that built all things is God. That fits well with the image of Jesus as a carpenter, but what Christ builds, he builds for eternity. I suppose that we should all ask: ‘When referring to us, what kind of house is he building?’ Immediately the temple image comes to mind. 1 Corinthians 6:19–20What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own? For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's.One purpose of the temple God builds is to house the Holy Ghost. The Holy Ghost cannot dwell in unclean temples. In Isaiah 52:11we read, “Be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord.” There is a grave penalty if we are not worthy of the Holy Ghost. 1 Corinthians 3:16–17Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you? If any man defile the temple of God, him shall God destroy; for the temple of God is holy, which temple ye are.Considering what Paul said in verse one, speaking of Christ, “Wherefore, holy brethren, partakers of the heavenly calling, consider the Apostle and High Priest of our profession, Christ Jesus.” the following expands the importance of that statement,Ephesians 2:19–22Now therefore ye are no more strangers and foreigners, but fellowcitizens with the saints, and of the household of God; And are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ himself being the chief corner stone; In whom all the building fitly framed together groweth unto an holy temple in the Lord: In whom ye also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.The implications of the analogy go beyond the scope of this moment for it would take pages to explore its full import; therefore, let me conclude with the following image of another temple. In effect, the following is what Christ is really striving to do in building our temple.Revelation 21:22-27And I saw no temple therein: for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are the temple of it. And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it. And the gates of it shall not be shut at all by day: for there shall be no night there. And they shall bring the glory and honour of the nations into it. And there shall in no wise enter into it any thing that defileth, neither whatsoever worketh abomination, or maketh a lie: but they which are written in the Lamb’s book of life.Christ teaches, Matthew 13:43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.This is what Christ meant when he said, Matthew 5:48Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect. Such perfection cannot be reached in this life. That can occur only after the resurrection and final judgment where Christ purifies all those who inherit the Kingdom of God.However, that is the temple Christ is building, the one where we shall “shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of our Father.” In another place we read, 1 John 3:2 Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.We can never see him as he is until he perfects us. It is so easy to underestimate the scale of what Christ has done for us and is wanting to do for us if we let him. Keep in mind that the building does not end until after the resurrection. We can only do that which is allotted us on this earth. One thing we can do is to strive to keep the commandments. Because of agency, as with all miracles, Christ cannot and will not build us to become like him without our faith. What does he expect of us? Paul clearly answers that question.Hebrews 3:5-6And Moses verily was faithful in all his house, as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken after; But Christ as a son over his own house; whose house are we, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm unto the end.But we must listen to the promptings of the Holy Ghost.Hebrews 3:7-11Wherefore (as the Holy Ghost saith, To day if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your hearts, as in the provocation, in the day of temptation in the wilderness: When your fathers tempted me, proved me, and saw my works forty years. Wherefore I was grieved with that generation, and said, They do alway err in their heart; and they have not known my ways. So I sware in my wrath, They shall not enter into my rest.)As we must all learn the hard way, the Holy Ghost speaks in a whisper. 1 Kings 19:11–13 And he said, Go forth, and stand upon the mount before the Lord. And, behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind rent the mountains, and brake in pieces the rocks before the Lord; but the Lord was not in the wind: and after the wind an earthquake; but the Lord was not in the earthquake: And after the earthquake a fire; but the Lord was not in the fire: and after the fire a still small voice.Paul warms us of the cunning of Satan. Hebrews 3:12-13Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin.Peter also cautions us,1 Peter 5:8–9 Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour: Whom resist stedfast in the faith, knowing that the same afflictions are accomplished in your brethren that are in the world.Paul emphasizes that we must endure to the end. Hebrews 3:14For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast unto the end;It is common for the apostles and prophets to refer to Moses leading the children of Israel out of Egypt. They often refer not only to the spectacular miracles but also to the stubbornness of the House of Israel in not enduring to the end.Hebrews 3: 15-17While it is said, To day if ye will hear his voice, harden not your hearts, as in the provocation. For some, when they had heard, did provoke: howbeit not all that came out of Egypt by Moses. But with whom was he grieved forty years? was it not with them that had sinned, whose carcases fell in the wilderness?Paul compares those who did not enter into the Promised Land to those who shall not enter into the Kingdom of God.Hebrews 3:18-19And to whom sware he that they should not enter into his rest, but to them that believed not? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.

Podcast 121, Hebrews, “Pt 2, Ch 21”It is wonderful how all the apostles and prophets testify of Christ, yet they still have a singular voice. For example, we recognize the writings of David or Isaiah or John or Paul.Paul’s life changed forever when, on the road to Damascus to persecute the Church organized by Christ, he received a personal vision of Christ. Upon the instant, from tormenting the saints, he became a converted Christian, and from that point on he used that same enthusiasm that drove him to persecute the church to build and strengthen the church. He was formerly a Pharisee and Old Testament scholar. Before he used his knowledge as an excuse the destroy the church; now he uses that same knowledge to prove that Jesus is the looked for Messiah. Paul is a teacher, and he uses every opportunity to teach of Christ and of his commandments and doctrine. For example,Hebrews 2:1Therefore we ought to give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard, lest at any time we should let them slip.He is admonishing us to give greater heed to the words of the prophets that we may avoid slipping into apostasy and be drawn away from the faith. If that was true in his day, it is doubly true in ours where Christianity is once again under attack, and even people in high government positions are doing everything they can to remove Christ from government, even from America by attacking the icons, traditions, and laws of Christian churches. Some wish to remove The Ten Commandments from court houses. That is not a small thing since our laws are based on the Ten Commandments: thou shalt not kill, though shalt not steal, thou shalt not bear false witness, though shalt not commit adultery. Those same antichrists wish to remove the cross, the Bible, the Christmas Creche, even the name of God from government buildings and coins. They wish to take away the motto “In God we trust.” They want to take “One Nation under God” from our pledge of allegiance. Some even censor sermons that go against popular movements. On a national level we are letting the things of God slip from our traditions. Christians are even being penalized in schools, in government, in social media, and even in the workplace for being Christian. Paul is asking Christians to stand for Christianity. Hebrews 2:2-3For if the word spoken by angels was steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward; How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation; which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed unto us by them that heard him;Paul is speaking of the law of justice when he said, “and every transgression and disobedience received a just recompence of reward.” Two of the greatest laws of the gospel are The Law of Justice and the Law of Mercy. The law of justice is absolute and irrevocable. God must be just or he would cease to be God. It is because of the nature of the law of justice that the law of mercy was necessary. Without the law of mercy, justice would condemn us all forever which means that we would live forever outside the presence of God and become subjects of Satan. Paul is teaching of the atonement of Christ.Hebrews 3:4God also bearing them witness, both with signs and wonders, and with divers miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost, according to his own will?Signs, wonders, miracles, and gifts of the Holy Ghost are only possible because of Christ’s atonement. Paul understood the atonement of Christ because he was, by his own admission, on the road to perdition by assenting to the murder of Steven and by persecuting and imprisoning Christians merely for their belief in Christ. He was saved by Christ himself from continuing down that dreadful road. Paul, a learned man, even before his conversion believed in the coming Messiah, though he didn’t accept Jesus as that true Messiah until he received that miraculous witness. Unlike the Sadducees, Paul also believed in the resurrection. Pharisees were not priests. They were teachers and they strictly obeyed the law. After his conversion he used that same knowledge to prove that Jesus was the true Messiah. He quotes David. Hebrews 3:5-8For unto the angels hath he not put in subjection the world to come, whereof we speak. But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him? Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands: Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. But now we see not yet all things put under him.Let’s consider the original statement by the Psalmist, David.Psalm 8:3-6When I consider thy heavens, the work of thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which thou hast ordained; What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:I don’t remember when I first learned the story of David and Goliath or the stories of David killing a lion and a bear with his sling. Those stories seem to simply be inherited, but I do remember when I first read the Book of Psalms. I was ten years old. Every night, sitting by a fire in an old farmhouse deep in the woods of Cherokee County, South Carolina, I read a Psalm while my family watched our black and white TVI started with Genesis. It was winter when I got to the Psalms. I read all 150 of them. I wish I could say it was a wonderful experience and I was somehow visited by angels and was transported. If there were any angels in the room, they were very quiet, perhaps watching TV. For me it was a dreadful experience. I didn’t understand anything and I dreaded reading the Bible. Nonetheless, I felt compelled to read the Bible, certainly not by my parents nor by my church nor by any individual. It came from within, I started reading the Bible when I was Ten years old and finished when I was a teenager. I read from Genesis to Revelation.   Fortunately for me I didn’t abandon my quest. Though I got nothing out of it as a teenager, I remained attracted to the King James Bible my entire life. I learned to love not only the stories but also the beautiful poetry, among which David was the best.In examining Psalm 8:3-6, one finds it has a double meaning. There are two questions, not just one. The first question is, “What is man that thou art mindful of him?” The second question is, “What is the son of man, that thou visitest him?” The first man refers to mankind. It reflects back to the story of creation.Genesis 1:26And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.The second man, called “son of man” is Jesus Christ. It is of Christ he is speaking when he said, “For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet:”Paul teaches us.Hebrews 2:9But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; “that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man.”

Podcast 120, Hebrews, “Pt 1, Ch 1”Paul was one of the most fascinating apostles of the early church. He began as an enemy to the church. He said he was, “An Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee.” A Pharisee was devoted to the Law of Moses and strictly observed religious traditions. They believed in the doctrine of the resurrection, the existence of angels, the coming of the Messiah, and the final judgment. Nicodemus was also a Pharisee as was Gamaliel. Paul was noted for consenting to the stoning of Steven and for making “havock of the church, entering into every house, and haling men and women and committing them to prison.”His conversion to the church was spectacular.  Acts 9:1-5And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem. And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.Paul’s testimony to King Agrippa has become a classic.Acts 26:13-18At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest. But rise, and stand upon thy feet: for I have appeared unto thee for this purpose, to make thee a minister and a witness both of these things which thou hast seen, and of those things in the which I will appear unto thee; Delivering thee from the people, and from the Gentiles, unto whom now I send thee, To open their eyes, and to turn them from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me.Paul became an apostle and special witness of Christ and one of the greatest missionaries the church has ever known. He is famous for his letters to the Saints. In the following Podcasts we shall examine Paul’s letters to the Hebrews. Some of the greatest doctrines of the Church come from the letters of Paul.Hebrews 1:1-2God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;Paul validates the prophets of the past whom, as a Pharisee, he would have studied carefully. He interestingly refers to his time as “these last days.” As we shall see in the writings of Paul, he also spoke of “these last days” as referring to the Second Coming of Christ. In the above he affirms that Christ is the creator of “the worlds.” It is not logical that Paul is merely referring to our solar system. He specifically used the term “worlds.” Clearly that refers not only to our solar system but to many other solar systems and galaxies with inhabited planets. The next important doctrine of Christianity is the idea that Christ is the “appointed heir of all things.” The principle of inheritance is important in Christianity. From whom did he inherit those things? The answer can only be from the Father. Christ obeyed the Father in all things. It is only logical to accept the doctrine that the Father is the Father and Christ is the only Begotten Son or the law of inheritance doesn’t make any sense. Both at the baptism of Christ and on the Mount of Transfiguration the voice of the Father was heard by witnesses saying, “This is my Beloved Son in whom I am well pleased.” The principle of inheritance is a family thing. It has another reason for being very special to Christians. Romans 8:16–17 The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.The Seed of Abraham expands to include all those who have faith in Christ, whether Jew or Gentile, and all who are worthy shall inherit the promises of Abraham.Galatians 3:26-29For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. And if ye be Christ’s, then are ye Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.Paul, having seen the resurrected Lord in vision, speaks of a heavenly inheritance,Hebrews 1:3-4Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high; Being made so much better than the angels, as he hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they.

Podcast 119, Jude, Pt B In Jude, Pt A, We discussed Jude verses 1-6 which included the War in Heaven and our First Estate. In this podcast we discuss Lucifer being cast out of heaven and continue with Jude verses 7-25.Revelation 14:12-15How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.Lucifer and his angels are the ones who did not keep their first estate. That makes earth the Second Estate. Those of us who came to earth to gain a body kept our first estate. That means we were on the side of Michael. We stood for Christ and rejected Lucifer. We were all Christians before we were born, and we are all born with the Spirit of Christ, for he is the life. We are now in our Second Estate. Those of us who remain true to Christ on earth and endure to the end will be those who keep their Second Estate. Where we live in our Third Estate will be determined on how well we keep our Second Estate. Jude defines those who do not keep their Second Estate.Jude 1:7-9Even as Sodom and Gomorrha, and the cities about them in like manner, giving themselves over to fornication, and going after strange flesh, are set forth for an example, suffering the vengeance of eternal fire. Likewise also these filthy dreamers defile the flesh, despise dominion, and speak evil of dignities. Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee. But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves.Sodom and Gomorrah symbolize the world just as Egypt and Babylon symbolize the world. Those who follow the natural man will not live with Christ in their Third Estate. Jude further said, Jude 1:10-13But these speak evil of those things which they know not: but what they know naturally, as brute beasts, in those things they corrupt themselves. 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. These are spots in your feasts of charity, when they feast with you, feeding themselves without fear: clouds they are without water, carried about of winds; trees whose fruit withereth, without fruit, twice dead, plucked up by the roots; Raging waves of the sea, foaming out their own shame; wandering stars, to whom is reserved the blackness of darkness for ever.Again, mankind is compared to stars. We choose whom we will follow for the battle against Satan is now raging on earth as it once raged in heaven. Those stars who fought against Lucifer and his angels in heaven, he is trying to win over on earth. He failed to persuade them to follow him in their First Estate. Now he wants them to follow him in their Second Estate. The war against Lucifer really didn’t end. It just continued on earth. We have more than one witness.Jude 1:14-15And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints, To execute judgment upon all, and to convince all that are ungodly among them of all their ungodly deeds which they have ungodly committed, and of all their hard speeches which ungodly sinners have spoken against him.Enoch is a fascinating prophet. The Bible speaks very little of Enoch, but what the Bible does reveal is inspiring. Genesis 5:18-24And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch: And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died. And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah: And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters: And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years: And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.“For God took him” means that he did not die but was translated. Paul speaks of the translation of Enoch.Hebrews 11:5By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God.The other prophet that we know who was translated was Elijah. 2 Kings 2:11And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven.We know he was translated for he appears on the Mount of Transfiguration with Moses and Jesus. Matthew 17:1-3And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.Elias is the Greek form of the Hebrew word Elijah. Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament, speaking of the last days, prophesies of the coming of Elijah before Christ returns.”Malachi 4:1-6For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts. Remember ye the law of Moses my servant, which I commanded unto him in Horeb for all Israel, with the statutes and judgments. Behold, I will send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and dreadful day of the Lord: And he shall turn the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers, lest I come and smite the earth with a curse.Jewish traditions take the words of Malachi very seriously. During the Passover meal they set out an additional cup wine to symbolize the return of Elijah. In addition, at the end of the ceremonial meal, the front door is opened in hope of his return.  During the brit milah (circumcision) an empty ceremonial chair is prepared called “The Chair of Elijah.” Elijah serves as a witness that Israel continues to keep God’s covenant with Abraham. Elijah is associated with the last days, with “the great and dreadful day of the Lord.” His purpose is to warn the wicked, encourage repentance, restore Israel, and prepare the world for God’s kingdom.Christians also have a strong tradition concerning the return of Elijah.Luke 1:16-17And many of the children of Israel shall he turn to the Lord their God. And he shall go before him in the spirit and power of Elias, to turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisdom of the just; to make ready a people prepared for the Lord.Many Christians take the prophecy of Malachi literally. For example, turning “the heart of the fathers to the children, and the heart of the children to their fathers” means restoring family relationships. To members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, the prophecy of Malachi refers to genealogy work which means temple work for the dead. The Doctrine and Covenants records that Elijah returned to the earth in the Kirkland temple and restored the keys of the gathering of Israel.Doctrine and Covenants 110:11-16After this vision had closed, another great and glorious vision burst upon us; for Elijah the prophet, who was taken to heaven without tasting death, stood before us, and said: Behold, the time has fully come, which was spoken of by the mouth of Malachi—testifying that he [Elijah] should be sent, before the great and dreadful day of the Lord come— To turn the hearts of the fathers to the children, and the children to the fathers, lest the whole earth be smitten with a curse— Therefore, the keys of this dispensation are committed into your hands; and by this ye may know that the great and dreadful day of the Lord is near, even at the doors.Ancient Catholic theology also has a strong tradition regarding the return of Elijah. Early Catholic fathers took literally Malachi’s words as well as the words in Matthew 17Matthew 17:11And Jesus answered and said unto them, Elias truly shall first come, and restore all things. In Ecclesiasticus, a book accepted by the early Catholic Fathers, written by a Jewish scribe living in Jerusalem, a reference similar to Malachi speaks of the return of Elijah.Who wast ordained for reproofs in their times, to pacify the wrath of the Lord's judgment, before it brake forth into fury, and to turn the heart of the father unto the son, and to restore the tribes of Jacob.Jude is also speaking of the last days when he compared our times with Sodom and Gomorrah.

Podcast 118, Jude, Pt AJude (also called Judah or Judas) introduces himself as the brother of James (also known as James the Just). Jude 1:1-2Jude, the servant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to them that are sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ, and called: Mercy unto you, and peace, and love, be multiplied.It is assumed that they were the brothers of Jesus. Matthew 13:55Is not this the carpenter's son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas?We have only one epistle of Jude, but his scope is very broad. He begins with exhorting us to earnestly contend for the faith.” Following that, He alludes to the War in Heaven where Michael and his angels fought against Lucifer and his angels. He alludes to Sodom and Gomorrah a symbol, like Egypt and Babylon, of the destruction of the world in the last days. He alludes to Enoch, a great post diluvian prophet, and he alludes to mockers in the last days just prior to Christ’s Second Coming. So effectively Jude covers from the premortal existence to the end of the world as we know it.Therefore, let’s take each concept in turn to share Jude’s grand vision. I have divided the podcast into parts A & B. This is Part A, verses 1-6.Jude 1:3-5Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints. For there are certain men crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ. I will therefore put you in remembrance, though ye once knew this, how that the Lord, having saved the people out of the land of Egypt, afterward destroyed them that believed not.Jude reminds the saints of how Christ delivered the children of Israel out of Egypt. He also reminded them of the curse that fell upon those Children of Israel who did not remember the Savior. In addition, he reminds them that Satan is working overtime in the early church to destroy the faith. There have always been those, under the influence of Satan, who want to destroy Christ and his church. One can tell by the urgent language of Jude that the problem is very severe. Jude is asking the saints to stand firm and defend the faith. Notice how serious the matter is, “turning the grace of God into lasciviousness.” Does that not sound more like the behavior of those who worship idols than those who worship Christ? Lasciviousness was part of idol worship. Satan also influenced them to deny Christ. In other words, to deny their own testimony. James introduces a very interesting term that perhaps some of us tend to overlook.Jude 1:6And the angels which kept not their first estate, but left their own habitation, he hath reserved in everlasting chains under darkness unto the judgment of the great day.What does James mean by “first estate? And what angels did not keep their first estate. To understand Jude, we must review the War in Heaven. For that let’s first go to John the Revelator.In vision John also saw the early apostasy in the church.Revelation 12:1-2And there appeared a great wonder in heaven; a woman clothed with the sun, and the moon under her feet, and upon her head a crown of twelve stars: And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.The twelve stars are the twelve apostles. The woman clothed with the sun is an allusion to Christ. “Being with child” is a reference to the birth of the church. “Pain to be delivered’ refers to the persecution of the church from the day it was organized.  It becomes clear as we continue. Revelation 12:3-4And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.“The angels which kept not their first estate” refers to Lucifer and those angels who followed him. Our First Estate is our premortal life with God as spirits in heaven. Those who fought with Lucifer did not keep their First Estate. Those who fought against Lucifer did keep their First Estate. What is the Second Estate? That would be life on earth. This is our Second Estate and once again we are at war with Satan and his Angels. Those who kept their first estate came to earth to gain a body. Those who keep their Second Estate shall return to heaven to live forever with Christ.John refers to the fact that Lucifer, who became Satan, was cast out of heaven and continued his war against Christ on earth. Just as he tried to tempt Christ in the wilderness, he tried to destroy the true church of Christ on earth. The crown of twelve stars, referring to the twelve apostles, differs from the ‘seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns” upon Satan’s head. That speaks of great power, but it is a diabolical power. “His tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven.” “Stars” refers to spirit children of God in heaven, or the First Estate, before the earth was created. We were all among those stars. We too lived in heaven as spirit children of God before coming to earth. That was our First Estate.A third part of those stars followed the dragon, which is Lucifer who rebelled against God and Christ. None of those kept their First Estate. Those who followed Lucifer and did not keep their First Estate were cast out of heaven with him. The rest of those stars, beginning with Adam and Eve, who kept their First Estate chose to follow Christ, to come to earth and to gain a physical body, and to prove themselves worthy to return to heaven to live with Christ forever.  Satan continues that war that he started in heaven on earth as stated above, “and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child (the church) as soon as it was born.” That is what Jude is talking about. John the Revelator continues,Revelation 12:5And she brought forth a man child, who was to rule all nations with a rod of iron: and her child was caught up unto God, and to his throne.The man child is Christ. The “rod of iron” is the word of God. It was Christ who was caught up unto God, and to his throne, but the church remained on earth led by the apostles.  Lucifer, now called Satan, immediately attempted to destroy the church. He begins by trying to destroy the Christ child before he could begin his ministry.Revelation 12:6And the woman fled into the wilderness, where she hath a place prepared of God, that they should feed her there a thousand two hundred and threescore days.We know that Mary and Joseph fled to Egypt to escape the evil Herod who wanted to murder the Christ Child. Herod, as with many who are led by Satan, was unaware that he was under the power of Satan. Herod was a politician who wanted to maintain his throne. John harkens back to Lucifer and the War in Heaven.Revelation 12:7-9And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.Michael, of course, is the archangel who led the battle against Lucifer in the War in Heaven and the rebelling angels who followed him. As stated earlier, Lucifer and all those who followed him were once “stars” in heaven. They were children of God just as all the other spirits in heaven were children of God; however, they rebelled against God and were cast out of heaven thus being forever denied the privilege of obtaining a body of flesh and bones. They will forever remain spirits. That is part of their curse. One of the greatest gifts God has ever given to us is a physical body. One of the next greatest gifts will be a resurrected body that will never taste death. Satan and his angels are the only ones who will never experience physical birth, physical death, and physical resurrection. Jude spoke of the days of Christ, but he also spoke of the days just preceding the Second Coming of Christ. The writing of Jude is definitely meant for our day, and Jude’s prophesy is coming to pass. We are living in the last days. Satan is working overtime. In heaven Lucifer was defeated because of the power of Christ. Those who followed Michael were doing so in the name of Christ whom they knew even in the premortal existence would come to earth and save them from their sins. The plan of salvation did not begin on earth with the birth of Christ. The plan of salvation began in the spirit world in heaven. Job understood that. 

