I Corinthians 10
Provision in the wilderness for Israelverses 1-5
Moreover – brethren – I would not that you should be ignorant
how that all our fathers were under the cloud
and passed through the sea
and were baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea
and did eat the same spiritual meat
and did drink the same spiritual drink
FOR they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them
and that Rock was Christ
but with many of them God was not well- pleased
for they were overthrown in the wilderness
No lusting after evil thingsverses 6-11
Now these things were our examples
to the intent we should not lust after evil things
as they also lusted
Neither be you idolaters – as were some of them – as it is written
The people sat down to eat and drink – and rose up to play
Neither let us commit fornication – as some of them committed
and fell in one day three and twenty thousand
Neither let us tempt Christ – as some of them also tempted
and were destroyed of serpents
Neither murmur you as some of them also murmured
and were destroyed of the destroyer
Now all these things happened to them for examples
and they are written for our ADMONITION
on whom the ends of the world are come
Temptations are realverses 12-13
Wherefore let him that think he stands take heed lest he fall
there hath no temptation taken you by such as is common to man
BUT God is faithful
WHO will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able
BUT will with the temptation also make a way to escape
that you may be able to bear it
Warning against divided loyaltyverses 14-22
Wherefore – my dearly beloved – FLEE from idolatry
I speak as the wise men – judge you what I say
The cup of blessing which we bless
is it not the communion of the blood of Christ?
the bread which we break
is it not the communion of the body of Christ?
FOR we being many are one bread and one body
for we are all partakers of that one bread
BEHOLD Israel after the flesh
are not they which eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar?
What say I then? that the idol is any thing
or that which is offered in sacrifice
to idols is any thing?
BUT I say – that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice
they sacrifice to devils and not to God
and I would not that you should have
fellowship with devils
You cannot drink the cup of the Lord – and the cup of devils
you cannot be partakers of the Lord’s table
and of the table of devils
Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? Are we stronger than HE?
Watch how you use your liberty in Christverses 23-30
All things are lawful for me – BUT all things are not expedient
all things are lawful for me – BUT all things edify not
Let no man seek his own -BUT every man another’s wealth
Whatsoever is sold in the shambles – that eat
asking no question for conscience sake
for the earth is the Lord’s
and the fullness thereof
IF any of them that believe not bid you to a feast
and you be disposed to go
whatsoever is set before you – EAT
asking no question for conscience sake
BUT IF any man say to you
This is offered in sacrifice to idols
EAT NOT for his sake that showed it
and for conscience sake – FOR the earth is the Lord’s
and the fullness thereof – conscience
I say – not your own but the other
FOR why is my LIBERTY judged of
another man’s conscience?
FOR if I by grace be a partaker
why am I evil spoken of for that for which I give thanks?
Goal for all believersverses 31-33
Whether therefore you eat – or drink – or whatsoever you do
DO ALL TO THE GLORY OF GOD
Give none offense – neither to the Jews – nor to the Gentiles
nor to the church of God – EVEN as I please all men in all things
not seeking mine own profit – BUT the profit of many
that they may be SAVED
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 4 And did all drink the same spiritual drink; for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (4152 “spiritual” [pneumatikos] means one who is filled with and governed by the Spirit of God, pattern of life controlled by the Spirit, supernatural powers, or non carnal)
DEVOTION: The children of Israel left Egypt to go to the Promised Land. They had the guidance of God throughout their journey. They didn’t listen to the LORD most of the time.
We read that most of them died in the wilderness because of unbelief. The second generation entered the Promised Land. They were the children that the parents were concerned about regarding the giants in the land. The parents thought it would be better for them to return to Egypt rather than face the giants.
Paul is saying that Jesus Christ in HIS pre-incarnate state was alive with the children of Israel in the wilderness. The LORD provided water for them when they needed it on two occasions. The rock was struck by Moses and water came. It was the provision of the LORD.
Today the LORD has promised to provide all our needs according to HIS riches. We have riches available to us in Christ just like the children of Israel had them available to them in the wilderness.
We are to drink of the cup of blessings each time we take communion in church. When we evaluate our life and think on the life Christ gave for us we should understand we are a blessed people. As a blessed people we should bless others.
