A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 31 and 32

Exodus 31:3—“And I have filled him with the Spirit of God in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.” This is said by the Lord of a man named Bezalel, who would be the chief artisan is constructing the tabernacle and all the materials related thereto. This being “filled…with the Spirit of God” is not necessarily miraculous; indeed, the old King James Version does not capitalize the word “spirit,” and I agree with that thought. The Lord has given all of us talents; Matthew 25 and Romans 12 both abundantly teach that. Those talents, abilities, were given to us by His grace in order that we might use them to His glory. Bezalel, and another man, Aholiab (Ex. 31:6) had the talents of artisanship, “wisdom,” “understanding,” and “knowledge” from the Lord. I’ve often envied others of their talents that I don’t have; Beethoven’s skill at producing music was a blessing from God, not something accomplished totally by his effort. Yes, indeed, he had to work to improve and refine it, but still there was a natural ability there—not a miraculous one—that enabled him to write stirring music. It wouldn’t matter how hard I tried or how long I studied, I would never be able to create music like his. And if I even tried, I would be neglecting what talents God did give to me. We all have abilities from the Lord, special abilities, things that we can do better than others for His glory and honor. Let us, like Bezalel and Aholiab, use them, work in His vineyard, while we are here on this earth.

Exodus 32:14—“So the Lord relented from the harm which He said He would do to His people.” This is the great “golden calf” chapter. The children, despite God’s wondrous acts which they had witnessed in Egypt, were soon turned back to the gods they were familiar with in their captivity. Jehovah was ready to wipe them out and start over (v. 10). Moses talked with Him and the Lord relented (vs. 11-14). People miss the point when they read this as an immature, wrathful, vengeful God who is “talked out” of His anger by a more patient, compassionate human. What we see here is the power of intercessory prayer. Moses beseeches Him on behalf of the people, and Jehovah hears that prayer. We, too, should pray for others in hopes that the Lord will act in their behalf. And, of course, the greatest intercession of all was made by Jesus Himself, who is our Advocate before the Father (I John 2:1). God has not changed; a loving prayer and advocacy can move Him to work in ways that are in harmony with His will. He always knows what’s best, of course, but He wants to hear from us anyway..

Exodus 32:26—“Then Moses stood in the entrance of the camp, and said, ‘Whoever is on the Lord’s side—come to me!’ And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together with him.” Levi was the tribe into which Moses was born—which meant Aaron, too. And the tribe stood with him, and the Lord, in the matter of the golden calf. To the best of my memory, the Bible never says that this event was the reason God chose the Levites for the priestly tribe; indeed, He had already done that in His instructions to Moses on the Mount. But perhaps we do see some of the foreknowledge of God is selecting the one tribe that would stand with Moses in this crisis. At least somebody was faithful in the incident.

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 30

Exodus 30:15—“The rich shall not give more and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when you give an offering to the LORD, to make atonement for yourselves.” There was a “ransom,” or monetary atonement, required of all the Israelite men, aged 20 and above. The purpose of it was “for the service of the tabernacle of meeting” (v. 16), and for a memorial. This appears to have been a one-time tax, “when you take the census of the children of Israel” (v. 12); obviously future “atonements” were through the sacrificial system, and the priestly tribe was supported in other ways. It is interesting that everyone, rich and poor alike, paid the same amount. There was no “graduated tax,” which is a Marxist concept of the 19th century. Since everyone, equally, would be benefited by the service of the tabernacle, everyone, equally, paid the same amount. This seems fair, and gives us a pretty good indication of who has the most influence on our tax system today—an atheist, Karl Marx, not the Lord Jehovah. But, sadly, it’s been a long, long time since God had much influence on the policy decisions of the United States.

One more point about this chapter, in general. It discusses the altar of incense, the bronze laver, and the composition of the holy anointing oil and the incense. All of it was holy, and reserved strictly for the Lord’s use. Any profaning of that which was holy led to severe consequences (e.g., verse 33). It is a good lesson for us today, who rarely distinguish between the holy and the common (Ezek. 22:26).

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 29

Exodus 29:35-37—“Thus you shall do to Aaron and his sons, according to all that I have commanded you. Seven days you shall consecrate them. 36 And you shall offer a bull every day as a sin offering for atonement. You shall cleanse the altar when you make atonement for it, and you shall anoint it to sanctify it. 37 Seven days you shall make atonement for the altar and sanctify it. And the altar shall be most holy. Whatever touches the altar must be holy.” Once again the Lord is very specific and very detailed in what He wants. Much of it makes no sense to us, i.e., why he required certain things. Blood and water are fairly understandable—water for cleansing, blood, representing life, as a substitutionary sacrifice for sin. But why the blood is to be spread, sprinkled, etc. in various places is unknown to anyone but Jehovah. That doesn’t matter, though, and it’s a principle that men need to learn and most haven’t. For example, in the New Testament, God commands that men be baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 22:16). Why? Other than the symbolic meaning found in Romans 6, there’s no real rationale—to us—for being immersed in water. What does that have to do with forgiveness? About the same as cutting a bull and ram up and sprinkling their blood everywhere around the altar, and putting some of it on Aaron’s (and his sons) right ear, thumb, and big toe (v. 20). We don’t have to understand God’s will; are job is to obey it.

As verses 35-37 indicate, this process was to continue for seven days. Because of the “completeness” of the creation in seven days, that number became a sacred number in Hebrew lore. It’s found all through the Bible and here represents the perfect, total cleansing of priest and altar. “Whatever”—and whoever—“touches the altar must be holy” (v. 37). And God doesn’t accept anything less than holy worship today under the Christian dispensation. “Blessed are the pure in heart; they shall see God” (Matt. 5:8). “Be ye holy, for I am holy” (I Peter 1:16). Holiness means being like God, and the only way to do that is to be obedient to His commandments, because all His commandments are righteousness (holiness—Psalm 119:172). There can be no other way to approach His divine throne. Blood is needed today as well (the blood of Christ, I Jn. 1:7), but such is no excuse for presumptuous disobedience.

