Judges 1
Children of Israel ask the LORD questionverse 1
Now after the death of Joshua it came to pass
that the children of Israel asked the LORD – saying
Who shall go up against the Canaanites first
to fight against them?
LORD replies to request: Judahverse 2
And the LORD said
Judah shall go up
BEHOLD – I have delivered the land into his hand
Judah asks Simeon to helpverse 3
And Judah said unto Simeon his brother
Come up with me into my lot
that we may fight against the Canaanites
and I likewise will go with thee into your lot
So Simeon went with him
Judah given victory over Canaanite & Perizzitesverses 4-7
And Judah went up – and the LORD delivered the Canaanites
and the Perizzites into their hand
and they slew of them in Bezek ten thousand men
And they found Adoni-bezek in Bezek – and they fought against him
and they slew the Canaanites and the Perizzites
BUT Adoni-bezek fled – and they pursued after him – and caught him
and cut off his thumbs and his great toes
And Adoni-bezek said
Threescore and ten kings having their thumbs
and their great toes cut off – gathered their meat under my table
as I have done – so God hath requited me
And they brought him to Jerusalem – and there he died
Judah conquered Jerusalem & moreverses 8-10
Now the children of Judah had fought against Jerusalem
and had taken it
and smitten it with the edge of the sword
and set the city on fire
And afterward the children of Judah went down to fight
against the Canaanites
that dwelt in the mountain – south – valley
And Judah went against the Canaanites that dwelt in Hebron
(now the name of Hebron before was Kirjath-arba)
and they slew Sheshai – Ahiman – Talmai
Othniel conquers Kirjath-sepher for bride Achsahverses 11-15
And from thence he went against the inhabitants of Debir
and the name of Debir before was Kirjath-sepher
And Caleb said
He that smites Kirjath-sepher – and takes it
to him will I give Achsah my daughter to wife
And Othniel – the son of Kenaz – Caleb’s younger brother
took it and he gave him Achsah his daughter to wife
And it came to pass – when she came to him
that she moved him to ask of her father a field
and she lighted from off her ass
And Caleb said to her
What will you?
And she said to him
Give me a blessing – for you have given me a south land
Give me also springs of water
And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the neither springs
Kenites settle near Aradverse 16
And the children of the Kennite – Moses father-in-law
went up out of the city of palm trees with the children of Judah
into the wilderness of Judah
which lies in the south of Arad
and they went and dwelt among the people
Judah and Simeon conquered more citiesverses 17-18
And Judah went with Simeon his brother
and they slew the Canaanites that inhabited Zephath
and utterly destroyed it
and the name of the city was called Hormah
Also Judah took Gaza with the coast thereof
and Askelon with the coast thereof
and Ekron with the coast thereof
Judah didn’t drive out inhabitants of the valleyverses 19-20
And the LORD was with Judah
and he drove out the inhabitants of the mountain
but could not drive out the inhabitants of the valley
BECAUSE they had chariots of iron
And they gave Hebron unto Caleb as Moses said
and he expelled thence the three sons of Anak
Benjamin didn’t drive out Jebusitesverse 21
And the children of Benjamin DID NOT DRIVE OUT the Jebusites
that inhabited Jerusalem
BUT the Jebusites dwell with the children of Benjamin
in Jerusalem to this day
House of Joseph defeat Beth-elverses 22-26
And the house of Joseph they also went up against Beth-el
and the LORD was with them
And the house of Joseph sent to descry Beth-el
(now the name of the city before was Luz)
And the spies saw a man come forth out of the city
and they said to him
Show us – we pray you- the entrance into the city
and we will show you mercy
and when he showed them the entrance into the city
they smote the city with the edge of the sword
BUT they let go the man and all his family
And the man went into the land of the Hittites
and built a city
and called the name thereof Luz
which is the name thereof to this day
Manasseh didn’t drive out Canaanitesverses 27-28
Neither did Manasseh DRIVE OUT the inhabitants of Beth-shean
and her towns nor Taanach and her towns
nor the inhabitants of Dor and her towns
nor the inhabitants of Ibleam and her towns
not the inhabitants of Megiddo and her towns
BUT the Canaanites would dwell in that land
And it came to pass – when Israel was STRONG
that they put the Canaanites to TRIBUTE
and did not utterly DRIVE THEM OUT
Ephraim didn’t drive out Canaanitesverse 29
Neither did Ephraim DRIVE OUT the Canaanites that dwelt in Gezer
BUT the Canaanites dwelt in Gezer among them
Zebulun didn’t drive out Canaanitesverse 30
Neither did Zebulun DRIVE OUT the inhabitants of Kitron
nor the inhabitants of Nahalol
BUT the Canaanites dwelt among them
and became tributaries
Asher didn’t drive out Canaanitesverses 31-32
Neither did Asher DRIVE OUT the inhabitants of
Accho – Sidon – Ahlab – Achzib – Helbah – Aphik – Rehob
BUT the Asherites dwelt among the Canaanites
the inhabitants of the land
for they DID NOT DRIVE THEM OUT
Naphtali didn’t drive out Canaanitesverse 33
