2025 Intermediate Biblical Accounts
Notes from Pastor Andrew J. Manuse upon reading "The One Year Chronological Bible" reading plan, from Tyndale House Publishers (https://tyndalebibles.com). This commentary is not a comprehensive line-by-line interpretation, but rather a collection of interpretations that stuck out from the reading for each day studied.
1st Chronicles 2:9-55; 1 Chronicles 4:1-23; 1 Samuel 1:1-8
Each of the genealogies of Chronicles helps us understand the origin and relationships of the people in the stories we read about later, and they are relevant and worthy of study and reference. The Bible includes them for purpose.
King David's lineage, which is also Yeshua's lineage, includes three Gentile wom dxmmen who clung to the God of Israel; namely, Tamar, Rahab and Ruth. These three women represent Gentiles who would become a part of Israel through faith in Yeshua. We must have like faith, willing to give up the world we came from and fully embrace our identity as adopted sons and daughters of Israel.
Jabez, in Hebrew Yabaetz (יַעְבֵּץ), shows up in two verses, 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, but his testimony is huge. As it is said, "less is more," and that is surely the case for this man. Scripture doesn't even tell of his lineage, but this important point is not accidental, for it points to the man he prophetically represents. His name means sorrow and pain, and his mother gave him this name on account of her pain in childbirth. We know another man of sorrows who would come, and he would be prophesied as such by Isaiah 53:3: "He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." In the case of Yabaetz, he too was despised and rejected by even his own mother, and yet God said in His Word that Yabaetz was more honorable than his brothers. His prayer is worth contemplating: "If only You would greatly bless me, and enlarge my territory. Let Your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I might not suffer pain.” We also read: "Adonai granted what he asked.” In humility, this man asked God to help him overcome his negative reputation and circumstances and give him blessing. Messiah Yeshua, who Jabez prophetically represents, would overcome man's hatred toward Him and He indeed would rule over the entire creation as the visible form of God.
Elkanah's two wives, Peninnah and Hannah, are prophetically symbolic and part of Scripture's overarching theme involving two women. Israel is one woman, and the other is the Whore of Babylon. Peninnah (Babylon) represents those who are wealthy and privileged in this world, but who do not look kindly at those who are humble in spirit and aligned with God and His Word. She even steps all over her "sister" to obtain favor in her husband's eyes. But Hannah (Israel) was humble. She would weep and fast in front of God's altar in the House of the LORD. She was not yet ready to bear children, but her time would come. 1 Peter 5:6-7 reads: "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." Names are important in Scripture. Peninnah comes from paniyn (פָנִין), meaning pearls, rubies, or precious stones. While she may glimmer in the world and attract the eye and man's favor, she has a heart of stone. Hannah, from chanan (חָנַן), means to be gracious or to show favor, representing the one who keeps herself humble in the world and waits on God in all faith, knowing that God will deliver her. The character of God's people is the same in all Scripture.
1 Samuel 1:9-28; 1 Samuel 2; 1 Samuel 3; 1 Samuel 4:1-11
Hannah offered up her firstborn son as an offering to the LORD, and because of her willingness to give her first and her best to God, the LORD greatly blessed her with three more sons and two daughters after Samuel was given to the LORD. Hannah is a prophetic type for Miriam, the mother of Yeshua; they shared a humble attitude toward the LORD, exalting and praising His name despite their difficulties and accepting what He provided with gratitude. Miriam may have drawn from 1st Samuel 2 in the prayer she offered up to the LORD in Luke 1, but she certainly had her own experience with the LORD. All women everywhere ought to have hearts like these two Proverbs 31 women.
Once Samuel was in the service to the LORD, he fulfilled his duty even though all was not right around him. He obeyed God, despite his difficulties. His heart was pure, and the LORD saw this, for He called Samuel into the ministry by waking him from his sleep three times. It's interesting to note the verse explaining a delay in Samuel's understanding: "Now Samuel had not experienced Adonai yet, since the Word of Adonai had not yet been revealed to him." On the surface, we might just look at this as the reason why Samuel had not prophesied yet, but on a deeper level we can see that the Holy Spirit only prophesies through men who know the Word of the LORD. This is confirmed toward the end of chapter 3, where we read: "Adonai revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the Word of Adonai.” We know from John 1 that the Word became flesh and dwelt among men as Yeshua the Messiah, but here we see that Yeshua is the same, yesterday and forever, for He was always with God, even from the beginning, and He always was God. The Word was the only way for man to come into relationship with God, even before He was begotten into human flesh.
The Word now spoke through Samuel who was about to help Israel rise above the oppression of the Philistines, but first God would use the enemy to remove that which was holding the nation back. Eli's wicked sons would die in battle and the Philistines would capture the Ark of the Covenant, because Israel was treating it like an idol. Rather than appeal to Heaven, they appealed to the ark. God was working to set their hearts right, though it would still take some time. Eli, for his part, was like the Romans 1 condemned who approved of those who practiced evil. As believers in Yeshua, we cannot do this. We must not accept evil, but rather expose it.
1 Samuel 4:12-22; 1 Samuel 5; 1 Samuel 6; 1 Samuel 7, 1 Samuel 8
The glory departed from Israel as the people turned from God yet again; Eli's sons had corrupted the people. We cannot allow rebellious sin within the camp, or the whole church will fall. In its state, Israel was treating the Ark like an idol, a god among the foreign gods they served and the Ashtaroth they had set up. God will not accept such syncretism. Israel was defeated, and the ark was captured. Eli, his sons, and his son's wife all died and the era of peace was over.
Meanwhile, the LORD meant to teach the Philistines a lesson. Israel should have known better, but the Philistines were ignorant and likewise saw God as one of the gods among the gods. Yahweh was about to show them His supremacy as the eternal Creator of all in heaven and on earth. Now He would humiliate the representation for Dagon. The Philistines worshipped their ancestor Ham who had conquered the great flood, from their perspective, and Dagan was his representation. No man would ever be exalted above God, and nor would any principality or power in the spiritual realm. Their statue representation was destroyed twice and the men began to develop tumors (hemeroids) and mice brought plague into their villages. Sadly, they didn't learn the Truth and sought to send "Yahweh" back to "His place," from their perspective, even though Yahweh was King over all the Heavens and all the Earth and the earth is merely His footstool. They knew enough to send offerings with the Ark, but they didn't know enough to put away their own gods. They even developed superstitions on account of the experience (don't step on the threshold), showing their ignorance.
Israel received the Ark back with thanksgiving, but the people had not properly humbled themselves before the LORD. In Beth-shemesh, 70 men died of 50,000 because they didn't have the right heart condition. Rather than get themselves right with God, they sought to send the Ark to Kiriath-jearim.
The people of Kiriath-jearim "yearned after Yahweh," and thus they were able to keep the ark for 20 years. Samuel instructed them, along with all Israel: “If you are returning to Adonai with all your heart, then remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, direct your hearts to Adonai and serve Him only." This was the heart condition needed to dwell in God's presence, but also to defeat the enemy. They responded well by gathering for a fast—likely a prophetic nod to Yom Kippur and atonement—by pouring water before the LORD (living water), and confessing: "We have sinned against Adonai." Samuel even sacrificed a lamb before the LORD. Their repentance was next. Now, they were ready to defeat their enemies. In the presence of the LORD, they struck the Philistines to such an extent that there was peace in the land all the days of Samuel.
When Samuel grew old Israel requested a King because Samuel's sons had also gone astray. The LORD told Samuel: "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, rather they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds that they have done since the day I brought them out of Egypt to this day—forsaking Me and worshiping other gods—so they are doing to you also." In other words, endure in persecution and allow the people to learn the hard way. In John 15:18-21, Yeshua said similarly: "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me." The surrounding text is beautiful to read and ought to remind us of who we serve in the midst of our persecution. We must endure in our faith despite the people around us who do not desire to follow the LORD. Those who endure will be saved, despite the hardships caused by sin and rebellion. The only King we need is Yeshua, even though we will have to endure the hardship of the kings men choose.
1 Samuel 9, 1 Samuel 10, 1 Samuel 11, 1 Samuel 12
When the Lord called Saul of Benjamin, he was a humble man in his father’s house, of a humble tribe that had been humbled by God. This was the type of man that the LORD could use for His purposes. Through Samuel, the prophet, God greatly exalted Saul and had him sit at the table of honor and take the anointing oil to lead Israel. It is important to note that Saul prophesied before the people, so that they coined the phrase, “Is Saul among the prophets?“ Within the text it is clear that the Spirit of God had come upon Saul, and that he was a saved believer in the Most High. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Saul indeed brought Israel together and destroyed the enemy that was before them, earning the goodwill of all the people. Saul also showed the patience of the Spirit by withholding judgment against men who opposed him. God reminded the people, who now had their victorious king, that they—now with their king—must serve God first or both the nation and their king would be judged. We know that a human king would not save Israel, but only the son of God could serve in this role as King.
1 Chronicles 9:35-39; 1 Samuel 13; 1 Samuel 14
Saul showed self obsortion and recklessness in battle, imposing his own religion on his men while neglecting to keep the commandments of God. He made an unlawful sacrifice to the LORD and was even ready to execute his son for disobeying an order he didn't know about. Meanwhile, Jonathan showed valor and courage as he prepared to take over for his father. That day would never come.
1 Samuel 15, 1 Samuel 16, 1 Samuel 17:1-31
I noticed something today in the narrative I hadn't previously seen. Samuel said to Saul: "Adonai sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, listen to the voice of the words of Adonai!" This is the same thing that we as followers of Yeshua ought to heed. God has anointed us with His Holy Spirit through our faith in Yeshua, we are kings and priests for Him—He who is the King of kings and Lord of lords—the High Priest for all eternity. Because of this, we ought to "listen to the voice of the words of the LORD!" Because of our faith and our salvation, we must obey God's commandments in Torah.
For his part, Saul created a false religion based on his own desires, something we must never do. God commanded him to destroy the Amalakites and all of their things. They were an evil, wicked people that God desired to wipe out, and Israel was His chosen vessel to carry out this judgment. Saul disobeyed, keeping Agag alive and the best of the cattle and flocks "to sacrifice" to God. He even reported to Samuel who rebuked him: "But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD." Hardly! As James said in James 2:10: "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." This is meant to be read positively. Samuel, who later hacked Agag to pieces, obeyed the voice of the LORD and announced Saul's deposition as king. Saul lost the Holy Spirit; His salvation was lost. God desires obedience, not sacrifice. When we obey, we worship Yeshua. When we sacrifice in opposition to God's command, we actually demonstrate our disobedience. Though Saul confessed: "I have sinned," the confession was not enough. His heart was to continue walking according to his own ways. We can see this when he said to Samuel: "please, honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me until I bow in worship to Adonai your God.” Besides the Truth that Saul said "Adonai YOUR God," showing his lack of faith, there is no one who deserves honor but the LORD.
God next sent Samuel to anoint David, the youngest and most humble in his family and within the tribe of Judah. Saul was once this way also, but the difference is this: Saul, once anointed, hid behind some bushels, while David, once anointed, took on a 10+-foot giant named Goliath. David was a shepherd, and all leaders in Israel, pastors included, must be shepherds of the sheep carrying a shepherd's staff of guidance and discipline. God looks upon our hearts and knows who we are and what we desire. When we truly desire to obey God and look upon Him humbly with praise and thanksgiving in our hearts, this is when the LORD will lift us up. When we are ready to go to battle, knowing the LORD will be with us to bring us to victory, this is when the LORD will lift us up. We must be men like David.
Goliath defied God's armies and all of Israel stood in fear. Like Saul their king, who feared men (and other creatures) instead of God, Israel lacked the faith needed for victory. But David, as one man, would not just chase 1,000 but He would defeat the giant who stood before Israel defying the LORD Himself. Giants were hybrids of fallen angels and human women (yes, this kept happening after Genesis 6, I believe). But no creature of rebellion could stand against a man who knows the LORD. No creature who defies God will stand. All will fall. David asked: who is this who defies the armies of the living God. This is the faith we must emulate. We too must stand up as God's anointed. As Yeshua said, with faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to a mountain to move an it will be cast into the sea. The mountains are made low and the valleys are raised when God is in control. Everyone bows before Him on level ground.
1 Samuel 17:32-58; 1 Samuel 18; 1 Samuel 19:1-17; Psalms 59; 1 Samuel 19:18-24
When we are serving the LORD with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, the enemy will send those who serve him—whether knowingly or unknowingly—to attempt to disrupt God's servant. Such was the case with David the man of God and Saul the man who lost his salvation. David defeated Goliath through faith, led Israel to victory over the Philistines multiple times through faith, but Saul could not get past his envy—he wanted to be worshipped like a god and David was reminding him that he was not God. Saul even attempted to use his daughter's hand in marriage to entrap David, but when Saul asked for 100 dead Philistines, David brought 200 for Michal, clearly blessed by the LORD. Jonathan, a man of God himself, gravitated toward his fellow God-fearer rather than his father, who had become evil. We might look to Solomon's wisdom in this matter: "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" and "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." When we are knit together with our fellow brothers and sisters in Messiah Yeshua, there is no other tie that is stronger. Those who lock shields and stand shoulder-to-shoulder in faith with the LORD will live in eternity together, and encouraging these brothers to endure is our number two priority after serving God Himself.
When David prayed for the LORD to deliver him from his enemies, the LORD answered his prayer time and time again. He even captivated Saul's servants and even Saul himself with an overwhelming spiritual experience to take them off track from hunting down David. Was the experience authentic, or were they falsely prophesying? The text doesn't say. Considering that Saul had an evil spirit, my vote is for the latter.
1 Samuel 20:1-41; 1 Samuel 21:1-16; Psalms 34
David's fears were confirmed: Saul sought his life. Now Jonathan was at risk for siding with the righteous over the unjust. Saul had become an agent of Satan, and yet Jonathan maintained his faith and sided with his brother David.
Now running from the king, David sought food from the priest for him and his troop. To save a life, the priest gave day-old consecrated bread that was meant only for the priests. Was this a prophetic nod to David's offspring Yeshua, the Seed, who would be both a king and a priest? He also armed David with the sword he had won. The LORD would still bring justice to the righteous, despite the king's turn away from it.
David fled out of the land of Israel to the land of the enemy, to Achish, king of Gath. He feigned madness—a deception—again, to preserve life. These two stories together show that the LORD is willing to overlook smaller matters when there are weightier matters at stake—His mercy endures forever.
Indeed, David saw it this way also as he wrote in Psalm 34, "I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears." Not Saul, not Achish, there was no one to fear but the LORD. And indeed, the LORD saved David out of all his troubles. Even within the enemy camp, the LORD sent his angels to surround David and his men to protect His righteous ones and He give them refuge in Him.
1 Samuel 22:1-23; Psalm 57; Psalm 142; 1 Chronicles 12:9-19; 1 Samuel 23:1-12; Psalm 52
The LORD prepared the man David, a man after His own heart, by bringing him in to serve Saul in the court by playing the harp, observing all of his official business. He prepared David by having him defeat the lion and the bear in defense of his sheep, so he could defeat Goliath the giant and gain renown for God. He prepared David by putting him in position to lead Saul's armies, defending Israel and bringing God's people victory through his unyielding faith. Now, God was preparing David by testing his faith in times of trial and tribulation, strengthening him for total dependance on God for everything he would face. He could not control Saul's evil actions, but he could protect those in his care by the strength and power of the LORD. Those who came to him became just as mighty as he, on account of faith. With 400 men, he traveled freely throughout the region, defeating the enemies of God all around and continuing the work of the LORD to prepare the kingdom. He made peace with Israel's enemies and defeated those who would not make peace. His prayer was for the LORD to fight for him, the one who depended on the LORD for everything. Because God is faithful, and David full of trust in the LORD, David's prayers would be answered.
1 Samuel 23:13-28; Psalms 54; 1 Samuel 24:2-23; 1 Samuel 25
Though the LORD gave Saul into David's hand, David had mercy on him, perhaps hoping to deliver him from destruction. Saul revealed his hand. His concern was earthly legacy, not eternal reward. He asked David to preserve his house, and this is something David would do, but what about Saul's soul? The LORD would deal with that later.
Nabal was a worthless man deserving of death, much like Saul, but David didn't show him the same pity that he showed Saul. It took a righteous woman, Nabal's wife Abigail, to reveal the need for David's impartiality. Abagail showed such humility and grace that David relented from bringing destruction on Nabal's household, leaving vengeance to the LORD. May we all have such women in our lives to direct our hearts toward righteousness. David also deserves credit for pivoting toward the Way of God when he was reminded of it. May we all speak such life into one another. The LORD indeed brought vengeance against Nabal for slighting David and his men and living in selfish indulgence, forsaking the Way of God. Following Nabal's death, David became Abigail's redeemer and provided her with a life of blessing in the kingdom of God's anointed.
1 Samuel 26; 1 Samuel 27:1-7; 1 Chronicles 12:1-3, 5-8; 1 Samuel 27:8-12; 1 Samuel 28; 1 Samuel 29; 1 Chronicles 12:20; Psalms 56
Saul continued to pursue David even though David had shown him mercy, and this second time the LORD put a deep sleep on Saul so David could literally walk right up to his head while he slept and claim his spear. David then took the opportunity to explain to the king how his life was spared, because the lives of God's people are precious, even when they are straying, and Saul returned home. David judged rightly that judgment belongs to the LORD alone against the LORD's people who fall away. But even this wasn't enough. It wasn't until David fled to Achish, king of Gath of the Philistines, that Saul stopped pursuing him. David proclaimed the Word of the LORD against Saul and his men who kept pursuing him, saying: "If Adonai has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if men have done so, then cursed are they before Adonai, because they have now driven me out that I would not cling to Adonai’s inheritance, saying: ‘Go, worship other gods.’" David, willing to repent if he had done wrong, would not worship other gods in Gath, but he was forced to flee from his inheritance in Judah, and the curse of God for rebellion would fall on Saul and his men for their evil.
When David fled to Gath, he pursued the ancient enemies of Israel that still inhabited lands that God had given to the 12 tribes. He could tell Achish that he was attacking Israel while in the process of actually liberating Israel from the enemies God gave into his hand. There were men from various Israeli tribes now joining him in this effort, and Achish was pacified. David went so far as to trust the LORD in a final battle against Saul's armies—the LORD would not allow David to fight against His own people. Who knows what David had planned—we know only that He trusted God, and God delivered him. David prayed: "in God I trust, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? I am under vows to You, O God. I will present thank offerings to You. For You have delivered my soul from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” The Philistine generals made Achish send David away, and David was spared from having to make a difficult decision.
Meanwhile, Saul had fallen fully into evil, for he consulted a medium, and by this sin God would destroy him and all of his sons. He called up the spirit of Samuel from the grave, who prophesied God's final judgment against him. Saul would die a tormented, self-centered, egotistical heathen, leaving room for David to take the throne. While Jonathan died with his father, the covenant he made with the LORD and David indicates his eternal redemption.
1 Samuel 30; 1 Chronicles 12:21-23; 1 Samuel 31; 1 Chronicles 10; 1 Chronicles 9:40-44; 2 Samuel 4:4; 2 Samuel 1
God did not leave or forsake faithful David. Although David suffered tribulation in this world, even losing his entire stronghold to the Amalekites, the LORD worked with David's faith to fully deliver him and his Mighty Men. David proved to be just as a leader, rewarding his whole troop of 600 with the spoils of war, even though 200 had not gone with him. David gave credit for the victory to the LORD, for the LORD helps us to prevail in battle, and he shared alike with all of the people who followed him so they could all bless the LORD together. For this reason, David's army became "like the army of God."
Saul and his sons, even Jonathan, died in battle just as Samuel had prophesied from beyond the grave. Saul, for his part, committed suicide, one of few in Scripture to do this. Almost like Judas Iscariot, he had betrayed the LORD and His people Israel by turning toward wickedness. His body was burned, a sign of judgment for his "unfaithful acts that he committed against the Word of the LORD, which he did not keep," including consulting a medium, something that should not be done in Israel. Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, would remain his legacy, a crippled man.
Despite the envy that Saul had toward David, this man of God still honored the king of Israel, even in his death. This is a lesson that echoes Romans 13—"let every soul be subject to the governing authorities"—a teaching from Paul, who was also a Benjamite like Saul. David honored the king of Israel for his position, even though the king had not honored him, because he was anointed by the LORD and raised up to his position by God. He wept over Jonathan whom he had a brotherhood with like the servants of Yeshua have together today. When two men love the LORD together, they experience the truth of Proverbs 18:24: "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." This was Jonathan and David.
2 Samuel 2; 2 Samuel 3:1-5; 1 Chronicles 3:1-4; 2 Samuel 23:8-7; 1 Chronicles 11:10-19; 2 Samuel 23:18-39; 1 Chronicles 11:20-47
It's sad to read, but certainly expected that Saul's men would seek to keep the throne, even after Saul's death, but God didn't intend to have a succession of kings from Saul. David was chosen as the LORD's anointed, and thus he would become king, first of Judah, and then of all Israel, and David's sons would lead to the promised Messiah. It would take some time, but it would happen nonetheless. The long-time David waited to become king is symbolic for the LORD's timeframe for ultimately bringing forth Messiah Yeshua. As it pertains to David's part, he had already waited 20 years to take the throne. His faith was unfailing, and the LORD would certainly be faithful to David for this.
David was so just that he would not drink water brought back by his men at risk to their life. He would not allow others to serve him in this way without them sharing in the benefit. Like our LORD Yeshua, David would consider others more highly than himself, even though he was the LORD's anointed.
In the version I'm reading, it appears as though David selected three men to be closest to him out of the 37 mighty men that were his closest allies. "Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the Three." "Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men." "And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite." Yeshua also had three closest to Him: Peter, James and John. This is a model for the LORD's ministry. One disciples three, who then disciple three, and so on. David was following this model, too.
Of interest, David began accumulating wives, which was in opposition to Torah. Was it rebellious sin or something else? Scripture does not say. He had many sons, but they were not elevated to lead until Solomon, the son from Bathsheba, the wife that came from certain, rebellious sin. He repented, and was forgiven. Indeed, the LORD does seek out those who were lost, the sinners, so that they might repent and be saved.
2 Samuel 3:6-49; 2 Samuel 4
In all of the clamor to support David and unite Israel, several men chose to take matters into their own hands rather than wait on God along with David. In revenge for the loss of his brother, Joab ruthlessly killed Abner, who had been trying to peacefully unite the tribes, and Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the sons of Benjami, murdered Saul's son Ish-bosheth, who was already defeated. David had mercy on Joab because his was a wartime act in the field and Joab was his mighty man servant, but he also made a public display of his displeasure and honored Abner as a servant of the former king. Perhaps there was an element of manslayer guilt on Abner's head that David also accounted for. Nevertheless, much later, David instructed his son Solomon to bring justice against Joab for his many acts of defiance and disobedience. Baanah and Rechab murdered Ish-bosheth in his own home, and thus they were given capital punishment for this great evil. David knew that the LORD would save him from all distress, and he did not need man to help him. This is a tough lesson for some men to accept, but it's true and applies to us all.
2 Samuel 5:1-3; 1 Chronicles 11:1-3; 1 Chronicles 12:24-41; 2 Samuel 5:17-25; 1 Chronicles 14:8-17; 2 Samuel 5:6-10; 1 Chronicles 11:4-9; 2 Samuel 5:13; 2 Samuel 5:4-5; 2 Samuel 5:11-12; 1 Chronicles 14:1-2; 1 Chronicles 13:1-5; 2 Samuel 6:1-11; 1 Chronicles 13:6-14
Israel anointed David king, recognizing his anointing from God, and this is how all leaders must be appointed in Israel. They said in 2 Samuel 5:1-3: "Even before, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel out and back" ALSO: "The LORD said to David: 'You will shepherd My people Israel..." We can see that a leader must do the work of the position he is being called into before receiving the title. The elders elevate a leader once he has already proven himself capable. Also, the leader must not be elevated unless God Himself calls him to that position. We can see these principles all over: Judges 2:18: "Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them..." In 1st Corinth. 12:28, Paul said God appoints leaders. In Ephesians 4:11-12, we see Messiah Yeshua "Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Messiah,..." In Acts 20:28, Paul said: "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." And in Titus 1:5, Paul told Titus: "appoint elders in every city...."
As David took the lead of Israel, he led them out to battle against the Philistines, who represent the spiritual hosts of wickedness we face in our life as Christians as we go out following King Yeshua. Note: Yeshua said, I am the vine, you are the branches, without Me you can do nothing. David knew this well, and the king went to the LORD before every victorious battle, asking Him whether to go and then how to fight the battle. God never did things the same twice, and so we too ought to build a relationship with Yeshua so He can guide us through our battles. God wants us fully reliant on Him. Against the Philistines in the valley of Rephaim, God said to "go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand." The next time they were in the valley, God said: "Do not go up; instead circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees." The LORD would actually go out before Israel and strike the camp first, and with the LORD leading Israel into battle, "David struck the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer." The LORD also commanded David to go into Jerusalem and showed him to use the water tunnels to get into the fortified city. It was so fortified, even the blind or lame could fight invaders off, but with the LORD, the Jebusites were defeated and David set up Jerusalem as Israel's capital, as the LORD had desired.
David thought to bring the ark of the LORD up to Jerusalem, but he did this hastily, and this is also a lesson for us that we ought to wait on the LORD before we act. We might think we're doing something sacred by honoring the LORD in the way our heart desires, even coming up with new religious acts or ceremonies that God did not command, but that is not how God has commanded us to worship Him, and we will suffer for it. Rather, the LORD told us to go out when He goes out, and stay in place when He stays in place. This is evident in the cloud by day and fire by night that led Israel in the wilderness and the Spirit that blows like the wind in John 3, and only those who know Yeshua are born of the Spirit and can follow it. And David knew Yeshua, but like all of us he fell back on his own strength after a series of victories. We all get to the place where God is blessing us so much we forget that God is behind the blessings and begin to think it is our own strength that is bringing the blessings. This is a dangerous place to be, because this is when we might do things our own way causing others to get hurt. Uzzah was a casualty of David's pride. David did not do things God's way by using the Levites to move the Ark, but instead put the Ark on a cart, which God had not commanded. God grew angry at David for doing things his own way, and struck Uzzah who was not qualified to move the Ark, per God's commands. David was angry, also, but not at the LORD as we might assume. He was angry at himself for failing to humble himself before God. He blamed himself rightly for Uzzah's death. We read: "David feared God that day, saying, 'How can I ever bring the Ark of God to me?'" This is hte proof that David was angry at himself. The answer to his question is simple, though, and David would later discern it: We can't move the Ark on our own strength, but when we do it God's way, it will be easy. We can't do anything for the LORD our own way. We must do things the way the LORD commanded.
2 Samuel 6:12; 1 Chronicles 15:1-28; 2 Samuel 6:13-16; 1 Chronicles 15:29; 2 Samuel 6:17-19; 1 Chronicles 16; 2 Samuel 6:19-23
David had spent time studying the Word to determine how he ought to worship God and keep His commandments, and now he was prepared to bring the Ark to Jerusalem—in the manner the LORD prescribed. He commanded the priests to sanctify themselves so they could do what the LORD commanded to carry the ark. The people called to do the will of the LORD must be set apart from the world. We must have lips full of thanksgiving and praise, and hearts full of joy and peace. In worship, we offer the sound of the shofar, the silver trumpets, the cymbals, the tambourines, the lyres and the harps, but most importantly we do so willingly, humbling ourselves before the LORD. Those focused on worldly wisdom will disdain the godly for worshipping God, but the LORD will ultimately disdain the critics and hold up those who humble themselves before Him. We ought to share gifts with one another and freely celebrate with the abundance the LORD has given us when we come together for His feast days. David ordered continual praise, worship, gifts, and other service before the LORD, just as Paul said: Pray without ceasing. Rejoice always! In everything, with prayer and supplication, make your requests known to God. This is relationship!
2 Samuel 7:1-17; 1 Chronicles 17:1-15; 2 Samuel 7:18-29; 1 Chronicles 17:16-27; 2 Samuel 8:1-14; 1 Chronicles 18:1-13; Psalm 60
When David sought to build a house for the LORD, God told him "no." Rather, God said, David's son would build a house for God. It was God who desired to build a house for David and all Israel—the people of God who love Him and keep His commandments. This prophesy given through Nathan in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17 is an inaugurated eschatology, meaning that it has both a near-term fulfillment and a long-term fulfillment. Of course David, and not even Solomon, could build a house for the LORD to dwell in. Solomon even acknowledged this when he completed the temple in Jerusalem for God. Nevertheless, God desired to bless David—the man after His own heart—by allowing his son Solomon to build the temple, and by so doing He set up a living parable for the Temple that David's son Yeshua the Messiah would build for His people Israel forever. God would build a house for Israel. David's Son Yeshua would build a house for God. It's the same house, the eternal dwelling place for God and all His people, and the same builder. In the same way that Adam had to sin so his sons could choose God through Yeshua and be redeemed unto obedience, the temple in Israel had to be built so God could show Israel that His Son would need to be crucified and then raised up in order to establish a dwelling place for His people.
We ought to emulate David's heart of humility and pure adoration for the LORD, for he was a model for how all men ought to behave after him. Even in the aftermath of his sin, which we will read about soon, David still exhibited a righteous heart when he repented and asked for the LORD's mercy, fully throwing himself upon the LORD for whatever judgment He desired to bring. The LORD would judge David rightly and harshly, destroying four of his sons and leaving him to face hardship for the rest of his life, but even in this hardship David's faith persisted and endured until the end. We see his heart condition on display as he faced Israel's many enemies all the way to the Euphrates River, up into Assyria and down into Egypt. His son Solomon would link shields with Ethiopia, and the Kingdom of Israel would rest on most of the lands of the known world. One day, this same thing will occur, and after all the enemies of the LORD will be destroyed, all the peoples of the Earth will serve the LORD forever. Like David, we must remain humble and bless the LORD for all that He accomplishes in victory for His people Israel, not falling away into fear or doubt during times of trouble, but full trust, adoration and praise.
2 Samuel 8:15-18; 1 Chronicles 18:14-17; 1 Chronicles 6:1-15; 1 Chronicles 6:35-38; 1 Chronicles 6:16-33; 2 Samuel 9; 2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 19
When David reigned over Israel he "executed justice and righteousness for all his people," and those people included the vassals who were in service to Israel from the Gentile nations. This is a prophetic picture for the Messianic reign of Messiah Yeshua. David did what was right according to God's law, and he interpreted it rightly, and everyone flourished because of it. David set up men from the Tribe of Levi to sing praises to the LORD constantly. How wonderful it would be if we had men dedicated to this purpose. Paul said: "pray without ceasing." "Praise without ceasing" is a form of this, for we ought to pray, with thanksgiving. David didn't just rest in victory, but sought out additional ways to serve God and honor his word. He found a son of Jonathan from the house of Saul to honor, and had him sit at the king's table as if he was one of his own sons. Likewise, we too ought to let our yes be yes and our no be no, and we ought to go out and bring in those who have fallen, restoring them according to our word. David sought to deliver this same kindness and loyalty to the Gentiles, as Yeshua will do, but in this case Hanun the son of Nahash the Ammonite rejected him, which brought about a war. David defeated Ammon and their vassals the Arameans, because they fought against the LORD's anointed. Likewise, all who oppose Yeshua and the law of God will fall, but those who humble themselves before Him will be given grace.
1 Chronicles 20:1; 2 Samuel 11; 2 Samuel 12:1-14; Psalms 51; 2 Samuel 12:15-25; 2 Samuel 5:14-16; 1 Chronicles 14:3-7; 1 Chronicles 3:5-9
David sat out the battle and his idleness led him into sin. His eyes caught sight of a beautiful woman ritually purifying herself, but he didn't look away, and this was the birth of his sin. In the place where he saw Bathsheba naked, his son would lie with 10 of his concubines—a complete judgment. To look at a woman with lust is to commit adultery, and that sin left uncontrolled led to the actual act and then to deceit and murder. Sin, left alone, begets more sin. But God loved David and had mercy on him. He sent Nathan the prophet to rebuke him. Had David not repented, he would have died, but the parable of Nathan led David to repentance. The wisdom of God convicted him. He wrote Psalm 51, one of the best prayers for repentance in all of Scripture. May we all share David's heart. Just as the king had passed judgment against the hypothetical man in Nathan's parable, God would so judge David for his evil. He lost four sons. He lost his kingdom for a time, and he faced discord for the rest of his days. Sin has consequences, but at least David's soul was restored on account of the LORD's grace. Never again would he sin, and he would humbly face the tribulation he bought with his own actions. He is a model of restoration for us all.
2 Samuel 12:26-31; 1 Chronicles 20:2-3; 2 Samuel 13; 2 Samuel 14
Joab and David have a very strange relationship and it would not end well, but the signs of Joab's rebellion against the king begin in today's reading. He was out serving the king and then exclaimed that he would name a city after himself if David did not come out and take it himself. David took the city for God and devoted the inhabitants to serve in woodworking and construction for Israel. There was no further word of any disagreement until Joab deceived David to bring home Absalom, who had taken revenge against his brother Amnon for raping his sister Tamar. These would be the second and third of David's lost sons on account of his own rebellion against God. Tamar was also disgraced and would not be able to marry. The king ceded knowingly to Joab's manipulation to bring Absalom home, showing mercy and grace, but even then the young man showed himself ruthless. He demanded his father's ear, and burned Joab's field to intimidate the man into his service. This would not bode well for either of them. A godly man does not force his will on others, but waits on the LORD and turns to prayer with thanksgiving.
David would have likely given Tamar to Amnon had he asked, but then young man did not have the character. He took what didn't belong to him—forbidden fruit, and would suffer for it. His lust turned into hate once the deed was done. When we seek after what we shouldn't have and take it, there will be no satisfaction in it—no joy—no peace. Only when we wait on the LORD for His blessings, grateful for what He has given already, can we live in peace and joy knowing that the LORD is in relationship with us.
2 Samuel 15; 2 Samuel 16; 2 Samuel 17:1-14
David accepted the continued judgment of God against him and trusted the LORD to deliver him out of it. Absalom, who had plotted for 40 years to overthrow his father, had never repented of murdering his brother Amnon. He resented his father for not taking his side, even though David had allowed his errant son to remain in exile as a mercy—the law called for death. Absalom never understood mercy. David's love extended so far that it cost him—he would be betrayed by the son he pardoned and allowed to return to Jerusalem; there, Absalom underhandedly usurped the hearts of the people. Absalom also had the council of Ahithophel, who was Bathsheba's grandfather. Ahithophel let his anger for David's sin get the better of him, and he used his great wisdom to commit evil. Only David honored the Word of God, which notes that vengeance is the LORD's and He shall repay. He would not strike Absalom, nor would he take down Mephibosheth and Shimei, who also betrayed him. While the LORD allowed Ahithophel's anger and Absalom's rebellion to judge David, once it was clear that David remained humble at heart—for the LORD had tested David's heart—the LORD turned Absalom's heart to listen to Hushai who was still loyal to David. All would be restored.
2 Samuel 17:15-29; Psalms 3; Psalms 63; 2 Samuel 18; 2 Samuel 19:1-31
Ahithophel, who took vengeance into his own hands, was brought low by his own pride. He killed himself because Absalom the rebel did not listen to him, even after he had defected. What else was left for him but shame of face? Had he repented, he would have had a chance. Without repentance and in self-murder, the man will burn in unquenchable fire.
Psalm 3 shows David prayed for deliverance from his enemies, including from his son. However, he did not rely on himself to bring vengeance, but he relied on the LORD to restore those who put the LORD first. For a righteous man, David's own good was never the primary focus; rather, the will of God is what mattered.
David sent out his army to defeat the rebellious who had sided with his son, but he desired mercy. He sought repentance. He prayed for God to intervene. Absalom built himself a monument, just as Saul had done, and David had seen how this ended before. He hoped this time would be different. Perhaps God would still have mercy yet and restore Absalom in humble defeat? David's men prevailed, and David hoped for this end, but Joab disobeyed his king and struck down Absalom instead of capturing him as David had commanded. Perhaps David wanted one more chance to reason with the lad; to try and bring him back to God. It doesn't matter that Joab's leadership brought victory. Even one act of disobedience was evil, and Joab deserved to die. How was he any different than Absalom? There is no loyalty in disobedience. And yet David also showed him grace, and even listened to his request to sit at the gate and be with the men who had fought for him. How can we not mourn over the death of the wicked, when our heart ought to desire their repentance and their return? David had waited for news to arrive of his men's victory. He was struck with sorrow that Absalom had followed Saul into Hell. How could a father not mourn his own son's destruction?
2 Samuel 19:32-44; 2 Samuel 20; Psalms 7; 2 Samuel 21; 1 Chronicles 20:4-8
It's interesting that Judah was slower to ask for David to return to Jerusalem than Israel. This strikes me as a prophesy about the second coming of Yeshua, who said the Jews would not see Him again until they say "Blessed is He who comes in the name of Yahweh." And yet, upon David's return, Judah celebrated his return, and Sheba led a rebellion of the other 10 tribes. Only a wise woman in Abel of Beth-Maacah was able to stay the onslaught of David's army, because she threw out the head of the rebel. When all believers stand with Yeshua to crush the head of the serpent, there will be unity of all under the King.
Joab continued to practice vengeance by his own hand. His story is tragic, and yet David continued to show him grace, hoping he would eventually repent. He didn't.
Like David, I also pray: “if I have paid back evil to anyone at peace with me, or unjustly attacked my adversary, then let the enemy chase me, overtake me, and trample me into the ground, leaving my honor in the dirt! ... Arise, Adonai, in Your anger, arise against the fury of my enemies! Awake for me! You decreed justice. Let an assembly of peoples gather around You and return on high, above them. Please, end the evil of the wicked and sustain the righteous. A just God examines hearts and minds. My shield is God— Savior of the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, a God who is indignant every day." The LORD is judge. We are not. Let us trust in Him alone and do His will.
Because of God's prompting, David brought justice against the house of Saul, who had murdered the Gibeonites because they were not born of Israel by blood. Saul had the false idea that only those born of Israel by blood could be among God's people—this is the same religion that plagues many today. It is by the blood of Yeshua alone that anyone is a part of Israel today. David brought the LORD's justice on Saul's sons for the injustice they brought against God's grafted-in people among Gibeon.
David grew too old for battle, but his men continued his legacy, even destroying Goliath's kin and the Philistines who supported them. The servants of the king will follow in his example and do as he did, just as the servants of Yeshua must do.
2 Samuel 22; Psalm 18
2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18 are a wonderful standard for praise and thanksgiving directed toward God as we face trials and tribulations and as the LORD rescues us from them all. These words certainly reflect what David experienced during his wilderness experience, but they also reflect the sacrifice of Yeshua Himself on the cross, and how He triumphed as God's righteous Right Hand, the Seed of Eve and the Seed of David. Yeshua is the rock from which living water flowed forth; our shield; our salvation (literally Yeshua in Hebrew); our refuge; our stronghold. He is worthy of all praise!
We ought to compare Ps. 22 with Jonah 2. Both are Messianic prophesies, especially where we read from Ps. 22: "Cords of Sheol coiled around me. Snares of death came before me. in my distress I called on Adonai... From His Temple, He heard my voice." And in Jonah 2, we read: "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction and He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice. Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple. The waters surrounded me ... weeds were wrapped around my head. ... Yet you have brought up my life from the pit..." In Matthew 27, we read: "A big group of soldiers gathered around Him. They took off His clothes and put a purple coat on Him. They put a crown of thorns on His head." In Luke 23, we read: "Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" and "And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” In Matthew 28, the angel said: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead..."
2 Samuel 24:1-9; 1 Chronicles 21:1-6; 2 Samuel 24:10-17; 1 Chronicles 21:7-17; 2 Samuel 24:18-25; 1 Chronicles 21:18-30; 1 Chronicles 22
The law of God is clear about taking a census of the children of Israel, and we can read the details in the Word of the LORD recorded in Exodus 30:12: “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them."
Once we understand the law of God, 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 makes more sense, but things become even more clear when we read the narrative. In 2 Samuel 24:1, we read: “Now the anger of the LORD again flared up against Israel, so He incited David against them saying, 'Go, number Israel and Judah.'" In 2 Chronicles 21:1, we read: “Then satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count Israel. So David told Joab and the leaders of the people, “Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Then bring me a report so I may know their number.”
First, whether we're reading that God Himself incited David or whether it is "ADVERSITY," which is the word "satan" in Hebrew, which incited David, we can see that the problem was with Israel, and not with David. The text says "the anger of the LORD again flared up AGAINST ISRAEL" and "Then adversity stood up AGAINST ISRAEL" in the two references. Israel was sinning and Israel was being judged for its sin. The text does not say what sin Israel committed, but we had just read that the nation had sided with Absalom against God's anointed king? Perhaps this was the reason for God's judgment? We can only guess, but I think this is a strong possibility. But we do know for sure, without a doubt, that God was judging Israel and not David.
God uses an Adversary to bring adversity against sin and rebellion of His people. This is a messenger that God Himself sends to do his work. We can even see the destroying angel later in the story obey the Word of God when God tells him to stop the plague. By the way, the punishment itself, which was a plague of three days, aligns perfectly with the law of God, and this is how we know the story is related to the law in Exodus 30. David asked the LORD to do His will, and we know that God's will is His Word. In any case, this "satan" in 1 Chronicles is likely not "the Satan" who rebelled against God, but rather a messenger God used to bring judgment. And it was God doing the action in both iterations of the story, just as He said in Isaiah 45:7: "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create CALAMITY; I, the LORD, do all these things.’" God's destroying angel brought the promised plague upon Israel for violating the law of the census in Exodus 30:12.
So God was judging Israel, not David, for the sin that Israel committed, and so next we have to look at the idea of who violated the law in Exodus 30:12: The law says: "When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom." We can see here that it is the responsibility of "every man" to give a ransom, and not the one who takes the census. Thus, it is clear that Israel sinned by not paying a ransom, and David again did not sin. Reading on to Exodus 30:13, we can see what the ransom is: "Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD." Keep this in mind, for at the end of this section, we will see that God Himself commanded David to buy the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite for the purpose of building the first Temple. His son Solomon would build the temple on that spot. By sacrificing on this spot, David stayed the hand of the destroying angel against Israel. Likewise, sacrifices on that spot for the entire temple period would keep the destroying angel at bay. These would point to the later one-time sacrifice of Yeshua for the same purpose.
So let's get back to David. He said, “Behold, it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong!" He also said, "Was it not I who commanded to count the people? I alone am the one who sinned and behaved wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand, Adonai my God, be against me and against my father’s house, but do not let the plague be on Your people.” This is important! In 1 Kings 15:4-5, we read: "Nevertheless for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him and by establishing Jerusalem; because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite." Make sure you understand this: David did not do anything against the LORD's commandments and he did what was right ALWAYS, except in "the matter" of the murder of Uriah the Hittite. This clearly includes his adultery, the lying, and everything else that pertains to that matter. God had judged David for these sins, but this census was not among the judgments against David. Again, this was a judgment against Israel, likely for forsaking David as their anointed king.
Think back to when David was running from Saul in the wilderness. He had an opportunity to murder Saul two times and take the crown by force, which is something that many men would have done. David did not do it, because Saul was God's anointed. David was also God's anointed! However, David would not take by force, even what rightfully belonged to him, because David was just and good, and he would wait on the LORD. He wrote this Truth Himself in Ps 27:14: "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!" David practiced what he preached, which was the Word of God. Israel did not practice the Word. Rather than wait on the LORD, they took the first opportunity to depose David and put Absalom in his stead, because Absalom had been usurping authority from David and handling many of their grievances. What a bunch of fickle people! Saul was trying to murder David, who was innocent of all things, and David would not retaliate. These people were simply not getting what they wanted as quickly as they desired, and so they were ready to hand David over to the wolves and embrace the head of the pack who had been deceiving them. This is so much like most men, even today within the church.
And so, even though David said that he had sinned, and even though David asked God to put the punishment on his head instead of punish the people, the context of the story does not support the idea that David sinned. The reality is far more beautiful! David, the human "father" of Yeshua the Messiah, the Seed who would come from his body to build a House for the LORD, showed us the heart of Yeshua. We read in Acts 13:22: "God raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’" 1st Sam.13:14 also contains this same truth. And so, David was asking God to put on himself the sins of the people, just like Yeshua would later do. Instead of the people giving a half shekel "ransom" as part of the census for the building up of the Temple, David would use his own money to purchase the threshing floor for the temple. And instead of the people sacrificing before God for their own sin, David offered a sacrifice he himself had purchased on the threshing floor where the Temple would be built for the sins of the people. David was showing us how his son, Yeshua the Messiah, would ultimately free us from the punishment we deserve.
1 Chronicles 23; 1 Chronicles 24; 1 Chronicles 25
David organized the temple service for his son Solomon in extensive detail, showing His care for future generations beyond himself. With only one exception, he obeyed the Word of the LORD in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, to Love the LORD and keep His commandments and to teach them diligently to his children, especially by wisely living them out in his thoughts, words and actions.
David also made sure there was praise and worship directed toward the LORD at all times led by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. We should emulate this. We should "pray without ceasing" and always offer humble praise and thanksgiving before the LORD.
Of particular note in today's reading is the order of priestly duty in 1st Chronicles 24. In Luke 1:5, the Apostle explained that Zecharias served in the order of Abijah. Based on the way the order is set up in David's records in 1st Chronicles, we can deduce a whole timeline of events that points to Yeshua's birth occurring during the Feast of Tabernacles, which occurs in the early fall each year. I didn't do the research on this, and so I point you to a very interesting article that gets into the details: https://hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Winter_Holidays/Christmas/christmas.html.
1 Chronicles 26; 1 Chronicles 27; 1 Chronicles 28
David was preparing Solomon to build a house for the LORD to rest His feet. In Luke 10:39, Mary sat at the LORD's feet and learned from Him, which Yeshua said in verse 42 is what was "needed" and "better" than anything else. As Messiah Yeshua builds the Third Temple from the building blocks that are made from His disciples, understand that David's preparations ought to be viewed metaphorically. He set up divisions of gatekeepers, and we too must have gatekeepers that watch who comes in to worship among us. We must also have gatekeepers for our eyes, our mouths and our ears, so only what is of the LORD can come in and go out. Every family needs a strong man as its head, and groups of families also need a head, so that the leaders of the body can better administer the LORD's will. We need to mind our resources as well as the manner in which we keep them, so that we are not hoarding what the LORD has given, but rather are making sure everything He blesses us with is given back in blessing for others so there can be abundance. In all of this, there is nothing more important than being strong and courageous enough to love the LORD, seek Him first, and do everything He has commanded, no matter what. This is everything for us.
1 Chronicles 29:1-22; 1 Kings 1
The people, when asked by King David, gave willingly to provision the Temple for God. We ought to possess and celebrate such hearts willing to give to the LORD without reservation. I love and share this prayer from King David:
“Who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your hand we have given to You. For we are sojourners before You, mere transients like our fathers. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, without security. Adonai Eloheinu, all this abundance that we have laid aside to build You a House for Your holy Name is from Your hand; it all belongs to You. I know, my God, that You search the heart and take pleasure in uprightness. With integrity of heart I have willingly offered all these things. And now I have seen with joy Your people who are present here willingly contribute to You. Adonai, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel our fathers, preserve forever such motives and thoughts in the heart of Your people and make their heart constant toward You. As for my son Solomon, give him a whole heart to keep Your commandments, Your decrees and Your statutes, and to fulfill them all and to build the Temple for which I have made provision.”
Adonijah was the fourth son David would lose on account of the incident with Uriah, just as he himself prophesied before Nathan and the LORD. He lost the first son of Bathsheba from his adultery, Amnon the rapist, Absalom, and now he was about to lose Adonijah. The LORD's judgment was complete and thorough, and yet David continued to honor the LORD and endure through this tribulation, knowing that he deserved every bit of it. His love for the LORD didn't wane but rather intensified because of the grace that God offered him despite his sins, which were worthy of death. It is clear from the text that God's mercy and grace extended to believers, like David, who looked forward to the death and resurrection of Messiah Yeshua for atonement in the same way we receive atonement by looking back to it. Few prophesied the coming of Yeshua more than David in his psalms. David knew the LORD intimately. Even though we are all sinners, Messiah died for us and His blood makes us clean before the LORD so that we can walk in righteousness from the point of our redemption until the end. David is a perfect example of a man who repents (Psalm 51) and turns to walk with God all the rest of his days. In this, he is a model for us all.
1 Kings 2:1-9; 2 Samuel 23:1-7; 1 Kings 2:10-12; 1 Chronicles 29:26-30; Psalm 4; Psalm 5; Psalm 6; Psalm 8; Psalm 9; Psalm 11
On a prophetic level, there is the Messiah Son of Joseph and the Messiah Son of David, the first a suffering servant and the second a conquering king, and we know Yeshua to fulfill both roles. In a way, David also represented both, in his early and latter life. On yet another prophetic level, David represents the age of grace offered by Messiah Yeshua, while His son Solomon (prior to his fall) represents the age of justice, righteousness and wisdom. This last understanding can help us contemplate why David gave mercy to the rebellious and murderous Joab for so long, the hater Shimei, and even his own rebellious sons, but when it came to the time of his death, he ordered his son Solomon to give these men the justice they deserved. During David's entire life, these men had an opportunity to repent and learn the Way of God, but they chose to either double-down in their sins or walk off without seeking forgiveness. Now the Day of Judgement had come. The time for grace so they could turn back to the righteous path was over, and they would now be destroyed because of their lawlessness. The same is true for any Christian alive today. Now is the time to repent and walk with Yeshua—before Judgment Day. On that day, it will be too late.
The Holy Spirit of God spoke through David, and only a man who knows Yeshua can have such a blessing upon His life. He ruled righteously and according to the fear of the LORD for 40 years, with one exception, and there was much repentance and humility in David's heart as he sought the LORD with obedience and peace even in the midst of the great tribulation that followed his sin. The LORD will destroy the wicked; those who seek to serve themselves and the ways of the flesh. However, the LORD will redeem those with humble and repentant hearts, like David, who literally went out and sinned no more. The Gospel is all here.
Curious about the following phrase, we may go looking for these books, but we will either find nothing or a counterfeit: "Now the acts of King David, the first and the last, behold, are written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet and in the chronicles of Gad the seer together with all his reign, his power and the events that involved him, Israel and all the kingdoms of the lands.” It is likely that "The Chronicles of Samuel the Seer" are now found in 1st and 2nd Samuel, and it's possible that the chronicles of Nathan and Gad were either included in these books or were cited in reference. Nevertheless, the phrase is akin to what Luke wrote: "Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account...that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed." Whether other writings were referenced or these writings were simply incorporated into the work, the Bible is the Truth we need.
David's psalms reflect the Truth of the Word completely and exceptionally well, which identifies him as a true prophet of God. He writes how the righteous call out to the "God of my righteousness." We know that Yeshua is our God—the God of our righteousness. It is in His righteousness that we have both a cover over our sins as well as a model for our lives. This is why he exhorts: "tremble, but do not sin. Search your heart while on your bed and be silent. Offer righteous sacrifices and put your trust in the LORD." The joy we have in our hearts comes from a testimony of two: faith in Yeshua and the resultant obedience to His commandments. This is how we stand in the light of His face! When you study this statement, you will find that Yeshua is the face of God. Paul wrote in Colossians 1:15: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."
God does not rejoice in evil, for "no wickedness dwells with" Him. Those who continue in wrongdoing, deceit, bloodshed, and the like will be destroyed. But on account of His "great lovingkindness"—His chesed—His grace!—, we can enter His house. But we have to take refuge in Him and therefore do His will, because He will only "bless the righteous." David writes about the righteous: "You surround him with favor (grace) as a shield." We are made righteous by trusting in and therefore following Christ. Let us therefore cry out to Him for mercy and "walk the way He walked" (1 Jn 2:6). We also pray for our enemies that they too will "turn back in sudden disgrace." Shouldn't we all do this when we understand how much the LORD hates sin but extends His mercy to us through the brutal death of His Son? We shall mourn when we look upon Him who we have pierced. All who love the LORD will weep before Him, and HE alone will wipe every tear from our eyes. He has made us to have dominion over the work of His hands. And yet, it is the LORD who reigns forever and He will judge all creation with righteousness and justice. This is why we must trust Him; He does not forsake those who diligently seek Him in all His ways. The upright will see His face.
Psalm 12, Psalm 13, Psalm 14, Psalm 15, Psalm 16, Psalm 17, Psalm 18, Psalm 19, Psalm 20, Psalm 21
Help to humble all of us before you, OH LORD, for you alone are Holy and the faithful vanish among the children of men. We cannot prevail with our own tongue, but only through your Word. Purify us in your Word, O LORD, making us refined like silver or gold.
Do not forget us O LORD. Raise us up with you so your enemies will know you are the LORD whose mercy endures forever. Let our hearts rejoice in your salvation! You are good to us!
Only fools speak blasphemy against the LORD, saying He doesn't exist, but all men who are honest in their hearts know God created all and rules all. God will stand with the righteous who trust in Him and forsake the wicked who deny Him and His Way.
May we walk with integrity according to Your Word, speaking Truth in our hearts, not slandering with our tongue, O LORD, and keep Your Word even when it hurts, because we will not be shaken when we walk along your narrow Way.
There is no one who is good apart from you, O God. You are our portion and all that we need, and You are the One True Path to abundant Life.
Search me LORD and test me to remove sin far from me. Please help keep me on your paths. Answer me as I seek Your Righteousness and Your Salvation. Hide me in the shadow of your wings and protect me like the pupil of Your eye. Deliver me from the wicked so I can see Your Face!
