Matthew 9
Jesus returns to Capernaum verse 1
And HE entered into a ship – and passed over
and came into HIS own city
Jesus heals faithful sick man verse 2
And – BEHOLD -they brought to HIM a man sick of the palsy – lying on a bed
and Jesus seeing their FAITH said unto the sick of the palsy
Son – be of good cheer
your SINS be forgiven you
Scribes say Jesus blasphemed verse 3
And – BEHOLD – certain of the scribes said within themselves
This man blasphemes
Jesus knows thoughts and comments verse 4- 7
And Jesus KNOWING their thoughts said – Wherefore think you evil in your hearts?
For whether is easier – to say
Your sins be forgiven you
OR to say – Arise and walk?
BUT that you may know that the Son of man hath power on earth to forgive sins
(then said HE to the sick of the palsy)
Arise – take up your bed – and go unto your house
AND he arose – and departed to his house
Jesus credited with great power verse 8
BUT when the multitudes saw it – they marveled – and glorified God
which had given such power unto men
Jesus calls Matthew to follow HIM verse 9
AND as Jesus passed forth from thence – HE saw a man – named Matthew
sitting at the receipt of custom – and HE said unto him
FOLLOW ME
AND he arose – and followed HIM
Matthew has dinner party for Jesus verse 10- 11
And it came to pass – as Jesus sat at meat in the house – BEHOLD
many publicans and sinners came and sat down with HIM and HIS disciples
AND when the Pharisees saw it – they said unto HIS disciples
Why eats your Master with publicans and sinners?
Jesus responds to Pharisees criticism verse 12- 13
BUT when Jesus heard that – HE said unto them
They that be whole need not a physician
BUT they that are sick
BUT go you and learn what that means , I will
have mercy, and not sacrifice
for I am not come to call the righteous – BUT sinners to repentance
Disciples of John question Jesus regarding fasting verse 14
THEN came to HIM the disciples of John – saying
Why do we and the Pharisees FAST oft – BUT YOUR disciples FAST not?
Jesus responds to question verse 15- 17
AND Jesus said to them
Can the children of the bridechamber mourn – as long as the bridegroom is with them?
BUT the days will come – when the bridegroom shall be taken from them and then shall they FAST
No man puts a piece of new cloth unto an old garment
FOR that which is put in to fill it up takes from the garment
and rent is made worse
Neither do men put new wine into old bottles – ELSE the bottles break
and the wine runs out and the bottles perish
BUT they put new wine into new bottles – and both are preserved
Ruler asks Jesus to heal dead daughter verse 18- 19
While HE spoke these things to them – BEHOLD – there came a certain ruler
and WORSHIPPED HIM saying
My daughter is even now dead
BUT come and lay YOUR hand upon her – and she shall live
AND Jesus arose – and followed him, and so did HIS disciples
Woman with issue of blood healed verse 20- 22
And – BEHOLD – a woman – which was diseased with an issue of blood twelve years
came behind HIM – and touched the hem of HIS garment
FOR she said within herself – IF I may but touch HIS garment – I shall be whole
BUT Jesus turned HIM about – and when HE saw her – HE said
Daughter – be of good comfort – your FAITH has made you whole
AND the woman was made whole from that hour
Jesus raises dead daughter verse 23- 26
AND when Jesus came into the ruler’s house
and saw the minstrels and the people making a noise
HE said unto them – Give place – for the maid is not dead – but sleeps
AND they laughed HIM to scorn
BUT when the people were put forth – HE went in
and took her by the hand – and the maid arose
And the fame hereof went abroad into all that land
Two blind men ask for healing verse 27
And WHEN Jesus departed thence – two blind men followed HIM – crying – and saying
You Son of David – have mercy on us
Jesus heals the men verse 28- 31
AND when HE was come into the house – the blind men came to HIM
and Jesus said unto them – Believe you that I am able to do this?