Neither die Naphtali DRIVE OUT the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh
nor the inhabitants of Beth-anath
But he dwelt among the Canaanites – the inhabitants of the land
nevertheless the inhabitants of Beth-shemesh and of Beth-anath
BECAME tributaries unto them
Dan didn’t drive out Amoritesverses 34-36
And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain
for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley
BUT the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon
and in Shaalbim
YET the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed
so that they became tributaries
And the coast of the Amorites was from the going up to Akrabbim
from the rock – and upward
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 7 And Adonibezek said, Threescore and ten kings, having their thumbs and their great toes cut off, gathered their meat under my table, as I have done, so God has requited me. And they brought him to Jerusalem, and there he died. (7999 “requited” [shalam] means to repay, restitution, recompense, or reciprocate)
DEVOTION: Here we have a heathen king that was not a follow of the LORD but understood a principle found in the Word of God. He had cut off the thumbs and great toes of those he had conquered. Now he finds himself defeated and his thumbs and great toes cut off.
The principle that is taught in Scripture is that whatever you sow you will reap. He had sown being mean to those he had conquered and now he was receiving the same treatment by the children of Israel.
Today we find that the same principle is going to happen to those who sow sin or something that is harmful in their life. There are consequences to disobedience to the LORD. HE wants all of us to know that HE wants us to sow good works and HE will bless us.
However, if we sow discord, we will find discord happening in are lives. If we treat people the way we want to be treated then the LORD will honor our treatment.
Even Christians can sow discord in the church or in the community. We are not to act that way toward our fellow believers or even to those who are not followers of Jesus Christ.
Those who don’t know the LORD understand that they can’t expect good treatment from those they have hurt. Are we cutting off thumbs and big toes of those around us?
CHALLENGE: The principles found in the Word of God don’t change from the Old Testament to the New Testament. Watch how you treat people around you.
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 15 And she said to him, Give me a blessing: for you have given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And Caleb gave her the upper springs and the nether springs. (3051 “Give” [yahab] means to select for one’s own reasons or purposes from a number of alternatives, come on!, give out, to provide, to ascribe, to grant, permit, or a discourse marker of attention, implying an encouragement to take action)
DEVOTION: Fathers and daughters have a special relationship even to this day. His daughter came for a request for springs of water that were not included in the gift he had given her of land.
Our Father is one who likes to give good gifts to HIS children. Our prayers should go to God the Father through the ministry of the Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us.
Too often we don’t go to the LORD for what we need. We try to figure out what we need and then try to get it without asking for God’s help. We need to remember that HE wants us to be totally dependent on HIM. HE knows what we need before we do and is waiting for us to come to HIM for guidance and direction.
HE also on occasions wants us to wait a while before HE grants our request. This is always for our good. Too often we are in a hurry. This causes us to think that God doesn’t care about what we think we need. HE does care just like a human father.
Go to HIM in prayer for your daily needs as well as your future desires. HE wants to give u the desires of our hearts as long as they are according to HIS will.
CHALLENGE: HE knows us better than we know ourselves.
: 25 And when he showed them the entrance into the city, they smote the city with the edge of the sword, but they let go the man and all his family. (7200 “showed” [ra’ah] means to make visible or noticeable, see, to understand, reveal, look at, inspect, perceive, be seen, or become visible)
DEVOTION: We are required to honor our word even to those who don’t know the LORD as their Savior. The children of Joseph wanted the city of Bethel. They found someone who lived in the city and asked him to show them the entrance to the city with a promise that they would do him no harm.
He showed them the way to defeat the city and they kept their promise to him. He moved to a new location after the defeat of Bethel.
When we promise someone something, we need to make sure we can keep our word to the individual. God always keeps HIS promises to us and we need to keep our promises to HIM as well.
We should never promise God something when we know we are not going to keep our promise. If we intend to promise God something, we should write it down someplace where we can review our promises to HIM. If we are faithful to our word HE will be faithful to us.