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 28

Exodus 28:4--"And these are the garments which they shall make: a breastplate, an ephod, a robe, a skillfully woven tunic, a turban, and a sash. So they shall make holy garments for Aaron your brother and his sons, that he may minister to Me as priest." Moses and Aaron were from the tribe of Levi, which tribe the Lord had selected to serve Him as priests. Note that the garments the priests were to wear had to be holy, "that he may minster to Me as priest." If the garments weren't authorized and sanctified by Jehovah, then He would not accept the priest's offering. The clothing was described in the succeeding verses, and it was composed of the richest, finest materials--the best for God, as it should be. Holiness and the best--and the first--are all He allows in His presence and are all He accepts for sacrifice. If that was true under the older, more imperfect law, how much truer is it under the newer, perfect law of liberty, where all of His will has been delivered to us?

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 26 and 27

Exodus 26:30--"And you shall raise up the tabernacle according to its pattern which you were shown on the mountain." The grace of God is a marvelous thing, and we would have no hope of eternal life without it. This chapter begins a lengthy description in Exodus of how Jehovah wanted the tabernacle built, and all the items and utensils that were a part of it. Keep in mind that this tabernacle is a part of the grace of God towards Israel, for through the sacrifices and offerings they would make to Him, He would forgive their sins. Just because there is grace does not mean there is no obedience, and it is a strict obedience. Moses was told exactly how to construct everything in the tabernacle, and in verse 30 he is reminded that there is a "pattern" he must follow. There is also a "pattern" for New Testament Christians: "Hold the pattern of sound words," Paul told Timothy in II Timothy 1:13. The grace of God does not mean we can be presumptuous. "But there is forgiveness with thee, that thou mayest be feared," (Ps. 130:4), not "that thou mayest be presumed upon." The love and grace of God should be a motivation for us to humbly submit to Him with all of our heart. So full of gratitude should we be that the Lord will pardon our iniquities that we ought to give our best to serve Him as diligently as we can, and as He has directed us to do to in His Word. This attitude that we can give anything we want to God and He will accept it comes not from Scripture, and is, frankly, beyond my understanding.

Exodus 27:21--"In the tabernacle of meeting, outside the veil which is before the Testimony, Aaron and his sons shall tend it from evening until morning before the LORD. It shall be a statute forever to their generations on behalf of the children of Israel." This is regarding the lamp inside the tabernacle; it was to be looked after "from evening until morning," i.e., all night. There were activities in the tabernacle 24 hours a day; service to God never stops. Indeed, this was to be "a statute forever," or as long as the Lord intended this dispensation to last. The Hebrew word for "forever" can mean an endless duration of time, but that can only be in reference to spiritual things, such as heaven. In a material sense, the word means a lengthy, but indefinite period. It can and does eventually have an end. A willing slave was to serve his master "forever" (Ex. 21:6). Obviously, this can only be until he dies, which is indeterminate at the time of commitment. The Mosaic Age was not eternal; it lasted only until the Christ, thus the tabernacle and all its sacrifices and rituals are no longer in force.

A Journey Through the Bible: Luke 2 and Exodus 25

Luke 2

Luke 2:36--"Now there was one, Anna, a prophetess, the daughter of Phanuel, of the tribe of Asher. She was of a great age, and had lived with a husband seven years from her virginity." The interesting thing about this verse is that Anna was from the tribe of Asher. We don't hear a lot about any of the 10 tribes of the northern kingdom of Israel after they were taken into Assyrian captivity. This has led to a lot of speculation about the "10 Lost Tribes." It has been suggested that they migrated to Britain and became Anglo-Saxons; others propagate that they moved to America. I believe this is the Mormon teaching. Well, at least some of them were still around in Israel, as indicated by Anna's tribal membership. Actually, a proper understanding of the two sticks of Ezekiel 37 teach that all of the Jews who were left, both from the north and the south, were reunited in Palestine after the Babylonian captivity. There weren't many of any tribe left, but that's where they went.

Exodus 25

Exodus 25:2--"Speak to the children of Israel, that they bring Me an offering. From everyone who gives it willingly with his heart you shall take My offering." Offerings to God must always be from a willing heart. What good is a forced sacrifice? God wants to see our desire to please Him, and if we are compelled to do anything good, then that mitigates completely the virtue of the deed. This is what makes modern welfare systems basically immoral; people are coerced, by law, to contribute their moneys, which are then distributed as seen fit by bureaucrats. Certainly the needy are to be taken care of, but the Bible speaks nowhere of God being pleased with an unwilling gift. Let us give, and let us give liberally, generously, and from a willing, pure heart. Otherwise we haven't made any headway in our relationship with Jehovah.

A Journey Through the Bible: Luke 1

Luke 1:1-4--"Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account, most excellent Theophilus, that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed." Luke's prologue is one of the most interesting, and faith-building, paragraphs in the Bible. As an historian, Luke has been proven true on all matters of which he can be tested; historians only reject his gospel and book of Acts because of the miracles he records. This is simply prejudice, not evidence. I want to do a little word study of this section, looking at a few of the terms Luke uses and how they forcefully proclaim the historicity of his writings.

"Which have been fulfilled" (v. 1). The KJV has "most surely believed." The Greek is a form of the word plerophoreo, which is variously translated (in the KJV) as "be fully persuaded," "be fully known," and "make full proof of." In other words, there is an absoluteness of belief because the life of Jesus is something "fully known" and supported by "full proof." God never asks us to believe something without evidence.

"Eyewitnesses" (v. 2). From the Greek word autoptes. It means an eyewitness, seeing with one's own eye. The apostles didn't simply listen to tales made up by Mother Goose. They saw Jesus and everything recorded about Him in the gospels. Our English word "autopsy" derives from this Greek word. What does the doctor do in an autopsy? He sees with his own eyes the cause of death, so that there will be no doubt.

"Having had perfect understanding" (v. 3). The ASV has "having traced the course of all things accurately." The Greek word is akribos, which is variously translated "diligently, circumspectly, perfectly." The idea is exactly, accurately, diligently. Luke was inspired by the Holy Spirit, of course (that's the only way he could have truly had "perfect" understanding), but such inspiration did not preclude a Bible writer from doing research. The Lord knew that future historians would demand such, and thus Luke is at pains here to indicate that he did a thorough investigation of that which he wrote, talking to eyewitnesses, getting the facts "from the very first." What else can an historian do?