Podcast 117, 3 John, “Pt 7, Ch 1”John addresses his third epistle ato Gaius. Such letters are valuable for not only do they teach doctrine, but they also make the first church a living church, comprised of real people. On the world stage Gaius is not important. He is given no title in the church, yet he is praised for his faith and his hospitality toward the other saints. We get the feeling of a close-knit community of saints who depend upon each other. We also get the feeling of the apostles who, at the risk of their own lives and freedom, travel about strengthening the church.The scriptures speak of great men and women of the Lord for our benefit and learning, but they also speak of the ordinary saints who matter a great deal not only to the Lord but to the other saints. Christ was champion of those whom the world did not recognize.·      The woman at the well.·      Fishermen, Peter, Andrew, James, and John ·      Tax collector, Matthew.·      Mary Magdalene, possessed by devils·      Lazarus·      Blind Bartimaeus ·      Jairus’ daughter·      Anonymous souls such as the Samaritan woman, the man born blind, blind men of Jerico, paralytic lowered through the roof, invalid of Bethesda, woman with an issue of blood. Centurion’s servant, man with the withered hand, woman bent double, man with Dropsy, the Ten Lepers. We don’t really know who Gaius was, but John’s epistle gave him immortality3 John 1:1The elder unto the well beloved Gaius, whom I love in the truth.Gaius is apparently well known among the saints of that era, but we know nothing about him except the epitaph that John gives him. He is another name on a tombstone with a foot note whose example teaches us how to be a better Christian.3 John 1:2-3Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth. For I rejoiced greatly, when the brethren came and testified of the truth that is in thee, even as thou walkest in the truth.Perhaps that is what we should take away from the Epistle to Gaius, his example. Because the truth is in him, because he walks in the truth, his soul prospers. A very brief but poignant message to all saints. We need to ‘walk in the truth.’ Where have we heard that message before?  It was in John’s last Epistle to “the elect lady” who is also anonymous.2 John 1:1-6The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth; For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever. 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. I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father. And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another. And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.Isn’t that all that God asks of us, that we “walk after his commandments.” We don’t measure our faith by our leaders. We measure our leaders by our faith in the commandments of God. We do not walk after man. We walk after God. Leaders change. God doesn’t. The Word doesn’t. The Ten Commandments, The Sermon on the Mount, The Two Great Commandments, the words of Prophets and Apostles—if they were true then, they are true now. They do not vary from the written word. Policies change. Programs change. Administrative decisions change. Common sense must find its way into Christianity. We should never shut the mouth of God. But the old commandments never change. Notice John’s greatest joy.3 John 1:4I have no greater joy than to hear that my children walk in truth.When John uses the phrase “my children,” he is speaking of members of Christ’s church. We are all children of God.Romans 8:16-17The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.Apparently Gaius is well known for his charity.3 John 1:5-6Beloved, thou doest faithfully whatsoever thou doest to the brethren, and to strangers; Which have borne witness of thy charity before the church: whom if thou bring forward on their journey after a godly sort, thou shalt do well:That adds to the meaning of walking in the truth. We must also walk in faith. One can only imagine how important hospitality was in those trying times. Gaius receives the saints into his home. There is a great story in the Old Testament of the Shunammite woman who created a bedroom in her home for the Prophet Elisha to use whenever he traveled through. 2 Kings 4:8–10And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither."Enormous blessings fell upon that good Samaritan. She was childless. Elisha blessed her that for her hospitality she would have a child even in her old age. That same child died and Elisha restored the child to life. It parallels the story of the widow who gave her last meal to Elijah, depriving herself and her son who were about to die of the famine. As a blessing the barrel of meal and cruse of oil never diminished until the famine was abated. Elijah also restored her son to life.John admonishes the saints that they should be like Gaius.3 John 1:5-6Because that for his name’s sake they went forth, taking nothing of the Gentiles. We therefore ought to receive such, that we might be fellow helpers to the truth.We learn then to walk in truth, to walk in faith, and to help others to walk in faith and truth. John condemns those who don’t.3 John 1:9-11I wrote unto the church: but Diotrephes, who loveth to have the preeminence among them, receiveth us not. Wherefore, if I come, I will remember his deeds which he doeth, prating against us with malicious words: and not content therewith, neither doth he himself receive the brethren, and forbiddeth them that would, and casteth them out of the church. Beloved, follow not that which is evil, but that which is good. He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God.In addition to the above, we must follow that which is good. The doctrine of “He that doeth good is of God: but he that doeth evil hath not seen God” is very important to John. John in his first Epistle wrote: 1 John 3:2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.Only those who are like Christ will see Christ as he is. Those who are not like Christ will not be able to comprehend his glory nor will they be able to feel the fullness of his joy. Paul spoke of three degrees of glory, or three heavens. The lowest was compared to the brightness of the stars, the second was compared to the brightness of the moon, and the third, or highest, was compared to the brightness of the Sun. Paul did not give a name to the lowest. He called the second degree of glory, the Terrestrial Glory, and the third degree of glory the Celestial Glory. The Father and Son, of course, occupy the highest degree of Glory or the Celestial Kingdom. I think it is interesting that not only is the brightness of light associated with each kingdom of glory—that which is compared to the brighteness of the sun—but also the fulness of joy is associated with each kingdom of glory. We can only have a fulness of joy in the highest or celestial degree.How do the following words connect: love, light, truth, law, life, and joy. We know how they connect. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” “The way” is to follow the law. The law refers to the commandments. That is the way John wants us to walk. Love? Well John tells us that God is love. Paul equates charity with pure love and pure love is of Christ. Christ, of course, is the key. Everything is governed by law. Light and truth are governed law and law is governed by Christ. John also praises Demetrius. He is another anonymous saint—that is to the world—but not to John or to the early church. The rest of us can relate to the elect lady, to Gaius, and to Demetrius, for most of us live anonymously and die anonymously, but not to God. John ends his epistle with the praise of Demetrius and with a blessing to Gaius and by default to all those like Gaius and Demetrius. In the final verses, John also gives us an admonition to reach out to other saints.Demetrius hath good report of all men, and of the truth itself: yea, and we also bear record; and ye know that our record is true. I had many things to write, but I will not with ink and pen write unto thee: But I trust I shall shortly see thee, and we shall speak face to face. Peace be to thee. Our friends salute thee. Greet the friends by name.

Podcast 116, 2 John, “Pt 6, Ch 1”The Second Epistle of John has but one Chapter. 2 John 1:1The elder unto the elect lady and her children, whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth;The Elder is surely John himself. We’ll let scholars fruitlessly debate the identity of ‘the elect lady’ whether it is referring to a specific mother and her children or whether it is referring to the church. In the absence of clarifying information, I prefer the literal interpretation. The surest explanation, however, is that John is addressing his letter to all members of the true church for he is warning against false teachers which are creeping in. From the beginning the apostles have had to fight against false teachers, false prophets, and antichrists. Notice John’s emphasis, “whom I love in the truth; and not I only, but also all they that have known the truth.”Truth is primary. The purpose of the apostles is to keep the doctrine pure. There is security only if we keep our eyes always on the prophets and apostles. Those are the standards of judgement. John adds. 2 John 1:2For the truth’s sake, which dwelleth in us, and shall be with us for ever.John is speaking of Christ ‘which dwelleth in us forever.’2 John 1:3Grace 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.John’s message really doesn’t vary. Only “in truth and love” can we know the Savior. I love returning to the following verse given to us earlier by John.1 John 3:2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.That is a very tall order, to be like Christ when he returns to the earth. That cannot be, however, except through ‘truth and love.’ Let’s rehearse some of the highlights of each of the five preceding chapters from John’s first epistle. John doesn’t vary from his message.1 John 1:7But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.1 John 2:3And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. 1 John 3:8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.John 4:7Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. 1 John 5:1Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. One thing that sets Christ apart from all of mankind is that he obeyed the Father perfectly in everything. That is why he alone can be the Savior of the World. He was sinless. He was nonpareil. 2 John 1:4I rejoiced greatly that I found of thy children walking in truth, as we have received a commandment from the Father.We must never take our eyes off the words of Christ given in the Intercessory Prayer.John 17:3And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ, whom thou hast sent.Only through the Son can we know the Father, and only through knowing the Father and the Son can we have eternal life with the Father and the Son. In the Book of Revelation, John says those servants who serve God shall see his face.Revelation 22:3-5And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.Let me point out one obvious lesson from above. Regardless of our status on earth, regardless of birth, of position, of importance, of wealth, of intelligence, of education, of power, we all have the same chance for eternal life with God where all shall see his face, where all shall have his name in their foreheads, where all shall receive the light of Christ, and where all shall reign with him for ever and ever. The only thing that really matters on earth is that we keep the commandments of God. Everything else is administrative. Everyone on this planet has different gifts given of God. It is what we do with those gifts that matter. We are all familiar with the parable of the talents.  When asked what was the greatest commandment, Christ said, Matthew 22:36-39Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.One does not have to have a position of authority to obey those two commandments. No other apostle takes that more literally than John or teaches that principle more frequently than John.2 John 1:5And now I beseech thee, lady, not as though I wrote a new commandment unto thee, but that which we had from the beginning, that we love one another.John does not leave it in the abstract. He refines the meaning. 2 John 1:6And this is love, that we walk after his commandments. This is the commandment, That, as ye have heard from the beginning, ye should walk in it.What does John mean by “ye should walk in it”? The military term is ‘boots on the ground.’ He means for it to be part of our daily walk, our daily lives. We should take that love with us wherever we go, to church, to the grocery store, while driving in heavy traffic, in our homes, even when our children are unruly; in other words we should take that love in all of our walks of life.John warns against antichrists.2 John 1:7For many deceivers are entered into the world, who confess not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh. This is a deceiver and an antichrist.John is the only biblical writer to use the term ‘antichrist.’ He defines what he means in his epistles. 1 John 2:18Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time.1 John 2:22Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son"1 John 4:3And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.The prefix ‘anti’ is from the Greek meaning against, opposed to, in place of, instead of, or in opposition to. Romantic writers appear to create a monster called ‘Antichrist.’  Remember one of the beasts appeared as a lamb. There is a growing feeling of antichrist even in America day. Christianity is under attack. The Jews, as if the Holocaust meant nothing, are again coming under attack. Hate, violence, and contention are on the rise. Anything that goes against the teaches of Jesus Christ is antichrist. John places the responsibility of our souls squarely upon our shoulders, meaning that we choose whether or not to obey the commandments of Christ.2 John 1:8Look to yourselves, that we lose not those things which we have wrought, but that we receive a full reward.He further emphasizes our responsibility.2 John 1:9-11Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son. If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed: For he that biddeth him God speed is partaker of his evil deeds.How fortunate we are to have the letters of John and of Peter and of Paul, but the apostles were also busy mingling with the Saints and teaching them in person. Such open exposure cost them their lives.2 John 1:12-13Having many things to write unto you, I would not write with paper and ink: but I trust to come unto you, and speak face to face, that our joy may be full. The children of thy elect sister greet thee. Amen.It is easy to overlook the incredible courage of the early saints in the face of certain death. The early martyrs received their eternal reward from God.Revelation 20:4And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years.It is very poignant to observe that while John is commanding the saints to love one another, they are surrounded by people who want to kill them. Those were very perilous times for the Saints, yet the doctrines of Christ never changed. Christ said, Matthew 5:9Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.It is not unreasonable to assume that we too who live in the last days may face the same opposition, but the doctrine doesn’t change. John’s message, which was delivered to him by Christ himself, is the same for us as for the saints in former times. 

Podcast 115, 1st John, “Pt 5, Ch 5”Anyone who reads John is immediately struck by the richness of his doctrine. You cannot be in a hurry for every word, phrase, or clause matters. Because of its richness, it is helpful to divide his epistles into concepts. Once one understands the concepts, then it is easier to tie them together for each epistle must also be considered as a whole. His masterpiece, The Book of Revelation is the perfect model. The theme of Godly Love dominates Chapter 5 as it does other chapters of John. I have divided Chapter 5 into Six Concepts. Concept One: Keep the Commandments of God.1 John 5:1-3Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God, and keep his commandments. For this is the love of God, that we keep his commandments: and his commandments are not grievous.A favorite Christian phrase is “born again.” John tells us that faith in Christ is to be “born again” or “born of God.” If we love God by nature we must love the children of God. We show our love by keeping the commandments. John teaches that “his commandments are not grievous.”  Synonyms for grievous are acute, harsh, intense, extreme, distressing, agonizing, burdensome. Christ said it so beautifully. Matthew 11:28-30Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.Concept II: Must be Born of God1 John 5:4-5For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. Who is he that overcometh the world, but he that believeth that Jesus is the Son of God?To be ‘born of God’ means to overcome the natural man. In our world we must fight against the cunning of Satan, the craftiness of man, and our own fallen natures. Babylon, which means the world, and the natural man are equated. We are often told, come out of Babylon, or refrain from the lusts of the flesh: Isaiah 48:20"Go ye forth of Babylon…”Isaiah 52:11"Depart ye, depart ye, go ye out from thence, touch no unclean thing; go ye out of the midst of her; be ye clean, that bear the vessels of the Lord."Revelation 18:4"And I heard another voice from heaven, saying, Come out of her, my people, that ye be not partakers of her sins, and that ye receive not of her plagues."Concept Three: Three Witnesses1 John 5:6-10This is he that came by water and blood, even Jesus Christ; not by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit that beareth witness, because the Spirit is truth. For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one. And there are three that bear witness in earth, the Spirit, and the water, and the blood: and these three agree in one. If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son.The Law of Witnesses is very important. Paul wrote2 Corinthians 13:1"In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established."Above John said, “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost.” At Christ’s baptism, we have manifested the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. On the Mount of Transfiguration, we have Christ with Moses and Elijah, and the Father saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased: hear ye him.” It was also witnessed by Peter, James, and John. Above John presents three other witnesses: “the Spirit, and the water, and the blood.” Does that not remind us of partaking of the Sacrament or the Lord’s Supper. We also learn that we are witnesses of God if we believe on the Son of God. In other words, our own faith is a witness. Those of us who have faith in Christ have pretty good company. Concept Four: Eternal Life1 John 5:11-15And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us: And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him.There is an enormous difference between living forever and having eternal life. Satan and his angels will live forever. We all have immortal spirits that shall never taste death. In addition, all resurrected beings shall live forever, but not all resurrected beings shall live with God forever. Living forever is not eternal life. Eternal life refers only to living forever with God in his kingdom. Anything less is a form of damnation. Damnation is not hell. Hell is eternal fire. Damnation is eternal restriction on progression. Eternal progression is synonymous with Eternal Life. To have progression curtailed in any way poses a restriction on our capacity for joy. A fulness of joy can only be obtained in the presence of Christ for he is the source of all Joy. Paul, who was caught up in the third heaven, speaks of three degrees of glory:1 Corinthians 15:40-42There are also celestial bodies, and bodies terrestrial: but the glory of the celestial is one, and the glory of the terrestrial is another. There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars: for one star differeth from another star in glory. So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown in corruption; it is raised in incorruption:Those are all levels of heaven. That means there are three different levels of Joy. To have a fullness of joy one must live in the celestial glory where God and Christ dwell. The other two kingdoms of glory will have joy unspeakable and no sorrow, but they cannot have a fullness of Joy because Christ will not be living there with them. Only where Christ is can there be a fullness of joy. Only where the Father and the Son dwell can we have eternal life with God. Those who have the concept of only one heaven and one hell are ignoring Paul’s words. On a practical level, what would be the cut off? Would a just God split hairs. Would a merciful God allow such a thing? I don’t think so. Would the law of justice and the law of mercy allow such a thing. Can God ever be arbitrary and still be God? God must always be just, or he would not be God, but God is also a merciful God and he will do everything to give as much joy to as many people as will permit him. He cannot, however, go against their agency for he died that we might all have agency. Christ offers everyone born on this earth eternal life, but he can grant it only to those who accept his conditions; otherwise, he would violate their agency. His commandments are the conditions. Concept V: All Sin is Violation of Law 1 John 5:16-19If any man see his brother sin a sin which is not unto death, he shall ask, and he shall give him life for them that sin not unto death. There is a sin unto death: I do not say that he shall pray for it. All unrighteousness is sin: and there is a sin not unto death. We know that whosoever is born of God sinneth not; but he that is begotten of God keepeth himself, and that wicked one toucheth him not. And we know that we are of God, and the whole world lieth in wickedness.Without law there would be no sin. Sin does not exist in abstractions. God does not arbitrarily say this is good and that is evil. God gives us law. His laws are absolute. Until law is given sin does not exist. All sin is violation of law. The straight and narrow way is to obey law. The greatest quest in life is to search for truth. There are temporal truths, the laws of nature, and there are spiritual truths, the laws of God. God is the author of all law, whether natural or spiritual, and all laws are necessary for life. Every rational being knows how important the laws of nature are. Natural laws deal with natural life. Spiritual laws deal with eternal life. If we ignore natural laws we are often dealt with very quickly for nature is not very forgiving. Natural laws deal with mortal time. Spiritual laws deal with eternal time. This is a probationary state to see if we will obey spiritual laws. Natural laws cause temporal death; only the violation of spiritual laws cause spiritual death. The body can die but the spirit cannot. That means that the spirit is not subject to death. Spiritual death means that we are cut off from the presence of God. The entire purpose of all spiritual laws is not to punish us, but to bring us back into the presence of God. That is only possible because Christ died for our sins. That introduced the principles of repentance and forgiveness and grace and mercy which are always available to everyone all the time we are on this earth. Concept VI: Christ is the True God1 John 5:20-21And we know that the Son of God is come, and hath given us an understanding, that we may know him that is true, and we are in him that is true, even in his Son Jesus Christ. This is the true God, and eternal life. Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen.

Podcast 114, 1st John, “Pt 4, Ch 4”It is most probable that every Christian has at one or more times quoted verses from 1 John 4. The following verses are familiar to everyone:·      Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God.·      God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him.·      There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear.·      We love him, because he first loved us.It is John who gave us John 3:16, what is likely the most quoted scripture in the Holy Bible: The Savior is talking to Nicodemus.John 3:16-17For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.John is often called, ‘John the Beloved.’ He is also referred to as “the disciple whom Jesus loved.” No disciple spoke of love more. John clearly understood that the very nature of God is love. 1 John 3:8He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love.John taught that we are the offspring of God and that we must become like our Father. 1 John 3:2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.I shall divide 1 John 4 into six section. Section 1 comprises:1 John 4:1-3Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world.John wants us to see the world as he sees the world. There are two great forces, good vs evil or God vs Satan. There is Christ and antichrist. All good comes from God and all evil comes from Satan. If that seems oversimplistic, imagine stepping off the world and looking down to earth, say from the moon. There is light and dark. It is the law of opposites. There is temporal light and spiritual light, temporal darkness and spiritual darkness.The only reason we have temporal life is because we have temporal light and temporal darkness. The only reason we have spiritual light and spiritual darkness is because we are enticed by Christ to do good and we are enticed by Satan to do evil. Without that catalyst we would be spiritually senseless. Until Satan entered the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were unaware of their nakedness. They knew neither good nor evil, joy nor sorrow, love nor hate. Christ allowed Satan to tempt Adam and Eve just as he allows Satan to tempt us to give us agency, to give us a choice between good and evil. Genesis teaches, “For God doth know that in the day ye eat thereof, then your eyes shall be opened, and ye shall be as gods, knowing good and evil.” It could be acquired no other way. The fall was necessary. In the above John is teaching us how to discern between the spirit of God and the spirit of the Devil. The formula is quite simple. That which preaches of Christ is of God. That which denies Christ is of Satan. Section 2 comprises:1 John 4:4-6Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error.Again, John is teaching us how to discern the spirit of truth from the spirit of error. We are prone to think of antichrist as some hideous monster with the number 666 across his forehead. Remember the second beast was like a lamb. Antichrist is very subtle and appears in many disguises. The spirit of antichrist is any person or philosophy or movement that teaches there is no Christ. That is why Satan and his angels are sons of perdition. They know who Christ is, yet rebelled against him. If you recall Christ would not allow the evil spirits to testify of him. He did not need their testimony. Only through the Holy Ghost can one truly know that Jesus is the Christ. Section 3 comprises:1 John 4:7-11Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.Those three words, “God is love,” define Christ comprehensively. Love is his very essence. What other reason would he have to sacrifice his life, being entirely sinless, for our sins? It was only his love that motivated him to die for us. He didn’t need power praise or glory or honor. He was already God. Before he even came to earth, he was omnipotent and omniscient, yet he condescended to come to earth, having a veil drawn over his mind just as we have a veil drawn over our minds. We are told that Christ grew from grace to grace. He had the full earthly experience. In fact, his temptations, his suffering, his agonies were greater than ours, yet he never sinned. In the wilderness, he could have given in to Satan. Those temptations were not staged. They were as real as our temptations; otherwise, he could not have empathy for us. He had to understand our temptations, our weaknesses, our sicknesses, our doubts, our fears to become the perfect judge that he is. It was Paul who said, Hebrews 4:15For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.John teaches us the second great commandment, “Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another.”Section 4 comprises:1 John 4:12-14No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit. And we have seen and do testify that the Father sent the Son to be the Saviour of the world. What did John mean when he said, “No man hath seen God at any time?” John, himself, was a man and he saw the resurrected Lord.Revelation 1:13-17And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength. And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:We know that Paul also saw the risen Lord as he traveled on the road to Damascus. Christ also, in his resurrected state, appeared to Mary Magdalene and to the eleven apostles and to many hundreds of people. We must assume then than John is speaking of the natural man who has only natural eyes. Some saw the resurrected Lord and didn’t recognize him because they saw him with their natural eyes. Christ can only be seen with spiritual eyes. Those who see Christ must also have the spirit of Christ. Those who have been honored by a vision of Christ are blessed. Most of us, however, see him only with the spiritual eyes of faith. Still, we know of his existence though we have never seen him in vision. We too are equally blessed. Remember his words of Christ to Thomas. John 20:29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.Still, we are very grateful for those like John who were privileged to see the Savior and give us their firsthand descriptions. Nonetheless, the spirit is just as strong in those who see him only with the eye of faith. Section 5 comprises:1 John 4:15-17Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. And we have known and believed the love that God hath to us. God is love; and he that dwelleth in love dwelleth in God, and God in him. Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world. 

Podcast 113, 1st John, “Pt 3, Ch 3”A concept of the gospel that is perhaps sometimes understated is our personal relationship with our Father in Heaven. John addresses that issue.1 John 3:1Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the sons of God: therefore the world knoweth us not, because it knew him not.Some almost want to deny the Father’s existence but the early apostles believed firmly in the separate existence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost. For example, at the baptism of Jesus by John the Baptist, we have all three of the Holy Trinity Present as separate beings. Matthew 3:13-17Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him. And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.There are unmistakably three persons: (1) Jesus, being baptized by John. (2) The Spirit of God or Holy Ghost descending like a dove, and lighting upon him. The Holy Ghost is not a dove. The Holy Ghost is a spirit that descended like a dove. (3) The Father, a voice from heaven, bore witness of his Son, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” We have innumerable instances where the Son prays to the Father. He was not praying to himself. In the wilderness, he declared that he must do the will of the Father. On the cross Christ cries to the Father, “Why has thou forsaken me?”  To deny the separate existence of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, one would have to deny many scriptures. In addition, the Savior said that he must leave so that the Holy Ghost could come. The Father, Son, and Holy Ghost are one in purpose just as we must become one in purpose, but they are not three persons in one. To deny the personal existence of the Father creates problems with one of the greatest moments in the apostleship of Peter, James, and John—the Mount of Transfiguration.   Matthew 17: 1-9And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid. And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. And as they came down from the mountain, Jesus charged them, saying, Tell the vision to no man, until the Son of man be risen again from the dead.It is clear that Peter, James and John believed in three separate beings. Whose voice did they hear? It was not the voice of Jesus or Moses or Elijah. It was the voice of the Father who was also present but hidden by a cloud. They were terrified. Jesus had to comfort them. There are so many instances from Genesis to Revelation that have no other explanation but to say that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate beings. In the Garden of Eden we are told,  Genesis 3:22And the Lord God said, Behold, the man is become as one of us, to know good and evil: and now, lest he put forth his hand, and take also of the tree of life, and eat, and live for ever:The pronoun “us” is plural, but one of the most poignant moments in the life of Christ occurred in the Garden of Gethsemane when he asks the Father to remove the cup from him. Matthew 26:39-44And he went a little further, and fell on his face, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt. And he cometh unto the disciples, and findeth them asleep, and saith unto Peter, What, could ye not watch with me one hour? Watch and pray, that ye enter not into temptation: the spirit indeed is willing, but the flesh is weak. He went away again the second time, and prayed, saying, O my Father, if this cup may not pass away from me, except I drink it, thy will be done. And he came and found them asleep again: for their eyes were heavy. And he left them, and went away again, and prayed the third time, saying the same words.It is not logical to think he was praying to himself when he said, “O my Father.” Three times he prayed to the Father, but only once did he ask him to remove the cup. All three times he made it clear that regardless he would bow to the Father’s will. In the first prayer he said, “Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” In the next two prayers he said, “Thy will be done.” It is an absurd contradiction to think he is talking to himself. It makes a mockery of one of the most sacred moments in Christ’s life. He was praying to his Father and our Father. In Jesus’s own words, following his resurrection, he says to Mary Magdalene.John 20:17Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God.It is clear that John believes that the Father and Son were two separate beings.1 John 3:2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.There are many scriptures that say that the Father and Son are one in purpose just as the scriptures ask us to be one in purpose, but nowhere do the scriptures teach that they are not separate beings. That concept was not taught until several hundred years after the resurrection of Christ after the apostles were killed. The concept of three in one was rejected by the early church. It did not become formal doctrine until the First Council of Nicaea, formerly referred to as the Nicene Creed as opposed to the earlier Apostle’s Creed and the Athanasian Creed. Let me quote the beginning of the Apostle’s Creed.I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth;And in Jesus Christ his only Son our Lord;Who was conceived by the Holy Ghost, born of the Virgin Mary,Suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, dead, and buried;He descended into hell;The third day he rose again from the dead;He ascended into heaven, and sitteth on the right hand of God the Father Almighty;From thence he shall come to judge the quick and the dead.I believe in the Holy Ghost;The Apostle’s Creed clearly establishes that the church at that time believe that there were three separate beings of the Godhead. The Nicene Creed, which contradicted the Apostle’s Creed was not written until 325 A.D which originated at the First Council of Nicaea. It is safer and more logical to stay with the Holy Bible, the written word, rather than accept someone else’s interpretation of the written word. Constantine, certainly a great man in Christian history, was a politician, not a prophet and not an apostle. He did not have the authority to change the doctrine of the Holy Bible and contradict the early apostles such as Peter, James, and John.John also taught us the nature of law and its relationship to sin. To John sin is not an arbitrary ethical opinion. Sin is violation of law. Without law there would be no sin.1 John 3:3-4And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure. Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.Laws were organized by God. Sin does not self-exist. Without law there is no sin. Violation of law is the only sin. Law brings order; lawlessness brings chaos. God is a God of law and order. To live outside of law is to live outside of God. When Adam fell a law was broken. That law was so powerful that it brought sin and death into the world. Man was cut off from God forever. He suffered both a temporal death and a spiritual death. That is why the atonement of Christ was necessary. Without his atonement, we could never again enter into the presence of the Father and we could never rise from the dead. That would have put us in the power of Satan forever. Even those who do not believe in Christ have a debt to Christ that they can never repay. Among those debts is the resurrection which is free to all of the descendants of Adam and Eve.

