ISAIAH 35
Desert with blossom verse 1- 2
The wilderness and the solitary place shall be glad for them
and the desert shall rejoice – and blossom as the rose
It shall blossom abundantly – and rejoice even with joy and singing
the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it
the excellency of Carmel and Sharon
they shall see the glory of the LORD
and the excellency of our God
Weak will become strong verse 3- 4
Strengthen you the weak hands – and confirm the feeble knees
say to them that are of a fearful heart
Be strong – fear not – behold
your God will come with vengeance
even God with a recompense
HE will come and save you
Revitalization of humans and nature verse 5- 7
Then the eyes of the blind shall be opened
and the ears of the deaf shall be unstopped
Then shall the lame man leap as a hart
and the tongue of the dumb sing
for in the wilderness shall waters break out
and streams in the desert
And the parched ground shall become a pool
and the thirsty land springs of water
in the habitation of dragons – where each lay
shall be grass with reeds and rushes
Redeemed will walk the Way of Holiness verse 8- 9
And a highway shall be there – and a way – and it shall be called
The way of holiness – the unclean shall not pass over it
but it shall be for those – the wayfaring men
though fools – shall not err therein
No lion shall be there
nor any ravenous beast shall go up thereon
it shall not be found there
but the redeemed shall walk there
Ransomed will sing for joy verse 10
And the ransomed of the LORD shall return
and come to Zion with songs
and everlasting joy upon their heads
they shall obtain joy and gladness
and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 It shall blossom abundantly, and rejoice even with joy and singing the glory of Lebanon shall be given to it, the excellency of Carmel and Sharon, they shall see the glory of the LORD, and the excellency of our God. (1926 “excellency” [hadar] means majesty, splendor, adornment, the quality of a person or thing which inspires awe or reverence in the beholder, can be related to size, strength, power or authority)
DEVOTION: Here we find the same word used two times in this verse. The first time it is explaining about a place and the second time is explaining about a person. So we find that this word can be used to describe a person or a thing.
The first time it is explaining about a place which is a thing. The second time it is explain about the person of God.
It is thought to be talking about the Millennium. This is when things will be different than they are today. The land of Israel well be a place of glory in this time period with the LORD’S presence.
There will be blossoms in abundance. There will be worship that will be real and only directed toward the LORD. This is not presently happening during the time period of Isaiah’s lifetime.
The future plan of the LORD is going to come about after a time of testing of the children of Israel and the rest of the world. We are living in the time period before the Millennium today. Our world is still under the curse of sin. Most of the people living are not followers of the LORD.
It is sad to look around our world and see so many people not concerned about meeting the LORD and feeling HIS judgment. It seems that eat, drink and be merry are the signs of our times.
The problem is that many who call themselves believers are practicing this philosophy which is not of the LORD but of the world. There are many people who think they are OK in God’s sight but their lifestyle is not pleasing to the LORD.
They are religious, in that, they attend church and sometime even say some Christian things but their actions speak louder than words.
The LORD looks at not only the actions but the hearts of those who claim to be followers of HIM and sees things HE is not happy about and one day will have to judge those individuals but saying to them “I never knew you!”
If we are playing at church and the Christian life we need to change and genuinely worship HIM in spirit and in truth. With the change eternity in heaven is waiting otherwise it is eternity in hell.
CHALLENGE: God is looking for genuine followers who are worshiping HIM daily by reading HIS word, praying and witnessing to others. No one can fake God out!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 4 Say to them that are of a fearful heart, Be strong, fear not: behold, your God will come with vengeance, even God with a recompense; he will come and save you. (1576 “recompense” [gamuwl] means reward, benefit, retribution, reprisal, or what is deserved.)
DEVOTION: How many of us worry about things that never happen? It is said that ninety percent of what we worry about never happens, and the ten percent is not as bad as we thought. However, the Bible instructs Christians that they are not worry about anything. It is easier said than done.
The children of Israel were the followers of the LORD in the Old Testament. They were instructed in the proper worship and actions that the LORD expected of them. They didn’t provide these to the LORD. They were going to be judged for their unfaithfulness. They didn’t have to worry about it, it was going to happen anyway because they didn’t listen to the warnings of the prophets. This is the ten percent that happens.