"That you may know the certainty" (v. 4). Greek, asphaleia, which is found only three times in the New Testament. The other two instances it is translated "safety." Both of those other two examples, however, also imply certainty and absoluteness (Acts 5:23; I Thess. 5:3). The word has the meaning of firmness, stability, certainty, undoubted truth, safety from one's enemies. Luke wanted Theophilus to know that his faith stood on a firm foundation, that it was true of a certainty, and that there could be no fear from enemies of the gospel.

Everything about what Luke writes in this prologue indicates the absolutely true nature of the gospel of Jesus Christ. There is no hesitancy, there is no doubt, there is no speculation--this is historical fact, Luke says, I researched it diligently from the very beginning, I talked to those who were there, I know what I'm talking about, and you can be certain of its truth. That's Christianity.

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 23 and 24

Exodus 23:4--"If you meet your enemy's ox or his donkey going astray, you shall surely bring it back to him again." It's from precepts such as this that the Lord derived the teaching "thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." Most, if not all, of the principles of New Testament Christianity are found in the old law; not as clearly stated or as fully explained as by Jesus, but they are there, mainly because the same God authored both Old Testament and New. This verse is also a good illustration of the "Golden Rule": "Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them." Then Christ said "for this is the Law and the Prophets" (Mt. 7:12). In other words, you can find the same principle in the Old Testament teaching. Exodus 23:4 is a solid example of that.

Exodus 23:10-11--"Six years you shall sow your land and gather in its produce, but the seventh year you shall let it rest and lie fallow, that the poor of your people may eat; and what they leave, the beasts of the field may eat. In like manner you shall do with your vineyard and your olive grove." The Lord has always required that those less fortunate than we should be taken care of. The Law of Moses had a "welfare system," but it was intended to be voluntary, not forced by government diktat. This is a commandment of Jehovah, but there was no Jewish IRS to enforce it. There is no virtue in being forced to provide for others; God wants to see what is in our hearts. Other passages in the Law exist which deal with taking care of the poor and needy and we will look at them in turn. But the key here is to understand that providing for the poor is a necessary part of pure religion, but doing so voluntarily is the only acceptable course. Unfortunately, there is no clear indication in the Old Testament that the Jews honored this command, but we have no clear evidence that anyone starved in the streets, either.

Exodus 24:3--"So Moses came and told the people all the words of the LORD and all the judgments. And all the people answered with one voice and said, "All the words which the LORD has said we will do." Easy to say, hard to do. At least it was for this people. More than once (in this chapter) they tell Moses that they will do all that Jehovah commanded them. But there has rarely been a more fickle, capricious people in history than these Israelites who came out of Egypt. They rarely obeyed God, and as a result only 2 of them out of 603,500 (men 20 years of age and older) entered the land of Canaan, an entrance that God had promised them for 500 years. Saying and not doing is called "hypocrisy," and such a term describes these people perfectly. It wasn't just a quality of this generation, however; Jesus dealt with it in abundance, too. In speaking of the Pharisees, He said, "for they say, and do not do" (Mt. 23:3). Words mean nothing without the actions that back them up.

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 21 and 22

Exodus 21:6—“Then his master shall bring him to the judges. He shall also bring him to the door, or to the doorpost, and his master shall pierce his ear with an awl; and he shall serve him forever.” The Hebrew word for “forever” is olem, which means an indefinite, indeterminate, but lengthy period of time—in this case, for the rest of the slave’s life. The word can mean “forever” in the literal sense, but it rarely does. Thus, when God promised Abraham’s descendants the land of Canaan “forever” (Gen. 13:15), it was only as long as such served God’s purposes. The Jews finished serving that purpose with the birth and work of Jesus, thus ending this land promise.

Exodus 21:17—“And he who curses his father or his mother shall surely be put to death.” This is a bit striking to our modern sensibilities, but we must always remember that the Law of Moses was given to a primitive, semi-barbaric people 3,500 years ago (just read in the book of Genesis some of deeds of Jacob’s children if you think my term “semi-barbaric” is a little ruthless). One thing a people like this needed desperately was to learn to respect authority; there are laws that must be obeyed in order for a civilized society to exist. If one does not respect father and mother, he probably will not respect any other authority, including God. It was an important moral for these people to learn. One of the great mistakes of modern man is to judge others, and especially earlier societies, by our standards. That is totally unfair to them and improper. God knew what He was doing, and if we will put ourselves back into that time period, we will understand it, too.

Exodus 21:21—“For he is his property.” He is talking about a man’s slave here. A slave was as much the property of his owner as his horse or cow. Yet, there was a difference. The Law of Moses does provide some “rights,” or perhaps a better word is “protections,” for the slave, including freedom after six years (with the exception of verse 6 above). So the harsher aspects of slavery which we read about among other peoples of that day is mitigated extensively by God’s law. Yet, there was no concept of “natural rights” in the ancient world, at least not until the Romans suggested it (especially Cicero), though they did not fully practice it by any means. And again, this modern concept that “all men are created equal” is just that—a modern concept, not a Biblical one. We are indeed equal in the eyes of God, but Jehovah cares little or nothing about political equality. The salvation of the soul is His major interest, and that can happen in an aristocratic, as well as a democratic, society. Indeed, it’s probably more likely to happen in the former, for democratic societies have totally lost the concept of “lord,” and thus have little comprehension of who, and what, Jesus is.

Exodus 22:9—“For any kind of trespass, whether it concerns an ox, a donkey, a sheep, or clothing, or for any kind of lost thing which another claims to be his, the cause of both parties shall come before the judges; and whomever the judges condemn shall pay double to his neighbor.” There was a judicial system, of sorts, in ancient Israel. It wasn’t as elaborate as ours, but then, there has rarely been one in history that has been. Yet, the idea of doing “justice” is all through the Law of Moses. This chapter (Exodus 22) is replete with laws of justice and right. It didn’t always work in practice once the children of Israel entered and dwelt in the Promised Land, but then our judicial system doesn’t work perfectly, either. The Law of Moses, however, was far advanced for its time in legal matters. Again, some of the regulations do not sit well with our modern conceptions of democratic idealism, but we live in a different age. And all of those which we consider “harsher” laws (such as Exodus 21:17 above), have been done away by the law of Christ. It’s another reason why Judaism is no longer God’s chosen religion and has passed away. If Judaism still had a part to play in God’s plan, then the Law of Moses would still be in effect. And that means all of those laws which we find archaic, unpalatable, and thus unacceptable.

