II Kings 13
LORD delivered into hands of Syriaverses 1-3
In the three and twentieth year of Joash the son of Ahaziah king of Judah
Jehoahaz the son of Jehu began to reign over Israel in Samaria
and reigned seventeen years
and he did EVIL in the sight of the LORD
and followed the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat
which made Israel to sin
he departed not therefrom
And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel
and HE delivered them into the
hand of Hazael king of Syria
and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael
all their days
Jehoahaz prayed for deliveranceverses 4-5
And Jehoahaz besought the LORD – and the LORD hearkened to him
for he saw the oppression of Israel
because the king of Syria oppressed them
(and the LORD gave Israel a savior
so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians
and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents
as beforetime
Repeated sin caused defeat of Israelverses 6-7
Nevertheless, they departed not from the sins of the house of Jeroboam
who made Israel sin – but WALKED therein
and there remained the grove also in Samaria)
Neither did he leave of the people to Jehoahaz but fifty horsemen
and ten chariots – and ten thousand footmen
for the king of Syria had destroyed them
and had made them like the dust by threshing
Record of reign of Jehoahazverses 8-9
Now the rest of the acts of Jehoahaz – and all that he did
and his might
Are they not written in the
book of chronicles of the kings of Israel?
And Jehoahaz slept with his fathers
and they buried him in Samaria
and Joash his son reigned in his stead
Johoash reign was evilverses 10-11
In the thirty and seventh year of Joash king of Judah began
Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz to reign over Israel
and he did that which was EVIL
in the sight of the LORD
He departed not from all the sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat
who made Israel sin – but WALKED therein
Record of reign of Joash over Israelverses 12-13
And the rest of the acts of Joash – and all that he did
and his might wherewith he fought
against Amaziah king of Judah
Are they not written in the book of chronicles of the kings of Israel?
and Joash slept with his fathers – and Jeroboam sat on his throne
and Joash was buried in Samaria with the king of Israel
Joash cried to Elisha for helpverse 14
Now Elisha was fallen sick of his sickness whereof he died
and Joash the king of Israel came down to him
and wept over his face
and said
O my father – my father
the chariot of Israel and the horsemen thereof
Elisha’s instructions to Joashverses 15-19
And Elisha said to him
Take bow and arrows
and he took unto him bow and arrows
And he said to the king of Israel
Put your hand upon the bow – and he put his hand upon it
and Elisha put his hands upon the king’s hand
and he said
Open the window eastward – and he opened it
Then Elisha said
Shoot – and he shot
And he said
The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance
and the arrow of deliverance from Syria
for you shall smite the Syrians in Aphek
till you have consumed them
And he said
Take the arrows – and the took them
And he said unto the king of Israel
Smite upon the ground – and he smote thrice and stayed
And the man of God was wroth with him
and said
You should have smitten five or six times
then had thou smitten Syria till you had consumed it
whereas now you shall smite Syria but thrice
Elisha died – final miracleverses 20-21
And Elisha died – and they buried him
and the bands of the Moabites invaded the land
at the coming in of the year
and it came to pass – as they were burying a man
that – BEHOLD
they spied a band of men
and they cast the man into the sepulcher of Elisha
and when the man was let down
and touched the bones of Elisha
he revived and stood up on his feet
King Hazael of Syria oppresses Israelverses 22-23
But Hazael king of Syria oppressed Israel all the days of Jehoahaz
and the LORD was GRACIOUS to them
and had COMPASSION on them
and had respect to them
because of HIS covenant with Abraham – Isaac – Jacob
and would not destroy them
neither cast HE them
from HIS presence as yet
Joash recovers citiesverses 24-25
So Hazael king of Syria died
and Ben-hadad his son reigned in his stead
And Jehoash the son of Jehoahaz took again out of the hand of
Ben-hadad the son of Hazael the cities
which he had taken out the hand of
Jehoahaz his father by war
Three times did Joash beat him
and recovered the cities of Israel
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 3 And the anger of the LORD was kindled against Israel, and HE delivered them into the hand of Hazael king of Syria, and into the hand of Ben-hadad the son of Hazael, all their days. (5414 “delivered” [nathan] means to give, to hand down, to set, to allow, to surrender someone or something to another, especially to an authority, or appoint)
DEVOTION: Throughout the Bible we find the LORD angry at those who claim to be HIS people but want to worship false gods. HE doesn’t want to share our love with anyone or anything. HE wants our total allegiance. HE wants HIS people to only look to HIM for guidance.