Podcast 112, 1st John, “Pt 2, Ch 2”John had a unique voice and a unique calling. Is there a book comparable to The Book of Revelation? In the first chapter of Revelation, John records a vision of the Resurrected Lord that once seen cannot be unseen. Revelation 1:13-16And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle. His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.John was so overwhelmed that he fell as dead. Revelation 1:17-18And when I saw him, I fell at his feet as dead. And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last: I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.John is given a special assignment. Revelation 1:19Write the things which thou hast seen, and the things which are, and the things which shall be hereafter;The Lord, of course, is referring to the special Book of Revelation which comprises 22 of some of the most fascinating chapters in the Holy Bible. John, like the other apostles, is a special witness of Christ. That appears to be his primary assignment.1 John 2:1My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous:John has much in common with Isaiah who also saw Christ in Vision about 700 years prior to the birth of Christ.Isaiah 6:1-3In the year that king Uzziah died I saw also the Lord sitting upon a throne, high and lifted up, and his train filled the temple. Above it stood the seraphims: each one had six wings; with twain he covered his face, and with twain he covered his feet, and with twain he did fly. And one cried unto another, and said, Holy, holy, holy, is the Lord of hosts: the whole earth is full of his glory.6 RONLike the other prophets and apostles John focuses on the special mission of Jesus Christ. 7 LINDA1 John 2:2And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.7 RONThe dictionary defines propitiation as ‘the act of appeasing or satisfying,’ ‘a sacrifice that removes guilt and turns away divine wrath,’ reconciliation between God and man through the atonement.’  Synonyms for propitiation are atonement, expiation, reconciliation, redemption, ransom, sin offering, and peace offering.  Notice that his atoning sacrifice was not just for the chosen. It was “for the sins of the whole world.” Christ is the only God and the only Savior of the world. No one shall be allowed into the kingdom of God except those who accept Jesus as Lord. Ultimately everyone, whether in this life or the next, will know that Jesus is the living Christ, the Son of the living God who holds the keys of death and hell. Christ alone will judge the entire world, one individual at a time, for their works.Those who know Christ in this life, regardless of what religion they espouse or what Christian denomination they belong to, will be only those who keep his commandments. 1 John 2:3-6And hereby we do know that we know him, if we keep his commandments. He that saith, I know him, and keepeth not his commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him. But whoso keepeth his word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in him. He that saith he abideth in him ought himself also so to walk, even as he walked.If we accept the concept that Christ is creator and God of the whole world, we must also consider that he is no respecter of persons, that he loves all of his children and wants all of them to return to his kingdom and to live with him. That suggests that God will find a way to teach his gospel even where it is least expected. All truth, regardless of the earthly source, eventually leads to Jesus Christ. All lies eventually lead to Satan. The safest path is the path to truth. Everyone at birth has the spirit of Christ for they just came from their Father in heaven. All little children are saved by Christ for they are not accountable for their sins. It is incumbent, however, on those who reach the age of accountability that they devote their lives to seeking truth. Satan is the father of lies. He will attempt to pervert all truth. That is his primary job. What else can he do? He has no truth in him. He has no power of creation. In fact, he has no power at all except that which we give him or that which God allows.   Listen to the words of John.1 John 2:7-10Brethren, I write no new commandment unto you, but an old commandment which ye had from the beginning. The old commandment is the word which ye have heard from the beginning. Again, a new commandment I write unto you, which thing is true in him and in you: because the darkness is past, and the true light now shineth. He that saith he is in the light, and hateth his brother, is in darkness even until now. He that loveth his brother abideth in the light, and there is none occasion of stumbling in him.Is that not a universal truth. No matter where in the world or from whose lips that truth is taught, it originated with God. If we obey that commandment it will eventually lead us back to Christ. John adds, 1 John 2:11But he that hateth his brother is in darkness, and walketh in darkness, and knoweth not whither he goeth, because that darkness hath blinded his eyes.Contention is of the devil, and where there is contention, there the devil is in his element. They are his and don’t know it. John, who just said that Christ “is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world,” is now turning his attention to those who have accepted Christ in this life.1 John 2:12-14I write unto you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for his name’s sake. I write unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I write unto you, young men, because ye have overcome the wicked one. I write unto you, little children, because ye have known the Father. I have written unto you, fathers, because ye have known him that is from the beginning. I have written unto you, young men, because ye are strong, and the word of God abideth in you, and ye have overcome the wicked one.Now John turns his attention back to the entire world for he is speaking universally. 1 John 2:15-17Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world. And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.Can you see the difference? More is expected of those who have more. Christ will be merciful to those who died without the law, but those who have the law will be judged by the law. To whom much is given, much is expected. But everyone knows intuitively good from evil. One doesn’t have to have the Ten Commandments to know that murder, stealing, lying, coveting, envying, and cheating are evil. It is inherent from birth because of the Spirit of Christ that is in everyone at birth. All babies are born pure. They may be bore into a world of sin but they are not born sinful. Sin is taught by man influenced by the father of lies. John now is talking to members of Christ’s church. 1 John 2:18-20Little children, it is the last time: and as ye have heard that antichrist shall come, even now are there many antichrists; whereby we know that it is the last time. They went out from us, but they were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would no doubt have continued with us: but they went out, that they might be made manifest that they were not all of us. But ye have an unction from the Holy One, and ye know all things.Synonyms for unction are anointing, blessing, inspiration, spiritual power, and divine influence. John is speaking of those who accepted Christ and then apostatized from the church. They sin willfully. John continues,  1 John 2:21-24I have not written unto you because ye know not the truth, but because ye know it, and that no lie is of the truth. Who is a liar but he that denieth that Jesus is the Christ? He is antichrist, that denieth the Father and the Son. Whosoever denieth the Son, the same hath not the Father: [but] he that acknowledgeth the Son hath the Father also. Let that therefore abide in you, which ye have heard from the beginning. If that which ye have heard from the beginning shall remain in you, ye also shall continue in the Son, and in the Father.Those who have never known Christ cannot be antichrist in the strictest sense of the word. Even if they are against Christians, having never known Christ, they are not against Christ for he is foreign to them. Only those who have known Christ intimately and then deny him can become sons of perdition. On the other hand, if punishment is harsh, look at the opposite reward for remaining faithful to Christ. 1 John 2:25And this is the promise that he hath promised us, even eternal life.

Podcast 111, 1st John, “Pt 1, Ch 1”Many, I suppose, agree that the apostle John, also known as John the Beloved and John the Revelator, is, like Isaiah, one of the most unique writers in the Holy Bible. It is fitting that the Holy Bible begins with Genesis, the Story of the Creation of the World, and ends with Revelation, the Story of the End of the World. Moses, one of the most unique individuals the world has ever known, wrote the first five books of the Bible. John wrote the last book of the Bible along with the Gospel of John and the epistles of John. Another unique thing that links Moses and John is the question of their death. The Bible records Moses death but not his burial site, yet we have the marvelous story of the Mount of Transfiguration. Matthew 17:1-5And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias. While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.We know that Elias, known as Elijah, was taken up into heaven without tasting death. In other words, he was transfigured as Christ was transfigured on the Mount of Transfiguration. It also appears that Moses was transfigured. He could not have been resurrected because Christ was the first fruits of the resurrection. No one could be resurrected until after Christ was resurrected. Then there is a unique story about John for neither his death nor burial are recorded. His final fate has always been an enigma. Following Christ’s resurrection, Peter has the following dialogue with the Savior.John 32:20-23Then Peter, turning about, seeth the disciple whom Jesus loved following; which also leaned on his breast at supper, and said, Lord, which is he that betrayeth thee? Peter seeing him saith to Jesus, Lord, and what shall this man do? Jesus saith unto him, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee? follow thou me. Then went this saying abroad among the brethren, that that disciple should not die: yet Jesus said not unto him, He shall not die; but, If I will that he tarry till I come, what is that to thee?The Bible gives no account of his death. A transfigured body is not a resurrected body. To be resurrected everyone must first die, even Elijah, at some point. A transfigured body is temporary. A resurrected body is forever. The Book of Revelation, his magnum opus or his last and greatest work, was written while he was exiled to the Isle of Patmos. There is no record of his death. John’s own prophetic and profound writing sets him apart. One finds things in the writing of John that one doesn’t find elsewhere. Even his gospel stands out among the other three gospels. This book covers the three epistles of John:  1st John, 2nd John, and 3rd John. John, who was with Christ from the beginning, gives us tremendous insight into the life and teachings of Christ. He is a true witness of Christ who understood the mission of Christ very clearly.1 John 1:1That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;“That which was from the beginning” is not referring to Christ’s birth on earth. It refers to the origin of Christ himself as the only begotten Son of God who is without beginning of days or end of years. He was with the Father in the Beginning with the unique assignment to save the world. Of all the scriptures ever written none are greater than the following:John 3:11-17Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things? And no man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up: That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life. For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.John understood what Nicodemus the Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews and a member of the Sanhedrin, did not understand. He knew the living Christ.1 John 1:2(For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)John emphasizes that by accepting Christ we have a relationship both with the Father and with the Son.1 John 1:3That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.In the two verses above John makes a clear distinction between the Father and the Son. He also makes that distinction in the Book of Revelation. It was John who saw the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven after the cleansing of the earth by fire.Revelation 21:1-5And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I John saw the holy city, new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and he will dwell with them, and they shall be his people, and God himself shall be with them, and be their God. And God shall wipe away all tears from their eyes; and there shall be no more death, neither sorrow, nor crying, neither shall there be any more pain: for the former things are passed away. And he that sat upon the throne said, Behold, I make all things new. And he said unto me, Write: for these words are true and faithful.In fact, when John saw in vision, the New Jerusalem coming down from heaven, he saw both the Father and the Son.Revelation 22:1-3And he shewed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding out of the throne of God and of the Lamb. In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him:John is speaking of two thrones: (1) The Throne of God, meaning the Throne of the Father, and (2) The Throne of the Lamb, meaning The Throne of the Son. Both will live and reign on this earth in its celestial state. Only those who are saved through the blood of Christ shall inherit this earth. Paul also speaks of our relationship to both the Father and the Son. Romans 8:16-17The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together.We shall be heirs of God, meaning the Father, and joint-heirs with Christ, meaning the Son. Why aren’t we “joint-heirs” with the Father. It is because the Father, who is the law of justice, could not bestow upon us that gift because of the fall of man. It was only the atonement of Christ that made it possible. The only way we can be heirs with the Father is if we become joint-heirs with the Son. Without the Son we could never return to the presence of the Father.  In the Book of Revelation we read,Revelation 21:6-7And he said unto me, It is done. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son.“What would it be like to “inherit all things”? John explains it.1 John 1:4And these things write we unto you, that your joy may be full.No mortal on this earth can possibly comprehend what it will be like to live in the presence of both the Father and the Son and have a fullness of joy. John tries to explain it to us. 1 John 1:5This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.Christianity gives us these terms: light vs darkness, good vs evil, God vs Satan. Who can imagine a world with no darkness. John saw it in vision while on the Isle of Patmos.Revelation 22:5And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.We understand light and darkness, of course, when speaking of day and night. Many of us, perhaps, have visited deep caverns where they turn out all lights putting you in total darkness. We are told that extended periods in absolute darkness may cause disorientation, sleep disruption, anxiety, depression, and possible hallucinations. We are light oriented. Our bodies need vitamin D. We need day and night cycles. 

Podcast 110, 2nd Peter, “Pt 8, Ch 3”It is accepted that Peter was the Chief Apostle. Peter was present at all the great miracles. It was to Peter whom the Lord said,Matthew 16:19And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.Peter bears witness of earlier prophets. 2 Peter 3:1-2This second epistle, beloved, I now write unto you; in both which I stir up your pure minds by way of remembrance: That ye may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us the apostles of the Lord and Saviour:One thing is clear from the Holy Bible, true prophets and apostles bear testimony of the words of other true prophets and apostles. It is according to the law of witnesses.Matthew 18:16But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.Christ himself quoted from the ancient prophets.Matthew 12:39-41But he answered and said unto them, An evil and adulterous generation seeketh after a sign; and there shall no sign be given to it, but the sign of the prophet Jonas: For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. The men of Nineveh shall rise in judgment with this generation, and shall condemn it: because they repented at the preaching of Jonas; and, behold, a greater than Jonas is here.Ironically, of course, it was Christ who revealed those words to his prophets. By quoting his prophets, he is validating his own words. Christ quoted many prophets: Isaiah, Daniel, Jonah, Moses, Eljah, Elisha, and David. The prophet he quoted most frequently was Isaiah. Matthew 13:13-15Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand. And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive: For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing, and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.Like the prophet Isaiah, Peter prophesies of the last days. 2 Peter 3:3-4Knowing this first, that there shall come in the last days scoffers, walking after their own lusts, And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation.We are all living in the last days and can see the fulfilment of Peter’s prophecy. Peter says they are “willfully ignorant.” He compares our day to the period during Noah’s flood.2 Peter 3:4-6And saying, Where is the promise of his coming? for since the fathers fell asleep, all things continue as they were from the beginning of the creation. For this they willingly are ignorant of, that by the word of God the heavens were of old, and the earth standing out of the water and in the water: Whereby the world that then was, being overflowed with water, perished:The Lord promised that the world would never again end in a flood; however, rather than a flood, it would end in fire.2 Peter 3:7But the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.Then Peter offers a unique doctrine regarding the Lord’s time.2 Peter 3: 8But, beloved, be not ignorant of this one thing, that one day is with the Lord as a thousand years, and a thousand years as one day.That suggests that the Lord lives on a planet with a different time zone than ours. For example, our time is governed by our own solar system. The earth is 24,000 miles around. It spins 1000 miles an hour; therefore, our day is 24 hours long. The moon circles the earth in approximately 30 days; therefore our month is approximately 30 days long. Our earth circles the sun in 365 days; therefore, our year is 365 days long.  Time is relative to our solar system. The same is true with the Lord. His time is marked by the revolutions of the planetary system in which he lives. It is unique, but it explains an enigma in the Creation story. In Genesis we read:Genesis 2:15-17And the Lord God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.After eating the fruit of the tree of knowledge of good and evil, Adam did not die within twenty-four hours. Adam lived over nine hundred years but less than a thousand which fulfilled the prophesy. According to the Lord’s time, Adam died in the day that he ate the forbidden fruit.Of course that introduces another paradox. Adam, before he ate the forbidden fruit, was not subject to time as we understand it for he was immortal. Only after he ate the forbidden fruit was he subject to death. On earth it is entropy that gives time its arrow. We measure our birthdate and our death date. God is immortal; therefore, time as we understand it has no real hold on him. He may live on a planet that measures time by its revolutions, but he lives in an eternal state that is timeless, a concept that we cannot comprehend.However, it has one tremendous effect on us. Prophecies do not usually deal with calendar dates. The fact is that no one knows when Christ shall come to earth the Second Time. Many, according to Peter’s prophecy doubt the Second Coming of Christ.According to Peter it is out of mercy that Christ delays his coming.  We live in a state of probation. We are given a chance to repent of our sins and come to Christ.2 Peter 3:9The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.Isaiah warned us:Isaiah 55:6-7Seek ye the Lord while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near: 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.We are warned that the Lord will come at an unexpected hour.2 Peter 3:10But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.Peter is not the only prophet who prophesied that the earth would melt with fervent heat. Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament, made a similar prophecy.Malachi 4:1-3For, behold, the day cometh, that shall burn as an oven; and all the proud, yea, and all that do wickedly, shall be stubble: and the day that cometh shall burn them up, saith the Lord of hosts, that it shall leave them neither root nor branch. But unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings; and ye shall go forth, and grow up as calves of the stall. And ye shall tread down the wicked; for they shall be ashes under the soles of your feet in the day that I shall do this, saith the Lord of hosts.There are other verses that refer to the world ending in fire.Matthew 13:40-43As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world. The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity; And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.Peter, however, is not trying to frighten us. He is trying to get us to repent and prepare for the Second Coming of our Lord. 2 Peter 3:11-14Seeing then that all these things shall be dissolved, what manner of persons ought ye to be in all holy conversation and godliness, Looking for and hasting unto the coming of the day of God, wherein the heavens being on fire shall be dissolved, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat? Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness. Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.A “new heaven and a new earth” are often spoken of Isaiah 65:17For, behold, I create new heavens and a new earth: and the former shall not be remembered, nor come into mind.Revelation 21:1And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.We must always recall John 3:16-17. Christ wants to save the world, not condemn it. John 3:16-17For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.Peter speaks of that same sentiment. 2 Peter 3:15-16And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation;&

Podcast 109, 2nd Peter, “Pt 7, Ch 2”One of the roles or responsibilities of the quorum of the twelve apostles is to keep the doctrine pure. Even as early as the days of Peter, false teachers began to emerge in the church and to lead the people astray. 2nd Peter 2:1But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be false teachers among you, who privily shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction.False teachers have always been a curse to truths taught by the true prophets. Even in the days of Isaiah, we readIsaiah 9:15-16The ancient and honourable, he is the head; and the prophet that teacheth lies, he is the tail. For the leaders of this people cause them to err; and they that are led of them are destroyed.It is incumbent upon all of us to look to Christ, the Bishop of our Souls, to keep us on the straight and narrow path. Even when Christ walked among the apostles he taught,Matthew 7:15"Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves."And those false prophets and false teachers will find success among some members of the church.2nd Peter 2:2And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.We, of course, know the true way.John 14:5Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."Peter teaches us how to discern the good from the evil. 2nd Peter 2:3And through covetousness shall they with feigned words make merchandise of you: whose judgment now of a long time lingereth not, and their damnation slumbereth not. He warns against those who “make merchandise” of religion. In Micah we read.Micah 3:9-11Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us.Micah was a contemporary of Isaiah and like Isaiah his prophecies were both for Judah and Ephraim, both past and present. Like Isaiah Micah prophesied of the birth of the Savior in Bethlehem.Micah 5:2But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah... out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel.Peter makes an interesting analogy. He uses three images: (1) He refers back to the war in heaven in which Lucifer and his followers were cast out. (2) He refers to the flood of Noah. and (3) He refers to Sodom and Gomorrah.2nd Peter 2:4-7For if God spared not the angels that sinned, but cast them down to hell, and delivered them into chains of darkness, to be reserved unto judgment; And spared not the old world, but saved Noah the eighth person, a preacher of righteousness, bringing in the flood upon the world of the ungodly; And turning the cities of Sodom and Gomorrha into ashes condemned them with an overthrow, making them an ensample unto those that after should live ungodly; And delivered just Lot, vexed with the filthy conversation of the wicked:Peter’s powerful warning is not just for his day but for all time. Peter is speaking of the law of justice. Angels that rebelled against God were cast out. The entire world, save Noah and his family, was destroyed. The entire cities of Sodom and Gomorrah save Lot and part of his family were destroyed. In other words, none of the wicked are exempt from the justice of God except those who repent or those like Lot who live righteously among wicked people.2nd Peter 2:8(For that righteous man dwelling among them, in seeing and hearing, vexed his righteous soul from day to day with their unlawful deeds;)We learn from that that grace is for those who seek grace. Grace, though always freely and generously available to everyone on this earth, is not imposed upon anyone against their will or that would take away their agency. However, those who seek grace will freely receive it; those who do not seek it must answer to justice. 2nd Peter 2:9The Lord knoweth how to deliver the godly out of temptations, and to reserve the unjust unto the day of judgment to be punished:Peter defines those who are reserved unto the day of judgment to be punished.2nd Peter 2:10-16But chiefly them that walk after the flesh in the lust of uncleanness, and despise government. Presumptuous are they, selfwilled, they are not afraid to speak evil of dignities. Whereas angels, which are greater in power and might, bring not railing accusation against them before the Lord. But these, as natural brute beasts, made to be taken and destroyed, speak evil of the things that they understand not; and shall utterly perish in their own corruption; 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.Peter continues to describe the nature of those false teachers that we may avoid their lies.2nd Peter 2:17-18These are wells without water, clouds that are carried with a tempest; to whom the mist of darkness is reserved for ever. For when they speak great swelling words of vanity, they allure through the lusts of the flesh, through much wantonness, those that were clean escaped from them who live in error.Peter hits on target those of our own day who promise liberty but deliver only captivity.2nd Peter 2:19While they promise them liberty, they themselves are the servants of corruption: for of whom a man is overcome, of the same is he brought in bondage.One must only listen to the news to see clearly that he is not only prophesying of his day but of our day as well. How many today are promising liberty but delivering communism and socialism; promising freedom but taking away the freedom of speech, freedom of the press, and freedom of religion; promising liberty but are destroying the balance of power, the Constitution, the Bill of Rights; promising liberty but are robbing the rich to give to the poor, using tax payer money to bribe for votes, condemning the innocent and protecting thieves, murderers, child molesters, kidnappers, drug dealers, rapists, human traffickers, destroying the lives of innocent children by urging sex changes, denying gender, denying God, denying morality, denying the Ten Commandments, attacking Christians and Jews, punishing the righteous and letting the wicked go free?  Again Peter saw our day. Our nation was founded on Christian values, yet now all Christian symbols are being removed from government property, including the halls of congress. Even after 250 years of freedom, “the latter is worse than the beginning.” As Peter so brilliantly said,2 Peter 2:20For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.Peter is a true prophet of our day. He further warns.2nd Peter 2:21-22For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them. But it is happened unto them according to the true proverb, The dog is turned to his own vomit again; and the sow that was washed to her wallowing in the mire.We must understand that all true scripture and the words of all true prophets was meant to be applied to one’s own present, to one’s own self, to one’s own time and circumstances. If scripture applies only to the past, it is of historic value only. The purpose of true prophets is to be a warning for all times and all places and all peoples. Truth stands regardless of temporal circumstances, regardless of culture, governments, beliefs, languages, religions, or traditions.  As we should be wary of wolves in sheep’s clothing so should we be wary of those who promise liberty but are of themselves servants of corruption. If we allow them to trample on our Constitution, our Bill of Rights, our Declaration of Independence, our liberty, they not only destroy themselves but they will also bring us into bondage.

Podcast 108, 1st Peter, “Pt 6, Ch 1”Peter, introducing himself by his given name and by the name that Christ assigned him upon their first meeting, addresses his second epistle to the new converts of the church, both Jew and Gentile.2 Peter 1:1Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ:What is very significant about the introduction is that there is no more of the ambiguity that existed in the early days as Simon and all the other apostles were discovering who Christ was and who they were and what their role was in his kingdom on earth. Throughout Christ’s ministry he taught the apostles that he would die and be resurrected and they would take over his ministry. Even following the Savior’s death, there was some question about his resurrection. Christ had to prove that he was the resurrected Lord. Upon appearing to his apostles, Christ said, Luke 24:39Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.There are many levels of faith. The twelve apostles were in the presence of Christ, taught directly by Christ. They witnessed Christ healing the sick, raising the dead, restoring sight to the blind. Now Christ is no longer with them to speak for himself. The next generation of converts have only the apostle’s words as well as those others who saw Christ after his resurrection that Christ was truly the resurrected Lord.  What faith today does it take to believe a missionary who has never seen the Lord?Christ addresses that issue to Thomas who refused to believe unless he sees the risen Lord.John 20:29Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed.Peter also addresses that issue to new converts.1 Peter 1:8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory.In a beautiful definition of Faith, Paul captures the heart of what faith is.Hebrews 11:1Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.Faith and Hope are closely tied together in Paul’s definition. Synonyms for substance are essence, nature, core, heart, reality, being, character, and fundamental nature. We think of substance as matter, material, composition. It is ironic to put substance as “things hoped for.” Substance suggests reality, certainty, assurance. Hope, however, suggests expectation, anticipation, aspiration, and desire. In other words, Paul is saying that faith gives reality to hope. Faith brings hope out of the stage of ‘wishful thinking’ and makes it a reality. Without faith one cannot have hope. Faith then is an action word. Faith puts into motion that which makes hope become a reality. The sheer genius of Paul’s definition is how he connects reality to faith and hope. He says faith is evidence. Evidence is a stronger word that substance. Evidence means proof. Synonyms are verification, confirmation, documentation, validation, and substantiation. Evidence is used in court. To Paul it makes the invisible world visible.  Even if one hasn’t seen Christ one can know that he exists through faith. The difference, however, between religious evidence and court evidence is that religious evidence is not transferable. For example, one can know with certainty that Christ exists because one has evidence. But for another to have that evidence transferred to them, they too must exercise faith. Why is that so? First of all, it is by the design of the Almighty God. We were not sent to earth to validate that which can be seen with the naked eye. The Bible shows very little interest in science. What we call science is wonderful. It is essential to physical life, but it is not essential to salvation and exaltation. We were sent to earth to gain faith. Science, as essential as it is to life, does not give us power in the spiritual realm. Faith alone gives us power in the spiritual realm. God is omniscient and omnipotent, not because he understands science. He is omniscient and omnipotent because he understands law, both temporal and spiritual. The resurrection, for example, was not brought about by temporal laws. There are no temporal laws on our planet or in the universe that can bring about a resurrection. There are no temporal laws that can give us eternal life. God uses temporal laws all the time. He is the author of temporal laws, but temporal laws are secondary in God’s kingdom, not primary. Temporal laws may provide us physical comfort, but temporal laws cannot save us. Christ alone can do that because he was obedient to all of Father’s commandments. First he overcame sin. Then he overcame death. Only by overcoming sin could he overcome death. We all sin; therefore, we do not have the power within ourselves to overcome sin. Christ, who was sinless, does; therefore, Christ can forgive us for our sins. That is the effect of grace, and grace is spiritual not temporal.Peter put it best.   2nd Peter 1:2-4Grace and peace be multiplied unto you through the knowledge of God, and of Jesus our Lord, According as his divine power hath given unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust.Where can you find such language as that in science? Peter wants us to be “partakers of the divine nature.” That is extra-terrestrial. That cannot be found on this earth. That can only be found in Christ, our resurrected Lord. We are children of God. Our spirits are in the image and likeness of our Father in heaven. We have a divine nature; however, because of the fall, we suffered both a temporal death—the separation of the body from the spirit—and a spiritual death—the separation of our spirit from God. The only reason Christ came to earth and submitted himself to the laws of man was to atone for our sins, not his, to satisfy the law of justice, which he never broke, and through his grace bring us back into the presence of God. Without the atonement of Jesus Christ that divine nature would mean nothing because without Christ, we would be forever tied to this earth, subject to Satan’s power. Peter, a hands-on prophet tells us how to be partakers of the divine nature. 2 Peter 1:5-8And beside this, giving all diligence, add to your faith virtue; and to virtue knowledge; And to knowledge temperance; and to temperance patience; and to patience godliness; And to godliness brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness charity. For if these things be in you, and abound, they make you that ye shall neither be barren nor unfruitful in the knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ.Most Christians are familiar with Paul’s exquisite definition of charity. 1st Corinthians 13:1-13Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, and have not charity, I am become as sounding brass, or a tinkling cymbal. And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries, and all knowledge; and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, and have not charity, I am nothing. And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, and have not charity, it profiteth me nothing. Charity suffereth long, and is kind; charity envieth not; charity vaunteth not itself, is not puffed up, Doth not behave itself unseemly, seeketh not her own, is not easily provoked, thinketh no evil; Rejoiceth not in iniquity, but rejoiceth in the truth; Beareth all things, believeth all things, hopeth all things, endureth all things. Charity never faileth: but whether there be prophecies, they shall fail; whether there be tongues, they shall cease; whether there be knowledge, it shall vanish away. For we know in part, and we prophesy in part. But when that which is perfect is come, then that which is in part shall be done away. When I was a child, I spake as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things. For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.To be partakers of the divine nature, Peter urges us to make our calling and election sure.2nd Peter 1:9-10But he that lacketh these things is blind, and cannot see afar off, and hath forgotten that he was purged from his old sins. Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:“Calling” means foreordination. All of us who came to earth to gain a body were foreordained to return to God. We were foreordained, not predestined, because of agency. To have full agency we had to leave the presence of God and prove our faith to him. We did not have to come to earth. We chose to come to earth. In Job we read,Job 38:4-7Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding. Who hath laid the measures thereof, if thou knowest? or who hath stretched the line upon it? Whereupon are the foundations thereof fastened? or who laid the corner stone thereof; When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?