A Journey Through the Bible: Mark 15 and 16

Mark 15:10—“For he knew that the chief priests had handed Him over because of envy.” Pilate wasn’t a good man, but he wasn’t stupid, either. Surely he had heard of Jesus roaming around his province; a man who attracted the large followings that Jesus had would be of some concern to the authorities. But Christ had never done anything wrong, thus Pilate had left Him alone. And when the Jewish religious leaders of the day brought Him before the governor and made accusations that were groundless and harmless, Pilate was perceptive enough to grasp their motives. Jesus was drawing crowds, the chief priests were not. It didn’t take a genius to add two and two.

Mark 15:47—“And Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses observed where He was laid.” From Clarke: “For here a timid man [Joseph of Arimathea], and a few weak women, acknowledge Jesus in death, when the strong and the mighty utterly forsook him.” At the moment, who really had the greater faith in Christ: His apostles or these women? Sometimes—many times—the lowly, nameless widow in the pew is much more pious and devoted than the famous, silver-tongued orator in the pulpit.

Mark 16:16—“He who believes and is baptized will be saved; but he who does not believe will be condemned.” A lot of ingenious attempts have been made to avoid the simple meaning of these simple words. Martin Luther, in the 16th century, started the doctrine of “salvation by faith only” (no one taught such before him), and it stuck with all the Protestant denominations. And they have continued to stick with that doctrine tenaciously. Thus, Jesus’ words here in this verse simply cannot mean what they seem to mean. Not because Jesus didn’t mean what He said, but because too many men will not give up their religious traditions in order to accept the truth. Isn’t this exactly the reason the Jewish leaders of Jesus’ day rejected Him and crucified Him? Jesus connects belief and baptism with salvation. The English is powerful, but the original language is even more so. In the Greek, “believes” and “is baptized” are both aorist participles. The action in aorist participles always precedes that of the main verb. So, in this case, “belief” and “baptism” must take place before “will be saved.” It’s an absolute in the Greek, and it accords with other New Testament passages on baptism (cf. Acts 2:38, 22:16; I Peter 3:21).

Sometimes the quibble is made, “But the second clause doesn’t say ‘and is not baptized’.” This is not highly intelligent reasoning. Baptism without faith is utterly vain; why would one who did not believe in the first place submit to being immersed in water? Lack of faith alone is sufficient to condemn; but faith and baptism are both necessary for salvation. Let me use a parallel sentence. “He who eats his food and digests it shall have health. But he who does not eat shall die.” We must eat and digest to be healthy, but if we don’t eat, we die. We must believe and be baptized to be saved; but if we don’t believe at all, we will be damned. Faith must be understood as a principle of action; it is what leads us (trust) to do what God says. How can one truly say they have “faith” in Jesus, that they “trust” Him, and yet deny His words, “he who believes and is baptized will be saved”? True faith won’t argue, it will simply accept and trust.

A Journey Through the Bible: Mark 13 and 14

Mark 13:31—“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away.” This is the New King James Version’s rendering of this passage and it catches the sense of the Greek better than the old KJV’s “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (the ASV has the same reading as the KJV). In the Greek, there is a double negative in the verse; bad English, but emphatic in the original. In effect, “My words shall not never pass away.” Again, this is one of the ways the Greek language emphasized a certain thought. So, even if (when) the heavens and the earth disappear from existence, the words of Christ shall definitely stand. Jesus makes this statement in the context of the destruction of Jerusalem, which took place in A.D. 70 (read especially my comments on Matthew 24 for a full discussion of Jesus’ teaching on that event.  Follow this link:  Matthew 24). That destruction will surely take place—“My words will by no means pass away.” The Jews thought that their system could never be upset and destroyed; after all, they were God’s chosen people. But “God is able to raise up children to Abraham from these stones,” John the Baptist told them in Matthew 3:9. The Jews never got it, and they still haven’t. In eternity, we will discover that every word the Lord Jesus, His apostles, and His prophets spoke was everlastingly true, for they were inspired by the Holy Spirit, Himself also God.

Mark 14:25—“Assuredly, I say to you, I will no longer drink of the fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God." This is an important passage to understand. Jesus is establishing what is called “the Lord’s Supper” (the Catholic Church calls it the “Eucharist”). Let’s break down a thought or two in Jesus’ statement. There will come some point in the future (from when He spoke) when He will drink the fruit of the vine again with His disciples. That day will be “in the kingdom of God.” Well, this cannot be heaven, because “flesh and blood shall not inherit the kingdom of God” (I Cor. 15:50). There will be no literal earthly kingdom of Jesus; in other words, He will never literally reign from Jerusalem for 1,000 years, as premillennialism teaches. He cannot do so (see the comments on Zechariah 6:12-13 in my “Minor Prophets” blog for why He cannot reign on earth.  Follow this link:  Zechariah 6). So we must find the kingdom of God somewhere else. That kingdom, the New Testament teaches, is the church. Three quick proofs. In Matthew 16:19, Jesus gave Peter the “keys of the kingdom of heaven,” thus the kingdom had to be established in the first century because that’s when Peter lived. In Mark 9:1, Jesus said, “Assuredly, I say to you that there are some standing here who will not taste death till they see the kingdom of God present with power." So if the kingdom hasn’t come yet, there are some awfully old people on earth right now. Again, the kingdom came in the first century. Further, Paul said we are in it now: the Father “hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son.” Notice the past tense—“hath translated.” He couldn’t have “translated” people into something that didn’t exist. “Kingdom” is simply one more designation for God’s people. We are a “body,” a “church,” “sheep,” “saved,” a “kingdom,” and so forth. Each idea conveys a certain relationship with God. In regards to “government,” we are a “kingdom”—Jesus is King of kings and Lord of lords (I Tim. 6:15)—not a “democracy.” We don’t vote on a new “Lord” every four years. So back to Mark 14:25. When will Jesus drink the fruit of the vine with His people again? In His kingdom. We partake of the Lord’s Supper weekly, and part of that, of course, is fruit of the vine (see I Cor. 11:23-26). The Lord is there with us. While there is a physical dimension to our drinking “the fruit of the vine,” it is largely a spiritual act, and it is in that sense which Jesus “drinks” it with us. If we think only in physical terms, then we miss the major, major component of the Christian religion.