When this doesn’t have HE has to correct HIS people somehow. Most of the time in the Old Testament HE allows a heathen nation to come in and give HIS people a hard time to get their attention.
Once HE has their attention they seem to realize that they have lost their blessing and they repent and turn toward HIM again. They begin to pray again. They begin to sacrifice to HIM again. They begin to walk in the standard that HE has set for all HIS people.
We fall into the same type of judgment of HIM even today if we are not willing to listen and obey HIS word. HE sends leaders into our nations that don’t want to honor HIM. HE allows them to seem to come to power to get our attention. Once we realize what HE is doing we should seek revival in our hearts and start walking according to HIS standards.
Too many believers are trying to walk in two worlds and end up receiving the chastening of the LORD for their actions. We need to pray for revival in our hearts that we would be a one way believer. Our way would be to please the LORD in all we do and say.
CHALLENGE: Our witness would be one of hope. Our witness would be one that bring glory to the LORD and HE would give us blessings in our family, church and nation.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 5 And the LORD gave Israel a savior, so that they went out from under the hand of the Syrians, and the children of Israel dwelt in their tents as beforetime. (168 “tents” [‘ohel] means a portable shelter, house, habitation, nomad’s tent, or a portable construction made of animal hair or leather, varying in size, which may include curtained rooms in the tent, home, or unmoveable house)
DEVOTION: Here we have the children of Israel who were divided into the group that was in Judah and the group that was in Samaria. Each had their own king. The tribes of Samaria were not obeying the LORD. They were worshiping false gods and the LORD judged them for it by allowing the Syrians to rule over them. This was a judgment of the LORD for their actions.
The LORD sent a deliverer to take them out of the hands of the Syrians. However the people of Samaria didn’t depart from the sins of Jeroboam which meant that they didn’t stop worshiping in the groves instead of turning to the LORD.
Once the LORD send us relief from someone who has been giving us trouble and yet we don’t change our attitude toward the LORD it doesn’t mean that this deliverance will last. The LORD is longsuffering but HE will not put up with our sins for very long.
Captivity seems to help the people rethink their actions regarding HIM.
If Christians today think that they are having it bad in their present situation and ask the LORD for help but they don’t change their ways regarding sin and starting to serve the LORD faithfully the LORD can change those circumstances back to one of persecution.
We need to realize that if we are praying for those in our world to have a revival in their relationship to the LORD but we don’t surrender to the LORD while we are praying the revival will be short lived.
God wants us to pray and change our attitude toward our service to HIM. Are will willing to change our actions to please HIM and reach out to others who don’t know HIM and tell them the truth of the Word of God can we expect the revival to last very long?
CHALLENGE: If we want things to change we need to be willing to work with the LORD while HE is giving us an opportunity to reach our world for HIM.
: 17 And he said, Open the window eastward. And he opened it. Then Elisha said, Shoot. And he shot. And he said, The arrow of the LORD’S deliverance, and the arrow of deliverance from Syria, for you shall smite the Syrians in Aphek, till you have consumed them. (3607 “consumed” [lala’] means to stop, come to an end, to be finished, to do away with, cause the destruction or undoing of, or be concluded)
DEVOTION: Satan has arrows that he is shooting at those who are true believers in Jesus Christ. These arrows can only be stopped by the whole armor of God which is Jesus Christ. HE is the only one who can give us victory over the arrows of the devil and his angels.
We are told to put on the whole armor of God daily in our spiritual walk with the LORD. If we do this we are protected from whatever the enemy shoots our way. Here we have Elisha telling the king of Israel who had come to him for deliverance over the Syrian army. He told the king to shoot arrows out the window to show how many times he wanted to have victory of the nation of Syria.
The king only shot three arrows. This didn’t make the dying prophet happy. He told the king that he would only have three victories over this nation because of his inability to trust the LORD for more victories.