CHALLENGE: Are we drinking from the spiritual rock Christ Jesus on a regular basis in a way that is pleasing to the LORD? Are we trying to have the best of both worlds? We can’t have a divided loyalty.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 13 There has no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that you are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape; that you may be able to bear it. (1439 “suffer” [eao] means let alone, leave, permit, to allow one to do as he wishes, not to restrain, to let alone, let go, or to make it possible through a specific action or lack of action for something to happen)
DEVOTION: There are going to be days when your friends or family might try to get you to do things that God doesn’t like. You know the difference but the pressure to do things with your friends or family can be great. You want to be part of the group. You don’t want to have them laugh at you or call you names.
God knows what you are going through and HE will give you a way out. On one occasion our son was asked to go someplace with a friend and he found out it was the wrong place to be at and he called home for me to pick him up. I tried to always be available if they called and needed to leave a place that might cause them harm.
You need to be sure that you remember that this verse is a true statement regarding the LORD. HE will give each of us a way to escape if we want it. Too often we give in to the temptation rather than call for help first from HIM and then from our parents or others who want us to stay true to our commitment to the LORD.
Remember that if you fail as a believer in a temptation you can turn to the LORD and confess. It needs to be genuine. Sometimes even Christians think that they will just sin and then confess and the LORD will forgive. That is a wrong attitude toward forgiveness and God.
CHALLENGE: Genuine believers are genuinely sorry for their sins. They don’t like repeating a sin.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
:25 Whatsoever is sold in the shambles, that eat, asking no question for conscience sake. (3111 “shambles” [makellon] means a butcher’s stall, meat market or provision-shop, or a place where meat and other articles of food are sold)
DEVOTION: Paul is warning the believers in Corinth to look at what happened to the children of Israel as they wandered in the wilderness. They gave in to temptations and the LORD had to judge them. The same thing can happen to the people in the church of Corinth if they are not watching what they are doing.
He says that they have a faithful God who will not suffer them to be tempted above what they are able to escape. They did not have to give in to temptation.
One temptation is what to do with meat sold in the market place. Paul says that they have liberty to eat of the meat. Some of it or all of it was offered to idols before it went on sale in the market place. They still had their liberty.
However, the liberty was to limited if a person invited them to dinner and told them that the meat as offered to idols. They were not to eat because it would give them a poor testimony before their unsaved host.
Paul wanted his witness to be pure before the unsaved because he wanted to be able to win him to Christ. So everything he did, he did for the Glory of God.
Many years ago while in my second church, we had visitors come to our front door. It was a policy that we would talk with those knocking on our doors. They asked if we knew what “shambles” meant in the Bible. I didn’t know at the time. Now I know. It was a trick to show people who attend church that they didn’t fully understand the words in the Bible. They wanted to start a Bible study in the home to show people how to understand the Bible from their perspective. They didn’t know that I was the pastor of the local church. I was still learning word meanings.
This wasn’t a good test. The whole point of this passage is that those in Paul’s day had a problem with things sacrificed to idols. Paul told them to not ask questions when they were eating at the homes of unbelievers. If the unbeliever said that the meat was sacrificed to idols, then they were not to eat.
We have liberty to eat anything because everything is the Lord’s. However, we are not to use our liberty to hurt the testimony of Christ to the unbeliever or the church of God. Are we living a life that is offensive to those in the church and outside the church? Understanding our liberty in Christ can be hard. Sometimes we can fall into license which is a sin. Sometimes we can do things that offend the unsaved or young Christians and not be aware of it. Continually be in prayer about your habits and actions.
CHALLENGE: Ask yourself if your habits or actions are bringing Glory to God.
: 31 Whether therefore you eat or drink, or whatsoever you do, do all to the glory of God. (1391 “glory” [doxa] means the manifest presentation of God’s infinite and majestic nature, normally conveyed to humanity as superlative brightness, splendor, amazing might, grandeur, or amazing might)
DEVOTION: Paul states that the goal of every Christian in every activity is that we bring glory to God. It can be a hard goal to keep in front of our face at all times but with the help of the LORD it can happen.
Our habits affect our life. We have to evaluate our habits on a regular basis and if we find one that hurts us we should turn to the LORD and ask HIM for help. HE has promised to be there when we need HIM. HE has promised that HE will never leave us or forsake us.
One of the tests as to whether a habit is wrong is what affect it has on others. We are not to offend others by our actions. Sometimes we don’t know we are offending unless someone tells us.