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 19 and 20

Exodus 19:5—“Now therefore, if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant, then you shall be a special treasure to Me above all people; for all the earth is Mine.” In one major sense, the children of Israel were going to be a “special treasure…above all people” regardless of what they did: they were the people through whom the Messiah was going to come. It is very important to understand this theme of the Old Testament. Back in Genesis 3:15, after man sinned, God promised that a Savior would come as a human. As we trace the development of this promise—as I did several times in my summary of the book of Genesis—we find the line going through Seth, Noah, Shem, Arphaxad, then Abraham, the father of the Jewish people. Thus, God chose the Jews to be this “special treasure…above all people.” Think of how many different peoples, races, cultures, etc. existed in the world at that time. The Old Testament itself delineates dozens—Girgashites, Hittites, Jebusites, Assyrians, Babylonians, Medes, Persians, Greeks, Syrians, Sabeans…the list is almost endless. And this, of course, doesn’t even touch any peoples living in Europe, Asia, North and South America, and Australia. There have been hundreds of thousands of different tribes and peoples on earth throughout history. But it was Israel whom God gave the Law, and the great honor of bringing the Savior of the world to mankind. The Old Testament hones in on those people, tells their story, because it is the most important story in the world. And the promise was fulfilled in Jesus of Nazareth, as the New Testament tells us. And salvation will come only through Him (Acts 4:12).

The Lord also promised that the Israelites would have special blessings and protections in the land of Canaan, “if you will indeed obey My voice and keep My covenant.” They didn’t do that, so they were taken into captivity by the Assyrians and Babylonians, then eventually lost all of their system of worship when the Romans destroyed their genealogical records in 70 A.D.—a punishment for rejecting Jesus as the Christ (see my posts on Matthew 24.  Follow this link:  Matthew 24).  The current return of Israel to Palestine has nothing to do with any promise God made to them in the Old Testament. See my article on the subject on my main Bible blog.

Exodus 20:11—“For in six days the LORD made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day. Therefore the LORD blessed the Sabbath day and hallowed it.” Not in six ages or six eons or six billion years. Six days. If God said “six days,” but really meant, as some teach, six eons of time (to allow for evolutionary progression), then God is being, at best, disingenuous. How would a Jew reading this in Moses’ day understand it? There is no doubt that they would have understood it as 24 hour days. And that is also the clear idea of Genesis 1 (each day had an “evening and a morning,” as 24 hour days do). The only reason some try to get around the six 24-hour days creation teaching is that they wish to compromise with Darwinian theory. There is no reason to do this. The theory of evolution is the biggest bunch of hogwash that man has ever concocted, being devised solely to free man from the necessity of obeying his Creator. It isn’t going to work on the Day of Judgment.

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 17 and 18

Exodus 17:7—“So he called the name of the place Massah and Meribah, because of the contention of the children of Israel, and because they tempted the LORD, saying, "’Is the LORD among us or not?’" There’s not a whole lot of good to say about these people who came out of Egypt. Just a few weeks before they had seen Jehovah perform some of the most awesome miracles in the history of mankind—for their sake—and now they are wondering if He is among them or not. It matters not how much the Lord does for someone; if they do not have the right kind of heart, they will not believe. When the Jews told Jesus that if He would come down from the cross they would believe in Him, they were lying through their teeth. Jesus had given them, for three years, plenty of evidence Who He was; a little bit more wasn’t going to change a thing. The problem wasn’t lack of evidence, it was a lack of an honest, good heart (Luke 8:15). And the same is true today. There is an abundance of evidence for the existence of God, the deity of Christ, and the inspiration of the Bible. But the only one who will see it is he with a pure heart (Mt. 5:8), with no contaminations, preconceived notions, or egotistical narcissism. We must be painfully honest with ourselves; that’s not easy to do, and excuses for rejecting God can easily be found if we wish to find them. But every excuse involves, in some way, wanting to do our will, not His, and that kind of blind selfishness can never be blessed by Jehovah for it will never submit to Him. The evidence that the Lord is among us—as with the Israelites—is overwhelming. Yet how many still ask “is the Lord among us or not?”

Exodus 18:8—“And Moses told his father-in-law all that the LORD had done to Pharaoh and to the Egyptians for Israel's sake, all the hardship that had come upon them on the way, and how the LORD had delivered them.” A great verse if we look at it closely. “All the hardships that had come upon them.” Yes, there were some. The fright at the Red Sea, the lack of food in the Wilderness of Sin, no water at Rephidim—these are only the ones listed. God tests His people; it builds character. But notice—“the Lord…delivered them.” Wouldn’t it be nice if God simply handed us everything we wanted and needed on a silver platter, with no effort required on our part? Nice, yes; but we wouldn’t be much as human beings if He did. Current government welfare systems that encourage sloth and laziness only produce a people of little quality and worth; they are simply being taught to want more without making any effort of their own to obtain it. God provided for Israel when they could not provide for their own; otherwise, He expected them to make some effort, endure hardship, develop character and virtue. Even in the Garden of Eden, Adam was commanded to “dress and keep it,” not lay around and let God or the government do it. Moses had the right idea; hardships do come, and the Lord will deliver us from them. But we just might have to go and pick the manna up off the ground ourselves.

Exodus 18:21—“Moreover you shall select from all the people able men, such as fear God, men of truth, hating covetousness; and place such over them to be rulers of thousands, rulers of hundreds, rulers of fifties, and rulers of tens.” A number of years ago the “Crossroads” movement used this verse as an example of how to organize evangelistic efforts in the church. Jethro’s advice here has nothing to do with evangelism, or even religion. It’s a judicial structure, designed to settle civil cases, and take a load off Moses’ back. Let’s make sure we do not abuse the Scriptures in an attempt to prove our pet ideas and fads.

