II Corinthians 3
Human hearts manifest our ministryverses 1-3
Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we – as some others
epistles of commendation to you
or letters of commendation from you?
You are our epistle written in our hearts – known and read of all men
FORASMUCH as you are manifestly declared
to be the epistle of Christ
ministered by us – written not with ink
BUT with the Spirit of the living God not in tables of stone
BUT in fleshly tables of the heart
Ministers of the New Testamentverses 4-6
And such trust have we through Christ to God –ward
not that we are sufficient of ourselves
to think any thing as of ourselves
BUT our sufficiency is of God
WHO also has made us able ministers of the new testament
not of the letter – BUT of the spirit – FOR the letter kills
BUT the spirit gives life
New Testament gives lifeverses 7-11
BUT if the ministration of death – written and engraven in stones
was glorious
So that the children of Israel could not steadfastly
behold the face of Moses
for the glory of his countenance
which glory was to be done away
How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious?
for if the ministration of condemnation be glory
much more does the ministration of righteousness
exceed in glory
FOR even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect
by reason of the glory that excels
FOR if that which is done away was glorious
much more that which remains is glorious
New Testament gives hopeverses 12-15
Seeing then that we have such hope – we use great plainness of speech
and not as Moses – which put a veil over his face
that the children of Israel could not steadfastly look to the
end of that which is abolished
but their minds were blinded
for until this day remains the same veil
untaken away in the reading of the
Old Testament
which veil is done away in Christ
BUT even unto this day – when Moses is read
the veil is on their heart
New Testament gives libertyverses 16-18
Nevertheless – when it shall turn to the Lord – the veil shall be taken away
now the Lord is that Spirit – and where the Spirit of the Lord is
there is liberty
BUT we all – with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord
are changed into the same image from glory to glory
even as by the Spirit of the Lord
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 2 You are our epistle written in our hearts, known and read of all men. (1992 “epistle” [epistole] means letter, a dispatch, message, a written message addressed to a person or group of people, letter of authority or to transmit a message)
DEVOTION: Paul was saying at the present that he didn’t need any letter written to show that he was serving the LORD faithfully. There were people who had joined the church after he had left that questioned Paul’s authority to give instructions to the believers in Corinth.
He stated that their lives were his letter of recommendation. Because of their faith in Jesus Christ the church came into existence. Their lives were changed through his preaching of the gospel. They were all the witness he needed to be able to instruct them in how to live the Christian life.
People read our lives. People look at how we act. People listen to what we say and how we say what we say. If we are genuine believers our Christianity will be manifested in our lives. People will see a difference and want to know more about our Savior.
CHALLENGE: Be different from those around you who don’t know the LORD!!! You might be the only recommendation people see regarding Jesus Christ.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life. (2427 “able” [hikanoo] means enable, qualified, competent, large enough, to make sufficient, render fit or to equip one with the adequate power to perform duties of one)
DEVOTION: Paul starts out with questions for the members of the church at Corinth. He asks if he needs a letter of recommendation for them. He further states that they are his recommendation to ministry. Due to his ministry they are believers.
Who does Paul credit his ability to minister to? He credits God for putting him into the ministry. His ministry is in the area of a new testament. The New Testament or will is that Christ died for their sins and because of HIS resurrection that have a promised inheritance of heaven.
Paul states that the letter of the Law kills. What does he mean by that? The Law tells us that we are sinners and on our way to hell for eternity. Now believers are in the Spirit which gives life to those who are believers.
Remember that believers are not born into the church. Believers are not baptized into the church. Believers are not earning their way to heaven by good works. Believers are not individuals who walked forward in church and said a prayer and then went out and did as they pleased. Believers are those who realized that they were sinners and needed a Savior. They realized that the only way to heaven was through confession of sin and a turn to follow Jesus. They are individuals who are with the Spirit’s power trying to become more and more like Christ each day of their life until they die or the LORD returns. The Holy Spirit fully indwells believers at the point of salvation. HE fills them at that time. However, the filling leaves because of sin but will return with confession.