God's works and God's Torah are perfect and they restore the soul. We can trust in God's testimony, for it makes the simple wise and bring light to all darkness. In obedience to the LORD, we show our trust in Him and endure forever. Cleanse me from any hidden faults, LORD, and keep me from willful sin. Indeed, may my words, my meditations, my speech, and my writing be acceptable to You God, and bring honor and glory to Your Name, Yeshua!
I lift up the LORD's banner, the name of Yeshua, for indeed He will answer in the day of trouble. May the LORD come with us into battle and raise us up!
The LORD will be exalted and all who fear Him will be bestowed with eternal blessings, but those who stand against the LORD will be burned up.
Psalm 22, Psalm 23, Psalm 24, Psalm 25, Psalm 26
When the LORD, from the cross, said, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?," He was not asking that question directly, but was pointing to Psalm 22 (a very Jewish thing to do), and the Psalm is a prophesy of everything that was happening to Yeshua at that time. You'll note the Psalm's conclusion is also a prophesy of His resurrection and eternal life, and indeed "everyone who goes down to the dust will kneel before Him." All people will declare His righteousness, because He has accomplished our redemption by His blood.
David wrote, "the LORD (יהוה) is my Shepherd" in Psalm 23, and "I shall not want," because God gives His sheep whatever they need. It's notable that the Hebrew here indicates "Yahweh (יהוה)" is our shepherd, because Yeshua/Jesus said in John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives life to the sheep." Recall in Mark 10:18, Yeshua said, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." He wasn't correcting the man, but asking the question rhetorically. In John 10:30, He said, "I and the Father are One." It's imperative to see how Scripture declares clearly that Yeshua is God, and there is no other besides Him. Paul wrote in Colossians 1:15: "He is the image of the invisible God."
When David asks rhetorically in Psalm 24, "Who may stand in His holy place?" The answer is forthcoming: "One with clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully." This is the same thing Yeshua said in John 14:15: "If you love Me, keep My commandments." We must direct our hearts in faith through repentance to do the will of the Father, which are articulated in His law, and then, we are given grace! Yeshua said: "Repent and hear the good news!" David wrote of the one with clean hands and a pure heart: "He will receive a blessing from the LORD, righteousness from God his salvation." Here is the clear Truth: When we turn away from our own ways to do what God commanded in His law, and trust in God, He will give us grace through Yeshua/Jesus, a name that means salvation, who is the righteousness of God. Who is this King of glory? Yeshua is His name! Yahweh Tzava'ot, the LORD OF HOSTS!
In Psalm 25, David wrote the Truth of the Gospel: When we turn from our own path and seek the Way of God, we receive salvation through Yeshua. We call out to Him for His everlasting mercy so that He will cover over our sins and rebellion. For His own Name's sake, Yeshua, we are saved! When we remain humble, always surrendering to His Way rather than our own, He instructs us, guides us, and teaches us, even the mysteries that are out of reach for most.
In Psalm 26, David continues to express the humility we must have as followers of Yeshua. We must ask Him to daily "probe" us, "test" us, "refine" our "mind and" our "heart." Because we love Him, we walk in His Truth and avoid all those who practice falsehood.
Psalm 27, Psalm 28, Psalm 29, Psalm 30, Psalm 31, Psalm 32
27. I would have lost heart had I not believed I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Your face, LORD, I do seek. You are the God of my salvation and will never forsake me. Yes, all I ask is to know you, LORD, to see your face, to dwell in your House forever!
28. God hears the prayers of the righteous, even though we may need to wait for His response. Be our strength, our shield, and our fortress, LORD our inheritance and our deliverer, and shepherd us toward You forever.
29. Worship the LORD. He is Holy! He speaks to all people, to all the earth and His creation. He is King forever. He blesses His people with complete peace.
30. The LORD will bring up our souls from the grave at the resurrection and we will sing praises to Him forever. His wrath will come in the last moments of the world, but then His favor will endure forever. Weeping at night—in the darkness of sin and death—but joy in the morning, when the Risen and Reigning Son will return and bring light. I will not be moved because of this faith! Joy comes from singing glory and praise to the LORD and His Word.
31. Yeshua also referenced Psalm 31 from the cross, saying "Into Your Hand I commit my Spirit." He has shown us by example how we must follow Him. He hears the calls of all His saints and He preserves the faithful. Let those of us who wait for the LORD take courage in Him.
32. We are blessed, because our transgressions are forgiven and our sins are pardoned through Yeshua, but let us go forward in godliness and without deceit. The LORD, by His Word through His Holy Spirit, will instruct us and teach us the way we should go. We should not be like the horse or mule being led by bit and bridle, but rather we should be motivated with love to pursue the law of God in all its splendor. We ought to rejoice that God's Spirit helps us remain upright.
Psalm 35, Psalm 36, Psalm 37, Psalm 38
35. We ought to call out to the LORD for justice, for vengeance belongs to Him and He shall repay. The truly wicked who seek to destroy what is good will be judged by Him, and we ought to call on the LORD for His mercy. We mourn for the evil that they do, "oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked ... tormented in [our] righteous souls from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds," just as righteous Lot in Sodom (2 Peter 2:7-8). Our prayers should be focused on our own salvation from the hands of the evildoers, for the LORD will rescue us from tribulation and hear us when we humble ourselves before Him. LORD, help us to rejoice in righteousness.
36. I struggle to contemplate the wicked one who is full of pride and does not fear God, who plans sin while he lies in bed. I long to embrace the LORD, whose faithfulness and righteousness exceeds my comprehension. He is just and His love is a fountain of life. He provides refuge and abundance of light.
37. We must trust in the LORD, remaining humble before Him always, for we will receive His inheritance and abundant peace. The LORD laughs at the wicked, who He will destroy on the Last Day. He will preserve His saints from the hand of transgressors.
38. The LORD said we would have tribulation in the world, but He also said to be of good cheer, for He has overcome the world. We may groan due to the troubles before us, but the LORD will answer us; He will fulfill His promises. We may mourn over our sins against the LORD, but in our confession He is merciful. He is our salvation.
Psalm 39, Psalm 40, Psalm 41, Psalm 53, Psalm 55, Psalm 58
39. I will pray to the LORD like this: “I will guard my ways, so I will not sin with my tongue. I will muzzle my mouth while the wicked are before me.” After all, we wait on the LORD and our hope is in Him alone. We are temporary dwellers on the earth.
40. "Many things You have done, Adonai my God —Your plans for us are wonderful— there is none to be compared to You! If I were to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to count!" The Septuagint version of this Psalm is quoted in Hebrews: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me." David knew the LORD and what He would accomplish for His people.
41. Do we consider those whom the world rejects? We will be redeemed. Those in the world we once thought near and dear may indeed forsake us, but the LORD never will; He will set us before His face forever.
53. Only a fool can say there is no God, and yet as Paul said in Romans 1, men are without excuse for God's invisible attributes are plainly seen. While we all fall short of God's glory, through Yeshua He will set the captives free—His people Israel who love and trust in Him and follow Him in His ways.
55. When our enemies seek our ruin, we are inclined to seek refuge in the wilderness—in isolation. We call out to the LORD, and indeed, He will come and rescue us and give us peace. When those we thought were dear to us seek our ruin, the LORD will take the burden of sorrow from us. He will sustain His righteous ones.
58. There will be a time when God's justice will come upon the Earth and all the righteous will rejoice in the presence of God and the aftermath of the final war.
Psalm 61, Psalm 62; Psalm 64; Psalm 65; Psalm 66; Psalm 67
61. When our hearts grow weary, we ought go call out to the LORD, for He is our refuge and strength. He gives an inheritance to those who fear His Name.
62: The LORD is alone our rock and salvation; let us not be moved by any whims of the world but wait and trust the LORD in stillness of heart. Be still, and know Yeshua is God, and He will reward us for our works.
64: God will judge the wicked, who deceive with their tongues. The righteous will give Him glory and praise.
65: God atones for our transgressions through His sacrifice on the cross. All the earth will shout for joy for the salvation He has provided.
66: The LORD is AWESOME, and all the heavens and earth bow down to Him. He upholds us and listens to our prayers when we seek Him in all righteousness.
67: Let us praise the LORD, for His salvation reaches all people who accept Him as the gracious one who blesses us. Thank God He shines the light of His face upon us.
Psalm 68, Psalm 69, Psalm 70, Psalm 86, Psalm 101
68. Let God arise! Indeed! He is risen and His enemies scatter before His saints. Praise the name of Yeshua! God is for His people—He delivers us. But God destroys His enemies, those who delight in war and discord.
69. There are people who hate us because we love Yeshua; these are those who hate without a cause. Just as zeal for the House of the LORD consumed Phinehas, David, and Yeshua, so it also ought to consume us. While we are putting the Kingdom first, we pray: "deliver [us] from the mire—do not let [us] sink." Our distress comes from our humility—our reproach, our shame, our disgrace—that we cannot walk perfectly like our God, but so desire to do so. The LORD hears those who cry out to Him with such hearts, praising Him even in the midst of our trouble.
70. Because we love Yeshua, we desire to magnify His name!
86. We are godly when we call out to the LORD for His grace, asking for His correction—for Him to teach us His Way so we can walk in His Truth. May our hearts be undivided, delivered from death for the glory of God.
101. We must flee from the perverse, twisted thinking, and the base—anything evil—and especially pride.
Psalm 103, Psalm 108, Psalm 109, Psalm 110, Psalm 122, Psalm 124
103. How could we not bless the LORD with all the love of all our heart, soul, mind and strength? He forgives us, heals us, redeems us, gives us all good, renews us, rules justly, lifts up the humble, and offers compassion and grace. We deserve death and wrath, but He calls us back to Him instead. Who are we, but worms to Him? But He offers mercy to those who praise Him and keep His commandments and desires us to come near. Bless His Holy Name Yeshua!
108. The LORD will valiantly fight for us and will deliver us from our foes.
109. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
110: A psalm about Yeshua, where the Father declares to Yeshua, "sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for Your feet." His followers will be His companions and He will be their Mediator.
122: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for those who love her shall be at peace.
124: If the LORD was not on our side, we would not have seen a single blessing in our lives.
Psalm 131; Psalm 133; Psalm 138; Psalm 139; Psalm 140; Psalm 141; Psalm 143
131: Calm and quiet my soul as I humbly rest in you, LORD, for You are my hope!
133: Unity is such a precious thing in Christian brotherhood, and it can only be accomplished in Yeshua.
138: In the presence of powers, principalities and all the forces of darkness in the present age, I will sing praises to the LORD and bow down to Him in His Holy Temple, which is ever before me. The LORD answers me when I call upon Him in trust; He strengthens me by the power of His Word. Messiah Yeshua will deliver me and destroy His enemies, while I remain humbly before Him.
139: The LORD knows everything about me, even down to my quietest thoughts and the unthought intentions of my heart. How could this Truth not direct me toward His righteousness? If there is any unrighteous way in me, please remove it and lead me toward Your everlasting Way.
140. Protect my heart in the days of battle so I do not fall into the way of the wicked.
141: Please accept my prayers as a sweet smelling aroma—my praise a living sacrifice. Guard my gates so I do not succumb to evil; discipline me according to your righteousness. Let me walk in peace with you even as the enemy attacks.
143: There is no one living who is righteous, so I plead for Your everlasting Mercy, LORD. Help me to stand in Your judgment. When the enemy crushes my spirit, I meditate on all you have done and it revives my hope. Show me the Way, teach me Your will, lead me on level ground and revive me so I can serve you.
Psalm 144, Psalm 145, Psalm 88, Psalm 89
144. The LORD prepares us for war, for it is war that we must fight. In this life, we MUST pick a side. But who am I that God has taken notice of me and recruited me to His battle line? He has delivered me from my enemies and supplies all that I need.
144b. David wrote: LORD, part Your heavens and come down!" The LORD listened to His servant's cry, just as He listened to Israel at the foot of Sinai. The prophet like unto Moses did indeed come in the flesh, die for our sins, and resurrect from the dead to conquer the enemy in the spiritual realm. Our God who came for us will still come again to touch the mountains so they smoke and make them all low, refreshing the earth with unquenchable fire.
145. God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. Our God is good to all. All of His saints will praise His name forever! The LORD is near to those who call on Him in Truth, for He will fulfill the desires of those who love Him and put Him first.
88. In the midst of trouble, in the midst of our lowest places, in the depths of our souls, we cry out to the LORD and He hears us, even when we don't perceive it, so long as we are walking with Him. The LORD chastises the ones He loves to make us more like Him.
89. The LORD makes a covenant with His chosen ones. With the Seed of David, Yeshua, He builds His throne forever and ever. The power of David's throne is exalted by the Name of the LORD! When we are called to walk as sons of David—like sons of Abraham—and we stumble, the LORD will correct us with discipline—a lovingkindness that endures. David's descendants will endure forever, because we are one with Yeshua who is the eternal King and the Seed of David.
Psalm 50, Psalm 73, Psalm 74
50. The LORD created and knows all things, and He has no need of anything from us. He desires that we offer Him praise and thanksgiving, for He has given us all that He has to share in relationship with us. He desires we call out to Him for salvation, for He offers it to us. He also desires our hearts to seek Him in all His ways. The wicked, He said, are those who give Him lip service, saying "Jesus, Jesus," but who hate His Word and cast His law behind them. He saves us when we order our Way according to His commands.
73. This psalm is a great reminder that we need to keep our eyes on Yeshua. It's possible for us to slip away if we envy the wicked, who will be destroyed, but only a fool would consider obedience to God a vain thing. It's imperative for us to remember God's promises, for He will be continually near to those who make Him their refuge.
74. We may wonder why the LORD waits to deliver justice against the wicked. Peter explains in 2nd Peter 3 that "He is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish but that all will come to repentance." Not all will turn back, but the LORD will deliver the oppressed and afflicted and defend His cause. He will remember those who mock His Name and bring His hand of judgment.
Psalm 75, Psalm 76, Psalm 77, Psalm 78
75. Be humble, for God is the judge.
76. No one can stand against God.
77. When we are facing trouble and feel like the LORD has abandoned us, we ought to remember God's great works and praise His name. Our trust comes from His finished work, which gives us hope in His promises.
78. We pray that our children will do better than us, and we hope that they learn from our sins, and yet the Word shows that all men must choose God on their own. We still must teach, for God will preserve His Way for those who hear and do it.
Psalm 79, Psalm 80, Psalm 81, Psalm 82
79. A prophesy of destroyed Jerusalem or a testimony of the cycle of God's people from bondage to freedom to bondage to freedom, or both? Ultimately, God will bring judgment against those who stand against His set apart ones and He will preserve those humble before Him, who praise His great name.
80. An appeal to God to abide in His Word, to bless and keep His people Israel, and a call for His return, to revive us through His strenghtened Right Hand Yeshua.
81. The LORD pleads for His people to listen to Him, because He gives blessing to those who do. But God will hand people over to their own desires and they will experience the hardship that comes from disobedience. Those who embrace the bread and honey that comes from hardship will dwell with God, but those who harden their hearts in hardship will be doomed.
82. In John 10, starting at verse 34, Yeshua said that He was the LORD of the spiritual assembly Who condemned the created spiritual beings to die like men, as described here. These created divine beings were meant to serve men, but because they rebelled against God they attempted to usurp His glory. Upon His second coming, the LORD will expel these demons and resume His authority over all the Earth.
Psalm 83, 1 Chronicles 29:23-25, 2 Chronicles 1:1, 1 Kings 2:13-46, 1 Kings 3:1-4, 2 Chronicles 1:2-6, 1 Kings 3:5-15, 2 Chronicles 1:7-13
83. When God's enemies come up against God's people, we ought to pray like Asaph: "Cover their faces with shame, so they may seek YOUR Name." Our hearts ought to desire all people to repent and come to know the LORD, even those who hate Him; so that they know Yahweh is God forever.
Following David's reign, his son Solomon brought peace to the kingdom through final judgment. In the early part of his ministry, Solomon embodied a prophetic template for the second coming of Yeshua. As Yeshua will also do when He returns, Solomon brought judgment against the rebel Adonijah his brother; the rebel priest Abiathar; and the self-serving, worldly minded, murderer and snake general Joab. He had mercy on Shimei, but ordered him to confinement, terms the scoffer violated; thus, he was also met with judgment. As Solomon worked on the Temple, he sacrificed on the high places in front of the Tabernacle Moses built. God knew the king's heart, which was good. In a dream, Solomon asked God for discernment to judge the people righteously, and God loved this request. James 1:5 notes that anyone who asks God for wisdom, especially to serve God's purposes, will be granted the request. For His humble heart, God also would grant Solomon wealth and honor, and He promised eternal life if the king would walk according to His commandments and continue to trust in God.
1 Kings 3:16-28; 1 Kings 5:15-32; 2 Chronicles 1:18; 2 Chronicles 2; 1 Kings 6:1-13; 2 Chronicles 3:1-14; 1 Kings 6:14-38
Solomon showed the wisdom God had given him, first by discerning whose baby was alive among two women who lived in the same brothel, and next by dealing righteously in trade with King Hiram of Tyre to provide materials to complete God's temple. Like Yeshua, Solomon judged righteously and impartially regardless of who he was dealing with. It didn't matter whether he dealt with kings or prostitutes, he brought the Truth of God's Word into everyday practice.
The details of the construction of the Temple are important, and they all have significance for the building of God's church in Messiah Yeshua. There are too many details to reference here, but one thing I want to point out is this: God said, "As for this House which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes, execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will establish My Word with you, which I spoke to your father David, I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.” The interpretation is simple: God will bless all that we do for His glory so long as we obey His Word in the process and put Him first in all things. Obedience to the law according to our desire to please Him matters more than anything else, because it proves our faith, and this is what God desires from us.
In the Holy of Holies, the Cherubim filled the entire space from wall to wall, covering the mercy seat. This is how it is in Heaven, except in Messiah Yeshua the veil is removed and we can see God face-to-face.
1 Kings 7, 2 Chronicles 3:15-17, 2 Chronicles 4
The 12 bulls made as "stands" holding up the "seas" for washings were not idolatry because they were not made for worship, but rather as memorials for the 12 tribes of Israel. Neither were the cherubim covering the mercy seat idols; rather, they were reminders of the model seen in Heaven of God sitting on His throne. The pomegranates, the lilies and all the other carved images were meant to recall the Garden of Eden, when Adam walked together with God. All of the beautiful design that went into the Temple was meant to remind Israel of the opportunity God was giving them through faith to come in near to Him again.
David and Solomon were so blessed by God that no one had more wealth before or after them in the whole world, but their first interest above all else was using the blessing God gave them to bring glory to His name. Don't you know that YOU are the temple of God? What blessings have God given to you that you bring back to His altar and give back to Him from your first and your best? Do we have the heart of David and Solomon, who didn't think twice about using the treasures they were given to build what would glorify God's name before all men?
1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5; 2 Chronicles 6
In Daniel 6:10-17, the Prophet Daniel kneeled and prayed three times per day toward Jerusalem where this temple that David and Solomon had built for the Name of the LORD once stood, but stood no more, for this was the place that God had ordained to set His footstool. When Mary sat by Yeshua's feet and learned from Him in Luke 10, she was doing what was righteous while her sister Martha worked on the Sabbath Day unrighteously. We learn at the feet of God and we pray toward the place where He has chosen to put His name, and we rest in Him when He calls for us to rest. While true that we now pray "in Spirit and in Truth," as Yeshua told the woman at the well in John 4, not in Jerusalem and not on Mt. Gerizim any longer, we still pray toward the Holy City from wherever we are in the world, toward the place where the LORD chose to put His name, where He places His feet, for He joins us in our hearts and in our communities in Spirit and in Truth when our heart is for Him and His Holy People.
Yeshua walked into the Second Temple, a remake of what Solomon had completed here, and the glory of the Second Temple was greater than the first just as Haggai 2:9 prophesied. When we read about the cloud filling the temple to the extent that the priests could not do their service at the inauguration event, how marvelous it would have been to walk next to God as He entered this structure in the flesh. The dark cloud (בָּעֲרָפֶֽל) ba'araphel that descended on Solomon's Temple was a place of mystery beyond human comprehension, and yet God was there with His people. The Hebrew word araphel (עֲרָפֶל) has its root in "araph (עָרַף)," which is to break the neck or decapitate, or to droop or drip down. Imbued in this word is the concept of completely crucifying our own will (cutting off our head) to the will of God, or bending over in humility before the Most High and taking on His will for us instead. This IS the right attitude by which we ought to approach our God, and Yeshua taught nothing different. He said, "unless you forsake all that you have and follow Me, you cannot be My disciple." And while God desires our worship, because He is Holy and deserves every bit of it, He also desires our relationship. This is why the glory of the second temple was greater, because now God interacted with His creatures man-to-man. And the third temple is greater still, because Messiah is building up a people for Himself within which He will dwell forever. Blessed are those who know Him in this way!
Solomon's prayer is worth contemplating for life, but it amounts to this: Regardless of who faces Jerusalem to pray toward the footstool of Almighty God, God will hear from Heaven and answer their prayers when they are offered with humble and contrite hearts. A humble heart recognizes the glory of God and His eternal holiness and goodness compared to our own created life, which is but a vapor. A repentant heart crucifies the flesh and all of our own will to live our own way in this life and lays it at the feet of the cross of Yeshua so that from that point forward we can walk forever in the same Way that He walked. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane Yeshua Himself taught by example, saying: "Not My will, but Yours be done." We pray: "Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no God like You, in heaven above or on earth below, keeping covenant and lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart." Confirm your Word God. Listen to the cry and prayer of your servants! Forgive us our sins against You! Condemn the wicked and justify the righteous, because You know the hearts of all men! Teach us your Way as we receive your blessings! Make Your Name famous among all people! Bring your servants into Your House forever! Amein!
1 Kings 8:54-66; 2 Chronicles 7:1-22; 1 Kings 9:1-14
The LORD blessed Solomon and accepted His prayer and offerings for Israel and the House He had built for the Name of the LORD. The LORD said, "I have consecrated this House, which you have built, to put My Name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there every day." This is an eternal promise, and King Yeshua will reign from Jerusalem for all eternity after the heavens and the earth have been refreshed, and we will worship God there forever. There will be no physical temple in Jerusalem, for the Father, the Son and His Bride Israel will be the Temple.
Following His promise concerning Jerusalem, God gave Solomon a different prospect for himself, saying, "As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked—in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing all I commanded you, keeping My statutes and My ordinances— then I will establish the throne of your kingship over Israel forever ... But if you or your sons will indeed turn away from following Me—not keeping My mitzvot and My statutes that I set before you—and go and serve other gods and worship them, then will I cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and this House which I have consecrated for My Name, I will cast out of My sight." Sadly, the sons of David were not righteous, and God indeed destroyed the House Solomon built and scattered Judah throughout the world, not once, but twice. God's name was glorified by this, because by this we know that His Word is Truth. But God would ultimately fulfill His promise to David to establish his throne, and through Yeshua His throne would endure forever. Messiah Himself would build the third temple, establishing a corner stone in three days and the foundation in a generation. When the last living stone is added, Yeshua will return to dwell there with His Bride.
2 Chronicles 8; 1 Kings 9; 1 Kings 10; 2 Chronicles 1:14-17
The names mentioned at the beginning of 2 Chronicles 8 have a deep spiritual meaning. After 20 years, during the time Solomon was building a House for God and for himself in the land, to dwell together, the king went out to battle in a very limited way against Hamath-Zobah, while he also built up Tadmor, Beth-Horon, and Ba'alath. Hamath is a wall of protection and Zobah is a station. In other words, this is a stronghold that Solomon tore down. Paul wrote in 2 Corinth. 10:4: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ," This is precisely what Solomon was doing. He also built up Tadmor, meaning an erect palm tree, and Beth Horon, the house of emptiness, and Ba'alath, a mistress. This is a fulfillment of Isaiah 40:4-5, and a prophesy pointing forward to its final fulfillment: "Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Adding in 1 Kings 9, we see that Solomon made servants out of the Gentiles, for those Gentiles called in to follow Yeshua will indeed serve the King and execute His will, but the men of Israel would serve as the leaders who will protect the ground and conquer new ground for the King, and this represents the apostles, the evangelists, the teachers and preachers, and the prophets who would teach all about the Way of God. Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh, which is prophetic for Yeshua, a Jew, marrying a Bride made up of Gentiles, for the Jews and Gentiles are one people in Yeshua. All of the men and women of the kingdom will celebrate the Sabbaths, the Feasts and the New Moons with all Israel, just as Zechariah prophesied in 14:16: "And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles." There will be men set aside to praise and worship, to minister, to do the work of the service, to guard the gates, and to ensure God's commandments are known and kept, and to mind the treasures of the kingdom.
At the ultimate fulfillment, the LORD, the bridegroom, will be wed with His Bride, Israel, which is made up of Jews and Gentiles.
The Queen of Sheba's visit to Jerusalem to visit Solomon is another living parable for God's Kingdom. Hearing about his FAME, she came to test him with hard questions, and then she confessed: "It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your deeds and of your wisdom. But I didn’t believe the reports until I came and my eyes saw it. Indeed, not even the half was told to me. You’re way past the report of wisdom and prosperity that I’d heard!" In Matthew 12:42, Yeshua said to his wicked generation that denied Him: "The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here." Paul wrote in Ephesians 3 that he was given revelation of "the mystery" (vs.3) that "the Gentiles should be fellow heirs [with the Jews], of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Messiah through the Gospel" (vs. 6). The Gentile Queen of Sheba brought greater treasure into the Kingdom of Israel than ever before, and Jewish King Solomon gave her all the treasures of her desire from His royal bounty. This is the Kingdom, when all who worship Yeshua and keep God's commandment will share in the LORD's bounty.
Despite God's fulfillment of prophesy in Solomon's reign, God left us a clue in the text that this was not His ultimate fulfillment, which would come later through Yeshua. He indeed used Israel, His Son, to bring the Kingdom of God to the whole world through David and his son Solomon, His anointed ones. But all of the gold that came to Solomon weighed 666 talents, which indicates it was the best man had to offer prior to God's return to rule the Earth. Solomon dealt in purity. His kingdom had true wealth: purified gold! All of the dross had been removed and the whole world worshipped God and learned of His wisdom from Solomon, His anointed one. But the king was imperfect, as we shall soon see. He was a man, and not God. ONLY Messiah Yeshua was both man and God, the perfect Man, the perfect Son, and the perfect God, and HE alone would complete the prophesy. Our triune God created the world in seven days, He rested on the seventh day, and He made the seventh day Holy, and Yeshua, the perfect Man (777) is the LORD of the Sabbath, the LORD of the sevens. Solomon's pure golden Kingdom was the best that we would ever see on the earth before God Himself came to fulfill the prophesy completely at the very end, and so His pure gold is 666 talents to represent this very thing. Even though there would be a man of perdition who would later try to claim this title on his own, Solomon was God's version of the best king over the best kingdom man could produce before Yeshua's promised Kingdom would come and complete God's plan.
1 Kings 4, 1 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 72, Psalm 127
The LORD's promises were fulfilled: “Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in abundance, eating and drinking and rejoicing.” Nothing was lacking, but it wasn't enough. Proverbs 30:7-9 of Agur comes to mind as an apropos response: "Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches—Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God." Also prophetically linked, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:2: "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." And then John wrote, defining terms for us in 1 John 5:3: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." Solomon lacked endurance in his love for God in the midst of plenty, and this would cause many very negative consequences for Israel and Judah, though through repentance the king would be saved. Agur prayed for balance in his earthly experience knowing that the Truth of God's Kingdom is greater riches without comparison.
"Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless Adonai watches over the city, the watchman stands guard in vain. In vain you rise up early and stay up late, eating the bread of toil— for He provides for His beloved ones even in their sleep." (Psalm 127:1-2)
Proverbs 1, Proverbs 2, Proverbs 3, Proverbs 4
Our God is good. He loves us and has given us a bright path for our feet when we keep our eyes on Yeshua and walk toward Him by following His example in everything we think, say, and do. When we fear God, we recognize His power, His holiness, His glory, and His authority. He searches our hearts and knows where we stand with Him. To fear God is to desire to please Him in the same way we might have tried to please our fathers growing up by doing what they told us to do with joyful and grateful hearts, because we know they want what is best for us. Those who have lacked good fathers have the best One available in Heaven. To appreciate the wisdom that comes from God's discipline comes next, for we must rejoice in being made closer to His image rather than focus on the difficulties we face. To love God is our ultimate goal, because He opens Himself up to us to have an intimate relationship with us when we live according to His will, and everything God wills is good for us all.
We must not give in to sin, to enticement of the flesh, to mocking, fear, or doubt. We must not be wise in our own eyes, thinking we have a better way than God. The LORD guards the right paths and helps us walk them when we surrender our hearts to His wisdom.
God's grace falls upon those who embrace Kindness and Truth together, which was embodied in Yeshua, and while we ought to be keeping God's commandments we cannot think that doing so brings us any special favor—it's only what God expects from us. It is Yeshua alone who gives us His grace, and so we must also embrace the One who embodied Kindness and Truth by following Him in all His ways. We cannot follow our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him, for He is the one who makes our paths straight. It is His law and His example that brings wisdom, and there is nothing of more value in this life.
He is the level path for our feet, providing us with solid ground, for He is the rock of our salvation. We cannot turn right toward lawlessness or left toward legalism, but straight ahead toward the loving embrace of Yeshua.
Proverbs 5, Proverbs 6, Proverbs 7
Adultery and Idolatry go hand in hand, and both are very easy temptations for man to fall into. Both are sins against God, but one forsakes the relationship God ordains in the flesh for one man to wed one woman and for them to become one flesh, and the other forsakes the relationship God ordains in the Spirit, for His Holy people to become one in Spirit with Him through faith in Yeshua and obedience to His Will. Violating either of these intimate relationships necessarily leads to death, but how could a wise man do anything other than seek to please the LORD in these relationships?
God HATES pride, deception, murder, scheming, rebellion, hatred toward others, and reckless disagreement and argument. What God hates, we ought to take special care to flee from quickly.
The law of God is a lamp to our feet a light to our path, and His discipline brings rejoicing to the wise man who understands the upward call of God.
Proverbs 8, Proverbs 9, Proverbs 10
Proverbs 8, describing wisdom, also describes Yeshua, the Word in the beginning Who was with God, Who was God, Who became flesh and dwelt among us. In 1st Corinthians 1:24, the Apostle Paul explained: "to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." Isaiah 11:1-2 explained that the Rod from Jesse, and the Branch from out of the roots of Israel would be imbued with "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding," which is "the Spirit of the LORD" that "shall rest upon Him." John testified in 1 John 1:32: “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him." In Matthew 11:19, Yeshua testified of Himself: "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.” Like a mother hen, He longs to gather His hens under His wing. Wisdom says to her children: "listen to ME! Blessed are those who keep My ways. Heed discipline and be wise ... Blessed is the one who listens to Me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts." Yeshua said "watch!" There is no greater treasure than the wisdom of God, because in Him is grace and eternal life.
Note the jarring similarities and difference between the wise woman and the foolish woman in Proverbs 9. Both women say: "Whoever is naive, turn in here!" There is an invitation from the LORD and from Satan, and both demand worship. We have to choose. The wise woman says, "come, eat my read and drink the wine I have mixed. Abandon your foolish ways and live. Walk in the way of understanding." This is Yeshua, and when we eat of His body and blood and walk in His ways, we indeed will inherit eternal life. The foolish woman says: "stolen water is sweet and bread eaten in secret is delicious." This is antichrist, and Yeshua said of him, "he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber" (John 10:1), and in John 10:10, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." Here Solomon wrote of the foolish woman: "her guests are in the depths of Sheol." On the contrary, Yeshua said of Himself in the same verse: "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
The LORD will not let the righteous go hungry, and the wages of endured discipline are eternal life, for the righteous will never be uprooted. The mouth of the righteous bears the fruit of wisdom; they preach the Gospel of Yeshua! They know what pleases God.
Proverbs 11, Proverbs 12, Proverbs 13
The wise man who loves God and obeys His Word both gives and receives wise counsel, and he flourishes in difficulty and in tribulation. He has wise counselors in God’s Word and the words of Godly men. He seeks to lead others in this Way of Christ, and he is rewarded for it by the Father. A fool (scoffer) follows his own heart, will not heed the Word of God, nor will he listen to the wise counsel of the godly. He will be destroyed without repentance, and will blame others for it.
Proverbs 14, Proverbs 15, Proverbs 16
We ought to get our hands dirty in order to prosper and seek wisdom through trial and tribulation, turning away from all that is evil, for this will lead to everlasting life. Plans succeed when aligned with the Word of God and those who know it, because God will order our steps. God hears the prayers of the righteous, who seek correction in humility. When we follow our own heart, we will not live with God—indeed, we will die, because pride always leads to a fall. God sees the thoughts and intents of our hearts and He knows all things, so we ought walk in His ways. He loves those who seek righteousness, and He knows those who pursue Him. When we commit all our ways to the LORD, they will succeed, for God works out all things for His purposes. God provides atonement through mercy and truth, a testimony of two we may know better as grace and faithfulness through Messiah Yeshua.
Solomon wrote: "“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the tongue’s answer is from Adonai.” (Proverbs 16:1)
Yeshua said: "Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist." (Luke 21:14-15)
Proverbs 17, Proverbs 18, Proverbs 19
The LORD is going to test the ones He loves, and He tests us according to His Word. Sin leads to strife, darkness, and trouble. The wise and discerning holds the tongue and speaks with peace even in the midst of trouble. One who is isolating himself seeks his own desire rather than the will of God, and such a fool also always thinks he's right. The righteous one runs to God and seeks to please Him in community, accepting discipline and correction as sweet knowledge that leads to wisdom. A good wife is a blessing and the grace of God.
Proverbs 20, Proverbs 21, Proverbs 22:1-16
A faithful man is hard to find—a man of insight who draws out his brother's intent and then discretely speaks from the Word in knowledge, sending his brother back to the LORD to find His next step. Those who give and receive sound rebukes will grow in the light of God. Men believe their own ways are right and often follow their own heart, thinking it identifies God's will, but this is deception and pride, for only the Word of God reflects God's will, and those who abide in the LORD's righteousness and mercy will inherit eternal life. We ought to train up our children according to God's Word and use discipline to keep them on track, just as our Father in heaven does for us.
Proverbs 22:17-29, Proverbs 23, Proverbs 24
Anger and overspending leading to debt bring trouble to a soul. At the same time, overworking oneself for worldly wealth is pointless, because worldly wealth is fleeting. Coveting a neighbor's property is foolish, especially the wealth or lifestyle of the ungodly who will be destroyed. More valuable than anything in this life is Truth, which is the Word of God, and the understanding to apply it in our lives. It is sinful to celebrate grace among those willfully sinning, because grace comes only upon those who are convicted of sin and repent.
Song of Songs, 1-8
The Song of Solomon has practical marital advice for a believing man and wife and also serves as an allegory for Yeshua and His bride, which is the whole Body of believers in Israel. We praise and worship our LORD and long for HIs company, speaking nothing other than joy about Him. Likewise, He cherishes and praises His bride, knowing that she is unlike any other woman of the world. He calls His bride to arise—for the dead will be raised up on the Last Day—to go to Him in the place He has prepared for us. Even as we sleep in the grave, our heart longs for Him. He desires all distractions in our lives to be taken under submission, those unpleasant foxes that spoil the vineyard. We long for the LORD on our bed at night and search for Him always. We tell others about how great He is. He stands at the door and knocks, but then when we open He desires for us to follow Him wherever He goes and find Him doing the work of the Kingdom and do likewise. We ought to tend the garden with Him, to long for His embrace, and to bear fruit for His kingdom, which we cannot do without Him. He is like a brother to us, and we His sister, but also a groom to His bride and a Father to His children. We call out to Him: Come LORD Yeshua!
1 Kings 11; 2 Chronicles 9:29-31; Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
There are two takaways from the story of Solomon's many wives. In one sense, it's the end of Solomon as a prophetic template for the coming King Messiah Yeshua, who will marry His Bride made up of people from all the nations, including Israel. On the other hand, it's also proof positive that Solomon was not and couldn't be the prophesied Son of David, who would build the temple for the LORD, unite the nation, and bring in an eternal kingdom of peace and joy. Yeshua is that Son without sin who will fulfill all. Solomon sinned, allowing his wives to worship foreign gods, who were actually former divine beings created by God who then fled the Heavens in rebellion to lead men astray. Solomon's idolatry violated Deuteronomy 17, where the LORD instructed Israel's future king not to multiply wives for himself, "lest his heart turn away..." For Solomon's sin, Israel would be divided and would never again be united until Yeshua's return as the ultimate fulfillment of prophesy to unite all of Israel as One. Everything in this life may appear futile, but God has His purposes, and while nothing is new under the sun, the LORD uses life's challenges to prepare us for the rising of His Son onto the eternal throne in His eternal kingdom.
Ecclesiastes 1; Ecclesiastes 2, Ecclesiastes 3; Ecclesiastes 4, Ecclesiastes 5, Ecclesiastes 6
With much knowledge and wisdom comes heartache, for it is painful to watch others stumble in the dark and to wait on the LORD.
There is no greater pleasure in life than enjoying a meal and godly conversation with those we love, thanking God, and it doesn’t matter whether the table is plain or opulent. We ought to be satisfied with what God has given.
God has set eternity in our hearts, and we will never discover the whole of it for as long as we live—and everything God does, including our own redemption and life with Him, will endure forever, even though we will rest in the grave awaiting His call. We ought to revere Him always.
We celebrate the Sabbath to learn at God’s feet and hear from Him, not to offer sacrifices for sin. We ought to approach with humble and contrite hearts already doing what He commands.
We ought to be generous with all God has given us, and take care of all our own affairs, for we take nothing in and give nothing out from the grave.
Ecclesiastes 7, Ecclesiastes 8, Ecclesiastes 9, Ecclesiastes 10, Ecclesiastes 11:1-6
The day of death is better than the day of birth, for the living will take the matter to heart. When we consider our own end, we turn our hearts toward the LORD. When we hear a rebuke from the wisdom of God, it behooves us to repent. There is nothing new on the earth, and so all ages of men have been alike—we all must choose good or evil, but ought to choose according the knowledge of God's Word. In the midst of trial, we ought to do what is wise. God made man upright, for everything He made was good, but men by their free will have chosen to leave the narrow path. Death comes upon us all, so we ought to turn our hearts away from wickedness. It will be well with those who fear God, for they will inherit eternal life, but it will not be well for the wicked, for their days are fleeting. We will never attain all knowledge, even into eternity. We ought to do all our works with all our might for the LORD, because we do not know the day of our death. One sin destroys much good, like dead flies putrefying the ointment, so we ought to guard ourselves from it. We should not even allow our thoughts to be evil, but renounce everything wicked immediately. We should use our time productively according to God's will.
Ecclesiastes 11:7-10; Ecclesiastes 12; 1 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 10; 2 Chronicles 11:1-17
There are three separate topics to cover in today's reading:
Ecclesiastes ends by pointing out how youth tend toward self-centeredness and rebellion, but they truly ought to consider the LORD's judgment that is coming and receive blessing. Rather than face difficulties of their own making, they ought to remember God's order and walk righteously in it for their own good. In old age, when wisdom becomes our treasure, it becomes harder to do the work the LORD asks of us, and yet we must do what He asks of us regardless. Judgment will come upon us all, and so we ought to remember to fear God and keep His commandments in all the days of our lives, for this alone brings life beyond the grave. God will bring every work into judgment, even the thoughts and intents of our hearts, and this is why His Way must become our everything.
Rehoboam was a reckless youth who listened to the words of reckless youth, and he forsook the wisdom of his elders. God said this would happen, but through prayer and humility Rehoboam could have changed course. Consider the story of Jonah and Nineveh. God intended destruction, but through repentance Mercy reigned in the pagan land. This is how God works. Rather than seek kindness and Truth, Rehoboam sought self aggrandizement and power, and so he lost it all but the tribe of Judah, just like God said. However, in the king's scramble to reclaim what he lost through military might, he found humility. Even though the king of Judah amassed 180,000 warriors to engage in civil war with Israel, when God told him to hold back because the division had come from Him, Rehoboam backed off and held his peace in obedience to the LORD. God responded by sending Rehoboam all of the Levites and all of the true worshippers from every tribe in Israel to become a part of Judah. Judah was now a land made up of all Israel, and Israel was and always will be the faithful followers of God. Through humility God builds His people up.
In the land of Israel, rather than submit to God and thank Him for elevating him to the role of king, Jeroboam quickly forgot who exalted him and moved in his own strength to consolidate power. Pay special attention to what he did, because it is symbolic of everything antichrist in the church today. To keep power within his land, Jeroboam set up golden idols for worship, he changed the feast days to different times of the year than God had commanded, and he discouraged the people from worshipping the way God had commanded. True men of God left him regardless for Judah, but he subjected the masses to the way of death. If he had only encouraged Godly worship and obedience who knows what good would have come of it? The land of Israel was now on a collision course with destruction and would never turn from it, while Judah, though it would stumble, would serve as God's vehicle for bringing forth Messiah Yeshua and establishing the throne of David forever. Yeshua, when He came, was the only one who would unite Israel (the Samaritans) back into the proper fold to follow after God.
1 Kings 13; 1 Kings 14; 1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 11; 2 Chronicles 12; 2 Chronicles 13; 2 Chronicles 14; 2 Chronicles 15
The man of God from Judah we read about in 1 Kings 13 gave a powerful prophesy against Jeroboam that was indeed fulfilled in 2 Kings 23:15-16, but then he himself was deceived by a false prophet, the old prophet in Bethel, who took the name of the LORD in vain. This is a lesson for us all: We must be careful when deciding to listen to a man who says they have heard from God. If the man's word aligns with the Word of God, then we can listen to it. But if the man's word does not align with the Word of God, this is how we know he is false and we shouldn't listen to him. God had told the prophet from Judah not to eat and drink in Israel, but the false prophet convinced him to violate God's Word. For this he was slain by the lion, Satan, who is wandering around roaring seeking someone to devour. Beware: Satan does not seek the lost; rather, He seeks those who know the LORD.
Jeroboam followed in Saul's footsteps and attempted to deceive a prophet of God, but the prophet would not be deceived for he could truly see all. Jeroboam's entire family would be wiped out following Nadab's short stint in charge. Baasha took the crown of Israel by destroying Jeroboam's entire family for the evil he brought upon Israel.
Rehoboam, the son of an Ammonitess, never fully gave his heart to seek the LORD. Though he went through bouts of humility, he didn't fully prepare his heart for God. God allowed Egypt to raid Jerusalem and remove the wealth Solomon had accumulated on account of the kings's moral failings, but Judah would retain autonomy due to even the tepid heart of humility. When the king humbled himself, God would have mercy. God also preserved the line of Judah on behalf of David, who had not sinned in ANY matter except that of Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite.
Through Absalom's granddaughter Maachah, Reheoboam fathered Abijah, who would rule next. Abijah also followed in the evil way of Absalom and his father Rehoboam. For his part, though, he stood with God and was used to judge Israel, which was in complete rebellion.
Asa replaced Abijah and brought powerful faith with him in a battle against the Ethiopians. He brought the law and faith back to Judah, which led to prosperity. "Asa’s heart was loyal to the Lord all his days,” except the very last. Unlike some who have death bed confessions, Asa has a death bed falling away. This is a warning for us to endure until the end. The prophesy was appropriate: "The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." Under Asa, men from Judah and Benjamin as well as the godly among Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon came to join the nation of Judah.
1 Kings 15, 1 Kings 16, 1 Kings 17, 2 Chronicles 16, 2 Chronicles 17
Asa had fallen away from God, according to Hanani the prophet, and through Hanani the LORD rebuked Asa for buying favor from Ben-Hadad of Syria with the riches of Judah. God had saved Judah from the Ethiopians through faith and had given the king favor, but now Asa had turned to princes for his help and rejected the LORD. The king repeated this error later after the LORD had allowed his feet to be rifled with disease by going to the physicians for help instead of seeking the LORD in repentance. He died in his sin. Asa's diseased feet are significant, because they symbolize a man who no longer walked with the LORD. As John said in 1 John 2:5, "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." Asa was cremated—a sign of judgment and destruction.
Baasha, Zimri, Tibni, and Omri took turns making Israel worse and worse, and they were each harshly judged for their depravity. Omri built Samaria, a lasting legacy for those who abandoned the God of Israel and their faithful brethren in Judah. None of these kings would compare with Ahab, Omri's son, who married Jezebel, the daughter of a pagan king from Sidon, bringing Ba'al and Asherah worship to Israel. He even allowed a subject to rebuild Jericho, a symbol for the darkness of the worldly kingdom that God destroyed when Israel captured the land for God. The LORD had said Jericho must never be rebuild. God brought drought and famine on the land through a prophet named Elijah the Tishbite to judge Ahab for his sin.
Meanwhile rebellious Asa was succeeded by Jehoshaphat, who delighted in the LORD and fully restored Judah's heart for the LORD also. His obedience to God was so heart-felt that even Judah's enemies feared to stand against the land. When strong men of faith are leading the nation, there is joy and peace in the hearts of all.
1 Kings 17, 1 Kings 18, 1 Kings 19, 1 Kings 20
The LORD used Elijah and cared for him as one of the most prolific prophets of all time. His faith must have been immense. But even with Elijah we see human weakness, and God must come in to help him, for God's strength is perfected in our weakness.
The widow of Zarephath had such faith that God would provide bread and oil that she offered all that she had to Elijah, a man of God, even though she had been concerned about eating her last meal. The LORD miraculously provided for her on account of her heart condition. The LORD tested the widow's faith by taking her son, but through trust in God Elijah brought him back, and the widow's faith was sealed because God accomplished what He had promised for her. She knew Elijah spoke Truth because God was with him.
Elijah's challenge to Ahab and his wife Jezebel's false prophets of Ba'al on Mount Carmel is one of my favorite stories in Scripture. The conclusion: Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God! And God comes in fire to consume and purify; to turn the hearts of those who go astray back to Him and to destroy those in rebellion.
When we face a principality of evil or its human vessel, it's possible for even the elect of faith to become afraid and seek isolation. The LORD provides for us even in these seasons of discouragement and seeks to pull us out of them through the still, small voice of His Holy Spirit. Sometimes God speaks in rebuke, as He did toward Elijah: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" God calls us out on mission in these times, and when we respond obediently great wonders happen for the glory of God. As Yeshua said, rejoice not that demons flee before you but that your name is written in the Book of Life.
Elisha turned back to say goodbye to his family before he became Elijah's servant. Despite his glorious ministry that would come, we have to do better than this and rise up when the LORD calls to follow Him without hesitation.
The devil will come after us like Ben-Hadad of Syria, attempting to frighten us into submission. Thankfully Ahab had counselors who were not willing to give in to his unreasonable demands—not just for worship, which Ahab was willing to give, but also for total surrender. Through the prophets, God called Ahab to defeat the enemy, and when the king walked in faithful obedience, the enemy was indeed scattered and defeated. When Ahab saw the success the LORD brought, it was easy for him to become complacent in the victory, but the prophets told him to go out and strengthen himself—another onslaught was coming. The LORD will come with us, but He also desires that we seek Him out after He helps us in victory so that we are better prepared to stand the next time.
1 Kings 20, 1 Kings 21, 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18
The LORD led Israel to victory over Syria because the Syrians believed in territorial gods, which were demons—gods of the hills and gods of the valleys—but Yahweh is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and everything in them, and so He would declare Himself to Ben-Hadad by routing him in both the hills and the valleys. God also called Ahab to destroy Ben-Hadad, in the same way He asked Saul to destroy the king of the Amalekites. Because Ahab failed to do so and viewed the pagan king as a brother, the LORD sought to judge Ahab next.
Ahab was a weak man, allowing his pagan witch of a wife to control his kingdom, even committing murder in his name to grab land that didn't belong to him. He did not rebuke or stop his wife, or even seek to understand her plans in service to the LORD, but rather gladly ate of the forbidden fruit. And so Elijah went to him and proclaimed the judgment of the LORD upon him, which brought him to repentance. The LORD relented of disaster against him and delayed it until the days of his sons, just as he had done for Solomon. But even the sons could have repented and brought blessing instead of curses. It's sad that they didn't.
Jehoshaphat was a good king of Judah, but brought a lot of pain into Judah by marrying into Ahab's family. He wouldn't see it himself, but his sons would. Nevertheless, he went to battle against Israel's enemies as a brother, hoping to reclaim lands that were lost. The LORD would bring judgment against Ahab through this battle.
1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18, 2 Chronicles 19, 2 Chronicles 20
Back in 1st Samuel 12:13-15, 20-25, the LORD spoke through Samuel to explain the dynamic of a human king in Israel, which He had not intended but completely expected and predestined law to govern in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. First, the LORD sets a king over His people. Second, if the people obey the LORD and worship Him alone in faith, then both the people and the King will be righteous before the LORD. Third, if the people rebel against God, then God will bring judgment and scatter both the people and the king. Fourth, the LORD will not forsake His people Israel for His own glory. The peace of Israel is all about the condition of the people's heart and not the king. The king is a servant in obedience leading the people to God and a rebel in disobedience leading the people astray, but it is the people that God considers.
When Jehoshaphat and Ahab met to seek the LORD's will in capturing Ramoth Gilead, the LORD allowed a deceiving spirit to encourage Ahab and all the people to go up to victory, and Israel indeed would have victory. The deception wasn't that Israel would suffer loss rather than victory, but an omission about the fate of Ahab. God had had enough, and Ahab's time had come. He had one final chance to repent in seeking the Truth from Micaiah (a test, perhaps?), but He did not heed the Truth but rather cursed it and thus sealed his fate. In prophetic fashion, Israel would be like sheep without a shepherd, because they didn't look to God but rather they looked to their kings. Upon Yeshua's crucifixion, they would similarly languish looking to fleshly release from occupation rather than freedom in Yeshua and His eternal Kingdom. The solution is simple: repent and hear (hear and obey) the good news!
Ahab sought human means of salvation, disguising himself in battle, but his heart was hard and God was coming to take him out. The enemy sought Jehoshaphat, believing he was Ahab, but then abandoned the pursuit learning it was not him. His time had not yet come. It was "a certain man" who "drew a bow at random" who struck Ahab, leading to his death. It wasn't random, but it appeared that way to men. God knew exactly where Ahab was and guided the fatal arrow. Ahab's time had come. Yeshua said, "no one knows the day or the hour," and He was certainly referring to His second coming, but when we read Hebrews 9:27, "it is appointed for man to die once, and then the judgment," we can rest assured that our own death is the end of our chances to repent. After we fall into the grave, the next thing we will experience is a resurrection unto life or a resurrection unto judgment. Sadly, for Ahab, his fate was sealed for the latter. His last act was defiance rather than repentance.
Upon Jehoshaphat's return home in "victory," he was greeted by Jehu the prophet who rebuked him for allying with the evil king Ahab. We are not to help the wicked—that is not what it means to love our enemy. To love our enemy is to bring them to repentance through rebuke and redirection, not to join them in their folly. Nevertheless, the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because of his own heart to lead Judah in obedience to God, for the king set up judges for the people. He taught the people the fear of God, with a faithful and loyal heart, and the people obliged, and it was for this reason Judah was blessed.
2 Chronicles 20 is evidence that Judah's heart was fully with the LORD, and King Jehoshaphat brought us a model prayer and heart condition needed for going into battle, whether physical or spiritual. His model prayer follows the same model Yeshua gave us in Matthew 5. Compare them side-by-side if you want to be blown away! It's amazing! The model is this: precede any battle with prayer and fasting, confession and repentance, and then go into battle with praise and thanksgiving, reminding the LORD of His promises, and wait for the victory with complete Trust! Praise the LORD for the blessings He brings, no matter what they are.
2 Kings 1, 2 Kings 3, 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 20, 2 Chronicles 21, 2 Kings 8
It's terrifying to see a king of Israel who was meant to be in intimate relationship with the Creator of Heaven and Earth send messengers to Satan (Ba'al Zebub) to inquire about his health. For this, God sent Elijah to Ahaziah and informed him of his pending eternal death.
Jehoshaphat went to battle with Israel and Edom against Moab and achieved victory, but it was only because of godly Jehoshaphat that the other two nations had any success. Jehoshaphat had been rebuked for yoking himself with these rebels against God, but God still had mercy on him because his heart was for the LORD. God is so good to His people and gives so much grace, even when we mess up, but He destroys those in rebellion against Him. Sadly, Jehoshaphat's mixing of the holy with the profane impacted his children as well as all Judah, because his son Jehoram married the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. He was led into evil by his wife to murder his brothers and ultimately this fruit would lead Judah into many days of trouble. This is why the first principle of avoiding mixing with the profane is so important. It may not have immediate consequences, but those consequences will come.
2 Kings 2, 2 Kings 4
Note that Elijah commanded Elisha to go away from him before he was taken up, an exception in Scripture to the rule that all must die before the judgment. The notable thing here is the pattern. All men of God—Naomi to Ruth, David to Ittai the Gittite, and Yeshua to His many disciples, as prime examples—send away those who seek to follow them. But the men of God who truly desire what the LORD is offering refuse to be sent off; they cling to the Truth of God's Word. This is illustrative of God's testing of our true heart condition and our response in faith. For Elisha's faith, Elijah's mantle of anointing fell upon him and he received a double blessing.
Elisha was quick to go to work in ministry, first bringing clean water to the city of prophets and casting off children devoted to evil, next providing abundant oil that brought freedom to a widow. Then he encountered a notable woman who had the heart of Yeshua, providing room and board for the prophet as he passed through. Elisha promised her a son, who died and was then raised by her faith. For faithful Israel, the LORD would also provide a Son who was then raised. In further prophetic pointing, Elisha added a wild vine to stew and purified it with flour (bread of life=Yeshua), symbolizing the grafting in of Gentiles through faith in Yeshua. Finally, Elisha multiplied bread to feed a multitude.