A Journey Through the Bible: Mark 11 and 12

Mark 11:11—“And Jesus went into Jerusalem and into the temple. So when He had looked around at all things, as the hour was already late, He went out to Bethany with the twelve.” What did Jesus see when He “looked around at all things”? He saw a people who never learned and who had no intention of changing. The next day “Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves” (v. 15). This was actually the second time Jesus had done this; about two years before “He drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen, and poured out the changers' money and overturned the tables” (Jn. 2:15-16). Yet, two years later, they are back at it again. It must have indeed angered and frustrated Him. There are many people today, of course, who use religion to make money, and no doubt, the Lord is just as disgusted with them. The Jews in Jesus’ day did not learn the lesson Jesus was trying to teach them; and the sellers and money changers today haven’t learned, either.

A few points from Mark 12. Please read the context yourself so that you may fully understand the lessons conveyed here.

Mark 12:9—“Therefore what will the owner of the vineyard do? He will come and destroy the vinedressers, and give the vineyard to others.” In this parable, the “vinedressers” are the Jews. They stoned, beat, and killed the owner’s (God’s) servants (the prophets), and then they killed his son (Jesus). Thus, they would be punished and the “vineyard” (kingdom) given to “others” (Gentiles). This is a prophecy of the mass rejection by the Jews of Christianity, and the large influx of Gentiles. This began to happen in the first century and is evident to this day where the Jews still reject Christianity and the near totality of His church is composed of Gentiles.

Mark 12:14-15—“When they had come, they said to Him, "Teacher, we know that You are true, and care about no one; for You do not regard the person of men, but teach the way of God in truth. Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not? Shall we pay, or shall we not pay?" But He, knowing their hypocrisy, said to them, "Why do you test Me? Bring Me a denarius that I may see it." You can’t fool the Lord. They tried to butter Him up and deceive Him, but He knew their hypocrisy. Men can be flattered into compromise and error, but not God.

Mark 12:24—“Are you not therefore mistaken, because you do not know the Scriptures nor the power of God?” The Sadducees, to whom Jesus is talking here, did not believe in a resurrection from the dead, and they asked Him a question, trying to trick Him on the matter. They made two mistakes: they didn’t know the Scriptures, and they didn’t understand the power of God. Ignorance of God’s word will destroy us every time (Hosea 4:6), and “is there anything too hard for the Lord?” (Genesis 18:14). “He does whatever He pleases” (Ps. 115:3), and if He chooses to raise the dead, that is certainly within His power. The Sadducees had been seduced by the liberal, human philosophy of the day and it turned them away from God. Liberal human philosophy will do the same today.

Mark 12: 37—“And the common people heard Him gladly.” Jesus never lost His following among the multitudes. That is why He had to be crucified, illegally, at night, before the “common people” discovered what had happened. Jesus’ debate was with the religious leaders of the day, whose power He undercut, exposing them for the hypocrites and self-absorbed charlatans that they were. They are the ones who killed Him, not the masses. Now, the mass of Jews eventually did reject Him; but that was later, not during His ministry.

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 15 and 16

Exodus 15:3—“Jehovah is a man of war: Jehovah is his name.” An interesting statement, worthy of a few comments. First of all, we must keep in mind that this “song of Moses” (Exodus 15) is poetry and thus not to be taken with absolute literalness. “Jehovah” is obviously not a “man.” And His basic quality is not “of war.” Indeed, the God of the Bible will render vengeance upon His enemies and the enemies of His people, and quite frequently in the Old Testament, He did that via warfare—using one nation of peoples to attack and/or punish another, the latter of which simply has gone beyond His grace and was in worthy of His wrath. At times, a culture or society was so abominable that it was no longer fit to live on this earth and God used war to annihilate that civilization. It is extremely likely that He does the same thing in the Christian dispensation, but we have no absolute proof of that. We do know that He fights for His people, and Moses’ glorification of Him in this very song is in praise of the deliverance Jehovah wrought, miraculously and wholly without the aid of man, for Israel. His name is “Jehovah,” which, interestingly, softens the “man of war” concept. The name “Jehovah” refers to God’s covenant nature; He made a covenant with all of mankind to send a Redeemer for our sins (Gen. 3:15), and, of course, He made a covenant with Israel to be that nation through whom that Savior would come (Gen. 12:3). That entire agreement and promise of Jehovah speaks of His wondrous grace and mercy. It isn’t His fault if men reject or ignore that covenant and thereby become deserving of meeting that “man of war.”

Exodus 16:3—“And the children of Israel said to them, "Oh, that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the pots of meat and when we ate bread to the full! For you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger." How soon people forget! They were groaning under the miserable slavery and bondage in Egypt, but they hadn’t been gone two months yet before they want to go back to that condition. There is justification for their desires, but not for the way they expressed them. A “wilderness”—which is little more than a desert—is not going to have sufficient food to feed the multitude of Israelites who were making this journey. Of course, God knew that and fully intended to provide for them. However, rather than trusting Him in that matter and patiently, humbly asking Him, they have to complain and gripe about it. The Lord was patient with these people, but their constant grumbling eventually led to their punishment; grumbling is indicative of a lack of faith. It is a good example for us. Do we trust the Lord to provide our needs when things don’t look so good, or do we murmur and find fault and long for the world out of which we came? Ask the Lord, reverently, humbly, and thankfully, and wait for His answer. He knows what we need and will provide it in His time, when it is best for us.

A Journey Through the Bible: Mark 9 and 10

Mark 9:43—“If your hand causes you to sin, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life maimed, rather than having two hands, to go to hell, into the fire that shall never be quenched.” Jesus is certainly not being literal here. Heaven and hell are not physical places so it doesn’t matter how many hands we have. But the principle is clear and unequivocal. This section in Mark starts out with Jesus discussing who is truly great in God’s eyes, and He tells us that the supreme manifestation of the Christian religion is serving others. Even the smallest thing is seen and rewarded by Him (v. 41). But if we cause others to stumble, that is a frightening sin: “it would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck, and he were thrown into the sea” (v. 42). We are either serving the Lord or we are serving Satan; there is no middle ground. We are either leading others in the proper direction or we are taking them down the wrong path to perdition with us. And there is nothing worse than going to hell for eternity. Thus verse 43. Whatever it takes—hyperbolically represented by cutting off your hand if necessary, or foot (v. 45), or eye (v. 47)—whatever it takes to avoid going to hell, do it! There is no price too high to pay to avoid eternal damnation. “For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?” (Matt. 16:26). The fact that Jesus uses three examples in Mark 9 (hand, foot, eye) tells us of the emphatic nature of this admonition. Jesus came down from heaven; He knew the beauties thereof and the horrors of hell. And there is nothing—nothing—worse than the latter. Whatever the cost, avoid sin.