If you are genuinely offended by the actions of someone you love in the LORD you need to tell them in love. They should know that you really want to bring glory to God at all times. If you don’t know you can’t correct your action.
Our life is a learning experience. Sometimes we don’t know our actions offend until it is too late for some relationships but we can learn from that occasion and try to improve.
CHALLENGE: Always keep before you that you want to do what will bring glory to the LORD!!!
DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Communion service verses 16, 17
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Give thanksverse 30
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Church communionverses 16, 17
Jews sacrificed at altarverse 18
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
As it is writtenverse 7
They are written verse 11
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God verses 5, 13, 20, 31, 32
God not well pleasedverse 5
God is faithfulverse 13
Glory of Godverse 31
Church of Godverse 32
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Rockverse 4
Christ verses 4, 9, 16
Spiritual Rockverse 4
Rock was Christverse 4
Blood of Christverse 16
Body of Christverse 16
Lordverses 21, 22, 26, 28
Cup of the Lordverse 21
Lord’s tableverse 21
Provoke Lordverse 22
Earth is Lord’sverses 26, 28
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Devils (demons)verses 20, 21
Sacrifice to devilsverse 20
Fellowship with devilsverse 20
Cup of devilsverse 21
Table of devilsverse 21
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Worldverse 11
Temptation common to manverse 13
Gentilesverse 20
Conscienceverses 25, 27-29
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Lust after evil thingsverse 6
Idolatersverses 7, 14, 19
Fornicationverse 8
Tempt Christverse 9
Murmurverse 10
Fallverse 12
Sacrifice to devils [demons]verses 20, 28
Fellowship with devils [demons]verse 20
Drink cup of devilsverse 21
Provoke the LORDverse 22
Seek your own [selfish]verses 24, 33
Believe notverse 27
Eating things sacrificed to idolsverse 28
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Spiritual meatverse 3
Spiritual drinkverse 4
Example from Old Testamentverses 6, 11
Admonitionverse 11
Take heed to examplesverse 12
Temptationverse 13
Not above able to handleverse 13
Way to escape temptationverse 13
Faithfulverse 13
Dearly belovedverse 14
Flee from idolatryverse 14
Wiseverse 15
Taking communionverse 16
Partakers of Christverse 17
Proper expedient thingsverse 23
Edifyverse 23
Don’t eat things sacrificed to idolsverse 28
Libertyverse 29
Graceverse 30
Give thanks for foodverse 30
Do all to glory of Godverse 31
None offenseverse 32
Savedverse 33
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Mosesverse 2
Israelverse 18
Jewsverse 32
Church (New Testament people of God)
Brethrenverse 1
Communion Tableverses 16, 17
Lord’s Tableverse 21
Church of Godverse 32
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
13. Temptation (see on v. 9) is sometimes understood simply as ‘test’ (gnb, Héring), a meaning it certainly has on occasion. But here it is used in a broad sense which includes both ‘test’ and ‘temptation’. Nothing exceptional in either way had happened to the Corinthians. They had experienced only what is common to man. And God is not simply a spectator of the affairs of life; he is concerned and active. Believers can count on his help. He will always make a way out. This word (ekbasis) may denote a mountain defile. The imagery is that of an army trapped in rugged country, which manages to escape from an impossible situation through a mountain pass. The assurance of this verse is a permanent comfort and strength to believers. Our trust is in the faithfulness of God. (Morris, L. (1985). 1 Corinthians: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 7, p. 142). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
Hath taken (εἰληφεν [eilēphen]). Perfect active indicative of λαμβανω [lambanō]. But such as man can bear (εἰ μη ἀνθρωπινος [ei mē anthrōpinos]). Except a human one. Old adjective meaning falling to the lot of man. Above that ye are able (ὑπερ ὁ δυνασθε [huper ho dunasthe]). Ellipsis, but plain. There is comfort in that God is faithful, trustworthy (πιστος [pistos]). The way of escape (την ἐκβασιν [tēn ekbasin]). “The way out” is always there right along with (συν [sun]) the temptation. This old word only here in N. T. and Heb. 13:7 about death. It is cowardly to yield to temptation and distrustful of God. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (1 Co 10:13). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)
10:13. After kicking out the props of false security, Paul pointed toward the One on whom the Corinthians could rely. The temptations that seized the Corinthians were like those people had always faced. They could be met and endured by depending on God, who is faithful. Part of the Corinthian problem, of course, was that some in the face of temptation were not looking for a way out by endurance, but a way in for indulgence. (Lowery, D. K. (1985). 1 Corinthians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 527). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
God permits us to be tempted because He knows how much we can take; and He always provides a way to escape if we will trust Him and take advantage of it. The believer who thinks he can stand, may fall; but the believer who flees will be able to stand.