Now Isaiah is instructing those who have a worrying heart to stop and be strong because the LORD is going to bring the believing ones back to the Promised Land. They are not to tremble with fear because the chastening was only going to last for a short time.
God was going to save them from their enemies in the present and in the future. HE judges those who are outside of HIS family in HIS time. HE is longsuffering and not willing that any should perish but HE allows those who reject HIM to suffer the consequences both now and in the future.
Those who are followers of the LORD will reap the benefits of proper service and beliefs. There are rewards passed out at the Judgment Seat of Christ to those who are following in our present age.
So from the beginning of creation until the end of creation there will be two groups of people. There are those who obey and those who disobey the LORD. Each will receive their proper reward or punishment. They will be without excuse because everyone living will have an opportunity to say yes or no to the LORD.
CHALLENGE: We are not to be those who have a fearful heart. We are the ones who are supposed to be strong and not worry. Worry is a sin. Ask the LORD to help you control this emotion.
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: 8 A highway shall be there, and a road, and it shall be called the Highway of Holiness. The unclean shall not pass over it, but it shall be for others. Whoever walks the road, although a fool, shall not go astray. The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).
DEVOTION: The modern roadways we have here in the United States is impressive. We can be from state to state in minutes and hours. The luxury of travel is taken for granted and assumed today. Yet in Isaiah’s time travel was far different and to make a promise of safety and arrival at their point of destination was astounding! To think that travel could be safe and no impure or imposter could enter was unfathomable! We long for safety in our everyday life and the activities that we do! From our children going and coming from school to the mundane routine of chores throughout the day. We assume the best but always have the fear of the unforeseen happening.
This promise Isaiah brings to the people who are wearied by attacks and foreign troops besieging their homes is a ray of hope and comfort. Perhaps that same ray needs to be in your life this week. Look to the Lord who knows the future and promises a better day! Even if it means a time of desolation before the peace He never forgets His promises!
CHALLENGE: Israel was weary and in need of encouragement so you might be as well! Take courage that God knows our situation and speaks words of comfort and brings hands of encouragement! (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 10 And the ransomed of the LORD shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away. (6299 “ransomed” [padah] means to redeem, payment, set free, rescue, or deliver.)
DEVOTION: There have been many movies made that show children being taken from their parents and the kidnappers ask for a payment of money to get them back. In most of the movies the children are returned to the parent sometimes with the payment made and other times without the payment made as the police catch the individuals involved in the kidnapping.
Here we have the children of Israel being taken into captivity by a nation that the LORD has chosen for this purpose. The children of Israel need to learn a lesson or lessons about who they should trust and who they should worship. Too often they trusted in human hands to save them. They also believed that the gods of the land could save them instead of the Creator of the Universe. This is happening today as well.
The children of Israel were going into captivity in Babylon. This chapter predicts their return from captivity. However, many feel that it also reveals the Millennial kingdom of Christ. So there is a duel meeting to this prediction or prophecy. If we look real close we see that when they return and even unto this date the land has not produced as much as this chapter predicts.
This chapter is describing a time period when the LORD will cause the desert to blossom. There will be singing, joy from the people who are strengthened. The blind seeing, ears hearing, lame walking, etc.
Those who are following Christ in this age will reign with HIM then. Those who are members of the church universal will be kings in the Millennial kingdom. It will be a thousand years of peace in Jerusalem.
Are we preparing to reign with Christ? Are we acting like kings? Are we fulfilling the requirements of kings?
One requirement was that a king had to write a personal copy of the Word of God. Have we written our personal copy of the Word of God? Would it help us understand the LORD better? Think on these things. I have written the Word of God on computer many times. It has helped me understand some passages I never understood before. Typing the Word of God makes you think about what you are typing.
CHALLENGE: We need to inform people that we have been “set free” from slavery. We were a slave to sin and have been set free to serve the LORD. Ask them if they have been set free!!!