They said unto HIM – YEA Lord
THEN touched HE their eyes – saying
According to your faith be it unto you
AND their eyes were opened
and Jesus straitly charged them – saying
See that no man know it
BUT they – when they were departed – spread abroad HIS fame in all that country
Demon possessed man healed verse 32- 33
As they went out – BEHOLD – they brought to HIM a dumb man possessed with a devil
and when the devil was cast out – the dumb spoke
and the multitudes marveled
saying – It was never so seen in Israel
Pharisees claim Jesus working for the devil verse 34
BUT the Pharisees said
HE casts out devils through the prince of the devils
Jesus has compassion on the people verse 35- 36
And Jesus went about all the cities and villages
TEACHING in their synagogues
and PREACHING the gospel of the kingdom
and HEALING every sickness and every disease among the people
BUT when HE saw the multitudes
HE was moved with compassion on them
BECAUSE they fainted – and were scattered abroad
as sheep having no shepherd
Jesus tells disciples to pray for workers verse 37- 38
THEN said HE unto HIS disciples
The harvest truly is plenteous – BUT the laborers are few
PRAY you therefore the Lord of the harvest
that HE will send forth laborers into HIS harvest
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 4 And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, Wherefore think you evil in your hearts? (3708 “knowing” [horao] means pay attention to, see, take heed, perceive, or understand)
DEVOTION: Our thoughts we think are personal. There are many thoughts we don’t want other people to know about in our life. It seems like it is the only area of our life that is secret. However, there is one who knows our every thought.
God is omniscient. HE knows everything. HE knows what is going to happen in the future. HE knows what is happening in the present. HE knew what was going to happen in the past. There is not an individual who can hide their thoughts from the LORD.
So when we think thought that are not pleasing to HIM we need to understand that HE is hearing those thoughts. The Bible says that as a man thinks in his heart, so is he.
Our thoughts reveal what is really happening in our world from our perspective. Sometimes we are interpreting events wrong and so our thoughts are wrong. We need to ask the LORD to help us interpret events in our life, so that, we have the right perspective. Our perspective should be seeing things as God sees them.
The religious leaders thought their thoughts were the right thoughts about the actions of Jesus but they were wrong. They had evil thoughts about Jesus. They didn’t realize fully that HE was God in the flesh and would never do anything wrong in the sight of HIS Father.
We should not want to do anything wrong in the sight of our Father in heaven. HE is the one who should matter the most in each thought we have in our inner person.
CHALLENGE: What is happening in your thought life today? Is it pleasing to the LORD?
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 8 But when the multitudes saw it, they marveled, and glorified God, which had given such power unto men. (1849 “power” [exousia] means authority, power to act, capability, ability to do, might, right, liberty of doing as one pleases, the ability or strength with which one is endued, or one who possesses authority.)
DEVOTION: Right at the start of this chapter we find the LORD again healing people. The LORD instructed the man that was sick of the palsy that his faith showed that he believed the LORD was able to heal him. But we find that the LORD said something that upset the religious leaders of the day. What did HE say? The sins of the man sick with the palsy’s sins were forgiven. The LORD was teaching a lesson to the religious leaders.
The religious leaders associated sickness with sin. They thought that only those who were sinners were sick. This is a false belief. Jesus was instructing them in this matter. HE told the man that his sins were forgiven. The religious leaders exploded. They said that HE had committed blasphemy. Only God can forgive sins. However, here a was a man who had the ability to heal. Remember they thought that all those who were sick were given the sickness because of sin. So if HE had the ability to heal, HE must also have the ability to forgive sin that caused the sickness. See what the LORD was teaching these religious leaders? To often today we associate sickness with sin. Some sicknesses are caused by sin but not all.
Now the LORD tells the man to take up his bed and to into his house. What happened? He took up his bed and walked into his house HEALED.
What was the reaction of the crowd? They marveled. They glorified God. They were amazed that God had given this authority to a man. They did not fully understand who this MAN was.
Throughout the rest of the chapter the LORD confronts the Pharisees and their belief system. HE accepts worship from a ruler. HE raises the dead. HE heals two blind men. HE is accused of healing through the power of the devil. In spite of all this HE continues to TEACH, PREACH and HEAL. HE sees the needs of the people. They need true shepherds, not false shepherds like the Pharisees. HE tells the disciples to pray for more TRUE shepherds to come and help the people.
Today we have many false shepherds walking the earth. They teach false beliefs. They present the fact that all those who oppose them must be working under the power of the devil.
True teachers know that all authority comes from God. They try to teach what the LORD taught. They try to confront false teachers for deceiving the people. People are gullible. They want to believe that the false teachers are teaching the truth without checking out what they are teaching with the Word of God. The common individual knows so little about what the Bible actually teaches that if it sounds good it must be true. There must be accountability to the Word of God.