Podcast 107, 1st Peter, “Pt 5, Ch 5”How different the world is because of the letters of the first apostles. It gives a personal approach to religion.  Peter, a humble fisherman, once was named Simon. When called by the Savior to be a disciple, Simon’s name was changed to Cephas or Peter, meaning rock. He was given the keys of the kingdom that whatsoever he bound on earth would be bound in heaven. What does it mean to be bound on earth and in heaven? It is referring to covenants, for example, such covenants as the marriage covenant. It is a form of sealing such as husband and wife, parents and children. God sees everything from an eternal perspective.  In Christian terms it means the circle does not have to be broken, that families may be together forever. Initially Adam and Eve were married by God which became the model for all marriages. For example, we find it in the Abrahamic CovenentGenesis 17:4-9As for me, behold, my covenant is with thee, and thou shalt be a father of many nations. Neither shall thy name any more be called Abram, but thy name shall be Abraham; for a father of many nations have I made thee. And I will make thee exceeding fruitful, and I will make nations of thee, and kings shall come out of thee. And I will establish my covenant between me and thee and thy seed after thee in their generations for an everlasting covenant, to be a God unto thee, and to thy seed after thee. And I will give unto thee, and to thy seed after thee, the land wherein thou art a stranger, all the land of Canaan, for an everlasting possession; and I will be their God. And God said unto Abraham, Thou shalt keep my covenant therefore, thou, and thy seed after thee in their generations.It is an everlasting covenant. That same Priesthood given to Abraham was given to Peter. Along with the other apostles Peter was a personal witness of Jesus Christ.But that covenant is far reaching. Consider the Parable of the Ten Virgins, only five of whom are allowed into the marriage feast. Those who are allowed are bound forever with Christ in his Kingdom. Those who are not allowed do not have an eternal covenant with God. God is a forever God. He lives in eternity. Christ died for us that we may return to his presence and there remain forever.1 Peter 5:1The elders which are among you I exhort, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed:The role of an apostle is to be a witness of Christ to the world. Peter is not only a personal witness of Christ, he is also a teacher. For Peter’s words, as with all the apostles, to be meaningful, we must consider his letter written directly to us, with his signature. 1st Peter 5:2Feed the flock of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind;That invitation has never been rescinded. It is the role of all Christians to “feed the flock of God.” God has given all of his children special gifts of the spirit and the Lord expects us to use those gifts in service to our fellow man.Romans 12:3-6For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith. For as we have many members in one body, and all members have not the same office: So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;Like Peter, Paul also teaches humility and love.Romans 12:9-18Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another; Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord; Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits. Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.The Lord has distributed his gifts to all men and women throughout the world, and he expects us to use those gifts in service to our fellow man regardless of race, color, culture, creed, or country. Again, we look to Paul1st Corinthians 12: 4-11Now there are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit. And there are differences of administrations, but the same Lord. And there are diversities of operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But the manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man to profit withal. For to one is given by the Spirit the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge by the same Spirit; To another faith by the same Spirit; to another the gifts of healing by the same Spirit; To another the working of miracles; to another prophecy; to another discerning of spirits; to another divers kinds of tongues; to another the interpretation of tongues: But all these worketh that one and the selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.One can see by the list above that those gifts are manifested in many different ways. For example, what would we do if there were not men and women who have the gifts of healing. That does not refer only to miraculous healing. That refers to doctors, nurses, scientists, and all others who find ways to heal people. It refers to those who invent technologies that preserve life and discover healing herbs or develop healing medicines. How many diseases have been conquered? How many today are working on cures for cancer, diabetes, and a myriad of other infirmities of mankind? I am old enough to remember the first polio shot. I remember the first heart transplant. Are those not gifts of healing. Notice that “the same God which worketh all in all.” All gifts of healing, regardless of who gets the credit, are gifts from God. Happy is the day when we all learn that simple lesson. Everything good comes from God. Everything evil comes from Satan. We are all provincial. We see our own back yard. The whole world is God’s domain. In the following Paul is speaking of the Church established by Christ.1 Corinthians 12:12-13For as the body is one, and hath many members, and all the members of that one body, being many, are one body: so also is Christ. For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit.He is speaking of a church that is now teaching the gentiles. But let’s also step back and consider not just the Church Christ established but the entire world, for God is father of us all. We are one to him. His domain is the world, not just Christians. Every person born on this earth is a child of God. Read the following in that context.1 Corinthians 12:14-26For the body is not one member, but many. If the foot shall say, Because I am not the hand, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? And if the ear shall say, Because I am not the eye, I am not of the body; is it therefore not of the body? If the whole body were an eye, where were the hearing? If the whole were hearing, where were the smelling? But now hath God set the members every one of them in the body, as it hath pleased him. And if they were all one member, where were the body? But now are they many members, yet but one body. And the eye cannot say unto the hand, I have no need of thee: nor again the head to the feet, I have no need of you. Nay, much more those members of the body, which seem to be more feeble, are necessary: And those members of the body, which we think to be less honourable, upon these we bestow more abundant honour; and our uncomely parts have more abundant comeliness. For our comely parts have no need: but God hath tempered the body together, having given more abundant honour to that part which lacked: That there should be no schism in the body; but that the members should have the same care one for another. And whether one member suffer, all the members suffer with it; or one member be honoured, all the members rejoice with it.If it is true for the world, it is an even a greater burden among Christians to treat all as equal, not just other Christians. 1 Corinthians 12:27-31Now ye are the body of Christ, and members in particular. And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues. Are all apostles? are all prophets? are all teachers? are all workers of miracles? Have all the gifts of healing? do all speak with tongues? do all interpret? But covet earnestly the best gifts: and yet shew I unto you a more excellent way.

Podcast 106, 1st Peter, “Pt 4, Ch 4”Becoming a follower of Christ has a great price. We naturally assume that all good comes from God and all evil comes from Satan. That is true. For agency to exist we must be enticed by one or the other. It is the law of opposition. That is the only reason that Satan is permitted to live on the earth. Agency is primary to progression. It is one of the greatest gifts of God. It is why earth was created. It is why we came to the earth from the world of spirits living in immortality with God and were given a physical body. That too increased our agency for the flesh suffers temptations that the spirit does not.1st Peter 4:1Forasmuch then as Christ hath suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with the same mind: for he that hath suffered in the flesh hath ceased from sin;During the war in heaven the choice was very simple. Those who accepted Christ followed Michael, the archangel. Those who rejected Christ followed Lucifer and his angels. The battle was massive for a third part of the hosts of heaven sided with Lucifer. Lucifer’s goal was very simple. He wanted to overthrow Christ and become God.Isaiah 14:12-14How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High.The war in heaven was also seen in vision by John the Revelator.Revelation 12:3-4And there appeared another wonder in heaven; and behold a great red dragon, having seven heads and ten horns, and seven crowns upon his heads. And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born.Satan is on earth now and his primary target is to destroy those who follow Christ and take away their agency. That was his primary target in heaven.Revelation 12:7-9And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, And prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.That same battle continues on earth today. As in heaven so on earth we are given two choices, to follow Christ or to follow Satan. Satan is very cunning. One can divide the tactics of Satan into three classes. The first tactic is the same as he used in heaven. It is cunning. Satan is known as the father of lies, and it was through lies that he persuaded a third part of the hosts of heaven to follow him. They lost the war in heaven, and they were all cast down to the earth with him. He continues those lies today. On earth, however, one thing changed dramatically. In heaven we were only spirits. We did not have a body of flesh and bones; therefore, we were not tempted by things of the flesh. Satan and his angels have never had a body and never will have a body. That is why they want to possess our bodies. Some even went into the bodies of swine. Satan kept his cunning. He is still the father of lies, but he increased his tactics. In addition to his cunning, his lies, and his deceit, he now appeals to the natural man, the lusts of the flesh. He wants us to think that the flesh is everything and we should all eat, drink, and be merry, for tomorrow we die. It is perhaps his most effective tool, but he has a third tactic. It is a repetition of the one he used in heaven. In heaven Lucifer recruited the other spirits to follow him. And they became his disciples. A third part of heaven followed him and became sons of perdition like himself. On earth, however, he recruits the spirits of those who refused to follow him in heaven. He recruits fallen man. Many in the flesh who fought with Michael against Lucifer in heaven have become soldiers in the army of Satan on earth. Therefore, we have a third enemy. Enemy one is the Cunning of Satan. Enemy two is the Natural Man. Enemy Three is the Craftiness of Man, or, in other words, the craftiness of those who came to earth and gained a body. In heaven they followed Michael. That is why they earned the right to come to earth and gain a body. However, on earth, they follow Satan, most unknowingly. The subtlety is that in heaven those spirits who followed Lucifer knew who their master was. They rejected Christ and worshiped Lucifer. Those in the flesh who follow Satan do not always recognize their masters. Often they follow Satan thinking they are serving God. It is devious. It is subtle. It is deadly. Peter tells us.1st Peter 5: 8Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:Following Satan thinking we are following God is perhaps the most cunning of all his tricks. Peter teaches us to overcome the natural man.1st Peter 4:2-4That he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh to the lusts of men, but to the will of God. For the time past of our life may suffice us to have wrought the will of the Gentiles, when we walked in lasciviousness, lusts, excess of wine, revellings, banquetings, and abominable idolatries: Wherein they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot, speaking evil of you:It was Peter who introduced another concept that perhaps many Christians have overlooked. God is in heaven. He is omniscient. He sees all, both the living and the dead. He is concerned for all, both the living and the dead. For example, we learn from 1st Peter Chapter Three that those who drowned in the flood were taught by Christ after death in the spirit world during the time between his death and the resurrection.1st Peter 3:18-20For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit: By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.In Chapter Four Peter again addresses the issue of the dead.1st Peter 4:5-6Who shall give account to him that is ready to judge the quick and the dead. For for this cause was the gospel preached also to them that are dead, that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.In the above Peter tells us why Christ taught the spirits of those who were dead: “that they might be judged according to men in the flesh, but live according to God in the spirit.” That tells us that everyone who comes to this earth will be taught of Christ whether in this life or the next. Christ is the savior and redeemer of the entire world from Adam to the last man and woman on earth. He is the Christ. Those who are not taught the gospel of Christ on earth will be taught the gospel of Christ in the spirit world so that the judgment will be fair. Christ does not hold people accountable for laws they were never taught on earth. The mercy and grace of Christ covers everything. God is both just and merciful. Nevertheless, everyone of Adam and Eve’s posterity, before they meet Christ at the judgment bar, will have heard of Christ whether on earth or in the world of the spirits of the dead. That is part of the law of agency. We must all choose for ourselves whom we will follow, Christ or Satan.After teaching that gospel principle, Peter turns his attention to the living.1st Peter 4:7-10But the end of all things is at hand: be ye therefore sober, and watch unto prayer. And above all things have fervent charity among yourselves: for charity shall cover the multitude of sins. Use hospitality one to another without grudging. As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God.Christ expects those who know the gospel to preach the gospel to others. We are all, who know Christ, stewards of the manifold grace of God. Notice the faith God has in the members of his church.1st Peter 4:11If any man speak, let him speak as the oracles of God; if any man minister, let him do it as of the ability which God giveth: that God in all things may be glorified through Jesus Christ, to whom be praise and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.It was Peter who said that the trials of our faith were as gold. He continues that theme. 1 Peter 4:12-14Beloved, think it not strange concerning the fiery trial which is to try you, as though some strange thing happened unto you: But rejoice, inasmuch as ye are partakers of Christ’s sufferings; that, when his glory shall be revealed, ye may be glad also with exceeding joy. If ye be reproached for the name of Christ, happy are ye; for the spirit of glory and of God resteth upon you: on their part he is evil spoken of, but on your part he is glorified.

Podcast 105, 1st Peter, “Pt 3, Ch 3Perhaps few verses have been more abused and more misunderstood than those found in Chapter 3 of First Peter. For example, 1st Peter 3:1Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;Many husbands misinterpret the phrase, “be in subjection to your own husbands” as meaning that the husband has power over the wife. They have simply ignored everything else Peter said as well as other apostles and prophets. This is written to the wives, not to the husbands, but notice the wording, “be in subjection to your own husbands.” It is an admonition against adultery. For one thing he is commanding the wife to only have sexual relations with her husband just as the husbands are commanded to only have sexual relations with their wives. Adultery is condemned in the Ten Commandments. Infidelity and the destruction of the home can bring down not only the home but also a nation. He is also talking to wives whose faith is stronger than their husbands. “If any obey not the word,” is speaking of the husbands who do not follow the words of Christ. Peter’s advice is that the only way the wife can win her husband to Christ is” by good conversation.” It means, in addition to their language of patience they also win by the language of love taught by the Savior. They are encouraged to be an example to their husbands. Peter is talking about marriage between husband and wife which can only endure through harmony not contention. Peter continues,1st Peter 3:2While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.“Chaste conversation” means fidelity to the marriage covenant. “Coupled with fear” means fear of God. “Fear of God” refers to keeping the commandments of God. Our first parents, Adam and Eve, were married by God. That is the Christian standard, that husbands and wives love each other, remain faithful to each other and faithful to God. That is the model God established for bringing children into the world. God is teaching the ideal where children have the role model of both father and mother. We know in our world that the ideal is not always attainable, but that never lessens the importance of the ideal. Though we must often adjust to the circumstances, we must always strive toward the ideal. God is merciful to those single parents who heroically raise their children alone. God never condemns that which is beyond our control. My second wife, who was abandoned by her first husband at the birth of their seventh child, raised all of her children entirely alone without any child support and limited education. She went on to get her bachelor’s, master’s and PhD degrees while raising seven children. My first wife died of cancer. My children were grown, save one. When Linda and I married our families merged, giving us 13 children which grew to 45 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren, and growing. She often speaks of the miracles she experienced when circumstances appeared intolerable.Peter speaks of the wearing of apparel in a very interesting way. He is really speaking of false pride.1st Peter 3:3-6Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel; But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price. For after this manner in the old time the holy women also, who trusted in God, adorned themselves, being in subjection unto their own husbands: Even as Sara obeyed Abraham, calling him lord: whose daughters ye are, as long as ye do well, and are not afraid with any amazement.Peter is not attacking expensive clothing. He is addressing priorities. If our rich apparel comes between us and God then it becomes a detriment to our spiritual growth. It becomes a distraction to the more important things of life. To Peter the important things of life are spiritual. “Let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible.” It is the idea of who is master. We cannot serve both God and Mammon. Peter refers to the chaste women of the past who put their trust in God. That is very ancient doctrine. In proverbs we read,Proverbs 3:5-6Trust in the Lord with all thine heart; and lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, and he shall direct thy paths."The author of Proverbs is King Solomon, perhaps the wealthiest man on earth at that time. Solomon was not condemned for being wealthy neither was Abraham. Peter is not Politically Correct. He believes in the unity of marriage but acknowledges differences between men and women. 1st Peter 3:7Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.Peter acknowledges that men are physically stronger than women, nothing more. We know where he would stand in allowing men in women’s sports as if they were biologically equal. When he speaks of “knowledge,” he is speaking of scientific knowledge, of biological and natural differences, not intellectual, spiritual, or moral differences. In fact, he acknowledges the perfect equality of men and women before God. He said, “as being heirs together of the grace of life.” Together means perfect equality in heaven as it should be on earth. The grace of Christ is offered equally to all of us. Salvation is offered equally to all of us. Our standing with God is offered equally in all of us. There is no respecter of persons and no inequality with God. Those who use their physical or circumstantial strength to bully others will answer to God for their misbehavior. The victims on earth will be the conquerors in heaven for Christ will always take the side of the innocent. Peter admonishes us to be of one mind with our spouses.1st Peter 3:8-11Finally, be ye all of one mind, having compassion one of another, love as brethren, be pitiful, be courteous: Not rendering evil for evil, or railing for railing: but contrariwise blessing; knowing that ye are thereunto called, that ye should inherit a blessing. For he that will love life, and see good days, let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile: Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.That is a formula for a perfect marriage and a formula for a perfect and peaceful society. That is what it will be like in the Millennium. The only thing that separates us in the eyes of God is the level of righteousness. 1st Peter 3:12For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers: but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.“Them” has no gender. One can hear the words of Christ in the words of Peter.1st Peter 3:13-17And who is he that will harm you, if ye be followers of that which is good? But and if ye suffer for righteousness’ sake, happy are ye: and be not afraid of their terror, neither be troubled; But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear: Having a good conscience; that, whereas they speak evil of you, as of evildoers, they may be ashamed that falsely accuse your good conversation in Christ. For it is better, if the will of God be so, that ye suffer for well doing, than for evil doing.Peter clearly defines the role of Christ, our Savior.1st Peter 3:18 For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:The entire purpose of Christ was to bring us to God. Christ died for our sins so that we may once again live in the presence of God the Father. John makes it very clear that Both Christ and the Father shall dwell together in heaven. In speaking of Heaven, John said,Revelation 22:2-5In the midst of the street of it, and on either side of the river, was there the tree of life, which bare twelve manner of fruits, and yielded her fruit every month: and the leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: And they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads. And there shall be no night there; and they need no candle, neither light of the sun; for the Lord God giveth them light: and they shall reign for ever and ever.Have you ever wondered what heaven is like? Perhaps if would help if you imagined the ideal family life on earth. Paul said, 1st Corinthians 11:11-12Nevertheless neither is the man without the woman, neither the woman without the man, in the Lord. For as the woman is of the man, even so is the man also by the woman; but all things of God.To God the relationship between husband and wife was meant to be eternal. In the next verse of 1st Peter, Peter says a very puzzling thing.1st Peter 3:19-20By which also he went and preached unto the spirits in prison; Which sometime were disobedient, when once the longsuffering of God waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was a preparing, wherein few, that is, eight souls were saved by water.

Podcast 104, 1st Peter, “Pt 2, Ch 2”Peter occupies a special place among the apostles. His name was Simon but Christ gave him the name of Cephas which means stone. John 1:42And he brought him to Jesus. And when Jesus beheld him, he said, Thou art Simon the son of Jona: thou shalt be called Cephas, which is by interpretation, A stone.The Greek equivalent is Petros, which also means rock or stone. Therefore, he is generally known as Peter. There is another scripture dealing with the name of Peter that is easy to misunderstand. It is a famous scripture.Matthew 16:13-17When Jesus came into the coasts of Cæsarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.Peter was often the first to act and the first to speak. He was the first to get out of the boat and walk on water. Here he is the first to acknowledge Christ as the Son of the living God. Jesus blesses Peter for his answer and then teaches Peter and the other apostles an important doctrine of Christianity. He said, “for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” Jesus is speaking of revelation. Only through revelation can anyone know Christ. Paul tells us:Galatians 1:11-12But I certify you, brethren, that the gospel which was preached of me is not after man. For I neither received it of man, neither was I taught it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.The following synonyms are given for ‘revelation’: divine communication, inspiration, prophecy, heavenly message, vision, oracle, disclosure of truth, communication, enlightenment, awakening, etc. Some things can only come through revelation. A testimony of Christ is one of those things. Even though Peter was in the presence of Christ, still he only knew that Jesus was the Christ through revelation. Christ is teaching that principle to Peter and to the other Apostles. Christ continues.Matthew 16:18-20And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ.Jesus is playing on the work ‘rock.’ As stated, it was Jesus who gave Peter the name ‘Cephas’ or rock, but Peter is not the rock upon which the church is built. Christ is. 1 Peter 2:1-5Wherefore laying aside all malice, and all guile, and hypocrisies, and envies, and all evil speakings, As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby: If so be ye have tasted that the Lord is gracious. To whom coming, as unto a living stone, disallowed indeed of men, but chosen of God, and precious, Ye also, as lively stones, are built up a spiritual house, an holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, acceptable to God by Jesus Christ.Christ, not Peter, is the ‘living stone.” 1 Peter 2:6-7Wherefore also it is contained in the scripture, Behold, I lay in Sion a chief corner stone, elect, precious: and he that believeth on him shall not be confounded. Unto you therefore which believe he is precious: but unto them which be disobedient, the stone which the builders disallowed, the same is made the head of the corner,All Christians agree that Christ is the ‘chief corner stone, elect, precious.” Those who believe in Christ, not Peter, ‘shall not be confounded.” It is Christ who is precious. It is Christ who is ‘the stone which the builders disallowed.’ It is Christ, not Peter, who is “made the head of the corner.” It is Christ also who is a ‘stone of stumbling.’1 Peter 2:8And a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offence, even to them which stumble at the word, being disobedient: whereunto also they were appointed.Therefore, when Christ said to Peter, “And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church,” he was not referring to Peter. He was speaking of himself. Christ is the rock, and only through revelation can we know that Christ is the chief corner stone. Christ must always remain the central figure.  That is powerfully emphasized in Peter’s own words.1 Peter 2:9But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:It was Christ who calls us ‘out of darkness into his marvelous light.’ Also, note the phrase, “But ye are a chosen generation.” That would have been offensive to the Jews for they saw themselves as The Chosen Generation. The title is the same but now it does not refer only to the Jews. It refers only to the followers of Christ whether Jew or Gentile. Another change that would have been very offensive to the Jews is “royal priesthood.” Before only the literal seed of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob held the royal priesthood. Now it was also to be given to all followers of Christ. Once only Israel was the holy nation. Now only followers of Christ are ‘the holy nation.’ Those who belong to the holy nation are called out of darkness into his marvelous light. Peter continues.1 Peter 2:10Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.In time past they were not the people of God but now they are. Who are the people of God? Once it was only the literal seed of Abraham. Now it is only the followers of Christ regardless of their genealogical tree. That is why they are called a ‘peculiar people.’ Before they had not obtained mercy, but now they had. The mantle of the priesthood has shifted from physical blood line to spiritual blood line, from lineage to faith, from the law of Moses to revelation of Christ. But to become members of that ‘chosen generation,’ that ‘royal priesthood,’ that ‘peculiar people,’ there is a price to pay. They must become pure.1 Peter 2: 11-16Dearly beloved, I beseech you as strangers and pilgrims, abstain from fleshly lusts, which war against the soul; Having your conversation honest among the Gentiles: that, whereas they speak against you as evildoers, they may by your good works, which they shall behold, glorify God in the day of visitation. Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloak of maliciousness, but as the servants of God.Gentiles now are defined as those who do not belong to the Church of the Firstborn. Members of Christ’s church are the elect, the chosen ones. They now have a higher law to live than the strict Mosaic law. In the words of Paul, Ephesians 2:15Having 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;For example, The Ten Commandments, repeated by Christ, never grow old or wear out or become outdated. They remain firm, but the Sermon on the Mount presented a higher law. The Ten Commandments condemned adultery. The Sermon on the Mount condemned lust, the prelude to adultery. The two great commandments of love the Lord and love our neighbor, superseded the Ten Commandments with the knowledge that if we lived the Royal law, we would naturally live the Ten Commandments or the Law of Liberty. Peter teaches the higher law.1 Peter 2:17-21Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king. Servants, be subject to your masters with all fear; not only to the good and gentle, but also to the froward. For this is thankworthy, if a man for conscience toward God endure grief, suffering wrongfully. For what glory is it, if, when ye be buffeted for your faults, ye shall take it patiently? but if, when ye do well, and suffer for it, ye take it patiently, this is acceptable with God. For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow his steps:That requires more than the Mosaic Law required. Rather than an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth, it is to ‘Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.” Which are the harder commandments to obey, The Mosaic Law, or the New Gospel of Jesus Christ? 