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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)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Joy and singing verse 2
Songs and everlasting joy verse 10
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal) verse 2, 10
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 2, 4
excellency
Glory of the LORD verse 2
Excellency of our God verse 2
Comes with a vengeance verse 4
Comes with a recompence verse 4
HE will save verse 4
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)
Lebanon verse 2
Carmel verse 2
Sharon verse 2
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Fearful heart verse 4
Unclean verse 8
Fools verse 8
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Glad verse 1
Rejoice verse 1, 2
Joy verse 2, 10
Singing verse 2, 6
Strengthen verse 3
Confirm verse 3
Strong verse 4
Fear not verse 4
Recompense verse 4
Save verse 4
Way of Holiness verse 8
Redeemed verse 9
Ransomed of the LORD verse 10
Songs verse 10
Everlasting joy verse 10
Gladness verse 10
Sorrow and sighing shall flee away verse 10
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Carmel verse 2
Sharon verse 2
Zion verse 10
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Eyes of the blind will be opened verse 5
Ears of the deaf shall be unstopped verse 5
Lame man leap verse 6
Tongue of the dumb sing verse 6
Water shall break out in the wilderness verse 6
Streams in the desert verse 6
Parched ground shall become a pool verse 7
Thirsty land springs of water verse 7
Highway of holiness verse 8
Sorrow and sighing shall flee away verse 10
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DONATIONS:
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QUOTES regarding passage
The way into God’s presence is ever the way of holiness. So in that day when men’s hearts shall be turned to the Lord, He will lead them to Himself along the highway of holiness, to Mount Zion where His throne will be established and from which His law will go forth into all the earth. Under His beneficent and righteous reign sorrow and sighing shall come to an end and joy and gladness take their place.
While we who belong to the Church, the Body of Christ, have our hearts fixed on the heavenly hope, as we look for the coming of our Lord Jesus and our gathering together unto Him, we cannot but rejoice to know that God has such blessing in store for Israel His earthly people and for the nations of the earth who have been the prey of such distressing circumstances throughout their history, circumstances which they are so powerless to change. It is most humbling to man’s pride, to realize that all our boasted civilization is utterly unable to prevent war and oppression in spite of Peace Conferences, a now effete League of Nations and our present United Nations Council. Christ alone can put things right. His return is man’s only hope for lasting peace. (Ironside, H. A. (1952). Expository notes on the prophet Isaiah. (pp. 219–220). Neptune, NJ: Loizeaux Brothers.)
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35:8–10. Righteous pilgrims will once again travel to Jerusalem. They will go on a highway known as the Way of Holiness, for it will lead to God’s city where His ways will be followed. It will not be traveled by the unclean or wicked fools. No ferocious animals will hinder the travel of the redeemed on that highway. In the millennial kingdom God’s people will once again be involved in certain aspects of Old Testament formal worship (Zech. 14:16–19; Ezek. 40–44). Since righteousness and a desire to do the will of God will be esteemed, the people will willingly follow His instructions for worship. Also the redeemed will be indwelt by the Holy Spirit (Ezek. 36:24–28).
The ransomed of the Lord will have everlasting joy, with no sorrow, for they will realize what God has done for them. They will rejoice that He will have saved them from destruction and brought them to peace and prosperity, in fulfillment of His promises. (Martin, J. A. (1985). Isaiah. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 1, pp. 1085–1086). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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9d–10. Redeemed … ransomed: the verb ‘to redeem’ makes its first appearance in Isaiah here. √gā’al stresses the person of the redeemer, his relationship to the redeemed, and his intervention on their behalf. The participle, gō’ēl, is the technical term for the next-of-kin who has the right to take his helpless relative’s needs as if they were his own (Lev. 25:25; Num. 5:8); gō’ēl is often translated ‘avenger’, the one whose right it is to pursue the murderer of his next-of-kin. This dramatically indicates the essentially substitutionary nature of the relationship—the one being dead, the other acting in his place (Num. 35:12; Deut. 19:6). The place of the gō’ēl was something no other dare usurp (Ruth 3:12; 4:1–6). It was, however, a right rather than an inalienable duty. It speaks here, therefore, of the Lord as the only one who can redeem his people; it is his inalienable right; it is he who identifies with them as their Next-of-Kin, taking their needs as if his own, the Mighty in the place of the helpless, paying their price (Lev. 27:13, 19, 31). On pādâ (‘to ransom’), see 1:27. They will enter: travelling (8–9) gives way to arriving (10b). Gladness … will overtake them (10c) or ‘they will overtake gladness …’, as if all their lives they were reaching after a true happiness which they never quite reached. Either way, at last the people of the Lord and the joy of the Lord are united. Sorrow and sighing are the negative counterparts of gladness and joy. Their exit leaves joy in sole possession of the city and its happy band of pilgrims. (Motyer, J. A. (1999). Isaiah: an introduction and commentary (Vol. 20, pp. 246–247). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)