We need to realize that the same LORD is available to heal our sicknesses. HE is available first to heal us from sin. HE is available through prayer to heal all diseases or possessions of the demons today. Remember it is not always HIS will to heal because some sicknesses and diseases are for HIS glory in our lives. Some sicknesses are caused by sin in our lives. We have to examine ourselves to see which may be the cause. Paul kept his thorn in the flesh to keep him humble. We may have a “thorn in the flesh” to keep us humble. Jacob had a limp when he wrestled with the angel. Are we wrestling with the LORD at times in our lives and HE gives us something to humble us? Have we had a sickness that the doctors had given up on and the LORD chose to heal us? HE is still working today. HE is still able to heal today. It is HIS choice whether we are healed. It is not our lack of faith that causes us not to be healed. We do have authority given to us on high to pray for the LORD’S will to be done in our lives and the lives of others. Let’s use our prayer life to help us understand HIS will regarding healing of sicknesses and diseases.
CHALLENGE: Check out all the teachings of Pastors and others with what the Word of God says. If in doubt ask other pastors or teachers. The Holy Spirit usually speaks with our spirit if we are willing to listen to HIM.
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: 11 And when the Pharisees saw it, they said to his disciples, Why eat your Master with publicans and sinners? (5056 “publicans” [telones] means a renter or farmer of taxes, tax collector, toll-gatherer, or a collector of revenue)
DEVOTION: Who did the LORD want to reach while HE was here on this earth? HIS ministry was a short ministry. HE set the example for all those who followed HIM in ministry. HE was the model that we should always follow as we serve HIM on a daily basis.
Here we find that HE had called a tax collector to be one of HIS disciples. To the other disciples this was the lowest of the low in their eyes. This was a traitor in their eyes because he collected money for the Romans. Not only did he collect taxes for the Romans but he charged fees that went into his pockets. So many tax collectors were wealthy because of these fees.
Not only did HE call Matthew but HE ate a meal at his house with other tax collectors. Can you imagine the thoughts that were going through the other tax collectors when they sat down with Jesus? They must have wondered what HE was thinking to call one of their fellow traitors.
The Pharisees knew what to think. The thought HE was unclean to eat with such people. HE was overstepping what was culturally acceptable. Good religious Jews wanted nothing to do with these sort of people.
Jesus stated that HE didn’t come to call those who thought they were righteous but those who knew they were sinners. HE knew that no one could be a true follower of HIS unless they knew they were sinners who needed HIS salvation. The Pharisees didn’t know these things. They were blind and didn’t care.
Our responsibility is to reach all those the LORD sends in our world. We are to reach both the rich and the poor. We are not to have respect of persons. Too often this happens in our churches.
CHALLENGE: What is happening in your thinking? Do you just want to reach those who can financially help the church or do you want to reach all those who Christ died for on the cross?
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 18 While he spoke these things to them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshiped him, saying, “My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay your hand on her, and she shall live.” (4352 ( worshiped” [proskuneo] means knelt before, prostrate oneself before, bow low, reverence, or act of homage.)
DEVOTION: Jesus had established that he was a healer of those who were sick. This passage takes it a step further. A man come that wants his daughter healed who was dead. It is different from healing someone who is sick to someone who is dead.
When he arrived at the house they laughed at HIM because they knew the girl was dead and HE stated that she was sleeping. HE knew what was going on in her life that others didn’t understand.
HE brought her back to life. HE presented her to her father. HIS fame traveled throughout the land. HE had done the impossible in the eyes of those around HIM. HE has the power of life or death.
I have witnessed the power of prayer for those who are sick. I have witnessed the LORD working miracles in the eyes of a doctor who thought a man should be dead or a vegetable. The man had part of his frontal lobe removed. The doctors gave no hope. The people around the world prayed and he is presently still recovering from the surgery. He is walking and talking. He has a long way to go but the doctor calls him his “miracle man.”
We have power in our prayer life to see healing miracles of health and sin. God is still working in the lives of people around the world. HE wants us to tell others of the healing HE has done in our life. HE has removed the power of sin. HE has given us a new life. We have hope that the world doesn’t have. It is a hope that needs to be shared.
While Jesus was on HIS way to raise the girl from the dead, a woman touched HIM, so that, she could be healed of her sickness. She was healed.
The father came to Jesus and bowed down to HIM and asked HIS help. We need to come to Jesus and bow down and ask for help in our life.