2 Kings 5, 2 Kings 6, 2 Kings 7, 2 Kings 8
Naaman was healed from leprosy because his faith overruled his worldly understanding, but he didn't get there on his own. A servant girl from Israel advised him about Elisha, the prophet who could heal by the power of God, and his own servant advised him to heed the command of Elisha to dip in the Jordan seven times, even though the idea seemed foolish to him (See 1 Corinthians 1:18-25). Naaman first went to Israel's king, expecting some worldly authority to bring him peace. Once redirected to Elisha, the commander of Syria's army also expected some type of sorcery to heal him, again looking to his own understanding. Through the grace and longsuffering of God, Naaman surrendered to God's way instead of his own, and it was through this surrender that he was healed. The power of faithful influence, even from the least among the brethren, can move mountains. The general did not fully understand the LORD after this, but he wanted to worship Him instead of his own nation's gods. He brought back earth from Israel, believing that God Most High was only attached to the Holy Land. God allowed this, because through this general's faith, knowledge of His glory would multiply.
Later, Syria had Israel surrounded, but Elisha called on the LORD to blind the enemy's army and bring them into the midst of Samaria where they would be captured. Rather than slay the now helpless enemy, Elisha counseled the king to love them by providing them food and sending them home. This act from the heart of God convinced the Syrians to make peace with Israel for a season.
In a siege against Samaria, the LORD had brought judgment on Israel for her sins per Deuteronomy 28, but Elisha led the people to repent. It was four lepers, representing sinners who came to repentance, who announced the LORD's victory over the enemy, and Israel was redeemed by their good tidings. The one who lacked faith in God's Word saw the salvation of the LORD, but did not take part in it.
Joram and Ahaziah his son were still turning toward evil, the consequences of Jehoshaphat improperly making peace with the evil house of Ahab. The sins of the fathers result in consequences to the third and fourth generations when such generational curses are not properly broken by repentance and faith. Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 6:14 not to unequally yoke ourselves with unbelievers. The result of doing so can be seen here in 2nd Kings.
In the days of Joram, the wicked king, the prophesy that Isaac gave to Esau in Genesis 27:39-40 was fulfilled. That prophesy to Esau was: "By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; and it shall come to pass, when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck.” In 2nd Kings 8, we read that in Joram's "days Edom revolted against Judah’s authority, and made a king over themselves. ... Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judah’s authority to this day."
2 Chronicles 21, 2 Chronicles 22, 2 Kings 8, 2 Kings 9, 2 Kings 10
Upon the Word of the LORD, God sent Jehu to annihilate the house of Ahab all throughout the lands of Israel and Judah. So too will the LORD Yeshua seek out every rebel against Him who led people to worship Satan in this age. Just as Jehu gathered together the worshippers of Ba'al and destroyed them together, so too will Yeshua gather together all who follow Satan and destroy them at once—on the Last Day. But Jehu was just a man—he was not Messiah to come—and so he failed to turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, who mixed the holy with the profane. He also failed to live up to his potential as a shepherd of God like David. This is a warning concerning the traditions of men and how they can destroy a man with even the best heart for following the Holy Spirit. It is good to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and to execute God's will accordingly to oppose evil, but if we don't turn our hearts toward the LORD to do good deeds and build a loving relationship with Him by restoring His commandments in our lives, then our salvation will not be complete. Our salvation is a testimony of two: grace THROUGH faith. That's faith in Yeshua and obedience to God's commandments. Jehu had the first but not the second; a warning for us all.
2 Kings 10, 2 Kings 11, 2 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 22, 2 Chronicles 23, 2 Chronicles 24
Jehoiada the priest and Jehosheba the daughter of King Joram and sister of King Ahaziah protected the seven-year old Joash/Jehoash from the evil witch Athaliah, hiding him away from her cruel hatred for God's people until he was old enough to take the throne. With Joash's ascent, Athaliah was taken out as the usurper that she was, and Jehoida the priest took Joash under his wing and trained him in the Way of God. Joash did significant good under the influence of Jehoida the priest, repairing the temple and restoring worship of the LORD to Judah, but the evidence suggests he never had his own faith. Jehoida, when he died, was buried with the kings even though he was a priest, for he had ruled Judah during his days through Joash. Unfortunately, Joash was easily influenced by evil men as soon as his mentor died, and his faith proved shallow. With Jehoida gone, Joash restored the wickedness of before and abandoned God, bringing the judgment of God upon the land. We must be very careful to examine our hearts and know whether our faith is real, executed under our own relationship with God. If our faith is influenced only by parents or mentors, we risk falling away when left to our own devices.
2 Kings 12, 2 Kings 13, 2 Chronicles 24
When Jehoahaz led Israel to sin, the enemies of Israel prospered. When the king repented and sought the face of God, the LORD gave him a deliverer. So it is true for us when we sin and when we repent, we are delivered by Yeshua, but God forbid we lack faith and turn back to sin.
When we give to the LORD, do we give all that we have, or do we only shoot three arrows from our quivers? Our victory in Christ will be equivalent to how much of ourselves we're willing to give Him.
Joash of Judah had fallen so far from grace following Jehoiada's death that he even executed his mentor's sons. For this Joash saw justice fall on his own head and he was murdered by an Ammonite and a Moabite on his bed. So too will those of us who fall from grace and faith in Christ and turn toward sin spend eternity in Hell. We must first plant an authentic faith in our heart and then endure in it until the end, and only then will we be saved.
2 Kings 13, 2 Kings 14, 2 Kings 15, 2 Chronicles 25, 2 Chronicles 26, Jonah 1, Jonah 2, Jonah 3, Jonah 4
From reading in 2 Kings we might think it strange that God allowed Joash of Israel to defeat Amaziah of Judah, especially after he obeyed God and conquered Edom. But when we read the story in 2nd Chronicles, God filled in the missing detail: Amaziah, for whatever insane reason, decided to worship the idols of the people God helped him conquer. How was this even a thought in his head? He would die in infamy succumbing to his pride.
The LORD had mercy on Israel for quite some time, despite king after king continuing in sin, including Jeroboam the second, who took after his namesake. God's mercy is everlasting!
Azariah/Uzziah of Judah had a similar issue with pride, just like his father Amaziah. He defeated many peoples around him and gained their respect, but then took the temple service into his own hand and decided to offer incense against God's law. For this, God gave him leprosy, a decay of his flesh, and he lived in isolation outside the camp. Jotham took over while he still lived. After God gives us victory, we must be careful to continue in obedience and not fall away.
The LORD called Jonah to preach to the pagan Gentiles and he was too proud to obey, so he fled. But God used all things for good. The pagans traveling with Him praised God for saving them as they threw Jonah overboard into the fish's mouth. From there, Jonah, as though dead, would give an obscure prophesy considering the coming Messiah, foretelling His crucifixion, death and resurrection. Vomited upon the land, God called Jonah again to Nineveh, where he successfully preached repentance, and God relented of the disaster He had planned against the city. Let us all have hearts like these in Nineveh. Jonah, for his part, felt sorrow for God's mercy on these pagans, but God corrected him in this also, encouraging him to love all the men of God's creation and not just his own.
Amos 1, Amos 2, Amos 3, Amos 4, Amos 5, Amos 6
Judgment comes from God on all who violate His commands, no matter who they are or where they are. It will be swift and final. God is long suffering, but on His appointed time He will wait no longer for repentance. His judgment will be stronger against those who knew Him and turned away, and we can be sure of this. The LORD explains to Israel that He has taken them through the curses of Deuteronomy 28 and they have not turned back to Him, so He will bring them out of the land into captivity. Those who are comfortable in the affliction of their brethren and have plenty in the time of judgment, who do not consider their neighbor’s plight, will be first taken into captivity. Yet He speaks to the remnant: seek the LORD and live. If we as followers of Jesus find ourselves in great tribulation, here is God’s counsel for us: “Therefore the prudent keep silent at such a time —for it is a distressful time. Seek good and not evil, so you may live, and so Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot may be with you —just as you said! Hate evil, love good, maintain justice at the gate. Maybe Yahweh the God of Hosts will extend grace to Joseph’s remnant.”
Amos 7, Amos 8, Amos 9, 2 Kings 14, 2 Kings 15, 2 Chronicles 26, Isaiah 6
As Amos concludes, we learn that God called Amos out of his field to prophesy, and he was not among the prophets prior to this. He was called to declare judgment on the 10 Northern tribes of Israel and their Samarian kingdom, and judgment would indeed come. Those who oppose the Word of the LORD when He comes in judgment will be destroyed by Him, but that remnant that embraces God's judgment with humility and repentance will indeed be preserved. Indeed, Israel would be scattered throughout the world, but a remnant would be returned in the Last Days to the land. This prophesy has been miraculously fulfilled, and the people of Israel will not be completely defeated again. There will be one final judgment following the last summer leading into the final Day of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement on the Last Day, but the remnant who have faith in Yeshua will be preserved. We will be among them into eternity if we put our trust in Yeshua, the King of Israel, and never turn our back from His people, praying for their repentance and faith.
Israel had a fast succession of evil kings as Assyria took more and more of her land and ultimately fully conquered her. The people did not relent. They did not turn back from evil. In the midst of Israel's depravity, Isaiah explained in Isaiah 6, the same would come to Judah without repentance. We ought to be like Isaiah, understanding in our depravity that we cannot please God. And yet, when we humble ourselves and repent, the LORD will grant us atonement in Yeshua. Our hearts ought to cry out like his: "Here I am LORD, send me!"
2 Kings 15, 2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 27, 2 Chronicles 28, Micah 1, Isaiah 7
The kings of Judah vacillated between good and evil during these days, while the people themselves acted corruptly, and God brought judgment on this account. Israel went from bad to worse, and even attempted to capture and enslave the men, women, and children of Judah as if they were foreigners, but God would not allow this and sent a prophet to set things right.
Even when God brings judgment against His people using the sword of other nations, He never intends for the nations to annihilate His people, and those who try are themselves annihilated.
In the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, the prophet Micah saw Yeshua's return and the melting away of the world with the fire of His judgment. Was it also the fire that Babylon would bring in judgment against Judah?
Isaiah's prophesy contains a short-term prophesy about Judah's deliverance and a long-term prophesy concerning the coming of Yeshua, born of a virgin, God with us, and His Kingdom that will ultimately restore all things for His people.
Isaiah 8, Isaiah 9, Isaiah 10, Isaiah 11
In the near-term, the LORD prophesies destruction to both Israel and then Judah using the rod of Assyria and Babylon respectively, but also to those nations that relished in conquering God's people, God would bring destruction; first Assyria by Babylon, and then Babylon by Media-Persia, a nation that restored Jerusalem. As Solomon wrote in Proverbs 24:17-18: "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him." It would be during this latter time of restoration for Judah that the gloom and darkness, distress and anguish would be relieved, for in Galilee of the Gentiles Yeshua would first preach the light of God's eternal kingdom.
The Child born would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace. When Manoah asked the angel's name who prophesied his son Samson, the Angel replied, "Why do you ask My name, seeing it is Wonderful?" We know the LORD lives, and His throne of Mercy endures forever for the remnant of Israel, Judah and the Nations. The arrogant, the prideful, the boastful, the scoffers, and the lawless continue to seek their own way, boasting after each of God's judgments that they will "build back better," but certain destruction comes upon them. These leaders and false teachers will be swallowed up. No one will withstand the fiery wrath of the LORD's anger on Judgment Day except those humble in heart who repent. Who will those turn to for help who do not know the LORD? When the LORD's work is finished on Mt. Zion and in Jerusalem—when the third temple made up of the faithful followers of Yeshua is complete—God will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart. Yeshua Himself will be a flame that burns up wickedness and God's people will stand in the fire. From that point forward, all of the remnant will serve the LORD.
The LORD would also come as a Netzer, a tender shoot, a Nazarene, from the broken down stump of Israel, and He would bear fruit. He would bear the Holy Spirit and this Yeshua would delight in serving the Father. In His Day, He would speak Truth and slay the wicked with the Word of His mouth. The nations would seek for Him and He would come about a second time to redeem His remnant among the people living on the earth, and then the whole world will serve the LORD.
Isaiah 12, Isaiah 17, 2 Chronicles 28, 2 Chronicles 29, 2 Kings 15, 2 Kings 16, 2 Kings 18, Hosea 1, Hosea 2
Today's readings appear out of order chronologically, for the fall of Israel under King Hoshea around 720 BC came during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah (735–715 BC) and before his son King Hezekiah of Judah took power (715–687 BC). Hosea the prophet was writing the early parts of his prophesy in the days of Uzziah (783–742 BC), though he also lived through Jotham (742–735 BC), Ahaz and even into Hezekiah's reign. Scripture also notes he wrote during the time of Jeroboam II (786–746 BC), king of Israel, which puts his writing squarely during the time of Uzziah. The prophesy is notable because it indicates how God would have compassion on Judah, but not on Israel, which is precisely what happened historically at first, but later we also know that God would bring justice on Judah as well. His prophesy is therefore very short-term focused, but also offers an inaugurated eschatology regarding the coming of Yeshua and the restoration of Israel by His blood. In its short-term focus, God explains to Hosea his intent to "put an end to all [Israel's] rejoicing— her feasts, her New Moon, her Shabbat, and all her feasts." It is critically important to recognize that Israel did not celebrate God's feasts; rather, the nation had come up with syncretistic feasts under Jeroboam I, and this very thing was the beginning of God's anger with Israel. It is what Hosea likens to "prostitution." Read 1st Kings 12:25-33 for some of those details.
If we look to what the Rabbis wrote about Hoshea son of Elah, who had assassinated King Pekah to take his throne in Israel for a very short while, they indicate that he attempted to reopen the road to Jerusalem for the people of Israel so they could worship God properly, but the people themselves actually rejected this effort (Source: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1679684/jewish/The-Exile-of-the-Ten-Lost-Tribes-of-Israel.htm). This coincides with what Samuel told Israel regarding their desire to have a king over them; namely, they would still be judged as a people even if their king sought righteousness. Scripture seems to support this idea at least vaguely by indicating that Hoshea "did what was evil in Adonai's eyes, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him." This is pure speculation, but it's interesting to consider whether he himself wasn't willing to reestablish God's feasts in Israel, but at least he was willing to invite the people to follow their conscience? It's hard to say whether this is why he wasn't as evil as the kings before him, because Scripture doesn't say. All we know is that he became a vassal of King Shalmaneser of Assyria, who later took the people of Israel captive and replaced them with Babylonians and Assyrian people who would interbreed with the children of Israel and create the people known as the Samaritans in Yeshua's day.
While God scattered the people of Israel all throughout the whole world, and eventually the children of Judah also, and they would face many hundreds of years of complete and total shame, He would gather them back in through Yeshua. His mercy would fall upon any person, whether Jew or Gentile grafted-in through the blood of Yeshua, when they keep the commandments of God and their faith in Yeshua.
King Ahaz of Judah was truly evil. He was like the kings of Israel, appealing to foreigners and foreign gods for his help rather than rely on the LORD, but he took things one step further and put a pagan altar in the Temple of God. This heinous act certainly caused judgment from God and hatred of the people of Jerusalem. But in the midst of this, his wife Avi/Abi/Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah, was quietly training up her son Hezekiah in the ways of his ancestor David. Avi's father Zechariah was not the prophet who wrote during the days of Esther's husband Darius of Media Persia. Her father was also likely not the Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest who was murdered by Ahaz's great great grandfather Joash/Jehoash, because the timing doesn't make sense. It's more likely she was the daughter of Zechariah the king of Israel who ruled briefly during Ahaz's grandfather Azariah/Uzziah's reign and was murdered by his servant Shallum in front of all his people, including perhaps his daughter. If Avi witnessed both the death of her father due to infidelity to God and she saw her husband Ahaz thwart God as a hated idolator and witnessed his burial outside the respected tomb of the kings, it's likely she repented to serve God and taught her son to do the same. This makes me think of Solomon's words in Proverbs 31:1: "The words of King Lemuel [a symbolic name for Solomon meaning "belonging to God"], the utterance which his mother taught him..."
The sad thing is that King Ahaz committed his greatest evils during a time of distress. Solomon also wrote in Proverbs 25:26, "Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous person who yields before the wicked."
Likely due to his mother Avi's care, Hezekiah was ready to go the moment his father died and he restored Judah to faith in God, bringing blessing upon the land. He hit the ground running, immediately removing the high places, smashing pillars and Asherah poles, and he even went so far as to destroy the bronze serpent Moses had made, not because anything was wrong with the image being kept as a memorial, but because some of the people were "burning incense to it" and gave it the name "Nehushtan." To "burn incense" is a euthemism for prayer and worship (see: Revelation 5:8, Psalm 141:2, and Revelation 8:3-4). God had commanded Moses to make this image for healing, and in obedience to God men who looked at it were healed in a prophetic nod to Yeshua, but now it was being used to worship a pagan god. Caduceus, Hermes, Mercury, Isis, Asclepius, and even the modern symbol for medicine come to mind as similar idols. Zechariah was not going to allow such evil under his watch. No king before or after him trusted the LORD in the same way as Hezekiah in that Hezekiah did not turn away from the LORD even once. Though David his ancestor trusted the LORD and set the standard for faith, he had turned away in the matter of Uriah the Hittite and gave us an example of repentance.
Hosea 2, Hosea 3, Hosea 4, Hosea 5, Hosea 6, Hosea 7, Hosea 8
The LORD would purchase His people with the price of His blood, just as Hosea was commanded to purchase a prostitute and set her apart to remain chaste. During this time, the LORD would not dwell physically with His people, just as Hosea would not visit the prostitute he purchased. The Gentiles would be brought in also—the beasts of the field and flying creatures. The betrothal with Israel would not be revoked, but they would wait long, difficult days for their bridegroom's return.
Later, the LORD gave Hosea His complaints: His people broke the commandments and showed no loyalty to Him. The LORD would resultantly honor His Word and bring curses upon the land. The people would be destroyed for lack of knowledge; because they did not know the law of God, but it was the teachers' fault, and these would be judged—their children would be forgotten—the Levitical priesthood would be replaced. They refused to give up their evil deeds. The LORD would come and bring justice, removing them, and then He would leave until they admit their guilt and call out to Him, seeking His face. Yeshua said to them: "You will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the LORD.'" Hosea said: "In their distress they will seek me earnestly," and so this is what we will see before the LORD returns. Yet, we understand that while the LORD has ripped apart His people, He will heal them. On the Third Day, the Last Day, all the faithful will live in His presence. He will return with the latter rain, representing the Fall Feast Days starting with the Day of Trumpets. God sent out light, bringing knowledge of God, promoting obedience rather than sacrifice.
As Israel sought help from men and their false gods, the LORD fashioned disaster for them that they would not escape. They cried out "LORD, LORD," and said that they know Him, but they rejected goodness—how could they know Him? The golden calves of Samaria would be thrown down—the LORD looked to Jeroboam's first sin as the 10 tribes separated and never forgot it. Samaria used its altars for sinning rather than atoning for sin. The LORD could multiply words, even offering 10,000 versions of the same simple law from His Torah, but they still wouldn't hear Him. Fire would consume those in rebellion who refuse to repent.
Hosea 9, Hosea 10, Hosea 11, Hosea 12, Hosea 13, Hosea 14
Hosea shifted his focus referring to Israel as male instead of female from this point forward in his prophecy. We can see that Israel will become wanderers among the nations. Those who do not turn back to the LORD will cry out to the mountains, “cover us,” and the hills, “fall on us,” on that Day when God is revealed on his throne, and Yeshua returns on the clouds. They will not be able to stand in His presence like the righteous. But those who sow righteousness and reap with love will be able to break up the fallow ground in their hearts and receive the Lord’s righteousness when He showers it down upon them. The worldly rulers will be overthrown, those who lord over others and lead astray. The remnant of Israel will be preserved in that Day, and all of Judah who return to God, keeping loyalty and justice, waiting for God continually.
Let us not worship idols (kiss the calves), for we should know no God but Yahweh—there is no Savior apart from Him. This is why it is so important to understand and worship Yeshua as Yahweh; they are one and the same God. The LORD will heal His faithful and turn His anger away from those who trust in Him. The ways of the LORD are straight, and the just walk in them, but the wicked stumble in them.
Isaiah 28, 2 Kings 17, 2 Kings 18, Isaiah 1
Isaiah 28 explains that the teachers of Israel did not know how to interpret Scripture. They looked, line-by-line, principle-by-principle, coming up with their own commandments that the LORD did not intend, but they neglected the Way of God that He had commanded in His Word. They grew drunk with wine and drunk with power, but they never tasted the Holy Spirit and faith in the heart of God. In a parable, God asked whether someone sowing a field ought to continually break up fallow ground without actually planting any seed? What a useless thing to do! Rather, a wise servant plants a variety of seeds, properly processes the fruit from them, and provides what is needed for nourishment. No one who knows God intimately does the same act repeatedly without bearing fruit, for a Man of God moves with the LORD and also waits on Him to move. But those who do not know God have made the faith a religion and will die in its meaningless repetittion.
The story of Samaria's capture and destruction was already laid out in Deuteronomy 28. All the people had to do was repent and return to the Way of God, but they couldn't do it. They reached the end of God's judgments and were scattered away from the land the LORD had given them. Let us not be so blind to the Will of God in our lives that He scatters us also, but let us always humble ourselves before Him and repent in any way that we are falling short.
In Isaiah 1, we learn that when a people attempt to go through the motions creating a religion from their faith but fail to heed the commandments of God, God will not even hear their prayers let alone meet with them during His appointed times. But when we repent and turn away from wickedness and rather follow the law of God, the LORD will meet with us and allow us to come in near to Him. The choice is up to us.
Isaiah 1, Isaiah 2, Isaiah 3, Isaiah 4, Isaiah 5
The LORD showed me something in Isaiah 1 I hadn't seen before. In alignment with the rest of Isaiah 1, there is a continued rebuke of Jerusalem as going after false gods and practices, building their own religion of syncretism. Among the metaphors used is this: "your silver has become dross, your wine diluted by water." The LORD explains: "I will purge away your dross," meaning, speaking from God's point of view: I will remove all those practices and traditions that are not meaningful, which do not align with My heart's desire for My people and the heart of the Law I have given. He did this very thing, and you know how He began? He literally turned water into wine! He brought vitality to a barrel that had no fruit in it. Only God can do that! He defended spiritual widows and orphans, He purified the Torah and explained its meaning, and He lived righteously and made a people for Himself who would follow Him in righteousness! He replaced the Levitical Priesthood with a Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek, with He Himself serving as High Priest. Anyone forsaking Him—the transgressors and sinners together—would be consumed by His refining fire, "the strong will become tinder and the work like a spark—both will burn together, and no one will quench them." It is only the repentant who will be redeemed unto righteousness by the blood that will make them white as snow.
Isaiah 2-4 is one message, “The Word which Isaiah, son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem,” and it ought to be read that way. The LORD will exalt Himself above everything else, as was intended from the beginning, and His long-suffering so we might come to repentance will come to an end. The prophetic mountain of God, which stands high above all the other mountains, hills and valleys, will rise at the end when every other mountain is made low and valley is raised. The Torah will be the law of all the land for all people, and there will be no other, but it won't be interpreted by men, but by the Most High God, judged by Yeshua the Messiah. This unified Kingdom will end all strife in the world and bring everlasting peace. The lawless ones will not be pardoned, and they will hide in the rocks when the LORD returns and shows Himself to all flesh in His glory! And so the LORD exhorts those with ears to hear: "Stop trusting in mankind —whose breath is in his nose— for what is he really worth?”
As He continued, the LORD explained that He would bring His judgments described in Deuteronomy 28 upon Judah and Jerusalem, and because we have seen this occur, we know that His Word is true. The whole of chapter 3 describes this. The land will be made desolate, and it was, first with the destruction of the Temple in AD 30 and then with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 135.
But first, "seven women will grab hold of one man in that day, saying: "We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel. Only let us be called by your name—take away our reproach!" What else does a man or woman of God need than food and clothing? These seven women represent the complete congregation of Israel—the Church—both Jews and Gentiles grafted-in to Israel through faith in Messiah Yeshua, the One who takes away our reproach. He is the Branch of Adonai, beautiful and glorious, and those among Israel who survive will eat of His fruit. The remnant of Israel and Judah—whoever is left in Zion and whoever remains in Jerusalem—will be called holy. He will wash away our filth and purge the blood by the spirit of judgment and burning. 2nd Peter 3, 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15, and Job 14 explain this time—the resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment. Following this Last Day, the LORD's cloud by day and flaming fire by night will endure in the land forever and the light of God, His glory, will be a canopy for the new heavens and new earth. The LORD Himself will be our shelter forever.
In Isaiah 5, the LORD presents the Parable of the Vineyard. When Yeshua told this parable in Luke 20:9-19, Matthew 21:33-46 and Mark 12:1-12, He was referring back to this parable in Isaiah 5, and reading all together is absolutely necessary to understand the Truth of it. The Levitical priesthood would be replaced and a new priesthood with Yeshua as the High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek, would be the new priesthood. The Apostolic Doctrine would be the Way, following after Yeshua, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. For He explained how God intended the Torah to be read, and dismissed the false interpretations of men. The men who previously controlled the vineyard used it to enrich themselves with glory, power and riches, but they kept the people out from knowing the Kingdom of God (read Matthew 23). The LORD would tear them apart and replace them with those who truly understood His Truth, and with the power of His Holy Spirit they would bring forth fruit. But be warned: From among the Apostles, men would rise up as wolves in sheep's clothing to lead astray the flock. The righteous keep the commandments of God and faith in Yeshua, who is the owner of the Vineyard.
2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 28, Isaiah 13, Isaiah 14, Isaiah 15, Isaiah 16
Judgment is coming upon the world, but the LORD will preserve His people in the midst of it.
2 Chronicles 29, 2 Chronicles 30, 2 Chronicles 31
Hezekiah brought restoration to Jerusalem with wholehearted devotion to the LORD, and committed the Levites to the work of the temple once more. They rejoiced in their work, which the LORD enabled them to accomplish. Things move quickly when our hearts are fully devoted to serving the LORD in the manner He has commanded. The Kingdom of Judah had a new son of David on the throne.
As Hezekiah moved to celebrate the Passover in the Second Month, per the commandment, we can't miss the parallel between 2 Chronicles 30 and the Parable of the Wedding Banquet in Matthew 22:1-14. Both point forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when all of God's faithful will dine with Him for the first time in His Kingdom. Just as in Yeshua's parable, so in this one: "As the couriers traveled from town to town through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh and as far as Zebulun, they were scorned and mocked. Nevertheless some men from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem." Those who repented, turning back to the LORD and His commandments, partook of the joy of His Kingdom! Those who scoffed and turned their back on the LORD and His celebration, were left in outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Note: "Although a great multitude of the people—many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, they still ate the Passover lamb contrary to what is written. But Hezekiah prayed for them saying: 'May Adonai who is good, atone for every one who prepares his heart to seek Adonai, the God of his fathers, even though he is not pure according to rules of the sanctuary.' Adonai heard Hezekiah and healed the people."
What God desires most is our heart condition that seeks Him first. These men wanted to know their God, and even though they were ignorant of the cleansing rituals, the LORD healed them and brought them near. It is certain that they would learn what to do for next time, for Hezekiah brought the study of Torah to the forefront of the celebration so the people could reacquaint themselves with their God.
The evidence for such true conversion follows, for the people left the feast destroying all of their idols—not just in Judah but even in Ephraim and Manasseh. From that point forward, the Holy Days were followed per the LORD's instruction. The people gave generously to celebrate the LORD's bounty, and the temple overflowed. Blessings come when we wholeheartedly abide in the will of God.
Proverbs 25, Proverbs 26, Proverbs 27, Proverbs 28, Proverbs 29
As I read Proverbs 27:22, our reading from Isaiah 28 came to mind. The first reads: “Even if you pound the fool along with the grain in a mortar with a pestle, his foolishness would never leave him.” Isaiah 28:28 reads: "Bread grain is crushed, but not endlessly." Wisdom comes from measured, humble and patient obedience to the will of God, which is defined by His Word. We have to approach Scripture with hearts that are seeking the LORD fully, or no amount of reading can help us. No amount of teaching, listening to sermons, or reading devotionals can help us learn. Only full devotion to God with hearts fully desiring Him can open our hearts to wisdom.
I've been reading the Book of Proverbs, one chapter a day, chapters 1-31, each month this year, so I'm now in my seventh time reading it (eighth, counting these readings here). It is indeed a glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of His people to search it out. May the LORD continue to remove impurities far from me and all of us as He refines us with His Word.
Proverbs 30, Proverbs 31
God's wisdom pours through the words of Solomon, and we ought to pray to God for discernment on how to apply such wisdom to our lives.
Proverbs 30 has a verse that provides further evidence that God has a Son, whom we know to be Yeshua. Solomon asked: “Who has gone up into heaven, and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the palm of His hand? Who has wrapped the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name and what is the name of His Son—if you know?” We know. As Hebrews 11:40 reads: "God having provided something better for us..." His Son's name is Yeshua.
In addition to announcing the Son of God, Solomon not coincidentally proceeds to declare the primacy of God's Word. We know Yeshua is the Word made flesh. But the Word itself, when interpreted by the Spirit, is unassailable. We read: "Every word of God is purified. He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, or else He will rebuke You and prove you a liar."
Proverbs 31 warns against drunkenness, and explains that alcohol only ought to be used excessively in a hospice situation. Strong drink (or similar mind-altering substances) ought to be avoided to prevent perversion or forgetfulness of God's Word.
It also warns against womanizing, moving to then discuss how a Biblically minded woman of valor ought to behave. Proverbs 31 describes a godly woman, and thanks be to God, it also describes my wife.
Psalm 42, Psalm 43, Psalm 44, Psalm 45, Psalm 46
The psalmist poetically explains how we ought to desire to know the LORD, to thirst for Him, to hunger for Him, to desire him more than anything else. We may feel downcast in our soul when it seems like we are all alone, but the Lord vindicates us—He is our Hope, our Protection, our Savior, and our Deliverer—even in the midst of the deepest and darkest trials. He is the Mighty One, who rides in victory on behalf of truth, gentleness, and justice. His throne is forever. Our God is an awesome God; indeed he reigns forever.
Psalm 47, Psalm 48, Psalm 49, Psalm 84, Psalm 85, Psalm 87
Our eternal God is awesome; He is King over all the earth and He deserves our praise as He sits upon His Holy Mountain! Anyone who opposes Him, great or small, will flee in terror on Judgment Day. Why should we ever fear so long as our heart's meditation is on understanding God's wisdom? Those men who pridefully seek their own way will die eternally like the beasts of the earth, but God's Mercy endures for the righteous, for only He can redeem us from our sins. He speaks peace to His saints so long as we do not return into sin. His salvation remains with those who fear Him, where loving-kindness and truth, and righteousness and peace join together. This testimony of two is essential to walk in the Way of the LORD. All who recognize Yeshua will be born again into Zion—whether from Jacob or like Rahab and Babylon—we will be established forever in Him.
Psalm 1, Psalm 2, Psalm 10, Psalm 33, Psalm 71, Psalm 91
Psalm 1 makes it clear we have a choice to follow and meditate on the Torah day and night or to contemplate, practice and embrace wickedness. Yeshua, the Word who became flesh, will remember the righteous who follow His Way when He comes into His kingdom, and He will uphold us during the evil days. Psalm 2 explains our reality again, and in the second testimony of two, we learn that we must worship Yeshua or we will die in our sins. Together, Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 are summed up in Revelation 14:12: "Here is the patience of the Saints; here are they who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Yeshua."
Psalm 10 answers the age old question: Why do the wicked scoff against God and revile Him? The answer is simple: "He [the wicked] says in his heart 'You will never require anything.'" There is no better argument against a faith without works argument than this. We are saved by grace THROUGH faith, and faith is the very act of doing the works that Yeshua taught us because of our salvation. God will require an account!
It is fitting for the righteous to praise God and worship Him, especially when the LORD calls His people to gather together. He has done so much for us, how could we ever doubt His plans? How could we think our own way is better than His Way? Yeshua's eyes are on those who fear Him, waiting for His love; He will deliver our souls from death.
God is our refuge and strength, and thus we ought to pray for His protection and guidance.
He is our shelter, and in Him we need not fear the war, but walk forward with ten thousand at our right hand, watching while God Himself vanquishes the enemy. He will grant eternal life and salvation to the ones who call upon Him and devote their love to Him.
Psalm 92, Psalm 93, Psalm 94, Psalm 95, Psalm 96, Psalm 97
Psalm 92, a song for the Sabbath, beautifully describes the Seventh Day. Joy and peace surround us as we praise God for the work of His hands, while all evildoers are scattered. It's a rehearsal dinner for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when eternity begins. The righteous flourish and yield fruit forever, praising God for the increase!
God is everlasting and His voice thunders majestically through His Word, which is Truth.
God will bring vengeance upon the wicked and proud, and so they mock in vain. They will be utterly annihilated, and so we pray for them to repent.
Today, if we hear God's voice (through His Holy Word), let us not harden our hearts as the people did at Meribah. We who have seen His work had better not put the LORD our God to the test.
Rather, we ought to rejoice always, proclaiming the Gospel of His salvation every day, trembling before our God. He is coming to judge the Earth, and His judgment will be righteous and faithful to His people.
If we love the LORD, we must HATE evil. The LORD delivers His saints from the wicked.
God will burn up His adversaries, but He will watch over the souls of His godly ones, delivering them out of the hand of the wicked. Remember this, and praise Him.
Psalm 98, Psalm 99, Psalm 100, Psalm 102, Psalm 104
98. God is full of loving-kindness and faithfulness to Israel, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God's people. He will judge the world with righteousness and fairness according to His Word.
God reigns and ought to be worshipped for He is Holy.
100. We ought to offer the LORD joyful praise and thanksgiving so we can enjoy His presence. He made us and we belong to Him. Everything He does is good, faithful and merciful.
102. The eternal LORD will arise and have compassion on His people who wait for Him with longing. God does not change and His years will never end, and the offspring of the righteous will endure together with Him.
104. The LORD ordered His creation perfectly and gave us the bounty of His fruit to enjoy. Let our meditations on His handiwork be like sweet incense for Him.
Psalm 105, Psalm 106
105 & 106. I love how Psalm 105 calls upon God's people to testify of God's work among the brethren, and this is certainly one of the things we ought to do when we come in to celebrate the Sabbath. Additionally, we ought to sing praises of Him relative to the wonderful things He has done in antiquity. We ought to study His deeds in Scripture, for they are a sign for what will happen to us in our own lives. The Word of God is living and powerful; it is eternal—there is nothing in this life that isn't already explained in Scripture, or as Solomon said, "there is nothing new under the sun." Psalm 105 and 106 then move on to testify of many of God's wonderful deeds, His mercy, which endures forever, and also the justice that He will bring against those who deny Him. The LORD blesses us and asks only that we keep His commandments, which are meant to further bless us.
Psalm 107, Psalm 111, Psalm 112, Psalm 113, Psalm 114
107. When we cry out to the LORD in our distress He delivers us out of our troubles, for His mercy endures forever and He is worthy to be praised. He makes fruitful lands out of the desolate places and fruitful hearts out of what was once rebellious.
111. We also praise the LORD for His righteousness, which endures forever, and remember His grace and mercy, for He redeems His people who trust in His ways of truth and justice.
112. When we fear God and keep His commandments, He will remember us at the resurrection of the dead. The wicked hate God's righteous law, but their desires toward sin will perish along with them.
113. Our God humbled Himself by looking upon the earth and raising the humble from the dust to sit with Him as princes of His people and fruitful partners in His new creation.
114. We ought to tremble in the presence of God, for He will exalt the humble.
Psalm 115, Psalm 116, Psalm 117, Psalm 118
115. We give glory to the name of the Lord because of his mercy and truth; our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases for the glory of His name. Idols are worthless, but the Lord saves. The dead cannot praise the LORD, and so he will lift us up as he did the Son.
116. Our Creator is not aloof, but He listens to our prayers when we’ve made ourselves humble before Him. He delivers our souls from death, our eyes from tears and our feet from falling, and we can be confident that we will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. Our death in this life pleases the LORD, for it looses our bonds and brings us one step closer to the resurrection of the dead.
117. The LORD is calling on even the Gentiles to worship Him, and in so doing this, the Psalmist explains: "the Truth of the LORD endures forever." The Torah (law/instruction) of God is that Truth, as exemplified by Messiah Yeshua.
118. We must fear God and not man; put our trust and confidence in the LORD, and not in government. We shall not die the second death when we do this, but live, and in living we ought to seek the LORD's righteousness and praise the LORD, being built on the cornerstone which is the everlasting life of Yeshua! His Mercy endures forever!
Psalm 119
119. Studying, learning, understanding, and applying God's holy instruction is the path to peace and joy in this life, and everlasting relationship with Yeshua in the life to come. Because the LORD has saved us from our iniquities, transgressions and sins, we ought to keep His Word. His law, His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments are perfect, and they guide us as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. I pray for the LORD to help me keep His precepts with all my heart so that I might not lean on my own understanding and perish.
Psalm 120, Psalm 121, Psalm 123, Psalm 125, Psalm 126
120. We will face trial and tribulation in this life—Yeshua said: "In the world, you will have tribulation"—but when we cry out to the LORD, He will answer and deliver us from all evil, restoring peace—Yeshua said, "but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
121. Our help comes from the LORD, the creator, who will hold us up with His righteous right hand—Yeshua! He will guard our eternal life, and His eyes are always upon us.
123. We look upon our God expectantly, and He makes us wait for His favor so we do not become proud.
125. When we trust in the LORD through everything, our faith is immovable and endures, and He will reward our faith.
The humble and repentant who are freed from bondage will experience an abundance of joy.
Psalm 128, Psalm 129, Psalm 130, Psalm 132, Psalm 134, Psalm 135
128. We will be abundantly blessed if we trust in the LORD and walk in His ways.
129. The wicked will be like vapor and will not last the heat that is coming. We cannot pray for the LORD's blessing on the wicked, for they must first repent to receive it, and so we ought to pray for their repentance.
130. If the LORD remembered our sins, we would all die the second death, but He offers mercy so we can glorify His name. Thus, we wait for Him and have hope in His Word.
132. This is increasingly my heart's desire: “I will not enter the tent of my house nor lie on my bed, nor will I will give sleep to my eyes, nor slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for Adonai" The LORD has promised Yeshua's eternal reign and our resting place with Him in His kingdom, and so our only desire ought to be the Bread of Life that satisfies, which is the Word of God.
134. Let us lift up our hands in praise to the Most High who created all!
135. The LORD will vindicate those who tirelessly serve Him, and so let us not go astray after idols.
Psalm 136, Psalm 146, Psalm 147, Psalm 148, Psalm 149, Psalm 150
136. We ought to praise the LORD for all of the great things He has done for us. The LORD will ultimately destroy the proud and wicked and raise up the humble and righteous, and in this the LORD shows lovingkindness because it demonstrates that He is good, that He is long-suffering, and that He is just.
146. We must never put any of our trust in men or earthly rulers or even good governance, because all of these plans will fail, but the plans of the LORD will prevail forever and in them we can put our trust.
147. We ought to praise the LORD for His control over man and nature, and the way He sets apart a people for Himself.
148. All of creation will sing praises to the LORD. If we don't praise Yeshua, the rocks will cry out and sing of His glory!
149. The LORD has raised up Yeshua to rule with mercy and righteousness over His saints, who are humble and righteous. We will indeed go to war yielding the Word of God against all that is evil, calling all who will hear to repentance. Halleluyah!
150. We ought to praise the LORD with musical instruments and lift up our voices in song!
Isaiah 18, Isaiah 19, Isaiah 20, Isaiah 21, Isaiah 22, Isaiah 23
Isaiah 18 explains how the Ethiopians will come to worship Yeshua, a prophesy partially fulfilled by the Ethiopian Eunuch baptized by Phillip. There will be another fulfillment.
Isaiah 19 is paired with Matthew 24. Egypt and Assyria represent the world, but in the end all Israel and the nations will worship God together and will be connected together as one people.
In Isaiah 20 there is a sense that those who trust in princes will be stripped bear of all that they care about and their walk will be naked, they will be exposed before the Most High. Who will escape?
In Isaiah 21, the LORD speaks to those who should be brothers of Israel but betray her; those who should uphold the grace of God and the righteous walk of Jesus, but who reject it in their hearts and betray those who stand fast. These will witness the judgments of God increasing in intensity and frequency until the end, causing bewilderment and terror, with tribulation. It will be dark, there shall be no hope, men will destroy men, and then the empire of false pretenses will fall. The false religions and the false authorities will be exposed. No more idols will remain. The people of God who are oppressed by the way of men will taste the joy of the morning, the light of God.
In Isaiah 22, we understand that Israel will face persecution, tribulation and suffering on account of their understanding of God, and God will mourn this time—He hates it! Israel will look to the armories and provisions they have set up but will find no comfort in them. And while there will be suffering, the LORD desires our hope in Him, our joy and gladness, during this time. We ought not prepare our graves but our eternal life. Our flesh will die, and our earthly security will fail, but our hope is in the LORD, the Son of David, the Son of God, and what He has set forth for us no one can impede. He will sit on the throne of glory, and His offspring who trust in Him and keep His commandments will dwell forever with Him, but first He will be cut off and the earthly kingdom ideal with Him.
In Isaiah 23, the merchants of the world will be exposed as frauds. Their seeking of worldly riches will be seen for the emptiness it is. But the glory of God's creation won't be lost in the destruction of greed and selfishness. Rather, God will turn the merchants around to serve Him, and their profits will enrich God's kingdom forever, for God created all, owns all, and takes glory in all that is offered back to Him willingly.
Isaiah 24, Isaiah 25, Isaiah 26, Isaiah 27, Isaiah 29
Isaiah 24-29 are about the Last Day and its aftermath. Isaiah 24 reads so much like Yeshua's words in Matthew 24, and further informs us that in the Day of the LORD there will be nothing left. Indeed, regardless of what nation the guilty are from—those who transgress Torah, those who violate the statutes of God, those who break His everlasting covenant (the covenant of faith in Yeshua)—will be devoured by fire. Life on the earth as we know it will completely cease. Only the remnant—those who are like the gleanings of an olive tree—will rise up and sing for joy at the majesty of the LORD Yahweh, the God of Israel, whose name is Yeshua! This is the time when the Earth will be completely remade—it will be broken apart and consumed, the demons will be destroyed, the sun and the moon will pass away—but God will reign in a New Heaven and New Earth from Mount Zion in Jerusalem before His saints.
Isaiah 25 explains the joy of the saints and the banquet we will enjoy, called by John in Revelation "the Marriage Supper of the Lamb." Death will be destroyed and every tear will be wiped from our eyes. The saints will proclaim: "Behold, this is our God, we waited for Him—He will save us ... we will rejoice and be glad in His salvation!" As we eat with Yeshua, the world will be refreshed and all evil will be burned up. Isaiah 26 explains our worship song, for we will rise up from the grave singing of the glorious things the LORD has done for us. The righteous nations will enter—those people whose minds remains fixed on Yeshua, who makes our paths straight by His Spirit, and in the judgments of God we learn righteousness. While we had been in captivity under the dominion of demons, the hand of the LORD has lifted us up and set the captives free, and thus we remember His name alone: Yeshua! The dead will awake and shout for joy, for dead souls shall live upon the return of Messiah Yeshua. The righteous will be hidden away during God's wrath.
Isaiah 27 explains that Satan will be slain while the vineyard—God's people—will be protected from any such thorns and thistles, which are demons and false prophets. Yeshua will march into battle against the enemy to protect His bride. Israel—the saved among Jew and Gentile alike—will blossom and bud and fill the earth with fruit. The world will be lain waste and the lawless will no longer have a chance for mercy or grace—those who cry out "LORD, LORD," but practiced lawlessness—will be gathered together at the trumpet blast to stand before God's judgment seat where they will be condemned.
In Isaiah 29, the enemies of God will waste away like fine dust in the wind and chaff blown away. This will all happen "in an instant, suddenly," in "the twinkling of an eye," as Paul wrote. Yeshua's Voice will bring forth flames of consuming fire, and His Word will judge all people. They will waste away in eternal desolation. But the wicked won't see the warnings—they either won't read the Word of God or they will refuse to understand it. And yet, those who were rejected by false teachers will come to understand and rejoice in the name of Yeshua! These meek will inherit the Earth. Israel will see the LORD and sanctify His name. All who remain will learn His instruction.
Isaiah 30, Isaiah 31, Isaiah 32, Isaiah 33
Woe to the rebellious people who will not listen to the Word of the LORD in His Holy Scripture, telling the prophets of the LORD who teach rightly to be silent concerning what God says, mocking them and urging them to preach what they want to hear, instead. These have itching ears, and they will be utterly destroyed by the fire that comes forth from Yeshua's mouth upon His return. How much worse will it be for the teachers who listen to them? They will be cut with the very sword that they rejected, which is the Word of God.
Those who repent and return to the LORD, obeying His Word, will hear His Holy Spirit guide them along the narrow path: "This is the way, walk in it." These will dwell in the land that the LORD is making for His people forever in gladness of heart.
We must not trust in men or in horses—in constitutions, in elections, in presidents, in machines, or in technology—but we must put our trust in the Holy One of Israel. His Word will not return to Him void. The LORD will deliver Jerusalem and He will defend and preserve His Holy Mountain, and so let us cling to Him there.
King Yeshua will reign in righteousness and will rule with justice according to His Word. All will be made right before Him, and He will no longer have mercy on the lawless ones. The complacent daughters, those calling themselves "Christian" but not changing a thing about their lives to reflect God's will, these will tremble before the King's presence when they realize He will judge all people according to His law. We ought to confess our sins, making our souls naked, and humble ourselves before Him seeking His help to walk in righteousness, so that we can bear fruit in the land He is preparing for us. Righteousness brings peace, quiet and assurance forever, and so let us follow Yeshua as He instructed according to the righteousness He showed us so we can dwell with Him in secure dwellings and quiet rest, besides the living waters.
The one who kills, steals and destroys will be stopped and betrayed by his own doings and God's people will cry out for the LORD to lift us up in salvation during this time of trouble. The whole earth will be consumed with fire, the heavens will dissolve with fervent heat, and the LORD will fill the land with justice and righteousness while exalting His Name. His time of justice will be a time of faithfulness—He will fulfill all that He has promised—there will be a wealth of salvation for those who trust and obey Him, and wisdom and knowledge will multiply—our fear of the LORD will guide us there. So many who believed they were doing well will be distraught and they will mourn as the chaff they produced burns up in the fiery wind—they will tremble, they will gnash their teeth, but to no avail, they will be consumed in the fire that comes forth from God's mouth. Who can survive this? Only those who trust in Yeshua and obey His instruction—those who walk righteously before the LORD. God's people will watch as the enemies of God are removed so thoroughly that there will be no remembrance of them. The LORD Yeshua, our King, will save His children who do the will of God and forgive their iniquities.
Isaiah 34, Isaiah 35, Micah 2, Micah 3, Micah 4, Micah 5
In Isaiah 34, the LORD expresses his anger at the nations on account of their hatred toward Israel. The LORD will annihilate all who oppose His people. This Last Day prophesy is terrifying, but also corroborated all throughout Scripture. The heavens and the earth will be completely burned up and destroyed, as will all who oppose the LORD, represented by Edom and Assyria. But the Gentiles grafted-in among God's people will inhabit a new heaven and new earth, and they will read, understand and apply Torah by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Isaiah 35, we can see the LORD build up a highway in the wilderness, which He will make flourish, and all who know the LORD, Jew and Gentile alike, will go up to Mount Zion with singing and everlasting joy, because they know the LORD.
Micah 2-5 takes on a similar prophetic message, chastising those among Judah who turned away from the LORD's righteousness. These would suffer great lamentations on account of their faithlessness, and God would not hear their prayers because of their evil. They would call for peace, but there would be no peace. In fact, Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed because the leaders would reject Messiah. But the Word of God would be gentle toward those who walk uprightly, and those among Israel who trust in the LORD would walk with Yeshua. The LORD would rule from Mt. Zion, and all the peoples of the world would worship Him there and learn from His instruction. A new kingdom of peace would be born in the day of Yeshua, when the lame and the weak would be raised up and accepted as the remnant of Israel, and Yeshua would reign from His throne forever, but not on the earth that now is. Many would be taken captive by the world, represented by Babylon, but the remnant would be rescued from it. A final battle would ensue, and the LORD's people would be gathered from among the nations. The Messiah would come from Bethlehem, while the Antichrist would come from Assyria. In the final battle, the LORD would restore purity to the land.
Micah 6, Micah 7, 2 Chronicles 32, 2 Kings 18, Isaiah 36,
The LORD speaks exasperated to the prophet In Micah 6-7. “What have I done to you?”Other than righteousness? “How have I wearied you?” But good men are hard to find. “Both hands are diligent at doing evil.” All the LORD asks of us is this: “Only to practice justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Is this too much to ask? He will have mercy on those who return to Him, for He is merciful and righteous, but He will bring justice upon the wicked who reject Him and His Way.
The story of Sennacherib coming up against Judah is a historical parable for the Devil coming up against us. King Hezekiah spoke with the right counsel for such times and rightly turned to prayer. He told the people: “Chazak! Be courageous! Do not be afraid or dismayed by the king of Assyria and the whole horde that is with him—for we have more with us than he has with him!” They had the LORD—infinitely more! Senucherib uses deception, lies and sows doubt about God, seeking to steal worship from the LORD, but strength and courage of faith in prayer prevails and the LORD delivers His people!
2 Kings 19, Isaiah 37, 2 Chronicles 32
King Sennacherib and his general came to believe they were invincible because they defeated all the people who worshipped idols, but what could those idols do to protect them? When Hezekiah, Eliakim and Isaiah the prophet turned to God Most High in prayer, appealing to His glory and His name, God raised up humble Judah and made the proud Assyrians low. Prayer has this kind of power for you and for me. The LORD God will literally send His armies to fight for His faithful children!
Yeshua said in Matthew 5:11-12: "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Paul instructed: "Pray without ceasing." The enemy cannot stand against the armies of the living God, Yeshua the Messiah! But first get yourself right and humble yourself before Him. Hezekiah sets a wonderful example for us today!
2 Kings 20, Isaiah 38, Isaiah 39, 2 Chronicles 32
Hezekiah had been faithful to the LORD, and so the LORD was eager to heal him when he humbled himself and asked for this thing. However, Hezekiah did not use the healing for good but for evil. He sought to show himself in front of the king of Babylon, he fathered a son, Manasseh, who would turn to evil. Was death such a terrible thing for him to suffer? To live is to live for Christ and to die is gain. Hezekiah seemed to hold to a Sadducean mindset: that this life was all there is. We easily seek to please ourselves and our own interests with this mindset. While the king had spent much of his life honoring God, his last days were sadly a departure from this history.
Isaiah 40, Isaiah 41, Isaiah 42, Isaiah 43, Isaiah 44
Isaiah 40-44 are all about Yeshua, the Messiah, the coming one of Israel, who will redeem a people to Himself, bring sight to the blind, restore hearing to the deaf, and make straight paths through the wilderness. He would restore Torah and true worship of the One True God. He is one in being with the Father.
Isaiah 45, Isaiah 46, Isaiah 47, Isaiah 48
We have ONE God, the first and the last, and there is no other eternal god. How can people turn to idols? Isaiah's prophesy makes idolatry sound so foolish. Men warm themselves, cook food and make gods out of the same wood? Before Israel was even taken captive, the LORD explained that proud Babylon would be destroyed in her pride, Cyrus would rise from Media-Persia to help Israel, the Temple would be rebuilt, and indeed, Yeshua, the salvation and deliverance of God, would come. He said: "I proclaim to you new things from now on—hidden things that you have not known." But would they have eyes to see or ears to hear? Before Yeshua, who is One in Being with the Father, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Yahweh/Yehovah! God said: “'My purpose will stand, and I will accomplish all that I please. I bring My justice near, it is not far off. So My salvation will not delay. I put salvation in Zion, My glory in Israel.'” God will not give His glory to another, and so we know, just like He said, God gave Yeshua His glory because He is NOT another. He is God! God sees all things, even into our hearts, so let us serve Yeshua and do righteousness, lest we be caught up in the destruction of the wicked.
Isaiah 48, Isaiah 49, Isaiah 50, Isaiah 51, Isaiah 52
God created the heaven and the earth through Yeshua for His pleasure, and now God has sent Yeshua out along with the Holy Spirit to teach His people the way we should go, for to obey God's commandments brings blessing—in fact, "peace like a river"—and a name that will not be cut off—He knows His children by name. God says to His people: "get out of Babylon," which is, to leave the world and go and sin no more, for there is no peace for the wicked.
God knows His children from birth, and it is not too difficult for Him to raise His children from sin and death into new life; His salvation shall reach the nations to the ends of the earth. He will keep His covenant of grace and restoration to those who come out of darkness. Praise the name of the LORD, who comforts His people.
The Hand of the LORD, the Messiah Yeshua, has power to redeem and deliver His people. No adversary who confronts God's people can prosper, for the LORD will help us.
The Torah of God will go out from Him and bring justice and righteousness to all saved according to the Word of God. God's people will wait for Him to move and respond to His will. God calls upon His people to have strength, for in the end He will defend His people and destroy the wicked.
The LORD will raise the dead and clothe His people in imperishable garments. We know His name: Yeshua! He will say "Here I am," and blessed are those who bring the good news of His salvation to the world; who announce peace in His name and according to His will. Our God reigns! Let us shout for joy! Hallelujah!