Paul had already told his readers to “flee fornication” (1 Cor. 6:18); and now his warning is, “Flee from idolatry” (1 Cor. 10:14). He explained the reason why: the idol itself is nothing, but it can be used by Satan to lead you into sin. Idolatry is demonic (Deut. 32:17; Ps. 106:37). To sit at an idol’s table could mean fellowship (“communion, partakers”) with demons. Paul was again enforcing the important doctrine of separation from sin (2 Cor. 6:14–7:1).
He used the Lord’s Supper as an illustration. When the believer partakes of the cup and loaf at the Lord’s table, he is, in a spiritual way, having fellowship with the body and blood of Christ. By remembering Christ’s death, the believer enters into a communion with the risen Lord. In 1 Corinthians 10:18, Paul pointed to the temple altar and sacrifices as another illustration of this truth. The application is clear: A believer cannot partake of the Lord’s food (the Old Testament sacrifice, the New Testament supper) and the devil’s food (the idol’s table) without exposing himself to danger and provoking the Lord.
“Are we stronger than He?” (1 Cor. 10:22) is directed at the strong Christian who was sure he could enjoy his liberty in the pagan temple and not be harmed. “You may be stronger than your weaker brother,” Paul intimated, “but you are not stronger than God!” It is dangerous to play with sin and tempt God. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 597). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
10:13 temptation. See notes on Jas 1:13–15; cf. Mt 6:13. common to man. One Gr. word meaning “that which is human.” (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (1 Co 10:13). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 13. There hath no temptation taken you, &c.] Some, indeed, understand these words by way of reproof, that whereas their trials and exercises which had attended them were very light ones, and comparatively trivial; and yet they had given way to these temptations, and had sunk under them, and fallen by them, for which they were greatly to be blamed; or as threatening them with something more severe than any thing as yet had befallen them, signifying that though they had as yet stood, and thought they still should; yet they ought not to presume on their own strength, or depend on outward things; since the temptations that as yet had come upon them were such as men might easily bear; there was no great trial or experiment of their grace and strength by them; they had not yet resisted unto blood; there were heavier and severer trials they might expect; and therefore should not be too secure in themselves, but take heed lest when these things should come upon them, in such a time of great temptation, they should fall away: but I rather think the words are spoken by way of comfort to the saints; intimating that as no temptation or affliction had befallen them, so none should, but what either came from men, or was common to men, or which men by divine assistance, and under divine influence, might bear; and therefore should not distress themselves with the apprehensions of it, as if it was some strange or unusual thing, and as if they must unavoidably perish and be destroyed by it: but such as is common to man; or is humane. There are divine temptations, or such as come from God; God may be said to tempt his people, as he did Abraham, by enjoining them things very hard and disagreeable to nature; and by afflicting them either in body or estate; and by withdrawing his presence, and withholding the communications of his grace, to try their faith, shew them their weakness and need of himself. There are also diabolical temptations, or such as come from Satan; who tempts by soliciting to sin, by suggesting blasphemous thoughts, and filling with doubts and fears; and by dissuading from the use of means, as attending at the throne of grace, and on the word and ordinances: but the apostle here speaks of human temptations, such as come from men; meaning reproaches and persecutions, for the sake of Christ and his Gospel; and which are temptations or trials of grace, as of faith and patience, and under which there is great danger of falling away: now when the apostle says that none but such temptations had befallen them, he does not mean that they had been, or were, or would be entirely free from other temptations; but that those which they mostly dreaded, and were in danger by, were but human, such as came from men, and were, as our version suggests, common to Christian men, their brethren, who were in the flesh as they, and might be endured by men, strengthened by the grace of God; wherefore they had nothing to fear from hence, especially when they considered the faithfulness, care, and power of God next observed: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able: no man can be tempted, afflicted, or persecuted by men, but by a divine permission, and that voluntary; nor more than, or above that measure which God hath determined; who proportions the affliction to the strength he determines and promises to give, and does give, and the strength of his people to the temptation or affliction he suffers to befall them; for which his faithfulness is engaged, having promised that as their day is, their strength shall be; that he will never leave them nor forsake them, and that he will bear, and carry, and save them unto the uttermost, and that they shall hold on and out unto the end: but will with the temptation make a way to escape; for as he by his permission makes way for the temptation or affliction, which otherwise could not come; and as he knows how, in what manner, and at the best time, to deliver his people out of temptations; so he does and will, in his providence, open a way that they may escape out of them, at least so as not to be overpressed and destroyed by them: that ye may be able to bear it; for God does not always think fit to remove at once an affliction or temptation, though at the earnest request of his people, as in the case of Paul, 2 Cor. 12:7, 8 yet he gives them grace sufficient to endure and stand up under it, yea, to get the victory of it, to be more than conquerors, and triumph over it. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 675). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