We want victory in our life and we need to make sure that we daily put on the armor of God to have victory on a daily basis with the help of the LORD. We need to trust the LORD for these victories over every circumstance we find ourselves in when we turn to HIM for guidance and strength.
CHALLENGE: Don’t just trust HIM a few days a week but every day for victory over our enemies. The victorious Christian life is given to all those who genuinely put on Jesus Christ each day.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 21 And it came to pass, as they were burying a man, that, behold, they spied a band of men; and they cast the man into the sepulcher of Elisha: and when the man was let down, and touched the bones of Elisha, he revived, and stood up on his feet. (2416 “revived” [chayah] means to come to life, be alive again, recover, to stay alive, be quickened, or restored to life.)
DEVOTION: In our world we seem to think that once someone is declared dead and on their way to the grave, they are dead. So, we have men carrying a dead body that is to be buried and they see a band of men coming toward them that want to kill they in their hurry they put the man in a sepulcher that belonged to Elisha. He was dead and the man they put in there was dead but once them man was lowered to the point where he touched the bones of Elisha he came back to life.
Many commentaries say the LORD wanted to show HIS power over life and death during this time to give a message to Israel that HE can give them life even though they are spiritually dead. HE has the power to turn those who dead to HIM because of sin can be restored to life only through HIS power. This is a message of hope to the nation that the message of Elisha was still alive.
We have the same message of hope. There is life after death for those who are leaving this world. There is only hope for those who believe in Jesus Christ. All others will spend eternity in a literal place of fire for ever and ever without hope.
Elisha’s message was true. The Bible’s message is true. Only God can give life to the dead. We need to come to life in our relationship to Jesus Christ. HIS message is true. It is the only one that can give us eternal life. We are HIS chosen people today.
CHALLENGE: Hope should dwell in our heart because of the life given to us by Jesus Christ.
: 23 And the LORD was gracious unto them, and had compassion on them, and had respect unto them, because of his covenant with Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, and would not destroy them, neither cast he them from his presence as yet. (7355 “compassion” [racham] means tender affection, to show love, show mercy, or have pity.)
DEVOTION: The kingdom of Israel had many evil kings. They gave the people the choice of worshiping false gods. Jeroboam set up the golden calves, so that, the ten tribes would worship them instead of going to Jerusalem to worship. The ten tribes walked in the sins of the kings that were over them. This made the LORD angry.
HE allowed them to be defeated by their enemies. We find Jehoahaz praying to the LORD for deliverance like the children of Israel did in the book of Judges and the LORD sent deliverance. HE still respected HIS covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacob.
Here we have three words that describe the LORD relationship with a people who are not serving HIM: gracious, mercy, and respect. This was shown to them, not because of their works, but because of the LORD’S promise to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. HE delivered them from the hands of the king of Syria.
Our God is longsuffering toward those who are in need of HIS salvation. The same is true today. The LORD looks at those who follow HIM through his son, Jesus. HE gives us grace. HE gives us mercy. HE gave us respect.
HE shows these to us because of what HIS son did for us on the cross. We need to thank and praise HIM for his longsuffering with us. HE does not want to cast us out of HIS presence.
All those in the world are given a choice. They can either be followers of the LORD or reject HIM. If they chose to reject HIM, they will spend eternity not just in captivity in a foreign land but in a place of torment called the lake of fire. This is Hell that will last for eternity. There are many individuals who call themselves “pastor” who are teaching false doctrine in some of the largest churches in America. One just recently said that no one is going to hell because “love wins.” This is a lie from the enemy to deceive. The Bible says that in the end times there will be teachings that might even deceive those elect of God. Don’t be deceived there is a hell for eternity and all those who are not followers of Christ will there. There is no other truth than that Jesus Christ is the ONLY way to heaven.
Learn the TRUTH of the Word of GOD and teach it to all those around you. Don’t believe everyone who calls themselves a believer. Test their teaching by the Word of God.
CHALLENGE: Our God is still merciful today. All those who come to HIM will be taken into HIS kingdom of heaven for eternity.