Isaiah 52, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 54, Isaiah 55, Isaiah 56, Isaiah 57
Yeshua, the servant of God, was lifted high and greatly exalted; His days prolonged, for death could not hold the righteous one of God who brings peace to those who trust in Him! But indeed He was despised and rejected by men; He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities ... a lamb led to the slaughter. Through His sacrifice, He would make many righteous, bearing the sins and transgressions of many.
Barren Sarah represents the new covenant assembly of Israel, the one who bore not, but through a miracle of God would bring forth fruit. As Paul noted, Hagar was the one who represented the children of this world, who would be sent away. The miraculous offspring through Yeshua would forget their shame, because the LORD Himself will redeem His children.
We ought to listen to the Word of the LORD diligently and take in His good instruction, for it will bring the abundance of peace and life to our souls. Our everlasting covenant is with Yeshua, who summoned all the nations of the world into His kingdom. Thus, let us forsake our wickedness and unrighteousness and return to the LORD and His commandments and He will abundantly pardon our sins. His ways are higher than ours, for it is by His Spirit that we can walk righteously before Him. His Word does not return void, but will accomplish all for which the LORD sent it.
The Sabbath is a holy day unto the LORD that He gave His people as a gift to rest and enjoy His presence. Blessed are those who keep it according to the LORD's commandment, for everlasting life awaits those who practice everlasting life in the Kingdom.
The LORD will bring peace to those who come near to Him through faith and obedience to His will, but there will be no peace for those who rebel against Him.
Isaiah 58, Isaiah 59, Isaiah 60, Isaiah 61, Isaiah 62
The fast the LORD desires is one that seeks to unveil unrighteousness in us and helps us to turn from wickedness restoring a righteousness that seeks to please God and love our fellow man. Whether Isaiah 58 refers only to Yom Kippur or also to the weekly Shabbat, we ought to seek God's presence during His Holy Days.
The LORD's Hand, Yeshua, will save, but we must turn away from our sin, which separates us from God, to enjoy His presence.
When darkness covers the entire earth, the light of Yeshua will come and His glory will appear before us. The LORD will bring in all who call upon His name and He will bring justice to the earth.
We must pray to the LORD for return and restore His way in the world, but also for others to repent in the meantime.
When the LORD comes, He will judge the earth. He will have mercy on the humble and contrite who worship and serve Him, but those who doubt His Word will be destroyed. It will be bloody. Compare Isaiah 63 to Revelation when Yeshua comes on His White Horse with His army.
Isaiah 63, Isaiah 64, Isaiah 65, Isaiah 66, 2 Kings 20, 2 Chronicles 32,
Like all God's chosen prophets, Isaiah wrote the conclusion of the whole matter from God's perspective: "For My hand has made all these things, so all these things came to be,” declares Adonai. “But on this one will I look, one humble and of a contrite spirit, who trembles at My word.”
Isaiah 66:2 (TLV).
The LORD will not only look down from heaven, but into our hearts; He will come to judge the earth and the whole heavens and earth will be shaken. Those who turn from sin and everything that is unclean will dwell with Him forever, but those who reject Him and His Way will be destroyed.
"For from days of old no one has heard, no ear perceived, no eye has seen God, except You, who acts on behalf of the one waiting for Him." Our imaginations cannot capture how wonderful being with Yeshua in the Kingdom of God will be. Let us put God first in our lives!
2 Kings 21, 2 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 33, 2 Chronicles 34, Jeremiah 1, Jeremiah 2
Manasseh was the son Hezekiah fathered after the LORD gave him 15 more years of life. We're tempted to ponder whether it would have been better for Hezekiah to die, so that Manasseh would not have been born, but this would not be the right conclusion. Though Manasseh did such evil that he brought the irrevocable wrath of God onto Judah—he shed innocent blood, he set up idols, he practiced witchcraft—he was the worst of the worst, having known the peace of the LORD for 12 years under his father's rule but turning away from it completely toward the path of Satan—yet the wicked king repented and restored his position with the LORD in the Kingdom. The LORD judged Manasseh by driving him off with hooks in his mouth to Babylon, and he humbled himself there (please read the Prayer of Manasseh in the Apocrypha—it's amazing), and thus the LORD redeemed him to return to his throne and he moved to restore Jerusalem for the LORD. Manasseh's fall and rise would be a prophetic template for all of Judah, which likewise would fall into total depravity, be taken into captivity into Babylon, and then in their humility the LORD would restore them in His mercy and grace back into the Promised Land.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Prayer of Manasseh 1&version=CEB
Manasseh's son Amon had learned his father's evil habits, but did not learn from the judgment he endured, his repentance, nor his reconciliation with the LORD. He was 22 when he began to reign. He should have known better. He was past the age of accountability. The people had already been through hell with Manasseh, and they weren't about to endure it again; they assassinated King Amon and brought up Josiah who would continue Judah's walk together with the LORD and not function like a dog that returns to his vomit. Josiah purified the land and restored the faith. Unfortunately, Manasseh's evil influence had a lasting effect on the culture and the people of the land didn't fully return to the LORD. That influence would fester and grow until God would need to humble the entire nation. As we'll see as we read on, Josiah's influence as a righteous leader could only go so far. When people are so caught up in sin that they don't follow their righteous leaders God rises up, the time for judgment is near.
Jeremiah wrote during the days of Josiah to the end of Judah's possession of the land. The prophet would write about the heart condition of the people, calling them to return fully to the LORD, but they would remain far away, practicing syncretism by mixing the holy with the profane. Whenever we are afraid to spread the Gospel, we ought to think about Jeremiah and what he was up against. Nothing could be worse than his experience, and yet he still served God in obedience. The people, on the contrary, would call on the name of the LORD while rejecting His commandments, and for this they would fall. The people committed two evils: they forsook the LORD, who gave them life, and they tried to replace the peace and joy that can only come from God with their own traditions. The LORD explained: "Your own wickedness will rebuke you and your backslidings will chide you." The LORD, in His love for His people, allows us to go the way that we desire, and He also allows us to suffer the consequences. There is no joy or peace outside of God—we will experience the emptiness of sin when we pursue wickedness. The proper response to this is humility and repentance, for joy and peace are only possible for the repentant.
Jeremiah 2, Jeremiah 3, Jeremiah 4, Jeremiah 5
Israel completely defiled herself with foreign gods and practices, and Judah observed this and followed suit, only later repenting, but Judah's repentance causes sadness in my heart—I see the same thing happening in Christendom today. We read: "And after all this her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with her whole heart, but only insincerely...” This makes me think of Yeshua's Word in Revelation 3:15-16: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." The LORD cries out: "Return backsliding Israel ... I will no longer frown on you, for I am merciful... only acknowledge your iniquity.... You have not obeyed my voice." This reminds me of Ezekiel 18:32: "For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the LORD God. “Therefore turn and live!” Yeshua said in Revelation 3:19: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent." We must repent fully! Surrender to the Word of God. Live in the freedom that makes us free!
And then we read in Jeremiah 4:1-2: “If you will return, O Israel, return to Me,” declares Adonai. “If you will put your detestable things out of My sight. Then you will not waver. You will swear, ‘As Adonai lives!’ in truth, in justice and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in Him and in Him they will glory.” He instructs us: break up the fallow ground and don't sow where demons roam, circumcise your hearts by the power of His Holy Spirit—surrender sin to Him—surrender your own ways and take on His ways. His wrath is coming! The Day of Judgment is on the horizon. Today is the day to sow the Word of God in the good soil, for the harvest is great but the laborers are few. But to truly purify our hearts from wickedness, so we may be saved, we have to know the LORD.
Branches that do not belong to the LORD will be stripped away (Romans 11), but what are those branches? They are believers who say, "As the LORD lives," but surely they swear falsely. They say, "Jesus lives," but they swear falsely. They say "LORD, LORD," but they do not do the will of the Father. "They are foolish. They do not know the way of the LORD, the ordinance of their God." Revelation 14:12 puts it this way: "Here is the endurance of the saints: Here are they who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Yeshua." Those Christians who say "No harm will come to us nor will we see sword and famine" will be utterly destroyed in the judgment. Only those who trust Yeshua fully in good times and in bad times will endure in their faith and consequently obey the commandments of God, surviving as God's remnant through the captivity in this world.
Jeremiah 5, Jeremiah 6, 2 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 34
Fools lack understanding of God's Word because they fail to open their eyes to its instruction and therefore do not hear the voice of God. How do people cry out to the LORD without fear, knowing that He has made the heavens and the earth and everything in it? Should He not punish the wicked—those who fail to do His will? How do people fall into such depravity? Here's the answer: "The prophets prophesy falsely, the priests rule by their own authority, and God's people love it that way." But what will they do when Yeshua returns to judge the Earth? He has warned us: Reject the commandments of men and obey the commandments of God.
Through Jeremiah the prophet, the LORD poured out His heart relative to the warnings He gave in Deuteronomy 28 against the people who would reject His covenant. The Truth of God's Word is straightforward and simple—it is not hard—and it is this: "Thus says Adonai: 'Stand in the roads and look. Ask for the ancient paths— where the good way is— and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We won’t walk in it.’ So I set watchmen over you, saying ‘Listen to the sound of the shofar!’ But they said, ‘We won’t listen.’ Therefore hear, O nations and observe, O congregation, what is against them. Hear, O earth! See, I will bring disaster on this people —fruit of their schemes— for they did not listen to My words and rejected My Torah." The LORD sends prophets to speak Truth, He sounds the warning when people ignore the truth, and then He brings judgment. God willing, some among the people will repent in the midst of the judgment and be saved.
When I read Josiah's story, I consider that God delayed His judgment against Judah because of the king's heart of humility and desire to serve the LORD. Just as when Abraham stood with the LORD overlooking Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18:32, and the LORD said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten,” so too is the LORD long-suffering toward Judah on account of Josiah and his court. When they read Torah, they heard its instruction and humbled themselves, but the overall culture of Judah was depraved. Judgement was on its way, but delayed. I can't help but see the parallel of Josiah's time to what we're experiencing right now in the United States. We have a leader who has humbled himself before the LORD, but not completely. Since Covid, we even have a remnant of people who have woken up to the Word of the LORD, but will we endure until the end? Judgment is coming. Though we are in a reprieve today, tribulation is upon us and those who endure until the end will be saved. So help us, O LORD, our God, our King, Yeshua the Messiah!
2 Kings 23, 2 Chronicles 24, 2 Chronicles 25, Nahum 1, Nahum 2, Nahum 3
King Josiah forced Judah to worship God, and because the people had no heart for God themselves, it would not remain. Prophets like Nahum prophesied destruction even during his reign. God was bringing destruction because of the innocent blood spilt by Manasseh, because blood must atone for blood. Nevertheless, “Before him there had never been a king like him, who turned to Adonai with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Torah of Moses, nor has any king like him risen since him.” The man Josiah himself was solid, and it would have been a wonderful and refreshing time to be alive in Jerusalem, to see the land completely cleansed of evil and the Word of God coming to life on account of his faith. Sadly, we cannot make others take up our faith, for each man will be judged for their own interactions with God.
Habakkuk 1, Habakkuk 2, Habakkuk 3, Zephaniah 1, Zephaniah 2
We cry out to God and wonder why it seems He doesn't hear us, but He does. We grieve bitterly over the violence around us, the wickedness, the devastation, the strife, the contention, we watch the Torah get thrown to the ground, but it is not God who causes this evil, but man who sins against God. The LORD will bring judgment against a people who practice lawlessness, using pestilence, the sword, famine and oppressive governments. Alas Babylon, the nation God would use to crush Judah would itself fall to its own idols, for Nebuchadnezzar held up his own strength as his god, and it failed him. To God's remnant, the LORD proclaims: Wait on the LORD—His Word will not fail—the righteous will live by faith. Those who live by the sword die by the sword. Pride leads to a fall. The borrower is slave to the lender. Blood must be spilt for innocent blood. Woe to those who cause their brothers to sin. Woe to those who worship idols, for God lives forever in His Holy Temple! Fear the LORD! His majesty is on High and is worthy of all praise! His Way is everlasting! In the LORD there is victory. Trust in the LORD alone!
The LORD is coming to judge the Earth. The unrighteous and wicked will be swept away and destroyed, while the righteous will be consecrated before the LORD. The LORD would not spare the Temple dedicated to His name; He would not allow a place dedicated to Him to be used in deception. All that is defiled will be swept away. All the earth and its fleshly desires will be destroyed at the judgment of God. God's people must seek righteousness and meekness and the LORD may hide us in the Day of His wrath. When the LORD comes to judge the Earth, it will be final and His people will finally be free from all unrighteousness.
Zephaniah 2, Zephaniah 3, 2 Chronicles 35, 2 Kings 23, Jeremiah 47, Jeremiah 48
In both Zephaniah and Jeremiah, the LORD declares his judgment against Moav and Ammon, because these two nations brought unprovoked aggression against Israel and opposed God and His people. Jeremiah also prophetically called the Philistines to account. God may have been in the midst of judging Israel and Judah when these nations attacked them, but judgment belongs to the LORD and He alone shall repay. If man ever takes judgment into his own hands, he has nothing but judgment to expect in return, especially when it comes to judgment against God's people. Judge not, for you shall be judged. The LORD desires mercy, not sacrifice. We ought to watch. Our only role is to speak God's Truth with kindness, and when these two foundational elements meet, one is truly walking with the LORD. Grace and Obedience! Kindness and Truth!
Josiah acted presumptuously, and it cost him his life. He acted on his own will, rather than seeking the will of God, and Judah's most righteous king was lost to his own delusions of grandier. Pharaoh Neco had been sent by God to judge Assyria, but Josiah meddled. Proverbs 26:17 teaches us: "He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears." Nothing good can come of it.
2 Chronicles 36, 2 Kings 23, Jeremiah 22, Jeremiah 25, Jeremiah 26, 2 Kings 24
First from Egypt and then from Babylon, Judah's wicked kings faced judgment after judgment, but they did not mend their ways. Jeremiah prophesied the LORD's heart for their repentance, but they would not heed His call.
The LORD pleaded: "‘Execute justice and righteousness. Rescue the one who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor. Do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the fatherless or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place. For if you really carry out this word, then through the gates of this palace will enter kings..."
There will be blessing and peace for those who obey the Voice of God; those who listen to His prophets, who preach His Word.
For those who disobey, there will be judgment: “Yet you have not listened to Me,” declares Adonai. “So you are provoking Me with the work of your hands, to your own hurt.” God used Nebuchadnezzar to judge His own wicked people who rebelled against Him. When we take matters into our own hands, the LORD repays us according to the work of our own hands.
Jeremiah 25, Jeremiah 36, Jeremiah 45, Jeremiah 46
The LORD would and still will have fury on all nations, including Judah, and no one will escape, not even Baruch the son of Neriah, who faithfully delivered the words of Jeremiah to all the people and the king when Jeremiah was locked up. God says this to you and me—we who serve Yeshua—in Jeremiah 45: "But you, are you expecting great things for yourself? Seek no more! For I am about to bring calamity on all flesh”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“but I will grant you your soul as spoil in all places where you may go.” Yeshua said absolutely nothing different Himself. He said: "In this life you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." As servants of God, we deserve nothing different than anyone else. We deserve death, and we will receive it in this life. But our souls will be preserved through faith in Yeshua and obedience to God's commandments. He will raise us up on the Last Day if we endure until the end. We will dwell in the Kingdom of God. But woe to people like King Jehoiakim, who hear the Word of God and burn it up or throw it to the ground. Their actions will bring the destruction of their souls, but the Word of God will continue forever, just as the Word given to Jeremiah would be preserved.
Jeremiah 19, Jeremiah 20, Daniel 1
We ought not forsake the LORD at any time, lest His anger be kindled against us as rebels and we suffer the curses of Deuteronomy 28, up to and including starvation that leads to cannibalism! Don't put the LORD your God to the test, Yeshua said, lest we end up in Gehennah, which is the Valley of Ben Hinnom—also called the Valley of Slaughter. It is the place where the wicked shall be consumed by the fire that comes forth from the mouth of our LORD! Let us not stiffen our necks in stubborn rebellion, but rather humble ourselves to the Word of the LORD!
Let us not be false prophets who lash out against those preaching the True Word of God, lest we be like Pashhur, which means "liberty," and be condemned to Magormissabib, which means "terror on every side." Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil!!!
I sometimes feel like Jeremiah—"everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak—I cry out—I proclaim: 'violence and ruin!'" ... It's coming! God has promised this. The Word of God is indeed a fire burning in my heart, purifying all that is not aligned with Him, and I want no one to suffer the consequences of rebellion. I love fiercely, and thus I strongly desire according to the LORD's heart that all should turn in repentance and inherit eternal life! And while I identify with Jeremiah, when he says, "Why did I ever come forth out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow, and my days end in shame?"—the answer is simple: To love and serve the LORD and to do His will with all my heart, soul, mind and strength—so help me God, for I cannot do this without His grace! Indeed, I pray, let me not love my life to the death, but instead look forward to eternal life with Yeshua, and so with all of you!
When living in Pagan Babylon, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah—Belteshazzar; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego—refused to eat food sacrificed to idols. It wasn't a problem to know about pagan things, or even to be called by pagan names, but these men would have preferred death to actively participating in pagan acts or eating food sacrificed to idols. We must do likewise, and Paul taught the same thing in 1st Corinthians 10:21, saying: "You cannot drink the cup of the LORD and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons."
Daniel 2, Daniel 3, Jeremiah 7, Jeremiah 8
The king expected his witches to be able to both see and understand his dream without him explaining a thing, but even Daniel the prophet could not do such a thing. Only God, by His Mercy, revealed the king's dream and its interpretation. From this, we ought to conclude that only God can look into the minds and hearts of men, and only God can offer interpretations of prophetic visions and foretell the future. One filled with the Holy Spirit—humble and obedient before God—can discern and interpret the Word of God, if it is God's will, as it was with Daniel, but first we ought to pray in thanksgiving to God, seeking His mercy and purpose.
The dream itself foretells the coming kingdom of God and of His Messiah, the rock that grows into a mountain, which will completely supplant the kingdoms of this world.
Nebuchadnezzar's golden obelisk was an idol, and the king called for worship during its dedication. Don't be fooled: applause, shouting, music, praise and all such manner of things are a type of worship, and we ought to direct our worship toward God alone! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego would not bend their knee to any power but God Most High, and for this they were preserved in the judgment of fire—the only thing consumed were their chains—but the men who accused them were fully consumed. It will be like this in the eternal judgment; God's faithful will be purified in fire, but the rebellious will be utterly consumed by the fire that proceeds from Yeshua's mouth.
If we mend our ways and deeds, the LORD will allow us to live with Him in His Kingdom. But God forbid we fall to deceptive words so that we find ourselves singing and worshipping the LORD in church and then going out to live like the rest of the world. If we think we can get away with this, then we are "trusting in deceptive words that are empty." We cannot sin and then come to the LORD's altar during our weekly service and proclaim our own salvation. We are not saved to do abominations, just as Paul said: Yeshua is not a minister of sin. The LORD speaks to us early and often; He warns us thoroughly, and this is why He is just and good in bringing judgment upon the whole world. We have been warned. We must "obey His voice" so that He will be our God and we will be His people. We cannot mix the holy with the profane. We cannot practice lawlessness. We cannot follow our own counsel. We have to cast away from us our wickedness; we have to turn toward the Word of God in order to live; otherwise, if we linger, we will become like refuse that will not be remembered.
Jeremiah 8, Jeremiah 9, Jeremiah 10, Jeremiah 11
As it says in Proverbs 24:16, "for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity," so the LORD explains in Jeremiah 8: "Do men fall and not get up again? Does one turn away and not return? Why then has this people—Jerusalem— turned away in perpetual backsliding? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return." It causes me sorrow to consider those so caught up in their own deception that they refuse to surrender to the will of God! To them, their own heart is king and they won't submit to God. These are not ashamed of the abominations they commit and say peace to you, when there is no peace. They will fall among the fallen. As Jeremiah writes in 8:23, so I also have experienced when I see this: “If only my head were water and my eyes a fountain of tears, then I would weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!”
Jeremiah 9 warns us against those who "go from evil to evil and do not know" the LORD. They live in deceit rather than faithfulness. The LORD warns us to beware in times of great deception. "Don't even trust a brother. For every brother grabs like Jacob and every neighbor spreads slander. Everyone deceives his neighbor and does not speak the truth. They taught their tongue to speak lies." Beware! "They wear themselves out doing wrong." The LORD will not sit idly by during times like these. He will refine with fire. He will test those who say they have returned. He will allow calamity to sift those who are true from those who are not. We need not wonder when disaster strikes. It is because they have forsaken God's instruction. We cannot be uncircumcised in the heart.
God's people ought to hear the LORD's Voice, especially when He says: "Do not learn the way of the nations or be frightened by the signs of the heavens." We cannot learn the pagan ways. We cannot mix the holy with the profane. We cannot call something Christian and believe we honor Christ when God has commanded us not to do such things. Jeremiah 10 is clear: Honor God and forsake the traditions of men.
While under a New Covenant in Yeshua, we forsake it when we do not act faithfully by keeping the commandments of God. The writer of Hebrews wrote: "How much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot..." (10:29). Yeshua is not a minister of sin, Paul wrote. If we practice lawlessness, the LORD will not hear our cries for mercy or grace when He comes to judge the Earth. All who are not walking with Yeshua will be consumed by fire. The LORD of Hosts judges righteously and tests the minds and the hearts, and He will bring vengeance on all who lead Him like a lamb to the slaughter by continuing in unrighteousness. We must bear the fruit of righteousness to dwell with Christ.
Jeremiah 12, Jeremiah 13, Jeremiah 14, Jeremiah 15
"When Yeshua came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, 'Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?' So they said, 'Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets'" (Matthew 16:13-14).
Yeshua often cited Jeremiah when speaking judgment over the prophets and rabbis who taught the people deceptively, and in turn, Jeremiah prophesied of the Day of Yeshua. The LORD indeed set the false teachers apart for a day of carnage, prophesying the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 and the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 135. Those who knew Yeshua had been warned in Matthew 24.
Yeshua also died at the hands of His brothers, the people of Judah, and this too was prophesied: "Even your brothers—your father's house—even they will betray you, even they will shout after you," Jeremiah wrote. He abandoned His House and forsook His inheritance, giving His beloved people into the hands of their enemies. The LORD bemoans through His prophet: “Many shepherds ruined My vineyard. They trampled My property. They made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They made it a wasteland. It mourns before Me, desolate." But the LORD would have compassion on Israel's wicked neighbors, if they swear, "As Adonai lives," then they will be built up amidst a redeemed Israel so long as they obey the Word of God. In other words, the Gentiles would be brought in to Israel if they confess Yeshua's resurrection and keep the commandments of God.
The LORD so desired a people that He would keep close to Him, like a linen waistband, but they completely defiled themselves and became good for nothing, because they walked in the stubbornness of their own wicked hearts and did not obey God's Word. The LORD would not have pity on them, but would make them a ruin. When they ask why, the answer is simple: iniquity—they became accustomed to doing evil.
On account of this, there would be no living water in Judah—they would be ashamed and humiliated. But when they call out to the LORD, "do not forsake us," the LORD will answer, "They did not restrain their feet. So the LORD does not accept them." He won't answer their prayers. Judgment is coming, because the prophets prophesied falsely. When they look for peace, they will find terror.
Moses and Samuel were Godly men, but even if they stood before God and plead for the people of Judah, God would not accept them. Because of the abominations of Manasseh and the innocent blood he shed, they would face the sword, death, famine and exile. Exile was the merciful option. Jeremiah cried out concerning His faithfulness, and the LORD replied, "If you return, I will restore you, and you will stand before me. If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will be as My mouth. Let them turn to you, but you must not turn to them." Let us do likewise. The people who stood fast to the LORD would be delivered as a remnant out of the hands of the wicked.
Jeremiah 16, Jeremiah 17, Jeremiah 18, Jeremiah 35
It's not a good prognosis for Judah, but they earned it with lawlessness. Note similar language to the Gospels: "the days are coming quickly" and "the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride" precede the judgment that comes "suddenly." Nevertheless, when Judah is scattered, the LORD will send out fishermen and hunters—disciples of Yeshua—to reach the remnant throughout the whole world. After the Messiah's coming, the LORD will send out His workers to reach His remnant, both among the Jews and the Gentiles, but the remnant will understand they have inherited lies. We need to know the LORD.
From Jeremiah 17, these words of the LORD are fundamental: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, and depends on flesh as his arm, and whose heart turns from Adonai. For he will be like a bush in the desert. He cannot see goodness when it comes, but will dwell in parched places in the wilderness— a salt land where no one lives. Blessed is the one who trusts in Adonai, whose confidence is in Adonai. For he will be like a tree planted by the waters, spreading out its roots by a stream. It has no fear when heat comes, but its leaves will be green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor depart from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and incurable—who can know it? I Adonai search the heart, I try the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. Adonai, You are the hope of Israel! All who forsake You will be ashamed. Those who depart from You will be written in the dirt, for they have forsaken Adonai, the fountain of living waters. Heal me, Adonai, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved. For You are my praise. Look, they are saying to me, 'Where is the Word of Adonai? Let it come now!'” Let HIM come now!
Honoring the Sabbath is the Fourth Commandment of Ten Words that lead to eternal life. We have to guard our souls so we may listen attentively to the LORD. He commanded us to remember the Sabbath, and yet it's the one thing we've forgotten. It's not a small matter. We face judgment if we forget to honor the LORD's Sabbath, for He is the King, and He invites us to join Him on this day. How could we possibly deny Him our love?
We are like clay in the LORD's hands, and He will remake us in this life until He gets us right, but only when our heart desires to serve Him and we turn away from evil. The LORD works through His creation to direct our hearts toward Him, but He still leaves it up to us to choose Him or not in the end. We will receive what we have chosen.
The Rechabites sons of Jonadab were descendants of Moses's father-in-law Jepthah who came into the land of Israel with the tribes, but they did not consider the land their home. They longed for the same Promised Land of God that you and I long for today. These were such obedient children that they obeyed their father's commandment to avoid wine and to dwell in tents. How could Judah not do the same for their God, who gave them commandments for their good? Judah would be judged on account of their disobedience, but God would bring the Rechabites into His eternal Kingdom.
Jeremiah 49, 2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 22, Jeremiah 23
Those who oppose Israel, even in the midst of her depravity, will be judged even more harshly than she.
Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin were evil kings leading up to the captivity into Babylon.
The shepherds who drive God's people away from His Word keep saying to those who despise the LORD: "The LORD has said, you will have peace." These are those pastors who say "grace, grace," even though people don't turn from their sins. The LORD warns us strongly: DO NOT listen to such messages for they are not from God. Such teachings do not benefit a single soul. We ought to disregard pastors speaking of dreams to distract from the Word of God, for only the Word shall stand.
The LORD's righteous branch who would come to bring God's people together all around the world would be called: "Yahweh our righteousness." Could it be any more clear that Yeshua is God? I don't believe so. Jeremiah 23:6 states plainly that this will be the name of Messiah when He comes to save Judah and Israel, and this has taken place in Yeshua.
Jeremiah 23, Jeremiah 24, Jeremiah 29, Jeremiah 30, Jeremiah 31
23. Those who believe the law of God is a "burden" will be cast off into everlasting disgrace and everlasting shame that will not be forgotten, said the LORD. If any pastor says the law is a burden, cast them off from you, as God casts off false prophets, so that you can live. God's commandments are a law of liberty that He gave to us for our good!
24. The parable of the fig tree has roots all over Scripture, and we can find one example here, where Israel is compared to the fruit of a fig tree—some very bad figs, others very good figs. The good figs represent those righteous who would return to the Promised Land and be preserved, even though taken into captivity, while the bad figs represent those lawless who will be utterly destroyed never to return to the Kingdom.
29. When we find ourselves captives in a land that is wicked, away from the peace and righteousness we remember, we ought to focus on making the best of the lives we've been given, all in service to God and His righteousness. Never should we attempt to cater to the wicked in times like these, or even say that wicked things are good to save our skin, but rather we should repent for the evil we ourselves have committed and seek the Way of God, humbly depending on Him to help us endure, and He will bring us into His Land. Anyone who teaches falsely on account of the threat of hardship will be utterly destroyed.
Jeremiah prophesied Judah would return in the 70th year of captivity, and this happened just as prophesied, proving Jeremiah to be a true prophet of God.
30. The LORD will destroy all who oppose Israel, but will preserve a remnant among Israel. The LORD will fulfill all of His promises. We must be grafted-in to Israel through faith in Yeshua the Messiah to be saved in the last days, when God will be the God of Israel forever, and Israel will be His people forever.
31. Rachel would figuratively weep, refusing to be comforted as Herod slaughtered so many children in Bethlehem, but Yeshua would escape this peril to complete His task on the Earth; namely, to give us an example of righteousness, to die for our sins, and to rise up a conquering King, ready to restore life and celebration to the remnant of Israel. He comforts those who mourn and all who trust in Him will be satisfied with His goodness.
Jeremiah 31, Jeremiah 49, Jeremiah 50, Jeremiah 51
31: The New Covenant in Yeshua calls us to a deeper relationship with God, wherein we no longer look to priests to mediate between us and God, but we all have a relationship with Him by His Holy Spirit through Yeshua and have something to teach one another. The children aren’t judged for their father’s sins and vice versa, but all men will suffer the consequences of their own rebellion against God. The LORD is calling His people to Him to give hope for our future! We ought to cherish the discipline of God’s Holy Spirit according to the law, and humble ourselves, turning to do God’s will instead of our own. The LORD may speak harsh words against sin—even mournful words—but He delights in the return of His children. Let us no longer waver and backslide, but rather give the LORD everything! In return, He will fully satisfy our weary souls and refresh us with eternal blessings.
49 The LORD would punish but also restore a remnant of Elam—perhaps those who had been converted into the faith during the Babylonian captivity of Judah. Elom is a part of modern Iran that would also become a part of Babylon and Media-Persia. They would be judged for keeping Judah in bondage, but also some of them would be restored for their faithfulness.
50&51 Jeremiah prophesied that Babylon, which represents the systems of this world, would be destroyed by the sword of a combined force from the north. Media-Persia that would later conquer Babylon because Babylon gloated in the destruction of Judah and God’s Holy Temple. See Daniel 5. Compare Jeremiah 50 & 51 to Revelation 14. When Yeshua returns to judge the Earth, the systems of this world (Babylon) will be utterly annihilated because they rebel against God‘s order and persecute His people. Thus Jeremiah 50 is an inaugurated eschatology with both short and long-term fulfillment. We’re warned therefore prophetically: “Flee from within Babylon! Each one, escape with his soul! Be not silenced in her iniquity! For it is a time of vengeance for Adonai. He will repay her recompense. Babylon has been a golden cup in Adonai’s hand, intoxicating the whole earth. The nations drunk her wine— so the nations are going crazy. Suddenly Babylon is fallen! Shattered! Howl over her! Bring balm for her wound. Perhaps she may be healed? We would have healed Babylon, but she cannot be healed. Abandon her! Let’s go, each one to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to the heavens and has risen beyond the skies.“ We must abandon the worldly cultures and traditions of this world and take on the Way of Yeshua, lest we be destroyed also at the Last Day.
Jeremiah 51:15-58, 2 Chronicles 36:10, 2 Kings 24:10-17, 1 Chronicles 3:10-16, 2 Chronicles 36:11-14, Jeremiah 52:1-3, 2 Kings 24:18-20, Jeremiah 37:1-10
The LORD sent Nebuchadnezzar to take the ruling class of Judah captive—the kings, His servants and the priests and prophets—and he left only the poor to remain in Judah. The LORD brought this upon Judah because of their persistent unfaithfulness, but Babylon became proud in her conquest of God's people, and so Babylon itself would be utterly destroyed in its boastfulness. In Revelation 13, the LORD would allow the Beast "to make war with the saints and to overcome them," but ultimately the Beast would be thrown into the lake of fire, while the Saints would be raised up into God's Kingdom. Likewise, though Jerusalem was burned with fire, the remnant of Judah would return to rebuild the Holy City and its Temple. Babylon would be burned with fire and would never again recover.
Judah's final kings attempted to fight Babylon by their own strength, resting on the testimony of false prophets. But they were like the Israelites who went up to take the Promised Land after God had told them not to because they had lacked faith in His promises. Those who faithfully lived out their lives in the wilderness, humbled before God to die there, may still make it into His Kingdom. Likewise, those of Judah who humbled themselves in Babylon to serve the LORD may still live with God forever. Those of us who do not bow to the Beast and take his mark of lawlessness, but overcome the accuser by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of His testimony, and do not love our lives to the death, will dwell in the Kingdom with God.
Jeremiah 37, Jeremiah 38, Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel 2, Ezekiel 3
Jeremiah was a faithful servant to the LORD, even though he was thrown into the pit and despised by all his people. King Zedekiah knew Jeremiah spoke the Truth of God's Word, and if the king would have listened to the prophet he would have been saved, and the LORD would have relented in the disaster against Judah, but he was too afraid to act on the Word of Truth. We read in Revelation 21:8 that the cowardly will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Zedekiah would suffer a horrible fate on account of his failure to act on the Truth. For his part, Jeremiah was not afraid to speak and act on the Truth, even though it caused him great personal suffering to do so. This is the type of man the LORD is seeking to bring into His Kingdom.
Ezekiel, a priest of the Most High God, was called after seeing a great vision of the Almighty on His throne. God commanded Ezekiel to go to the exiles of Israel to speak the Word of God to Him and to strengthen his resolve to speak the Truth regardless of the consequences. The Word God gave to Ezekiel is the same Word that He gives to any one of us who choose to follow Yeshua and preach the Gospel, and it is this: "Whether they listen, or whether they will refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet was among them. 'But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them. Do not fear their words...' As followers of Yeshua, we ought to fear the Word of the LORD that judges us, and not the scoffing or mocking words of those who are perishing or the deceptive words of false prophets. The LORD also explained that the Gentiles would hear Ezekiel's words and listen to him, but the House of Israel would not listen on account of their rebellion. We must "Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (2 Tim. 4:2). Whether they hear or not, we are called to preach!
Ezekiel 3, Ezekiel 4, Jeremiah 27, Jeremiah 28, Jeremiah 51
If we find our brother in sin, it is our obligation to go and confront them about it, for this is precisely what it means to love our brother. As Jude said, some we ought to have compassion on some, but pull others out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Ezekiel's theatrical prophesy is interesting to observe. What's interesting here in Ezekiel 4 is we see a prophetic template for Peter's vision of the sheet being lowered with unclean animals on it in Acts 10. The LORD asked Ezekiel to eat food cooked in human dung, which was a test of his righteousness. It's something he refused to do, passing the test, and so the LORD gave him cow dung to use instead. Likewise, Peter refused to eat unclean animals, but the LORD didn't intend for him to do that either. Instead, God simply wanted Peter to accept Gentiles into the faith as equals.
Jeremiah also performed theatrical prophesy in chapter 27, explaining to Judah that they would serve Nebuchadnezzar as captives in his kingdom—they would need to put a yoke onto their necks. He decried the false prophets who said there would be peace when there would be no peace. Hananiah, for prophesying the desires of his own heart instead of the will of God, would die that very same year for speaking against the will of God. We have to be careful to speak only according to the will of God.
Babylon would not prosper on account of their conquest of Judah, but would rather sink also and remain desolate.
Ezekiel 5, Ezekiel 6, Ezekiel 7, Ezekiel 8, Ezekiel 9
Through the shaving parable, the LORD explained that one third of Judah would be slain with the judgment of war inside the city, another third outside the city, and another third taken into captivity to bring them to repentance, but even in those brought into captivity, only a remnant of that remnant would actually be restored into relationship with the LORD. Through adversity, we must lean in closer to the LORD, and He will redeem us out of adversity. If we ever get angry or impatient with God, we have made ourselves His enemy.
Those who worship idols will be slain among them when they are destroyed.
This is a terrifying statement that we cannot allow to happen in our midst: "Torah will perish from the priests and counsel from the elders." Whenever the law and the prophets, and the Holy Spirit counsel that comes from knowing the LORD Yeshua is lost from pastors and teachers, the people are headed for destruction.
When the LORD is getting ready to judge the earth, people who have the mark of God will be spared; those with the mark of God are they who keep the commandments of God and the faith in Jesus. These will "sigh and moan over all the abominations that are committed in" the earth. God will have absolutely no pity on anyone else. This is the Word of the LORD: "Show no pity or compassion; kill off old men, young men and girls, little children and women. But touch no one who has the mark. Begin at My Sanctuary." Do you see how serious it is when pastors do not teach their flock to abide in the law of God? They will be the first ones destroyed, but the LORD will have no pity on any who forsake the Word of God. We must be found wearing the mark of God!
Ezekiel 10, Ezekiel 11, Ezekiel 12, Ezekiel 13
Ezekiel saw a vision of the LORD leaving the Temple in Jerusalem and allowing the city to burn, because the city was deprived in sin. The vision was marvelous. The LORD dwells among the cherubim and sits on a sapphire throne amidst the flames of His great holiness! He wrote the 10 Commandments on sapphire stones; it was literally from the heart of Heaven that God gave His instruction and lovingkindness to mankind.
The LORD will be a little sanctuary with the people, even in exile, for He would dwell in the hearts of all who call upon His name and obey His voice. Those who return home would cleanse the land for the LORD. The LORD would circumcise His people's hearts with His Spirit specifically so they will keep His laws and His ordinances and practice them.
To have eyes to see that do not see and ears to hear that do not hear means that these are human beings with the potential to know God who refuse to come into relationship with Him. They know the Truth, but they rebel against it.
Ezekiel set up himself as a model of exile for the people of Judah. No longer would the prophet's prophesies be for a long-off time, for the day of the LORD was at hand. Yeshua said "no one knows the day or the hour," and so we must always be ready for His promises to come to pass.
Prophets who preach grace and peace to sinners will be destroyed by the LORD, but those who call sinners out from their sin to the righteousness of Yeshua will inherit life.
Ezekiel 14, Ezekiel 15, Ezekiel 16
When we read Ezekiel 14, it's imperative that we understand that Israel is the eternal name for God's assembly of believers, made up of both Jews and Gentiles, and we must be grafted-in to Israel through faith in Messiah Yeshua in order to be counted among the Church (Assembly) of God's people Israel. With that in mind, we can understand that these prophesies apply to both ancient Israel and Judah as well as the Church today, which is made up of both Jews and Gentiles as one Body in Messiah Yeshua. In describing the meaning of Ezekiel 14, note that this prophesy is divided into two parts, as follows:
In the first part, the elders of (spiritual) Israel came to sit before the prophet Ezekiel. God explained that these leaders of the Church have come in with iniquity in their hearts, and because of this, they are estranged from God; God will not dwell in them or with them. He will answer them to their face and cut them off from among the assembly of God's chosen people. They believe they are saved, but they are not saved. Paul exhorted similarly in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 by saying "do not quench the Holy Spirit," and He instructed us on how to avoid this in verse 22: "Abstain from every form of evil." If you quench the Spirit by coming in to inquire of God with iniquity in your heart, you are in the same place as the elders in Ezekiel 14. But this does not mean God's faithfulness expires—quite the contrary. Instead of immediately destroying those who are seeking Him with iniquity in their hearts, He instructs them how to return into relationship with Him: "Return," which is to repent, "turn away from your idols; turn your faces from all your abominations," or in other words, "abstain from every form of evil." We cannot inquire from pastors set on doing evil nor have such a heart ourselves, for with such a heart, God will send us out to face correction. He will be our God and we will be His people when we return to His Way and no longer defile ourselves or wander away from God's instruction.
In the second part of Ezekiel 14, God explains that He will send four judgments to His people who are sinning against Him; namely, famine, evil beasts (meaning government oppression), the sword (war), or the plague (disease/pandemic). Study Revelation 6, for these are the same four judgments that will come upon the whole world for rebellion against God and His Messiah at the End of Days, and that makes this prophesy extremely relevant to us today. Accordingly, in the second part of Ezekiel 14, God gave the prophet a series of scenarios that apply to any nation whatsoever, and then He concluded the prophesy by speaking about Jerusalem, which is meant to represent the Jews. This is the same message that Paul brought in Romans 1-2 and that He spoke to the Athenians in Acts 17, specifically verses 30-31, where we read: "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” God is calling on all people everywhere to repent, to put their faith and trust in Him, and to walk according to His Way, forsaking the wickedness of their own way.
In order to escape God's judgment, whether temporary, for correction, or the eternal judgment on the Last Day, which separates us permanently as either sheep or goats, we must be like "Noah, Daniel, and Job," according to Ezekiel 14. Noah was one man who obeyed God in faithfulness despite the hundreds of millions of people around him going the other way; namely, "every intent of the thoughts of [their] heart[s] was only evil continually." We have to be like Noah! Daniel was a man who was taken captive into a world where everyone around him was forced to obey the "ruler of this world," Nebuchadnezzar, who represents Satan, upon penalty of death. Despite threat of death, he obeyed God's law and lived faithfully trusting in the LORD to deliver him, if not in this life, certainly in the next. We have to be like Daniel. Job had absolutely everything material in this world taken from him, including his own health, and those closest to him tempted him to "curse God and die," and yet he retained his trust in God, saying "I know that my Redeemer lives," when there was no evidence of his redemption around him. He groaned and sighed over all the abominations being committed in its midst (Ez 9:4), but never turned against God, and so God restored Him fully. We have to be like Job. Especially as the Last Days approach, we have to be mindful of this "great cloud of witnesses" who love God and keep His commandments, no matter what.
Ezekiel 15 explains that the vine symbolizing the ancient physical Israel living in the Promised Land failed in itself for the purpose God called it. God called Israel to be a light to the nations, but they had instead consumed the darkness of the world all around them and had become good for nothing, just like a vine that is not "useful for any work." Thus, the LORD in His infinite wisdom, would throw this useless vine in the fire to be consumed on account of its uselessness. But in doing this very thing, God would make the faithless nation useful; it would not only produce light but also warmth. You see, God said in His Torah that if Israel would obey His commandments they would be blessed, but if they would disobey His commandments they would be cursed. Through this curse of Israel all of the nations of the whole world would come to know that the Torah of God is eternal and true. God would be glorified by honoring His Word, and everyone with eyes to see and ears to hear would know it. On top of this, though not stated directly in this prophesy, God would redeem Israel and continue to use the nation for His glory by bringing forth His Messiah through Judah, and this King in the line of David would sit on the throne eternally, judging with mercy and righteousness. Now all who love and obey Him are Israel—a light to all people.
Ezekiel 16 is a very powerful and blatantly crass prophesy that has both temporal and eternally spiritual meaning. I want to point out the temporal meaning first, because its goodness might be lost on those skimming through quickly on account of how difficult it is to digest. Here is the text I want to analyze first: "When I passed by you, and saw you kicking in your blood. I said to you, ‘In your blood, live!’ Yes, I said to you, ‘In your blood, live!’ I made you grow as myriads, like a branch of the field. You grew up, got tall and came to full adornment. Your breasts were formed, your hair sprouted. Yet you were naked and bare. Again I passed by and saw you, and behold, you were truly at the time of love. I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you....” This is important, because in the Talmud the Rabbis incorrectly teach that young preteens are capable of marriage based on their own lust, and the Muslims are worse saying errantly that even children can marry grown men. Don't you see this perversion raising to the surface even in our day? Here in Ezekiel, God explains when a woman is ready for marriage: First she completes puberty, but even then she's not ready for marriage. God says, "again I passed by and saw you." It isn't until after she grows up to her full height and full maturity that she is ready for "love." In America, we say this age is 18, and that's a fair approximation of what God's Word is describing.
In its spiritual meaning, the LORD explains here how Israel was formed from an unloved and small group of people, and God developed her from spiritual immaturity to maturity, and then He taught the nation to remember His eternal commandments that had been lost during the 400 years of bondage. He Himself covered her with His covenant, and on account of this she became rich and beautiful, greater than any nation on Earth. But in the fullness of her beauty, she forgot her Husband, she broke her covenant with God and went out seeking to make covenants with all of the demonic spiritual teachings of pagan nations. She mixed the holy with the profane, for instance, worshipping both Yahweh and the "Queen of Heaven." She forgot her humility before her Husband, and even sacrificed sons and daughters of Israel to these foreign gods on burning pyres. This was an ancient form of abortion, but its purpose was the same; namely, to bring prosperity to those committing the act. She even experimented with every foreign culture around her, assuming all of their seed (teachings) into herself, taking on all of these pagan practices and syncretizing them with her own. Why not trust alone in her Husband who made her wealthy with His seed (teachings)? Consequently, the LORD would use all of these foreign cultures Israel assumed to destroy Israel and all these other women (cultures) would observe the promises of God come to pass. Israel would be reduced back to a helpless and naked woman, impoverished and homeless, because she sinned worse than the people she dispossessed, her sisters. On account of this, God would provide an opportunity for all the woman (the seven women who make up the Church) to be redeemed as wives to Him, including Israel, but not all the woman would accept this invitation. In this eternal covenant, all the women in the world (the congregations of faithful followers of Yeshua) would remember their shame and humbly stand before God; they would confess their sins, accept His grace, and live according to His way without objection—"you will never open your mouth again because of your disgrace." God alone will redeem His people from among Israel and all the nations.
Ezekiel 17, Ezekiel 18, Ezekiel 19
As Judah failed to keep God's covenant, so did the king of Judah fail to keep a covenant with the king the LORD sent to conquer him, and both God and man would judge Judah on account of their unfaithfulness.
The LORD will take the lofty and the flourishing and cut them off from His Spirit, but He will take those who have been neglected in this world and are therefore lowly and exalt them, providing them with Living Water so they can flourish.
Yeshua in Mt 7:23 references Ez 18 (and 33) when He states: "depart from me you who practice lawlessness, I never knew you." In Mt 7:21, He states that those who "do the will of the Father" will inherit God's "Kingdom." Each and every person will be held accountable for their own actions, especially whether they reflect an honest faith in Messiah Yeshua and keep His commandments. Indeed, Ez 18 explains that the LORD will not "remember" the "righteousness" of a man who turns away from righteousness to disobey God and walk in iniquity, for as Is 64 explains, his righteousness will become like filthy rags when he turns to sin like this. On the contrary, in repentance, God will also not "remember" the "wickedness" of a man who turns away from wickedness to follow God's law in righteousness, obeying the example of Yeshua, for he will be clothed in the righteousness of Messiah. If one is no longer remembered, then He is not known by the LORD, and if sin is no longer remembered, because of Messiah, then certainly the LORD will form eternal relationship with such a man. The LORD in His infinite goodness has no pleasure that any one should perish; He desires all to turn in repentance to walk in His ways and inherit eternal life.
The fierce and regal Israel and Judah were humbled like young lions caught in a net; burned like a bountiful vine dried up by the east wind. They were taken into captivity by Assyria and Babylon respectfully ,and then they were burned up in the aftermath of denying Messiah Yeshua, for the Messiah would come from the Mt. of Olives through the East Gate, just as prophesied. No human king would ever reign over the land again, but now the people lament as we all await Messiah's return to take His eternal throne.
Ezekiel 20, Ezekiel 21, Ezekiel 22
The LORD showed such mercy to Israel in the midst of her rebelliousness because He had created a people for Himself and promised them mercy, and He relented of the disaster against them when they repented so that He could show His nature to the Gentiles. The time had come for the rebellious to be judged for their iniquity, because our God is not a minister of sin. The LORD gave His commandments so we would live by them—so that we would be blessed by them, and yet we so often turn against them to our ruin. In violating these commandments, God has promised curses, and judgment will befall the wicked. But the mercy of God endures forever, and He will bring a people for Himself into His kingdom at the End for the glory of His great name—will will all stand in shame for the evil we have done, loathing the evil. This humility and repentance is what we can expect in the hearts of those who will stand before the LORD.
The wicked believe the LORD speaks in parables, in riddles, but He won't ever actually do what He has literally said. They are mistaken. For those who stand against the LORD with pride and rebellion in their hearts, they will literally face the sword, the famine, the pestilence, and the beasts of the earth, and if they do not return to the LORD in the midst of temporal judgment, they will be thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death. The day of the LORD's wrath is coming, and so let us repent today while we still have time. We must not listen to false prophets who say we can have peace even while following the dictates of our own wicked hearts. One day, the time of certain judgment will come, so let us repent! Today if you hear His voice, harden not your hearts as in the day of rebellion. The LORD will purge uncleanness only from the hearts of those who return to Him.
Ezekiel 22, Ezekiel 23, 2 Kings 24, 2 Kings 25, Jeremiah 52, Jeremiah 39:1, Ezekiel 24
22. The LORD is bringing judgment on Israel because the prophets lie to the people and tell them what they want to hear so that they can get wealthy off of their donations; the preachers rip apart the law and make no distinction between what is holy and what is unholy, according to the Word, and they do not honor the Sabbath, profaning the holiness of God; the pastors give poor advice that harms rather than helps for their own benefit; and the people have turned to selfish interests on account of this. No one is standing up and explaining what is right and what is wrong based on the law of God, building a wall of discernment between what is good and evil, and so judgment is coming.
23. God will teach wise women not to imitate the sins of Judah and Israel, who fornicated first with Assyria and then with Babylon, to their own destruction. Judah should’ve known better seeing the destruction of her sister Israel, but did even worse than she. Paul said that the time of ignorance God had overlooked, but now He calls everyone everywhere to repent.
“For through the anger of Adonai it came to a point in Jerusalem and Judah that He finally banished them from His presence. ...” (2 Kings 24:20 a)
“I, Adonai, have spoken —it is coming. I will do it, I will not let go, not pity, not relent —according to your ways and according to your deeds they will judge you.’” It is a declaration of Adonai.”
Ezekiel 24:14 TLV
We will be judged according to our works, according to the word of the LORD.
Matthew 16:27
“For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.”
Revelation 22:12
“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.”
2 Corinthians 5:10
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.”
Galatians 6:7-8
“Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Ezekiel 24, Ezekiel 25, Jeremiah 34, Jeremiah 21, Ezekiel 29, Ezekiel 30, Ezekiel 31
E24. It's troubling to remain emotionless amidst judgment and tragedy, but this is what the LORD asked. In good times or in evil times, Paul said, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Phil 4:4).
E25. The LORD may bring judgment against His people, but it is meant to restore them through repentance, not to destroy them. When the nations rage against Israel, the LORD will bring the same calamity on them that they bring upon Israel. Antisemitism is a significant evil and unwarranted. All people groups have good and evil men among them—why the special attention toward Israel? Because they are God's chosen people. Blessed are those who bless them, and cursed are those who curse them. When we find the people of our congregations falling away from the LORD, it ought to be our focus to pray for their revival, rather than their judgment.
J34. The people had repented, and the LORD was going to relent of His planned judgment against them, but then they backtracked. What a terrible disappointment. I've seen this happen. It grieves my soul. How much more the LORD?
J21. The LORD leveled with Jerusalem: if they want to live, they'd have to go into captivity and accept the responsibility for their depravity. It was time for them to be sifted like wheat, for the righteous ones to endure through suffering. The city and all in it would be destroyed because of persistent unfaithfulness, but those obedient who accept trial and tribulation would be preserved. It reminds me of the LORD commanding Israel to wander in the wilderness 40 years. Joshua and Caleb endured; they made it into the Promised Land. How rare a person to work through their salvation with fear and trembling. Like Daniel, Shadrach, Machack and Abednego, perhaps?
E29,30&31. Pharaoh boasted of his irrigation systems and rerouting of the Nile, and so God would send the nation into captivity. He also reduced the prowess of the nation so Israel could not seek aid from her any longer. Perhaps they would at some point seek the help of their God? Egypt is still weak to this day, per the Word of the LORD.
Jeremiah 32, Jeremiah 33, Ezekiel 26:1-14
Is it madness to buy property in a land under siege, doomed for destruction? The LORD commanded Jeremiah to do this, and so he did it, putting the deed for the land into a clay jar to preserve it. We do not understand why the LORD commands certain things, but like Jeremiah we ought to obey without wavering. He is Yahweh, our Lord, He is Elohim, our God. "Is there anything too difficult for Him?" Is there anything too hard for the One who created the heavens and the earth? The LORD has designed blessing for His people, and this is His promise—it will come to pass, even past our point of understanding. We must wait on the LORD.
Thus says Yahweh: "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." While the wholeness of the LORD and all His ways is indeed "unsearchable"—for we serve an infinite God—we must never say that the LORD does not want us to understand Him. He said: "Seek and you shall find." What a joy to have infinity to learn ever more about our God!
The LORD exclaims to the people in the world: "come out of her, My people," so we can be set apart for the LORD in a place He has set aside for us. He said to the people in wicked Jerusalem, which was worse than Sodom and Gomorrah in the evil it was committing, we must "go out from among them and be separate," even into exile into a strange land and away from the place where we have comfort. Whether we are in the world among sinners or in a church that has become worldly among sinners, we must go out to seek the LORD alone and be set apart from evil. In Jeremiah 33, He exclaims: "I will restore Judah from exile and Israel from exile, and will rebuild them, as in former times.” And God will do this for His people Israel and the sons of David. From the place of exile from sin, the LORD will rebuild us, as in former times. His testimony is true! He will pardon all our transgressions against Him. He will put us again in a place where we can serve Him and praise Him for the good and peace He brings to us. We receive joy and gladness when we forsake everything, even our very own lives, and follow Him! He is indeed a Branch of Righteousness, Yahweh our Righteousness, this branch of David who rules us as King forever. His name is Yeshua! He is our Salvation! He is our God! We will forever praise Him amidst the children of Israel, who will all be restored from exile!