Next, temptation is discussed (1 Cor. 10:13–14). First, Paul talks about sporadic temptation (10:13), the kind of temptation we encounter all the time. He tells us how to evaluate temptation (10:13a–b). In the first place it is common to man: “There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man” (10:13a), a fact he has amply illustrated in the various incidents he has just cited from the wilderness experiences of the Hebrew people. All temptation comes to us from one of three sources: from the lust of the flesh, from the lure of the world, or from the lies of the Devil. It is half the battle to know the enemy. Satan has had some six thousand years to study human nature. He knows us better than we know ourselves. He knows how to use his three great lures of “the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life” (1 John 2:16). He found them effective with Adam and Eve and he finds them effective with us. No one is immune from temptation. There is no advance in holiness which renders us safe from temptation. The Lord Jesus Himself was tempted by Satan, who tried these same three primeval and prevalent temptations on Him that he found so successful with Eve. Fortunately, Satan’s tricks have been unmasked for us in the Word of God. We know about “the wiles of the devil” (Eph. 6:11). We are “not ignorant of his devices,” as Paul will later remind the Corinthians (2 Cor. 2:11). Satan orchestrates temptation using the world, the flesh, and evil spirits to assail us. However, he has no new tricks in his bag. His temptations are such as are “common to man.”
Then, too, temptation is controlled by God: “But God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able” (1 Cor. 10:13b). He knows us better than Satan knows us. He drew the line in the sand again and again in Satan’s temptation of Job, and beyond that line the Evil One, for all his might and malice, was not allowed to go. God knew His man (Job 1:8) and knew just exactly how much he could take. It may seem that the enemy is having it all his own way but that is not so. The tapestry of our lives is being woven with consummate skill. We only see the back side of it down here, and the strands often seem to be tangled and meaningless and the things which come upon us to be utterly senseless. However, God is weaving a wondrous picture. When we see it, we shall praise Him for all eternity. (Phillips, J. (2009). Exploring 1 Corinthians: An Expository Commentary (1 Co 7:1–14:40). Kregel Publications; WORDsearch Corp.)
God is faithful to ensure that the tests He ordains are commensurate with the strength He provides to pass them. Note that the escape is not the complete removal of the test, but is the ability to endure it. The Corinthians would feel the ongoing pull to return to the temples, but God would help them to do what was right, which, in this context, is to flee from idolatry.
(p. 1789, The Moody Bible Commentary by Michael Rydelnik and Michael
Vanlaniingham)
FROM MY READING:
(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)
According to Paul, Christ was the source of this supernatural water. Since the incident of the rock which produced water marked the beginning of Israel’s wilderness wanderings (Ex. 17:1–7) and happened again near the ending of their wanderings (Num. 20:1–13), Paul concluded that Christ accompanied them. Christ too was the source of supernatural water for the Corinthians (cf. John 4:10–14). (Lowery, D. K. (1985). 1 Corinthians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck, Ed.) (1 Co 10:4). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
The Jews ate manna, and Christians feed on Christ, the Bread of Life, as they partake of the Word. Israel drank water supernaturally provided, and Christians drink the living water (John 4:10–14) of salvation and the refreshing water of the Spirit (John 7:37–39). Some are puzzled by “that spiritual rock that followed them” (v. 4), as though a literal rock rolled along in the wilderness with the Jews. Two explanations are possible: (1) Paul states that a spiritual rock followed them, and certainly Christ did travel with His people and met their needs; (2) the word “them” is not in the original text, so that Paul may be saying, “They drank of that spiritual rock that followed [after the manna was given].” First the bread, then the water followed. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1992). Wiersbe’s expository outlines on the New Testament (447). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
There can be no doubt that by “spiritual drink” here, the apostle refers to the water that was made to gush from the rock that was smitten by Moses. Ex. 17:6; Num. 20:11. (Barnes, A. (1884-1885). Notes on the New Testament: I Corinthians (R. Frew, Ed.) (181). London: Blackie & Son.)