Podcast 103, 1st Peter, “Pt 1, Ch 1”When we think of the four gospels, we naturally think of Matthew, Mark, Luke, & John. When we think of the leadership of the apostles, we naturally think first of Peter and then of James and John, for they were singled out. It was to Peter whom Christ gives the keys of the priesthood.Matthew 16:18–19And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.Only Christ can give the keys for only Christ holds the keys.Revelation 1:18I am he that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death.Revelation 3:7These things saith he that is holy, he that is true, he that hath the key of David, he that openeth, and no man shutteth; and shutteth, and no man openeth.In his opening statement, Peter establishes himself as an apostle of Christ. He is writing his Epistle to the new converts of the church.1 Peter 1:1Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to the strangers scattered throughout Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia,Notice the doctrines taught in his opening statement for they are applicable to all Christians:1 Peter 1:2Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, through sanctification of the Spirit, unto obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ: Grace unto you, and peace, be multiplied.Elect means ‘chosen’ or ‘picked out.’ The children of Israel were referred to as God’s elect.Isaiah 41:8But thou, Israel, art my servant, Jacob whom I have chosen, the seed of Abraham my friend.Isaiah 45:4For Jacob my servant's sake, and Israel mine elect.The title of elect has now been transferred to those who become members of Christ’s true church. Peter refers to members of Christ’s church as the elect. Paul also refers to members of Christ’s church as the elect.Colossians 3:12Put on therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved...That is a very significant and bold assertion. Peter speaks of making our “calling and election” sure.2 Peter 1:10Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall:It isn’t enough just to be a baptized member of Christ’s church. One must also have one’s calling and election sure. One way to look at that is the principle of “enduring to the end” which is a very common theme in the Holy Bible. In the Book of Revelation, the promises to the Seven Churches were all dependent upon those who endured to the end. The phrase to each church was, “to him that overcometh.”Peter also speaks of the “foreknowledge of God.” We often attribute the following three attributes to Christ: omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent, all powerful, all knowing, and all present. He knows the past, the present, and the future. An attribute of the ‘elect’ is ‘sanctification of the spirit.’ Paul taught,2 Thessalonians 2:13God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth:Sanctification means to be made holy. Synonyms are holiness, consecration, purification, dedication, devotion, spiritual refinement, spiritual cleansing, Godliness. Peter offers two primary conditions of sanctification. First obedience. God cannot sanctify us if we do not strive to obey all of his commandments. To be made holy means to be made free of sin. That, leads to the second criteria: “sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” Only through Christ can we be made holy. Only through Christ can we be purified and cleansed of our sins. It is not a one-time event. Enduring to the end means daily repentance, daily striving, daily prayer. Peter, in his apostolic position, says “Grace unto you,” meaning the grace of Christ which can cleanse us, and “peace, be multiplied,” meaning peace of conscience and soul.Peter, as an apostle, bears witness of Christ. 1 Peter 1:3-5Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, To an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, Who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.In Peter’s words, it is God the Father who raised Christ from the dead. Now Christ has given us the promise of eternal life with Christ to those elect who endure to the end. Notice the eternal nature of the images above: “lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead”; “inheritance incorruptible”; “that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you”; and “kept by the power of God.” But first, to have our calling and election sure, we must “endure” the trials of mortality.1 Peter 1:6-7Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:Job, the symbol of enduring the trial of his faith, observed. Job 23:10That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire...Speaking through Isaiah the Lord said, Isaiah 48:10I have refined thee, but not with silver; I have chosen thee in the furnace of affliction.In Malachi we read,Malachi 3:2-3But who may abide the day of his coming? and who shall stand when he appeareth? for he is like a refiner’s fire, and like fullers’ soap: And he shall sit as a refiner and purifier of silver: and he shall purify the sons of Levi, and purge them as gold and silver, that they may offer unto the Lord an offering in righteousness.As with Malachi, the last prophet of the Old Testament, Peter also speaks of end-time. That is what he meant when he said, “might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ. That refers to the Second Coming of Christ. The apostles lived and communicated with the Savior on a daily basis; however, until the Savior comes again, we must accept him by faith.1 Peter 1:8Whom having not seen, ye love; in whom, though now ye see him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:It is the end game that we must consider. It is the endgame that makes the trial of our faith worth it.1 Peter 1:9-12Receiving the end of your faith, even the salvation of your souls. Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.As we read Peter, we need to keep the word “elect” in our minds because it comes with a great price. It is not a passive phrase. One may lose his or her election through disobedience. Peter cautions.  1 Peter 1:13-16Wherefore gird up the loins of your mind, be sober, and hope to the end for the grace that is to be brought unto you at the revelation of Jesus Christ; As obedient children, not fashioning yourselves according to the former lusts in your ignorance: But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.“Hope to the end” means to ‘endure to the end.’ To ‘gird up our loins’ means to ‘tighten our belt’ ‘to fortify ourselves against opposition,’ ‘to be resolute.’ To be “sober” is to be of sound mind and sense and judgment. Notice that grace comes at the end, at the final judgment, where we are cleansed from all sin so that we can be with Christ in his kingdom, so that we can be invited to the ‘wedding feast.’ Of the ten virgins, only the five wise were allowed into the wedding feast. The other five were good, but they were unprepared. They didn’t endure. They ran out of oil. We must be holy ‘in all manner of conversation.’ That means in our daily lives, in our business dealings, in our communication with our fellow travelers. We can never let our guard down. That is why we must ‘pass the time of our sojourning here in fear.’ Peter teaches us to pray to the Father. We must pray to the Father in the name of Jesus Christ. That is the order of prayer.1 Peter 1:17And if ye call on the Father, who without respect of persons judgeth according to every man’s work, pass the time of your sojourning here in fear:We are saved by grace but judged for our works. Those who think that works do not matter 

Podcast 102, James, “Pt 5, Ch 5”Chapter 5 is divided into two parts. Part I, verses 1-6, condemns the rich. Part II, verses 7-20, calls upon the saints to be patient. There is always a subtext. For example, on the one hand, the Lord condemns the rich who get their riches by fraudulent means or who selfishly hoard their riches and withhold their help from the poor. On the other hand, the Lord does not permit the poor or needy to blame others for their own behavior. The Lord insists that we take charge of our own lives, our own behavior. There is a beautiful scripture in which Christ is called, “The bishop of our souls.”1 Peter 2:25For ye were as sheep going astray; but are now returned unto the Shepherd and Bishop of your souls.Bishop means overseer, guardian, superintendent, watcher, protector. Christ is The Good Shepherd and He is “our guardian and protector; however, the sword has two edges. We too must be our soul’s own guardian, superintendent, watcher, and protector. We too must become ‘Bishop of Our Souls.’ One virtue that James suggests is patience. Things do not always go as planned. We must look to Christ.The rich become an easy target, and we often blame our ills on the rich. Some use government as a thief to steal from the rich and give to the poor, all under the name of charity. Such governments have been given the name of Socialism, Marxism, and Communism; however there are other forms of government that pretend capitalism but lean toward the principle of taking from the rich and giving to the poor: The terms are populism, social democracy, redistribution of wealth, welfare programs, healthcare, land reform, wealth taxes, debt forgiveness, subsidies, relief programs. Only the scale differs.As stated earlier, there are four forms of freedom. 1.     Freewill, which refers to the spirit of freedom. Freewill is something that governments cannot touch for it deals with one’s inner self, one’s consciousness, one’s desires, one’s immortal intelligence, one’s divinity. Will cannot be created or destroyed. It burns with an eternal flame. The will is set free only through the laws of God. Will cannot be touched by the laws of man. There is a phrase, “to break one’s spirit’ which may suggest the destruction of freewill, but that is misleading. Freewill may be forfeited but it cannot be taken. It is who we are, and it never dies. 2.     Agency, which refers to a rational choice between good and evil, depends upon the enticements of Christ vs the enticements of Satan. Without spiritual opposition there can be no agency. Agency, too, is spiritual. It is of God, not of man.3.     Freedom, which refers to our ability to live in a fallen world, depends entirely upon natural law. We have freedom only by obeying natural laws. We may have freedom of flight only because we understand the restricting powers of gravity and the other laws of nature that allow us to overpower gravity.  Without natural law, we would have no freedom. 4.     Liberty, which rests entirely with government, is usually mistaken for the other three. The laws of God determine freewill, agency, and freedom, for God is the author of both temporal laws and spiritual laws. The laws of man determine liberty. Three primary laws of heaven are freewill, agency, and freedom, all governed by the laws of God. No government should rob us of freewill, agency, or freedom. Any attempt to do so is of Satan. Christ died to protect our agency, but God allows us to create our own governments. If we choose totalitarianism, Fascism, Socialism, Communism, Czarism, Kings, tyrants, monarch, sovereigns, potentates, supreme ruler, Caesar, Kaiser, dictator, autocrat, emperor, we become our own worst enemy. The idea that the rich should be forced to support the poor is not of God. If they give to the poor, they must do it of their own freewill. That is the message of James.James 5:1-6Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten. Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days. Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter. Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.James is not saying that because some rich are wicked, we have the right to steal from them. James is talking directly to the rich. They will be condemned by God if they hoard their wealth. It is not money that is condemned. It is the love of money that is condemned1 Timothy 6:10For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.In the Sermon on the Mount, Christ declares,Matthew 6:24No 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.Those who seek wealth to do good do not fall under condemnation, even if they also thoroughly enjoy the rewards of their own wealth. Conscience, not government, should be their guide. Those who steal, whether from the rich or from the poor, violate the commandment of God so clearly stated in the Ten Commandments, “Thou shalt not steal.” All thieves must answer to God for their own conscience. The rich should be held accountable only to God, not to man or to government. Being wealthy does not obligate anyone to help the poor. Being Christian does. It was Paul who said, 1 Corinthians 10:29Conscience, I say, not thine own, but of the other: for why is my liberty judged of another man’s conscience?The second half of James 5, though it does not directly address the poor; nevertheless, it addresses all who suffer whether from poverty of wealth or poverty of health or poverty of the good things of the world.James 5:7-8Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.I love the following counsel found in Malachi.Malachi 3:13-18Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. Then shall ye return, and discern between the righteous and the wicked, between him that serveth God and him that serveth him not.We are not to grudge others for their success. Again, we must be Bishop of our Souls.James 5:9Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.Among the principles of the gospel one stands taller than the others, not because in and of itself it is a virtue but because it gurantees that we observe all the other principles of the Gospel. James 5:10-11Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience. Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.Enduring to the end is essential. For that we must develop patience. They are synonymous.  “We count them happy which endure.” That is the practical voice of James we hear throughout the Epistle of James.He counsels us to be precise in our language. We must mean what we say and perform what we promise. We must remain firm in our resolve. We must be Bishop of our Souls.James 5:12But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.Again, notice his practical counsel.James 5:13Is any among you afflicted? let him pray. Is any merry? let him sing psalms.James believes in the power of prayer. He believes in the power of healing. The ancient elders through their priesthood anointed the sick with holy oil and through their faith they were healed. James 5:14-15Is any sick among you? let him call for the elders of the church; and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord: And the prayer of faith shall save the sick, and the Lord shall raise him up; and if he have committed sins, they shall be forgiven him.James counsels’ daily repentance and frequent prayer. He believed in the power of prayer.

Podcast 101, James, “Pt 4, Ch 4”A writer once said words to the effect, ‘Write not to be understood, but that ye be not misunderstood.’ It is paradoxical but to the point. James was such a writer. Another writer was asked, “What are the three greatest principles of writing? He reportedly answered, “clarity, clarity, clarity.” Again, James is equal to the task. Consider:James 4:1-3From whence come wars and fightings among you? come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members? 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. Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.Do you ever wonder the source of temptation. A popular comedian made the following common phrase even more popular, “The devil made me do it.” In other words, he blamed everything on the devil as if somehow, the devil, not him, was responsible for his behavior. The devil himself loves such a doctrine. He is perfectly willing to take the blame for our behavior for it keeps us from repenting. However, temptation must have a catalyst. The only reason we have agency, for example, is because we are enticed to do good by Christ and enticed to do evil by Satan. Until Lucifer entered the Garden of Eden, Adam and Eve were never tempted to eat of the forbidden fruit. One would naturally be tempted to say, “Remove Satan from the earth and all would be well.” We are told that Satan will be bound for a thousand years. We call it The Millennium. Christians consider it a utopia, paradise, ideal society, heaven on earth. Can one know the good without knowing the evil. Can one know joy without knowing sorrow? Christianity, perhaps, is the most paradoxical religion on earth for it is filled with attractive opposites. The fall brought about the natural man which introduced lust. The fall also allowed Satan to enter the world which introduced cunning. Satan has many names: the destroyer, the tempter, the adversary, serpent, dragon, the wicked one, liar, enemy,  There is a third source of temptation. It is from man himself who adopts the wiles of the devil to deceive others for personal gain. But agency still exists. The three groups above will go to their own place, but we will stand alone at the judgment bar. They will not be there to take the blame. When confronted, Adam blamed Eve. Eve blamed the serpent, but all three were held equally accountable by God, and each had to pay his or her own price. Notice that in the above James declared, “come they not hence, even of your lusts that war in your members.”  We can all relate to the internal turmoil that boils within each of us. James points out the futility of giving in to the lusts of the flesh. For clarity, lust does not simply refer to sexual desire. Lust symbolizes burning desire, whatever the object may be: sex, money, power, fame, position, prestige, control, etc.Wants define themselves for they usually come in attractive packages, but few things can be more important than to define our desire. Desires are not always so transparent. We usually don’t mind confessing our wants, but often, due to hidden and forbidden feelings, we camouflage our desires. We like to dress our desires in respectable clothing for we are ashamed. That is, I think, what James meant when he said, “Ye ask, and receive not, because ye ask amiss, that ye may consume it upon your lusts.”James gives us a clear way to define our desires. James 4:4Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God.Why would we ask amiss? Perhaps we ask amiss because we are ashamed of our desires. James gives us the key to recognize unrighteous desires, “that we may consume it upon our lusts.” Our motives are not pure. They are selfish. In a way we try to fool God which is impossible. James adds,James 4:5Do ye think that the scripture saith in vain, The spirit that dwelleth in us lusteth to envy?Envy violates the 10th Commandment. Exodus 20:17Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.But, as always, when a prophet condemns, through the spirit of the Lord, they offer the remedy. James 4:6-8But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resisteth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded.James continues,James 4:9-12Be afflicted, and mourn, and weep: let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up. Speak not evil one of another, brethren. He that speaketh evil of his brother, and judgeth his brother, speaketh evil of the law, and judgeth the law: but if thou judge the law, thou art not a doer of the law, but a judge. There is one lawgiver, who is able to save and to destroy: who art thou that judgest another?Remember what James called The Perfect Law of Liberty:James 1:25But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.So many see Christianity as restrictive. The entire purpose of Christianity is to make us free. In Jesus’s own words. John 8:31-32Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; And ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free."In the preamble to the Ten Commandments, which James calls, “The Law of Liberty” Jehovah states the following:Exodus 20:1-2And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.Egypt, the house of bondage, is often referred to as the world in the same sense that Babylon is referred to as the world. Christ taught that we should be ‘in the world but not of the world.’ The world offers both a temporal bondage and a spiritual bondage. The Jews were slaves to the Egyptians; however, even when they escaped Egypt they tried to take Egypt with them by adopting their gods. Christ was the only truly free person to ever live on the earth because he obeyed the Father in all things. Satan had no power over Christ. In addition, Christ is eternally free. He is omnipotent and omniscient, and he wants all of us to become like him. Like Isaiah and like Solomon, James teaches us of the temporal nature of mortality. 

Podcast 100, James, “Pt 3, Ch 3”In typical hands-on fashion, James looks at the practical side of the new Religion that comes to be known world-wide as Christianity. Christianity is a hands-on religion that translates into everyday life. In Chapter 3, James addresses the issue of language. Even in the early days of a new religion that would change the world, it was known that every spoken language in the world would be affected by Christianity. For example, before ascending into heaven, the resurrected Christ, who now had been given all power by the Father, gave instructions that the eleven remaining disciples should gather in Galilee unto a mountain. Matthew, in the concluding statement of his Gospel, records Jesus’s instructions:.Matthew 28:19-20Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.Christianity was no longer simply a provincial religion. It was destined to take its place among the other great religions of the world. In the above Christ concluded his remarks by saying, “And, lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world.” That is an allusion to his Second Coming which will be preceded by a day of wrath for Babylon, or the wicked of the world. The wicked shall all be destroyed before the Millennium begins. Only the righteous, regardless of religion, culture, or language, shall live during the Millennium. During the Millennium everyone shall live in peace, or they shall not live at all. Some Christians, perhaps, shall be disappointed that God meant it when he said that he was no respecter of persons. He loves all his children. He does not judge others for the laws they do not have. He holds us all accountable only for the laws we have been taught. Christians of all people should understand that principle for only Christians have John 3:16-17. Christ is the only God of this world. The Millennium shall be a day of teaching, not a day of contention. Even among the wild beasts there shall be no enmity. The Millennium is certainly a form of judgment, not between religion and religion but between the righteous and the wicked. Perhaps many shall be disappointed that even atheists who are righteous shall enjoy millennial status. Righteousness is determined not by orthodoxy but by adherence to law. At birth everyone, regardless of race, religion, or culture, has the spirit of Christ which is the spirit of truth, and everyone has the potential to discern between good and evil, right and wrong, moral and immoral. It is referred to as conscience. Some allow conscience to be “seared with a hot iron,” but most know that murder, rape, robbery, adultery, lying, cheating, stealing, brutality, deceit, hate, envy, and slavery, etc. are evil. We call it civilization. Only the civilized shall live during the millennial reign of Christ. All the rest shall be destroyed.Furthermore, all good religions or philosophies will be represented in the Millennium, but only the righteous of those religions or philosophies will survive the Second Coming of Christ and be allowed to live in the Millennium. A primary goal of God is to protect man’s agency, that he may choose for himself whom he will serve, and it is expected of all earthly governments to do the same. Lucifer was cast out of heaven because he tried to take away man’s agency. And any government that tries to destroy man’s agency is of Satan.As with the other New Testament writers, James’ message transcends traditions, languages, cultures, and governments. It speaks to the individual, teaching them how to live among men in any language, culture, or religion. Verse 1 of James 3 is provocative.James 3:1My brethren, be not many masters, knowing that we shall receive the greater condemnation.How can a Christian be “many masters?” And why is that offensive to the Lord. James answers the question for us.James 3:2For in many things we offend all. If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man, and able also to bridle the whole body.Though the counsel applies to everyone, James is directing his words to new converts. We become many masters through language. James said that if we can bridle our tongue, we can bridle the whole body and therefore become the perfect man. Such a simple concept yet with far reaching consequences. How does one offend in word? Perhaps all, at one time or another, have received an unjust and angry ‘tongue lashing.’ The tongue is often the angry whip with which oppressors berate the underlings.  Unfortunately, many people are beaten down by harsh, violent, crude, and threatening language, by unbridled criticism, uncontrolled anger, by curses, by tongue lashings, by foul and indecent language, by verbal abuse, undeserved threats, snide remarks, searing criticism couched in subtle words. Roaring language is more danger than a bellowing beast. How many can face a roaring lion but fear a loud and lying tongue. Beware of a contentious tongue. In Dante’s Fifth Circle, Dante places the wrathful, those consumed by anger, rage, and hostility, in the River Styx, the boundary between the world of the living and the realm of the dead. The river Styx suggests hatred, abhorrence, and detestation. James, though probably unknowingly, compares an angry tongue to the river Phlegethon, the river of fire, which suggests destructive passion and wrath.James 3:3-6Behold, we put bits in the horses’ mouths, that they may obey us; and we turn about their whole body. Behold also the ships, which though they be so great, and are driven of fierce winds, yet are they turned about with a very small helm, whithersoever the governor listeth. Even so the tongue is a little member, and boasteth great things. Behold, how great a matter a little fire kindleth! And the tongue is a fire, a world of iniquity: so is the tongue among our members, that it defileth the whole body, and setteth on fire the course of nature; and it is set on fire of hell.It is good to govern a horse with a bit. It is good to govern a ship with a helm, but it is greater to govern one’s own tongue. In war a landmine can shred the body. In peace a contentious tongue can shred the soul.  Notice how the astute James doubles back on his imagery. In his opening statement he said, “If any man offend not in word, the same is a perfect man.” In the above he said, if a man offends in word he “defileth the whole body.” But it is even more far reaching, It sets on fire “the course of nature.” A flaming tongue is like a forest fire that creates its own bellows to fan the flames. Foul words feed anger till it grows hotter and hotter, thus overwhelming the original intent. Rather than a means to an end, it becomes the end itself. Anger begets anger. How many small fires set to burn a contained area soon burn out of control. Such it is with anger fed by the fuel of burning words. A fire out of control does not care what it burns or whom it destroys. It becomes the dragon. How many sit in prison today having done a foul murder because they did not control their fiery tongue? Our freeways have given it a name. It is called ‘road rage.’ Language is often used like a whip to control others, to beat them down into submission. They withhold their fists while they, like Claudio who poured poison into his brother, King Hamlet’s ear, thus killing him. So it is with those who kill the spirit through language. Parents may kill the heart of a child, husbands or wives the tender heart of their spouse, masters may kill the spirit of a servant, keeping them in submission through fear. How many use anger as a chain to keep others in bondage? James 3:8-9But the tongue can no man tame; it is an unruly evil, full of deadly poison. Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.Notice the wisdom of his counsel.7 LINDAJames 3:10-13Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be. Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter? Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh. Who is a wise man and endued with knowledge among you? let him shew out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom.7 RON What greater advice in controlling the tongue can James give us than, “Let him show out of a good conversation his works with meekness of wisdom?”There are three great evils in this world: The Cunning of Satan. The Craftiness of Man. The Natural Man. All are enemies to God. Notice where James places the source of strife.James 3:14-15But if ye have bitter envying and strife in your hearts, glory not, and lie not against the truth. This wisdom descendeth not from above, but is earthly, sensual, devilish.An evil tongue serves all three masters—the craftiness of man, which is earthly; the natural man, which is sensual; and Satan, which is devilish.An unbridled tongue comes with a host of demons. James 3:16For where envying and strife is, there is confusion and every evil work.“Every evil work” is a very broad term. James counsels us to look to God. James 3:17-18But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. And the fruit of righteousness is sown in peace of them that make peace.

In the creation story found in Genesis, among the many truths taught by Moses, one truth seems to have slipped through the cracks. It is simply this. We are all children of God, born of the same father, brothers and sisters all, equal in the heart of God. We all have the same earthly father, Adam, and the same earthly mother, Eve. That simply means that we were brothers and sisters in heaven in the spirit and brothers and sisters on earth in the flesh. Let’s review the story of the creation of mankind.And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth. So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth.James understood that universal truth.My brethren, have not the faith of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Lord of glory, with respect of persons. For if there come unto your assembly a man with a gold ring, in goodly apparel, and there come in also a poor man in vile raiment; And ye have respect to him that weareth the gay clothing, and say unto him, Sit thou here in a good place; and say to the poor, Stand thou there, or sit here under my footstool:Christ taught the same principle many times. We think of the widow’s mite. We think of his care for the poor. We think of his emphasis on the one that he captures in the following commandment.And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me.James teaches the same principal that the Master taught.Are ye not then partial in yourselves, and are become judges of evil thoughts? 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? But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw you before the judgment seats?  Do not they blaspheme that worthy name by the which ye are called?[4]In fact, James considers this the greatest law of the Gospel. He even gives it a name. He calls it The Royal Law.If ye fulfil the royal law according to the scripture, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself, ye do well: But if ye have respect to persons, ye commit sin, and are convinced of the law as transgressors. For whosoever shall keep the whole law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty of all.What then is The Royal Law. We look to the Savior for the answer. Then one of them, which was a lawyer, asked him a question, tempting him, and saying, Master, which is the great commandment in the law? Jesus said unto him, Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. On these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets.What is better known as the Two Great Commandments, James calls The Royal Law. We have another version of the Royal Law. It is found in the Ten Commandments. For example, notice that Number One of the Royal Law is “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” Of the Ten Commandments, the first five address the Royal Law or what Christ called The First Great Commandment.Thou shalt have no other gods before me. Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth: Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the Lord thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me; And shewing mercy unto thousands of them that love me, and keep my commandments. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain; for the Lord will not hold him guiltless that taketh his name in vain. Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days shalt thou labour, and do all thy work: But the seventh day is the sabbath of the Lord thy God: in it thou shalt not do any work, thou, nor thy son, nor thy daughter, thy manservant, nor thy maidservant, nor thy cattle, nor thy stranger that is within thy gates: For in six days the Lord made heaven and earth, the sea, and all that in them is, and rested the seventh day: wherefore the Lord blessed the sabbath day, and hallowed it. Honour thy father and thy mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the Lord thy God giveth thee.Doesn’t that satisfy the requirement of the First Great Commandment: “Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind.” I include the fifth commandment in the First Great Commandment because by honoring our earthly parents we also honor our heavenly parents.The last five of the Ten Commandments teaches us the Second Great Commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself.”  Thou shalt not kill. Thou shalt not commit adultery. Thou shalt not steal. Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbour’s wife, nor his manservant, nor his maidservant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor any thing that is thy neighbour’s.[8]Doesn’t the last five commandments show love for our neighbor.  In fact, James makes it clear that he considers the Royal Law to include the Ten Commandments. But James does a peculiar thing. He also distinguishes the Ten Commandments, which are part of the Royal Law, by giving them a special name. He calls the Ten Commandments, “The Law of Liberty.”For he that said, Do not commit adultery, said also, Do not kill. Now if thou commit no adultery, yet if thou kill, thou art become a transgressor of the law. So speak ye, and so do, as they that shall be judged by the law of liberty.He calls the Ten Commandments “The Law of Liberty for good reason. Notice Moses preamble to the Ten commandments.And God spake all these words, saying, I am the Lord thy God, which have brought thee out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of bondage.James was a hands-on preacher. He did not have his head in the clouds. He believed in a very practical religion. For example, James teaches that if we want mercy we must show mercy.For he shall have judgment without mercy, that hath shewed no mercy; and mercy rejoiceth against judgment.Christ first taught that principle using a parable.Therefore is the kingdom of heaven likened unto a certain king, which would take account of his servants. And when he had begun to reckon, one was brought unto him, which owed him ten thousand talents. But forasmuch as he had not to pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, and his wife, and children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down, and worshipped him, saying, Lord, have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. Then the lord of that servant was moved with compassion, and loosed him, and forgave him the debt. But the same servant went out, and found one of his fellowservants, which owed him an hundred pence: and he laid hands on him, and took him by the throat, saying, Pay me that thou owest. And his fellowservant fell down at his feet, and besought him, saying, Have patience with me, and I will pay thee all. And he would not: but went and cast him into prison, till he should pay the debt. So when his fellowservants saw what was done, they were very sorry, and came and told unto their lord all that was done. Then his lord, after that he had called him, said unto him, O thou wicked servant, I forgave thee all that debt, because thou desiredst me: Shouldest not thou also have had compassion on thy fellowservant, even as I had pity on thee? And his lord was wroth, and delivered him to the tormentors, till he should pay all that was due unto him. So likewise shall my heavenly Father do also unto you, if ye from your hearts forgive not every one his brother their trespasses.James lifted his voice in defense of the necessity of works. What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him? If a brother or sister be naked, and destitute of daily food, And one of you say unto them, Depart in peace, be ye warmed and filled; notwithstanding ye give them not those things which are needful to the body; what doth it profit? Even so faith, if it hath not works, is dead, being alone.