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Faith means that I believe on the Lord Jesus Christ absolutely. Ah, we all have to learn this lesson. Even Paul had to pass this way. He had a thorn in the flesh, and he could not understand it. It seemed all wrong to him. He wanted to preach the gospel, but the thorn was a hindrance to him. Three times he besought the Lord to remove it, but this was the answer he got: “My grace is sufficient for thee.” “I am not taking out the thorn,” said the Lord in effect, “but I will do something infinitely bigger. I will bless you with the thorn in your side. I assure you that even with the thorn I can do wonders through you.”( Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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When Isaiah spoke and wrote these words, it is likely that the Assyrians had ravaged the land, destroyed the crops, and made the highways unsafe for travel. The people were cooped up in Jerusalem, wondering what would happen next. The remnant was trusting God’s promises and praying for God’s help, and God answered their prayers. If God kept His promises to His people centuries ago and delivered them, will He not keep His promises in the future and establish His glorious kingdom for His chosen people? Of course He will!
The future is your friend when Jesus Christ is your Savior and Lord. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Comforted (p. 90). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
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Ver. 10. And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, &c.] The same with the redeemed in ver. 9 these shall return, or be converted, as the Vulgate Latin version; they are in the same state and condition with other men by nature, but, by virtue of their being ransomed by Christ, they are by the grace of God turned from darkness to light, from the power of Satan unto God; they are returned from the paths in which they had been straying to Christ, the Shepherd and Bishop of souls, in order to walk in his ways: and come to Zion with songs; being called by grace, and converted, they turn their backs on the world, and the men of it, and ask the way to Zion, with their faces thitherwards, even to the church of God; and they find their way, being directed and brought there by the Lord himself; where they come readily and willingly, not only to hear the Gospel, but to submit to all ordinances, and become members of a Gospel church; see Heb. 12:22 and hither they come with songs, for electing, redeeming, calling, justifying, and pardoning grace; every one of which blessings requires a song, and with which they are now affected, seeing their interest in them, and can’t forbear speaking of them to the glory of divine grace: and everlasting joy upon their heads; seen in their countenances, and by the lifting up of their heads; and which oil of gladness is poured upon them, and diffused all over them, like the ointment on Aaron’s head: and this is everlasting; not as to the exercise of it, which is often interrupted by sin, temptation, and desertion; but as to the ground and foundation of it, the everlasting love of God, the everlasting covenant of his grace, and the everlasting righteousness and salvation by Christ; and as to the principle and habit of it, which can never be lost, nor any man take it away: they shall obtain joy and gladness; by having the presence of God, and communion with him; through his love being shed abroad in their hearts; by being favoured with views of Christ, and interest in him, and with the gracious influences of the blessed Spirit: and sorrow and sighing shall flee away; which before attended them, through convictions of sin, but now removed by the discoveries and applications of pardoning grace and mercy; or what was occasioned by want of the divine Presence, now enjoyed; being come to Zion, they are made joyful in the house of prayer, and are satisfied with the marrow and fatness of Gospel ordinances, and continually hear the joyful sound of the Gospel itself: all this may be applied to the state of the saints in heaven; for the highway before described not only leads to Zion the church below, but to the Zion above, to the heavenly glory; and all the redeemed, all that walk in this way, shall come thither; at death their souls return to God that gave them, and are in immediate happiness with Christ; and in the resurrection shall return from their dusty beds, and shall appear before God in Zion above; and with songs to Father, Son, and Spirit, for what each have done for them, in election, redemption, and conversion; and for persevering grace, and for being safely brought over Jordan’s river, and from the grave; see 1 Cor. 15:54–57 they shall then enter into joy, which will never end; there will be nothing to interrupt it to all eternity; it will be everlasting joy indeed; and this will be upon their heads, visible and manifest, and be upon them as a crown of life, righteousness, and glory, that shall never fade away; they shall then obtain joy and gladness, in all the fulness thereof, their joy in the Lord will be complete; which these several words and phrases used are expressive of; and then there will be no more sorrow and sighing; for there will be no more sin and unbelief, or any other corruption of nature; no more darkness and desertion; no more of any of Satan’s temptations; no more distresses, inward or outward; and so no more sighing within, nor sorrowing without; all tears will be wiped away. The Jews apply this passage to the world to come. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 5, pp. 200–201). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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10. And the ransomed of the Lord. The word here rendered ‘ransomed,’ is different from the word rendered ‘redeemed’ in ver. 9. This word is פְדוּיֵי from פָדָה; though it is not easy, perhaps not possible, to designate the difference in the sense. Doubtless there was a shade of difference among the Hebrews, but what it was is not now known. See this word explained in the Note on ch. 1:27. The language here is all derived from the deliverance from Babylon, and the images employed by the prophet relate to that event. Still, there can be no doubt that he meant to describe the deliverance under the Messiah.