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)
Book of Chroniclesverses 8, 12
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)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Jehoahaz besought the LORDverse 4
LORD answered his prayerverse 4
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Book of Chroniclesverses 8, 12
Abrahamverse 23
Isaacverse 23
Jacobverse 23
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 2-4, 11, 17
Sight of the LORDverses 2, 11
Anger of the LORDverse 3
LORD hearkened to Jehoahazverse 4
LORD was graciousverse 23
HIS covenant with Abraham, Isaac and Jacobverse 23
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead – God/man, Messiah)
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)
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Hazael – king of Syria Diedverses 3-5, 7, 17, 19, 22, 24
Ben-hadadverses 3, 24, 25
Bands of Moabitesverse 20
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Evilverses 2, 11
Sins of Jeroboamverses 2, 6, 11
Walked in sinverses 6, 11
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Besought the LORDverse 4
Saviorverse 5
Deliveranceverse 17
Man of Godverse 19
Raised from deadverse 21
Graciousverse 23
Compassionverse 23
Respectverse 23
Covenantverse 23
Presence of the LORDverse 23
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Joash – son of Ahaziah – king of Judahverses 1, 10
Jehoahaz – son of Jehu – king over Israelverses 1-9, 22, 25
Reigned 17 years
Did what was evil
Did sins of Jeroboam the son of Nebat
Made Israel to sin
Delivered into the hands of Hazael
king of Syria and Ben-hadad
son of Hazael
Sought the LORD
LORD gave them peace
Didn’t have a large army
His acts found in Chronicles of the kings
of Israel
Three times he recovered cities of Israel
from Ben-hadad
House of Jeroboam – sinverses 6, 11
Grove worship of false gods
Joash (Jehoash) verses 9-13, 25
Jehoahaz’s son reigned in Israel
Reigned 16 years
Did evil
Fought against Amaziah – king of Judah
Written in the book fo Chronicles of Israel
Amaziah- king of Judahverse 12
Elisha sick unto deathverses 14-21
Joash – king of Israel came to him
Before his death
Told Joash to smite ground and he did it three times
Angry that he only did it three times
Died
Put dead man in his sepulcher and he came back to life
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Elisha diedverse 20
Sepulchre of Elishaverse 21
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QUOTES regarding passage
This final Elisha story provides a fitting summary of the prophet and his ministry. Long says, “As he was a man of power in life (chaps. 2–7), moving and persuasive even in stories told about him (2 Kgs 8:1–6), so now his awesome powers continue working in death, confirming the prophet and foreshadowing the victory to come.” Elijah has gone to heaven without dying; Elisha has kept giving Israel life after he has died. (House, P. R. (1995). 1, 2 Kings (Vol. 8, p. 308). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
The juxtaposition of this event with the account that precedes makes it clear that herein was another divinely intended sign for Jehoash and Israel: God was the God of the living, not the dead (cf. Luke 20:38), not only for Elisha and the man who had been restored to life, but for Israel as well. Israel could yet “live” if she would but appropriate the eternally living God as her own. The entire episode was, further, a corroborative sign that what Elisha had prophesied would certainly come to pass. Only a living God could guarantee such a thing (cf. Isa 44). (Patterson, R. D., & Austel, H. J. (1988). 1, 2 Kings. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: 1 & 2 Kings, 1 & 2 Chronicles, Ezra, Nehemiah, Esther, Job (Vol. 4, p. 226). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
13:20–21. Shortly thereafter Elisha died. Elisha’s ministry spanned at least 56 years (including his years of serving as Elijah’s servant) since he was called by Elijah during Ahab’s reign (which ended in 853 b.c.) and Elisha died in Jehoash’s reign (which began in 798 b.c.). The prophet was probably buried as most of the early Israelites were in a cave or tomb (v. 21) hewn out of a rock, after his body was wrapped in linen cloths.