Mark 10:11-12—“So He said to them, "Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." That’s a pretty simple teaching, and if it didn’t involve something as emotional as marriage, would not create much controversy. But in an age (ours) when about half of marriages end in divorce, and then many remarry a second (or third or fourth) time, this doctrine is far from pleasant. But that doesn’t mean it’s hard to understand. If a person divorces his wife (or visa-versa) and marries another, that constitutes adultery. Why? Because “what God has joined together, let not man separate” (v. 9), and when man tries to separate what God has joined together, He isn’t going to recognize it, and it matters not one whit whether the state sanctions it or not. If a man “divorces” his wife without just cause (and there is one exception to this strict teaching found in Matthew 19:9), then God will not approve of that “divorce;” in His eyes, the two are still married. So if man “marries” another, in God’s view they really aren’t married, and thus any relations they would have would be “adultery.” The one exception to this is fornication, or marital infidelity (Matt. 5:32; 19:9). A man (or woman) is allowed to divorce and remarry if their mate has been unfaithful in sexual matters. That’s the only reason. Otherwise, the remarriage is an adulterous union. And since adultery is a sin which will keep us out of the kingdom of God (Gal. 5:19-21), the only option is to cease that relationship. Again, easy to understand, hard to apply because of the deep emotions that are often involved.

It is easy to see why such would not be a popular doctrine in today’s world, and why many, many polemical gyrations have been performed to try to get out from under it. An awful lot of people today are living in marriages contrary to God’s word. But, indeed, it is a simple word: “Whoever divorces his wife and marries another commits adultery against her. And if a woman divorces her husband and marries another, she commits adultery." And God’s word cannot be gainsaid.

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 13 and 14

Exodus 13:17—“Then it came to pass, when Pharaoh had let the people go, that God did not lead them by way of the land of the Philistines, although that was near; for God said, ‘Lest perhaps the people change their minds when they see war, and return to Egypt.’" Clarke has an extremely interesting comment on this verse and I share it with the reader: “Had the Israelites been obliged to commence their journey to the promised land by a military campaign, there is little room to doubt that they would have been discouraged, have rebelled against Moses and Aaron, and have returned back to Egypt. Their long slavery had so degraded their minds that they were incapable of any great or noble exertions; and it is only on the ground of this mental degradation, the infallible consequence of slavery, that we can account for their many dastardly acts, murmurings, and repinings after their escape from Egypt. The reader is requested to bear this in mind, as it will serve to elucidate several circumstances in the ensuing history” (Adam Clarke's Commentary, Ex. 13:17). This is the first time I’ve ever heard/read anyone attribute the subsequent disobedience of Israel to their 200+ years of slavery. And I don’t believe a word of it. I said it was an interesting comment, I didn’t say it was credible. But yet, there are some good thoughts here. There is certainly nothing ennobling about slavery. It does sap the will, simply because the fruits of one’s labors go to someone else, not one’s self. Why labor diligently if you aren’t going to be the one who enjoys the benefits thereof? The same can be said of socialist economic systems; high taxation is a disincentive to hard work. Yet, this deals with labor, not morals and religion. A slave doesn’t have to be an immoral, ungodly, pagan cur, and that’s what Clarke is implying in the quote above. The Bible nowhere excuses the rebellious Israelites who came out of Egypt on the grounds of their previous involuntary servitude. Slavery is no justification for sin.

Exodus 14:31—“Thus Israel saw the great work which the LORD had done in Egypt; so the people feared the LORD, and believed the LORD and His servant Moses.” These were among the most fickle people in history. Chapter 14 records the remarkable, marvelous event of Israel crossing the Red Sea on dry land, and the subsequent destruction of the Egyptian army. It was an awesome event, one that frightened even the inhabitants of the land of Canaan when they heard of it. In Joshua 2:10-11, Rahab the harlot tells the spies whom Joshua had sent to Jericho, “For we have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt…and as soon as we heard these things, our hearts melted; neither did there remain any more courage in anyone because of you, for the LORD your God, He is God in heaven above and on earth beneath.” The children of Israel had a brief moment where they “feared the Lord, and believed the Lord,” but it didn’t last long. This is a solemn example for us. Our faith must remain consistent, not haphazard. It isn’t true faith if we only “fear” and “believe” at certain times in our lives when the Lord acts in our behalf. There will be good times, and there will be bad, and if we truly trust in Jehovah, we will remain loyal to Him through them all. As the great man Job admonishes us, “What? shall we receive good at the hand of God, and shall we not receive evil?” (Job 2:10). Israel had a momentary oasis of fear and faith in an otherwise desert of selfishness and disobedience. Let us not be the same way.

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 11 and 12

Exodus 11:5—“And all the firstborn in the land of Egypt shall die, from the firstborn of Pharaoh who sits on his throne, even to the firstborn of the female servant who is behind the handmill, and all the firstborn of the animals.” This sounds cruel to us, in our wimpy, politically correct society. How could a good, loving God just butcher so many innocent people? Such an act doesn’t sit well with out modern sensibilities. Of course, God can do anything He wants to, and if we don’t like it, that’s just tough. But there is much more to this event than that. There comes a point, in national wickedness, when punishment must be meted out. The Egyptians were a pagan peoples who had rejected the one, true God for centuries. They had brutally conquered other lands and had enslaved the Israelites for over 200 years. There are some people that just aren’t fit to live on God’s earth, and so much of this is a lesson for us today. Sin will be punished; not only eternally, but certain malevolent, inexcusable actions have consequences on this earth as well. The death of the firstborn of Egypt will not be the only time in the Bible God punishes people nationally; in fact, it happens many times. And though we do not know exactly what God is doing today in His providence, we can rest assured that if we do not learn the great lessons these Bible events teach us, that we will suffer, individually and collectively, as well. Don’t blame God when people snub Him and get their due. Castigating God for killing the firstborn of Egypt is simply another excuse for not obeying Him. If the Egyptians had honored Him according to the light they were given, then they wouldn’t have suffered this catastrophe.