We are told that we need to make a will. In our will we should leave money to the church or a Christian organization because some of family will not spend it in church. Jesus left a will. HE included all HIS followers in HIS will. HE left the church the ministry of the Holy Spirit. HE wanted the individuals in the church to realize that because of HIS death they had liberty to serve HIM. We are no longer dead in trespasses and sins.
The Old Testament was based on the sacrifice of the offerings that looked forward to Christ. Under the Old Testament there were commandments and ordinances and statutes and precepts and other rules to follow. That was what Paul called the “letter” that kills. The Old Testament commandments were given to help us realize that we are not sinless. All of us are sinners. We are all totally depraved.
Only with the help of Christ can we do anything to please God. We have the freedom to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit to do things that please God. God has equipped us with HIS Holy Spirit to live a life of liberty in Christ. We are free to have a ministry of righteousness. We are no longer blinded. We realize that there is no sufficiency in ourselves but in Christ we can do all things.
CHALLENGE: Remember that our sufficiency comes from God alone. It is not internal power we have in ourselves. It is the Holy Spirit power within us.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 15 But even to this day, when Moses is read, the veil is on their heart. (2571 “veil” [kaluma] means covering worn over the face or part of the face, curtain, head-covering, or an impediment)
DEVOTION: The Old Testament is read in every Jewish synagogue to this day. They are not reading the New Testament because they are still waiting for the Messiah to come. There are some Jewish individuals who realize that Jesus Christ was the Messiah and they believe in HIM. These individuals are usually called “Messianic Jews.” They still use the Old Testament but also will read the New Testament.
Paul was living in the day when all of this was fresh. Each time he would go into a synagogue he would read the Old Testament and show them how it relates to Jesus Christ. Some would believe but a majority was blinded by Satan to the point where they didn’t see the point that Paul was making regarding Jesus Christ fulfilling the promises regarding the Messiah.
These individuals had a veil over their hearts. They hear the words but it doesn’t move the eighteen inches from their brain to their heart. This happens even with those who are considered Gentiles.
We are the Gentiles of the New Testament. We didn’t have the Law of Moses that influenced the lives of the Jews. We didn’t have an understanding of the Old Testament. We, like those in the first century are learning who Jesus Christ was by the teachings of the New Testament.
We can’t blame Moses for our unbelief. We can’t blame society for our unbelief. We can’t even blame our family for unbelief. We have all heard the good news of the Gospel. CHALLENGE: We know that Jesus is the only way and we have to make a decision to follow HIM. If our hearts are blinded it is because we have allowed them to be blinded.
: 17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. (1657 “liberty” [eleutheria] means freedom, personal freedom from servitude, freedom from restraint, true liberty as we should not as we please, to be free, freedom for confinement, or freedom for oppression)
DEVOTION: The Godhead are involved in our salvation. In the Old Testament Moses presented the Law that God gave him on the mountain. The priests were using the letter of the Law to help the people understand what sin was and that sacrifices were necessary to appease the LORD until the Messiah came and took sin away through HIS death on the cross.
We live in a time period after the death of Christ. Paul was preaching in the beginning of that time period. There was a transition from the Law to Grace. There was a change from looking to the sacrifices of animals to looking to Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of sin.
Obeying the Law was impossible. The letter of the Law killed. Looking to obeying the Ten Commandments to save someone is over. No one can obey the Ten Commandments fully. Everyone who tries is doomed to the lake of fire.
Only those who trust in Jesus Christ alone for their salvation will spend eternity in heaven. Jesus sent the Holy Spirit to be a witness to us of HIS saving grace.
Once we realize our standing in Christ through the ministry of the Holy Spirit we can have freedom from sin. It is not a right to sin but a right to know that our sins are forgiven and we are given a place in heaven for eternity.
The Holy Spirit becomes an influence in the believer’s life to show them what is expected of them regarding their service to the LORD until they die. Each of us has a place of service. It is not just sitting in a pew. It is a show of love through our actions that the Holy Spirit encourages in our life. We have the freedom to obey the Holy Spirit as Christ’s representative in our life.
CHALLENGE: We have to ask ourselves the question regarding how we are using our freedom to serve the LORD daily. Prayer will give proper direction.