In Ezekiel 26, God's Word against Tyre, people stand in the midst of their customs, rejoicing with musical instruments and food and drink, marrying and giving in marriage, and this IS what the LORD wants for His people! However, He will not allow His people to rejoice while living in iniquity and rebellion against what is good. Revelry leads to death. Rejoicing comes from obedience. Like a potter working his piece of clay or a metalsmith removing dross from impure silver, God continues to work the whole Earth—the nations and Israel—through cycles of building up and destruction in order to achieve His final masterpiece; namely, a people set apart for Himself who will build an intimate relationship with Him forever! Let us make sure we are returning to the LORD in the midst of our tribulations. Consider Hebrews 12:7-8: "If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons." Embrace verses 12-13: "strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed."
Ezekiel 26:15-21; Ezekiel 27; Ezekiel 28; 2 Kings 25:3-7; Jeremiah 52, Jeremiah 39
Tyre was a island metropolis in the Mediterranian Sea that served as a center of trade for all the nations around the sea, including trading partners such as Egypt, Sicily, Greece, Assyria, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and the lands of the Philistines, among others. The island city-state became exceedingly wealthy because of this, and like many other rulers of the time, the king of Tyre declared himself god. Ezekiel 26-28 speaks about this city and the downfall God would bring upon her for being so proud, like Egypt before her and Babylon after her. Alexander the Great built a causeway out to the island and ultimately conquered the city, and it remains as ruins to this day.
Ezekiel 28 goes further than what we read about the city of Tyre and her pagan king. No king of Tyre was in Eden. No king of Tyre was a covering cherub of God. No king of Tyre was ever created to be perfect. This prophetic word from Ezekiel uses the king of Tyre and his wealthy city as an example to describe the most perfect being ever created by God; namely, the adversary himself—the Satan. He was indeed perfect, for everything God created was perfect and good, and this cherub was closer to God and His throne than any other created being had gone. He was full of wisdom, meaning that He knew the Son of God and cherished Him, and he was beautiful in splendor and glory because of what emanated from God in his midst. Rather than continue in this perfection that God had given him, he exalted himself and loved himself instead of the God who created him. The fire of pride that welled up inside him would be the source of his own destruction. He would bring violence to the whole earth, rebelling against the Most High, but he would also be destroyed in the midst of the greatest of all humiliation. Pride comes before destruction! So it would be for the king of Tyre and all on the earth who follow the evil one's example.
Meanwhile, Zedekiah, the king of Judah, had an opportunity to save the city, to save his throne, and to save his family and his own liberty. All he had to do was listen to the prophet of God who spoke an undesirable truth and surrender to Nebuchadnezzar. He also rebelled against the Word of God. He attempted to fight and then escape, contrary to the prophets' counsel, and he was captured instead. The last thing Zedekiah saw with his own eyes was the destruction of his family, and then he lived in captivity for life, according to 2 Kings 25 and Jeremiah 39 and 52. We might think that we can overcome life's difficulties with our own wisdom and our own strength, but it will always lead to destruction when we do, and it will also bring great pain to everyone around us. The only solution is to surrender to the law of God and the will of God, even when God's way seems impossibly unbearable to us. If we wait on the LORD, He will uphold us and give us strength, even if things don't turn out the way we expect. We will receive peace and joy in this life, even when facing the worst tribulations, and the glory of God in the next age when we are patient and wait on God. Let us not be like Zedekiah.
Jeremiah 39, Jeremiah 40, 2 Kings 25, Jeremiah 52, 2 Chronicles 36, Lamentations 1
Nebuchadnezzar knew enough about Jeremiah's prophesies to desire his comfort and release, and he commanded his general Nebuzaradan to protect him. But how did the king perceive Jeremiah? Was Jeremiah a prophet of the Most High God or was he a traitor to his people who helped Babylon conquer the land? It seems to me that almost all people saw Jeremiah as a traitor—both his own people and the people of Babylon. It's amazing to consider this ire is also what Yeshua faced on the cross, for both the Jews and the Gentiles executed Him together on that fateful Passover day. But Yeshua, like Jeremiah, spoke and lived out only the True Word of God. On account of Jeremiah's faithfulness, the LORD made it so Nebuzaradan would release Jeremiah in liberty to do as he pleased. He went to live in Mizpah among the impoverished who remained in Judah, to minister to them there. This too is very much like Yeshua, who healed the poor and lame. It's no wonder some pondered about Yeshua's identity, according to Matthew 16:24, saying: "Some say [you're] John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Eved-melech the Ethiopian eunuch had helped Jeremiah in the past (Jeremiah 38:7-11), because he knew him to be a true prophet of God. Though he was a "servant of the king," which is what his name means, he truly served the King of kings rather than either earthly king—Zedekiah or Nebuchadnezzar. God delivered this faithful man from burning Jerusalem as we read in Jeremiah 39. There seems to be a parallel here with the Ethiopian eunuch of Acts 8, who served the Queen of Ethiopia but put his relationship with God Most High first. He had traveled to Jerusalem for a feast day, per the commandment, and was heading home when Philip overtook him and taught him about Yeshua. The man was baptized instantly upon recognizing Yeshua as the man of sorrows in Isaiah 53, the Messiah and Son of God. As we read in Isaiah 56, "To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off." More study is needed on these two Ethiopian servants of the Most High God.
On the 7th day of the 5th month, Babylon destroyed Jerusalem, burning the temple, the city, the walls and the kings' quarters with fire, looting the gold and bronze from the temple, and utterly destroying what Judah had once regarded as Holy. The LORD would not allow any people, not even those descended from Jacob, to call upon His name and trample His Holy courts while committing abominable sins and worshipping what is holy alongside the profane. The LORD is longsuffering, but there comes a time when He will not tolerate hypocrisy and evil in His name any longer. To destroy this holy city, the LORD preserved the honor and glory of His name, showing the whole world, Jew and Gentile alike, that He would honor His Word. Any priests, prophets, shepherds or other servants of Yeshua today who believe they can call on the name of "Jesus" while practicing sin and ignoring God's holy Word will receive a similar reckoning when they call out "LORD, LORD," and Yeshua replies "I never knew you." Any members of the Body of Christ who poison the Body with rebellion will be cut off and burned in the lake of fire, which is the second death. Those scattered and enduring in faith in Yeshua and obedience to God's Word will be preserved and restored.
Let us lament in the destruction of any who fall away; let us lament when the places and people who used to house God's Holy Spirit lose their faith in rebellion, pride, and selfishness. We must not rejoice in the judgment of God, but plead for His mercy and use all opportunities when God sends judgment and testing to come to repentance in all humility so that we might be brought back near to our God. Today is the day to repent, so that there doesn't come a day when it is too late.
Lamentations 2, Lamentations 3, Lamentations 4
We make our LORD and our God an enemy when we intentionally and continuously sin against Him in rebellion against His law. The same Yeshua who said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments," said "depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." He will pour out His wrath like a fire that comes out of His mouth and burns up the adversaries and will swallow up all who oppose Him and His commandments, and He will do this without any pity at all. The King will laugh at the calamity of the wicked. When we see judgment from God, we ought to wail with our hearts sunk low to the ground and mourn the destruction of people who should have known better. Pray for the mercy of God, for we too are sinners who deserve such destruction.
Jeremiah rightfully asks: "Why should any living person complain when punished for his sins? Let us examine and test our ways, and let us return to Adonai. Let us lift up our heart and hands to God in heaven. We have transgressed and rebelled..." If we find ourselves in a place where the LORD will not pardon, where judgment is all around us, our only prayer should be to remind ourselves of God's Word here in Lamentations 3: "I called on Your Name, Adonai, from the depths of the Pit. ... Do not close Your ears to my cry for relief. You drew near on the day I called out to You. You said, 'DO NOT fear,'... You redeemed my life."
Alas, when we see sin around us worse than Sodom and Gomorrah, what else do we expect for our land than this? Let us pray for the children of our people as Daniel did in Daniel 9, for we too have not done enough to call out the sin around us. We too must repent!
Lamentations 5, Obadiah 1, 2 Kings 25:22-26, Jeremiah 40:7-16, Jeremiah 41
“Woe to us, for we have sinned! … But God!: “You, Adonai, are enthroned forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.” “Bring us back to you, Oh LORD.” As Jeremiah prayed to end his great lament, so must we when depravity rises up around us.
In the prophesy of Obadiah, we learn: “You should not look down on your brother on the day of his disaster. … You should not speak proudly in the day of their distress. … As you have done, it shall be done to you.”
Edom will be stubble burned up when Jacob is restored to burn brightly in the light of the LORD, because of how proudly he turned against his brother, time after time, especially when Israel was being judged.
As Nebuchadnezzar set up governor Gedaliah over Judah, the people who were left rebelled against him led by Ishmael son of Nethaniah. God had explained they would be at peace if they merely remained still and waited for Him as servants in their own land, but they refused to wait on God. The men of Judah, on account of their fear and disobedience, fled to Egypt, where they would be slaughtered by Nebuchadnezzar anyway. We always fail when trying to do things our own way.
Jeremiah 42, Jeremiah 43, Jeremiah 44, Ezekiel 33:21-33
When Judah was left with a remnant in the land, the LORD told them to remain under Nebuchadnezzar's governance and all would be well with them, but if they went to Egypt as they desired they would be destroyed. They did not listen to the LORD and they were indeed destroyed in Egypt along with all of the nation of Egypt.
When we ask the LORD for something and don't get the answer that we desire, what do we do? Do we continue with the plan of our own wicked heart and ignore the voice of the LORD, or do we test the spirits, to know whether they really are from God, and when they check out, do we then obey the voice of the LORD? Obedience is better than sacrifice in the eyes of God, and He desires mercy, not sacrifice. However, the LORD will not be merciful to the wicked who ignore His Word and go their own way, especially those worshipping the so-called "Queen of Heaven" or other demons. Idolatry is the fastest way to judgment, and continuous disobedience leads to destruction.
When we Pray that "the LORD OUR God" will tell us where we should go and what we should do, we had better be prepared to obey Him. When we refer to the LORD as someone else's God—"the LORD YOUR God"—faith is missing, and disobedience leading to death is sure.
It's remarkable to me that the Jews believed their worship of the Queen of Heaven was what sustained them, and their worship of Yahweh alone is what ended their prosperity. So many Christians today believe they need to add to their worship of God by praying to saints (praying to the dead) or praying to Mary (the Queen of Heaven, who is also dead). They believe they lose out on prosperity when they fail to practice these pagan traditions, that somehow it's asking too much to worship Yeshua/Jesus alone. How could it be too much to worship the only One Who saves—the only One Who redeems—the only One Who delivers? What could possibly be better than for our Creator Himself to offer Himself to us as the eternal Way? For whatever reason, we like to add to God's simplicity, and God has warned us repeatedly not to do this. Religion leads to death. A faithful walk with Yeshua in obedience to God's commandments with the Holy Spirit is the only Way to life.
Ezekiel 34, Ezekiel 35, Ezekiel 36
Ezekiel 34 is a terrifying warning against teachers who seek their own interests only; they seek to build their church congregations to increase the bottom line, sacrificing the Word of God in the process. They let people drop off who aren't contributing to the bottom line. It's a business for them. But what about the woman who gave two mites? Yeshua said she gave more than anyone else who was in the Temple that day. The LORD is the one who will restore true leadership for His people; He will lead according to the Word of God, not for His own benefit. Shepherds who answer the call to teach God's flock deserve absolutely nothing in return; they merely do their duty. It ought to be a pleasure to serve the living God and His people. Those who seek some gratification for their finances or their ego will be cut off. Those members who push down the weak and hold themselves up higher than others will also be cut off.
Edom, or any people, who seek to benefit off the misfortune of others will suffer the same misfortune themselves, but theirs will assuredly come from the LORD.
Ezekiel prophesied rightly that Israel would return to her land and be blessed, but it wouldn't be on account of their own righteousness, but rather to glorify the Name of the LORD who promised this would come to pass. Any time we believe our own righteousness brings us reward we fail to humble ourselves before our God, who is perfect in all His ways. He redeems us for His own glory! Praise, thanksgiving and heartfelt obedience ought to be our response to His grace!
Ezekiel 37, Ezekiel 38, Ezekiel 39, Ezekiel 32:1-16
Ezekiel 37-39 is a prophesy of the Last Day "Eternal Judgment" and the Resurrection of the Dead, both of which are "elementary principles of Messiah Yeshua," according to the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 6:1-2. Paul explained this day in his letters to the Thessalonians, in 1 Corinthians 15, and elsewhere, and Yeshua Himself spoke about it in Matthew 24, John and Revelation, among other places. Most notably, Yeshua said in John 5:28-29: "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth— those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."
Ezekiel 37 explains the Resurrection of the Dead in great detail and gives us a look into the components of Man: breath, dust, and the resultant soul. Paul wrote that we would receive "incorruptible bodies" in this resurrection, when "all Israel will be saved," and WE MUST be among Israel to be saved. We are grafted-in through Yeshua. Our King Messiah Yeshua will return and reign forever on this day, and His people will all be with Him when He utterly destroys the armies of Satan and his followers who rise up against Him by simply opening up His mouth and speaking His Word. Gog of Magog represents the Antichrist movement that will stand against Messiah upon His return. Magog is a city in modern Turkey that has also been called Pergamum. It is Satan's seat. Micah 5 explains the Antichrist will come from Assyria, which is this same land. The Messiah, born in Bethlehem, and all who follow Him will be victorious on the earth's final day. The Word of God will consume the rebellious and disobedient and purify the faithful as the hottest fire to ever burn on that day. Egypt, a metaphorical representation for "the World," will be burnt up in this judgment. All that will remain will be Yeshua's perfect Kingdom forever and ever.
Ezekiel 32:17-32; Ezekiel 33:1-20; Jeremiah 52:28-30; Psalms 137; 1 Chronicles 5:1-17
32: The worldly men who do not know the LORD, who have not circumcised their hearts by the Holy Spirit, who go to battle for their own well-being at the expense of others—these will end up in the lake of fire.
33: Yeshua told us the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves, and He told us repeatedly to watch and pray. Ezekiel 33 explains exactly how to do this. As a watchman on the wall warns a city of the enemy coming near, so too do we as followers of Yeshua need to warn our fellow Christians of they fall into sin. If we warn them, we are doing our duty as followers of Yeshua. If we do not warn, we will be destroyed for the same sin they commit, even if we don’t commit it ourselves. Paul said the same thing at the end of Romans 1. But the LORD has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. His desire is for us all to “turn and live.” He gives us this ministry within His kingdom to work out His good in the lives of others. Because the LORD is righteous and faithful, He will accept the wicked man who turns from wickedness and lives righteously in obedience to Yeshua, and He will reject the righteous one who turns back toward his or her sins. Yeshua said the same thing. We will be judged by the works of our hearts.
Ps.137: There are days when I sit down and weep for the world I observe around me and the people I see oblivious to their Creator’s perfect goodness and eternal love. How can I sing of joy in this foreign land, when my home is in the Kingdom of God with Yeshua? I mourn for those who don’t know the LORD and yearn to reach them, pleading with the Father to help! I ask for the LORD to bring His vengeance on the evil one; to stop him from stealing, killing, and destroying those I love. I remember the LORD in the midst of my yearning, humble myself before Him, and then I am joyful that I know Him, and I certainly pray that He never lets me go, just like He promised.
“Though Judah was the strongest among his brothers, and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.” (1 Chronicles 5:2 TLV) > All of Israel will be saved.
1 Chronicles 5, 1 Chronicles 6, 1 Chronicles 7, 1 Chronicles 8
All of these men we read listed in Chronicles were named in God's Holy Word and have significance in His grand story. Some of them lived for God, and others didn't. Consider Jehozadak, a high priest taken into captivity by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. He certainly presided over a temple that was destroyed by the hand of the LORD. How much was he personally responsible for this? Was he redeemed in Babylon? His son Joshua was called to lead the Jews in the Second Temple God would have them build. There is a story behind every name, and I'm just scratching the surface. We ought to follow two lines of thought in such chronologies: 1) What is the story of these men and what can we learn from their stories, once we search them out? 2) Is our own name written in the Book of Life? What do we need to do in line with our faith in Yeshua to make sure our names are written there?
1 Chronicles 8:29-40, 1 Chronicles 9:1, Daniel 3:31-33, Daniel 4, Ezekiel 40:1-37
All Israel was registered and there is a book written for each one of us. What will be written in our book? Will it be incorporated into the Book of Life through faith in Yeshua? Will we be led into captivity on account of sin, or will we be redeemed on account of humility and faithfulness?
The story of Nebuchadnezzar is a lesson from the LORD for His people. This king was humbled in Daniel 3 to acknowledge the power, kingdom and wonders of God, which are eternal, and yet he fell away on account of his pride in Daniel 4. Have we ever found ourselves in a place where we praise God for the glorious gifts He brings into our lives and then we grow complacent in our comfort and forget the LORD who brought abundance? The LORD will allow us to have a wilderness experience apart from Him when we believe that anything we do is the reason for our success. Like Nebuchadnezzar the beast who wandered aimlessly for seven years, so too will we wander without purpose when we are apart from God. It is the LORD who blesses and the LORD who takes away blessing, and every bit of this is dependent on whether our heart seeks to elevate Yeshua and His commandments or whether we seek to elevate ourselves and our own way. If we find ourselves as brute beasts apart from God, we can still humble ourselves and return to Him! Like Nebuchadnezzar, God gives each of us a knock on the doors of our heart asking for us to let Him in. If we humble ourselves and repent, He will restore His Holy Spirit in us and lead us once more in the everlasting Way.
The end of Ezekiel is still a mystery and will likely remain that way until it is fully realized. These latter chapters of Ezekiel appear to be an inaugurated eschatology that describe the second temple while also spiritually describing the third temple Yeshua is building. Just as the LORD described each and every detail of His second temple through His prophets, so too does He know every detail of His people, who make up the building blocks of the third Temple. His eyes are constantly scanning our hearts to know exactly how we are producing righteousness for His Kingdom. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:11-13: "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Messiah Yeshua. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is." Just as Nebuchadnezzar was tested, so too will we be tested if we build up any pride in our own path. Only those walking along the narrow way of the LORD Yeshua will withstand His final fury.
Ezekiel 40:38-49; Ezekiel 41; Ezekiel 42; Ezekiel 43
Ezekiel wrote an inspired prophesy from his perspective as a priest desperately looking forward to the time when God would dwell among the people of Israel again in the Holy City. It is a story looking forward to redemption; a return of what was lost. But those returning to honor the LORD and experience His presence were called to humble themselves before the LORD, offering up blood to atone for their sins so they could even come in near and be among Him.
We look to the blood of Yeshua, a one-time sacrifice for sin, so that we can come in near to the throne of grace. Let us not quench the Holy Spirit through lawlessness or rebellion against our God, but rather let us seek the LORD through humble obedience to His commands, because He has made us clean by His blood. His glory indeed shines within His temple of souls that He has purified to dwell with Him forever, and so let us go in with hearts ready to serve Him according to His ways.
Ezekiel 44, Ezekiel 45, Ezekiel 46
Only the Prince, the נָשִׂיא nāśiy, will enter the East Gate, and only on the Sabbath, a Holy Day or a New Moon, and the Prince will bring in the sacrifice. When Yeshua came during the Second Temple period, He indeed entered from the Mt. of Olives through the East Gate into the Temple. Did that fulfill this prophesy? Yes. Entirely? I don't know. Is this a metaphor for what Yeshua is doing in Heaven? Is it something Yeshua will do during a "Millennial Reign" on the Earth? Is it something metaphorical for the Holy times that will still be celebrated in the Eternal Kingdom? I am still asking the LORD to reveal these things to me. What I can say for sure is that the Prince was not meant to do these things according to Torah, but the Messiah would be both Prince and High Priest, and so there is a Messianic element to this prophesy—Yeshua is both sacrifice and High Priest and also Prince of the Universe. Because Messiah's one-time sacrifice would serve once to atone for sins, and because Yeshua sits interceding for us as High Priest right now at the right hand of the Father, and because there will be "no death" in the Kingdom of God that is coming, I must side with a partial fulfillment and an allegorical interpretation of these passages.
Ezekiel 47, Ezekiel 48, Ezekiel 29:17-21; Ezekiel 30:1-19; 2 Kings 25:27-30; Jeremiah 52:31-34
The end of Ezekiel is an earlier prophesy about the same vision Yeshua showed John at the end of Revelation, complete with the river flowing forth from the Temple of God and the fruit lining the sides of the river, as well as the abundance flowing forth from the King, who is Messiah Yeshua. A closer study should compare Ezekiel and Revelation, and this will help uncover more of God's Truth. What's interesting is that Ezekiel makes it plain that Gentiles will be allotted an inheritance amidst the tribes of Israel in God's eternal Kingdom. If we are not grafted-in to Israel through faith in Messiah Yeshua, we will be outside the Kingdom with those of the world, represented by Egypt in today's reading, destroyed and bitterly left out in the place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In the present day, the Kingdom of God has flown forth like a trickle at first from Yeshua and His 12 apostles, but it has increased into a massive river, making clean all who drink from the living water of God. Let us all produce fruit for the Kingdom of God so that His will can be done on the Earth as it is in Heaven. The LORD dwells amidst His people who love Him and keep His Word, and He is returning to dwell among us forever more.
Daniel 7, Daniel 8, Daniel 5, Daniel 6:1
The beasts from the sea are kingdoms from the masses of people on the Earth, and Daniel was given a vision of their reign. His prophesy came to fruition. First Babylon, then Media-Persia, then Greece, and then a divided Greece, with the "little horn" Antiochus Epiphanies IV reigning in the Seleucid Empire. He was an Antichrist figure—a type, if you will, of the Antichrist spirit, and these words describe him: “He will speak words against the Most High, and will continually harass the saints of the Most High, and will try to change the appointed times and law. The saints will be handed over to him for a time...” As Yeshua Himself said: "whoever endures until the end will be saved." We must endure in love and obedience to God and His commandments and live as Yeshua lived. His sanctuary will be vindicated, His people will be brought into His kingdom in peace, but those who are enemies of the Way will be burned up in the unquenchable fire of God's Holy Word! All of God's timing is appointed according to His will, and His will be done. Kingdoms of men will come and go, but the Kingdom of God endures forever. We must live as Daniel did, outlasting the world with complete confidence in Messiah Yeshua and His kingdom that endures forever.
Daniel 6:2-29; Daniel 9; 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1; 1 Chronicles 3:17-19
Like Daniel, we may be targeted for our faith and obedience to the LORD Yeshua by those who are jealous of our relationship with Him. This is particularly true of those who give lip service to Jesus but fail to surrender to Him. The lion's den is a place where Satan may appear fierce in our lives; where we may be tempted to feel overwhelmed, fearful, doubtful, or discouraged, but even in these darkest hours when we might feel like we may be abandoned and left for dead, our God is with us in the midst of the darkness, shining His light brightly. Because we are seated in the heavenlies with Yeshua our LORD and our God, we indeed can sit in the lion's den and wait for the light of day, which will certainly come. When we come out stronger and bolder in our faith than before, the enemy will be destroyed by his own trap, and what he meant for evil against us will be used to take ground from him and ultimately destroy him while we are lifted up. God will be given all the glory!
In his prayer for Israel, Daniel showed an example of how we ought to follow Yeshua—in humility, in contrition, with reliance on the love of God and total faith in His promises. The shame of our rebellion against the law of God ought to remind us of the great mercy of our LORD who gives us grace, commanding us to "go and sin no more." And yet we walk as He showed us in righteousness, which is His example, and we remember His compassion and forgiveness giving all glory to His name! When we pray like this, the LORD knows our hearts and He sends out His angels to answer even before we're done praying. The LORD is the restorer of what is broken and ruined; He is the one who keeps His promises even from the darkest hours. In that moment, the light breaks forth like the dawn and shines ever brighter to the midday Son! Daniel prophesied Yeshua's coming to the year from the decree of Cyrus to rebuild the temple. His prophesy is one of the main reasons we know Messiah Yeshua is the One, and only He could have fulfilled this prophesy. This is why doubters in the Jewish religion attempt to discredit Daniel as a prophet, but that is impossible. He was exactly correct with what he wrote about Antiochus Epiphanies IV and Yeshua. Praise Yeshua!
Ezra 2, Ezra 3, Ezra 4:1-5, 1 Chronicles 3:19-24
Men sent back to build the Temple differentiated between those who could prove themselves native born of Israel and those who couldn't for the purpose of ministering in the new Temple. When Assyrian transplants offered to help, they were turned away because they sought to subvert rather than assist. Discernment is needed here, both for our understanding of these passages as well as their application within our own lives. At the time, the people all around wanted to see Jerusalem remain desolate, as they do now, also. The returning Jews had a mandate from God and the king to rebuild, and they were obligated to prevent outsiders from thwarting the efforts. Spiritually speaking, we must prevent those who give Jesus lip service but don't actually follow Him from building our churches with us. They seek to subvert, not assist—to make the church more like the world, not to make themselves more like Messiah. Only those wholly seeking Yeshua ought to come in to worship with us so we can be certain that they will be building rather than supplanting or tearing down. The wishy washy and unfaithful ought to submit to God before they come in and stand beside the saints.
Daniel 10, Daniel 11, Daniel 12, Ezra 4:24, Ezra 5:1, Haggai 1
The words of the angel Gabriel to Daniel blow my mind, and they help me to understand how important our heart condition is with God. We read: "For from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come because of your words." Our prayers have immense power when they are made in total humility with a desire to know God and His will. God Himself hears us and sends forth His messengers to help us. In his humility and persistent prayer, Daniel is called a "highly valued man!" This was a message from God through His angel to a created man! He sees us when we are low and raises us up again! The angel encouraged Daniel: "Chazak!—Be strong!" God gave Daniel SPIRITUAL strength with this encouragement, and the Spirit of Power surpasses all physical strength.
As a side point, Gabriel intended to come sooner, but was delayed fighting the principality (demon) that oversaw Persia until Michael came to help him defeat the enemy. He was held up in the spiritual realm. We ought to understand that war is going on all around us, but we can rest assured that the victory is secured in Messiah. He will always overcome the powers of darkness, just as He did here.
The prophesy Gabriel gave to Daniel didn't just cover the near term future, but it addressed all important changes in the political landscape of the Middle East from that moment until the End of Days. Will we understand the prophesy? Daniel didn't, but it was shut up until the time of the end. Those days are certainly closer now than they've ever been, and they'll be closer still tomorrow. God will reveal what we need to know when we need to know it, and until then we ought to have faith in His promises, for they are certain. The partially fulfilled prophesies of Daniel are spiritual proof that this man knew the LORD and wrote what is true. More study and prayer is needed in Daniel 10-12.
Haggai 2:1-9, Zechariah 1:1-6, Haggai 2:10-19, Ezra 5:2, Haggai 2:20-23, Zechariah 1:1-4, 7-17, Zechariah 2:5-17, Zechariah 3, Zechariah 4, Zechariah 5
Haggai 2:1-9 is among the more important prophesies of the second temple. The LORD asked the prophet rhetorically, “Who remains among you who saw this House in its former glory? So how do you see it now? Does it not seem as nothing in comparison in your eyes?” Despite its size and stature, God makes it clear, “The glory of this latter House will be greater than the former … In this place, I will grant shalom.” Yeshua the Messiah would walk into the Second Temple, and nothing could bring greater glory, nor greater peace, than for God Himself to stand inside His Temple as the Messiah who came to save! He would indeed become the treasure of all the nations!
The LORD told His people through Zechariah: “Return to Me … and I will return to you,…” The LORD surely deals with us according to our ways and deeds, but He has mercy on the repentant. The LORD will be a wall of fire around His people as well as the light of glory in their center, just as John explains later in Revelation 21-22, and “In that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD and they will be My people and I will dwell among you,” said the LORD. In Messiah Yeshua we are grafted in to Israel; specifically into Judah. We all ought to stand in awe of Him!
The imagery of Zechariah is similar to the imagery of John, and helps explain it. The two witnesses of God, Israel and Judah, Smyrna and Philadelphia, are those saints grafted-in and returning to God who worship the Messiah Yeshua, the cornerstone, the one who brings us salvation by His grace, and who leads us by His Spirit into victory through obedience to His Word.
A curse will go out on the Earth like a flying scroll—it is the Word of God that condemns the wicked and upholds the faithful. Let us be sure to enjoy the covering of Yeshua’s blood and obedience to God’s will, so we will be passed over in the Judgment.
Zechariah 6, Ezra 5:3-17, Ezra 6:1-14, Zechariah 7, Zechariah 8
From Zachariah 6, we learned that the four horsemen of the apocalypse are indeed also called the four winds of Heaven, so that decoder ring has been unveiled. We also learned that the Messiah—the Branch—is going to build a temple, and subsequently rule from his throne, but it would be wrong to think that his temple is physical, and his throne is on earth. I believe this is referring to Messiah Yeshua building the temple of his church and rising to sit on the throne in heaven as our intercessor. While Yehoshua would be the high priest at the start of the second temple period, Yeshua would be the high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
In Ezra, Satan tried to stop the work of the LORD to rebuild the temple through Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, by playing on the pride of the king. But Darius had already become a man of God through the story of Esther, his wife, and so he not only found the letter from Cyrus instructing the temple’s construction, he also ordered Tattenai to pay for the work out of his own treasury. Anyone protesting this would be hung on his own door post. This is an answer to much prophecy about how those who celebrated Judah’s destruction would have that destruction come back on their own heads. This is the way of all God’s people: while God disciplines His people when they sin, He brings back a remnant to worship Him. Those who stand against His people who are being disciplined will receive a higher measure of that discipline and will learn to eat their words. When Satan and his minions intend evil against God and His people, what they intended for evil will be used for good.
In Zachariah 7, we learn that when hardship comes our way, we should not view our humility in the hardship as spiritually significant for ourselves. When we sin, we will receive the discipline we deserve. The only comfort we can receive in such discipline is knowing that we are being made better as followers of our God. We ought to look to the biblical history as a model for various situations we face in our own lives, and find God talking to us there and instructing us in His righteousness.
Zachariah 8 shows that the LORD will fulfill His prophecy and create a people for himself in the land of Israel. This is the people we want to be among, for the Jewish man whose tzit-tzit (corner tassels representing the commandments) we are to grab is Yeshua, and this is how he desires that we live our lives: “speak the truth one to another; administer the judgment of truth and shalom in your gates; do not let any of you devise evil in your hearts against your neighbor; and do not love false oaths, for I hate all these things,” He said. Love God and love your neighbor. If we are to go with Yeshua into his kingdom, this we ought to do.
Zechariah 9, Zechariah 10, Zechariah 11, Zechariah 12, Zechariah 13, Zechariah 14
9. Yeshua came lowly, riding on a donkey, bringing salvation to all who trust in Him. He broke the bow of war, for the Jewish leaders rejected Him, and He brought peace to all nations of the Earth, including a remnant of Israel. His people would be like a flock of sheep following their shepherd, like gems on His crown, and among the people the bread and wine representing Yeshua's body and blood would bring purity.
10. Blessing would come in the Spring, at Passover, symbolized by the spring rains, but many would miss it on account of false teachers. The LORD will destroy these shepherds, but have mercy on the sheep. Yeshua would come from Judah and lead the sheep, both from Judah and from Ephraim, symbolic for all Israel, and He would have compassion on them. Followers would be gathered from around the Earth.
11. Following Yeshua's death and resurrection, the whole leadership structure of Israel would be dismantled. The land would be made desolate and the Old Covenant completely broken, replaced by the New. They betrayed Him with a kiss, and 30 pieces of silver was the price for Him, which bought a potter's field still maintained to this day. All who abandoned the flock for their own benefit would be lost; they would be blind and deaf.
12. More devastation. Fist the temple destroyed in AD 70 and then Jerusalem in AD 135, both by Rome, the surrounding peoples. The LORD warned His followers this would happen in Matthew 24; they were prepared and spared. Ultimately the nations that destroyed Israel would themselves be destroyed, just as Babylon before them, because God will always care for the Apple of His Eye. The remnant of Israel will ultimately look upon the One they pierced, Yeshua the Messiah, and mourn for their blindness in the Resurrection of the Dead. We all ought to mourn for our sins that led to the LORD"s suffering.
13. When the Shepherd was struck, all His apostles were scattered to the ends of the earth, so they could go forth and multiply, just as God commanded. This is still our calling today.
14. An End Days prophesy. The LORD will be One and His name One. Adonai Eloheinu, Adonei Echad. hear O' Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is ONE. Yeshua and the Father are One! Hallelujah! All who are redeemed by Him will be resurrected unto life after a Day of darkness. At the evening of the Day, the Last Day, there will be Eternal Light! This is the Kingdom described by Revelation 21-22. All people who live will celebrate the LORD coming to tabernacle with His saints forever!
Ezra 6:14-22, Ezra 4:6, Esther 1, Esther 2, Esther 3, Esther 4
To celebrate the LORD's Passover, a celebration of the escape from Egypt by the blood of the lamb and a celebration of the escape from sin and death on account of the blood of the Lamb of God, we have to purify ourselves and make ourselves holy before the LORD. Paul explains the same in 1st Corinthians 11. It's critically important when we "Do this in memory of" Yeshua, we do so with clean hands and clean hearts. We ought to prepare our hearts ahead of time with humility and repentance.
So many people get the story of Esther wrong, as they do with the rest of the Scriptures. In the first link below, please review my sermon on the Book of Esther and the holiday of Purim. In the second link, you can review a transcript instead:
https://youtu.be/38IwV2TdgVI?si=jNiKWeCibfYcaNMB
https://storage2.snappages.site/ncm201u3w4/assets/files/20250315_Purim2015PDF.pdf
Fasting and prayer is essential as a regular part of our routine, to keep us humble before our God. Fasting means no food and no water, at least from sundown to sundown, but Esther did it for three days. One day helps prepare us each week for the LORD's will, while three days can help us in trying times, to answer significant prayers, or to prepare ourselves for a Feast, such as Passover. By the way, the Passover feast is implied in Esther's marriage feast. The Feast is prophetic for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
God put Esther in place "for such a time as this," as we read about in her book. We ought to ask God regularly what He has for us to do, but we ought to approach with humility, just like Esther. When He calls, we ought to respond like the prophets: "Here I am, LORD. Use me."
Esther 5, Esther 6, Esther 7, Esther 8, Esther 9, Esther 10
Please review the sermon on Purim and Esther linked here:
https://youtu.be/38IwV2TdgVI?si=jNiKWeCibfYcaNMB
https://storage2.snappages.site/ncm201u3w4/assets/files/20250315_Purim2015PDF.pdf
Esther boldly acted with righteousness to save her countrymen at the expense of her own life, if needed, and no greater love has someone than to give up his (or her) life for his (or her) friends.
Pride comes before a fall, and humility leads to exaltation.
The evil one's devices against God's people will be used for his own destruction.
All the nations of the world will be grafted-in to Israel at the time of the End.
Yeshua will rule over all the nations, and the bride of the King will be co-regent with Him.
Ezra 4:7-23, Ezra 7, Ezra 8
As noted in verse 24 of Ezra 4 (omitted from our reading), the work on the temple was delayed until the second year of the reign of Darius on account of the work of the enemy, but Cyrus had set things in motion and God's will would be accomplished. Ezra the High Priest, a son of Zadok—the high priest who had been loyal to David during his exile—put his trust in the LORD and began to bring the temple implements back to Jerusalem along with many of the priests needed for temple service. Ezekiel had prophesied the Sons of Zadok would fulfill this role. The Artaxerxes had sent a word with Ezra to the enemy that they were to support the Jews in their efforts, and this was certainly a move of the LORD to defend His people. Ezra called a fast prior to the trip back to humble the priests before the LORD, and in this effort to humble themselves the LORD was with them and protected them along the way. The people celebrated with thanksgiving and praise to God when they arrived.
Here is an article that discusses the timeline of these events in the latter prophets and the Book of Eshter: https://www.the13thenumeration.com/Blog13/2019/10/05/esther-ahasuerus-artaxerxes-who-was-the-persian-king-of-127-provinces/
Here is another opinion about the timeline that aligns with standard scholarship: https://biblearchaeology.org/abr-projects-main/the-daniel-9-24-27-project-2/4369-the-seraiah-assumption-and-the-decree-of-daniel-9-25
In order to properly identify the Persian Kings and the timeliness of these latter prophesies, the evidence must be weighed. I will submit that the historical chronology is still up for consideration. While, I maintain my belief that Darius I is Esther's husband, there is convincing evidence both for and against this, so we should continue to study with an open mind.
The following verse in Ezra 4:6 caught my attention, which got me thinking about this again: "And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.”
While we can't say for sure, it sure does seem like this refers to Haman's accusation against the Jews. However, the idea that "Ahasuerus" is a general Persian term meaning "king" still holds, and the evidence is too inconclusive to declare this refers to someone named "Xerxes" in the Greek. So this very well could refer to Darius 1 as it might in Esther. The use of Ahasuerus as a title and Darius interchangeably in the text is a possibility, but it's also possible that the terms are used to refer to two different people.
I think it would be good practice to conclude that the chronology and identity of Esther's king is beyond us.
Ezra 9, Ezra 10, Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah 2
Oh that we would have the humility and understanding of Ezra, who stood before God in terror observing the depravity of the people around him, taking their guilt and shame upon himself. How long did it take following the LORD's mercy for them to forget to keep themselves holy from what is profane? As men we wander after our own desires, and deserve to be dragged right back outside the camp once more, but God has mercy on us when we fall before Him, as Ezra did, saying: "Adonai, God of Israel, You are righteous, for we are left this day as a remnant. Behold, here we are before You in our guilt; because of it no one can stand before You.” Thanks be to God that He offers the repentant a Way forward toward His Kingdom through the grace of Messiah Yeshua!
Our faith communities need strong leaders like Ezra who through humility and servanthood lead the people back to the narrow path. The people came and gathered around Ezra in his distress, and sought to make things right. The men of Israel were unequally yoked to their wives, a sin that brought down Solomon the wise and divided Israel into two kingdoms so long ago. Now, just as Abraham sent away Hagar and Ishmael for Sarah and Isaac's sake, so that the kingdom would not be divided, so too would Ezra instruct the people to send away their pagan wives and children so as not to infect the humbled nation. In our application of this lesson, we cannot allow sin to fester among us in our churches lest it spread like a cancer and take down the whole church. This is why there are LGBTQ churches today, and churches that generally disparage the law of God. We can't let this stand. Just as Charlie Kirk did in his ministry, so too must we call out sin as sin and gently and kindly steer people back to Yeshua and God's commandments.
Nehemiah, the king's cupbearer in Media-Persia, sought favor with the king to restore the remnant of Jews to Jerusalem and to repair the walls of the city. As Nehemiah prayed for the LORD's grace in this matter, he reminded God of all of His promises to the people of Israel in Torah, as we also ought to do. He fasted by refraining from eating and drinking leading up to his request of the king, just as we ought to fast and pray prior to major changes in our lives. The LORD moved the king's heart and the king granted this request. Nehemiah, upon arriving in Jerusalem, next had to win the favor of the people to help him rebuild the walls, and the LORD also granted this supplication. Finally, Nehemiah would have to lead the people against the taunts and discouragement of the enemy, which we also face. If we are patient and endure through such insurmountable barriers, trials and tribulations, the LORD will deliver us at His appointed time.
Nehemiah 3, Nehemiah 4, Nehemiah 5, Nehemiah 6, Nehemiah 7:1-3
The Jewish people united to rebuild the city's walls, all working on their own section to finish the whole. In the very same way, we are each building the city's walls today as members of Yeshua, and He is the Cornerstone. When the New Jerusalem comes down to dwell upon the Earth, this will literally be the collection of saints risen from the dead on the Last Day who will descend to inhabit the earth with God. We ought to do our part now, even in the face of the enemy, with the Sword of the Spirit in one hand to defeat the enemy's attacks and our tools for building in the other, which is the same Word.
The enemy was enraged with the Woman [Israel], and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Messiah Yeshua. (Revelation 12:17). He will come to mock us first, during which time we ought to trust in the LORD and the protection He has promised. God will indeed turn the enemy's mocking words against him, and the words meant for evil against Israel will come back upon the enemy of Israel's head to destroy him and all who are deceived by him.
The enemy won't rest in this, but will conspire repeatedly to deceive, to distract, and to ambush. The enemy will lie about us and make up stories, attempting to entrap us in the fog of defense. He will even use people who are among us in the church to try and lead us astray. Had Nehemiah gone into the Holy of Holies in the temple in fear of the enemy, he would have sinned against God and his enemies would have won. He stood boldly in opposition to this attack from within his ranks, from Shemaiah the priest. BEWARE: false prophets will rise up from among you and will deceive many, the LORD has said. Those who are deceived live in lawlessness, such as the Jews who were collecting usury from their brethren against the Torah. We have to be careful to follow the righteousness of Yeshua in our walk with God and not fall into the bondage of sin that leads to judgment and death. When we are finished with the work the LORD has appointed to us, it's important that we appoint overseers to manage the work with integrity so we can move on to what the LORD has for us next.
Nehemiah 7:4-72, Nehemiah 8:1-12
After counting 42,360 people who had returned from captivity, Ezra stood up to read the entire Torah on the first day of the seventh month, which is Yom Teruah, or the Feast of Trumpets. This day is coming up on 9/23/2025 this year. He didn't just read the Torah, though. We read: "The Levites ... instructed the people in the Torah while the people were standing in their place. They read from the Torah scroll of God, distinctly explaining it and giving insight. Thus they understood what was read." It is the duty of a pastor to not just read from the Torah, but also to explain the instruction of God and how it applies to the lives of the people. His duty is to bring understanding of what was read. If you don't go to a church that does this, it's time to find a new church that does.
Yom Teruah (The Day of Trumpets/Shouting) and the reading and interpretation of the Torah was a time of celebration, and the people were commanded not to weep. Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) was coming up (10/2 this year), though not mentioned. Scripturally, this is a day to afflict the souls to weed out any sin in our hearts and to prepare for Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) (10/7 and 10/14), when we celebrate God coming to dwell among us and look forward to the future Kingdom when we will dwell with God forever.
Nehemiah 8:13-18; Nehemiah 9; Nehemiah 10:1-40
We're getting ready to head to Corner Fringe Ministries' Feast of Tabernacles celebration in Minnesota, which begins on Oct. 7 and goes until the 14th, and we're very excited to fill up a whole campground for the festival and enjoy the company of our fellow brothers and sisters in Messiah Yeshua. We anticipate a time of complete joy in the LORD, and this is exactly how the LORD wants us to celebrate with Him on His Feast Days. May it bring glory to the name of Yeshua!
Nehemiah and Judah seemed to be rediscovering Torah after their ancestors lost track of it. What a time! I remember from the time I discovered our calling into Torah myself; it was a time full of fear, but also intrigue, exploration, and excitement, and this is the exact mindset that the LORD desires from us always. When I read this account, I think of what Yeshua said in Revelation 2:4-5 to the Ephesians: "I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent." We ought to take this seriously even now, for Ephesus was a Gentile church. The LORD wants us to respond to His free gift of grace with yearning to obey Him, not out of fear, but a desire to please Him. Nehemiah seems like he was really getting into His relationship with the LORD, and expect the LORD blessed Him for it. I do hope he endured, and I look forward to meeting him on the Last Day.
According to the Lexham Theological Wordbook (2014), "Repentance is an act of acknowledging past wrongdoing, expressing regret or contrition, and committing to right behavior and obedience to God. It is a transformative process that involves turning away from sin or transgression and turning back to God. The OT concept of repentance is expressed with two key Hebrew terms: שׁוּב (šûb) and נָחַם (nāḥam). The Hebrew word šûb (“turn”) expresses repentance as turning away from the wrong path, i.e., sinful behavior, and turning back toward God (Hos 3:5). Thus, repentance is an act of reorientation. The term nāḥam (“console”) can have a number of different meanings, including feeling sorrow or remorse; it can thus express the aspect of repentance that involves contrition for wrongdoing (Job 42:6). In the NT, the Greek word μετανοέω (metanoeō) means “to change the mind”; the related noun μετάνοια (metanoia) means “change of mind” (Mark 1:4, 15). Repentance is thus understood as a process in which the individual reorients the mind and will—away from sin and toward God. Like Hebrew, Greek can also express repentance or conversion as turning back to God with the verb ἐπιστρέφω (epistrephō, “to turn back”; Matt 13:15)."
Nehemiah 11, Nehemiah 12:1-26, 1 Chronicles 9:1-34
What an honor it would be to live in Jerusalem and serve in the LORD's temple. They cast lots, coming back from Babylon, because everyone who was of a right mind and spirit would want to do this, but not everyone could. Some would need to minister in the outlying towns. Each of us has a purpose in the Kingdom of God, which is at hand, and we will all have a role in His eternal Kingdom, also. If we are in Yeshua and obeying God, then we are part of the Body and ought to serve in the place God has put us. I am blessed to be serving the LORD where He wants me, and I will continue to obey His command for each and every step.
Nehemiah 12:27-47, Nehemiah 13:1-6, Nehemiah 13:7-31, Malachi 1, Malachi 2:1-9
Enter His gates with praise and thanksgiving! What a wonderful example that Nehemiah set for us. What a sound it must have been to hear two choirs singing to the LORD, restoring the instruments of King David, bringing worship before Him non-stop in His temple! I long to have enough men and women standing beside me to worship the LORD without ceasing. I hunger and thirst for this.
In doing the work of the LORD, Hosea prayed repeatedly, "remember this also on my behalf, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of your lovingkindness." He was not seeking reward for His works; rather, he sought the LORD's grace for his shortcomings, he sought the LORD in humble obedience on account of His love! And the LORD has compassion on His servants, those who love Him and keep His commandments. The LORD knows that we love Him when we obey Him and when we love our fellow man. It is evident that we love others when we teach them the commandments of God through example and by the Word of the LORD, just as Yeshua taught us to do.
The instruction of God makes it abundantly clear we cannot mix the holy with the profane; we cannot follow the LORD the way we desire, the way that is convenient to us. If we truly love God, we have to serve Him in the Way He showed us. Just as Israel cast out the foreigners who were in the Holy Assembly, and their foreign wives who worshipped foreign gods, so too must we not allow unbelievers and heretics to remain among us, lest their apostasy lead everyone astray. We cannot treat the LORD our God as a common thing, as Eliashib did by allowing Tobiah to live inside the Temple storehouses. God is not common. He is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and everything in it. We ought to revere Him only! Likewise, the Fourth Commandment is not less among the other nine, but equal. We ought to keep the Seventh Day Sabbath that God commanded us to keep, for if we break one law we violate them all. It's not a ceremonial relic, it's a commandment. We ought to have the zeal of Nehemiah to separate ourselves from labor and the world on this day, not allowing anything common in our midst. It is in setting apart the Sabbath that we can truly be with our Beloved King and His people! There is nothing that brings more joy! Our God won't force us to do this, just as He won't force anything upon us, but how can we say we love Him when we won't come in to celebrate with Him on the Day He has given us? It is a gift! We ought to enter His gates with praise and thanksgiving! If we truly love Him, we ought to desire this greatly!
God expressed His heart to His people Israel through Malachi, and Malachi articulated the heart of the LORD better than most. The people offered blemished sacrifices, and they half-heartedly went through the motions of a religion created by men; they did not serve the LORD the way He instructed them to serve Him, and they thought nothing of it. Do we give the LORD time in prayer? Do we give Him worship? Do we give Him His Day, His Sabbaths? Or do our lives and our own priorities take precedence over our God? Would we treat the governor that way if he or she invited us to an exclusive party? What about our best clients? What about God! "'For I am a great King,' says Adonai-Tzva’ot, 'and My Name shall be revered among the nations.'” We cannot be half-hearted with God, giving Him our leftovers and our lip service! He is the KING of the Universe, and He deserves nothing but our first and our best! He gives us life and peace, joy and blessing! What can we offer Him? He rules over everything! We ought to give our KING everything!
Malachi 2:10-17, Malachi 3:1-18 (includes Malachi 4 in the TLV), Joel 1, Joel 2, Joel 3
Malachi continues to communicate the LORD's heart for His people. We defile our relationship with the LORD by mixing in pagan practices with our worship, just as a wife defiles her husband or a husband his wife through unfaithfulness and divorce. God hates it! Even worse, the priests are telling the people that it's OK for them to do evil, because the grace of God makes everything right and the LORD delights us even though we sin. Prophetically, the LORD explains He is wearied when people ask, "Where is the God of justice." Those who overemphasize grace without speaking about righteousness are wearying the LORD with false teaching. The LORD saves us so we can walk righteously before Him, not so we can continue living in sin.
The LORD Yeshua will come suddenly, He is the One Israel has been asking for since Sinai, and He will walk in His Temple, but would anyone accept Him when He comes? Who could compare to Him in His perfection? He would refine and clean His people, who humble themselves before Him and offer their righteousness in their love for Him. The Spirit would be a witness against all evil and an instructor in righteousness. God DOES NOT change, and His ways have always been the same, as has His desire persisted for His people. He invites all to come to Him: "Return to Me, and I will return to you." We must repent! We also ought to give Him a tenth of our first and best through the congregation that we call home, and in this the LORD will bring blessing! The LORD will not endure grievous words; He will not endure a heart condition that finds it burdensome to put God first. The LORD takes notice of those who revere Him—these shall be His people. We revere Him by distinguishing between what is righteous and what is wicked, between one who serves God and one who doesn't. Judgment is coming, but as Peter noted in 2 Peter 3, the LORD is long-suffering and desires we all come to repentance. A day will come; however, when our opportunities to repent runs out. There will be ashes left of those who refuse even until the end. The LORD will seek to unite His people and there will be revival before He comes amidst a great war between good and evil. That time is upon us.
Joel explains this time using locusts as a metaphor. Like locusts devour the land and leave nothing left, the entire earth will be made desolate in the Day of the LORD—there will be absolutely nothing left. We blow the shofar in Zion, especially on a day like today, Yom Teruah, to warn the people of the earth. Though the LORD tarries, He will not tarry forever. Be alert. Watch. He is coming! Let all the living tremble. It could come any day or any hour. We must humble ourselves NOW! But the Earth will be renewed and the LORD's resurrected people will eternally inhabit the Land He renews. All who call upon the name of the LORD will escape, but no one who trusts in their own strength will live.
1st Chronicles 2:9-55; 1 Chronicles 4:1-23; 1 Samuel 1:1-8
Each of the genealogies of Chronicles helps us understand the origin and relationships of the people in the stories we read about later, and they are relevant and worthy of study and reference. The Bible includes them for purpose.
King David's lineage, which is also Yeshua's lineage, includes three Gentile wom dxmmen who clung to the God of Israel; namely, Tamar, Rahab and Ruth. These three women represent Gentiles who would become a part of Israel through faith in Yeshua. We must have like faith, willing to give up the world we came from and fully embrace our identity as adopted sons and daughters of Israel.
Jabez, in Hebrew Yabaetz (יַעְבֵּץ), shows up in two verses, 1 Chronicles 4:9-10, but his testimony is huge. As it is said, "less is more," and that is surely the case for this man. Scripture doesn't even tell of his lineage, but this important point is not accidental, for it points to the man he prophetically represents. His name means sorrow and pain, and his mother gave him this name on account of her pain in childbirth. We know another man of sorrows who would come, and he would be prophesied as such by Isaiah 53:3: "He is despised and rejected by men, a Man of sorrows and acquainted with grief. And we hid, as it were, our faces from Him; He was despised, and we did not esteem Him." In the case of Yabaetz, he too was despised and rejected by even his own mother, and yet God said in His Word that Yabaetz was more honorable than his brothers. His prayer is worth contemplating: "If only You would greatly bless me, and enlarge my territory. Let Your hand be with me and keep me from harm so that I might not suffer pain.” We also read: "Adonai granted what he asked.” In humility, this man asked God to help him overcome his negative reputation and circumstances and give him blessing. Messiah Yeshua, who Jabez prophetically represents, would overcome man's hatred toward Him and He indeed would rule over the entire creation as the visible form of God.
Elkanah's two wives, Peninnah and Hannah, are prophetically symbolic and part of Scripture's overarching theme involving two women. Israel is one woman, and the other is the Whore of Babylon. Peninnah (Babylon) represents those who are wealthy and privileged in this world, but who do not look kindly at those who are humble in spirit and aligned with God and His Word. She even steps all over her "sister" to obtain favor in her husband's eyes. But Hannah (Israel) was humble. She would weep and fast in front of God's altar in the House of the LORD. She was not yet ready to bear children, but her time would come. 1 Peter 5:6-7 reads: "Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you." Names are important in Scripture. Peninnah comes from paniyn (פָנִין), meaning pearls, rubies, or precious stones. While she may glimmer in the world and attract the eye and man's favor, she has a heart of stone. Hannah, from chanan (חָנַן), means to be gracious or to show favor, representing the one who keeps herself humble in the world and waits on God in all faith, knowing that God will deliver her. The character of God's people is the same in all Scripture.
1 Samuel 1:9-28; 1 Samuel 2; 1 Samuel 3; 1 Samuel 4:1-11
Hannah offered up her firstborn son as an offering to the LORD, and because of her willingness to give her first and her best to God, the LORD greatly blessed her with three more sons and two daughters after Samuel was given to the LORD. Hannah is a prophetic type for Miriam, the mother of Yeshua; they shared a humble attitude toward the LORD, exalting and praising His name despite their difficulties and accepting what He provided with gratitude. Miriam may have drawn from 1st Samuel 2 in the prayer she offered up to the LORD in Luke 1, but she certainly had her own experience with the LORD. All women everywhere ought to have hearts like these two Proverbs 31 women.