Exodus 10
Pharaoh’s will hardens.
INSIGHT
God does not compromise. Moses asks Pharaoh to let the nation of Israel go into the wilderness to worship God. Pharaoh refuses but says the men can go. But those are not God’s instructions.
Pharaoh pays the price. But, while God does not compromise, He does forgive. With the hand of judgment on him, Pharaoh begs God for forgiveness. God withdraws the judgment.
Have you compromised in your walk with God? He will not accept it. But He will forgive and restore you if you ask Him. (Quiet Walk)
OUR SECURITY IN GOD
And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand. John 10:28
There is nothing uncertain about my acceptance with God, nor about my forgiveness, nor about my sonship. When I realize that I have been brought into God’s plan, I know that nothing can frustrate this.
Now there are many people who talk about the Protestant Reformation and the influence it had upon the world. You find that certain statesmen do this. They say you cannot explain the history of England apart from the Protestant Reformation. Neither, they say, can you explain the United States of America apart from these things, because they all had their origin in that Reformation. But how little do these people really see what it all means and what it really represents, which is that these great truths are absolute and certain. Do you know why the Pilgrim Fathers made that attempt and succeeded in crossing the Atlantic? What was it that enabled men to do things like that and to do things that were even more hazardous? It was that they believed in what is called “the doctrine of the perseverance of the saints”; it was because they had seen themselves in the plan of God that cannot be broken and that cannot fail. It is as absolute as God Himself; He knows the end as well as the beginning. “Neither shall any man, “ said Christ, “pluck them out of my hand.” It is unthinkable.
If God has done all this for us in Christ, and especially in His death, we can be certain that He will carry on with the work until it is completed. That is Paul’s argument: “He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things?” (Romans 8:32). God, who is sufficiently concerned about me to send His Son to die on the cross of Calvary for me, is not going to let me down when any difficulty or temptation faces me.
A Thought to Ponder: God is not going to let me down when any difficulty or temptation faces me. (From Saved in Eternity, pp. 63-64, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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King of All the Earth
“For God is the King of all the earth: sing ye praises with understanding.” (Psalm 47:7)
This stirring psalm of praise, which celebrates the reign of Christ over all the earth, finds its primary fulfillment in Christ’s second coming and full reign over His kingdom. The reader is exhorted to “sing praises unto our King” (v. 6). The reign of Christ certainly gives cause for celebration. His arrival forces the psalmist to proclaim, “O clap your hands, all ye people” (v. 1).
What has happened to make this Kingship such cause for celebration? After all, “by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible or invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him” (Colossians 1:16). He belongs on the throne. We should expect to find Him there. However, even though there is a sense in which He reigns today, the sad fact remains that another has usurped rule.
This usurper can be none other than Satan, who not only claims rule of the creation for himself, but who spoiled the original perfection of the creation which now “groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now” (Romans 8:22). He has encouraged men to accept the mindless concept of evolution, and even denies Christ recognition as Redeemer, as the humanist’s creed “We will save ourselves!” boasts.
But all is not lost! Our text assures us that Christ will reclaim His kingdom: “He shall subdue the people under us, and the nations under our feet. . . . God reigneth over the heathen” (vv. 3, 8). Christ the Creator, the Redeemer, the Heir, has conquered the enemy and soon will assume His rightful throne—“the throne of his holiness” (v. 8), “greatly exalted” (v. 9). Then we shall join the redeemed of the ages, and “shout unto God with the voice of triumph” (v. 1). (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
Weddings are wonderful times of celebration that promise future blessings and happiness. Everything needs to be just right, and if something major goes wrong, it can be heartbreaking for the families involved. According to John 2:1-11, Jesus attended such a wedding in Cana of Galilee. He did a miracle there that prevented a disaster, but we’re missing the point if we leave it at that. In my latest post I show that we can learn a lot about prayer from this passage.