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)
Epistles of commendationverse 1
Letters of commendationverse 1
Epistle of Christverse 3
Written with inkverse 3
Tables of stoneverse 3
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)
DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Tables of stoneverse 2
New Testamentverse 6
Mosesverses 7, 13, 15
Old Testamentverse 14
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Godverses 3-5
God-wardverse 4
Sufficiency is of Godverse 5
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Christverses 3, 4, 14
Epistles of Christverse 3
Lordverses 16-18
Lord is that Spiritverse 17
Glory of the Lordverse 18
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Spirit of the living Godverse 3
Ministration of the Spiritverse 8
Spirit of the Lordverses 17, 18
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)
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Letter of the lawverse 6
Minds were blindedverse 14
Veil is on heartverse 15
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Ministeredverse 3
Trustverse 4
Sufficientverse 5
Our sufficiency is of Godverse 5
Spirit gives lifeverse 6
Ministration of righteousnessverse 9
Hopeverse 12
Veil taken awayverse 16
Libertyverse 17
Changedverse 18
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Tables of stoneverse 3
Letter of the lawverse 6
Children of Israelverses 7, 13
Face of Mosesverses 7, 13
Law done awayverse 11
Minds blindedverse 14
Veil done awayverses 14, 16
Moses readverse 15
Veil upon their heartverse 15
Church (New Testament people of God)
Christians are living epistlesverses 1-3
Fleshly tables of the heartverse 3
Ministers of the New Testamentverse 6
Great plainness of speechverse 12
Last Things (Future Events)
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QUOTES regarding passage
18 In vv. 4–6 Paul was speaking primarily of the apostolic ministry. Now, as he draws his conclusion concerning the superiority of the new covenant against the background of his commentary on Exodus 34, he refers to Christian experience in general. Under the new covenant, not one man alone, but all Christians behold and then reflect (see note) the glory of the Lord. Moreover, unlike the Jews, who still read the law with veiled hearts, Christians, with unveiled faces, behold in the mirror of the gospel the glory of Yahweh, which is Christ. Again, the glory is displayed not outwardly on the face but inwardly in the character. Finally, so far from losing its intensity or luster, the glory experienced under the new covenant progressively increases until the Christian finally acquires a “glorious body” like that of the risen Christ (Philippians 3:21).
Paul concludes by noting that the progressive transformation of the Christian’s character is the work of the Lord who is the Spirit (cf. v. 17a). After conversion to the Spirit (v. 16), there is liberation through the Spirit (v. 17b) and transformation by the Spirit (v. 18). (Harris, M. J. (1976). 2 Corinthians. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Romans through Galatians (Vol. 10, p. 338). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House)
We all (ἡμεις παντες [hēmeis pantes]). All of us Christians, not merely ministers. With unveiled face (ἀνακεκαλυμμενῳ προσωπῳ [anakekalummenōi prosōpōi]). Instrumental case of manner. Unlike and like Moses. Reflecting as in a mirror (κατοπτριζομενοι [katoptrizomenoi]). Present middle participle of κατοπτριζω [katoptrizō], late verb from κατοπτρον [katoptron], mirror (κατα, ὀπτρον [kata, optron], a thing to see with). In Philo (Legis Alleg. iii. 33) the word means beholding as in a mirror and that idea suits also the figure in 1 Cor. 13:12. There is an inscription of third century b.c. with ἐγκατοπτρισασθαι εἰς το ὑδωρ [egkatoptrisasthai eis to hudōr], to look at one’s reflection in the water. Plutarch uses the active for mirroring or reflecting and Chrysostom takes it so here. Either makes good sense. The point that Paul is making is that we shall not lose the glory as Moses did. But that is true if we keep on beholding or keep on reflecting (present tense). Only here in N. T. Are transformed (μεταμορφουμεθα [metamorphoumetha]). Present passive (are being transformed) of μεταμορφοω [metamorphoō], late verb and in papyri. See on Matt. 17:2; Mark 9:2 where it is translated “transfigured.” It is the word used for heathen mythological metamorphoses. Into the same image (την αὐτην εἰκονα [tēn autēn eikona]). Accusative retained with passive verb μεταμορφουμεθα [metamorphoumetha]. Into the likeness of God in Christ (1 Cor. 15:48–53; Rom. 8:17, 29; Col. 3:4; 1 John 3:2). As from the Lord the Spirit (καθαπερ ἀπο Κυριου πνευματος [kathaper apo Kuriou pneumatos]). More likely, “as from the Spirit of the Lord.” (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (2 Co 3:18). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press)