Podcast 98 Epistle of James, “Pt 1, Ch 1”In Christian tradition, James is generally believed to be James the Just, brother of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, and a leader in the early church. His writings bring a practicality to Christianity. He does not remain in the abstract but envisions a practical religion modeled after the works of the Savior as well as his teachings. Curious beings that we are, we like to know more about the early writers. We want to eulogize them. We want to show them as perfect. We want to put them above the rest of us.  James introduces himself merely as a humble servant. Perhaps that is sufficient.James 1:1James, a servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ, to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad, greeting.His idea is that we should not only listen to what Christ said, but strive to live as Christ lived, a servant of mankind. The following verse summarizes James’ philosophy.James 2:18Yea, a man may say, Thou hast faith, and I have works: shew me thy faith without thy works, and I will shew thee my faith by my works.He was not without temptation. In fact, he teaches us how to deal with temptation.James 1:2My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations;[3]He sees temptation as a trial of our faith, as an opportunity to increase in virtue. Among the top virtues is patience.James 1:3-4Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.Paul teaches that patience leads to Hope. Christians often consider Faith, Hope, and Charity to be the highest achievement of man. They are known simply as The Three Theological Virtues.  Paul teaches. Romans 5:3-4And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; And patience, experience; and experience, hope.It was Peter who said:1 Peter 1:6-7Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations: That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honour and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ:[5]These teachings came out of enormous suffering, All had witnessed the persecution and death of Jesus Christ. Tradition has it that most of the apostles were killed, some in gruesome ways. It is believed that thousands were murdered because of their faith. John refers to it as a time of “great tribulation.”Revelation 7:13-14And one of the elders answered, saying unto me, What are these which are arrayed in white robes? and whence came they? And I said unto him, Sir, thou knowest. And he said to me, These are they which came out of great tribulation, and have washed their robes, and made them white in the blood of the Lamb.[6]Words matter. Take, for example, the following words: wisdom, knowledge, information, facts, truth, understanding, awareness, learning, comprehension, insight, perception, erudition, scholarship, etc.Synonym means “same-name” word. But they aren’t the same. Wisdom is greater than scholarship. Wisdom is the application of knowledge. It implies sound judgment, discernment, discretion, sagacity, sapience, prudence. Both God and Satan have knowledge. Only God has wisdom. James said the following:James 1:5If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God, that giveth to all men liberally, and upbraideth not; and it shall be given him.

Podcast 97 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 12, Ch 12”Understandably the final chapter in Ecclesiastes is a summing up. Characteristically Solomon boils down everything leaving to the end what is most important. I think we may properly assume that Ecclesiastes was written when King Solomon was old and knew that he was about to die. He gave us many clues. Consider the following statements given early on:Ecclesiastes 1:14I have seen all the works that are done under the sun; and, behold, all is vanity and vexation of spirit.Ecclesiastes 2:4I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards:Ecclesiastes 2:11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.Ecclesiastes 2:18Yea, I hated all my labour which I had taken under the sun: because I should leave it unto the man that shall be after me.Ecclesiastes 2:23For all his days are sorrows, and his travail grief; yea, his heart taketh not rest in the night. This is also vanity.If the above is not convincing that he is waiting to die, perhaps the opening statement of the final chapter is.Ecclesiastes 12:1Remember now thy Creator in the days of thy youth, while the evil days come not, nor the years draw nigh, when thou shalt say, I have no pleasure in them;Solomon is old. He has lost pleasure in life. He poignantly recognizes the vanity of earthly pleasures. One is reminded of William Wordsworth’s beautiful poem, Ode, Intimations of Immortality.There was a time when meadow, grove, and stream, The earth, and every common sight, To me did seem Apparelled in celestial light, The glory and the freshness of a dream. It is not now as it hath been of yore;— Turn wheresoe'er I may, By night or day, The things which I have seen I now can see no more.Solomon also laments those lost times.Ecclesiastes 12:2-6While the sun, or the light, or the moon, or the stars, be not darkened, nor the clouds return after the rain: In the day when the keepers of the house shall tremble, and the strong men shall bow themselves, and the grinders cease because they are few, and those that look out of the windows be darkened, And the doors shall be shut in the streets, when the sound of the grinding is low, and he shall rise up at the voice of the bird, and all the daughters of musick shall be brought low; Also when they shall be afraid of that which is high, and fears shall be in the way, and the almond tree shall flourish, and the grasshopper shall be a burden, and desire shall fail: because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets: Or ever the silver cord be loosed, or the golden bowl be broken, or the pitcher be broken at the fountain, or the wheel broken at the cistern.“Because man goeth to his long home, and the mourners go about the streets” refers to death. King Solomon continues:Ecclesiastes 12:7Then shall the dust return to the earth as it was: and the spirit shall return unto God who gave it.Is that not another way of saying, “Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.” Solomon gives his familiar refrain.Ecclesiastes 12:8 Vanity of vanities, saith the preacher; all is vanity.Words often have two values. One is connotative. The other is denotative. The connotative value refers to the emotional overtones, to the feelings the word conveys. The denotative refers to the dictionary definition. It is cold and abstract usually consisting of a name, a class, and a differentia. Without connotation, there would be no poetry; without denotation, there would be no sense. The connotation appeals to the emotions. The denotation appeals to the mind. The word vanity has many connotations, mostly negative as suggested by common synonyms:

Podcast 96 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 11, Ch 11”The first verse of Ecclesiastes is such a common axiom in every Christian vocabulary, it is likely that most have forgotten its origin.Ecclesiastes 11:1Cast thy bread upon the waters: for thou shalt find it after many days.What is it that keeps such a phrase alive. We hear it in other ways, “What goes around comes around.” “That which ye sow, so shall ye reap.” “It will come back to bite you.” “Do unto others as ye would have them do unto you.” The variations are, perhaps, multitudinous because everyone who has experienced life knows instinctively that it is true. We live on a spinning planet in a spinning universe. Everything circles something. The moon circles the earth. The earth circles the sun. Our solar system circles the galaxy at about 500,000 miles per hour. One cycle takes from 225 to 250 million years. What does our Milky Way Galaxy galaxy circle and where does it end? The point is everything returns. Consider the water cycle. From evaporation and transpiration to condensation to precipitation, water returns. It is quite possible that we have swallowed the same molecules of water many times, and those same molecules could have been consumed by every other living being since Adam. Think of it in a broader scale. We are children of God, of noble birthright. We once lived with our Father in heaven and every good Christian’s goal is to return to the presence of God the Father and God the Son. Each of us is a universe. A Jewish proverbs says that if you kill a man, you kill a nation. Regardless of what scientists concoct or atheist’s claim, we all descended from Adam and Eve. We are all brothers and sisters, equal in the eyes of God who is no respecter of persons. That which we do has eternal significance. Sometimes small things have the greatest consequences. “Cast your bread upon the waters” has great spiritual significance. Christ is the ‘bread of life.’ Bethlehem, where Christ was born, means House of Bread. When we eat the sacrament of the Lord’s Supper, we take bread to remind us that he gave his body for us. That which is Christ centered will last. If we follow his laws and obey his commandments, after many days, we shall find Christ. In 1st John we read the following:1 John 3:2Beloved, now are we the sons of God, and it doth not yet appear what we shall be: but we know that, when he shall appear, we shall be like him; for we shall see him as he is.”We live in a world of uncertainty; therefore, we must rely upon God, creator of all.Ecclesiastes 11:2-5Give a portion to seven, and also to eight; for thou knowest not what evil shall be upon the earth. If the clouds be full of rain, they empty themselves upon the earth: and if the tree fall toward the south, or toward the north, in the place where the tree falleth, there it shall be. He that observeth the wind shall not sow; and he that regardeth the clouds shall not reap. As thou knowest not what is the way of the spirit, nor how the bones do grow in the womb of her that is with child: even so thou knowest not the works of God who maketh all.Solomon counsels us to sow our seed. When one sows seed he scatters it broadly, generally in prepared soil, hoping it will grow.Ecclesiastes 11:6In the morning sow thy seed, and in the evening withhold not thine hand: for thou knowest not whether shall prosper, either this or that, or whether they both shall be alike good.Sowing the seed both morning and evening significantly increases probability. We should also take joy in sowing our seed.Ecclesiastes 11:7Truly the light is sweet, and a pleasant thing it is for the eyes to behold the sun:Of course, plants need sunlight, but Solomon is not talking about merely temporal seeds or temporal light. He is talking about spiritual seeds and spiritual light. In Isaiah we read.Isaiah 2:5O house of Jacob, come ye, and let us walk in the light of the Lord.In typical Antithetical Parallelism, so common in in the Bible, Solomon plays light against darkness. Ecclesiastes 11:8But if a man live many years, and rejoice in them all; yet let him remember the days of darkness; for they shall be many. All that cometh is vanity.Among other things vanity refers to the temporary nature of things. It refers to putting our trust in things that have no lasting value. That is why we must walk in the light of the Lord. Perhaps that is the primary theme of Ecclesiastes which begins with the famous opening of Ecclesiastes:

Podcast 95 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 10, Ch 10”One of the things that makes Ecclesiastes so interesting is that King Solomon, also known as The Preacher, is speaking from vast knowledge and experience as a political and spiritual leader. Perhaps everyone would agree that King Solomon is larger than life: the wealthiest man, the most powerful man, the wisest man, the most famous man, the greatest king, but not without faults. He speaks from experience. His great name is synonymous with wisdom; therefore, he speaks much of the importance of wisdom. Notice he is not talking about intelligence which is so praised today. He is talking about understanding with the heart not just the mind. Cleverness is abundant, but wisdom is rare. Cleverness is often camouflaged as wisdom. Its synonyms are bright, intelligent, brilliant, smart, etc. Such virtues have hurled many into stardom, success, wealth, fame, and power only to see them fall because they lacked wisdom. The graveyard of history is cluttered with clever people who brought about their own destruction as well as the destruction of others. As Solomon said,Ecclesiastes 10:1Dead flies cause the ointment of the apothecary to send forth a stinking savour: so doth a little folly him that is in reputation for wisdom and honour.A clever person, without wisdom, may become a fool.Ecclesiastes 10:2-3A wise man’s heart is at his right hand; but a fool’s heart at his left. Yea also, when he that is a fool walketh by the way, his wisdom faileth him, and he saith to every one that he is a fool.Cleverness camouflages foolishness and pulls many under its spell. Time always lifts the curtain and reveals the fool; sometimes, however, it is too late. The damage is done and one has allowed a fool to make a fool of himself. That is a common story of life. It takes wisdom to recognize a fool before one falls into his own trap. King Solomon warns us against fools.Ecclesiastes 10:4-8If the spirit of the ruler rise up against thee, leave not thy place; for yielding pacifieth great offences. There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, as an error which proceedeth from the ruler: Folly is set in great dignity, and the rich sit in low place. I have seen servants upon horses, and princes walking as servants upon the earth. He that diggeth a pit shall fall into it; and whoso breaketh an hedge, a serpent shall bite him.How many have fallen for Ponzi schemes or pyramid schemes. I am in my eighties. In my lifetime I have never seen so many clever schemes set out to defraud us of our money. AI, the internet, social media, texting, etc. have introduced a new level of fraud, so exquisitely camouflaged that it appears legitimate. All of them have been based on fear and threats. What was once called “surfing the internet” has now bred a new breed—a breed of trollers whose dangling and jagged hooks are set to snag the unwary and relieve them of their freedom and their fortune. Perhaps Solomon saw our day.Ecclesiastes 10:9-11Whoso removeth stones shall be hurt therewith; and he that cleaveth wood shall be endangered thereby. If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to more strength: but wisdom is profitable to direct. Surely the serpent will bite without enchantment; and a babbler is no better.Ultimately the fool is revealed, but not always before he has destroyed a lot of lives.Ecclesiastes 10:12-13The words of a wise man’s mouth are gracious; but the lips of a fool will swallow up himself. The beginning of the words of his mouth is foolishness: and the end of his talk is mischievous madness.I like the phrase “mischievous madness.” That well describes our day. Solomon is not just telling us to be wise. He is telling us that we must discern between the wiseman and the fool. The following is one earmark of a fool.Ecclesiastes 10:14-15A fool also is full of words: a man cannot tell what shall be; and what shall be after him, who can tell him? The labour of the foolish wearieth every one of them, because he knoweth not how to go to the city.

Podcast 94 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 9, Ch 9”To King Solomon the world is a precarious place. The world is not fair. The world is not equitable. The world does not discriminate. That theme appears to dominate Chapter 9. Perhaps Solomon’s most often quoted words, found in Ecclesiastes 9, are “Time and chance happeneth to them all.” It is proverbial. It is provocative. It is true to life. We live in a world governed by time and chance. We must come to terms with coincidence. Coincidence is one of the greatest stumbling blocks to Christianity for the simple reason that every miracle can be attributed to chance. It is an argument that is irrefutable. All miracles begin with faith. All miracles are only recognized through faith. Faith precedes the miracle. Faith in Christ brings about the miracle. And faith in Christ sustains our belief that a miracle occurred.There is a logical fallacy logicians call ‘post hoc ergo propter hoc’ which means ‘after the fact therefore because of the fact. The argument is that just because an event precedes the effect, the event did not cause the effect. It is a necessary precaution because it prevents us from ‘jumping to conclusions.’ On the other hand, it is a double edged sword. Skepticism may cause us to deny the miracle. For example, the skeptic would say, just because you prayed doesn’t mean that God brought about a miracle. They may argue that prayer and the miracle were merely coincidental. Atheists insist that creation is accidental, that all things, even the creation of man, came about through coincidence, accident. The philosopher Bertrand Russell said, “Man is nothing but an accidental collocation of atoms.” Christians cannot prove that God created the world. It is an act of faith. Another reality is that wicked people prosper in a wicked world. If one equates success by the accumulation of wealth, then the wicked are probably more likely to be considered some of the most successful. Still Solomon declares that the righteous are in the hands of God.Ecclesiastes 9:1For all this I considered in my heart even to declare all this, that the righteous, and the wise, and their works, are in the hand of God: no man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.Notice how deceitful the eyes can be, “No man knoweth either love or hatred by all that is before them.” To see the hand of God, one must use a different standard of judgment. One must have faith. We live in a complicated world which prompted the following very discouraging observation. Ecclesiastes 9:2All things come alike to all: there is one event to the righteous, and to the wicked; to the good and to the clean, and to the unclean; to him that sacrificeth, and to him that sacrificeth not: as is the good, so is the sinner; and he that sweareth, as he that feareth an oath.That is why faith is required to see the hand of God. Faith is required to even see the hand of the devil for if the devil is not real then neither is God. Malachi understood that. He understood that logic has its limitations in discerning divine truth. Malachi 3:13-18Your words have been stout against me, saith the Lord. Yet ye say, What have we spoken so much against thee? Ye have said, It is vain to serve God: and what profit is it that we have kept his ordinance, and that we have walked mournfully before the Lord of hosts? And now we call the proud happy; yea, they that work wickedness are set up; yea, they that tempt God are even delivered. Then they that feared the Lord spake often one to another: and the Lord hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the Lord, and that thought upon his name. And they shall be mine, saith the Lord of hosts, in that day when I make up my jewels; and I will spare them, as a man spareth his own son that serveth him. 

Podcast 93 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 8, Ch 8”Solomon’s gift was to plumb the depth of things. He did not allow all the distractions of his kingdom to keep him from a contemplative life. Ecclesiastes 8:1Who is as the wise man? and who knoweth the interpretation of a thing? a man’s wisdom maketh his face to shine, and the boldness of his face shall be changed.What does it mean “to know the interpretation of a thing”?  For one thing it suggests that there is meaning to life, there is purpose, there is design, there is more than meets the eye. How does wisdom make one’s face shine? The answer is simple: It is the light of Christ. It is Christ who gives meaning to life, who makes life worthwhile, who makes life eternal, who enlightens the mind, the body, and the spirit. There are temporal things and there are spiritual things; there are mortal things and there are immortal things; there is the body and there is the soul. Solomon acknowledges the existence of the soul. That is why “his face shall be changed.” There is more to life than ‘eat, drink, and be merry for tomorrow we die.’ Ecclesiastes 8:2-4I counsel thee to keep the king’s commandment, and that in regard of the oath of God. Be not hasty to go out of his sight: stand not in an evil thing; for he doeth whatsoever pleaseth him. Where the word of a king is, there is power: and who may say unto him, What doest thou?Let’s assume that what king Solomon is referring to is actually the law of the land. He is warning against a lawless society. “Stand not in an evil thing” refers to the criminal element that would thumb their nose at the law. A criminal “doeth whatsoever pleaseth him.” Society cannot survive a lawless world. “Where the word of a king is, there is power.” There is power in law and order, and the king, of course, symbolizes law and order. Because we have a physical body and an immortal spirit, we are complex beings, yet we must live together in harmony. Given the complexity of our dual citizenship, let me present four conflicts that are inherent in each of us. By dual citizenship, I mean the citizenship our spirit has with our God vs the citizenship our mortal body has with our government. In the. above Solomon addressed our citizenship with our government. Solomon is a king and he expects to be obeyed. We have four conflicting elements that make up our being. We have freewill, agency, freedom, and liberty. All are based on law, but different kinds of Law.·      Freewill depends upon the spiritual Laws of God.·      Agency depends upon our ability to choose good or evil.·      Freedom depends upon the Laws of Nature or Temporal Laws of God.·      Liberty depends upon the Laws of man.There are always forces in a fallen world that seek to destroy freewill, agency, freedom, and liberty. Sometimes the king is the enemy, especially if he is a wicked king. The source of freewill is God. Will, or intelligence, self-exist or we have no freedom. We would be automatons acting under the forces of nature. Nothing earthly can give us freewill. We brought it with us when we came to earth. Nothing less than divine law can give us freewill. Freewill is what makes us unique, nonpareil. Our intelligence or consciousness is who we are and determines what we become. Agency, on the other hand, depends entirely upon the absolute existence of good and evil. That is why we have divine law. The two masterful laws are the Law of Justice and the Law of Mercy. All the laws of God are designed to give us agency. Agency is the ability to choose between good and evil. If we choose good we reap the benefits of divine law, called the law of justice. If we choose evil, we reap the punishment of divine law, also called the law of justice. The law of justice is why we have freewill. The law of mercy is why we have agency. 

Podcast 92 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 7, Ch 7”Prophets often turn things upside down. King Solomon is an empire builder. He governs twelve great nations. He has power, wealth, fame, prestige, and wisdom, but he is also given to the contemplative life. Notice the startling statement in verse 1.Ecclesiastes 7:1A good name is better than precious ointment; and the day of death than the day of one’s birth.“A good name is better than a precious ointment” reminds me of a line from Shakespeare’s Othello.Othello, Act 3, Scene 3“Good name in man and woman, dear my lord, Is the immediate jewel of their souls: Who steals my purse steals trash; ’tis something, nothing; ’Twas mine, ’tis his, and has been slave to thousands; But he that filches from me my good name Robs me of that which not enriches him, And makes me poor indeed.”The line is spoken by Iago, a villain of the first order, yet that doesn’t make the concept less true. But why does Solomon say that “the day of death is more precious than the day of one’s birth?” Is it because with birth comes uncertainty and trials. In Job we read:Job 5:7“Yet man is born unto trouble, as the sparks fly upward.”Of course, we know the story of Job, the wealthiest and most powerful man in the region round about. In a short time, he lost his animals, his power, his position, his wealth, his health, and his children. Next to Christ, Job has become the symbol of endurance, of patient suffering, of inequity, of the power of Satan, and of faith.  That makes his statement profoundly meaningful. As Mark Twain quipped, “sparks must fly upward,” suggesting that trouble is unavoidable. Is that why the day of death is more precious than the day of one’s birth, or is Solomon aiming at a higher purpose? Death symbolizes, not only the end of life, but the end of our probation. We were sent to earth by God, our creator, to prove ourselves. After earth comes the judgment, and the judgment determines how we spend eternity. Repeatedly Solomon speaks of the vanity of earthly things. His eye was always on eternity. Solomon finds virtue in the house of mourning Ecclesiastes 7: 2-3It is better to go to the house of mourning, than to go to the house of feasting: for that is the end of all men; and the living will lay it to his heart. Sorrow is better than laughter: for by the sadness of the countenance the heart is made better.We have the following senses: sight, sound, taste, touch, smell. But we also have feelings. We have a heart. We have a mind. We have a spirit. We have the Holy Ghost. We have faith, etc. Solomon subordinates the five senses to the higher senses.Ecclesiastes 7:4-9The heart of the wise is in the house of mourning; but the heart of fools is in the house of mirth. It is better to hear the rebuke of the wise, than for a man to hear the song of fools. For as the crackling of thorns under a pot, so is the laughter of the fool: this also is vanity. Surely oppression maketh a wise man mad; and a gift destroyeth the heart. Better is the end of a thing than the beginning thereof: and the patient in spirit is better than the proud in spirit. Be not hasty in thy spirit to be angry: for anger resteth in the bosom of fools.“Better is the end of the thing than the beginning thereof” is another way of saying, “the day of death is more precious than the day of one’s birth.” What is his message? It is clear. We should dedicate our lives to making death the greatest day of our life. In other words, we must not have the ‘heart of a fool.’ Solomon naturally goes to the importance of wisdom. 

Podcast 91 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 6, Ch 6”It is very common in scriptures for the prophet to make a sweeping statement in the beginning upon which the rest of the chapter follows, giving specific detail explaining its meaning. It moves from general to specific. In English we call it a thesis statement, a purpose statement, or topic sentence. In other words, the prophet raises a question and then answers it thoroughly. Notice the first verse of Ecclesiastes 6:Ecclesiastes 6:1There is an evil which I have seen under the sun, and it is common among men:Now we may expect King Solomon to expound or answer his own question: What is that evil common to man? His object, of course, is to persuade us to avoid that evil; otherwise, our lives, regardless of how outwardly successful we may appear to be, will be in vain. Consistently Solomon has the eternal perspective in mind. The key words in Chapter 6 are good vs evil. The first two verses speak of evil. In verse one he said, “There is an evil…under the sun.” It is set apart by the fact that the evil is ‘common among men.’ Ecclesiastes 6:2A man to whom God hath given riches, wealth, and honour, so that he wanteth nothing for his soul of all that he desireth, yet God giveth him not power to eat thereof, but a stranger eateth it: this is vanity, and it is an evil disease.First of all, Solomon acknowledges that all good things come from God, but it is what we do with those good things that matter. When Solomon said, “God giveth him not power to eat thereof’ he is saying that God does not create a glutton, which, as all Christians know, is considered one of the seven deadly sins. Why then is it vanity? Why is it an evil disease? It is evil because he does not use the wealth God gave him to do good. He hoards it. Christ addressed the same issue. Luke 12:15-21And he said unto them, Take heed, and beware of covetousness: for a man’s life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth. And he spake a parable unto them, saying, The ground of a certain rich man brought forth plentifully: And he thought within himself, saying, What shall I do, because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? And he said, This will I do: I will pull down my barns, and build greater; and there will I bestow all my fruits and my goods. And I will say to my soul, Soul, thou hast much goods laid up for many years; take thine ease, eat, drink, and be merry. But God said unto him, Thou fool, this night thy soul shall be required of thee: then whose shall those things be, which thou hast provided? So is he that layeth up treasure for himself, and is not rich toward God.Part of the genius of the grammar of scripture is both its concreteness and its economy. Real life becomes a parable, a type, a model for us all to strive for or to guard against. Consider the following example given by Solomon.Ecclesiastes 6:3If a man beget an hundred children, and live many years, so that the days of his years be many, and his soul be not filled with good, and also that he have no burial; I say, that an untimely birth is better than he.Though Solomon may well have had a hundred children, it is not the common lot of man. But hyperbole serves his purpose. And he appears to be saying that it is better not to have been born than to not fill our lives with good. Again, Solomon has his eyes on eternity. The vanity and vexation he speaks of is of the temporal or mortal world only. Again, we rely upon the words of the Savior.Mark 8:36For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?