Once Samuel was in the service to the LORD, he fulfilled his duty even though all was not right around him. He obeyed God, despite his difficulties. His heart was pure, and the LORD saw this, for He called Samuel into the ministry by waking him from his sleep three times. It's interesting to note the verse explaining a delay in Samuel's understanding: "Now Samuel had not experienced Adonai yet, since the Word of Adonai had not yet been revealed to him." On the surface, we might just look at this as the reason why Samuel had not prophesied yet, but on a deeper level we can see that the Holy Spirit only prophesies through men who know the Word of the LORD. This is confirmed toward the end of chapter 3, where we read: "Adonai revealed Himself to Samuel in Shiloh by the Word of Adonai.” We know from John 1 that the Word became flesh and dwelt among men as Yeshua the Messiah, but here we see that Yeshua is the same, yesterday and forever, for He was always with God, even from the beginning, and He always was God. The Word was the only way for man to come into relationship with God, even before He was begotten into human flesh.
The Word now spoke through Samuel who was about to help Israel rise above the oppression of the Philistines, but first God would use the enemy to remove that which was holding the nation back. Eli's wicked sons would die in battle and the Philistines would capture the Ark of the Covenant, because Israel was treating it like an idol. Rather than appeal to Heaven, they appealed to the ark. God was working to set their hearts right, though it would still take some time. Eli, for his part, was like the Romans 1 condemned who approved of those who practiced evil. As believers in Yeshua, we cannot do this. We must not accept evil, but rather expose it.
1 Samuel 4:12-22; 1 Samuel 5; 1 Samuel 6; 1 Samuel 7, 1 Samuel 8
The glory departed from Israel as the people turned from God yet again; Eli's sons had corrupted the people. We cannot allow rebellious sin within the camp, or the whole church will fall. In its state, Israel was treating the Ark like an idol, a god among the foreign gods they served and the Ashtaroth they had set up. God will not accept such syncretism. Israel was defeated, and the ark was captured. Eli, his sons, and his son's wife all died and the era of peace was over.
Meanwhile, the LORD meant to teach the Philistines a lesson. Israel should have known better, but the Philistines were ignorant and likewise saw God as one of the gods among the gods. Yahweh was about to show them His supremacy as the eternal Creator of all in heaven and on earth. Now He would humiliate the representation for Dagon. The Philistines worshipped their ancestor Ham who had conquered the great flood, from their perspective, and Dagan was his representation. No man would ever be exalted above God, and nor would any principality or power in the spiritual realm. Their statue representation was destroyed twice and the men began to develop tumors (hemeroids) and mice brought plague into their villages. Sadly, they didn't learn the Truth and sought to send "Yahweh" back to "His place," from their perspective, even though Yahweh was King over all the Heavens and all the Earth and the earth is merely His footstool. They knew enough to send offerings with the Ark, but they didn't know enough to put away their own gods. They even developed superstitions on account of the experience (don't step on the threshold), showing their ignorance.
Israel received the Ark back with thanksgiving, but the people had not properly humbled themselves before the LORD. In Beth-shemesh, 70 men died of 50,000 because they didn't have the right heart condition. Rather than get themselves right with God, they sought to send the Ark to Kiriath-jearim.
The people of Kiriath-jearim "yearned after Yahweh," and thus they were able to keep the ark for 20 years. Samuel instructed them, along with all Israel: “If you are returning to Adonai with all your heart, then remove the foreign gods and the Ashtaroth from among you, direct your hearts to Adonai and serve Him only." This was the heart condition needed to dwell in God's presence, but also to defeat the enemy. They responded well by gathering for a fast—likely a prophetic nod to Yom Kippur and atonement—by pouring water before the LORD (living water), and confessing: "We have sinned against Adonai." Samuel even sacrificed a lamb before the LORD. Their repentance was next. Now, they were ready to defeat their enemies. In the presence of the LORD, they struck the Philistines to such an extent that there was peace in the land all the days of Samuel.
When Samuel grew old Israel requested a King because Samuel's sons had also gone astray. The LORD told Samuel: "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they say to you. For they have not rejected you, rather they have rejected Me from being king over them. Like all the deeds that they have done since the day I brought them out of Egypt to this day—forsaking Me and worshiping other gods—so they are doing to you also." In other words, endure in persecution and allow the people to learn the hard way. In John 15:18-21, Yeshua said similarly: "If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A servant is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you. If they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know Him who sent Me." The surrounding text is beautiful to read and ought to remind us of who we serve in the midst of our persecution. We must endure in our faith despite the people around us who do not desire to follow the LORD. Those who endure will be saved, despite the hardships caused by sin and rebellion. The only King we need is Yeshua, even though we will have to endure the hardship of the kings men choose.
1 Samuel 9, 1 Samuel 10, 1 Samuel 11, 1 Samuel 12
When the Lord called Saul of Benjamin, he was a humble man in his father’s house, of a humble tribe that had been humbled by God. This was the type of man that the LORD could use for His purposes. Through Samuel, the prophet, God greatly exalted Saul and had him sit at the table of honor and take the anointing oil to lead Israel. It is important to note that Saul prophesied before the people, so that they coined the phrase, “Is Saul among the prophets?“ Within the text it is clear that the Spirit of God had come upon Saul, and that he was a saved believer in the Most High. Through the power of the Holy Spirit, Saul indeed brought Israel together and destroyed the enemy that was before them, earning the goodwill of all the people. Saul also showed the patience of the Spirit by withholding judgment against men who opposed him. God reminded the people, who now had their victorious king, that they—now with their king—must serve God first or both the nation and their king would be judged. We know that a human king would not save Israel, but only the son of God could serve in this role as King.
1 Chronicles 9:35-39; 1 Samuel 13; 1 Samuel 14
Saul showed self obsortion and recklessness in battle, imposing his own religion on his men while neglecting to keep the commandments of God. He made an unlawful sacrifice to the LORD and was even ready to execute his son for disobeying an order he didn't know about. Meanwhile, Jonathan showed valor and courage as he prepared to take over for his father. That day would never come.
1 Samuel 15, 1 Samuel 16, 1 Samuel 17:1-31
I noticed something today in the narrative I hadn't previously seen. Samuel said to Saul: "Adonai sent me to anoint you as king over His people, over Israel. Now therefore, listen to the voice of the words of Adonai!" This is the same thing that we as followers of Yeshua ought to heed. God has anointed us with His Holy Spirit through our faith in Yeshua, we are kings and priests for Him—He who is the King of kings and Lord of lords—the High Priest for all eternity. Because of this, we ought to "listen to the voice of the words of the LORD!" Because of our faith and our salvation, we must obey God's commandments in Torah.
For his part, Saul created a false religion based on his own desires, something we must never do. God commanded him to destroy the Amalakites and all of their things. They were an evil, wicked people that God desired to wipe out, and Israel was His chosen vessel to carry out this judgment. Saul disobeyed, keeping Agag alive and the best of the cattle and flocks "to sacrifice" to God. He even reported to Samuel who rebuked him: "But I have obeyed the voice of the LORD." Hardly! As James said in James 2:10: "For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all." This is meant to be read positively. Samuel, who later hacked Agag to pieces, obeyed the voice of the LORD and announced Saul's deposition as king. Saul lost the Holy Spirit; His salvation was lost. God desires obedience, not sacrifice. When we obey, we worship Yeshua. When we sacrifice in opposition to God's command, we actually demonstrate our disobedience. Though Saul confessed: "I have sinned," the confession was not enough. His heart was to continue walking according to his own ways. We can see this when he said to Samuel: "please, honor me now before the elders of my people and before Israel, and return with me until I bow in worship to Adonai your God.” Besides the Truth that Saul said "Adonai YOUR God," showing his lack of faith, there is no one who deserves honor but the LORD.
God next sent Samuel to anoint David, the youngest and most humble in his family and within the tribe of Judah. Saul was once this way also, but the difference is this: Saul, once anointed, hid behind some bushels, while David, once anointed, took on a 10+-foot giant named Goliath. David was a shepherd, and all leaders in Israel, pastors included, must be shepherds of the sheep carrying a shepherd's staff of guidance and discipline. God looks upon our hearts and knows who we are and what we desire. When we truly desire to obey God and look upon Him humbly with praise and thanksgiving in our hearts, this is when the LORD will lift us up. When we are ready to go to battle, knowing the LORD will be with us to bring us to victory, this is when the LORD will lift us up. We must be men like David.
Goliath defied God's armies and all of Israel stood in fear. Like Saul their king, who feared men (and other creatures) instead of God, Israel lacked the faith needed for victory. But David, as one man, would not just chase 1,000 but He would defeat the giant who stood before Israel defying the LORD Himself. Giants were hybrids of fallen angels and human women (yes, this kept happening after Genesis 6, I believe). But no creature of rebellion could stand against a man who knows the LORD. No creature who defies God will stand. All will fall. David asked: who is this who defies the armies of the living God. This is the faith we must emulate. We too must stand up as God's anointed. As Yeshua said, with faith the size of a mustard seed, you will say to a mountain to move an it will be cast into the sea. The mountains are made low and the valleys are raised when God is in control. Everyone bows before Him on level ground.
1 Samuel 17:32-58; 1 Samuel 18; 1 Samuel 19:1-17; Psalms 59; 1 Samuel 19:18-24
When we are serving the LORD with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, the enemy will send those who serve him—whether knowingly or unknowingly—to attempt to disrupt God's servant. Such was the case with David the man of God and Saul the man who lost his salvation. David defeated Goliath through faith, led Israel to victory over the Philistines multiple times through faith, but Saul could not get past his envy—he wanted to be worshipped like a god and David was reminding him that he was not God. Saul even attempted to use his daughter's hand in marriage to entrap David, but when Saul asked for 100 dead Philistines, David brought 200 for Michal, clearly blessed by the LORD. Jonathan, a man of God himself, gravitated toward his fellow God-fearer rather than his father, who had become evil. We might look to Solomon's wisdom in this matter: "A friend loves at all times, and a brother is born for adversity" and "A man of many companions may come to ruin, but there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." When we are knit together with our fellow brothers and sisters in Messiah Yeshua, there is no other tie that is stronger. Those who lock shields and stand shoulder-to-shoulder in faith with the LORD will live in eternity together, and encouraging these brothers to endure is our number two priority after serving God Himself.
When David prayed for the LORD to deliver him from his enemies, the LORD answered his prayer time and time again. He even captivated Saul's servants and even Saul himself with an overwhelming spiritual experience to take them off track from hunting down David. Was the experience authentic, or were they falsely prophesying? The text doesn't say. Considering that Saul had an evil spirit, my vote is for the latter.
1 Samuel 20:1-41; 1 Samuel 21:1-16; Psalms 34
David's fears were confirmed: Saul sought his life. Now Jonathan was at risk for siding with the righteous over the unjust. Saul had become an agent of Satan, and yet Jonathan maintained his faith and sided with his brother David.
Now running from the king, David sought food from the priest for him and his troop. To save a life, the priest gave day-old consecrated bread that was meant only for the priests. Was this a prophetic nod to David's offspring Yeshua, the Seed, who would be both a king and a priest? He also armed David with the sword he had won. The LORD would still bring justice to the righteous, despite the king's turn away from it.
David fled out of the land of Israel to the land of the enemy, to Achish, king of Gath. He feigned madness—a deception—again, to preserve life. These two stories together show that the LORD is willing to overlook smaller matters when there are weightier matters at stake—His mercy endures forever.
Indeed, David saw it this way also as he wrote in Psalm 34, "I sought the LORD, and He answered me, and delivered me from all my fears." Not Saul, not Achish, there was no one to fear but the LORD. And indeed, the LORD saved David out of all his troubles. Even within the enemy camp, the LORD sent his angels to surround David and his men to protect His righteous ones and He give them refuge in Him.
1 Samuel 22:1-23; Psalm 57; Psalm 142; 1 Chronicles 12:9-19; 1 Samuel 23:1-12; Psalm 52
The LORD prepared the man David, a man after His own heart, by bringing him in to serve Saul in the court by playing the harp, observing all of his official business. He prepared David by having him defeat the lion and the bear in defense of his sheep, so he could defeat Goliath the giant and gain renown for God. He prepared David by putting him in position to lead Saul's armies, defending Israel and bringing God's people victory through his unyielding faith. Now, God was preparing David by testing his faith in times of trial and tribulation, strengthening him for total dependance on God for everything he would face. He could not control Saul's evil actions, but he could protect those in his care by the strength and power of the LORD. Those who came to him became just as mighty as he, on account of faith. With 400 men, he traveled freely throughout the region, defeating the enemies of God all around and continuing the work of the LORD to prepare the kingdom. He made peace with Israel's enemies and defeated those who would not make peace. His prayer was for the LORD to fight for him, the one who depended on the LORD for everything. Because God is faithful, and David full of trust in the LORD, David's prayers would be answered.
1 Samuel 23:13-28; Psalms 54; 1 Samuel 24:2-23; 1 Samuel 25
Though the LORD gave Saul into David's hand, David had mercy on him, perhaps hoping to deliver him from destruction. Saul revealed his hand. His concern was earthly legacy, not eternal reward. He asked David to preserve his house, and this is something David would do, but what about Saul's soul? The LORD would deal with that later.
Nabal was a worthless man deserving of death, much like Saul, but David didn't show him the same pity that he showed Saul. It took a righteous woman, Nabal's wife Abigail, to reveal the need for David's impartiality. Abagail showed such humility and grace that David relented from bringing destruction on Nabal's household, leaving vengeance to the LORD. May we all have such women in our lives to direct our hearts toward righteousness. David also deserves credit for pivoting toward the Way of God when he was reminded of it. May we all speak such life into one another. The LORD indeed brought vengeance against Nabal for slighting David and his men and living in selfish indulgence, forsaking the Way of God. Following Nabal's death, David became Abigail's redeemer and provided her with a life of blessing in the kingdom of God's anointed.
1 Samuel 26; 1 Samuel 27:1-7; 1 Chronicles 12:1-3, 5-8; 1 Samuel 27:8-12; 1 Samuel 28; 1 Samuel 29; 1 Chronicles 12:20; Psalms 56
Saul continued to pursue David even though David had shown him mercy, and this second time the LORD put a deep sleep on Saul so David could literally walk right up to his head while he slept and claim his spear. David then took the opportunity to explain to the king how his life was spared, because the lives of God's people are precious, even when they are straying, and Saul returned home. David judged rightly that judgment belongs to the LORD alone against the LORD's people who fall away. But even this wasn't enough. It wasn't until David fled to Achish, king of Gath of the Philistines, that Saul stopped pursuing him. David proclaimed the Word of the LORD against Saul and his men who kept pursuing him, saying: "If Adonai has stirred you up against me, let Him accept an offering. But if men have done so, then cursed are they before Adonai, because they have now driven me out that I would not cling to Adonai’s inheritance, saying: ‘Go, worship other gods.’" David, willing to repent if he had done wrong, would not worship other gods in Gath, but he was forced to flee from his inheritance in Judah, and the curse of God for rebellion would fall on Saul and his men for their evil.
When David fled to Gath, he pursued the ancient enemies of Israel that still inhabited lands that God had given to the 12 tribes. He could tell Achish that he was attacking Israel while in the process of actually liberating Israel from the enemies God gave into his hand. There were men from various Israeli tribes now joining him in this effort, and Achish was pacified. David went so far as to trust the LORD in a final battle against Saul's armies—the LORD would not allow David to fight against His own people. Who knows what David had planned—we know only that He trusted God, and God delivered him. David prayed: "in God I trust, I will not be afraid. What can man do to me? I am under vows to You, O God. I will present thank offerings to You. For You have delivered my soul from death and my feet from stumbling, that I may walk before God in the light of life.” The Philistine generals made Achish send David away, and David was spared from having to make a difficult decision.
Meanwhile, Saul had fallen fully into evil, for he consulted a medium, and by this sin God would destroy him and all of his sons. He called up the spirit of Samuel from the grave, who prophesied God's final judgment against him. Saul would die a tormented, self-centered, egotistical heathen, leaving room for David to take the throne. While Jonathan died with his father, the covenant he made with the LORD and David indicates his eternal redemption.
1 Samuel 30; 1 Chronicles 12:21-23; 1 Samuel 31; 1 Chronicles 10; 1 Chronicles 9:40-44; 2 Samuel 4:4; 2 Samuel 1
God did not leave or forsake faithful David. Although David suffered tribulation in this world, even losing his entire stronghold to the Amalekites, the LORD worked with David's faith to fully deliver him and his Mighty Men. David proved to be just as a leader, rewarding his whole troop of 600 with the spoils of war, even though 200 had not gone with him. David gave credit for the victory to the LORD, for the LORD helps us to prevail in battle, and he shared alike with all of the people who followed him so they could all bless the LORD together. For this reason, David's army became "like the army of God."
Saul and his sons, even Jonathan, died in battle just as Samuel had prophesied from beyond the grave. Saul, for his part, committed suicide, one of few in Scripture to do this. Almost like Judas Iscariot, he had betrayed the LORD and His people Israel by turning toward wickedness. His body was burned, a sign of judgment for his "unfaithful acts that he committed against the Word of the LORD, which he did not keep," including consulting a medium, something that should not be done in Israel. Mephibosheth, Jonathan's son, would remain his legacy, a crippled man.
Despite the envy that Saul had toward David, this man of God still honored the king of Israel, even in his death. This is a lesson that echoes Romans 13—"let every soul be subject to the governing authorities"—a teaching from Paul, who was also a Benjamite like Saul. David honored the king of Israel for his position, even though the king had not honored him, because he was anointed by the LORD and raised up to his position by God. He wept over Jonathan whom he had a brotherhood with like the servants of Yeshua have together today. When two men love the LORD together, they experience the truth of Proverbs 18:24: "there is a friend who sticks closer than a brother." This was Jonathan and David.
2 Samuel 2; 2 Samuel 3:1-5; 1 Chronicles 3:1-4; 2 Samuel 23:8-7; 1 Chronicles 11:10-19; 2 Samuel 23:18-39; 1 Chronicles 11:20-47
It's sad to read, but certainly expected that Saul's men would seek to keep the throne, even after Saul's death, but God didn't intend to have a succession of kings from Saul. David was chosen as the LORD's anointed, and thus he would become king, first of Judah, and then of all Israel, and David's sons would lead to the promised Messiah. It would take some time, but it would happen nonetheless. The long-time David waited to become king is symbolic for the LORD's timeframe for ultimately bringing forth Messiah Yeshua. As it pertains to David's part, he had already waited 20 years to take the throne. His faith was unfailing, and the LORD would certainly be faithful to David for this.
David was so just that he would not drink water brought back by his men at risk to their life. He would not allow others to serve him in this way without them sharing in the benefit. Like our LORD Yeshua, David would consider others more highly than himself, even though he was the LORD's anointed.
In the version I'm reading, it appears as though David selected three men to be closest to him out of the 37 mighty men that were his closest allies. "Josheb-basshebeth the Tahchemonite was chief of the Three." "Eleazar son of Dodo the Ahohite, who was one of the three mighty men." "And after him was Shammah the son of Agee the Hararite." Yeshua also had three closest to Him: Peter, James and John. This is a model for the LORD's ministry. One disciples three, who then disciple three, and so on. David was following this model, too.
Of interest, David began accumulating wives, which was in opposition to Torah. Was it rebellious sin or something else? Scripture does not say. He had many sons, but they were not elevated to lead until Solomon, the son from Bathsheba, the wife that came from certain, rebellious sin. He repented, and was forgiven. Indeed, the LORD does seek out those who were lost, the sinners, so that they might repent and be saved.
2 Samuel 3:6-49; 2 Samuel 4
In all of the clamor to support David and unite Israel, several men chose to take matters into their own hands rather than wait on God along with David. In revenge for the loss of his brother, Joab ruthlessly killed Abner, who had been trying to peacefully unite the tribes, and Baanah and Rechab, sons of Rimmon the Beerothite of the sons of Benjami, murdered Saul's son Ish-bosheth, who was already defeated. David had mercy on Joab because his was a wartime act in the field and Joab was his mighty man servant, but he also made a public display of his displeasure and honored Abner as a servant of the former king. Perhaps there was an element of manslayer guilt on Abner's head that David also accounted for. Nevertheless, much later, David instructed his son Solomon to bring justice against Joab for his many acts of defiance and disobedience. Baanah and Rechab murdered Ish-bosheth in his own home, and thus they were given capital punishment for this great evil. David knew that the LORD would save him from all distress, and he did not need man to help him. This is a tough lesson for some men to accept, but it's true and applies to us all.
2 Samuel 5:1-3; 1 Chronicles 11:1-3; 1 Chronicles 12:24-41; 2 Samuel 5:17-25; 1 Chronicles 14:8-17; 2 Samuel 5:6-10; 1 Chronicles 11:4-9; 2 Samuel 5:13; 2 Samuel 5:4-5; 2 Samuel 5:11-12; 1 Chronicles 14:1-2; 1 Chronicles 13:1-5; 2 Samuel 6:1-11; 1 Chronicles 13:6-14
Israel anointed David king, recognizing his anointing from God, and this is how all leaders must be appointed in Israel. They said in 2 Samuel 5:1-3: "Even before, when Saul was king over us, it was you who led Israel out and back" ALSO: "The LORD said to David: 'You will shepherd My people Israel..." We can see that a leader must do the work of the position he is being called into before receiving the title. The elders elevate a leader once he has already proven himself capable. Also, the leader must not be elevated unless God Himself calls him to that position. We can see these principles all over: Judges 2:18: "Whenever the LORD raised up judges for them..." In 1st Corinth. 12:28, Paul said God appoints leaders. In Ephesians 4:11-12, we see Messiah Yeshua "Himself gave some to be apostles, some prophets, some evangelists, and some pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of ministry, for the edifying of the body of Messiah,..." In Acts 20:28, Paul said: "Therefore take heed to yourselves and to all the flock, among which the Holy Spirit has made you overseers, to shepherd the church of God which He purchased with His own blood." And in Titus 1:5, Paul told Titus: "appoint elders in every city...."
As David took the lead of Israel, he led them out to battle against the Philistines, who represent the spiritual hosts of wickedness we face in our life as Christians as we go out following King Yeshua. Note: Yeshua said, I am the vine, you are the branches, without Me you can do nothing. David knew this well, and the king went to the LORD before every victorious battle, asking Him whether to go and then how to fight the battle. God never did things the same twice, and so we too ought to build a relationship with Yeshua so He can guide us through our battles. God wants us fully reliant on Him. Against the Philistines in the valley of Rephaim, God said to "go up, for I will certainly give the Philistines into your hand." The next time they were in the valley, God said: "Do not go up; instead circle around behind them and attack them in front of the balsam trees." The LORD would actually go out before Israel and strike the camp first, and with the LORD leading Israel into battle, "David struck the Philistines from Geba as far as Gezer." The LORD also commanded David to go into Jerusalem and showed him to use the water tunnels to get into the fortified city. It was so fortified, even the blind or lame could fight invaders off, but with the LORD, the Jebusites were defeated and David set up Jerusalem as Israel's capital, as the LORD had desired.
David thought to bring the ark of the LORD up to Jerusalem, but he did this hastily, and this is also a lesson for us that we ought to wait on the LORD before we act. We might think we're doing something sacred by honoring the LORD in the way our heart desires, even coming up with new religious acts or ceremonies that God did not command, but that is not how God has commanded us to worship Him, and we will suffer for it. Rather, the LORD told us to go out when He goes out, and stay in place when He stays in place. This is evident in the cloud by day and fire by night that led Israel in the wilderness and the Spirit that blows like the wind in John 3, and only those who know Yeshua are born of the Spirit and can follow it. And David knew Yeshua, but like all of us he fell back on his own strength after a series of victories. We all get to the place where God is blessing us so much we forget that God is behind the blessings and begin to think it is our own strength that is bringing the blessings. This is a dangerous place to be, because this is when we might do things our own way causing others to get hurt. Uzzah was a casualty of David's pride. David did not do things God's way by using the Levites to move the Ark, but instead put the Ark on a cart, which God had not commanded. God grew angry at David for doing things his own way, and struck Uzzah who was not qualified to move the Ark, per God's commands. David was angry, also, but not at the LORD as we might assume. He was angry at himself for failing to humble himself before God. He blamed himself rightly for Uzzah's death. We read: "David feared God that day, saying, 'How can I ever bring the Ark of God to me?'" This is hte proof that David was angry at himself. The answer to his question is simple, though, and David would later discern it: We can't move the Ark on our own strength, but when we do it God's way, it will be easy. We can't do anything for the LORD our own way. We must do things the way the LORD commanded.
2 Samuel 6:12; 1 Chronicles 15:1-28; 2 Samuel 6:13-16; 1 Chronicles 15:29; 2 Samuel 6:17-19; 1 Chronicles 16; 2 Samuel 6:19-23
David had spent time studying the Word to determine how he ought to worship God and keep His commandments, and now he was prepared to bring the Ark to Jerusalem—in the manner the LORD prescribed. He commanded the priests to sanctify themselves so they could do what the LORD commanded to carry the ark. The people called to do the will of the LORD must be set apart from the world. We must have lips full of thanksgiving and praise, and hearts full of joy and peace. In worship, we offer the sound of the shofar, the silver trumpets, the cymbals, the tambourines, the lyres and the harps, but most importantly we do so willingly, humbling ourselves before the LORD. Those focused on worldly wisdom will disdain the godly for worshipping God, but the LORD will ultimately disdain the critics and hold up those who humble themselves before Him. We ought to share gifts with one another and freely celebrate with the abundance the LORD has given us when we come together for His feast days. David ordered continual praise, worship, gifts, and other service before the LORD, just as Paul said: Pray without ceasing. Rejoice always! In everything, with prayer and supplication, make your requests known to God. This is relationship!
2 Samuel 7:1-17; 1 Chronicles 17:1-15; 2 Samuel 7:18-29; 1 Chronicles 17:16-27; 2 Samuel 8:1-14; 1 Chronicles 18:1-13; Psalm 60
When David sought to build a house for the LORD, God told him "no." Rather, God said, David's son would build a house for God. It was God who desired to build a house for David and all Israel—the people of God who love Him and keep His commandments. This prophesy given through Nathan in 2 Samuel 7 and 1 Chronicles 17 is an inaugurated eschatology, meaning that it has both a near-term fulfillment and a long-term fulfillment. Of course David, and not even Solomon, could build a house for the LORD to dwell in. Solomon even acknowledged this when he completed the temple in Jerusalem for God. Nevertheless, God desired to bless David—the man after His own heart—by allowing his son Solomon to build the temple, and by so doing He set up a living parable for the Temple that David's son Yeshua the Messiah would build for His people Israel forever. God would build a house for Israel. David's Son Yeshua would build a house for God. It's the same house, the eternal dwelling place for God and all His people, and the same builder. In the same way that Adam had to sin so his sons could choose God through Yeshua and be redeemed unto obedience, the temple in Israel had to be built so God could show Israel that His Son would need to be crucified and then raised up in order to establish a dwelling place for His people.
We ought to emulate David's heart of humility and pure adoration for the LORD, for he was a model for how all men ought to behave after him. Even in the aftermath of his sin, which we will read about soon, David still exhibited a righteous heart when he repented and asked for the LORD's mercy, fully throwing himself upon the LORD for whatever judgment He desired to bring. The LORD would judge David rightly and harshly, destroying four of his sons and leaving him to face hardship for the rest of his life, but even in this hardship David's faith persisted and endured until the end. We see his heart condition on display as he faced Israel's many enemies all the way to the Euphrates River, up into Assyria and down into Egypt. His son Solomon would link shields with Ethiopia, and the Kingdom of Israel would rest on most of the lands of the known world. One day, this same thing will occur, and after all the enemies of the LORD will be destroyed, all the peoples of the Earth will serve the LORD forever. Like David, we must remain humble and bless the LORD for all that He accomplishes in victory for His people Israel, not falling away into fear or doubt during times of trouble, but full trust, adoration and praise.
2 Samuel 8:15-18; 1 Chronicles 18:14-17; 1 Chronicles 6:1-15; 1 Chronicles 6:35-38; 1 Chronicles 6:16-33; 2 Samuel 9; 2 Samuel 10; 1 Chronicles 19
When David reigned over Israel he "executed justice and righteousness for all his people," and those people included the vassals who were in service to Israel from the Gentile nations. This is a prophetic picture for the Messianic reign of Messiah Yeshua. David did what was right according to God's law, and he interpreted it rightly, and everyone flourished because of it. David set up men from the Tribe of Levi to sing praises to the LORD constantly. How wonderful it would be if we had men dedicated to this purpose. Paul said: "pray without ceasing." "Praise without ceasing" is a form of this, for we ought to pray, with thanksgiving. David didn't just rest in victory, but sought out additional ways to serve God and honor his word. He found a son of Jonathan from the house of Saul to honor, and had him sit at the king's table as if he was one of his own sons. Likewise, we too ought to let our yes be yes and our no be no, and we ought to go out and bring in those who have fallen, restoring them according to our word. David sought to deliver this same kindness and loyalty to the Gentiles, as Yeshua will do, but in this case Hanun the son of Nahash the Ammonite rejected him, which brought about a war. David defeated Ammon and their vassals the Arameans, because they fought against the LORD's anointed. Likewise, all who oppose Yeshua and the law of God will fall, but those who humble themselves before Him will be given grace.
1 Chronicles 20:1; 2 Samuel 11; 2 Samuel 12:1-14; Psalms 51; 2 Samuel 12:15-25; 2 Samuel 5:14-16; 1 Chronicles 14:3-7; 1 Chronicles 3:5-9
David sat out the battle and his idleness led him into sin. His eyes caught sight of a beautiful woman ritually purifying herself, but he didn't look away, and this was the birth of his sin. In the place where he saw Bathsheba naked, his son would lie with 10 of his concubines—a complete judgment. To look at a woman with lust is to commit adultery, and that sin left uncontrolled led to the actual act and then to deceit and murder. Sin, left alone, begets more sin. But God loved David and had mercy on him. He sent Nathan the prophet to rebuke him. Had David not repented, he would have died, but the parable of Nathan led David to repentance. The wisdom of God convicted him. He wrote Psalm 51, one of the best prayers for repentance in all of Scripture. May we all share David's heart. Just as the king had passed judgment against the hypothetical man in Nathan's parable, God would so judge David for his evil. He lost four sons. He lost his kingdom for a time, and he faced discord for the rest of his days. Sin has consequences, but at least David's soul was restored on account of the LORD's grace. Never again would he sin, and he would humbly face the tribulation he bought with his own actions. He is a model of restoration for us all.
2 Samuel 12:26-31; 1 Chronicles 20:2-3; 2 Samuel 13; 2 Samuel 14
Joab and David have a very strange relationship and it would not end well, but the signs of Joab's rebellion against the king begin in today's reading. He was out serving the king and then exclaimed that he would name a city after himself if David did not come out and take it himself. David took the city for God and devoted the inhabitants to serve in woodworking and construction for Israel. There was no further word of any disagreement until Joab deceived David to bring home Absalom, who had taken revenge against his brother Amnon for raping his sister Tamar. These would be the second and third of David's lost sons on account of his own rebellion against God. Tamar was also disgraced and would not be able to marry. The king ceded knowingly to Joab's manipulation to bring Absalom home, showing mercy and grace, but even then the young man showed himself ruthless. He demanded his father's ear, and burned Joab's field to intimidate the man into his service. This would not bode well for either of them. A godly man does not force his will on others, but waits on the LORD and turns to prayer with thanksgiving.
David would have likely given Tamar to Amnon had he asked, but then young man did not have the character. He took what didn't belong to him—forbidden fruit, and would suffer for it. His lust turned into hate once the deed was done. When we seek after what we shouldn't have and take it, there will be no satisfaction in it—no joy—no peace. Only when we wait on the LORD for His blessings, grateful for what He has given already, can we live in peace and joy knowing that the LORD is in relationship with us.
2 Samuel 15; 2 Samuel 16; 2 Samuel 17:1-14
David accepted the continued judgment of God against him and trusted the LORD to deliver him out of it. Absalom, who had plotted for 40 years to overthrow his father, had never repented of murdering his brother Amnon. He resented his father for not taking his side, even though David had allowed his errant son to remain in exile as a mercy—the law called for death. Absalom never understood mercy. David's love extended so far that it cost him—he would be betrayed by the son he pardoned and allowed to return to Jerusalem; there, Absalom underhandedly usurped the hearts of the people. Absalom also had the council of Ahithophel, who was Bathsheba's grandfather. Ahithophel let his anger for David's sin get the better of him, and he used his great wisdom to commit evil. Only David honored the Word of God, which notes that vengeance is the LORD's and He shall repay. He would not strike Absalom, nor would he take down Mephibosheth and Shimei, who also betrayed him. While the LORD allowed Ahithophel's anger and Absalom's rebellion to judge David, once it was clear that David remained humble at heart—for the LORD had tested David's heart—the LORD turned Absalom's heart to listen to Hushai who was still loyal to David. All would be restored.
2 Samuel 17:15-29; Psalms 3; Psalms 63; 2 Samuel 18; 2 Samuel 19:1-31
Ahithophel, who took vengeance into his own hands, was brought low by his own pride. He killed himself because Absalom the rebel did not listen to him, even after he had defected. What else was left for him but shame of face? Had he repented, he would have had a chance. Without repentance and in self-murder, the man will burn in unquenchable fire.
Psalm 3 shows David prayed for deliverance from his enemies, including from his son. However, he did not rely on himself to bring vengeance, but he relied on the LORD to restore those who put the LORD first. For a righteous man, David's own good was never the primary focus; rather, the will of God is what mattered.
David sent out his army to defeat the rebellious who had sided with his son, but he desired mercy. He sought repentance. He prayed for God to intervene. Absalom built himself a monument, just as Saul had done, and David had seen how this ended before. He hoped this time would be different. Perhaps God would still have mercy yet and restore Absalom in humble defeat? David's men prevailed, and David hoped for this end, but Joab disobeyed his king and struck down Absalom instead of capturing him as David had commanded. Perhaps David wanted one more chance to reason with the lad; to try and bring him back to God. It doesn't matter that Joab's leadership brought victory. Even one act of disobedience was evil, and Joab deserved to die. How was he any different than Absalom? There is no loyalty in disobedience. And yet David also showed him grace, and even listened to his request to sit at the gate and be with the men who had fought for him. How can we not mourn over the death of the wicked, when our heart ought to desire their repentance and their return? David had waited for news to arrive of his men's victory. He was struck with sorrow that Absalom had followed Saul into Hell. How could a father not mourn his own son's destruction?
2 Samuel 19:32-44; 2 Samuel 20; Psalms 7; 2 Samuel 21; 1 Chronicles 20:4-8
It's interesting that Judah was slower to ask for David to return to Jerusalem than Israel. This strikes me as a prophesy about the second coming of Yeshua, who said the Jews would not see Him again until they say "Blessed is He who comes in the name of Yahweh." And yet, upon David's return, Judah celebrated his return, and Sheba led a rebellion of the other 10 tribes. Only a wise woman in Abel of Beth-Maacah was able to stay the onslaught of David's army, because she threw out the head of the rebel. When all believers stand with Yeshua to crush the head of the serpent, there will be unity of all under the King.
Joab continued to practice vengeance by his own hand. His story is tragic, and yet David continued to show him grace, hoping he would eventually repent. He didn't.
Like David, I also pray: “if I have paid back evil to anyone at peace with me, or unjustly attacked my adversary, then let the enemy chase me, overtake me, and trample me into the ground, leaving my honor in the dirt! ... Arise, Adonai, in Your anger, arise against the fury of my enemies! Awake for me! You decreed justice. Let an assembly of peoples gather around You and return on high, above them. Please, end the evil of the wicked and sustain the righteous. A just God examines hearts and minds. My shield is God— Savior of the upright in heart. God is a righteous judge, a God who is indignant every day." The LORD is judge. We are not. Let us trust in Him alone and do His will.
Because of God's prompting, David brought justice against the house of Saul, who had murdered the Gibeonites because they were not born of Israel by blood. Saul had the false idea that only those born of Israel by blood could be among God's people—this is the same religion that plagues many today. It is by the blood of Yeshua alone that anyone is a part of Israel today. David brought the LORD's justice on Saul's sons for the injustice they brought against God's grafted-in people among Gibeon.
David grew too old for battle, but his men continued his legacy, even destroying Goliath's kin and the Philistines who supported them. The servants of the king will follow in his example and do as he did, just as the servants of Yeshua must do.
2 Samuel 22; Psalm 18
2 Samuel 22 and Psalm 18 are a wonderful standard for praise and thanksgiving directed toward God as we face trials and tribulations and as the LORD rescues us from them all. These words certainly reflect what David experienced during his wilderness experience, but they also reflect the sacrifice of Yeshua Himself on the cross, and how He triumphed as God's righteous Right Hand, the Seed of Eve and the Seed of David. Yeshua is the rock from which living water flowed forth; our shield; our salvation (literally Yeshua in Hebrew); our refuge; our stronghold. He is worthy of all praise!
We ought to compare Ps. 22 with Jonah 2. Both are Messianic prophesies, especially where we read from Ps. 22: "Cords of Sheol coiled around me. Snares of death came before me. in my distress I called on Adonai... From His Temple, He heard my voice." And in Jonah 2, we read: "I cried out to the LORD because of my affliction and He answered me. Out of the belly of Sheol I cried, and You heard my voice. Then I said, 'I have been cast out of Your sight; Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple. The waters surrounded me ... weeds were wrapped around my head. ... Yet you have brought up my life from the pit..." In Matthew 27, we read: "A big group of soldiers gathered around Him. They took off His clothes and put a purple coat on Him. They put a crown of thorns on His head." In Luke 23, we read: "Then Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they do" and "And when Jesus had cried out with a loud voice, He said, “Father, ‘into Your hands I commit My spirit.’” In Matthew 28, the angel said: “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified. He is not here; for He is risen, as He said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay. And go quickly and tell His disciples that He is risen from the dead..."
2 Samuel 24:1-9; 1 Chronicles 21:1-6; 2 Samuel 24:10-17; 1 Chronicles 21:7-17; 2 Samuel 24:18-25; 1 Chronicles 21:18-30; 1 Chronicles 22
The law of God is clear about taking a census of the children of Israel, and we can read the details in the Word of the LORD recorded in Exodus 30:12: “When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom for himself to the LORD, when you number them, that there may be no plague among them when you number them."
Once we understand the law of God, 2 Samuel 24 and 1 Chronicles 21 makes more sense, but things become even more clear when we read the narrative. In 2 Samuel 24:1, we read: “Now the anger of the LORD again flared up against Israel, so He incited David against them saying, 'Go, number Israel and Judah.'" In 2 Chronicles 21:1, we read: “Then satan stood up against Israel and incited David to count Israel. So David told Joab and the leaders of the people, “Go, count Israel from Beersheba to Dan. Then bring me a report so I may know their number.”
First, whether we're reading that God Himself incited David or whether it is "ADVERSITY," which is the word "satan" in Hebrew, which incited David, we can see that the problem was with Israel, and not with David. The text says "the anger of the LORD again flared up AGAINST ISRAEL" and "Then adversity stood up AGAINST ISRAEL" in the two references. Israel was sinning and Israel was being judged for its sin. The text does not say what sin Israel committed, but we had just read that the nation had sided with Absalom against God's anointed king? Perhaps this was the reason for God's judgment? We can only guess, but I think this is a strong possibility. But we do know for sure, without a doubt, that God was judging Israel and not David.
God uses an Adversary to bring adversity against sin and rebellion of His people. This is a messenger that God Himself sends to do his work. We can even see the destroying angel later in the story obey the Word of God when God tells him to stop the plague. By the way, the punishment itself, which was a plague of three days, aligns perfectly with the law of God, and this is how we know the story is related to the law in Exodus 30. David asked the LORD to do His will, and we know that God's will is His Word. In any case, this "satan" in 1 Chronicles is likely not "the Satan" who rebelled against God, but rather a messenger God used to bring judgment. And it was God doing the action in both iterations of the story, just as He said in Isaiah 45:7: "I form the light and create darkness, I make peace and create CALAMITY; I, the LORD, do all these things.’" God's destroying angel brought the promised plague upon Israel for violating the law of the census in Exodus 30:12.
So God was judging Israel, not David, for the sin that Israel committed, and so next we have to look at the idea of who violated the law in Exodus 30:12: The law says: "When you take the census of the children of Israel for their number, then every man shall give a ransom." We can see here that it is the responsibility of "every man" to give a ransom, and not the one who takes the census. Thus, it is clear that Israel sinned by not paying a ransom, and David again did not sin. Reading on to Exodus 30:13, we can see what the ransom is: "Each one who crosses over to those already counted is to give a half shekel, according to the sanctuary shekel, which weighs twenty gerahs. This half shekel is an offering to the LORD." Keep this in mind, for at the end of this section, we will see that God Himself commanded David to buy the threshing floor of Ornan the Jebusite for the purpose of building the first Temple. His son Solomon would build the temple on that spot. By sacrificing on this spot, David stayed the hand of the destroying angel against Israel. Likewise, sacrifices on that spot for the entire temple period would keep the destroying angel at bay. These would point to the later one-time sacrifice of Yeshua for the same purpose.
So let's get back to David. He said, “Behold, it is I who have sinned, and it is I who have done wrong!" He also said, "Was it not I who commanded to count the people? I alone am the one who sinned and behaved wickedly. But these sheep, what have they done? Please let Your hand, Adonai my God, be against me and against my father’s house, but do not let the plague be on Your people.” This is important! In 1 Kings 15:4-5, we read: "Nevertheless for David’s sake the LORD his God gave him a lamp in Jerusalem, by setting up his son after him and by establishing Jerusalem; because David did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and had not turned aside from anything that He commanded him all the days of his life, except in the matter of Uriah the Hittite." Make sure you understand this: David did not do anything against the LORD's commandments and he did what was right ALWAYS, except in "the matter" of the murder of Uriah the Hittite. This clearly includes his adultery, the lying, and everything else that pertains to that matter. God had judged David for these sins, but this census was not among the judgments against David. Again, this was a judgment against Israel, likely for forsaking David as their anointed king.
Think back to when David was running from Saul in the wilderness. He had an opportunity to murder Saul two times and take the crown by force, which is something that many men would have done. David did not do it, because Saul was God's anointed. David was also God's anointed! However, David would not take by force, even what rightfully belonged to him, because David was just and good, and he would wait on the LORD. He wrote this Truth Himself in Ps 27:14: "Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart; wait, I say, on the Lord!" David practiced what he preached, which was the Word of God. Israel did not practice the Word. Rather than wait on the LORD, they took the first opportunity to depose David and put Absalom in his stead, because Absalom had been usurping authority from David and handling many of their grievances. What a bunch of fickle people! Saul was trying to murder David, who was innocent of all things, and David would not retaliate. These people were simply not getting what they wanted as quickly as they desired, and so they were ready to hand David over to the wolves and embrace the head of the pack who had been deceiving them. This is so much like most men, even today within the church.
And so, even though David said that he had sinned, and even though David asked God to put the punishment on his head instead of punish the people, the context of the story does not support the idea that David sinned. The reality is far more beautiful! David, the human "father" of Yeshua the Messiah, the Seed who would come from his body to build a House for the LORD, showed us the heart of Yeshua. We read in Acts 13:22: "God raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.’" 1st Sam.13:14 also contains this same truth. And so, David was asking God to put on himself the sins of the people, just like Yeshua would later do. Instead of the people giving a half shekel "ransom" as part of the census for the building up of the Temple, David would use his own money to purchase the threshing floor for the temple. And instead of the people sacrificing before God for their own sin, David offered a sacrifice he himself had purchased on the threshing floor where the Temple would be built for the sins of the people. David was showing us how his son, Yeshua the Messiah, would ultimately free us from the punishment we deserve.
1 Chronicles 23; 1 Chronicles 24; 1 Chronicles 25
David organized the temple service for his son Solomon in extensive detail, showing His care for future generations beyond himself. With only one exception, he obeyed the Word of the LORD in Deuteronomy 6:4-9, to Love the LORD and keep His commandments and to teach them diligently to his children, especially by wisely living them out in his thoughts, words and actions.
David also made sure there was praise and worship directed toward the LORD at all times led by men who were inspired by the Holy Spirit. We should emulate this. We should "pray without ceasing" and always offer humble praise and thanksgiving before the LORD.
Of particular note in today's reading is the order of priestly duty in 1st Chronicles 24. In Luke 1:5, the Apostle explained that Zecharias served in the order of Abijah. Based on the way the order is set up in David's records in 1st Chronicles, we can deduce a whole timeline of events that points to Yeshua's birth occurring during the Feast of Tabernacles, which occurs in the early fall each year. I didn't do the research on this, and so I point you to a very interesting article that gets into the details: https://hebrew4christians.com/Holidays/Winter_Holidays/Christmas/christmas.html.
1 Chronicles 26; 1 Chronicles 27; 1 Chronicles 28
David was preparing Solomon to build a house for the LORD to rest His feet. In Luke 10:39, Mary sat at the LORD's feet and learned from Him, which Yeshua said in verse 42 is what was "needed" and "better" than anything else. As Messiah Yeshua builds the Third Temple from the building blocks that are made from His disciples, understand that David's preparations ought to be viewed metaphorically. He set up divisions of gatekeepers, and we too must have gatekeepers that watch who comes in to worship among us. We must also have gatekeepers for our eyes, our mouths and our ears, so only what is of the LORD can come in and go out. Every family needs a strong man as its head, and groups of families also need a head, so that the leaders of the body can better administer the LORD's will. We need to mind our resources as well as the manner in which we keep them, so that we are not hoarding what the LORD has given, but rather are making sure everything He blesses us with is given back in blessing for others so there can be abundance. In all of this, there is nothing more important than being strong and courageous enough to love the LORD, seek Him first, and do everything He has commanded, no matter what. This is everything for us.
1 Chronicles 29:1-22; 1 Kings 1
The people, when asked by King David, gave willingly to provision the Temple for God. We ought to possess and celebrate such hearts willing to give to the LORD without reservation. I love and share this prayer from King David:
“Who am I and who are my people that we should be able to offer so willingly as this? For everything comes from You, and from Your hand we have given to You. For we are sojourners before You, mere transients like our fathers. Our days on the earth are like a shadow, without security. Adonai Eloheinu, all this abundance that we have laid aside to build You a House for Your holy Name is from Your hand; it all belongs to You. I know, my God, that You search the heart and take pleasure in uprightness. With integrity of heart I have willingly offered all these things. And now I have seen with joy Your people who are present here willingly contribute to You. Adonai, God of Abraham, Isaac and Israel our fathers, preserve forever such motives and thoughts in the heart of Your people and make their heart constant toward You. As for my son Solomon, give him a whole heart to keep Your commandments, Your decrees and Your statutes, and to fulfill them all and to build the Temple for which I have made provision.”
Adonijah was the fourth son David would lose on account of the incident with Uriah, just as he himself prophesied before Nathan and the LORD. He lost the first son of Bathsheba from his adultery, Amnon the rapist, Absalom, and now he was about to lose Adonijah. The LORD's judgment was complete and thorough, and yet David continued to honor the LORD and endure through this tribulation, knowing that he deserved every bit of it. His love for the LORD didn't wane but rather intensified because of the grace that God offered him despite his sins, which were worthy of death. It is clear from the text that God's mercy and grace extended to believers, like David, who looked forward to the death and resurrection of Messiah Yeshua for atonement in the same way we receive atonement by looking back to it. Few prophesied the coming of Yeshua more than David in his psalms. David knew the LORD intimately. Even though we are all sinners, Messiah died for us and His blood makes us clean before the LORD so that we can walk in righteousness from the point of our redemption until the end. David is a perfect example of a man who repents (Psalm 51) and turns to walk with God all the rest of his days. In this, he is a model for us all.
1 Kings 2:1-9; 2 Samuel 23:1-7; 1 Kings 2:10-12; 1 Chronicles 29:26-30; Psalm 4; Psalm 5; Psalm 6; Psalm 8; Psalm 9; Psalm 11
On a prophetic level, there is the Messiah Son of Joseph and the Messiah Son of David, the first a suffering servant and the second a conquering king, and we know Yeshua to fulfill both roles. In a way, David also represented both, in his early and latter life. On yet another prophetic level, David represents the age of grace offered by Messiah Yeshua, while His son Solomon (prior to his fall) represents the age of justice, righteousness and wisdom. This last understanding can help us contemplate why David gave mercy to the rebellious and murderous Joab for so long, the hater Shimei, and even his own rebellious sons, but when it came to the time of his death, he ordered his son Solomon to give these men the justice they deserved. During David's entire life, these men had an opportunity to repent and learn the Way of God, but they chose to either double-down in their sins or walk off without seeking forgiveness. Now the Day of Judgement had come. The time for grace so they could turn back to the righteous path was over, and they would now be destroyed because of their lawlessness. The same is true for any Christian alive today. Now is the time to repent and walk with Yeshua—before Judgment Day. On that day, it will be too late.
The Holy Spirit of God spoke through David, and only a man who knows Yeshua can have such a blessing upon His life. He ruled righteously and according to the fear of the LORD for 40 years, with one exception, and there was much repentance and humility in David's heart as he sought the LORD with obedience and peace even in the midst of the great tribulation that followed his sin. The LORD will destroy the wicked; those who seek to serve themselves and the ways of the flesh. However, the LORD will redeem those with humble and repentant hearts, like David, who literally went out and sinned no more. The Gospel is all here.
Curious about the following phrase, we may go looking for these books, but we will either find nothing or a counterfeit: "Now the acts of King David, the first and the last, behold, are written in the chronicles of Samuel the seer, in the chronicles of Nathan the prophet and in the chronicles of Gad the seer together with all his reign, his power and the events that involved him, Israel and all the kingdoms of the lands.” It is likely that "The Chronicles of Samuel the Seer" are now found in 1st and 2nd Samuel, and it's possible that the chronicles of Nathan and Gad were either included in these books or were cited in reference. Nevertheless, the phrase is akin to what Luke wrote: "Inasmuch as many have taken in hand to set in order a narrative of those things which have been fulfilled among us, just as those who from the beginning were eyewitnesses and ministers of the word delivered them to us, it seemed good to me also, having had perfect understanding of all things from the very first, to write to you an orderly account...that you may know the certainty of those things in which you were instructed." Whether other writings were referenced or these writings were simply incorporated into the work, the Bible is the Truth we need.
David's psalms reflect the Truth of the Word completely and exceptionally well, which identifies him as a true prophet of God. He writes how the righteous call out to the "God of my righteousness." We know that Yeshua is our God—the God of our righteousness. It is in His righteousness that we have both a cover over our sins as well as a model for our lives. This is why he exhorts: "tremble, but do not sin. Search your heart while on your bed and be silent. Offer righteous sacrifices and put your trust in the LORD." The joy we have in our hearts comes from a testimony of two: faith in Yeshua and the resultant obedience to His commandments. This is how we stand in the light of His face! When you study this statement, you will find that Yeshua is the face of God. Paul wrote in Colossians 1:15: "He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."
God does not rejoice in evil, for "no wickedness dwells with" Him. Those who continue in wrongdoing, deceit, bloodshed, and the like will be destroyed. But on account of His "great lovingkindness"—His chesed—His grace!—, we can enter His house. But we have to take refuge in Him and therefore do His will, because He will only "bless the righteous." David writes about the righteous: "You surround him with favor (grace) as a shield." We are made righteous by trusting in and therefore following Christ. Let us therefore cry out to Him for mercy and "walk the way He walked" (1 Jn 2:6). We also pray for our enemies that they too will "turn back in sudden disgrace." Shouldn't we all do this when we understand how much the LORD hates sin but extends His mercy to us through the brutal death of His Son? We shall mourn when we look upon Him who we have pierced. All who love the LORD will weep before Him, and HE alone will wipe every tear from our eyes. He has made us to have dominion over the work of His hands. And yet, it is the LORD who reigns forever and He will judge all creation with righteousness and justice. This is why we must trust Him; He does not forsake those who diligently seek Him in all His ways. The upright will see His face.
Psalm 12, Psalm 13, Psalm 14, Psalm 15, Psalm 16, Psalm 17, Psalm 18, Psalm 19, Psalm 20, Psalm 21
Help to humble all of us before you, OH LORD, for you alone are Holy and the faithful vanish among the children of men. We cannot prevail with our own tongue, but only through your Word. Purify us in your Word, O LORD, making us refined like silver or gold.
Do not forget us O LORD. Raise us up with you so your enemies will know you are the LORD whose mercy endures forever. Let our hearts rejoice in your salvation! You are good to us!
Only fools speak blasphemy against the LORD, saying He doesn't exist, but all men who are honest in their hearts know God created all and rules all. God will stand with the righteous who trust in Him and forsake the wicked who deny Him and His Way.
May we walk with integrity according to Your Word, speaking Truth in our hearts, not slandering with our tongue, O LORD, and keep Your Word even when it hurts, because we will not be shaken when we walk along your narrow Way.
There is no one who is good apart from you, O God. You are our portion and all that we need, and You are the One True Path to abundant Life.
Search me LORD and test me to remove sin far from me. Please help keep me on your paths. Answer me as I seek Your Righteousness and Your Salvation. Hide me in the shadow of your wings and protect me like the pupil of Your eye. Deliver me from the wicked so I can see Your Face!
God's works and God's Torah are perfect and they restore the soul. We can trust in God's testimony, for it makes the simple wise and bring light to all darkness. In obedience to the LORD, we show our trust in Him and endure forever. Cleanse me from any hidden faults, LORD, and keep me from willful sin. Indeed, may my words, my meditations, my speech, and my writing be acceptable to You God, and bring honor and glory to Your Name, Yeshua!
I lift up the LORD's banner, the name of Yeshua, for indeed He will answer in the day of trouble. May the LORD come with us into battle and raise us up!
The LORD will be exalted and all who fear Him will be bestowed with eternal blessings, but those who stand against the LORD will be burned up.