CHALLENGE: Believe that the LORD is still in the healing business. HE heals souls on a daily basis. Share this truth with others.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Pharisees and disciples of John fasted verse 14-15
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)
Disciples told to pray for more laborers verse 38
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
Scribes verse 3
Glorified God verse 8
Sacrifice verse 13
Jesus worshipped by ruler verse 18
Synagogues verse 35
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
God glorified verse 8
Lord of the harvest verse 38
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Jesus verse 2, 4, 9, 10, 12, 5, 19, 22, 23, 27, 28, 30, 35
Jesus knows thoughts verse 4
Son of man verse 6
Power on earth verse 6, 8
His house verse 7
Master verse 11
Bridegroom verse 15
Worshiped verse 18
Fame verse 26, 31
Son of David verse 27
Mercy verse 27
Healing verse 18- 24, 35
Teaching verse 35
Preaching the gospel verse 35
Compassion verse 36
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)
Devil (demons) verse 32- 34
Prince of the devils (Satan) verse 34
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
Physicians verse 12
Certain ruler verse 18, 23
Two blind men verse 27
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Sins verse 2, 5, 11
Blaspheme verse 3
Falsely accuse Jesus verse 3
Evil verse 4
Publicans verse 10, 11
Sinners verse 10, 11
Pharisees verse 11
Sick verse 12
Sacrifices given wrongly verse 13
False righteousness verse 13
Laughing at Jesus verse 24
Scorn Jesus verse 24
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Faith verse 2, 22, 29
Good cheer verse 2
Sins forgiven verse 2, 5, 6
Glorify God verse 8
Follow Jesus verse 9
Disciple verse 10, 11, 19
Learn verse 13
Mercy verse 13, 27
Sinner to repentance verse 13
Fasting verse 14, 15
Healing verse 21
Comfort verse 22
Healing verse 18- 34
Believe verse 29
Laborers verse 37, 38
Pray verse 38
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
HIS own city – Capernaum verse 1
Matthew – tax collector verse 9
Publicans and sinners verse 10, 11
Pharisees verse 11, 14, 34
Disciples of John verse 14
Jesus disciples verse 19, 37
David verse 27
Israel verse 33
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
9:37–38 Shifting the metaphor from flock to field, Jesus now envisions a vast crop of ripe grain in need of harvesters. The unreached people of his world need more preachers and ministers of the gospel. Jesus can personally encounter only a small number, so he will commission his followers to begin to reach the rest. Even then many more will be needed (cf. his sending of the seventy-two in Luke 10:1–12). Verses 37–38 have rightfully led Christians in all ages to pray for, call, and send men and women into all kinds of ministries. The need remains as urgent as ever, with billions who have not heard the gospel or seen it implemented holistically. “Send out” (from ekballō—recall under 9:25) could also be translated thrust out, and it could even refer to workers already in the field who “need to have a fire lit under them to thrust them out of their comforts into the world of need.” (Blomberg, C. (1992). Matthew (Vol. 22, p. 167). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
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37–38 The metaphor changed from sheep farming to harvest (v. 37), as Jesus sought to awaken similar compassion in his disciples. Later on the harvest is the end of the age (13:49) and the judgment it brings—a common symbol (cf. Isa 17:11; Joel 3:13). Many commentators see this verse as a warning to Israel that judgment time is near. The word “plentiful” stands in the way of this interpretation; it makes sense only if here therismos does not mean “harvest-time” but “harvest-crop” (cf. BAGD, s.v.), as in Luke 10:2; John 4:35b. In that case the crop will be plentiful; many people will be ready to be “reaped” into the kingdom.
Jesus is speaking here to “his disciples,” which many take to refer to the Twelve. More likely “his disciples” designates a larger group exhorted to ask (v. 38) that the Lord of the harvest (possibly “Lord who is harvesting,” if this is a verbal genitive, cf. G.H. Waterman, “The Greek ‘Verbal Genitive,’ ” in Hawthorne, p. 292) will thrust laborers into his therismou (here in the sense “harvest field”). By contrast the Twelve are immediately commissioned as workers (10:1–4). This interpretation best fits 10:1: Jesus “called his twelve disciples to him.” The clause is clumsy if they are the same as the “disciples” of 9:37–38 and natural only if they are part of the larger group. (Carson, D. A. (1984). Matthew. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Matthew, Mark, Luke (Vol. 8, pp. 235–236). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
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9:35–38. In verse 35 Matthew summarized Jesus’ threefold ministry (see comments on 4:23, with its almost identical wording). Jesus had been going through all the towns and villages of Israel, teaching and preaching about the kingdom. His healing ministry was for the purpose of authenticating His Person. The spectacular nature of Jesus’ ministry attracted large crowds.