Podcast 90 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 5, Ch 5”Consider verse 1 of Chapter 5 of Ecclesiastes.Ecclesiastes 5:1Keep thy foot when thou goest to the house of God, and be more ready to hear, than to give the sacrifice of fools: for they consider not that they do evil.The ‘house of God’ refers to the temple, the long awaited sanctuary which Solomon built from the materials collected by his father David. To understand the temple, it is helpful to look at the dedicatory prayer by Solomon upon its completion. It is rather lengthy, so I shall only use part of it.1 Kings 8:13I have surely built thee an house to dwell in, a settled place for thee to abide in for ever.David said,Psalm 93:5Holiness becometh thine house, O Lord, for ever.The Holy Temple is a place of covenants.1 Kings 8:21And I have set there a place for the ark, wherein is the covenant of the Lord, which he made with our fathers, when he brought them out of the land of Egypt.The Holy Temple is filled with the ‘glory of the Lord.’1 Kings 8:11So that the priests could not stand to minister because of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord had filled the house of the Lord, who is ever watchful.It is truly the House of the Lord and contains his name. 1 Kings 8:29That thine eyes may be open toward this house night and day, even toward the place of which thou hast said, My name shall be there: that thou mayest hearken unto the prayer which thy servant shall make toward this place.It is a house of prayer.1 Kings 8:30And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant, and of thy people Israel, when they shall pray toward this place: and hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place: and when thou hearest, forgive.1 Kings 8:38-39What prayer and supplication soever be made by any man, or by all thy people Israel, which shall know every man the plague of his own heart, and spread forth his hands toward this house: Then hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and forgive, and do, and give to every man according to his ways, whose heart thou knowest; (for thou, even thou only, knowest the hearts of all the children of men;)It is a house of learning, a house of miracles and a house of direct communication with the Lord.1 Kings 8:35-36When heaven is shut up, and there is no rain, because they have sinned against thee; if they pray toward this place, and confess thy name, and turn from their sin, when thou afflictest them: Then hear thou in heaven, and forgive the sin of thy servants, and of thy people Israel, that thou teach them the good way wherein they should walk, and give rain upon thy land, which thou hast given to thy people for an inheritance.Solomon teaches us how to pray.Ecclesiastes 5:2-3Be not rash with thy mouth, and let not thine heart be hasty to utter any thing before God: for God is in heaven, and thou upon earth: therefore let thy words be few. For a dream cometh through the multitude of business; and a fool’s voice is known by multitude of words.In the Sermon on the Mount Christ clarifies what Solomon said. It is not the length of prayer, which in private. A prayer may be as long or as short as one desires. It is the sincerity of the prayer that matters,Matthew 6:7But when ye pray, use not vain repetitions, as the heathen do: for they think that they shall be heard for their much speaking.

Podcast 89 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 4, Ch 4”When we consider the range of King Solomon’s meditations, we find a man of compassion. He is a king, the wisest in the world. He has wealth, power, position, fame, luxury, and all the things the world can provide, yet he considers the plight of the least.Ecclesiastes 4:1So I returned, and considered all the oppressions that are done under the sun: and behold the tears of such as were oppressed, and they had no comforter; and on the side of their oppressors there was power; but they had no comforter.Consider the following bleak statement from the English philosopher Thomas Hobbes in his work Leviathan.“Whatsoever therefore is consequent to a time of warre, where every man is enemy to every man; the same is consequent to the time, wherein men live without other security, than what their own strength, and their own invention shall furnish them withal. In such condition, there is no place for Industry; because the fruit thereof is uncertain: and consequently no Culture of the Earth; no Navigation, nor use of the commodities that may be imported by Sea; no commodious Building; no Instruments of moving, and removing, such things as require much force; no Knowledge of the face of the Earth; no account of Time; no Arts; no Letters; no Society; and which is worst of all, continual feare, and danger of violent death; and the life of man, solitary, poore, nasty, brutish, and short.”Are the following words of King Solomon less bleak?Ecclesiastes 4:2-3Wherefore I praised the dead which are already dead more than the living which are yet alive.  Yea, better is he than both they, which hath not yet been, who hath not seen the evil work that is done under the sun.What does a man born in a palace raised from his birth to be a king, highly favored of the Lord, surrounded by servants, know about the suffering of the poor? Yet Solomon considers the plight of all.Ecclesiastes 4:4-5Again, I considered all travail, and every right work, that for this a man is envied of his neighbour. This is also vanity and vexation of spirit. The fool foldeth his hands together, and eateth his own flesh.Envy is considered one of the seven deadly sins. Consider the words of Paul.Galatians 5:19-21Now the works of the flesh are manifest, which are these; Adultery, fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness, Idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, variance, emulations, wrath, strife, seditions, heresies, Envyings, murders, drunkenness, revellings, and such like…Solomon prefers the meditative life.Ecclesiastes 4:6Better is an handful with quietness, than both the hands full with travail and vexation of spirit.One could easily answer the king of wealth— ‘That is all well and good but how am I going to feed my family?’ But that isn’t what Solomon is saying. He isn’t asking us to ignore our responsibilities. He is asking us never to lose perspective. In his position of responsibility, he would be pulled in a thousand directions daily and the distractions of his time manifold. Still he advices “Better is an handful of quietness, than both the hands full of travail and vexation of spirit.” He appears to be saying that the greater the responsibility the greater the necessity for moments of quietness. He is asking us to separate that which is temporary from that which is eternal. Bodily labor is temporary. The soul is eternal. Ecclesiastes 4:7-8Then I returned, and I saw vanity under the sun. There is one alone, and there is not a second; yea, he hath neither child nor brother: yet is there no end of all his labour; neither is his eye satisfied with riches; neither saith he, For whom do I labour, and bereave my soul of good? This is also vanity, yea, it is a sore travail.

Podcast 88 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 3, Ch 3”There is a philosophical edge to Ecclesiastes which suggests that King Solomon, with all of his power, glory, and empire building, took time out from his responsibilities as King and pondered the meaning of life. He was introspective. Verses 1-8 of Ecclesiastes 3 became a popular song, modified by Pete Deeger in the late 1950s but popularized by The Byrds in 1965. That merely reaffirms its relevance for all time. In all appearances Ecclesiastes was written in the latter part of King Solomon’s life for he is looking back, pondering what really matters and what doesn’t. Surely Solomon’s life was one of the richest of all men. It is made even more poignant by the historical fact that he is the last king of a united Israel. After Solomon’s death the tribes split into the northern ten tribes who choose their own King, Jeroboam I, and the two southern tribes who follow Rehoboam, Solomon’s Son. Rather than expand their territory, they fight each other. Sadly, their leaders become their worst enemies by leading them into idol worship; the temple is destroyed twice, and all tribes become scattered throughout the earth, not before giving us the Holy Bible and our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Their history is our history. There is a spiritual kinship that has dominated the world stage for millennia. As with so many millions of Christians and Jews, I begin every day studying the words of the ancient prophets. They shape my life, my thinking, and my philosophy as if they were still alive.Let’s first examine perhaps the most oft quoted words of Solomon.Ecclesiastes 3:1-9To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven: A time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up that which is planted; A time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; A time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing; A time to get, and a time to lose; a time to keep, and a time to cast away; A time to rend, and a time to sew; a time to keep silence, and a time to speak; A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war, and a time of peace. What profit hath he that worketh in that wherein he laboureth?If you can read that without thinking ‘turn turn turn’ then you are not a child of the sixties as I am. There is something about the simple phrase, “To everything there is a season.” In my happy childhood, I knew the season of plums, peaches, pears, black walnuts, hickory nuts, strawberries, black berries, dewberries, maypops, watermelons, and muscadines. I spent hours sitting in ‘muscadine trees’ in early fall eating muscadines. In black walnut season, my hands were always stained black from tearing open the outer shell to crack the harder shell and harvest the delicious nut. Happy is the person who understands the meaning of season.   

Podcast 87 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 2”Every great writer finds his voice. If he does not find his voice, he shall never be a great writer. King Solomon found his voice. Who but Solomon could have written Ecclesiastes. The word Ecclesiastes comes from the Greek meaning “one who addresses an assembly” or “preacher,” hence the title of the Book. He is reflecting upon his life.Ecclesiastes 2:1-3I said in mine heart, Go to now, I will prove thee with mirth, therefore enjoy pleasure: and, behold, this also is vanity. I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? I sought in mine heart to give myself unto wine, yet acquainting mine heart with wisdom; and to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was that good for the sons of men, which they should do under the heaven all the days of their life. Notice the choices: mirth, pleasure, laughter, wine. Eventually they don’t satisfy. They all come to the same meaningless end. Solomon, however, also acquainted “his heart with wisdom.” As we know that was a special gift from God.He uses terms such as ‘vanity,’ ‘folly,’ and ‘vexation of spirit.’ It isn’t that laughter is bad. It is that seeking pleasure “all the days of their life” is empty, unfulfilling. The same with giving himself to wine. In time seeking things of the body rather than the mind or spirit turns to folly. Spending one’s life in seeking pleasure is vanity. It is fleeting. It has no staying power. But Solomon was given a gift above all other men. He was given wisdom. The following is recorded in 1 Kings.1 Kings 3:9-12Give therefore thy servant an understanding heart to judge thy people, that I may discern between good and bad: for who is able to judge this thy so great a people? And the speech pleased the Lord, that Solomon had asked this thing. And God said unto him, Because thou hast asked this thing, and hast not asked for thyself long life; neither hast asked riches for thyself, nor hast asked the life of thine enemies; but hast asked for thyself understanding to discern judgment; Behold, I have done according to thy words: lo, I have given thee a wise and an understanding heart; so that there was none like thee before thee, neither after thee shall any arise like unto thee.Ecclesiastes was clearly written in the latter part of his life for he is looking back over his life.  He has accumulated great wealth.Ecclesiastes 2:4-10I made me great works; I builded me houses; I planted me vineyards: I made me gardens and orchards, and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits: I made me pools of water, to water therewith the wood that bringeth forth trees: I got me servants and maidens, and had servants born in my house; also I had great possessions of great and small cattle above all that were in Jerusalem before me: I gathered me also silver and gold, and the peculiar treasure of kings and of the provinces: I gat me men singers and women singers, and the delights of the sons of men, as musical instruments, and that of all sorts. So I was great, and increased more than all that were before me in Jerusalem: also my wisdom remained with me. And whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them, I withheld not my heart from any joy; for my heart rejoiced in all my labour: and this was my portion of all my labour.But even that turned to vanity.Ecclesiastes 2:11Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought, and on the labour that I had laboured to do: and, behold, all was vanity and vexation of spirit, and there was no profit under the sun.It is an ironic use of the word’ profit’ since he is perhaps the wealthiest man in the world. Ecclesiastes is a cautionary tale. King Solomon is giving us a warning. He is asking us to decide what really matters in life. Are we chasing chimeras? 

Podcast 86 Ecclesiastes, “Pt 1”King Solomon, son of David, the last king of a united Israel, is known for his wisdom. Also famous for building King Soloman’s temple, he is the author of Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, and Songs of Solomon. Thank you for joining Linda and me as we discuss Ecclesiastes, an incredibly rich book from the mind and heart of one of the Lord’s anointed Kings who helped shaped the world.Ecclesiastes 1:1The words of the Preacher, the son of David, king in Jerusalem.Ecclesiastes is written as if King Solomon is an old man looking back on his life, perhaps with some regret for his life has been far from perfect. Solomon inherited an empire built largely by his father, the warrior king David, who also collected the materials for the temple. Tragedy followed the first king, Saul, then David, and then Solomon, fulfilling the prophesy of Samuel that a curse would be on Israel if they selected kings over judges. 1 Samuel 8:11-18And he said, This will be the manner of the king that shall reign over you: He will take your sons, and appoint them for himself, for his chariots, and to be his horsemen; and some shall run before his chariots. And he will appoint him captains over thousands, and captains over fifties; and will set them to ear his ground, and to reap his harvest, and to make his instruments of war, and instruments of his chariots. And he will take your daughters to be confectionaries, and to be cooks, and to be bakers. And he will take your fields, and your vineyards, and your oliveyards, even the best of them, and give them to his servants. And he will take the tenth of your seed, and of your vineyards, and give to his officers, and to his servants. And he will take your menservants, and your maidservants, and your goodliest young men, and your asses, and put them to his work. He will take the tenth of your sheep: and ye shall be his servants. And ye shall cry out in that day because of your king which ye shall have chosen you; and the Lord will not hear you in that day.That is exactly what happened, particularly under King Solomon. In fact, the twelve tribes split after the Death of King Solomon because Rehoboam (about 931 BC), Solomon’s son who replaced his father, would not reduce the taxes. The ten northern tribes, consisting of Reuben, Simeon, Issachar, Zebulun, Dan, Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Ephraim & Manasseh, followed Jeroboam 1, and the southern tribes followed Rehoboam. The southern tribes consisted of Judah and Benjamin and the greater part of the tribe of Levi who exercised the priesthood. Samaria became the capital of the northern tribes, also referred to as Ephraim or Israel. Jerusalem remained the capital of the southern tribes, also referred to as Judah. The tribes became enemies and often tried to destroy each other. That split led to their total downfall. First the Northern tribes became scattered and lost to the world after being conquered by the Assyrians; next the southern tribes became scattered throughout the world after being captured by the Romans. The nation of Israel was lost.  Fortunately, we have many of the words of both David, the Psalmist, and Solomon, the Preacher. Some of King Solomon’s most famous lines are,  Ecclesiastes 1:2Vanity of vanities, saith the Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity.Think about King Solomon, perhaps the richest man on earth, summing up his life in such a simple word as ‘vanity.’ He captures the concept of vanity so beautifully.Ecclesiastes 1:3-4What profit hath a man of all his labour which he taketh under the sun? One generation passeth away, and another generation cometh: but the earth abideth for ever.Of all the doctrines of King Solomon, perhaps none is greater than his observation above, “The earth abideth forever.” He anticipates John the Revelator by a thousand years. 

 Podcast 85 Story if Elisha, “Pt 11” Miracles, by their nature, are strange things, for they often appear to deny nature or probability or common sense. Furthermore, often miracles, no matter how spectacular they appear, can often be explained away by ordinary things. For example, everyone witnessed that the Syrian army left in a great hurry, but not everyone attributed it to the Lord. They undoubtedly came up with their own comfortable explanation. 2 Kings 7:18-20And it came to pass as the man of God had spoken to the king, saying, Two measures of barley for a shekel, and a measure of fine flour for a shekel, shall be to morrow about this time in the gate of Samaria: And that lord answered the man of God, and said, Now, behold, if the Lord should make windows in heaven, might such a thing be? And he said, Behold, thou shalt see it with thine eyes, but shalt not eat thereof. And so it fell out unto him: for the people trode upon him in the gate, and he died.If you recall, previously Elisha told the messenger that the price of food would drop but that the messenger would not be able to eat. The prophecy was fulfilled because the messenger was trampled by starving people rushing to get the food.One of the last recorded acts of Elisha is rather peculiar. Here is the background.2 Kings 8:7-8And Elisha came to Damascus; and Ben-hadad the king of Syria was sick; and it was told him, saying, The man of God is come hither. And the king said unto Hazael, Take a present in thine hand, and go, meet the man of God, and inquire of the Lord by him, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?Hazael, apparently a high ranking official, does as the King Ben-hadad commanded.2 Kings 8:9So Hazael went to meet him, and took a present with him, even of every good thing of Damascus, forty camels’ burden, and came and stood before him, and said, Thy son Ben-hadad king of Syria hath sent me to thee, saying, Shall I recover of this disease?Elisha’s answer is very peculiar.2 Kings 8:10And Elisha said unto him, Go, say unto him, Thou mayest certainly recover: howbeit the Lord hath shewed me that he shall surely die.What appears to be a lie, isn’t. The king does not die from his illness. He survives his illness but dies from assassination. Elisha merely predicted the future. He begins to weep, not for the king but for Israel.2 Kings 8:11-12And he settled his countenance steadfastly, until he was ashamed: and the man of God wept. And Hazael said, Why weepeth my lord? And he answered, Because I know the evil that thou wilt do unto the children of Israel: their strong holds wilt thou set on fire, and their young men wilt thou slay with the sword, and wilt dash their children, and rip up their women with child.The next scene positively appears to be the inspiration for the Story of Shakespeare’s MacBeth. Elisha prophesies that Hazael shall become king 2 Kings 8:13And Hazael said, But what, is thy servant a dog, that he should do this great thing? And Elisha answered, The Lord hath shewed me that thou shalt be king over Syria.Hazael first delivers his message to the king and then smoothers Ben-hadad, king of Syria.2 Kings 8:14-15So he departed from Elisha, and came to his master; who said to him, What said Elisha to thee? And he answered, He told me that thou shouldest surely recover. And it came to pass on the morrow, that he took a thick cloth, and dipped it in water, and spread it on his face, so that he died: and Hazael reigned in his stead.Elijah is remembered more for his departure than for the miracles he performed which were spectacular.  He was taken up into heaven in a chariot of fire. 

Podcast 84 Story if Elisha, “Pt 10” Modern readers are often shocked when reading ancient texts. For one thing they are shocked at how little human life is regarded. For another they are shocked at the brutality.  and for another they are shocked at the extremes people are willing to go to survive. Some Old Testament stories reveal that extremism. The following miracle of Elisha is peculiar from start to finish.2 Kings 6:34-35And it came to pass after this, that Ben-hadad king of Syria gathered all his host, and went up, and besieged Samaria. And there was a great famine in Samaria: and, behold, they besieged it, until an ass’s head was sold for fourscore pieces of silver, and the fourth part of a cab of dove’s dung for five pieces of silver.The approximate year of the above is 852 BC -841 BC. Samaria is the capital of Israel or Ephraim. The siege of the Syrians is causing the famine. The costs quoted above are astronomical. Eighty pieces of silver is $600 or more, meaning most were starving. The food listed could hardly be more undesirable which adds to the seriousness of the famine.But nothing could be more heartbreaking than the following story. It is simply unimaginable. 2 Kings 6:26-29And as the king of Israel was passing by upon the wall, there cried a woman unto him, saying, Help, my lord, O king. And he said, If the Lord do not help thee, whence shall I help thee? out of the barnfloor, or out of the winepress? And the king said unto her, What aileth thee? And she answered, This woman said unto me, Give thy son, that we may eat him to day, and we will eat my son tomorrow. So we boiled my son, and did eat him: and I said unto her on the next day, Give thy son, that we may eat him: and she hath hid her son.The king is not shocked by the infanticide and cannibalism of the heartless mothers, nor does his anger turn against the true enemy, Syria. Neither does he turn toward the Lord for the things that are happening to his own country are because his wickedness. Rather than repent, wearing sackcloth and ashes before God and seeking the Lord’s prophet for help, Jehoram, King of Israel, immediately wants to murder Elisha, the one Man of God who could save him. That shows his own depravity. 2 Kings 6:30-31And it came to pass, when the king heard the words of the woman, that he rent his clothes; and he passed by upon the wall, and the people looked, and, behold, he had sackcloth within upon his flesh. Then he said, God do so and more also to me, if the head of Elisha the son of Shaphat shall stand on him this day.The prophet Elisha, like his mentor Elijah, is unmoved by the King’s threats.2 Kings 6:32-33But Elisha sat in his house, and the elders sat with him; and the king sent a man from before him: but ere the messenger came to him, he said to the elders, See ye how this son of a murderer hath sent to take away mine head? look, when the messenger cometh, shut the door, and hold him fast at the door: is not the sound of his master’s feet behind him? And while he yet talked with them, behold, the messenger came down unto him: and he said, Behold, this evil is of the Lord; what should I wait for the Lord any longer?Notice that Elisha refers to Jehoram as the “son of a murder.” Jehoram’s father was Ahab, an idol worshiper and mass murderer for he murdered the prophets. His wife, and mother of Jehoram, was Jezebel, a Phoenician Princess and Idol worshiper. Both came to an early and violent death. Jezebel was thrown out of a window, her body eaten by dogs.Elisha’s answer to the messenger contains both the promise of a miracle and the forecast of the messenger’s own death.

Podcast 83 Story if Elisha, “Pt 9”The prophet Elijah, who had the courage of a lion, was perhaps more flamboyant and dramatic than his protégé Elisha, but the miracles of Elisha, which often parallelled the miracles of his mentor Elijah, outnumbered the miracles of Elijah. Among Elisha’s miracles, which also paralleled some of the miracles of Jesus, are the following.·      He saw Elijah being taken to heaven in a chariot of fire.·      The mantle of Elijah fell upon Elisha giving him a double portion.·      He multiplied the widow’s oil.·      He raised the Shumammite’s son from the dead.·      He healed the poison stew·      He fed 100 men from a few loaves of bread and ears of corn.But one miracle of Elisha appears to stand out, perhaps because its message is so astonishing. The following line is frequently quoted for that miracle gives courage to the faithful who sometimes seem overwhelmed by the trials of life. 2 Kings 6:16And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.A peculiar set of circumstances brings about the miracle. Syria was coming against Israel to battle.  History doesn’t record exact numbers of each army, but the following scripture certainly puts it is perspective.1 Kings 20:26-27And it came to pass at the return of the year, that Ben-hadad numbered the Syrians, and went up to Aphek, to fight against Israel. And the children of Israel were numbered, and were all present, and went against them: and the children of Israel pitched before them like two little flocks of kids; but the Syrians filled the country.The miracle is recorded in some detail in 2 Kings 6.2 Kings 6: 8-10Then the king of Syria warred against Israel, and took counsel with his servants, saying, In such and such a place shall be my camp. And the man of God sent unto the king of Israel, saying, Beware that thou pass not such a place; for thither the Syrians are come down. And the king of Israel sent to the place which the man of God told him and warned him of, and saved himself there, not once nor twice.A prophet certainly comes in handy during time of war. It really irritated the king of Syria that his subterfuge was discovered. Not understanding prophecy, he thinks he has been betrayed by his own men. 2 Kings 6:11Therefore the heart of the king of Syria was sore troubled for this thing; and he called his servants, and said unto them, Will ye not shew me which of us is for the king of Israel?A servant of the King knows about the prophet Elisha.2 Kings 6:12And one of his servants said, None, my lord, O king: but Elisha, the prophet that is in Israel, telleth the king of Israel the words that thou speakest in thy bedchamber.The ignorant king commits the folly of thinking that he can simply kill Elisha. 2 Kings 6:13-14And he said, Go and spy where he is, that I may send and fetch him. And it was told him, saying, Behold, he is in Dothan. Therefore sent he thither horses, and chariots, and a great host: and they came by night, and compassed the city about.Such a large army to kill one man. The rest of the story is of such a nature that once read it cannot be forgotten. 2 Kings 6:15-16And when the servant of the man of God was risen early, and gone forth, behold, an host compassed the city both with horses and chariots. And his servant said unto him, Alas, my master! how shall we do? And he answered, Fear not: for they that be with us are more than they that be with them.And there, of course, we have those strange words. Elisha and his servant are merely two unarmed men, yet a host of the king’s army has come to kill him. 

Podcast 82 Story if Elisha, “Pt 8”First, we learn something about the group called the Sons of the Prophets.2 Kings 6: 1-3And the sons of the prophets said unto Elisha, Behold now, the place where we dwell with thee is too strait for us. Let us go, we pray thee, unto Jordan, and take thence every man a beam, and let us make us a place there, where we may dwell. And he answered, Go ye. And one said, Be content, I pray thee, and go with thy servants. And he answered, I will go.Though they may be given prophecies, they are students of the prophets. They recognized Elisha as the chosen prophet of God as they recognized Elijah as the chosen prophet of God.They are devotees. It is more like a seminary. Undoubtedly they preach the words of the true prophets because Elisha willingly moves to a better location so that they can be with him. As we have learned from Isaiah, Elijah, and Elisha, prophets are called only by inspiration, revelation, and authority of God. They do not go to school to learn the prophetic trade. We know however, that they may receive revelation. Consider, for example, the following.  Before Elijah is miraculously taken up into heaven, the Sons of the Prophets say to Elisha.2 Kings 2:3And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.The Sons of the Prophets, though they received a revelation, subordinated themselves to Elisha who has especially been appointed by Elijah to follow in his footsteps. But as you recall, even then, it is dependent entirely upon Elisha’s faith. Elisha agrees to change locations so there will be room for the Sons of the Prophets. He accompanies them.2 Kings 6:4So he went with them. And when they came to Jordan, they cut down wood.Elisha is noted for the many miracles he performed. One of the oddest, perhaps, is the story of the iron axe head.2 Kings 6:5-7But as one was felling a beam, the axe head fell into the water: and he cried, and said, Alas, master! for it was borrowed. And the man of God said, Where fell it? And he shewed him the place. And he cut down a stick, and cast it in thither; and the iron did swim. Therefore said he, Take it up to thee. And he put out his hand, and took it.Did the miracle violate the laws of nature? As I write this, four astronauts just returned to earth after circling the moon. In circling the moon, they travelled into space farther than any other humans. Was that a miracle, for it had never been done before? Did they violate the laws of nature? To me it was a miracle, but no! They did not violate the laws of nature such as the law of gravity. The scientists who engineered the journey understood the laws of nature. They understood the dynamics of higher laws. Gravity is as secure as it has ever been, yet it seems to have been defied a with the axe head. The difference between a scientific experiment such as circling the moon and a miracle such as levitating the head of an iron axe is simply this. We understand the laws organized by the men and women of Nasa. We do not understand the laws organized by God to make the head of the axe float. But what is the greater miracle, circling the moon? or making an ax head float? Many perhaps would say, ‘circling the moon.’ Miracles may be defined as unexplained phenomena whose laws are unknown to man but not to God.God, the creator of the universe, works by law. He never violates law or he would cease to be God. 