Psalm 22, Psalm 23, Psalm 24, Psalm 25, Psalm 26
When the LORD, from the cross, said, "My God, My God, why have You forsaken me?," He was not asking that question directly, but was pointing to Psalm 22 (a very Jewish thing to do), and the Psalm is a prophesy of everything that was happening to Yeshua at that time. You'll note the Psalm's conclusion is also a prophesy of His resurrection and eternal life, and indeed "everyone who goes down to the dust will kneel before Him." All people will declare His righteousness, because He has accomplished our redemption by His blood.
David wrote, "the LORD (יהוה) is my Shepherd" in Psalm 23, and "I shall not want," because God gives His sheep whatever they need. It's notable that the Hebrew here indicates "Yahweh (יהוה)" is our shepherd, because Yeshua/Jesus said in John 10:11, "I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd gives life to the sheep." Recall in Mark 10:18, Yeshua said, "Why do you call Me good? No one is good but One, that is, God." He wasn't correcting the man, but asking the question rhetorically. In John 10:30, He said, "I and the Father are One." It's imperative to see how Scripture declares clearly that Yeshua is God, and there is no other besides Him. Paul wrote in Colossians 1:15: "He is the image of the invisible God."
When David asks rhetorically in Psalm 24, "Who may stand in His holy place?" The answer is forthcoming: "One with clean hands and a pure heart, who has not lifted his soul in vain, nor sworn deceitfully." This is the same thing Yeshua said in John 14:15: "If you love Me, keep My commandments." We must direct our hearts in faith through repentance to do the will of the Father, which are articulated in His law, and then, we are given grace! Yeshua said: "Repent and hear the good news!" David wrote of the one with clean hands and a pure heart: "He will receive a blessing from the LORD, righteousness from God his salvation." Here is the clear Truth: When we turn away from our own ways to do what God commanded in His law, and trust in God, He will give us grace through Yeshua/Jesus, a name that means salvation, who is the righteousness of God. Who is this King of glory? Yeshua is His name! Yahweh Tzava'ot, the LORD OF HOSTS!
In Psalm 25, David wrote the Truth of the Gospel: When we turn from our own path and seek the Way of God, we receive salvation through Yeshua. We call out to Him for His everlasting mercy so that He will cover over our sins and rebellion. For His own Name's sake, Yeshua, we are saved! When we remain humble, always surrendering to His Way rather than our own, He instructs us, guides us, and teaches us, even the mysteries that are out of reach for most.
In Psalm 26, David continues to express the humility we must have as followers of Yeshua. We must ask Him to daily "probe" us, "test" us, "refine" our "mind and" our "heart." Because we love Him, we walk in His Truth and avoid all those who practice falsehood.
Psalm 27, Psalm 28, Psalm 29, Psalm 30, Psalm 31, Psalm 32
27. I would have lost heart had I not believed I would see the goodness of the LORD in the land of the living. Your face, LORD, I do seek. You are the God of my salvation and will never forsake me. Yes, all I ask is to know you, LORD, to see your face, to dwell in your House forever!
28. God hears the prayers of the righteous, even though we may need to wait for His response. Be our strength, our shield, and our fortress, LORD our inheritance and our deliverer, and shepherd us toward You forever.
29. Worship the LORD. He is Holy! He speaks to all people, to all the earth and His creation. He is King forever. He blesses His people with complete peace.
30. The LORD will bring up our souls from the grave at the resurrection and we will sing praises to Him forever. His wrath will come in the last moments of the world, but then His favor will endure forever. Weeping at night—in the darkness of sin and death—but joy in the morning, when the Risen and Reigning Son will return and bring light. I will not be moved because of this faith! Joy comes from singing glory and praise to the LORD and His Word.
31. Yeshua also referenced Psalm 31 from the cross, saying "Into Your Hand I commit my Spirit." He has shown us by example how we must follow Him. He hears the calls of all His saints and He preserves the faithful. Let those of us who wait for the LORD take courage in Him.
32. We are blessed, because our transgressions are forgiven and our sins are pardoned through Yeshua, but let us go forward in godliness and without deceit. The LORD, by His Word through His Holy Spirit, will instruct us and teach us the way we should go. We should not be like the horse or mule being led by bit and bridle, but rather we should be motivated with love to pursue the law of God in all its splendor. We ought to rejoice that God's Spirit helps us remain upright.
Psalm 35, Psalm 36, Psalm 37, Psalm 38
35. We ought to call out to the LORD for justice, for vengeance belongs to Him and He shall repay. The truly wicked who seek to destroy what is good will be judged by Him, and we ought to call on the LORD for His mercy. We mourn for the evil that they do, "oppressed by the filthy conduct of the wicked ... tormented in [our] righteous souls from day to day by seeing and hearing their lawless deeds," just as righteous Lot in Sodom (2 Peter 2:7-8). Our prayers should be focused on our own salvation from the hands of the evildoers, for the LORD will rescue us from tribulation and hear us when we humble ourselves before Him. LORD, help us to rejoice in righteousness.
36. I struggle to contemplate the wicked one who is full of pride and does not fear God, who plans sin while he lies in bed. I long to embrace the LORD, whose faithfulness and righteousness exceeds my comprehension. He is just and His love is a fountain of life. He provides refuge and abundance of light.
37. We must trust in the LORD, remaining humble before Him always, for we will receive His inheritance and abundant peace. The LORD laughs at the wicked, who He will destroy on the Last Day. He will preserve His saints from the hand of transgressors.
38. The LORD said we would have tribulation in the world, but He also said to be of good cheer, for He has overcome the world. We may groan due to the troubles before us, but the LORD will answer us; He will fulfill His promises. We may mourn over our sins against the LORD, but in our confession He is merciful. He is our salvation.
Psalm 39, Psalm 40, Psalm 41, Psalm 53, Psalm 55, Psalm 58
39. I will pray to the LORD like this: “I will guard my ways, so I will not sin with my tongue. I will muzzle my mouth while the wicked are before me.” After all, we wait on the LORD and our hope is in Him alone. We are temporary dwellers on the earth.
40. "Many things You have done, Adonai my God —Your plans for us are wonderful— there is none to be compared to You! If I were to speak and tell of them, they would be too many to count!" The Septuagint version of this Psalm is quoted in Hebrews: “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, But a body You have prepared for Me." David knew the LORD and what He would accomplish for His people.
41. Do we consider those whom the world rejects? We will be redeemed. Those in the world we once thought near and dear may indeed forsake us, but the LORD never will; He will set us before His face forever.
53. Only a fool can say there is no God, and yet as Paul said in Romans 1, men are without excuse for God's invisible attributes are plainly seen. While we all fall short of God's glory, through Yeshua He will set the captives free—His people Israel who love and trust in Him and follow Him in His ways.
55. When our enemies seek our ruin, we are inclined to seek refuge in the wilderness—in isolation. We call out to the LORD, and indeed, He will come and rescue us and give us peace. When those we thought were dear to us seek our ruin, the LORD will take the burden of sorrow from us. He will sustain His righteous ones.
58. There will be a time when God's justice will come upon the Earth and all the righteous will rejoice in the presence of God and the aftermath of the final war.
Psalm 61, Psalm 62; Psalm 64; Psalm 65; Psalm 66; Psalm 67
61. When our hearts grow weary, we ought go call out to the LORD, for He is our refuge and strength. He gives an inheritance to those who fear His Name.
62: The LORD is alone our rock and salvation; let us not be moved by any whims of the world but wait and trust the LORD in stillness of heart. Be still, and know Yeshua is God, and He will reward us for our works.
64: God will judge the wicked, who deceive with their tongues. The righteous will give Him glory and praise.
65: God atones for our transgressions through His sacrifice on the cross. All the earth will shout for joy for the salvation He has provided.
66: The LORD is AWESOME, and all the heavens and earth bow down to Him. He upholds us and listens to our prayers when we seek Him in all righteousness.
67: Let us praise the LORD, for His salvation reaches all people who accept Him as the gracious one who blesses us. Thank God He shines the light of His face upon us.
Psalm 68, Psalm 69, Psalm 70, Psalm 86, Psalm 101
68. Let God arise! Indeed! He is risen and His enemies scatter before His saints. Praise the name of Yeshua! God is for His people—He delivers us. But God destroys His enemies, those who delight in war and discord.
69. There are people who hate us because we love Yeshua; these are those who hate without a cause. Just as zeal for the House of the LORD consumed Phinehas, David, and Yeshua, so it also ought to consume us. While we are putting the Kingdom first, we pray: "deliver [us] from the mire—do not let [us] sink." Our distress comes from our humility—our reproach, our shame, our disgrace—that we cannot walk perfectly like our God, but so desire to do so. The LORD hears those who cry out to Him with such hearts, praising Him even in the midst of our trouble.
70. Because we love Yeshua, we desire to magnify His name!
86. We are godly when we call out to the LORD for His grace, asking for His correction—for Him to teach us His Way so we can walk in His Truth. May our hearts be undivided, delivered from death for the glory of God.
101. We must flee from the perverse, twisted thinking, and the base—anything evil—and especially pride.
Psalm 103, Psalm 108, Psalm 109, Psalm 110, Psalm 122, Psalm 124
103. How could we not bless the LORD with all the love of all our heart, soul, mind and strength? He forgives us, heals us, redeems us, gives us all good, renews us, rules justly, lifts up the humble, and offers compassion and grace. We deserve death and wrath, but He calls us back to Him instead. Who are we, but worms to Him? But He offers mercy to those who praise Him and keep His commandments and desires us to come near. Bless His Holy Name Yeshua!
108. The LORD will valiantly fight for us and will deliver us from our foes.
109. For whoever has, to him more will be given, and he will have abundance; but whoever does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him.
110: A psalm about Yeshua, where the Father declares to Yeshua, "sit at My right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for Your feet." His followers will be His companions and He will be their Mediator.
122: Pray for the peace of Jerusalem, for those who love her shall be at peace.
124: If the LORD was not on our side, we would not have seen a single blessing in our lives.
Psalm 131; Psalm 133; Psalm 138; Psalm 139; Psalm 140; Psalm 141; Psalm 143
131: Calm and quiet my soul as I humbly rest in you, LORD, for You are my hope!
133: Unity is such a precious thing in Christian brotherhood, and it can only be accomplished in Yeshua.
138: In the presence of powers, principalities and all the forces of darkness in the present age, I will sing praises to the LORD and bow down to Him in His Holy Temple, which is ever before me. The LORD answers me when I call upon Him in trust; He strengthens me by the power of His Word. Messiah Yeshua will deliver me and destroy His enemies, while I remain humbly before Him.
139: The LORD knows everything about me, even down to my quietest thoughts and the unthought intentions of my heart. How could this Truth not direct me toward His righteousness? If there is any unrighteous way in me, please remove it and lead me toward Your everlasting Way.
140. Protect my heart in the days of battle so I do not fall into the way of the wicked.
141: Please accept my prayers as a sweet smelling aroma—my praise a living sacrifice. Guard my gates so I do not succumb to evil; discipline me according to your righteousness. Let me walk in peace with you even as the enemy attacks.
143: There is no one living who is righteous, so I plead for Your everlasting Mercy, LORD. Help me to stand in Your judgment. When the enemy crushes my spirit, I meditate on all you have done and it revives my hope. Show me the Way, teach me Your will, lead me on level ground and revive me so I can serve you.
Psalm 144, Psalm 145, Psalm 88, Psalm 89
144. The LORD prepares us for war, for it is war that we must fight. In this life, we MUST pick a side. But who am I that God has taken notice of me and recruited me to His battle line? He has delivered me from my enemies and supplies all that I need.
144b. David wrote: LORD, part Your heavens and come down!" The LORD listened to His servant's cry, just as He listened to Israel at the foot of Sinai. The prophet like unto Moses did indeed come in the flesh, die for our sins, and resurrect from the dead to conquer the enemy in the spiritual realm. Our God who came for us will still come again to touch the mountains so they smoke and make them all low, refreshing the earth with unquenchable fire.
145. God is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and great in lovingkindness. Our God is good to all. All of His saints will praise His name forever! The LORD is near to those who call on Him in Truth, for He will fulfill the desires of those who love Him and put Him first.
88. In the midst of trouble, in the midst of our lowest places, in the depths of our souls, we cry out to the LORD and He hears us, even when we don't perceive it, so long as we are walking with Him. The LORD chastises the ones He loves to make us more like Him.
89. The LORD makes a covenant with His chosen ones. With the Seed of David, Yeshua, He builds His throne forever and ever. The power of David's throne is exalted by the Name of the LORD! When we are called to walk as sons of David—like sons of Abraham—and we stumble, the LORD will correct us with discipline—a lovingkindness that endures. David's descendants will endure forever, because we are one with Yeshua who is the eternal King and the Seed of David.
Psalm 50, Psalm 73, Psalm 74
50. The LORD created and knows all things, and He has no need of anything from us. He desires that we offer Him praise and thanksgiving, for He has given us all that He has to share in relationship with us. He desires we call out to Him for salvation, for He offers it to us. He also desires our hearts to seek Him in all His ways. The wicked, He said, are those who give Him lip service, saying "Jesus, Jesus," but who hate His Word and cast His law behind them. He saves us when we order our Way according to His commands.
73. This psalm is a great reminder that we need to keep our eyes on Yeshua. It's possible for us to slip away if we envy the wicked, who will be destroyed, but only a fool would consider obedience to God a vain thing. It's imperative for us to remember God's promises, for He will be continually near to those who make Him their refuge.
74. We may wonder why the LORD waits to deliver justice against the wicked. Peter explains in 2nd Peter 3 that "He is long-suffering, not willing that any should perish but that all will come to repentance." Not all will turn back, but the LORD will deliver the oppressed and afflicted and defend His cause. He will remember those who mock His Name and bring His hand of judgment.
Psalm 75, Psalm 76, Psalm 77, Psalm 78
75. Be humble, for God is the judge.
76. No one can stand against God.
77. When we are facing trouble and feel like the LORD has abandoned us, we ought to remember God's great works and praise His name. Our trust comes from His finished work, which gives us hope in His promises.
78. We pray that our children will do better than us, and we hope that they learn from our sins, and yet the Word shows that all men must choose God on their own. We still must teach, for God will preserve His Way for those who hear and do it.
Psalm 79, Psalm 80, Psalm 81, Psalm 82
79. A prophesy of destroyed Jerusalem or a testimony of the cycle of God's people from bondage to freedom to bondage to freedom, or both? Ultimately, God will bring judgment against those who stand against His set apart ones and He will preserve those humble before Him, who praise His great name.
80. An appeal to God to abide in His Word, to bless and keep His people Israel, and a call for His return, to revive us through His strenghtened Right Hand Yeshua.
81. The LORD pleads for His people to listen to Him, because He gives blessing to those who do. But God will hand people over to their own desires and they will experience the hardship that comes from disobedience. Those who embrace the bread and honey that comes from hardship will dwell with God, but those who harden their hearts in hardship will be doomed.
82. In John 10, starting at verse 34, Yeshua said that He was the LORD of the spiritual assembly Who condemned the created spiritual beings to die like men, as described here. These created divine beings were meant to serve men, but because they rebelled against God they attempted to usurp His glory. Upon His second coming, the LORD will expel these demons and resume His authority over all the Earth.
Psalm 83, 1 Chronicles 29:23-25, 2 Chronicles 1:1, 1 Kings 2:13-46, 1 Kings 3:1-4, 2 Chronicles 1:2-6, 1 Kings 3:5-15, 2 Chronicles 1:7-13
83. When God's enemies come up against God's people, we ought to pray like Asaph: "Cover their faces with shame, so they may seek YOUR Name." Our hearts ought to desire all people to repent and come to know the LORD, even those who hate Him; so that they know Yahweh is God forever.
Following David's reign, his son Solomon brought peace to the kingdom through final judgment. In the early part of his ministry, Solomon embodied a prophetic template for the second coming of Yeshua. As Yeshua will also do when He returns, Solomon brought judgment against the rebel Adonijah his brother; the rebel priest Abiathar; and the self-serving, worldly minded, murderer and snake general Joab. He had mercy on Shimei, but ordered him to confinement, terms the scoffer violated; thus, he was also met with judgment. As Solomon worked on the Temple, he sacrificed on the high places in front of the Tabernacle Moses built. God knew the king's heart, which was good. In a dream, Solomon asked God for discernment to judge the people righteously, and God loved this request. James 1:5 notes that anyone who asks God for wisdom, especially to serve God's purposes, will be granted the request. For His humble heart, God also would grant Solomon wealth and honor, and He promised eternal life if the king would walk according to His commandments and continue to trust in God.
1 Kings 3:16-28; 1 Kings 5:15-32; 2 Chronicles 1:18; 2 Chronicles 2; 1 Kings 6:1-13; 2 Chronicles 3:1-14; 1 Kings 6:14-38
Solomon showed the wisdom God had given him, first by discerning whose baby was alive among two women who lived in the same brothel, and next by dealing righteously in trade with King Hiram of Tyre to provide materials to complete God's temple. Like Yeshua, Solomon judged righteously and impartially regardless of who he was dealing with. It didn't matter whether he dealt with kings or prostitutes, he brought the Truth of God's Word into everyday practice.
The details of the construction of the Temple are important, and they all have significance for the building of God's church in Messiah Yeshua. There are too many details to reference here, but one thing I want to point out is this: God said, "As for this House which you are building, if you will walk in My statutes, execute My ordinances and keep all My commandments by walking in them, then I will establish My Word with you, which I spoke to your father David, I will dwell among the children of Israel, and will not forsake My people Israel.” The interpretation is simple: God will bless all that we do for His glory so long as we obey His Word in the process and put Him first in all things. Obedience to the law according to our desire to please Him matters more than anything else, because it proves our faith, and this is what God desires from us.
In the Holy of Holies, the Cherubim filled the entire space from wall to wall, covering the mercy seat. This is how it is in Heaven, except in Messiah Yeshua the veil is removed and we can see God face-to-face.
1 Kings 7, 2 Chronicles 3:15-17, 2 Chronicles 4
The 12 bulls made as "stands" holding up the "seas" for washings were not idolatry because they were not made for worship, but rather as memorials for the 12 tribes of Israel. Neither were the cherubim covering the mercy seat idols; rather, they were reminders of the model seen in Heaven of God sitting on His throne. The pomegranates, the lilies and all the other carved images were meant to recall the Garden of Eden, when Adam walked together with God. All of the beautiful design that went into the Temple was meant to remind Israel of the opportunity God was giving them through faith to come in near to Him again.
David and Solomon were so blessed by God that no one had more wealth before or after them in the whole world, but their first interest above all else was using the blessing God gave them to bring glory to His name. Don't you know that YOU are the temple of God? What blessings have God given to you that you bring back to His altar and give back to Him from your first and your best? Do we have the heart of David and Solomon, who didn't think twice about using the treasures they were given to build what would glorify God's name before all men?
1 Kings 8; 2 Chronicles 5; 2 Chronicles 6
In Daniel 6:10-17, the Prophet Daniel kneeled and prayed three times per day toward Jerusalem where this temple that David and Solomon had built for the Name of the LORD once stood, but stood no more, for this was the place that God had ordained to set His footstool. When Mary sat by Yeshua's feet and learned from Him in Luke 10, she was doing what was righteous while her sister Martha worked on the Sabbath Day unrighteously. We learn at the feet of God and we pray toward the place where He has chosen to put His name, and we rest in Him when He calls for us to rest. While true that we now pray "in Spirit and in Truth," as Yeshua told the woman at the well in John 4, not in Jerusalem and not on Mt. Gerizim any longer, we still pray toward the Holy City from wherever we are in the world, toward the place where the LORD chose to put His name, where He places His feet, for He joins us in our hearts and in our communities in Spirit and in Truth when our heart is for Him and His Holy People.
Yeshua walked into the Second Temple, a remake of what Solomon had completed here, and the glory of the Second Temple was greater than the first just as Haggai 2:9 prophesied. When we read about the cloud filling the temple to the extent that the priests could not do their service at the inauguration event, how marvelous it would have been to walk next to God as He entered this structure in the flesh. The dark cloud (בָּעֲרָפֶֽל) ba'araphel that descended on Solomon's Temple was a place of mystery beyond human comprehension, and yet God was there with His people. The Hebrew word araphel (עֲרָפֶל) has its root in "araph (עָרַף)," which is to break the neck or decapitate, or to droop or drip down. Imbued in this word is the concept of completely crucifying our own will (cutting off our head) to the will of God, or bending over in humility before the Most High and taking on His will for us instead. This IS the right attitude by which we ought to approach our God, and Yeshua taught nothing different. He said, "unless you forsake all that you have and follow Me, you cannot be My disciple." And while God desires our worship, because He is Holy and deserves every bit of it, He also desires our relationship. This is why the glory of the second temple was greater, because now God interacted with His creatures man-to-man. And the third temple is greater still, because Messiah is building up a people for Himself within which He will dwell forever. Blessed are those who know Him in this way!
Solomon's prayer is worth contemplating for life, but it amounts to this: Regardless of who faces Jerusalem to pray toward the footstool of Almighty God, God will hear from Heaven and answer their prayers when they are offered with humble and contrite hearts. A humble heart recognizes the glory of God and His eternal holiness and goodness compared to our own created life, which is but a vapor. A repentant heart crucifies the flesh and all of our own will to live our own way in this life and lays it at the feet of the cross of Yeshua so that from that point forward we can walk forever in the same Way that He walked. Even in the Garden of Gethsemane Yeshua Himself taught by example, saying: "Not My will, but Yours be done." We pray: "Yahweh, God of Israel, there is no God like You, in heaven above or on earth below, keeping covenant and lovingkindness to Your servants who walk before You with all their heart." Confirm your Word God. Listen to the cry and prayer of your servants! Forgive us our sins against You! Condemn the wicked and justify the righteous, because You know the hearts of all men! Teach us your Way as we receive your blessings! Make Your Name famous among all people! Bring your servants into Your House forever! Amein!
1 Kings 8:54-66; 2 Chronicles 7:1-22; 1 Kings 9:1-14
The LORD blessed Solomon and accepted His prayer and offerings for Israel and the House He had built for the Name of the LORD. The LORD said, "I have consecrated this House, which you have built, to put My Name there forever, and My eyes and My heart will be there every day." This is an eternal promise, and King Yeshua will reign from Jerusalem for all eternity after the heavens and the earth have been refreshed, and we will worship God there forever. There will be no physical temple in Jerusalem, for the Father, the Son and His Bride Israel will be the Temple.
Following His promise concerning Jerusalem, God gave Solomon a different prospect for himself, saying, "As for you, if you will walk before Me as your father David walked—in integrity of heart and uprightness, doing all I commanded you, keeping My statutes and My ordinances— then I will establish the throne of your kingship over Israel forever ... But if you or your sons will indeed turn away from following Me—not keeping My mitzvot and My statutes that I set before you—and go and serve other gods and worship them, then will I cut off Israel from the land which I have given them, and this House which I have consecrated for My Name, I will cast out of My sight." Sadly, the sons of David were not righteous, and God indeed destroyed the House Solomon built and scattered Judah throughout the world, not once, but twice. God's name was glorified by this, because by this we know that His Word is Truth. But God would ultimately fulfill His promise to David to establish his throne, and through Yeshua His throne would endure forever. Messiah Himself would build the third temple, establishing a corner stone in three days and the foundation in a generation. When the last living stone is added, Yeshua will return to dwell there with His Bride.
2 Chronicles 8; 1 Kings 9; 1 Kings 10; 2 Chronicles 1:14-17
The names mentioned at the beginning of 2 Chronicles 8 have a deep spiritual meaning. After 20 years, during the time Solomon was building a House for God and for himself in the land, to dwell together, the king went out to battle in a very limited way against Hamath-Zobah, while he also built up Tadmor, Beth-Horon, and Ba'alath. Hamath is a wall of protection and Zobah is a station. In other words, this is a stronghold that Solomon tore down. Paul wrote in 2 Corinth. 10:4: "For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal but mighty in God for pulling down strongholds, casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God, bringing every thought into captivity to the obedience of Christ," This is precisely what Solomon was doing. He also built up Tadmor, meaning an erect palm tree, and Beth Horon, the house of emptiness, and Ba'alath, a mistress. This is a fulfillment of Isaiah 40:4-5, and a prophesy pointing forward to its final fulfillment: "Every valley shall be exalted And every mountain and hill brought low; The crooked places shall be made straight And the rough places smooth; the glory of the LORD shall be revealed, and all flesh shall see it together; for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.”
Adding in 1 Kings 9, we see that Solomon made servants out of the Gentiles, for those Gentiles called in to follow Yeshua will indeed serve the King and execute His will, but the men of Israel would serve as the leaders who will protect the ground and conquer new ground for the King, and this represents the apostles, the evangelists, the teachers and preachers, and the prophets who would teach all about the Way of God. Solomon married the daughter of Pharaoh, which is prophetic for Yeshua, a Jew, marrying a Bride made up of Gentiles, for the Jews and Gentiles are one people in Yeshua. All of the men and women of the kingdom will celebrate the Sabbaths, the Feasts and the New Moons with all Israel, just as Zechariah prophesied in 14:16: "And it shall come to pass that everyone who is left of all the nations which came against Jerusalem shall go up from year to year to worship the King, the LORD of hosts, and to keep the Feast of Tabernacles." There will be men set aside to praise and worship, to minister, to do the work of the service, to guard the gates, and to ensure God's commandments are known and kept, and to mind the treasures of the kingdom.
At the ultimate fulfillment, the LORD, the bridegroom, will be wed with His Bride, Israel, which is made up of Jews and Gentiles.
The Queen of Sheba's visit to Jerusalem to visit Solomon is another living parable for God's Kingdom. Hearing about his FAME, she came to test him with hard questions, and then she confessed: "It was a true report that I heard in my own land of your deeds and of your wisdom. But I didn’t believe the reports until I came and my eyes saw it. Indeed, not even the half was told to me. You’re way past the report of wisdom and prosperity that I’d heard!" In Matthew 12:42, Yeshua said to his wicked generation that denied Him: "The queen of the South will rise up in the judgment with this generation and condemn it, for she came from the ends of the earth to hear the wisdom of Solomon; and indeed a greater than Solomon is here." Paul wrote in Ephesians 3 that he was given revelation of "the mystery" (vs.3) that "the Gentiles should be fellow heirs [with the Jews], of the same body, and partakers of His promise in Messiah through the Gospel" (vs. 6). The Gentile Queen of Sheba brought greater treasure into the Kingdom of Israel than ever before, and Jewish King Solomon gave her all the treasures of her desire from His royal bounty. This is the Kingdom, when all who worship Yeshua and keep God's commandment will share in the LORD's bounty.
Despite God's fulfillment of prophesy in Solomon's reign, God left us a clue in the text that this was not His ultimate fulfillment, which would come later through Yeshua. He indeed used Israel, His Son, to bring the Kingdom of God to the whole world through David and his son Solomon, His anointed ones. But all of the gold that came to Solomon weighed 666 talents, which indicates it was the best man had to offer prior to God's return to rule the Earth. Solomon dealt in purity. His kingdom had true wealth: purified gold! All of the dross had been removed and the whole world worshipped God and learned of His wisdom from Solomon, His anointed one. But the king was imperfect, as we shall soon see. He was a man, and not God. ONLY Messiah Yeshua was both man and God, the perfect Man, the perfect Son, and the perfect God, and HE alone would complete the prophesy. Our triune God created the world in seven days, He rested on the seventh day, and He made the seventh day Holy, and Yeshua, the perfect Man (777) is the LORD of the Sabbath, the LORD of the sevens. Solomon's pure golden Kingdom was the best that we would ever see on the earth before God Himself came to fulfill the prophesy completely at the very end, and so His pure gold is 666 talents to represent this very thing. Even though there would be a man of perdition who would later try to claim this title on his own, Solomon was God's version of the best king over the best kingdom man could produce before Yeshua's promised Kingdom would come and complete God's plan.
1 Kings 4, 1 Kings 5:1-14, Psalm 72, Psalm 127
The LORD's promises were fulfilled: “Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in abundance, eating and drinking and rejoicing.” Nothing was lacking, but it wasn't enough. Proverbs 30:7-9 of Agur comes to mind as an apropos response: "Two things I request of You (Deprive me not before I die): Remove falsehood and lies far from me; Give me neither poverty nor riches—Feed me with the food allotted to me; Lest I be full and deny You, And say, 'Who is the Lord?' Or lest I be poor and steal, And profane the name of my God." Also prophetically linked, Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 13:2: "And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing." And then John wrote, defining terms for us in 1 John 5:3: "For this is the love of God, that we keep His commandments. And His commandments are not burdensome." Solomon lacked endurance in his love for God in the midst of plenty, and this would cause many very negative consequences for Israel and Judah, though through repentance the king would be saved. Agur prayed for balance in his earthly experience knowing that the Truth of God's Kingdom is greater riches without comparison.
"Unless the LORD builds the house, the builders labor in vain. Unless Adonai watches over the city, the watchman stands guard in vain. In vain you rise up early and stay up late, eating the bread of toil— for He provides for His beloved ones even in their sleep." (Psalm 127:1-2)
Proverbs 1, Proverbs 2, Proverbs 3, Proverbs 4
Our God is good. He loves us and has given us a bright path for our feet when we keep our eyes on Yeshua and walk toward Him by following His example in everything we think, say, and do. When we fear God, we recognize His power, His holiness, His glory, and His authority. He searches our hearts and knows where we stand with Him. To fear God is to desire to please Him in the same way we might have tried to please our fathers growing up by doing what they told us to do with joyful and grateful hearts, because we know they want what is best for us. Those who have lacked good fathers have the best One available in Heaven. To appreciate the wisdom that comes from God's discipline comes next, for we must rejoice in being made closer to His image rather than focus on the difficulties we face. To love God is our ultimate goal, because He opens Himself up to us to have an intimate relationship with us when we live according to His will, and everything God wills is good for us all.
We must not give in to sin, to enticement of the flesh, to mocking, fear, or doubt. We must not be wise in our own eyes, thinking we have a better way than God. The LORD guards the right paths and helps us walk them when we surrender our hearts to His wisdom.
God's grace falls upon those who embrace Kindness and Truth together, which was embodied in Yeshua, and while we ought to be keeping God's commandments we cannot think that doing so brings us any special favor—it's only what God expects from us. It is Yeshua alone who gives us His grace, and so we must also embrace the One who embodied Kindness and Truth by following Him in all His ways. We cannot follow our own understanding, but in all our ways acknowledge Him, for He is the one who makes our paths straight. It is His law and His example that brings wisdom, and there is nothing of more value in this life.
He is the level path for our feet, providing us with solid ground, for He is the rock of our salvation. We cannot turn right toward lawlessness or left toward legalism, but straight ahead toward the loving embrace of Yeshua.
Proverbs 5, Proverbs 6, Proverbs 7
Adultery and Idolatry go hand in hand, and both are very easy temptations for man to fall into. Both are sins against God, but one forsakes the relationship God ordains in the flesh for one man to wed one woman and for them to become one flesh, and the other forsakes the relationship God ordains in the Spirit, for His Holy people to become one in Spirit with Him through faith in Yeshua and obedience to His Will. Violating either of these intimate relationships necessarily leads to death, but how could a wise man do anything other than seek to please the LORD in these relationships?
God HATES pride, deception, murder, scheming, rebellion, hatred toward others, and reckless disagreement and argument. What God hates, we ought to take special care to flee from quickly.
The law of God is a lamp to our feet a light to our path, and His discipline brings rejoicing to the wise man who understands the upward call of God.
Proverbs 8, Proverbs 9, Proverbs 10
Proverbs 8, describing wisdom, also describes Yeshua, the Word in the beginning Who was with God, Who was God, Who became flesh and dwelt among us. In 1st Corinthians 1:24, the Apostle Paul explained: "to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God." Isaiah 11:1-2 explained that the Rod from Jesse, and the Branch from out of the roots of Israel would be imbued with "the Spirit of wisdom and understanding," which is "the Spirit of the LORD" that "shall rest upon Him." John testified in 1 John 1:32: “I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove and resting on Him." In Matthew 11:19, Yeshua testified of Himself: "The Son of Man came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’ But wisdom is justified by her children.” Like a mother hen, He longs to gather His hens under His wing. Wisdom says to her children: "listen to ME! Blessed are those who keep My ways. Heed discipline and be wise ... Blessed is the one who listens to Me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at my doorposts." Yeshua said "watch!" There is no greater treasure than the wisdom of God, because in Him is grace and eternal life.
Note the jarring similarities and difference between the wise woman and the foolish woman in Proverbs 9. Both women say: "Whoever is naive, turn in here!" There is an invitation from the LORD and from Satan, and both demand worship. We have to choose. The wise woman says, "come, eat my read and drink the wine I have mixed. Abandon your foolish ways and live. Walk in the way of understanding." This is Yeshua, and when we eat of His body and blood and walk in His ways, we indeed will inherit eternal life. The foolish woman says: "stolen water is sweet and bread eaten in secret is delicious." This is antichrist, and Yeshua said of him, "he who does not enter the sheepfold by the door, but climbs up some other way, the same is a thief and a robber" (John 10:1), and in John 10:10, "The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy." Here Solomon wrote of the foolish woman: "her guests are in the depths of Sheol." On the contrary, Yeshua said of Himself in the same verse: "I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly."
The LORD will not let the righteous go hungry, and the wages of endured discipline are eternal life, for the righteous will never be uprooted. The mouth of the righteous bears the fruit of wisdom; they preach the Gospel of Yeshua! They know what pleases God.
Proverbs 11, Proverbs 12, Proverbs 13
The wise man who loves God and obeys His Word both gives and receives wise counsel, and he flourishes in difficulty and in tribulation. He has wise counselors in God’s Word and the words of Godly men. He seeks to lead others in this Way of Christ, and he is rewarded for it by the Father. A fool (scoffer) follows his own heart, will not heed the Word of God, nor will he listen to the wise counsel of the godly. He will be destroyed without repentance, and will blame others for it.
Proverbs 14, Proverbs 15, Proverbs 16
We ought to get our hands dirty in order to prosper and seek wisdom through trial and tribulation, turning away from all that is evil, for this will lead to everlasting life. Plans succeed when aligned with the Word of God and those who know it, because God will order our steps. God hears the prayers of the righteous, who seek correction in humility. When we follow our own heart, we will not live with God—indeed, we will die, because pride always leads to a fall. God sees the thoughts and intents of our hearts and He knows all things, so we ought walk in His ways. He loves those who seek righteousness, and He knows those who pursue Him. When we commit all our ways to the LORD, they will succeed, for God works out all things for His purposes. God provides atonement through mercy and truth, a testimony of two we may know better as grace and faithfulness through Messiah Yeshua.
Solomon wrote: "“The plans of the heart belong to man, but the tongue’s answer is from Adonai.” (Proverbs 16:1)
Yeshua said: "Therefore settle it in your hearts not to meditate beforehand on what you will answer; for I will give you a mouth and wisdom which all your adversaries will not be able to contradict or resist." (Luke 21:14-15)
Proverbs 17, Proverbs 18, Proverbs 19
The LORD is going to test the ones He loves, and He tests us according to His Word. Sin leads to strife, darkness, and trouble. The wise and discerning holds the tongue and speaks with peace even in the midst of trouble. One who is isolating himself seeks his own desire rather than the will of God, and such a fool also always thinks he's right. The righteous one runs to God and seeks to please Him in community, accepting discipline and correction as sweet knowledge that leads to wisdom. A good wife is a blessing and the grace of God.
Proverbs 20, Proverbs 21, Proverbs 22:1-16
A faithful man is hard to find—a man of insight who draws out his brother's intent and then discretely speaks from the Word in knowledge, sending his brother back to the LORD to find His next step. Those who give and receive sound rebukes will grow in the light of God. Men believe their own ways are right and often follow their own heart, thinking it identifies God's will, but this is deception and pride, for only the Word of God reflects God's will, and those who abide in the LORD's righteousness and mercy will inherit eternal life. We ought to train up our children according to God's Word and use discipline to keep them on track, just as our Father in heaven does for us.
Proverbs 22:17-29, Proverbs 23, Proverbs 24
Anger and overspending leading to debt bring trouble to a soul. At the same time, overworking oneself for worldly wealth is pointless, because worldly wealth is fleeting. Coveting a neighbor's property is foolish, especially the wealth or lifestyle of the ungodly who will be destroyed. More valuable than anything in this life is Truth, which is the Word of God, and the understanding to apply it in our lives. It is sinful to celebrate grace among those willfully sinning, because grace comes only upon those who are convicted of sin and repent.
Song of Songs, 1-8
The Song of Solomon has practical marital advice for a believing man and wife and also serves as an allegory for Yeshua and His bride, which is the whole Body of believers in Israel. We praise and worship our LORD and long for HIs company, speaking nothing other than joy about Him. Likewise, He cherishes and praises His bride, knowing that she is unlike any other woman of the world. He calls His bride to arise—for the dead will be raised up on the Last Day—to go to Him in the place He has prepared for us. Even as we sleep in the grave, our heart longs for Him. He desires all distractions in our lives to be taken under submission, those unpleasant foxes that spoil the vineyard. We long for the LORD on our bed at night and search for Him always. We tell others about how great He is. He stands at the door and knocks, but then when we open He desires for us to follow Him wherever He goes and find Him doing the work of the Kingdom and do likewise. We ought to tend the garden with Him, to long for His embrace, and to bear fruit for His kingdom, which we cannot do without Him. He is like a brother to us, and we His sister, but also a groom to His bride and a Father to His children. We call out to Him: Come LORD Yeshua!
1 Kings 11; 2 Chronicles 9:29-31; Ecclesiastes 1:1-11
There are two takaways from the story of Solomon's many wives. In one sense, it's the end of Solomon as a prophetic template for the coming King Messiah Yeshua, who will marry His Bride made up of people from all the nations, including Israel. On the other hand, it's also proof positive that Solomon was not and couldn't be the prophesied Son of David, who would build the temple for the LORD, unite the nation, and bring in an eternal kingdom of peace and joy. Yeshua is that Son without sin who will fulfill all. Solomon sinned, allowing his wives to worship foreign gods, who were actually former divine beings created by God who then fled the Heavens in rebellion to lead men astray. Solomon's idolatry violated Deuteronomy 17, where the LORD instructed Israel's future king not to multiply wives for himself, "lest his heart turn away..." For Solomon's sin, Israel would be divided and would never again be united until Yeshua's return as the ultimate fulfillment of prophesy to unite all of Israel as One. Everything in this life may appear futile, but God has His purposes, and while nothing is new under the sun, the LORD uses life's challenges to prepare us for the rising of His Son onto the eternal throne in His eternal kingdom.
Ecclesiastes 1; Ecclesiastes 2, Ecclesiastes 3; Ecclesiastes 4, Ecclesiastes 5, Ecclesiastes 6
With much knowledge and wisdom comes heartache, for it is painful to watch others stumble in the dark and to wait on the LORD.
There is no greater pleasure in life than enjoying a meal and godly conversation with those we love, thanking God, and it doesn’t matter whether the table is plain or opulent. We ought to be satisfied with what God has given.
God has set eternity in our hearts, and we will never discover the whole of it for as long as we live—and everything God does, including our own redemption and life with Him, will endure forever, even though we will rest in the grave awaiting His call. We ought to revere Him always.
We celebrate the Sabbath to learn at God’s feet and hear from Him, not to offer sacrifices for sin. We ought to approach with humble and contrite hearts already doing what He commands.
We ought to be generous with all God has given us, and take care of all our own affairs, for we take nothing in and give nothing out from the grave.
Ecclesiastes 7, Ecclesiastes 8, Ecclesiastes 9, Ecclesiastes 10, Ecclesiastes 11:1-6
The day of death is better than the day of birth, for the living will take the matter to heart. When we consider our own end, we turn our hearts toward the LORD. When we hear a rebuke from the wisdom of God, it behooves us to repent. There is nothing new on the earth, and so all ages of men have been alike—we all must choose good or evil, but ought to choose according the knowledge of God's Word. In the midst of trial, we ought to do what is wise. God made man upright, for everything He made was good, but men by their free will have chosen to leave the narrow path. Death comes upon us all, so we ought to turn our hearts away from wickedness. It will be well with those who fear God, for they will inherit eternal life, but it will not be well for the wicked, for their days are fleeting. We will never attain all knowledge, even into eternity. We ought to do all our works with all our might for the LORD, because we do not know the day of our death. One sin destroys much good, like dead flies putrefying the ointment, so we ought to guard ourselves from it. We should not even allow our thoughts to be evil, but renounce everything wicked immediately. We should use our time productively according to God's will.
Ecclesiastes 11:7-10; Ecclesiastes 12; 1 Kings 12; 2 Chronicles 10; 2 Chronicles 11:1-17
There are three separate topics to cover in today's reading:
Ecclesiastes ends by pointing out how youth tend toward self-centeredness and rebellion, but they truly ought to consider the LORD's judgment that is coming and receive blessing. Rather than face difficulties of their own making, they ought to remember God's order and walk righteously in it for their own good. In old age, when wisdom becomes our treasure, it becomes harder to do the work the LORD asks of us, and yet we must do what He asks of us regardless. Judgment will come upon us all, and so we ought to remember to fear God and keep His commandments in all the days of our lives, for this alone brings life beyond the grave. God will bring every work into judgment, even the thoughts and intents of our hearts, and this is why His Way must become our everything.
Rehoboam was a reckless youth who listened to the words of reckless youth, and he forsook the wisdom of his elders. God said this would happen, but through prayer and humility Rehoboam could have changed course. Consider the story of Jonah and Nineveh. God intended destruction, but through repentance Mercy reigned in the pagan land. This is how God works. Rather than seek kindness and Truth, Rehoboam sought self aggrandizement and power, and so he lost it all but the tribe of Judah, just like God said. However, in the king's scramble to reclaim what he lost through military might, he found humility. Even though the king of Judah amassed 180,000 warriors to engage in civil war with Israel, when God told him to hold back because the division had come from Him, Rehoboam backed off and held his peace in obedience to the LORD. God responded by sending Rehoboam all of the Levites and all of the true worshippers from every tribe in Israel to become a part of Judah. Judah was now a land made up of all Israel, and Israel was and always will be the faithful followers of God. Through humility God builds His people up.
In the land of Israel, rather than submit to God and thank Him for elevating him to the role of king, Jeroboam quickly forgot who exalted him and moved in his own strength to consolidate power. Pay special attention to what he did, because it is symbolic of everything antichrist in the church today. To keep power within his land, Jeroboam set up golden idols for worship, he changed the feast days to different times of the year than God had commanded, and he discouraged the people from worshipping the way God had commanded. True men of God left him regardless for Judah, but he subjected the masses to the way of death. If he had only encouraged Godly worship and obedience who knows what good would have come of it? The land of Israel was now on a collision course with destruction and would never turn from it, while Judah, though it would stumble, would serve as God's vehicle for bringing forth Messiah Yeshua and establishing the throne of David forever. Yeshua, when He came, was the only one who would unite Israel (the Samaritans) back into the proper fold to follow after God.
1 Kings 13; 1 Kings 14; 1 Kings 15; 2 Chronicles 11; 2 Chronicles 12; 2 Chronicles 13; 2 Chronicles 14; 2 Chronicles 15
The man of God from Judah we read about in 1 Kings 13 gave a powerful prophesy against Jeroboam that was indeed fulfilled in 2 Kings 23:15-16, but then he himself was deceived by a false prophet, the old prophet in Bethel, who took the name of the LORD in vain. This is a lesson for us all: We must be careful when deciding to listen to a man who says they have heard from God. If the man's word aligns with the Word of God, then we can listen to it. But if the man's word does not align with the Word of God, this is how we know he is false and we shouldn't listen to him. God had told the prophet from Judah not to eat and drink in Israel, but the false prophet convinced him to violate God's Word. For this he was slain by the lion, Satan, who is wandering around roaring seeking someone to devour. Beware: Satan does not seek the lost; rather, He seeks those who know the LORD.
Jeroboam followed in Saul's footsteps and attempted to deceive a prophet of God, but the prophet would not be deceived for he could truly see all. Jeroboam's entire family would be wiped out following Nadab's short stint in charge. Baasha took the crown of Israel by destroying Jeroboam's entire family for the evil he brought upon Israel.
Rehoboam, the son of an Ammonitess, never fully gave his heart to seek the LORD. Though he went through bouts of humility, he didn't fully prepare his heart for God. God allowed Egypt to raid Jerusalem and remove the wealth Solomon had accumulated on account of the kings's moral failings, but Judah would retain autonomy due to even the tepid heart of humility. When the king humbled himself, God would have mercy. God also preserved the line of Judah on behalf of David, who had not sinned in ANY matter except that of Bathsheba and Uriah the Hittite.
Through Absalom's granddaughter Maachah, Reheoboam fathered Abijah, who would rule next. Abijah also followed in the evil way of Absalom and his father Rehoboam. For his part, though, he stood with God and was used to judge Israel, which was in complete rebellion.
Asa replaced Abijah and brought powerful faith with him in a battle against the Ethiopians. He brought the law and faith back to Judah, which led to prosperity. "Asa’s heart was loyal to the Lord all his days,” except the very last. Unlike some who have death bed confessions, Asa has a death bed falling away. This is a warning for us to endure until the end. The prophesy was appropriate: "The LORD is with you while you are with Him. If you seek Him, He will be found by you; but if you forsake Him, He will forsake you." Under Asa, men from Judah and Benjamin as well as the godly among Ephraim, Manasseh and Simeon came to join the nation of Judah.
1 Kings 15, 1 Kings 16, 1 Kings 17, 2 Chronicles 16, 2 Chronicles 17
Asa had fallen away from God, according to Hanani the prophet, and through Hanani the LORD rebuked Asa for buying favor from Ben-Hadad of Syria with the riches of Judah. God had saved Judah from the Ethiopians through faith and had given the king favor, but now Asa had turned to princes for his help and rejected the LORD. The king repeated this error later after the LORD had allowed his feet to be rifled with disease by going to the physicians for help instead of seeking the LORD in repentance. He died in his sin. Asa's diseased feet are significant, because they symbolize a man who no longer walked with the LORD. As John said in 1 John 2:5, "He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked." Asa was cremated—a sign of judgment and destruction.
Baasha, Zimri, Tibni, and Omri took turns making Israel worse and worse, and they were each harshly judged for their depravity. Omri built Samaria, a lasting legacy for those who abandoned the God of Israel and their faithful brethren in Judah. None of these kings would compare with Ahab, Omri's son, who married Jezebel, the daughter of a pagan king from Sidon, bringing Ba'al and Asherah worship to Israel. He even allowed a subject to rebuild Jericho, a symbol for the darkness of the worldly kingdom that God destroyed when Israel captured the land for God. The LORD had said Jericho must never be rebuild. God brought drought and famine on the land through a prophet named Elijah the Tishbite to judge Ahab for his sin.
Meanwhile rebellious Asa was succeeded by Jehoshaphat, who delighted in the LORD and fully restored Judah's heart for the LORD also. His obedience to God was so heart-felt that even Judah's enemies feared to stand against the land. When strong men of faith are leading the nation, there is joy and peace in the hearts of all.
1 Kings 17, 1 Kings 18, 1 Kings 19, 1 Kings 20
The LORD used Elijah and cared for him as one of the most prolific prophets of all time. His faith must have been immense. But even with Elijah we see human weakness, and God must come in to help him, for God's strength is perfected in our weakness.
The widow of Zarephath had such faith that God would provide bread and oil that she offered all that she had to Elijah, a man of God, even though she had been concerned about eating her last meal. The LORD miraculously provided for her on account of her heart condition. The LORD tested the widow's faith by taking her son, but through trust in God Elijah brought him back, and the widow's faith was sealed because God accomplished what He had promised for her. She knew Elijah spoke Truth because God was with him.
Elijah's challenge to Ahab and his wife Jezebel's false prophets of Ba'al on Mount Carmel is one of my favorite stories in Scripture. The conclusion: Yahweh, He is God! Yahweh, He is God! And God comes in fire to consume and purify; to turn the hearts of those who go astray back to Him and to destroy those in rebellion.
When we face a principality of evil or its human vessel, it's possible for even the elect of faith to become afraid and seek isolation. The LORD provides for us even in these seasons of discouragement and seeks to pull us out of them through the still, small voice of His Holy Spirit. Sometimes God speaks in rebuke, as He did toward Elijah: "What are you doing here, Elijah?" God calls us out on mission in these times, and when we respond obediently great wonders happen for the glory of God. As Yeshua said, rejoice not that demons flee before you but that your name is written in the Book of Life.
Elisha turned back to say goodbye to his family before he became Elijah's servant. Despite his glorious ministry that would come, we have to do better than this and rise up when the LORD calls to follow Him without hesitation.
The devil will come after us like Ben-Hadad of Syria, attempting to frighten us into submission. Thankfully Ahab had counselors who were not willing to give in to his unreasonable demands—not just for worship, which Ahab was willing to give, but also for total surrender. Through the prophets, God called Ahab to defeat the enemy, and when the king walked in faithful obedience, the enemy was indeed scattered and defeated. When Ahab saw the success the LORD brought, it was easy for him to become complacent in the victory, but the prophets told him to go out and strengthen himself—another onslaught was coming. The LORD will come with us, but He also desires that we seek Him out after He helps us in victory so that we are better prepared to stand the next time.
1 Kings 20, 1 Kings 21, 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18
The LORD led Israel to victory over Syria because the Syrians believed in territorial gods, which were demons—gods of the hills and gods of the valleys—but Yahweh is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and everything in them, and so He would declare Himself to Ben-Hadad by routing him in both the hills and the valleys. God also called Ahab to destroy Ben-Hadad, in the same way He asked Saul to destroy the king of the Amalekites. Because Ahab failed to do so and viewed the pagan king as a brother, the LORD sought to judge Ahab next.
Ahab was a weak man, allowing his pagan witch of a wife to control his kingdom, even committing murder in his name to grab land that didn't belong to him. He did not rebuke or stop his wife, or even seek to understand her plans in service to the LORD, but rather gladly ate of the forbidden fruit. And so Elijah went to him and proclaimed the judgment of the LORD upon him, which brought him to repentance. The LORD relented of disaster against him and delayed it until the days of his sons, just as he had done for Solomon. But even the sons could have repented and brought blessing instead of curses. It's sad that they didn't.
Jehoshaphat was a good king of Judah, but brought a lot of pain into Judah by marrying into Ahab's family. He wouldn't see it himself, but his sons would. Nevertheless, he went to battle against Israel's enemies as a brother, hoping to reclaim lands that were lost. The LORD would bring judgment against Ahab through this battle.
1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 18, 2 Chronicles 19, 2 Chronicles 20
Back in 1st Samuel 12:13-15, 20-25, the LORD spoke through Samuel to explain the dynamic of a human king in Israel, which He had not intended but completely expected and predestined law to govern in Deuteronomy 17:14-20. First, the LORD sets a king over His people. Second, if the people obey the LORD and worship Him alone in faith, then both the people and the King will be righteous before the LORD. Third, if the people rebel against God, then God will bring judgment and scatter both the people and the king. Fourth, the LORD will not forsake His people Israel for His own glory. The peace of Israel is all about the condition of the people's heart and not the king. The king is a servant in obedience leading the people to God and a rebel in disobedience leading the people astray, but it is the people that God considers.
When Jehoshaphat and Ahab met to seek the LORD's will in capturing Ramoth Gilead, the LORD allowed a deceiving spirit to encourage Ahab and all the people to go up to victory, and Israel indeed would have victory. The deception wasn't that Israel would suffer loss rather than victory, but an omission about the fate of Ahab. God had had enough, and Ahab's time had come. He had one final chance to repent in seeking the Truth from Micaiah (a test, perhaps?), but He did not heed the Truth but rather cursed it and thus sealed his fate. In prophetic fashion, Israel would be like sheep without a shepherd, because they didn't look to God but rather they looked to their kings. Upon Yeshua's crucifixion, they would similarly languish looking to fleshly release from occupation rather than freedom in Yeshua and His eternal Kingdom. The solution is simple: repent and hear (hear and obey) the good news!
Ahab sought human means of salvation, disguising himself in battle, but his heart was hard and God was coming to take him out. The enemy sought Jehoshaphat, believing he was Ahab, but then abandoned the pursuit learning it was not him. His time had not yet come. It was "a certain man" who "drew a bow at random" who struck Ahab, leading to his death. It wasn't random, but it appeared that way to men. God knew exactly where Ahab was and guided the fatal arrow. Ahab's time had come. Yeshua said, "no one knows the day or the hour," and He was certainly referring to His second coming, but when we read Hebrews 9:27, "it is appointed for man to die once, and then the judgment," we can rest assured that our own death is the end of our chances to repent. After we fall into the grave, the next thing we will experience is a resurrection unto life or a resurrection unto judgment. Sadly, for Ahab, his fate was sealed for the latter. His last act was defiance rather than repentance.
Upon Jehoshaphat's return home in "victory," he was greeted by Jehu the prophet who rebuked him for allying with the evil king Ahab. We are not to help the wicked—that is not what it means to love our enemy. To love our enemy is to bring them to repentance through rebuke and redirection, not to join them in their folly. Nevertheless, the LORD was with Jehoshaphat because of his own heart to lead Judah in obedience to God, for the king set up judges for the people. He taught the people the fear of God, with a faithful and loyal heart, and the people obliged, and it was for this reason Judah was blessed.
2 Chronicles 20 is evidence that Judah's heart was fully with the LORD, and King Jehoshaphat brought us a model prayer and heart condition needed for going into battle, whether physical or spiritual. His model prayer follows the same model Yeshua gave us in Matthew 5. Compare them side-by-side if you want to be blown away! It's amazing! The model is this: precede any battle with prayer and fasting, confession and repentance, and then go into battle with praise and thanksgiving, reminding the LORD of His promises, and wait for the victory with complete Trust! Praise the LORD for the blessings He brings, no matter what they are.