3:18. The glory evident in Moses’ face was a diminishing radiance (vv. 7, 13). By contrast, in the faces of Christians is God’s ever-increasing glory (cf. 4:6). (“Ever-increasing glory” is the niv’s rendering of the Gr. phrase, “from glory into glory,” i.e., from one stage of glory to another.) Christians’ glory, like that of Moses, is a reflection of the Lord’s glory. But unlike Moses’ transitory glory a believer’s glory is eternal. This is because of God’s abiding presence through the Holy Spirit (4:17). This glory is the experience of salvation available in the New Covenant and mediated by the Spirit who leads Christians from justification through sanctification to glorification. As believers manifest the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22–23), they are progressively being transformed (the same word Paul used in Rom. 12:2) into His likeness. Christlikeness is the goal of the Christian walk (Eph. 4:23–24; Col. 3:10). No wonder Paul said the New is far superior to the Old! (Lowery, D. K. (1985). 2 Corinthians. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 562). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books)
3:18 we all. Not just Moses, or prophets, apostles, and preachers, but all believers. with unveiled face. Believers in the New Covenant have nothing obstructing their vision of Christ and His glory as revealed in the Scripture. beholding as in a mirror. Paul’s emphasis here is not so much on the reflective capabilities of the mirror as it is on the intimacy of it. A person can bring a mirror right up to his face and get an unobstructed view. Mirrors in Paul’s day were polished metal (see note on Jas 1:23), and thus offered a far from perfect reflection. Though the vision is unobstructed and intimate, believers do not see a perfect representation of God’s glory now, but will one day (cf. 1Co 13:12). being transformed. A continual, progressive transformation (see note on Ro 12:2). into the same image. As they gaze at the glory of the Lord, believers are continually being transformed into Christlikeness. The ultimate goal of the believer is to be like Christ (cf. Ro 8:29; Php 3:12–14; 1Jn 3:2), and by continually focusing on Him the Spirit transforms the believer more and more into His image. from glory to glory. From one level of glory to another level of glory—from one level of manifesting Christ to another. This verse describes progressive sanctification. The more believers grow in their knowledge of Christ, the more He is revealed in their lives (cf. Php 3:12–14). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (2 Co 3:18). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers)
Ver. 18. But we all with open face, &c.] We are not like Moses, who had a veil on his face; nor like the Jews, who have one on their hearts: but we all; not ministers and preachers of the Gospel only, but all believers, whether Jews or Gentiles, greater or lesser believers, who are enlightened by the spirit of God, and are converted to Christ: with open face; which may regard the object beheld, the glory of Christ unveiled, that has no veil on it, as Moses had on his face, when he delivered the law; or the persons beholding, who are rid of Jewish darkness; the veil of the ceremonial law, and of natural darkness and blindness of mind; and so clearly and fully, comparatively speaking, beholding as in a glass; not of the law, but of the Gospel, and the ordinances of it; not with the eyes of their bodies, but with the eyes of their understandings, with the eye of faith; which sight is spiritual, delightful, and very endearing; throws a veil over all other objects, and makes souls long to be with Christ: the object beheld is the glory of the Lord: Jesus Christ: not the glory of his human nature, which lies in its union to the son of God, and in its names which it has by virtue of it; and in its being the curious workmanship of the spirit of God, and so is pure and holy, and free from all sin; and was outwardly beautiful and glorious, and is so at the right hand of God, where we see him by faith, crowned with glory and honour; and shall behold him with the eyes of our bodies, and which will be fashioned like to his glorious body; but this sight and change are not yet: rather the glory of his divine nature is meant, which is essential and underived, the same with his father’s; is ineffable, and incomprehensible; it appears in the perfections he is possessed of, and in the worship given to him; it was manifested in the doctrines taught, and in the miracles wrought by him; there were some breakings