Our word should be our bond with other human being. We need to keep it even if it hurts. This is especially true of Christians who promise someone who is not a Christian that we will do something.
CHALLENGE: Our testimony is at stake.
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 28 And it came to pass, when Israel was strong, that they put the Canaanites to tribute, and did not utterly drive them out. (3423 “drive out” [yaresh] means to occupy, to expel, cast out, consume, destroy, disinherit, dispossess, or seize upon)
DEVOTION: The children of Israel came to the LORD after the death of Joshua and asked who should lead them. The LORD told them Judah.
So Judah asks Simeon to help them and they go to war. The LORD gives them victory. They continue to give them victory of their enemies. We read that they even conquered three major cities of the Philistines. However, they didn’t kill them all as the LORD had commanded them. The LORD didn’t want the people of the land to influence the children of Israel.
The children of Israel were supposed to work together to defeat the inhabitants of the land. The LORD was with them. The LORD was the one who would fight for them if they stayed true to their covenant with HIM. They did not stay true to their promise.
This chapter tells of the tribes trying to defeat the enemy without cooperation. It continually uses the words stating that they didn’t destroy the people of the land.
When the children of Israel were strong, they would ask the people of the land for MONEY. The taking of MONEY was not in God’s plan for the land. The word used by the LORD was “yaresh” which meant to expel them. This word is used nine times in this chapter. They didn’t obey the LORD completely, which caused them many hard times in the future. The LORD wanted their obedience.
Here we find that the people of God had promised God that they would obey HIM and did not. This is happening even in our day. The LORD wants an obedient people.
Christ was obedient to the point of dying on the cross for our sins. HE gave us the command to tell others the truth of the Word of God. We need to be obedient to HIM. We need to lead a Biblical life in our world. This doesn’t mean that we will be perfect but we will get the message of salvation out to those in our world that they can be forgiven because of the blood of Christ.
Our earthly future is in jeopardy if we disobey the LORD in our present. It happened to the children of Israel. We are to learn from their example.
CHALLENGE: Are we learning any lessons? Has something happened in our world because of our disobedience? Our eternal future may be sure because of Christ, but obedience is still the key.
: 35 But the Amorites would dwell in mount Heres in Aijalon, and in Shaalbim: yet the hand of the house of Joseph prevailed, so that they became tributaries. (3513 “prevailed” [kabad] means to weigh heavily upon, to be weighty, to be physically strong or become physically stronger than at an earlier point in time.)
DEVOTION: There is a big difference between defeat and prevail. The LORD gave instructions for the children of Israel to defeat the enemy in the Promised Land. There was no mention of the enemy paying tribute.
It seems that the children of Israel settled for less than the LORD wanted them to do. They were allowing the enemy to still exist and cause problems for them in their total commitment to the LORD.
When there is compromise in the camp, we fine that the children of Israel would allow themselves to start following the way of the enemy. They would start practicing the things the Canaanites would practice including the worship of false gods.
Money can be a problem if that is an end in itself. This seems to be what was going on after Joshua died. He gave them instructions to conquer the land as the LORD commanded and promised that HE would help them.
We have that happening many times in our churches as well. We allow the people to follow the LORD only to the point that they want to and this is not obedience to the commands of LORD.
Many leaders give up on setting a high standard for their fellow members. The church is only a faithful as the leaders make it. If the leaders are satisfied with partial obedience to the commands of the LORD that is what the people will practice.
Our responsibility is to serve the LORD in all that HE commands us to do whether we like it or not. This means the standard had to be high.
CHALLENGE: How high is your church standards for their members? Are they willing to discipline those who are not being obedient to the standard the LORD sets for all believers?