Some time later some men were laying another man’s body to rest near Elisha’s tomb. They were surprised by a group of Moabite raiders who were apparently going to rob whomever they met. To flee quickly, the Israelite pallbearers removed the stone in front of Elisha’s tomb, threw the corpse of their friend in the tomb, and retreated. When the new corpse touched Elisha’s he came to life and stood up on his feet. Evidently the men who placed the body in Elisha’s tomb observed this. Doubtless they told their story far and wide, and it probably reached the ears of Jehoash for whom this miracle seems to have been intended primarily. Such a sign of the power of God working even through His prophet’s corpse may have both encouraged the king as he anticipated his battles with the Arameans and rebuked him for his lack of faith (cf. comments on vv. 18–19). (Constable, T. L. (1985). 2 Kings. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, p. 564). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
The primary effect of the miracle was, no doubt, greatly to increase the reverence of the Israelites for the memory of Elisha, to lend force to his teaching, and especially to add weight to his unfulfilled prophecies, as to that concerning the coming triumphs of Israel over Syria. In the extreme state of depression to which the Israelites were now reduced, a very signal miracle may have been needed to encourage and reassure them. (Barnes, A. (1879). Notes on the Old Testament: I Samuel to Esther (p. 264). London: John Murray.)
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!!)
James 1
Some trials come into a Christian’s life to bring that individual to spiritual maturity.
INSIGHT
When we read “count it all joy when you fall into various trials” (v. 2), we can mentally assent to the wisdom of that. But in real life, when the duration and intensity of our trials goes beyond what we deem to be reasonable, we pass the point of caring. We begin to question the goodness of God. We question the rationality of the Christian life. We just want relief. By the grace of God, we must accept that we are finally experiencing what James is talking about. Take courage. Be strong. God has not forgotten you. And as He is testing you, you will become spiritually mature – though you probably will perceive the growth only in retrospect. (Quiet Walk)
WHAT MAKES US CHRISTIAN?
Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 1 John 5:1
The New Testament at once shows us the total inadequacy of the common, current version of what constitutes a Christian. The New Testament terms are regeneration, a new creation, being born again. What makes men and women Christians is something that is done to them by God, not something they do themselves: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” And then, “Every one that loveth him that begat”. God, according to John, is the one who begets us; it is God’s action, not ours.
Now we need to take time in emphasizing the obvious contrast in each of these subdivisions. How ready we are to think of being a Christian as the result of something we do! I live a good life, therefore I am a Christian; I go to a place of worship, therefore I am a Christian; I do not do certain things, therefore I am a Christian; I believe, therefore I am a Christian. The whole emphasis is upon myself, upon what I do. Whereas here, at the very beginning of the New Testament definition of a Christian, the entire emphasis is not upon man and his activity, but upon God. He who begat, He who produced, He who generates, He who gives life and being. Thus, we see we cannot be a Christian at all unless God has done something to us.
But I go beyond that and say that what makes us a Christian is something that makes us like God. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” That “of” is an important word; it means “out of God”; this is one who has received something of God Himself.
A Thought to Ponder: We cannot be a Christian at all unless God has done something to us. (From Life in God pp. 12-13 by Martyn Lloyd-Jones).
Joshua 4The Israelites choose 12 stones to erect as a memorial to God’s faithfulness.
INSIGHT
Memorials help us preserve important memories. God memorializes many important things in the Old Testament, often through feasts and ceremonies. Now He uses a monument built of stones so that in the future the Israelites can tell their children: “Here, the God of miracles was faithful.”
What things has God done in your life that you ought not to forget? Think of ways to memorialize them. You might have ceremonies, anniversaries of important events, or a physical memorial. Either way, foster the memory of God’s work on your behalf. (Quiet Walk)
THOMAS
Except I see in his hands the print of the nails, and put my finger into the print of the nails, and thrust my hand into his side, I will not believe. John 20:25
As long as you reason and argue, you will never be satisfied. But the moment you see Him, your troubles will be resolved, and your answers will be given to you. The apostle Thomas is a perfect example of this.
We are familiar with the story of Thomas. After the death of Christ, the apostles were scattered. Then they met together, and when they were in an upper room, Christ appeared to them. Thomas was not with them then, but he joined the company later. They told him that the Lord had appeared among them, but Thomas would not believe it. He kept to the realm of reason and understanding. “No,” he said, “I can’t believe it, I cannot accept it—I must see Him for myself. I must put my hand into the print of the nails; I cannot believe this story.”