Shall return, and come to Zion. This language also is that which expresses the return from Babylon. In a more general sense, and in the sense intended particularly by the prophet, it means, doubtless, that all who are the redeemed of God shall be gathered under his protection, and shall be saved.
With songs. With rejoicing—as the ransomed captives would return from Babylon, and as all who are redeemed enter the church on earth, and will enter into heaven above.
And everlasting joy upon their heads. This may be an expression denoting the fact that joy is manifest in the face and aspect (Gesenius). Thus we say that joy lights up the countenance, and it is possible that the Hebrews expressed this idea by applying it to the head. Thus the Hebrews say (Ps. 126:2):
Then was our mouth filled with laughter.
And our tongue with singing.
Or it may refer to the practice of anointing the head with oil and perfume in times of festivity and joy—in contrast with the custom of throwing ashes on the head in times of grief and calamity (Rosenmüller). Or it may refer to a custom of wearing a wreath or chaplet of flowers in times of festivity, as is often done now, and as was commonly done among the ancients in triumphal processions (Vitringa). Whichever exposition be adopted, the idea is the same, that there would be great joy, and that that joy would be perpetual and unfading. This is true of all who return to Zion under the Messiah. Joy is one of the first emotions; joy at redemption, and at the pardon of sin; joy in view of the hopes of eternal life, and of the everlasting favour of God. But this joy is not short-lived and fading, like the garland of flowers on the head; it is constant, increasing, everlasting.
And sorrow and sighing shall flee away (see Note on ch. 25:8).
This is a most beautiful close of the series or succession of prophecies which we have been thus far contemplating. The result of all is, that the redeemed of the Lord shall have joy and rejoicing; that all their enemies shall be subdued, and that they shall be rescued from all their foes. In the analysis of the prophecy contained in the thirty-fourth and thirty-fifth chapters, it was stated that this prophecy seemed to be a summary of all that Isaiah had before uttered, and was designed to show that all the enemies of the people of God would be destroyed, and that they would be triumphantly delivered and saved. All these minor deliverances were preparatory to and emblematic of the greater deliverance under the Messiah; and accordingly all his predictions look forward to, and terminate in that. In the portions of prophecy which we have been over, we have seen the people of God represented as in danger from the Syrians, the Assyrians, the Egyptians, the Moabites, the Edomites, the Babylonians; and in reference to them all, the same result has been predicted, that they would be delivered from them, and that their enemies would be destroyed. This has been, in the chapters which we have passed over, successively foretold of Damascus, of Egypt, of Moab, of Ethiopia, of Babylon, of Edom, and of Sennacherib; and the prophet has reached the conclusion that all the enemies of God’s people would ultimately be destroyed, and that they would be safe under the reign of the Messiah, to which all their deliverances were preparatory, and in which they all would terminate. Having pursued this course of the prophecy; having looked at all these foes; having seen them in vision all destroyed; having seen the Prince of Peace come; having seen the wonders that he would perform; having seen all danger subside, and the preparation made for the eternal security and joy of all his people, the prophet closes this series of predictions with the beautiful statement now before us, ‘the redeemed of Jehovah shall return, and come to Zion with songs, and everlasting joy; and sorrow and sighing shall flee away.’ (Barnes, A. (1851). Notes on the Old Testament: Isaiah (Vol. 1, pp. 508–509). London: Blackie & Son.)