Exodus 12:25-27—“It will come to pass when you come to the land which the LORD will give you, just as He promised, that you shall keep this service. And it shall be, when your children say to you, 'What do you mean by this service?' that you shall say, 'It is the Passover sacrifice of the LORD, who passed over the houses of the children of Israel in Egypt when He struck the Egyptians and delivered our households.'” It is arguable that the Passover was the most important of all Jewish feasts. It was to be kept yearly, of course, although there are indications later in the Old Testament that the Jews didn’t do this. The idea behind the Passover is stated in these verses—a memorial for what the Lord did for Israel in Egypt. Jehovah did something here for the Hebrews that they could not do themselves—escape bondage. Their deliverance from slavery was wholly on God’s part and none of their own. Of course, at the appropriate time, they had to move and follow His directions, but they were to be reminded, through this yearly feast, of the grace of God in delivering them from Egypt. Paul wrote in I Corinthians 5:7, “Christ [is] our Passover.” Our deliverance from the bondage of sin was totally actuated by God. Just as with the Israelites in Egypt, there was absolutely nothing we could to release ourselves from slavery (to sin). Christ’s “Passover” blood was necessary for our release. Now, we, too, must move when we are told to do so (belief, repentance, baptism, etc.), but without God’s grace, none of this would happen. The Lord’s Supper, observed each week in the early church and by His church today, reminds us of our Passover, Jesus, and the blood He shed in order to deliver us from “Egypt”—bondage. The parallel is perfect. The Israelites were in bondage with no way they could deliver themselves. God acted, led them across the Red Sea into freedom, the wilderness, on their way to the Promised Land. Tragically, many of them did not enter in because of unbelief (Heb. 3:19). So with man today. We are in “bondage” (to sin). God acted (through Jesus). We cross the Red Sea (baptism), freeing us from sin (Acts 2:38), and into the wilderness of life on our way to the eternal Promised Land. They type-antitype is remarkable, and of course, planned by God. The mind of the Lord is so wonderfully plain to see for those whose eyes are open.

The final question here, though, is, how many of us will not enter into our Promised Land because of unbelief?

A Journey Through the Bible: Exodus 9 and 10

Exodus 9:18—“Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause very heavy hail to rain down, such as has not been in Egypt since its founding until now.” A couple of interesting thoughts come to mind about this whole section. Notice that the Lord (through Moses) told Pharaoh that the plague would come “tomorrow.” If Pharaoh had had sense enough to repent of his hardness of heart and allow the children of Israel to leave, then no doubt the Lord would have recanted on His plan. Pharaoh was given a chance to save his people, but he refused. Nearly always in the Scriptures, the Lord gives man space to repent; for example, Noah (apparently) preached 120 years before God sent the flood (Genesis 6:3). The Canaanites were given 400 years to repent before God sent the children of Israel into the Promised Land and obliterated them (Gen. 15:16). Pharaoh had his chance, and didn’t take it. We have a chance, too, and if we refuse God’s call, it won’t be His fault.

Exodus 10:14-15—“And the locusts went up over all the land of Egypt and rested on all the territory of Egypt. They were very severe; previously there had been no such locusts as they, nor shall there be such after them. For they covered the face of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened; and they ate every herb of the land and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. So there remained nothing green on the trees or on the plants of the field throughout all the land of Egypt.” One traveler describes for us the swarms of locusts: “Clouds of locusts frequently alight on the plains of the Noguais, (the Tartars), and giving preference to their fields of millet, ravage them in an instant. Their approach darkens the horizon, and so enormous is their multitude, it hides the light of the sun. They alight on the fields, and there form a bed of six or seven inches thick. To the noise of their flight succeeds that of their devouring actively, which resembles the rattling of hail-stones; but its consequences are infinitely more destructive. Fire itself eats not so fast; nor is there any appearance of vegetation to be found when they again take their flight, and go elsewhere to produce new disasters.” The Tartars lived in the Russian steppes, but the impact is the same. Famine nearly always followed a locust swarm, and perhaps the only reason such did not happen in the Exodus plague is that the land of Goshen, a very rich, fertile area in the Nile delta region, was spared the devastation. That’s only speculation on my part, however. It’s distinctly possible that famine did hit Egypt, after the Israelites left.

A Journey Through the Bible: Mark 7 and 8

Mark 7:3—“For the Pharisees and all the Jews do not eat unless they wash their hands in a special way, holding the tradition of the elders.” The washing was to be of the hands and wrists; there is a rabbinic tradition to that effect. This kind of washing is apparently still practiced in certain eastern countries; the Islamic Qur’an commands it: “O believers, when ye wish to pray, wash your faces, and your hands up to the elbows—and your feet up to the ankles” (Surat 5:7). They probably borrowed that from the Jews, with whom early Muslims had much contact. The Jewish doctrine was “If a man neglect the washing, he shall be eradicated from the world.” For the Hindus, bathing is a prerequisite before the first meal, and washing of the hands and feet before the evening meal. Jesus certainly wasn’t defending filthiness in this section of Mark, but washing before a meal was not a command of the Law of Moses. The Pharisees made it such, and condemned Christ on the basis of their interpretations of the law, not on what it actually said. Jesus wasn’t about to be bound by their traditions.

Mark 8:36-37—“For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” Here are two of the most piercing, thought-provoking questions in all the Bible. They teach us, so clearly, the value of our souls. Let’s just suppose for a moment, that you or I owned the whole world, or, more rationally, had the resources to buy anything we wanted, go anywhere we wanted, do anything we wanted. There are, of course, many people on earth in that position. But then, supposing we could do that, we die and are lost eternally. What will we have in hell to compensate us? Are a few short years of earthly pleasure worth an eternity of damnation? The Lord is trying to get us to focus on our priorities, on what is truly important—the eternal destiny of our eternal soul. The second question, “what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” is equally haunting. What is it that we love so much that we simply won’t give it up, even if it costs us a home in heaven? The Lord Jesus will brook no higher allegiance than to Himself (Luke 14:26). When you think of it, that is an awfully arrogant demand—if Jesus were only a man. Only God can insist upon that level of loyalty.

Gentle reader, is there anything you are more loyal to, anything you won’t give up, for the Lord Jesus Christ?