Podcast 81, Story if Elisha, “Pt 7”In the previous podcast we discussed the Story of the miracle of the healing of Naaman, the Captain of the Syrian army. In this podcast we complete that story.We learn another great lesson from the healing of Naaman. Consistent with other miracles, something is required of the person receiving the miracle. There is a law irrevocable with God that faith must precede the miracle. Without faith there can be no miracles performed. Remember the following incident in the life of the Savior himself. Matthew 13:53-58And it came to pass, that when Jesus had finished these parables, he departed thence. And when he was come into his own country, he taught them in their synagogue, insomuch that they were astonished, and said, Whence hath this man this wisdom, and these mighty works? Is not this the carpenter’s son? is not his mother called Mary? and his brethren, James, and Joses, and Simon, and Judas? And his sisters, are they not all with us? Whence then hath this man all these things? And they were offended in him. But Jesus said unto them, A prophet is not without honour, save in his own country, and in his own house. And he did not many mighty works there because of their unbelief.Naaman appears at Elisha’s door, but Elisha doesn’t see the Captain of the Kings army himself. As a test of his faith, he sends a messenger. In context, we must remember the high station of Naaman. He is used to commanding respect. It must have been hard for him to be slighted. He didn’t expect to see a messenger. He expected to meet a prophet. Furthermore, he is very annoyed at the impertinent message.2 Kings 5:9-11So Naaman came with his horses and with his chariot, and stood at the door of the house of Elisha. And Elisha sent a messenger unto him, saying, Go and wash in Jordan seven times, and thy flesh shall come again to thee, and thou shalt be clean. But Naaman was wroth, and went away, and said, Behold, I thought, He will surely come out to me, and stand, and call on the name of the Lord his God, and strike his hand over the place, and recover the leper.Now notice the logic of Naaman who does not know the ways of the true God.2 Kings 5:12Are not Abana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better than all the waters of Israel? may I not wash in them, and be clean? So he turned and went away in a rage.The Israelites were a conquered people, partially brought about by Naaman’s own skills as a Captain. You can see why Elisah did not go himself. Why he sent a messenger. Before being healed. Naaman had to be humbled. He was proud. He had no respect for Israel, for Israel’s prophet, or Israel’s God. He was used to giving commands not taking them, especially from the enemy. Elisha is so much like his mentor Elijah. Naaman’s own servants come to his rescue. They speak with much greater wisdom than the proud Captain displayed. 2 Kings 5:13And his servants came near, and spake unto him, and said, My father, if the prophet had bid thee do some great thing, wouldest thou not have done it? how much rather then, when he saith to thee, Wash, and be clean?Namaan is calmed from his rage. One cannot help but think that the spirit of the Lord was with his servants, for with their voice came peace. One is reminded of the proverb, ‘A soft word turneth away wrath.’ Because of his humility and obedience to a prophet’s voice, Naaman is healed.2 Kings 5:14Then went he down, and dipped himself seven times in Jordan, according to the saying of the man of God: and his flesh came again like unto the flesh of a little child, and he was clean.More than being healed from leprosy happened to the humbled captain that day. He is converted to the God of Israel. What became of that we will never know, but he was a man of great authority under the king.

Podcast 80, Story if Elisha, “Pt 6”To study Elijah and Elisha is to study miracles. Their lives are defined by miracles. Remember Elisha asked for a double portion when requesting the mantle of Elijah. It may appear ironically significant that of the recorded miracles, Elisha performs twice as many as Elijah. Some Biblical scholars interpret that to mean his double portion. But one thing that is commendable in both prophets is that neither sought personal gain from their miracles. They were devoted, sincere, and true prophets of God who put their lives at risk and who lived very ascetic lives, sacrificing their comfort and security rather than seeking wealth and power.Perhaps nothing destroys religious devotion more than priestcraft. In fact, it could be said that nothing could put people in slavery faster than priestcraft. AI gave me the following definition of priestcraft: “Religion used as a tool of personal power rather than humble service to God and others.” In related terms it gave, ‘religious corruption,’ clerical abuse of power,’ spiritual exploitation,’ and false shepherding.’ I continue with the definition, “Manipulating doctrine or ritual to maintain influence over the people; claiming special spiritual authority (e.g., exclusive access to God, revelation, or forgiveness) for personal advantage; exploiting fear, superstition, or ignorance to secure obedience or material gain.”In the following miracle, Elisha condemns priestcraft which was practiced by Gehazi, his own faithful servant, through using Elisha’s miracle of healing for personal gain. It is the famous story of Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, who contracted leprosy.  2 Kings 5:1Now Naaman, captain of the host of the king of Syria, was a great man with his master, and honourable, because by him the Lord had given deliverance unto Syria: he was also a mighty man in valour, but he was a leper.The Syrians, also called Aram, the people known as Arameans, were enemies to Israel. A young Israelite girl was taken captive in one of the raids. She becomes a servant to Naaman’s wife. She tells her mistress about Elisha the prophet who can perform miracles. 2 Kings 5:2-3And the Syrians had gone out by companies, and had brought away captive out of the land of Israel a little maid; and she waited on Naaman’s wife. And she said unto her mistress, Would God my lord were with the prophet that is in Samaria! for he would recover him of his leprosy.Naaman was informed of Elisha. The king of Syria himself commanded Naaman go and the king promised to send a letter to the king of Israel. With that letter he sends a fortune of gold and raiment.2 Kings 5:4-5And one went in, and told his lord, saying, Thus and thus said the maid that is of the land of Israel. And the king of Syria said, Go to, go, and I will send a letter unto the king of Israel. And he departed, and took with him ten talents of silver, and six thousand pieces of gold, and ten changes of raiment.We can see the value and regard the king of Syria held for Naaman, the captain of his army. And in a strange way we see the faith the king of Syria, declared enemy to the Israelites, held for the God of Israel. The Syrians were polytheistic, worshiping many gods. The chief god of Syria was Rimmon. Idols have specific qualities and powers. That partly answers why there are so many. Think, for example of the Greek gods. India, whose primary god is Braman has thousands of gods. While in India, Linda and I regularly visited KGF. Nearby was a field of idols called the Kotilingeshwara Temple, a huge temple complex dedicated to Shiva. It has thousands of small stone idols called lingas, symbols of Shiva. One colossal bull, which dominates the Kotilingeshwara Temple, is several stories high. 

Podcast 79, Story if Elisha, “Pt 5”It is no coincidence that the miracles of God’s true prophets parallel those miracles that will be performed by Christ when he comes to the earth. They are meant to be interpreted that way for it is by the power of Christ that they are performed. It was a common belief among the Jews that miracles could only come from God.John 3:2The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.Christ was often referred to as Rabbi, which merely meant great teacher. It was not originally an ordained priesthood office until after the diaspora. Elisha, like his mentor Elijah, is defined by his many miracles.2 Kings 4:38-41And Elisha came again to Gilgal: and there was a dearth in the land; and the sons of the prophets were sitting before him: and he said unto his servant, Set on the great pot, and seethe pottage for the sons of the prophets. And one went out into the field to gather herbs, and found a wild vine, and gathered thereof wild gourds his lap full, and came and shred them into the pot of pottage: for they knew them not. So they poured out for the men to eat. And it came to pass, as they were eating of the pottage, that they cried out, and said, O thou man of God, there is death in the pot. And they could not eat thereof. But he said, Then bring meal. And he cast it into the pot; and he said, Pour out for the people, that they may eat. And there was no harm in the pot.Faith always comes before the miracle. In the above story, the pot is filled with poison which would bring death. Think of the faith it took for the sons of the prophets to trust in the word of Elisha. Think of the faith required of Elisha that the poison would be ameliorated by the meal. How many times did Christ say, “Thy faith hath made the whole.” The apostles didn’t ask Christ to increase their miracles. They asked Christ to strengthen their faith.Luke 17:5And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith.In a heartwarming story, the Savior tests the faith of the Woman of Canaan, a gentile who had extraordinary faith in Christ.Matthew 15:22-27And, behold, a woman of Canaan came out of the same coasts, and cried unto him, saying, Have mercy on me, O Lord, thou Son of David; my daughter is grievously vexed with a devil. But he answered her not a word. And his disciples came and besought him, saying, Send her away; for she crieth after us. But he answered and said, I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel. Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me. But he answered and said, It is not meet to take the children’s bread, and to cast it to dogs. And she said, Truth, Lord: yet the dogs eat of the crumbs which fall from their masters’ table.To some perhaps the Savior’s language seems harsh, but he is testing her faith and teaching his apostles a lesson. When Christ leaves he sends the Apostles to teach the gospel among the gentiles. The woman of Canaan’s answer is priceless and for her faith she receives exactly what she asked for.Matthew 15:28Then Jesus answered and said unto her, O woman, great is thy faith: be it unto thee even as thou wilt. And her daughter was made whole from that very hour.Can anyone doubt that she became one of the first gentile Christians? 

Podcast 78, Story if Elisha, “Pt 4”The miracles performed by Elisha continue. Again, let’s consider the circumstances of the next miracle.2 Kings 4:8-11And it fell on a day, that Elisha passed to Shunem, where was a great woman; and she constrained him to eat bread. And so it was, that as oft as he passed by, he turned in thither to eat bread. And she said unto her husband, Behold now, I perceive that this is an holy man of God, which passeth by us continually. Let us make a little chamber, I pray thee, on the wall; and let us set for him there a bed, and a table, and a stool, and a candlestick: and it shall be, when he cometh to us, that he shall turn in thither. And it fell on a day, that he came thither, and he turned into the chamber, and lay there.The term ‘greatness’ could refer to wealth or standing in the community. Certainly, she had great faith in God and in his prophets. She modified her home so that Elisha could abide there when he passed through. This touched Elisha greatly. 2 Kings 4:12-13And he said to Gehazi his servant, Call this Shunammite. And when he had called her, she stood before him. And he said unto him, Say now unto her, Behold, thou hast been careful for us with all this care; what is to be done for thee? wouldest thou be spoken for to the king, or to the captain of the host? And she answered, I dwell among mine own people.Elisha is not satisfied with her answer, so he asked his servant.2 Kings 4:14-15And he said, What then is to be done for her? And Gehazi answered, Verily she hath no child, and her husband is old. And he said, Call her. And when he had called her, she stood in the door.The Shunammite woman did not ask for a miracle. She required nothing of Elisha, but from the goodness of her heart she offered him food, a bed, and shelter to aid him in his travels. Because of that act, Elisha gave her the greatest desire of her heart, which she was too astonished to believe.2 Kings 4:16-17And he said, About this season, according to the time of life, thou shalt embrace a son. And she said, Nay, my lord, thou man of God, do not lie unto thine handmaid. And the woman conceived, and bare a son at that season that Elisha had said unto her, according to the time of life.The act of the Shunammite woman is an object lesson to us all. Acts of kindness, without any expectation of reward, may often bring unexpected rewards. But, of course, it goes beyond that. We are all promised eternal rewards in heaven. All acts are before God all the time, and no act of kindness, as with the fall of the sparrow, goes unnoticed with the Lord. One can only imagine the thrill and joy the once childless woman felt only to have her joy shattered by the boy’s untimely death.2 Kings 4:18-20And when the child was grown, it fell on a day, that he went out to his father to the reapers. And he said unto his father, My head, my head. And he said to a lad, Carry him to his mother. And when he had taken him, and brought him to his mother, he sat on her knees till noon, and then died.One can only imagine the horror the mother felt to miraculously be given a son only to have him taken from her. Of course, we cannot overlook the allusion to the miraculous birth of Christ and the grief of his mother Mary. We are meant to see the analogy. The comparison does not end with the boy’s death. 

Podcast 77, Story if Elisha, “Pt 3”One quickly sees a parallel between the miracles of Elijah and the miracles of Elisha.2 Kings 4:1Now there cried a certain woman of the wives of the sons of the prophets unto Elisha, saying, Thy servant my husband is dead; and thou knowest that thy servant did fear the Lord: and the creditor is come to take unto him my two sons to be bondmen.These were very harsh times that the widow lost not only her husband but was now about to lose her sons to a bondsman. We soon discover that Elisha’s faith is as strong as was the faith of Elijah, his mentor.2 Kings 4: 2-6And Elisha said unto her, What shall I do for thee? tell me, what hast thou in the house? And she said, Thine handmaid hath not any thing in the house, save a pot of oil. Then he said, Go, borrow thee vessels abroad of all thy neighbours, even empty vessels; borrow not a few. And when thou art come in, thou shalt shut the door upon thee and upon thy sons, and shalt pour out into all those vessels, and thou shalt set aside that which is full. So she went from him, and shut the door upon her and upon her sons, who brought the vessels to her; and she poured out. And it came to pass, when the vessels were full, that she said unto her son, Bring me yet a vessel. And he said unto her, There is not a vessel more. And the oil stayed.We are reminded of the miracle of Elijah and the widow, but our hearts also turn to the first miracle of Jesus.John 2:1-11And the third day there was a marriage in Cana of Galilee; and the mother of Jesus was there: And both Jesus was called, and his disciples, to the marriage. And when they wanted wine, the mother of Jesus saith unto him, They have no wine. Jesus saith unto her, Woman, what have I to do with thee? mine hour is not yet come. His mother saith unto the servants, Whatsoever he saith unto you, do it. And there were set there six waterpots of stone, after the manner of the purifying of the Jews, containing two or three firkins apiece. Jesus saith unto them, Fill the waterpots with water. And they filled them up to the brim. And he saith unto them, Draw out now, and bear unto the governor of the feast. And they bare it. When the ruler of the feast had tasted the water that was made wine, and knew not whence it was: (but the servants which drew the water knew;) the governor of the feast called the bridegroom, And saith unto him, Every man at the beginning doth set forth good wine; and when men have well drunk, then that which is worse: but thou hast kept the good wine until now. This beginning of miracles did Jesus in Cana of Galilee, and manifested forth his glory; and his disciples believed on him.A firkin equals 8 or 9 gallons. The total amount would have been over 100 gallons of wine. We immediately think of the perfect faith of Jesus, but we must also consider the tremendous faith of his mother in her son. One wonders what else she has witnessed in her son as he grew to manhood. Just so we must also consider the faith of the mother and wife who approached Elisha. One verity that is never broken is that faith always precedes the miracle. In both cases the women first had to act; that is they had to follow the instructions of the Prophet Elisha and Jesus. It is noteworthy that with every miracle there appears first an act of faith, but that act is always within the power of the one asking for the miracle. The message is clear. Often God asks of us small and simple things yet from those small and simple things great miracles occur. One wonders how many of us miss out on miracles because we fail to observe the small and simple things? 

Podcast 76, Story if Elisha, “Pt 2”About 852–850 BC all twelve tribes united against Moab. Moab, the father of the Moabites, was the son of Lot, nephew to Abraham. 2 Kings 3:1-3Now Jehoram the son of Ahab began to reign over Israel in Samaria the eighteenth year of Jehoshaphat king of Judah, and reigned twelve years. And he wrought evil in the sight of the Lord; but not like his father, and like his mother: for he put away the image of Baal that his father had made. Nevertheless he cleaved unto the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat, which made Israel to sin; he departed not therefrom.Jeroboam 1 was of the tribe of Ephraim. He became the first king of the Northern Tribes which split from the Southern Tribes over exorbitant taxes. Jeroboam became an idol worshiper. Jehoram, the seventh king in succession of Jeroboam 1 follows in the steps of his forefathers and also becomes an idol worshiper. Jehoshaphat is king of Judah at the same time that Jehoram was king of Ephraim or Israel. The Northern Tribes and the Southern Tribes have a history of being enemies. Here Jehoram and Jehoshaphat form an alliance against Mesha king of Moab. All three groups are related by Blood through Abraham’s family. Lot’s father, of course, was Abraham’s brother. At this time the Moabites were a tributary to Israel.2 Kings 3:4-5And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool. But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel.That is when Israel and Judah form an alliance. They join with the king of Edom, of the lineage of Esau, twin brother of Jacob. 2 Kings 3:6-8And king Jehoram went out of Samaria the same time, and numbered all Israel. 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. And he said, Which way shall we go up? And he answered, The way through the wilderness of Edom.Immediately they are in trouble, there was no water, and they would perish in the desert.2 Kings 3:9-10So 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. And the king of Israel said, Alas! that the Lord hath called these three kings together, to deliver them into the hand of Moab!Unlike Jehoram, Jehoshaphat was not an idol worshiper. He believed in Jehovah, and he seeks a solution through the newly appointed prophet Elisha. It was always the practice of righteous kings to seek counsel from the Lord’s prophets during times of trouble. 2 Kings 3:11-12But Jehoshaphat said, Is there not here a prophet of the Lord, that we may inquire of the Lord by him? And one of the king of Israel’s servants answered and said, Here is Elisha the son of Shaphat, which poured water on the hands of Elijah. And Jehoshaphat said, The word of the Lord is with him. So the king of Israel and Jehoshaphat and the king of Edom went down to him.One of the clear messages of the Old Testament to Israel and to all Christians is to seek answers through the Lord’s chosen prophets. Traditionally Americans from the birth of the Nation sought answers in the Holy Bible. The Bible became a central part of government, of schools, of the court system. Those who claim that we are not a Christian nation overlook the role God played in the framing of this nation and in the faith of those who founded this nation. The message of the Bible is if we turn our backs on the prophets of the Holy Bible, and if we turn our backs on Christ, the Lord will turn his back on use. 

Podcast 75, Story if Elisha, “Pt 1” We are introduced to Elisha in 1 Kings when he is called by Elijah.1 Kings 19:19-21So he departed thence, and found Elisha the son of Shaphat, who was plowing with twelve yoke of oxen before him, and he with the twelfth: and Elijah passed by him, and cast his mantle upon him. And he left the oxen, and ran after Elijah, and said, Let me, I pray thee, kiss my father and my mother, and then I will follow thee. And he said unto him, Go back again: for what have I done to thee? And he returned back from him, and took a yoke of oxen, and slew them, and boiled their flesh with the instruments of the oxen, and gave unto the people, and they did eat. Then he arose, and went after Elijah, and ministered unto him.The mantle of Elijah is symbolic of what is to come. Elijah is at the end of his first mission on earth. He is passing his mantel to Elisha. It is a symbol not only to Elisha but to all the House of Israel that they are to consider Elisha as the successor to Elijah. It is a witness that only God can call prophets, but that he does his work through prophets. No greater tragedy can occur in Christendom than to turn away from God’s true prophets. Their primary mission on earth is to bring us to Christ. We are to study the words of the prophets for they lead us to Christ.The second time the mantle falls upon Elisha is far more dramatic.2 Kings 2: 8-13And Elijah took his mantle, and wrapped it together, and smote the waters, and they were divided hither and thither, so that they two went over on dry ground. And it came to pass, when they were gone over, that Elijah said unto Elisha, Ask what I shall do for thee, before I be taken away from thee. And Elisha said, I pray thee, let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me. And he said, Thou hast asked a hard thing: nevertheless, if thou see me when I am taken from thee, it shall be so unto thee; but if not, it shall not be so. And it came to pass, as they still went on, and talked, that, behold, there appeared a chariot of fire, and horses of fire, and parted them both asunder; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven. And Elisha saw it, and he cried, My father, my father, the chariot of Israel, and the horsemen thereof. And he saw him no more: and he took hold of his own clothes, and rent them in two pieces. He took up also the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and went back, and stood by the bank of Jordan;As a witness to the sons of the prophets that Elisha truly has the mantle of Elijah, he performs the same miracle as Elijah by parting the waters of the Jordan River. 2 Kings 2:14-15And he took the mantle of Elijah that fell from him, and smote the waters, and said, Where is the Lord God of Elijah? and when he also had smitten the waters, they parted hither and thither: and Elisha went over. And when the sons of the prophets which were to view at Jericho saw him, they said, The spirit of Elijah doth rest on Elisha. And they came to meet him, and bowed themselves to the ground before him.As with Elijah, Elisha performs many miracles. In fact, he doubles the number of miracles of Elijah suggesting to some that it is a witness that a double portion of Elijah’s spirit really did fall upon Elisha. Elisha, recognized now as the successor to Elijah, is called upon to perform miracles. 2 Kings 2:19And the men of the city said unto Elisha, Behold, I pray thee, the situation of this city is pleasant, as my lord seeth: but the water is naught, and the ground barren.

Podcast 74, Story of Elijah, “Pt 8”Regardless of where Elijah is there is spectacle. No other prophet is more dramatic than Elijah. He comes in like a whirlwind and leaves in a whirlwind. He controls every situation, making kings bow to his power. The best known story of Elijah is being taken up in a chariot of fire, not tasting death. The story is recorded in 2 Kings 2.2 Kings 2And it came to pass, when the Lord would take up Elijah into heaven by a whirlwind, that Elijah went with Elisha from Gilgal.Elisha, another extraordinary prophet, is Elijah’s companion and protégé. Elijah, who knows that his mission as prophet to Israel is at an end has hand selected Elisha to take his place. He appears to be testing Elisha to see if he is qualified.  2 Kings 2:2And Elijah said unto Elisha, Tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Beth-el. And Elisha said unto him, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they went down to Beth-el.The distance to Beth-el is about twenty miles, but it is a very hard journey on foot. Jerico is -800 ft below sea level. Bethel is about 3000 ft above sea level. The terrain is a dry desert, rocky winding trails, high temperatures and scarce water. Elisha passes the first test. He is willing to take the difficult journey with his master. They are observed by ‘the sons of the prophets.’ The “sons of the prophets” who remain nameless, do not refer to actual children of the prophets. It appears to be more like a school of the prophets. They look to Elijah and Elisha as tutors. They appear to always be in large groups who apparently give their lives to studying the prophets.They are not all genuine, however. We read in Micah.Micah 3:9-12Hear this, I pray you, ye heads of the house of Jacob, and princes of the house of Israel, that abhor judgment, and pervert all equity. They build up Zion with blood, and Jerusalem with iniquity. The heads thereof judge for reward, and the priests thereof teach for hire, and the prophets thereof divine for money: yet will they lean upon the Lord, and say, Is not the Lord among us? none evil can come upon us. Therefore shall Zion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Jerusalem shall become heaps, and the mountain of the house as the high places of the forest.Othe other hand, many are genuine, and have revelations from God. They appear to be more like students of scripture or observers of the Lord’s anointed.2 Kings 2:3And the sons of the prophets that were at Beth-el came forth to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he said, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.Again, Elijah tests Elisha.2 Kings 2:4And Elijah said unto him, Elisha, tarry here, I pray thee; for the Lord hath sent me to Jericho. And he said, As the Lord liveth, and as thy soul liveth, I will not leave thee. So they came to Jericho. We meet more of the sons of the prophets.2 Kings 2:5And the sons of the prophets that were at Jericho came to Elisha, and said unto him, Knowest thou that the Lord will take away thy master from thy head to day? And he answered, Yea, I know it; hold ye your peace.The sons of the prophets recognize the relationship between Elijah and Elisha, and they also recognize that Elijah is the chosen prophet and Elisha is his protégé. Remember Elijah and Elisha were just in Gilgal, which is near the Jordan River, only 2 miles from Jericho. Now Elijah is retracing his steps. Elisha must think it odd; nonetheless, he does not question his master nor will he leave his master.

Elijah prophesied the gruesome deaths of Ahab and Jezebel. Now Ahaziah, the son of Ahab and Jezebel, because of his wickedness suffers a similar fate. Following the idolatrous reign of Ahab, Ahaziah, c. 853-852 BC reigned only 2 years.  2 Kings 1:1-2Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab. And Ahaziah fell down through a lattice in his upper chamber that was in Samaria, and was sick: and he sent messengers, and said unto them, Go, inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron whether I shall recover of this disease.Both Ahab and Jezebel worshiped Baal. The capitol of the northern tribes was Samaria. The capitol of the southern tribes was Jerusalem. Ahab reigned in Samaria for 22 years, c. 874-853 BC. In a spectacular scene, before the eyes of all Israel and Ahab, Elijah destroyed the altar of Baal and he had 450 priests of Baal killed, but that did not end idol worship. Ahaziah followed in his father’s footsteps or probably his mother’s. Just as with Ahab, the Lord sent Elijah to warn Ahaziah.  High drama always appears to follow anything done by Elijah. When the Lord calls, Elijah, who spent most of his time in hiding from the king, regardless of the danger, always immediately responds.2 Kings 1:3-4But the angel of the Lord said to Elijah the Tishbite, Arise, go up to meet the messengers of the king of Samaria, and say unto them, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that ye go to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? Now therefore thus saith the Lord, Thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die. And Elijah departed.Elijah intercepts the messengers of Ahab. Elijah delivers the message to the men who were sent to inquire of Baalzebub. They return to the king.2 Kings 1:5And when the messengers turned back unto him, he said unto them, Why are ye now turned back? They deliver the awful message to king Ahaziah.2 Kings 1:6And they said unto him, There came a man up to meet us, and said unto us, Go, turn again unto the king that sent you, and say unto him, Thus saith the Lord, Is it not because there is not a God in Israel, that thou sendest to inquire of Baal-zebub the god of Ekron? therefore thou shalt not come down from that bed on which thou art gone up, but shalt surely die.We get a curious physical description of the rugged Elijah.2 Kings 1:7-8And he said unto them, What manner of man was he which came up to meet you, and told you these words? And they answered him, He was an hairy man, and girt with a girdle of leather about his loins. And he said, It is Elijah the Tishbite.In his arrogance and pride the inexperienced king Ahaziah defies God and his prophet Elijah. Rather than send an ambassador humbly inviting Elijah to his throne, he sends fifty armed soldiers to arrest Elijah and bring him by force. It was foolish. Surely Ahaziah was old enough to remember what happened on Mount Carmel when the Lord sent fire down to consume the burnt offering and what happened afterward to the priests of Baal. Perhaps, being the son of the king, he was even there to observe it for he knew Elijah. He would also have had firsthand evidence of the horrible deaths of his father and mother, but, being a protected king, he had learned nothing of the power of God. Also observe the arrogance of the soldiers.2 Kings 1:9Then the king sent unto him a captain of fifty with his fifty. And he went up to him: and, behold, he sat on the top of an hill. And he spake unto him, Thou man of God, the king hath said, Come down.The upstart king, through his army, ordered Elijah to report to the throne where undoubtedly Elijah would have been killed. The poor soldiers learned a harsh lesson.