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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!!)
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Genesis 50
Jacob dies; then Joseph lives to be 110 years old.
INSIGHT
God’s will is often fulfilled in strange ways. Joseph was given childhood dreams indicating he would rule over his brothers. Little could Joseph have imagined it would include their trying to kill him, his spending time in prison, and his ruling over the nation of Egypt.
That time and those experiences were needed to build into Joseph the character qualities and the wisdom needed to rule successfully. Never doubt in the dark what God shows you in the light. (Quiet Time)
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USING “HE/SHE” PRONOUNS BANNED DURING SENATE HEARINGS IN CALIFORNIA (Friday Church News Notes, January 25, 2019, www.wayoflife.org, fbns@wayoflife.org, 866-295-4143) – The following is excerpted from “Democrat State Senator Announces Using ‘He/She’ Pronounces Will Be Banned,” The Daily Wire, Jan. 19, 2019: “California knows no bounds when it comes to radical LGBT activism. On Thursday, State Senator and Senate Judiciary Committee chair Hannah-Beth Jackson (D-Santa Barbara) announced that only ‘gender neutral’ pronouns will be permitted during committee hearings. ‘Our first order of business is to approve the committee rules. I’d like to note–in respecting the fact that we are now a state recognizing the non-binary designation as a gender–he and she–we are now merging them so we are using what my grammar teacher would have had a heart attack over: we are using the phrase “they” and replacing other designations so it’s a gender neutral designation’ … ‘In the spirit of gender neutrality for the rules of this committee, we now designate the chair as “they,”’ Jackson corrected the record. … As reported by The Daily Wire in 2017, California became the first state in the union to create a ‘non-binary’ option for legal documents and drivers licenses. … The act allows California residents to select an ‘option x’ or ‘non-binary’ option on drivers licenses, birth certificates, marriage licenses, and other-state issued documents.”
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THE PROOFS OF ADOPTION
For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Galatians 3:26
What are the proofs that any one of us can have that we have been adopted? Well, you can find the scriptural proof. “For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus.” Also in 1 Peter 1:3-6 you find it again: “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fades not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations.” We are the inheritance—that is, the children of God. This is for all of us who believe in Christ.
The second way of assurance is that we are given “the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father” (Romans 8:15); “we receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:5). You can be assured of the fact that you have received adoption because you know that the Holy Spirit is dwelling within you. We have His testimony to our spirits that we are the children of God. And then last of all I would offer the fact that we are led by the Spirit. This is Paul’s argument: “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God” (Romans 8:14). Paul does not say, “As many as are actively acting as peacemakers or who are loving their enemies . . .” No! “As many as are led by the Spirit of God”; those who subject themselves to His leading and who rejoice in being led by Him—they are the sons of God.
A Thought to Ponder: You can be assured of the fact that you have received adoption
because you know that the Holy Spirit is dwelling within you. (From God the Holy Spirit, p. 187, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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The God/Man
“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life.” (1 John 1:1)
It has been said, quite cogently, that John’s gospel assumes the humanity and undertakes to prove the deity of Jesus Christ, whereas John’s first epistle assumes His deity and then seeks to prove His humanity. The Lord Jesus Christ was both fully God and perfect man.
John, in his gospel, says: “These are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name” (John 20:31). In his epistle, he says: “Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God” (1 John 4:2-3).
His deity had been fully demonstrated by His mighty miracles, by His bodily resurrection. However, there were many who questioned His true humanity in John’s day, as they do in ours. Even today, many cultists, as well as liberals, try to make a distinction between the man Jesus of Nazareth (whose absolute deity they reject) and “the Christ,” an ideal spirit or idea of some sort, who is not actually a living being but who may come upon or indwell certain people at times.
Such a concept John vehemently rejected, attributing it to the spirit of antichrist. They had heard Him; they had touched and handled Him. There was no doubt whatever that, both before and after His resurrection, He was a true man—in fact, a perfect man—as God intended man to be. He could die for our sins because He was sinless man; He could take away our sins because He is omnipotent God. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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