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)
Children of Israel asked the LORDverse 1
LORD answers prayerverse 2
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)
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
LORD – Jehovah (Covenant keeping, Personal)verses 1, 2, 4, 19, 22
God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign)verse 7
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)
Canaanitesverses 1, 3-5, 9, 10, 17, 27-33
Perizzitesverses 4, 5
Bezekverses 4, 5
Adonibezekverses 5-7
Jerusalemverses 7, 8, 21
Hebron (Kirjatharba)verses 10, 20
Slew Sheshai, Ahiman, Talmai, Debir (Kijathsepher)verse 11
Children of Kenite – Moses father in lawverse 16
Philistines (Gaza, Askelon, Ekron)verse 18
Chariots of ironverse 19
Jebusitesverse 21
Bethel (Luz)verses 22-26
Man – showed entrance to Bethelverses 24-26
Amoritesverses 34-36
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Did not drive outverses 21, 27-33
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Ask the LORDverse 1
Victoryverses 2, 4
Mercyverse 24
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Joshuaverse 1
Children of Israelverse 1
Judahverses 2-20
Jerusalem
Hebron
Simeonverses 3, 17
Achsah – daughter of Calebverses 12-15
Calebverses 12-15, 20
Achsah – daughter of Caleb
Wife of Othnielverses 12-15
Othniel – son of Kenaz
Caleb’s younger brotherverse 13
Kenite – Moses’ father in lawverse 16
Benjaminverse 21
Did not drive out Jebusites
Jerusalem
House of Josephverses 22-26
Manassehverse 27
Israel was strong = tributeverses 28, 35
Ephraim – did not drive outverse 29
Zebulun – did not drive outverse 30
Asher – did not drive outverses 31, 32
Naphiali – did not drive outverse 33
Dan forced by Amorites into mountainverse 34
Church (New Testament people of God)
Last Things (Future Events)
Death of Joshuaverse 1
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QUOTES regarding passage
34–36 The fortunes of the tribe of Dan have a certain prominence in Judges (see ch. 18). Their difficulties stemmed from Amorite pressure to keep them out of the plains and valleys (v.34), where most of their inheritance lay. The Amorites, normally found in the hill country (Num 13:29), are at times associated with the Philistines (1 Sam 7:14). They kept control of Aijalon, eleven miles northwest of Jerusalem, and nearby Shaalbim (v.35, or Shaalabbin). Mount Heres (“sun” mountain) is probably the Beth Shemesh fifteen miles west of Jerusalem. In Joshua 19:41–42, Ir Shemesh (ʿîr šāmeš, “city of the sun”) is listed right before Shaalabbin and Aijalon. After the Danites migrated north, the nearby tribe of Ephraim finally subjugated the Amorites.
The final statement in the chapter (v.36) shows how much land was in the hands of the Amorites. The “Ascent of Akrabbim” (cf. NIV mg.), or “Scorpion Pass,” is located south of the Dead Sea, at the southern border of the Promised Land (Josh 15:2–3). (Wolf, H. (1992). Judges. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Deuteronomy, Joshua, Judges, Ruth, 1 & 2 Samuel (Vol. 3, p. 391). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)
VI. Dan was so far from extending his conquests where his lot lay that, wanting spirit to make head against the Amorites, he was forced by them to retire into the mountains and inhabit the cities there, but durst not venture into the valley, where, it is probable, the chariots of iron were, v. 34. Nay, and some of the cities in the mountains were kept against them, v. 35. Thus were they straitened in their possessions, and forced to seek for more room at Laish, a great way off, ch. 18:1, etc. In Jacob’s blessing Judah is compared to a lion, Dan to a serpent; now observe how Judah with his lion-like courage prospered and prevailed, but Dan with all his serpenting subtlety could get no ground; craft and artful management do not always effect the wonders they pretend to. What Dan came short of doing, it seems, his neighbours the Ephraimites in part did for him; they put the Amorites under tribute, v. 35.
Upon the whole matter it appears that the people of Israel were generally very careless both of their duty and interest in this thing; they did not what they might have done to expel the Canaanites and make room for themselves. And, 1. It was owing to their slothfulness and cowardice. They would not be at the pains to complete their conquests; like the sluggard, that dreamed of a lion in the way, a lion in the streets, they fancied insuperable difficulties, and frightened themselves with winds and clouds from sowing and reaping. 2. It was owing to their covetousness; the Canaanites’ labour and money would do them more good (they thought) than their blood, and therefore they were willing to let them live among them, that they might make a hand of them. 3. They had not that dread and detestation of idolatry which they ought to have had; they thought it a pity to put these Canaanites to the sword, though the measure of their iniquity was full, thought it would be no harm to let them live among them, and that they should be in no danger from them. 4. The same thing that kept their fathers forty years out of Canaan kept them now out of the full possession of it, and that was unbelief. Distrust of the power and promise of God lost them their advantages, and ran them into a thousand mischiefs. (Henry, M. (1994). Matthew Henry’s commentary on the whole Bible: complete and unabridged in one volume (p. 330). Peabody: Hendrickson.)