As Jesus observed the crowds, He had compassion toward them. The verb “to have compassion” (splanchnizomai) is used in the New Testament only by the Synoptic Gospel writers: five times in Matthew (9:36; 14:14; 15:32; 18:27; 20:34), four in Mark (1:41; 6:34; 8:2; 9:22), and three in Luke (7:13; 10:33; 15:20; see comments on Luke 7:13). Suggesting strong emotion, it means “to feel deep sympathy.” The related noun splanchna (“sympathy, affection, or inward feelings”) is used once by Luke (1:78), eight times by Paul, and once by John (1 John 3:17).
Jesus saw that the people were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. Like sheep bothered by wolves, lying down and unable to help themselves, and having no shepherd to guide and protect them, the people were maligned by the religious leaders, helpless before them, and wandering about with no spiritual guidance. The religious leaders, who should have been their shepherds, were keeping the sheep from following the true Shepherd. In response to the people’s “helpless” condition, Jesus encouraged His disciples to beseech the Lord of the harvest, namely, God the Father, to send out additional workers (cf. Luke 10:2). The harvest was ready; for the kingdom was at hand (Matt. 4:17). But additional laborers were necessary to complete the harvest. (Barbieri, L. A., Jr. (1985). Matthew. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 41). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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Third “discipleship” interlude (vv. 35–38). Not only did Jesus heal; He also taught and preached. But He could not do the work alone—He needed others to help Him. He requested that His disciples pray that God would provide the needed workers. It was not long before the disciples themselves were involved in the ministry of preaching, teaching, and healing (see Matt. 10). In the same way, when we pray as He commanded, we will see what He saw, feel what He felt, and do what He did. God will multiply our lives as we share in the great harvest that is already ripe (John 4:34–38). (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 36). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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Ver. 38. Pray ye therefore the Lord of the harvest, &c.] By the Lord of the harvest is either meant God the father, whose are all the elect, who has a hearty concern for them, and will have them all gathered in, not one of them shall be left; or the Lord Jesus Christ himself, who has the care and charge of the whole election of grace; and who as he must, he will bring them all in; and who has power of sending forth labourers, as the following chapter shews; and so this is a proof of prayer being made to Christ; that he will send forth labourers into his harvest. This is the petition the disciples of Christ were put upon making to the Lord of the harvest, on consideration of the present condition multitudes of souls were in: they could not make, qualify, and send out ministers themselves; this is not man’s work, but God’s: he only is able to furnish with ministerial gifts, to work upon, and powerfully incline the hearts of men to this service, to call and send them forth into it, and to assist and succeed them in it. The persons desired to be sent are labourers; faithful, diligent, and industrious preachers of the Gospel; such as lay out themselves, their time, talents, and strength, in their master’s service; and don’t indulge themselves in sloth and idleness: the place they are desired to be sent into is, into the harvest; into the field of the world, where God’s elect lie, and there labour in preaching the Gospel; hoping for a divine blessing, and an almighty power to attend their ministrations, for the conversion of sinners, and edification of saints. The request the disciples are directed to make, concerning these persons for this work, is, that the Lord of the harvest would send, or thrust them forth; implying power and efficacy, and authority, on the part of the sender; and backwardness on the part of those that are sent, through modesty: a sense of the greatness of the work, and of their own unworthiness and unfitness for it Very opportunely did our Lord move his disciples to put up this petition, and was done, no question, with a view to, and to prepare for, his mission of the twelve to preach the Gospel, of which there is an account in the next chapter. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 100). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
Romans 3
The world stands guilty before God, and can only be forgiven through Christ.
INSIGHT
There are several commonly held misconceptions about how God evaluates the deeds of men. One idea is that as long as we don’t do anything “terrible,” God will overlook our “little” sins. Another is that God weighs all our good works on one side of a scale and all our bad works on the other. If the good outweighs the bad, we’re okay. A third incorrect notion is that God lines up all the people who have ever lived from the best to the worst and then divides them in half. If you make the cut, you’re okay. The truth the Bible teaches is that God demands sinlessness. And since all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, all people are condemned. There is only one way out: Receive Jesus as your personal Savior. Through Him, all your sins can be forgiven.
(Quiet Walk)
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CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE
That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3
The Christian experience is a definite and a certain experience–“that which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us.” Now if people do not know what they have, how can they wish for others to share it with them? So that is the starting point” that the Christian experience is not a vague one; it is not indefinite or uncertain. Rather, it is a ell-defined experience, and true Christians know what they have; they are aware of what they possess. They are in no uncertainty themselves as to what has happened to them as to their personal position. “These things write we unto you,” says John, “that your joy may be full”–that you may share what we have. You cannot invite someone to share something with you unless you know exactly what you are asking him to share.