But then later the Lord appeared in the room and said, “Where is that finger of yours, Thomas? Put it into My side.” And Thomas broke down, as it were, and said that it was unnecessary. He fell at His feet and said, “My Lord and my God.” Had he come to understand the resurrection? Of course he had not—he just knew that it was a fact. So it is not a question of understanding—it is a question of the facts.
A Point to Ponder
The moment you see Him, your troubles will be resolved, and your answers will be given to you. (From The Heart of the Gospel, pp. 24-25, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
UNDERSTANDING CHRIST
For the works which the Father gave me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. John 5:36
When you are faced with something that perplexes you about our Lord, the first thing to do is always to start with the Lord Himself and not with what He is doing. I am not surprised that people ask the questions they do about Christ, because if they are not right about His person, they will never understand His activities, and it is really for this reason that they cannot understand His death. The disciples only understood the meaning of His death after the resurrection; it was in the light of the resurrection that they knew He was the Son of God, that they began to understand the meaning of His death upon the cross. No one will ever understand the doctrine of the cross unless he has grasped the doctrine of the person.
This, in effect, is what our Lord was telling John the Baptist in Matthew 11:2-6: “John, you cannot understand what I am doing. But are you trusting Me, do you really know who I am, are you right about Me? You see, your question has led you to doubt Me in other things. You have allowed the things I am not doing to raise a query in your mind about My person. John, come back to the beginning—be right about Me. These are the things that I am doing. Only the Messiah could do these things; here are the works that authenticate Him. As I said to the people the other day, ‘For the works which the Father gave me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me’” (John 5:36).
A Point to Ponder When you are faced with something that perplexes you about our Lord, the first thing to do is always to start with the Lord Himself and not with what He is doing. (From The Heart of the Gospel, pp. 48-49 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Mercy and Truth
“Mercy and truth are met together; righteousness and peace have kissed each other.” (Psalm 85:10)
The words “mercy” (Hebrew checed, also often translated by “kindness” or “lovingkindness”) and “truth” (Hebrew emeth) occur more often in Psalms than in any other book. In fact, “mercy” occurs more in Psalms than in all the rest of the Old Testament put together. Though at first these two concepts seem opposed to each other (for how can God’s truth, which abhors sin, be compatible with His mercy, which forgives sin?), nevertheless they are “met together,” for “his salvation,” according to the previous verse, “is nigh them that fear him” (v. 9).
“Mercy and truth” (or “lovingkindness and truth”) are brought together at least 16 times in the Old Testament, including 10 times in the psalms. And when God’s eternal truth can be united with His loving mercy, both mediated through His holy Word, there is great blessing indeed! “All the paths of the LORD are mercy and truth unto such as keep his covenant and his testimonies” (25:10). “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name” (138:2). The first time the phrase is found in the Bible is in the prayer of Abraham’s servant thanking God for “his mercy and his truth” (Genesis 24:27).
God’s mercy and truth, of course, are really met together only in Jesus Christ, through whom God can both “be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus” (Romans 3:26). He is “our peace” (Ephesians 2:14) and is “made unto us…righteousness” (1 Corinthians 1:30). He is “the truth” (John 14:6) and will show in the ages to come “the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus” (Ephesians 2:7). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
It’s Who You Know
I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. Philippians 3:8
In early 2019, Charlie VanderMeer died at the age of eighty-four. For many decades, he was known to thousands and thousands of people as Uncle Charlie, the host of the national radio broadcast Children’s Bible Hour. The day before Uncle Charlie slipped into eternity, he told a good friend, “It’s not what you know, it’s who you know. Of course, I’m talking about Jesus Christ.”
Even as he faced the end of his life, Uncle Charlie couldn’t help but talk about Jesus and the necessity for people to receive Him as their Savior.
The apostle Paul considered knowing Jesus his most important task: “I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him” (Philippians 3:8–9). And how do we know Jesus? “If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).
We may know facts about Jesus, we may know all about the church, and we may even be familiar with the Bible. But the only way to know Jesus as Savior is to accept His free gift of salvation. He’s the Who we need to know. By Dave Branon (Our Daily Bread)
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