1:34 Amorites forced … Dan Like all other tribes, Dan had a territory given them, but they failed to claim the power of God to conquer that territory. Later they capitulated even more by accepting defeat and migrating to another territory in the N, becoming idolatrous (Jdg 18). (MacArthur, J. F., Jr. (2006). The MacArthur study Bible: New American Standard Bible. (Jdg 1:34). Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 34. And the Amorites forced the children of Dan into the mountain, &c.] Into the mountainous part of the tribe of Dan; the most noted mountains in it were Seir and Baalah, which lay on the border of Judah, Josh. 15:10, 11. Joppa in this tribe was built on an high rock, and so Gibbethon, as its name seems to import, perhaps was built on a hill or mountain, as were the cities after mentioned: for they would not suffer them to come down to the valley; which lay between Joppa and Cæsarea, the plain of Sharon, in which were Lydda, Jamnia, &c. which belonged to their tribe, and they afterwards enjoyed; see the note on Josh. 19:48. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 2, p. 283). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
34. Forced the children of Dan into the mountain, into the mountainous parts of their lot; down to the valley, the plain bordering on the Mediterranean, where the Amorites had chariots of iron (cf. ver. 19). Nor was this all. In three instances at least, even in the hill country, they gained a temporary mastery over the Danites, and were only checked and rendered tributary by the timely assistance of the descendants of Joseph. But, as a whole, the Danites “were so pressed and straitened by these Amoritish hordes, that they were finally induced to enlarge their possessions by seeking new quarters in a remote part of the land” (18:1; Josh. 19:47). (Welton, D. M. (1931). The Book of Judges (p. 18). The American Baptist Publication Society.)
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!!)
PROVIDENCE AND HISTORY
Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.
Romans 1:21-22
You get the same type of revelation [as seen in creation and nature] in what is commonly called providence: the ordering of things in this world, their maintenance, their sustenance, and the fact that everything keeps on going and continues in life.
How is all this explained? Well, ultimately it is a question of providence. Through the ordering of providence, the seasons, the rain and the snow, and the fructification of crops are all manifestations of God.
The third aspect of general revelation is history. The whole history of the world, if we could but see it, is a revelation of God.
But now we have to say that in and of itself general revelation is not sufficient. It ought to be sufficient, but it is not. And that, it seems to me, is Paul’s argument in Romans 1:20, where he says, “They are without excuse.” The evidence is there, but that has not been enough. Why? Because of sin. If men and women were not sinners, by looking at the miracles and the works of God in creation, in providence and in history, they would be able to arrive, by a process of reasoning, at God. But because of their sin, they do not; they deliberately turn their backs upon doing so. That is the great argument in the remainder of Romans 1. Paul says, “Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools” (verses 21-22). And he goes on to say that they began to worship the creature rather than the Creator.
A Thought to Ponder: The whole history of the world, if we could but see it, is a revelation of God. (From God the Father, God the Son, pp. 14-15. By Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Behold, You desire truth in the innermost being. PSALM 51:6
Sometimes in the midst of correcting your kids, you can easily lose sight of the main reason you discipline them in the first place. It’s not just to get their clothes picked up or to eat the meal you’ve prepared or to stop hitting a sibling. The reason for discipline is to develop inner character, the kind that knows and is learning how to respond to life’s challenges.
The core of a baseball is made of hard rubber. But imagine if the core were marshmallow. What would happen as the string wrapped around it or when a bat smacked it hard several times? It would smush into a mess.
It’s the inside that counts—the character you’re growing in your children.
As life begins to happen, as circumstances and decisions begin to wrap around them, it’s their character that will hold them together.
Barbara and I define character as “response-ability”—the ability to make the right choices in response to authority and to life’s circumstances. From the time your children leave the cradle, your work as a parent is to turn life situations into teaching situations, growing their “response-ability” one day at a time, teaching them how to respond to you, to others, to life and to God.
In the next few days, you’ll have plenty of opportunities either to overreact to your children’s behavior or to address the roots of their development—to deal with externals or to train their hearts. Remember, you’re growing character here. It’s only the ones who grow strong at the center—especially as character is strengthened by commitment to God’s Word—who are able to hold up to the challenges they will face in life.
DISCUSS
One of the biggest challenges to a parent is building character on the fly—in the midst of a busy schedule and a family with a multitude of different needs. Talk about how you can take advantage of natural teaching opportunities to train your children in how they should respond. (Moments with You Couples Devotional by Dennis and Barbara Rainey)
Genesis 18
The birth of Isaac is promised.
INSIGHT
Don’t you love hospitality? Isn’t it a pleasant experience to enter someone’s home and feel welcome? Hospitality is the mark of an open and giving heart.