Mary’s words to Jesus, “they have no more wine” (John 2:3), are best understood as a request for him to fix a pressing problem. Jesus’ blunt reply emphasized that this problem had no immediate relevance to his focus on his coming “hour” in Jerusalem. I’m afraid that Jesus would respond in the same way to many of our requests for creature comforts today: “what does this have to do with me?” We tend to pray for goods and services like Mary did at the wedding feast when we ought to be praying for the will of the Father like Jesus did in Gethsemane. We pray with Mary when we should be praying with Jesus.
Praying is like breathing—it provides oxygen for our lives in Christ. I hope this latest post helps you breathe more freely in him.
All the best,
David drdavidlturner.com
In 2013, Rachel Campos-Duffy, a blogger on the Today Show’s “Moms” site, described watching Beyonce’s Super Bowl halftime performance as a “parenting challenge.” The hyper-sensual show’s half-dressed performers had left her kids with quizzical looks on their faces. Her eight-year-old simply said, “She looks weird.”
I wish all of our kids were as confused by seeing something like that, but unfortunately, sexuality packaged as music and performance is an all-too-familiar part of our culture. After Beyonce’s version in 2013, Campos-Duffy snarkily commented, “I half-expected a stripper pole to pop out of the platform…”
Well this past Sunday, that’s exactly what happened. A stripper pole.
Sunday’s Super Bowl halftime performance, featuring Jennifer Lopez and Shakira, was by far the raciest halftime since Beyonce. For the last several years, there’s been a notable de-sensualization of not only Super Bowl halftimes but also Super Bowl commercials.
Even Lady Gaga was comparatively modest in her 2017 performance. It’s almost as if the NFL and its network producers got the message from Campos-Duffy and millions of moms who complained about the visual assault on their children and families.
Well, until Sunday, that is, when the Super Bowl became yet another chapter in the ongoing sexualization of American culture, of women, and of kids. In the midst of our culture’s ubiquitous calls to protect kids and women from abuse and harassment, especially in this #MeToo era, we pretend that as long as we call it “art” or “female empowerment,” that this sort of overt sexualization will magically have none of the consequences we now complain about.
From the beginning, the sexual revolution has promised women that aggressively flaunting skin and sexuality was empowerment, and that divorcing sex from marriage and procreation would be a means to freedom. In reality, it was men who got what they wanted: sexual pleasure without the burden of commitment or requirement of chivalry.
For a brief moment a few years ago, it was almost as if that lie had been exposed. More and more women bravely came forward revealing how they’d been treated horrifically as “sexual objects” and such. But if Sunday’s performance is any indication, we have not learned our lesson.
It’s not only women who are victims of these bad ideas. Years ago, British Prime Minister David Cameron appointed a special adviser on the commercialization and sexualization of childhood because, “Our children are growing up in a very sexualized world.”
That was an understatement even then. A far-more accurate description is that this is an out-of-control social experiment, and the guinea pigs are primarily our children. In addition to the predatory, hardcore pornography that haunts their devices and online lives, experimental theories about gender and sexuality haunt their education, and, as we saw Sunday, stripper poles and outfits haunt their so-called “art” and “entertainment.”
Of course, JLo and Shakira were a throw-back to a couple decades ago, more for the Xers and Millennials than for the Gen Z’ers. Even so, remember that this performance was on prime-time network television. And check out the lyrics of Billie Ellish or Roddy Ricch, or Lizzo to see if anything has changed.
As my friend Tom Gilson wrote years ago on BreakPoint.org, ethics require that subjects of social experimentation give informed consent. But in our culture, adults force young people, who have no say in the matter, to go along with their fantasies, theories, and so-called expressions of empowerment and freedom. It’s child abuse.
Just as with Beyonce back in 2013, there will be progressive voices, even so-called Christian ones, that will celebrate Sunday’s performance as “empowering women and Latinas” (particularly the child-in-cages part). But using sexuality for power is a triumph for men, not for women, and certainly not for children—it only leads to their objectification and victimization.
After all, I doubt there were very many wives watching their husbands watch, or moms trying to keep their children from watching, Sunday’s performance who felt empowered in any way. (BreakPoint)
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