We are dealing with what may be called the great New Testament doctrine of the assurance of salvation, which has been subjected to considerable criticism. People have regarded it as presumption. They have said this is something that is impossible, and that no one should be able to claim such a thing.
But John is a man who tells us that he knows, and it is because he knows and because of what he has experienced that he is writing. Christians are not men and women who are hoping for salvation, but those who have experienced it. They have it; there is no uncertainty. They “know whom [they] have believed” (2 Timothy 1:12); and it is because John has possessed this that he writes about it.
A Thought to Ponder: Christians are not men and women who are hoping for salvation, but those who have experienced it. (From Fellowship with God, pp. 57-58 by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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This Work Was of God
“So the wall was finished. . . . And it came to pass, that when all our enemies heard thereof, and all the heathen that were about us saw these things, they were much cast down in their own eyes: for they perceived that this work was wrought of our God.” (Nehemiah 6:15-16)
There have been so many occasions throughout history when God worked mightily either to establish or to preserve America; there can be no doubt that God has uniquely blessed this country. There have always been those who would destroy, establish themselves as dictators, or who have scoffed at or hindered the American experiment in freedom, but in His grace and in His time and way, He has responded with victory.
Similarly, there were many times in the history of God’s chosen nation of Israel when mighty victories were accomplished. In the events surrounding our text, a ragged band of exiles had returned from captivity in Babylon and were attempting to rebuild the broken-down walls of Jerusalem. The detractors were many, saying it couldn’t be done—but it had to be done!
Satanically inspired opposition came through ridicule (Nehemiah 2:19; 4:1-3); threats of invasion (vv. 7-9); discouragement (v. 10); fear of attack (vv. 11-23); internal friction (5:1-5); diplomatic treachery (6:1-8); and lying prophets (6:10-14). But in the face of each threat, Nehemiah was equal to the task. “We made our prayer unto our God, and set a watch against them day and night” (4:9), and eventually, as we read in our text, “the wall was finished.”
Nehemiah’s victory was preceded by his confession of his own sins and that of the people (1:6-11), and the purification and dedication of the people. It was followed by great rejoicing and blessing. Would that America’s present leaders and people would follow this godly example. (JDM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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… I say once more that a forgiveness of sins that is inconsistent with the justice and righteousness and holiness of God is not worthy of God. But the salvation that is outlined in the New Testament shows us God’s law and order, God’s penalty exacted, the punishment of sin. And yet, because that punishment was levied upon another who was sinless and pure and holy, you and I can be forgiven. In this way God is just and the justifier of the ungodly who believe on the Lord Jesus Christ.
(p. 107, A Merciful and Faithful High Priest by Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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Daily Hope
Today’s Scripture Ecclesiastes 5:1-7
When I was younger, I took several vows that shaped and created me as I matured. I really had no idea how important those words or pledges were at the time, but now as I reflect on them, they aided me in my walk-through life. Vowing to be a member of a team, raising my hand to swear to serve my country and standing in front of a Pastor, family, and pledging a life of togetherness with my wife, all have had lifelong ramifications.
Solomon brings us to the topic of keeping vows and seriousness that God places on the words that we speak. He challenges the reader to be careful and to speak wisely when entering the presence of the Lord. Stepping into God’s house and being submissive to Him should cause us to consider how we speak. Solomon’s instruction is to go in silence and to be slow to speak or make promises before the Lord. Verse four states emphatically that the Lord expects the words you speak to be completed without delay or interruption. Solomon knew very well the passages in Deuteronomy 23 and Numbers 30 where the Lord spoke clearly about keeping a vow made to Him.
Several clearly stated instructions to heed before making a vow is highlighted. Listen carefully before you speak. A word spoken before considering all the consequences is foolish and could create bad results (vv.1-2). Do not be afraid to dream big, but until you are sure God agrees with that aspiration, be slow to reveal those desires (v.3). Lastly, when making a vow, begin immediately to fulfill it (vv.4-5)!
The resources that God makes available to us to accomplish the vows we make are limitless (Psalm 50). He wants us to dream big and to accomplish great things but we are to be slow to pledge and slow to announce our intentions. Solomon’s conclusion was a warning, “Fear God” (v. 7). The vows we make to the Lord will shape our lives, so speak thoughtfully and carefully.
With an Expectant hope, Pastor Miller
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