The secret to hospitality is love. If you love your guests and go out of your way to make them feel loved, you will be an exceptional host or hostess.
Hospitality is such an important Christian character trait that elders in the church must be “hospitable” (1 Timothy 3:2).
Abraham was a man given to hospitality. Likewise, hospitality should be a trait in our own lives. (Quiet Walk)
Lift Up Your Eyes
My help comes from the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.
Psalm 121:2
The clouds hung low, blocking the horizon and limiting visibility to only a few hundred yards. The minutes dragged on. The effect on my mood was noticeable. But then, as afternoon approached, the clouds began to break, and I saw it: beautiful Pikes Peak, the most recognizable landmark of my city, flanked on each side by the mountain range. A smile broke over my face. I considered that even our physical perspective—our literal line of sight—can affect our spiritual vision. And I was reminded of the psalmist singing, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains” (Psalm 121:1). Sometimes we simply need to lift our eyes a bit higher!
The psalmist pondered where his help came from, maybe because the hilltops around Israel were dotted with altars to pagan gods and often contained robbers. Or it could have been because the psalmist looked up beyond the hills to Mount Zion where the temple stood and remembered that the Maker of heaven and earth was his covenant God (v. 2). Either way, to worship we must look up. We have to lift our eyes higher than our circumstances, higher than our troubles and trials, higher than the empty promises of the false gods of our day. Then we can see the Creator and Redeemer, the One who calls us by name. He’s the One who will “watch over your coming and going” today and forevermore (v. 8). (By Glenn Packiam, Our Daily Bread)
THE HOLY SPIRIT AND COMMON GRACE
That was the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world.
John 1:9
It is the Holy Spirit who is responsible for what is called common grace. Let me give you some definitions of what that means. Common grace is the term applied to those general blessings that God imparts to all men and women indiscriminately as He pleases—not only to His own people, but to all men and women, according to His own will. Or, again, common grace means those general operations of the Holy Spirit in which, without renewing the heart, He exercises a moral influence whereby sin is restrained, order is maintained in social life, and civil righteousness is promoted. That is the general definition.
The Holy Spirit has been operative in this world from the very beginning, and He has had His influence and His effect upon men and women who are not saved and who have gone to perdition. While they were in this life and world they came under these general, non-saving operations of the Holy Spirit. That is what we mean by common grace
Now, how does the Holy Spirit do this? Well, there are various answers to that question. You will remember that we are told in the prologue of John’s Gospel about “the true Light, which lights everyman” (John 1:9). It does not matter how you translate that verse.“…the true Light, which lights every man that comes into the world,” says the King James Version; “the Light that lights every man was coming into the world,” says another. This light [that Christ puts in every person] is a kind of natural light, natural understanding. It is the light that is in the conscience, and there is that light of conscience in every person born into this world. Now that is one of the operations of the Holy Spirit in what is called common grace. It is a light that comes from Christ, because He is the Head of the human race, but it is the Holy Spirit who puts that light into everyone who is born.
A Thought to Ponder
Common grace is the term applied to those general blessings that God imparts to all men and women indiscriminately.
(From God the Holy Spirit, p. 24, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
Many Books
“And further, by these, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.” (Ecclesiastes 12:12)
It seems amazing, at first, that we should be reading a complaint from almost 3,000 years ago that too many books were already being published. The greatest book, of course, is the collection of 66 books known as the Bible—that is, the Book (which is the meaning of “Bible”). This Book has been “for ever…settled in heaven” and “endureth for ever” (Psalm 119:89, 160).
The first mention of “book” in the Bible is found in Genesis 5:1: “This is the book of the generations of Adam.” Similarly, the first mention of “book” in the New Testament is Matthew 1:1: “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ.” These “books” are now incorporated into the Book and, in a striking way, emphasize the continuity of Old and New Testaments—the one dealing with the first Adam, the other with the last Adam.
The final mentions of “book” also are very important, again dealing not with books that are temporal but with books that are eternal. In the Old Testament we have the beautiful promise of Malachi 3:16: “Then they that feared the LORD spake often one to another: and the LORD hearkened, and heard it, and a book of remembrance was written before him for them that feared the LORD, and that thought upon his name.”
The final mention of “book” in the Bible, on the other hand, is a sober warning not to tamper with the Book. “If any man shall take away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take away his part out of the book of life, and out of the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book” (Revelation 22:19). Let us honor it, guard it, believe it, and follow it. (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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