forth of this glory in his state of humiliation, and were beheld by the apostles, and other believers, who saw his glory, as the glory of the only-begotten of the father. Though the glory of Christ as Mediator, being full of grace and truth, seems to be chiefly designed; this he has from God, and had it from everlasting; this he gives to his people, and is what makes him so glorious, lovely, and desirable in their eye: and whilst this delightful object is beheld by them, they are changed into the same image: there was a divine image in man, in his first creation; this image was defaced by sin, and a different one took place; now in regeneration another distinct from them both is instamped, and this is the image of Christ; he himself is formed in the soul, his grace is wrought there; so that ’tis no wonder there is a likeness between them; which lies in righteousness and holiness, and shews itself in acts of grace, and a discharge of duty. The gradual motion of the change into this image is expressed by this phrase, from glory to glory: not from the glory of the law to the glory of the Gospel; or from the glory of Moses to the glory of Christ; rather from the glory that is in Christ, to a glory derived in believers from him; or which seems most agreeable, from one degree of grace to another, grace here being signified by glory; or from glory begun here to glory perfect hereafter; when this image will be completed, both in soul and body; and the saints will be as perfectly like to Christ, as they are capable of, and see him as he is: now the efficient cause of all this, is the spirit of the Lord. ’Tis he that takes off the veil from the heart, that we may, with open face unveiled, behold all this glory; it is he that regenerates, instamps the image of Christ, and conforms the soul to his likeness; it is he that gradually carries on the work of grace upon the soul, increases faith, enlarges the views of the glory of Christ, and the spiritual light, knowledge, and experience of the saints, and will perfect all that which concerns them; will quicken their mortal bodies, and make them like to Christ; and will for ever rest as a spirit of glory on them, both in soul and body: some read these words, by the Lord of the spirit, and understand them of Christ, others read them, by the Lord the spirit, as they very well may be rendered; and so are a proof of the true and proper deity of the Holy Spirit, who is the one Jehovah with the Father and the Son. The ancient Jews owned this; “the spirit of the living God, (say they,) היינו הבורא this is the Creator himself, from him all spirits are produced; blessed be he, and blessed be his name, because his name is he himself, for his name is Jehovah.” (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 2, pp. 775–776). London: Mathews and Leigh)
3: 18 In contrast to Jewish unbelievers (3:14), all followers of Christ, Jewish or Gentile, now have an unveiled face – Paul’s image for freedom from hardheartedness. Unlike rebellious Israel in the Exodus account, Christians can see God’s glory and live. Those who intensely ponder this glory are continuously transformed (from the initial glory of their conversion to the final glory of the future) into the image of Christ who reveals the glory of God. This transformation comes from God who now works through the Spirit. Paul expected every true follower of Christ to experience an every-increasing growth in godliness. (p. 1813, The Moody Bible Commentary by Michael Rydelnik & Michael Vanlaningham)
FROM MY READING:
The man who truly prays, “Thy kingdom come,” cannot take his heart out of his prayer when he is out of the church. The man who truly prays “Thy kingdom come,” will not be shrinking his measures at the store; the load of coal he sends to you won’t be half slate. The man who truly prayers “Thy kingdom come,” won’t cut off his yardstick when he measures you a piece of calico. It will not take pure-food law to keep a man who truly prays “Thy kingdom come” form putting chalk in the flour, sand in the sugar, brick dust in red pepper, ground peanut shells in breakfast food. (p.284-5, “Billy” Sunday: The Man and His message by William T. Ellis, 1914)
The Lord commands Moses to send spies into the land of Canaan.
INSIGHT
One of the most common mistakes we make during the tough times in life is to place our eyes on circumstances rather than on the promises of God. The Lord promises Israel that He will lead them into the Promised Land and defeat the armies that are living there. He even promises to send in swarms of hornets to drive out the armies, so Israel won’t even have to fight. But one look at the giants, and every promise is forgotten. One glimpse of the armies, and “God is not enough.”
The New Testament is full of promises for us. We must keep our eyes on the promises.
(Quiet Walk)
While out taking walks, writer Martin Laird would often encounter a man with four Kerry Blue Terriers. Three of the dogs ran wild through the open fields, but one stayed near its owner, running in tight circles. When Laird finally stopped and asked about this odd behavior, the owner explained that it was a rescue dog that had spent most of his life locked in a cage. The terrier continued to run in circles as though contained inside a confined box.
The Scriptures reveal that we’re trapped and hopeless unless God rescues us. The psalmist spoke of being afflicted by an enemy, entrapped by “the snares of death” with the “cords of death . . . coiled around” him (Psalm 18:4-5). Enclosed and shackled, he cried to God for help (v. 6). And with thundering power, He “reached down . . . and took hold” of him (v. 16).
God can do the same for us. He can break the chains and release us from our confining cages. He can set us free and carry us “out into a spacious place” (v. 19). How sad it is, then, when we keep running in small circles, as if we’re still confined in our old prisons. In His strength, may we no longer be bound by fear, shame, or oppression. God has rescued us from those cages of death. We can run free.
By Winn Collier (Our Daily Bread)
THE HOLY SPIRIT REVEALS THE TEACHING OF CHRIST
When he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth. John 16:13
The Holy Spirit not only reveals the person and the work of Christ—He also reveals the teaching of Christ. Our Lord said to the disciples before He left them, “I have yet many things to say unto you, but ye cannot bear them now. Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth” (John 16:12-13). That is, “He will remind you of the things I have said and that you cannot grasp now, and He will make them plain to you.”
So if you are in trouble about the understanding of the Gospel, ask God to give you His Spirit in all His fullness, and you will begin to understand. The fatal thing in these matters is to bring your natural intellect to bear upon them: “The natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God…neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned” (1 Corinthians 2:14).
Read 1 Corinthians 2, and understand that these things are in a different realm, they belong to a different order, and the only way to understand the teaching of the New Testament about Christ’s personal work and teaching is to have the eyes of your understanding enlightened by the Holy Spirit. Therefore, if you are in trouble, do not waste your time trying to read books of philosophy about these matters; do not try to grasp them with the natural intellect, for that is impossible. We are dealing with miracles. We are in the realm of the supernatural and the spiritual, and the only hope for us is that the Holy Spirit will come with that unction, with His eye salve, to anoint our eyes so that they will be opened to the blessed truth.
A Thought to Ponder: We are in the realm of the supernatural and the spiritual, and the only hope for us is the Holy Spirit.
(From Saved in Eternity, pp. 90-91, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Lifelong Love
“Live joyfully with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity, which he hath given thee under the sun, all the days of thy vanity: for that is thy portion in this life, and in thy labour which thou takest under the sun.” (Ecclesiastes 9:9)
The above wise advice was written by King Solomon in his later years after many years of searching for happiness through intellectualism, worldly pleasures, riches, and power, and finding that all of it was mere “vanity and vexation of spirit” (Ecclesiastes 1:14).
Solomon had 700 wives, all of whom were “princesses” and thus at least partially for purposes of prestige and politics, but various references in his book of Proverbs suggest that these were more a problem than a help. It is interesting that he had only one son, Rehoboam, plus two daughters, as far as the record goes.
That one son was born a year before he became king, while he was still very young, and Naamah (Rehoboam’s mother) was thus very likely the only wife he really loved (compare 1 Kings 11:42; 14:21), as described so beautifully in his Song of Solomon, which Solomon himself called his “Song of Songs.”
So, it seems poignant and significant that, near the end of his life, Solomon is counseling young men to cultivate that special love “with the wife whom thou lovest all the days of the life of thy vanity.” (Note also Proverbs 5:18-19.) The Bible very seldom refers to romantic love or marital love (nearly always biblical love is agape love), so this rare reference to romantic love (as between a young bride and bridegroom) is especially noteworthy. The admonition to “live joyfully” is from a word usually translated “alive,” so his advice was to keep that young marital love alive and fresh all through life!
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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