2 Kings 1, 2 Kings 3, 1 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 20, 2 Chronicles 21, 2 Kings 8
It's terrifying to see a king of Israel who was meant to be in intimate relationship with the Creator of Heaven and Earth send messengers to Satan (Ba'al Zebub) to inquire about his health. For this, God sent Elijah to Ahaziah and informed him of his pending eternal death.
Jehoshaphat went to battle with Israel and Edom against Moab and achieved victory, but it was only because of godly Jehoshaphat that the other two nations had any success. Jehoshaphat had been rebuked for yoking himself with these rebels against God, but God still had mercy on him because his heart was for the LORD. God is so good to His people and gives so much grace, even when we mess up, but He destroys those in rebellion against Him. Sadly, Jehoshaphat's mixing of the holy with the profane impacted his children as well as all Judah, because his son Jehoram married the daughter of Ahab and Jezebel. He was led into evil by his wife to murder his brothers and ultimately this fruit would lead Judah into many days of trouble. This is why the first principle of avoiding mixing with the profane is so important. It may not have immediate consequences, but those consequences will come.
2 Kings 2, 2 Kings 4
Note that Elijah commanded Elisha to go away from him before he was taken up, an exception in Scripture to the rule that all must die before the judgment. The notable thing here is the pattern. All men of God—Naomi to Ruth, David to Ittai the Gittite, and Yeshua to His many disciples, as prime examples—send away those who seek to follow them. But the men of God who truly desire what the LORD is offering refuse to be sent off; they cling to the Truth of God's Word. This is illustrative of God's testing of our true heart condition and our response in faith. For Elisha's faith, Elijah's mantle of anointing fell upon him and he received a double blessing.
Elisha was quick to go to work in ministry, first bringing clean water to the city of prophets and casting off children devoted to evil, next providing abundant oil that brought freedom to a widow. Then he encountered a notable woman who had the heart of Yeshua, providing room and board for the prophet as he passed through. Elisha promised her a son, who died and was then raised by her faith. For faithful Israel, the LORD would also provide a Son who was then raised. In further prophetic pointing, Elisha added a wild vine to stew and purified it with flour (bread of life=Yeshua), symbolizing the grafting in of Gentiles through faith in Yeshua. Finally, Elisha multiplied bread to feed a multitude.
2 Kings 5, 2 Kings 6, 2 Kings 7, 2 Kings 8
Naaman was healed from leprosy because his faith overruled his worldly understanding, but he didn't get there on his own. A servant girl from Israel advised him about Elisha, the prophet who could heal by the power of God, and his own servant advised him to heed the command of Elisha to dip in the Jordan seven times, even though the idea seemed foolish to him (See 1 Corinthians 1:18-25). Naaman first went to Israel's king, expecting some worldly authority to bring him peace. Once redirected to Elisha, the commander of Syria's army also expected some type of sorcery to heal him, again looking to his own understanding. Through the grace and longsuffering of God, Naaman surrendered to God's way instead of his own, and it was through this surrender that he was healed. The power of faithful influence, even from the least among the brethren, can move mountains. The general did not fully understand the LORD after this, but he wanted to worship Him instead of his own nation's gods. He brought back earth from Israel, believing that God Most High was only attached to the Holy Land. God allowed this, because through this general's faith, knowledge of His glory would multiply.
Later, Syria had Israel surrounded, but Elisha called on the LORD to blind the enemy's army and bring them into the midst of Samaria where they would be captured. Rather than slay the now helpless enemy, Elisha counseled the king to love them by providing them food and sending them home. This act from the heart of God convinced the Syrians to make peace with Israel for a season.
In a siege against Samaria, the LORD had brought judgment on Israel for her sins per Deuteronomy 28, but Elisha led the people to repent. It was four lepers, representing sinners who came to repentance, who announced the LORD's victory over the enemy, and Israel was redeemed by their good tidings. The one who lacked faith in God's Word saw the salvation of the LORD, but did not take part in it.
Joram and Ahaziah his son were still turning toward evil, the consequences of Jehoshaphat improperly making peace with the evil house of Ahab. The sins of the fathers result in consequences to the third and fourth generations when such generational curses are not properly broken by repentance and faith. Paul warns us in 2 Corinthians 6:14 not to unequally yoke ourselves with unbelievers. The result of doing so can be seen here in 2nd Kings.
In the days of Joram, the wicked king, the prophesy that Isaac gave to Esau in Genesis 27:39-40 was fulfilled. That prophesy to Esau was: "By your sword you shall live, and you shall serve your brother; and it shall come to pass, when you become restless, that you shall break his yoke from your neck.” In 2nd Kings 8, we read that in Joram's "days Edom revolted against Judah’s authority, and made a king over themselves. ... Thus Edom has been in revolt against Judah’s authority to this day."
2 Chronicles 21, 2 Chronicles 22, 2 Kings 8, 2 Kings 9, 2 Kings 10
Upon the Word of the LORD, God sent Jehu to annihilate the house of Ahab all throughout the lands of Israel and Judah. So too will the LORD Yeshua seek out every rebel against Him who led people to worship Satan in this age. Just as Jehu gathered together the worshippers of Ba'al and destroyed them together, so too will Yeshua gather together all who follow Satan and destroy them at once—on the Last Day. But Jehu was just a man—he was not Messiah to come—and so he failed to turn away from the sins of Jeroboam, who mixed the holy with the profane. He also failed to live up to his potential as a shepherd of God like David. This is a warning concerning the traditions of men and how they can destroy a man with even the best heart for following the Holy Spirit. It is good to follow the leading of the Holy Spirit and to execute God's will accordingly to oppose evil, but if we don't turn our hearts toward the LORD to do good deeds and build a loving relationship with Him by restoring His commandments in our lives, then our salvation will not be complete. Our salvation is a testimony of two: grace THROUGH faith. That's faith in Yeshua and obedience to God's commandments. Jehu had the first but not the second; a warning for us all.
2 Kings 10, 2 Kings 11, 2 Kings 12, 2 Chronicles 22, 2 Chronicles 23, 2 Chronicles 24
Jehoiada the priest and Jehosheba the daughter of King Joram and sister of King Ahaziah protected the seven-year old Joash/Jehoash from the evil witch Athaliah, hiding him away from her cruel hatred for God's people until he was old enough to take the throne. With Joash's ascent, Athaliah was taken out as the usurper that she was, and Jehoida the priest took Joash under his wing and trained him in the Way of God. Joash did significant good under the influence of Jehoida the priest, repairing the temple and restoring worship of the LORD to Judah, but the evidence suggests he never had his own faith. Jehoida, when he died, was buried with the kings even though he was a priest, for he had ruled Judah during his days through Joash. Unfortunately, Joash was easily influenced by evil men as soon as his mentor died, and his faith proved shallow. With Jehoida gone, Joash restored the wickedness of before and abandoned God, bringing the judgment of God upon the land. We must be very careful to examine our hearts and know whether our faith is real, executed under our own relationship with God. If our faith is influenced only by parents or mentors, we risk falling away when left to our own devices.
2 Kings 12, 2 Kings 13, 2 Chronicles 24
When Jehoahaz led Israel to sin, the enemies of Israel prospered. When the king repented and sought the face of God, the LORD gave him a deliverer. So it is true for us when we sin and when we repent, we are delivered by Yeshua, but God forbid we lack faith and turn back to sin.
When we give to the LORD, do we give all that we have, or do we only shoot three arrows from our quivers? Our victory in Christ will be equivalent to how much of ourselves we're willing to give Him.
Joash of Judah had fallen so far from grace following Jehoiada's death that he even executed his mentor's sons. For this Joash saw justice fall on his own head and he was murdered by an Ammonite and a Moabite on his bed. So too will those of us who fall from grace and faith in Christ and turn toward sin spend eternity in Hell. We must first plant an authentic faith in our heart and then endure in it until the end, and only then will we be saved.
2 Kings 13, 2 Kings 14, 2 Kings 15, 2 Chronicles 25, 2 Chronicles 26, Jonah 1, Jonah 2, Jonah 3, Jonah 4
From reading in 2 Kings we might think it strange that God allowed Joash of Israel to defeat Amaziah of Judah, especially after he obeyed God and conquered Edom. But when we read the story in 2nd Chronicles, God filled in the missing detail: Amaziah, for whatever insane reason, decided to worship the idols of the people God helped him conquer. How was this even a thought in his head? He would die in infamy succumbing to his pride.
The LORD had mercy on Israel for quite some time, despite king after king continuing in sin, including Jeroboam the second, who took after his namesake. God's mercy is everlasting!
Azariah/Uzziah of Judah had a similar issue with pride, just like his father Amaziah. He defeated many peoples around him and gained their respect, but then took the temple service into his own hand and decided to offer incense against God's law. For this, God gave him leprosy, a decay of his flesh, and he lived in isolation outside the camp. Jotham took over while he still lived. After God gives us victory, we must be careful to continue in obedience and not fall away.
The LORD called Jonah to preach to the pagan Gentiles and he was too proud to obey, so he fled. But God used all things for good. The pagans traveling with Him praised God for saving them as they threw Jonah overboard into the fish's mouth. From there, Jonah, as though dead, would give an obscure prophesy considering the coming Messiah, foretelling His crucifixion, death and resurrection. Vomited upon the land, God called Jonah again to Nineveh, where he successfully preached repentance, and God relented of the disaster He had planned against the city. Let us all have hearts like these in Nineveh. Jonah, for his part, felt sorrow for God's mercy on these pagans, but God corrected him in this also, encouraging him to love all the men of God's creation and not just his own.
Amos 1, Amos 2, Amos 3, Amos 4, Amos 5, Amos 6
Judgment comes from God on all who violate His commands, no matter who they are or where they are. It will be swift and final. God is long suffering, but on His appointed time He will wait no longer for repentance. His judgment will be stronger against those who knew Him and turned away, and we can be sure of this. The LORD explains to Israel that He has taken them through the curses of Deuteronomy 28 and they have not turned back to Him, so He will bring them out of the land into captivity. Those who are comfortable in the affliction of their brethren and have plenty in the time of judgment, who do not consider their neighbor’s plight, will be first taken into captivity. Yet He speaks to the remnant: seek the LORD and live. If we as followers of Jesus find ourselves in great tribulation, here is God’s counsel for us: “Therefore the prudent keep silent at such a time —for it is a distressful time. Seek good and not evil, so you may live, and so Adonai Elohei-Tzva’ot may be with you —just as you said! Hate evil, love good, maintain justice at the gate. Maybe Yahweh the God of Hosts will extend grace to Joseph’s remnant.”
Amos 7, Amos 8, Amos 9, 2 Kings 14, 2 Kings 15, 2 Chronicles 26, Isaiah 6
As Amos concludes, we learn that God called Amos out of his field to prophesy, and he was not among the prophets prior to this. He was called to declare judgment on the 10 Northern tribes of Israel and their Samarian kingdom, and judgment would indeed come. Those who oppose the Word of the LORD when He comes in judgment will be destroyed by Him, but that remnant that embraces God's judgment with humility and repentance will indeed be preserved. Indeed, Israel would be scattered throughout the world, but a remnant would be returned in the Last Days to the land. This prophesy has been miraculously fulfilled, and the people of Israel will not be completely defeated again. There will be one final judgment following the last summer leading into the final Day of Trumpets and the Day of Atonement on the Last Day, but the remnant who have faith in Yeshua will be preserved. We will be among them into eternity if we put our trust in Yeshua, the King of Israel, and never turn our back from His people, praying for their repentance and faith.
Israel had a fast succession of evil kings as Assyria took more and more of her land and ultimately fully conquered her. The people did not relent. They did not turn back from evil. In the midst of Israel's depravity, Isaiah explained in Isaiah 6, the same would come to Judah without repentance. We ought to be like Isaiah, understanding in our depravity that we cannot please God. And yet, when we humble ourselves and repent, the LORD will grant us atonement in Yeshua. Our hearts ought to cry out like his: "Here I am LORD, send me!"
2 Kings 15, 2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 27, 2 Chronicles 28, Micah 1, Isaiah 7
The kings of Judah vacillated between good and evil during these days, while the people themselves acted corruptly, and God brought judgment on this account. Israel went from bad to worse, and even attempted to capture and enslave the men, women, and children of Judah as if they were foreigners, but God would not allow this and sent a prophet to set things right.
Even when God brings judgment against His people using the sword of other nations, He never intends for the nations to annihilate His people, and those who try are themselves annihilated.
In the days of Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah, the prophet Micah saw Yeshua's return and the melting away of the world with the fire of His judgment. Was it also the fire that Babylon would bring in judgment against Judah?
Isaiah's prophesy contains a short-term prophesy about Judah's deliverance and a long-term prophesy concerning the coming of Yeshua, born of a virgin, God with us, and His Kingdom that will ultimately restore all things for His people.
Isaiah 8, Isaiah 9, Isaiah 10, Isaiah 11
In the near-term, the LORD prophesies destruction to both Israel and then Judah using the rod of Assyria and Babylon respectively, but also to those nations that relished in conquering God's people, God would bring destruction; first Assyria by Babylon, and then Babylon by Media-Persia, a nation that restored Jerusalem. As Solomon wrote in Proverbs 24:17-18: "Do not rejoice when your enemy falls and do not let your heart be glad when he stumbles; lest the Lord see it, and it displease Him, and He turn away His wrath from him." It would be during this latter time of restoration for Judah that the gloom and darkness, distress and anguish would be relieved, for in Galilee of the Gentiles Yeshua would first preach the light of God's eternal kingdom.
The Child born would be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, and Prince of Peace. When Manoah asked the angel's name who prophesied his son Samson, the Angel replied, "Why do you ask My name, seeing it is Wonderful?" We know the LORD lives, and His throne of Mercy endures forever for the remnant of Israel, Judah and the Nations. The arrogant, the prideful, the boastful, the scoffers, and the lawless continue to seek their own way, boasting after each of God's judgments that they will "build back better," but certain destruction comes upon them. These leaders and false teachers will be swallowed up. No one will withstand the fiery wrath of the LORD's anger on Judgment Day except those humble in heart who repent. Who will those turn to for help who do not know the LORD? When the LORD's work is finished on Mt. Zion and in Jerusalem—when the third temple made up of the faithful followers of Yeshua is complete—God will punish the fruit of the arrogant heart. Yeshua Himself will be a flame that burns up wickedness and God's people will stand in the fire. From that point forward, all of the remnant will serve the LORD.
The LORD would also come as a Netzer, a tender shoot, a Nazarene, from the broken down stump of Israel, and He would bear fruit. He would bear the Holy Spirit and this Yeshua would delight in serving the Father. In His Day, He would speak Truth and slay the wicked with the Word of His mouth. The nations would seek for Him and He would come about a second time to redeem His remnant among the people living on the earth, and then the whole world will serve the LORD.
Isaiah 12, Isaiah 17, 2 Chronicles 28, 2 Chronicles 29, 2 Kings 15, 2 Kings 16, 2 Kings 18, Hosea 1, Hosea 2
Today's readings appear out of order chronologically, for the fall of Israel under King Hoshea around 720 BC came during the reign of King Ahaz of Judah (735–715 BC) and before his son King Hezekiah of Judah took power (715–687 BC). Hosea the prophet was writing the early parts of his prophesy in the days of Uzziah (783–742 BC), though he also lived through Jotham (742–735 BC), Ahaz and even into Hezekiah's reign. Scripture also notes he wrote during the time of Jeroboam II (786–746 BC), king of Israel, which puts his writing squarely during the time of Uzziah. The prophesy is notable because it indicates how God would have compassion on Judah, but not on Israel, which is precisely what happened historically at first, but later we also know that God would bring justice on Judah as well. His prophesy is therefore very short-term focused, but also offers an inaugurated eschatology regarding the coming of Yeshua and the restoration of Israel by His blood. In its short-term focus, God explains to Hosea his intent to "put an end to all [Israel's] rejoicing— her feasts, her New Moon, her Shabbat, and all her feasts." It is critically important to recognize that Israel did not celebrate God's feasts; rather, the nation had come up with syncretistic feasts under Jeroboam I, and this very thing was the beginning of God's anger with Israel. It is what Hosea likens to "prostitution." Read 1st Kings 12:25-33 for some of those details.
If we look to what the Rabbis wrote about Hoshea son of Elah, who had assassinated King Pekah to take his throne in Israel for a very short while, they indicate that he attempted to reopen the road to Jerusalem for the people of Israel so they could worship God properly, but the people themselves actually rejected this effort (Source: https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/1679684/jewish/The-Exile-of-the-Ten-Lost-Tribes-of-Israel.htm). This coincides with what Samuel told Israel regarding their desire to have a king over them; namely, they would still be judged as a people even if their king sought righteousness. Scripture seems to support this idea at least vaguely by indicating that Hoshea "did what was evil in Adonai's eyes, yet not as the kings of Israel who were before him." This is pure speculation, but it's interesting to consider whether he himself wasn't willing to reestablish God's feasts in Israel, but at least he was willing to invite the people to follow their conscience? It's hard to say whether this is why he wasn't as evil as the kings before him, because Scripture doesn't say. All we know is that he became a vassal of King Shalmaneser of Assyria, who later took the people of Israel captive and replaced them with Babylonians and Assyrian people who would interbreed with the children of Israel and create the people known as the Samaritans in Yeshua's day.
While God scattered the people of Israel all throughout the whole world, and eventually the children of Judah also, and they would face many hundreds of years of complete and total shame, He would gather them back in through Yeshua. His mercy would fall upon any person, whether Jew or Gentile grafted-in through the blood of Yeshua, when they keep the commandments of God and their faith in Yeshua.
King Ahaz of Judah was truly evil. He was like the kings of Israel, appealing to foreigners and foreign gods for his help rather than rely on the LORD, but he took things one step further and put a pagan altar in the Temple of God. This heinous act certainly caused judgment from God and hatred of the people of Jerusalem. But in the midst of this, his wife Avi/Abi/Abijah, the daughter of Zechariah, was quietly training up her son Hezekiah in the ways of his ancestor David. Avi's father Zechariah was not the prophet who wrote during the days of Esther's husband Darius of Media Persia. Her father was also likely not the Zechariah son of Jehoiada the priest who was murdered by Ahaz's great great grandfather Joash/Jehoash, because the timing doesn't make sense. It's more likely she was the daughter of Zechariah the king of Israel who ruled briefly during Ahaz's grandfather Azariah/Uzziah's reign and was murdered by his servant Shallum in front of all his people, including perhaps his daughter. If Avi witnessed both the death of her father due to infidelity to God and she saw her husband Ahaz thwart God as a hated idolator and witnessed his burial outside the respected tomb of the kings, it's likely she repented to serve God and taught her son to do the same. This makes me think of Solomon's words in Proverbs 31:1: "The words of King Lemuel [a symbolic name for Solomon meaning "belonging to God"], the utterance which his mother taught him..."
The sad thing is that King Ahaz committed his greatest evils during a time of distress. Solomon also wrote in Proverbs 25:26, "Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous person who yields before the wicked."
Likely due to his mother Avi's care, Hezekiah was ready to go the moment his father died and he restored Judah to faith in God, bringing blessing upon the land. He hit the ground running, immediately removing the high places, smashing pillars and Asherah poles, and he even went so far as to destroy the bronze serpent Moses had made, not because anything was wrong with the image being kept as a memorial, but because some of the people were "burning incense to it" and gave it the name "Nehushtan." To "burn incense" is a euthemism for prayer and worship (see: Revelation 5:8, Psalm 141:2, and Revelation 8:3-4). God had commanded Moses to make this image for healing, and in obedience to God men who looked at it were healed in a prophetic nod to Yeshua, but now it was being used to worship a pagan god. Caduceus, Hermes, Mercury, Isis, Asclepius, and even the modern symbol for medicine come to mind as similar idols. Zechariah was not going to allow such evil under his watch. No king before or after him trusted the LORD in the same way as Hezekiah in that Hezekiah did not turn away from the LORD even once. Though David his ancestor trusted the LORD and set the standard for faith, he had turned away in the matter of Uriah the Hittite and gave us an example of repentance.
Hosea 2, Hosea 3, Hosea 4, Hosea 5, Hosea 6, Hosea 7, Hosea 8
The LORD would purchase His people with the price of His blood, just as Hosea was commanded to purchase a prostitute and set her apart to remain chaste. During this time, the LORD would not dwell physically with His people, just as Hosea would not visit the prostitute he purchased. The Gentiles would be brought in also—the beasts of the field and flying creatures. The betrothal with Israel would not be revoked, but they would wait long, difficult days for their bridegroom's return.
Later, the LORD gave Hosea His complaints: His people broke the commandments and showed no loyalty to Him. The LORD would resultantly honor His Word and bring curses upon the land. The people would be destroyed for lack of knowledge; because they did not know the law of God, but it was the teachers' fault, and these would be judged—their children would be forgotten—the Levitical priesthood would be replaced. They refused to give up their evil deeds. The LORD would come and bring justice, removing them, and then He would leave until they admit their guilt and call out to Him, seeking His face. Yeshua said to them: "You will not see me again until you say, 'Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the LORD.'" Hosea said: "In their distress they will seek me earnestly," and so this is what we will see before the LORD returns. Yet, we understand that while the LORD has ripped apart His people, He will heal them. On the Third Day, the Last Day, all the faithful will live in His presence. He will return with the latter rain, representing the Fall Feast Days starting with the Day of Trumpets. God sent out light, bringing knowledge of God, promoting obedience rather than sacrifice.
As Israel sought help from men and their false gods, the LORD fashioned disaster for them that they would not escape. They cried out "LORD, LORD," and said that they know Him, but they rejected goodness—how could they know Him? The golden calves of Samaria would be thrown down—the LORD looked to Jeroboam's first sin as the 10 tribes separated and never forgot it. Samaria used its altars for sinning rather than atoning for sin. The LORD could multiply words, even offering 10,000 versions of the same simple law from His Torah, but they still wouldn't hear Him. Fire would consume those in rebellion who refuse to repent.
Hosea 9, Hosea 10, Hosea 11, Hosea 12, Hosea 13, Hosea 14
Hosea shifted his focus referring to Israel as male instead of female from this point forward in his prophecy. We can see that Israel will become wanderers among the nations. Those who do not turn back to the LORD will cry out to the mountains, “cover us,” and the hills, “fall on us,” on that Day when God is revealed on his throne, and Yeshua returns on the clouds. They will not be able to stand in His presence like the righteous. But those who sow righteousness and reap with love will be able to break up the fallow ground in their hearts and receive the Lord’s righteousness when He showers it down upon them. The worldly rulers will be overthrown, those who lord over others and lead astray. The remnant of Israel will be preserved in that Day, and all of Judah who return to God, keeping loyalty and justice, waiting for God continually.
Let us not worship idols (kiss the calves), for we should know no God but Yahweh—there is no Savior apart from Him. This is why it is so important to understand and worship Yeshua as Yahweh; they are one and the same God. The LORD will heal His faithful and turn His anger away from those who trust in Him. The ways of the LORD are straight, and the just walk in them, but the wicked stumble in them.
Isaiah 28, 2 Kings 17, 2 Kings 18, Isaiah 1
Isaiah 28 explains that the teachers of Israel did not know how to interpret Scripture. They looked, line-by-line, principle-by-principle, coming up with their own commandments that the LORD did not intend, but they neglected the Way of God that He had commanded in His Word. They grew drunk with wine and drunk with power, but they never tasted the Holy Spirit and faith in the heart of God. In a parable, God asked whether someone sowing a field ought to continually break up fallow ground without actually planting any seed? What a useless thing to do! Rather, a wise servant plants a variety of seeds, properly processes the fruit from them, and provides what is needed for nourishment. No one who knows God intimately does the same act repeatedly without bearing fruit, for a Man of God moves with the LORD and also waits on Him to move. But those who do not know God have made the faith a religion and will die in its meaningless repetittion.
The story of Samaria's capture and destruction was already laid out in Deuteronomy 28. All the people had to do was repent and return to the Way of God, but they couldn't do it. They reached the end of God's judgments and were scattered away from the land the LORD had given them. Let us not be so blind to the Will of God in our lives that He scatters us also, but let us always humble ourselves before Him and repent in any way that we are falling short.
In Isaiah 1, we learn that when a people attempt to go through the motions creating a religion from their faith but fail to heed the commandments of God, God will not even hear their prayers let alone meet with them during His appointed times. But when we repent and turn away from wickedness and rather follow the law of God, the LORD will meet with us and allow us to come in near to Him. The choice is up to us.
Isaiah 1, Isaiah 2, Isaiah 3, Isaiah 4, Isaiah 5
The LORD showed me something in Isaiah 1 I hadn't seen before. In alignment with the rest of Isaiah 1, there is a continued rebuke of Jerusalem as going after false gods and practices, building their own religion of syncretism. Among the metaphors used is this: "your silver has become dross, your wine diluted by water." The LORD explains: "I will purge away your dross," meaning, speaking from God's point of view: I will remove all those practices and traditions that are not meaningful, which do not align with My heart's desire for My people and the heart of the Law I have given. He did this very thing, and you know how He began? He literally turned water into wine! He brought vitality to a barrel that had no fruit in it. Only God can do that! He defended spiritual widows and orphans, He purified the Torah and explained its meaning, and He lived righteously and made a people for Himself who would follow Him in righteousness! He replaced the Levitical Priesthood with a Priesthood after the order of Melchizedek, with He Himself serving as High Priest. Anyone forsaking Him—the transgressors and sinners together—would be consumed by His refining fire, "the strong will become tinder and the work like a spark—both will burn together, and no one will quench them." It is only the repentant who will be redeemed unto righteousness by the blood that will make them white as snow.
Isaiah 2-4 is one message, “The Word which Isaiah, son of Amoz saw concerning Judah and Jerusalem,” and it ought to be read that way. The LORD will exalt Himself above everything else, as was intended from the beginning, and His long-suffering so we might come to repentance will come to an end. The prophetic mountain of God, which stands high above all the other mountains, hills and valleys, will rise at the end when every other mountain is made low and valley is raised. The Torah will be the law of all the land for all people, and there will be no other, but it won't be interpreted by men, but by the Most High God, judged by Yeshua the Messiah. This unified Kingdom will end all strife in the world and bring everlasting peace. The lawless ones will not be pardoned, and they will hide in the rocks when the LORD returns and shows Himself to all flesh in His glory! And so the LORD exhorts those with ears to hear: "Stop trusting in mankind —whose breath is in his nose— for what is he really worth?”
As He continued, the LORD explained that He would bring His judgments described in Deuteronomy 28 upon Judah and Jerusalem, and because we have seen this occur, we know that His Word is true. The whole of chapter 3 describes this. The land will be made desolate, and it was, first with the destruction of the Temple in AD 30 and then with the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 135.
But first, "seven women will grab hold of one man in that day, saying: "We will eat our own bread and wear our own apparel. Only let us be called by your name—take away our reproach!" What else does a man or woman of God need than food and clothing? These seven women represent the complete congregation of Israel—the Church—both Jews and Gentiles grafted-in to Israel through faith in Messiah Yeshua, the One who takes away our reproach. He is the Branch of Adonai, beautiful and glorious, and those among Israel who survive will eat of His fruit. The remnant of Israel and Judah—whoever is left in Zion and whoever remains in Jerusalem—will be called holy. He will wash away our filth and purge the blood by the spirit of judgment and burning. 2nd Peter 3, 1 Thessalonians 4, 1 Corinthians 15, and Job 14 explain this time—the resurrection of the dead and the eternal judgment. Following this Last Day, the LORD's cloud by day and flaming fire by night will endure in the land forever and the light of God, His glory, will be a canopy for the new heavens and new earth. The LORD Himself will be our shelter forever.
In Isaiah 5, the LORD presents the Parable of the Vineyard. When Yeshua told this parable in Luke 20:9-19, Matthew 21:33-46 and Mark 12:1-12, He was referring back to this parable in Isaiah 5, and reading all together is absolutely necessary to understand the Truth of it. The Levitical priesthood would be replaced and a new priesthood with Yeshua as the High Priest, after the order of Melchizedek, would be the new priesthood. The Apostolic Doctrine would be the Way, following after Yeshua, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life. For He explained how God intended the Torah to be read, and dismissed the false interpretations of men. The men who previously controlled the vineyard used it to enrich themselves with glory, power and riches, but they kept the people out from knowing the Kingdom of God (read Matthew 23). The LORD would tear them apart and replace them with those who truly understood His Truth, and with the power of His Holy Spirit they would bring forth fruit. But be warned: From among the Apostles, men would rise up as wolves in sheep's clothing to lead astray the flock. The righteous keep the commandments of God and faith in Yeshua, who is the owner of the Vineyard.
2 Kings 16, 2 Chronicles 28, Isaiah 13, Isaiah 14, Isaiah 15, Isaiah 16
Judgment is coming upon the world, but the LORD will preserve His people in the midst of it.
2 Chronicles 29, 2 Chronicles 30, 2 Chronicles 31
Hezekiah brought restoration to Jerusalem with wholehearted devotion to the LORD, and committed the Levites to the work of the temple once more. They rejoiced in their work, which the LORD enabled them to accomplish. Things move quickly when our hearts are fully devoted to serving the LORD in the manner He has commanded. The Kingdom of Judah had a new son of David on the throne.
As Hezekiah moved to celebrate the Passover in the Second Month, per the commandment, we can't miss the parallel between 2 Chronicles 30 and the Parable of the Wedding Banquet in Matthew 22:1-14. Both point forward to the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when all of God's faithful will dine with Him for the first time in His Kingdom. Just as in Yeshua's parable, so in this one: "As the couriers traveled from town to town through the country of Ephraim and Manasseh and as far as Zebulun, they were scorned and mocked. Nevertheless some men from Asher, Manasseh and Zebulun humbled themselves and came to Jerusalem." Those who repented, turning back to the LORD and His commandments, partook of the joy of His Kingdom! Those who scoffed and turned their back on the LORD and His celebration, were left in outer darkness with weeping and gnashing of teeth.
Note: "Although a great multitude of the people—many of them from Ephraim, Manasseh, Issachar and Zebulun—had not purified themselves, they still ate the Passover lamb contrary to what is written. But Hezekiah prayed for them saying: 'May Adonai who is good, atone for every one who prepares his heart to seek Adonai, the God of his fathers, even though he is not pure according to rules of the sanctuary.' Adonai heard Hezekiah and healed the people."
What God desires most is our heart condition that seeks Him first. These men wanted to know their God, and even though they were ignorant of the cleansing rituals, the LORD healed them and brought them near. It is certain that they would learn what to do for next time, for Hezekiah brought the study of Torah to the forefront of the celebration so the people could reacquaint themselves with their God.
The evidence for such true conversion follows, for the people left the feast destroying all of their idols—not just in Judah but even in Ephraim and Manasseh. From that point forward, the Holy Days were followed per the LORD's instruction. The people gave generously to celebrate the LORD's bounty, and the temple overflowed. Blessings come when we wholeheartedly abide in the will of God.
Proverbs 25, Proverbs 26, Proverbs 27, Proverbs 28, Proverbs 29
As I read Proverbs 27:22, our reading from Isaiah 28 came to mind. The first reads: “Even if you pound the fool along with the grain in a mortar with a pestle, his foolishness would never leave him.” Isaiah 28:28 reads: "Bread grain is crushed, but not endlessly." Wisdom comes from measured, humble and patient obedience to the will of God, which is defined by His Word. We have to approach Scripture with hearts that are seeking the LORD fully, or no amount of reading can help us. No amount of teaching, listening to sermons, or reading devotionals can help us learn. Only full devotion to God with hearts fully desiring Him can open our hearts to wisdom.
I've been reading the Book of Proverbs, one chapter a day, chapters 1-31, each month this year, so I'm now in my seventh time reading it (eighth, counting these readings here). It is indeed a glory of God to conceal a matter and the glory of His people to search it out. May the LORD continue to remove impurities far from me and all of us as He refines us with His Word.
Proverbs 30, Proverbs 31
God's wisdom pours through the words of Solomon, and we ought to pray to God for discernment on how to apply such wisdom to our lives.
Proverbs 30 has a verse that provides further evidence that God has a Son, whom we know to be Yeshua. Solomon asked: “Who has gone up into heaven, and come down? Who has gathered the wind in the palm of His hand? Who has wrapped the waters in a cloak? Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is His name and what is the name of His Son—if you know?” We know. As Hebrews 11:40 reads: "God having provided something better for us..." His Son's name is Yeshua.
In addition to announcing the Son of God, Solomon not coincidentally proceeds to declare the primacy of God's Word. We know Yeshua is the Word made flesh. But the Word itself, when interpreted by the Spirit, is unassailable. We read: "Every word of God is purified. He is a shield to those who take refuge in Him. Do not add to His words, or else He will rebuke You and prove you a liar."
Proverbs 31 warns against drunkenness, and explains that alcohol only ought to be used excessively in a hospice situation. Strong drink (or similar mind-altering substances) ought to be avoided to prevent perversion or forgetfulness of God's Word.
It also warns against womanizing, moving to then discuss how a Biblically minded woman of valor ought to behave. Proverbs 31 describes a godly woman, and thanks be to God, it also describes my wife.
Psalm 42, Psalm 43, Psalm 44, Psalm 45, Psalm 46
The psalmist poetically explains how we ought to desire to know the LORD, to thirst for Him, to hunger for Him, to desire him more than anything else. We may feel downcast in our soul when it seems like we are all alone, but the Lord vindicates us—He is our Hope, our Protection, our Savior, and our Deliverer—even in the midst of the deepest and darkest trials. He is the Mighty One, who rides in victory on behalf of truth, gentleness, and justice. His throne is forever. Our God is an awesome God; indeed he reigns forever.
Psalm 47, Psalm 48, Psalm 49, Psalm 84, Psalm 85, Psalm 87
Our eternal God is awesome; He is King over all the earth and He deserves our praise as He sits upon His Holy Mountain! Anyone who opposes Him, great or small, will flee in terror on Judgment Day. Why should we ever fear so long as our heart's meditation is on understanding God's wisdom? Those men who pridefully seek their own way will die eternally like the beasts of the earth, but God's Mercy endures for the righteous, for only He can redeem us from our sins. He speaks peace to His saints so long as we do not return into sin. His salvation remains with those who fear Him, where loving-kindness and truth, and righteousness and peace join together. This testimony of two is essential to walk in the Way of the LORD. All who recognize Yeshua will be born again into Zion—whether from Jacob or like Rahab and Babylon—we will be established forever in Him.
Psalm 1, Psalm 2, Psalm 10, Psalm 33, Psalm 71, Psalm 91
Psalm 1 makes it clear we have a choice to follow and meditate on the Torah day and night or to contemplate, practice and embrace wickedness. Yeshua, the Word who became flesh, will remember the righteous who follow His Way when He comes into His kingdom, and He will uphold us during the evil days. Psalm 2 explains our reality again, and in the second testimony of two, we learn that we must worship Yeshua or we will die in our sins. Together, Psalm 1 and Psalm 2 are summed up in Revelation 14:12: "Here is the patience of the Saints; here are they who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Yeshua."
Psalm 10 answers the age old question: Why do the wicked scoff against God and revile Him? The answer is simple: "He [the wicked] says in his heart 'You will never require anything.'" There is no better argument against a faith without works argument than this. We are saved by grace THROUGH faith, and faith is the very act of doing the works that Yeshua taught us because of our salvation. God will require an account!
It is fitting for the righteous to praise God and worship Him, especially when the LORD calls His people to gather together. He has done so much for us, how could we ever doubt His plans? How could we think our own way is better than His Way? Yeshua's eyes are on those who fear Him, waiting for His love; He will deliver our souls from death.
God is our refuge and strength, and thus we ought to pray for His protection and guidance.
He is our shelter, and in Him we need not fear the war, but walk forward with ten thousand at our right hand, watching while God Himself vanquishes the enemy. He will grant eternal life and salvation to the ones who call upon Him and devote their love to Him.
Psalm 92, Psalm 93, Psalm 94, Psalm 95, Psalm 96, Psalm 97
Psalm 92, a song for the Sabbath, beautifully describes the Seventh Day. Joy and peace surround us as we praise God for the work of His hands, while all evildoers are scattered. It's a rehearsal dinner for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb, when eternity begins. The righteous flourish and yield fruit forever, praising God for the increase!
God is everlasting and His voice thunders majestically through His Word, which is Truth.
God will bring vengeance upon the wicked and proud, and so they mock in vain. They will be utterly annihilated, and so we pray for them to repent.
Today, if we hear God's voice (through His Holy Word), let us not harden our hearts as the people did at Meribah. We who have seen His work had better not put the LORD our God to the test.
Rather, we ought to rejoice always, proclaiming the Gospel of His salvation every day, trembling before our God. He is coming to judge the Earth, and His judgment will be righteous and faithful to His people.
If we love the LORD, we must HATE evil. The LORD delivers His saints from the wicked.
God will burn up His adversaries, but He will watch over the souls of His godly ones, delivering them out of the hand of the wicked. Remember this, and praise Him.
Psalm 98, Psalm 99, Psalm 100, Psalm 102, Psalm 104
98. God is full of loving-kindness and faithfulness to Israel, and all the ends of the earth shall see the salvation of God's people. He will judge the world with righteousness and fairness according to His Word.
God reigns and ought to be worshipped for He is Holy.
100. We ought to offer the LORD joyful praise and thanksgiving so we can enjoy His presence. He made us and we belong to Him. Everything He does is good, faithful and merciful.
102. The eternal LORD will arise and have compassion on His people who wait for Him with longing. God does not change and His years will never end, and the offspring of the righteous will endure together with Him.
104. The LORD ordered His creation perfectly and gave us the bounty of His fruit to enjoy. Let our meditations on His handiwork be like sweet incense for Him.
Psalm 105, Psalm 106
105 & 106. I love how Psalm 105 calls upon God's people to testify of God's work among the brethren, and this is certainly one of the things we ought to do when we come in to celebrate the Sabbath. Additionally, we ought to sing praises of Him relative to the wonderful things He has done in antiquity. We ought to study His deeds in Scripture, for they are a sign for what will happen to us in our own lives. The Word of God is living and powerful; it is eternal—there is nothing in this life that isn't already explained in Scripture, or as Solomon said, "there is nothing new under the sun." Psalm 105 and 106 then move on to testify of many of God's wonderful deeds, His mercy, which endures forever, and also the justice that He will bring against those who deny Him. The LORD blesses us and asks only that we keep His commandments, which are meant to further bless us.
Psalm 107, Psalm 111, Psalm 112, Psalm 113, Psalm 114
107. When we cry out to the LORD in our distress He delivers us out of our troubles, for His mercy endures forever and He is worthy to be praised. He makes fruitful lands out of the desolate places and fruitful hearts out of what was once rebellious.
111. We also praise the LORD for His righteousness, which endures forever, and remember His grace and mercy, for He redeems His people who trust in His ways of truth and justice.
112. When we fear God and keep His commandments, He will remember us at the resurrection of the dead. The wicked hate God's righteous law, but their desires toward sin will perish along with them.
113. Our God humbled Himself by looking upon the earth and raising the humble from the dust to sit with Him as princes of His people and fruitful partners in His new creation.
114. We ought to tremble in the presence of God, for He will exalt the humble.
Psalm 115, Psalm 116, Psalm 117, Psalm 118
115. We give glory to the name of the Lord because of his mercy and truth; our God is in heaven and does whatever He pleases for the glory of His name. Idols are worthless, but the Lord saves. The dead cannot praise the LORD, and so he will lift us up as he did the Son.
116. Our Creator is not aloof, but He listens to our prayers when we’ve made ourselves humble before Him. He delivers our souls from death, our eyes from tears and our feet from falling, and we can be confident that we will walk before the LORD in the land of the living. Our death in this life pleases the LORD, for it looses our bonds and brings us one step closer to the resurrection of the dead.
117. The LORD is calling on even the Gentiles to worship Him, and in so doing this, the Psalmist explains: "the Truth of the LORD endures forever." The Torah (law/instruction) of God is that Truth, as exemplified by Messiah Yeshua.
118. We must fear God and not man; put our trust and confidence in the LORD, and not in government. We shall not die the second death when we do this, but live, and in living we ought to seek the LORD's righteousness and praise the LORD, being built on the cornerstone which is the everlasting life of Yeshua! His Mercy endures forever!
Psalm 119
119. Studying, learning, understanding, and applying God's holy instruction is the path to peace and joy in this life, and everlasting relationship with Yeshua in the life to come. Because the LORD has saved us from our iniquities, transgressions and sins, we ought to keep His Word. His law, His commandments, His statutes, and His judgments are perfect, and they guide us as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path. I pray for the LORD to help me keep His precepts with all my heart so that I might not lean on my own understanding and perish.
Psalm 120, Psalm 121, Psalm 123, Psalm 125, Psalm 126
120. We will face trial and tribulation in this life—Yeshua said: "In the world, you will have tribulation"—but when we cry out to the LORD, He will answer and deliver us from all evil, restoring peace—Yeshua said, "but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world."
121. Our help comes from the LORD, the creator, who will hold us up with His righteous right hand—Yeshua! He will guard our eternal life, and His eyes are always upon us.
123. We look upon our God expectantly, and He makes us wait for His favor so we do not become proud.
125. When we trust in the LORD through everything, our faith is immovable and endures, and He will reward our faith.
The humble and repentant who are freed from bondage will experience an abundance of joy.
Psalm 128, Psalm 129, Psalm 130, Psalm 132, Psalm 134, Psalm 135
128. We will be abundantly blessed if we trust in the LORD and walk in His ways.
129. The wicked will be like vapor and will not last the heat that is coming. We cannot pray for the LORD's blessing on the wicked, for they must first repent to receive it, and so we ought to pray for their repentance.
130. If the LORD remembered our sins, we would all die the second death, but He offers mercy so we can glorify His name. Thus, we wait for Him and have hope in His Word.
132. This is increasingly my heart's desire: “I will not enter the tent of my house nor lie on my bed, nor will I will give sleep to my eyes, nor slumber to my eyelids, till I find a place for Adonai" The LORD has promised Yeshua's eternal reign and our resting place with Him in His kingdom, and so our only desire ought to be the Bread of Life that satisfies, which is the Word of God.
134. Let us lift up our hands in praise to the Most High who created all!
135. The LORD will vindicate those who tirelessly serve Him, and so let us not go astray after idols.
Psalm 136, Psalm 146, Psalm 147, Psalm 148, Psalm 149, Psalm 150
136. We ought to praise the LORD for all of the great things He has done for us. The LORD will ultimately destroy the proud and wicked and raise up the humble and righteous, and in this the LORD shows lovingkindness because it demonstrates that He is good, that He is long-suffering, and that He is just.
146. We must never put any of our trust in men or earthly rulers or even good governance, because all of these plans will fail, but the plans of the LORD will prevail forever and in them we can put our trust.
147. We ought to praise the LORD for His control over man and nature, and the way He sets apart a people for Himself.
148. All of creation will sing praises to the LORD. If we don't praise Yeshua, the rocks will cry out and sing of His glory!
149. The LORD has raised up Yeshua to rule with mercy and righteousness over His saints, who are humble and righteous. We will indeed go to war yielding the Word of God against all that is evil, calling all who will hear to repentance. Halleluyah!
150. We ought to praise the LORD with musical instruments and lift up our voices in song!
Isaiah 18, Isaiah 19, Isaiah 20, Isaiah 21, Isaiah 22, Isaiah 23
Isaiah 18 explains how the Ethiopians will come to worship Yeshua, a prophesy partially fulfilled by the Ethiopian Eunuch baptized by Phillip. There will be another fulfillment.
Isaiah 19 is paired with Matthew 24. Egypt and Assyria represent the world, but in the end all Israel and the nations will worship God together and will be connected together as one people.
In Isaiah 20 there is a sense that those who trust in princes will be stripped bear of all that they care about and their walk will be naked, they will be exposed before the Most High. Who will escape?
In Isaiah 21, the LORD speaks to those who should be brothers of Israel but betray her; those who should uphold the grace of God and the righteous walk of Jesus, but who reject it in their hearts and betray those who stand fast. These will witness the judgments of God increasing in intensity and frequency until the end, causing bewilderment and terror, with tribulation. It will be dark, there shall be no hope, men will destroy men, and then the empire of false pretenses will fall. The false religions and the false authorities will be exposed. No more idols will remain. The people of God who are oppressed by the way of men will taste the joy of the morning, the light of God.
In Isaiah 22, we understand that Israel will face persecution, tribulation and suffering on account of their understanding of God, and God will mourn this time—He hates it! Israel will look to the armories and provisions they have set up but will find no comfort in them. And while there will be suffering, the LORD desires our hope in Him, our joy and gladness, during this time. We ought not prepare our graves but our eternal life. Our flesh will die, and our earthly security will fail, but our hope is in the LORD, the Son of David, the Son of God, and what He has set forth for us no one can impede. He will sit on the throne of glory, and His offspring who trust in Him and keep His commandments will dwell forever with Him, but first He will be cut off and the earthly kingdom ideal with Him.
In Isaiah 23, the merchants of the world will be exposed as frauds. Their seeking of worldly riches will be seen for the emptiness it is. But the glory of God's creation won't be lost in the destruction of greed and selfishness. Rather, God will turn the merchants around to serve Him, and their profits will enrich God's kingdom forever, for God created all, owns all, and takes glory in all that is offered back to Him willingly.
Isaiah 24, Isaiah 25, Isaiah 26, Isaiah 27, Isaiah 29
Isaiah 24-29 are about the Last Day and its aftermath. Isaiah 24 reads so much like Yeshua's words in Matthew 24, and further informs us that in the Day of the LORD there will be nothing left. Indeed, regardless of what nation the guilty are from—those who transgress Torah, those who violate the statutes of God, those who break His everlasting covenant (the covenant of faith in Yeshua)—will be devoured by fire. Life on the earth as we know it will completely cease. Only the remnant—those who are like the gleanings of an olive tree—will rise up and sing for joy at the majesty of the LORD Yahweh, the God of Israel, whose name is Yeshua! This is the time when the Earth will be completely remade—it will be broken apart and consumed, the demons will be destroyed, the sun and the moon will pass away—but God will reign in a New Heaven and New Earth from Mount Zion in Jerusalem before His saints.
Isaiah 25 explains the joy of the saints and the banquet we will enjoy, called by John in Revelation "the Marriage Supper of the Lamb." Death will be destroyed and every tear will be wiped from our eyes. The saints will proclaim: "Behold, this is our God, we waited for Him—He will save us ... we will rejoice and be glad in His salvation!" As we eat with Yeshua, the world will be refreshed and all evil will be burned up. Isaiah 26 explains our worship song, for we will rise up from the grave singing of the glorious things the LORD has done for us. The righteous nations will enter—those people whose minds remains fixed on Yeshua, who makes our paths straight by His Spirit, and in the judgments of God we learn righteousness. While we had been in captivity under the dominion of demons, the hand of the LORD has lifted us up and set the captives free, and thus we remember His name alone: Yeshua! The dead will awake and shout for joy, for dead souls shall live upon the return of Messiah Yeshua. The righteous will be hidden away during God's wrath.
Isaiah 27 explains that Satan will be slain while the vineyard—God's people—will be protected from any such thorns and thistles, which are demons and false prophets. Yeshua will march into battle against the enemy to protect His bride. Israel—the saved among Jew and Gentile alike—will blossom and bud and fill the earth with fruit. The world will be lain waste and the lawless will no longer have a chance for mercy or grace—those who cry out "LORD, LORD," but practiced lawlessness—will be gathered together at the trumpet blast to stand before God's judgment seat where they will be condemned.
In Isaiah 29, the enemies of God will waste away like fine dust in the wind and chaff blown away. This will all happen "in an instant, suddenly," in "the twinkling of an eye," as Paul wrote. Yeshua's Voice will bring forth flames of consuming fire, and His Word will judge all people. They will waste away in eternal desolation. But the wicked won't see the warnings—they either won't read the Word of God or they will refuse to understand it. And yet, those who were rejected by false teachers will come to understand and rejoice in the name of Yeshua! These meek will inherit the Earth. Israel will see the LORD and sanctify His name. All who remain will learn His instruction.
Isaiah 30, Isaiah 31, Isaiah 32, Isaiah 33
Woe to the rebellious people who will not listen to the Word of the LORD in His Holy Scripture, telling the prophets of the LORD who teach rightly to be silent concerning what God says, mocking them and urging them to preach what they want to hear, instead. These have itching ears, and they will be utterly destroyed by the fire that comes forth from Yeshua's mouth upon His return. How much worse will it be for the teachers who listen to them? They will be cut with the very sword that they rejected, which is the Word of God.
Those who repent and return to the LORD, obeying His Word, will hear His Holy Spirit guide them along the narrow path: "This is the way, walk in it." These will dwell in the land that the LORD is making for His people forever in gladness of heart.
We must not trust in men or in horses—in constitutions, in elections, in presidents, in machines, or in technology—but we must put our trust in the Holy One of Israel. His Word will not return to Him void. The LORD will deliver Jerusalem and He will defend and preserve His Holy Mountain, and so let us cling to Him there.
King Yeshua will reign in righteousness and will rule with justice according to His Word. All will be made right before Him, and He will no longer have mercy on the lawless ones. The complacent daughters, those calling themselves "Christian" but not changing a thing about their lives to reflect God's will, these will tremble before the King's presence when they realize He will judge all people according to His law. We ought to confess our sins, making our souls naked, and humble ourselves before Him seeking His help to walk in righteousness, so that we can bear fruit in the land He is preparing for us. Righteousness brings peace, quiet and assurance forever, and so let us follow Yeshua as He instructed according to the righteousness He showed us so we can dwell with Him in secure dwellings and quiet rest, besides the living waters.
The one who kills, steals and destroys will be stopped and betrayed by his own doings and God's people will cry out for the LORD to lift us up in salvation during this time of trouble. The whole earth will be consumed with fire, the heavens will dissolve with fervent heat, and the LORD will fill the land with justice and righteousness while exalting His Name. His time of justice will be a time of faithfulness—He will fulfill all that He has promised—there will be a wealth of salvation for those who trust and obey Him, and wisdom and knowledge will multiply—our fear of the LORD will guide us there. So many who believed they were doing well will be distraught and they will mourn as the chaff they produced burns up in the fiery wind—they will tremble, they will gnash their teeth, but to no avail, they will be consumed in the fire that comes forth from God's mouth. Who can survive this? Only those who trust in Yeshua and obey His instruction—those who walk righteously before the LORD. God's people will watch as the enemies of God are removed so thoroughly that there will be no remembrance of them. The LORD Yeshua, our King, will save His children who do the will of God and forgive their iniquities.
Isaiah 34, Isaiah 35, Micah 2, Micah 3, Micah 4, Micah 5
In Isaiah 34, the LORD expresses his anger at the nations on account of their hatred toward Israel. The LORD will annihilate all who oppose His people. This Last Day prophesy is terrifying, but also corroborated all throughout Scripture. The heavens and the earth will be completely burned up and destroyed, as will all who oppose the LORD, represented by Edom and Assyria. But the Gentiles grafted-in among God's people will inhabit a new heaven and new earth, and they will read, understand and apply Torah by the power of the Holy Spirit. In Isaiah 35, we can see the LORD build up a highway in the wilderness, which He will make flourish, and all who know the LORD, Jew and Gentile alike, will go up to Mount Zion with singing and everlasting joy, because they know the LORD.
Micah 2-5 takes on a similar prophetic message, chastising those among Judah who turned away from the LORD's righteousness. These would suffer great lamentations on account of their faithlessness, and God would not hear their prayers because of their evil. They would call for peace, but there would be no peace. In fact, Jerusalem and the Temple would be destroyed because the leaders would reject Messiah. But the Word of God would be gentle toward those who walk uprightly, and those among Israel who trust in the LORD would walk with Yeshua. The LORD would rule from Mt. Zion, and all the peoples of the world would worship Him there and learn from His instruction. A new kingdom of peace would be born in the day of Yeshua, when the lame and the weak would be raised up and accepted as the remnant of Israel, and Yeshua would reign from His throne forever, but not on the earth that now is. Many would be taken captive by the world, represented by Babylon, but the remnant would be rescued from it. A final battle would ensue, and the LORD's people would be gathered from among the nations. The Messiah would come from Bethlehem, while the Antichrist would come from Assyria. In the final battle, the LORD would restore purity to the land.
Micah 6, Micah 7, 2 Chronicles 32, 2 Kings 18, Isaiah 36,
The LORD speaks exasperated to the prophet In Micah 6-7. “What have I done to you?”Other than righteousness? “How have I wearied you?” But good men are hard to find. “Both hands are diligent at doing evil.” All the LORD asks of us is this: “Only to practice justice, to love mercy, and to walk humbly with your God.” Is this too much to ask? He will have mercy on those who return to Him, for He is merciful and righteous, but He will bring justice upon the wicked who reject Him and His Way.
The story of Sennacherib coming up against Judah is a historical parable for the Devil coming up against us. King Hezekiah spoke with the right counsel for such times and rightly turned to prayer. He told the people: “Chazak! Be courageous! Do not be afraid or dismayed by the king of Assyria and the whole horde that is with him—for we have more with us than he has with him!” They had the LORD—infinitely more! Senucherib uses deception, lies and sows doubt about God, seeking to steal worship from the LORD, but strength and courage of faith in prayer prevails and the LORD delivers His people!
2 Kings 19, Isaiah 37, 2 Chronicles 32
King Sennacherib and his general came to believe they were invincible because they defeated all the people who worshipped idols, but what could those idols do to protect them? When Hezekiah, Eliakim and Isaiah the prophet turned to God Most High in prayer, appealing to His glory and His name, God raised up humble Judah and made the proud Assyrians low. Prayer has this kind of power for you and for me. The LORD God will literally send His armies to fight for His faithful children!
Yeshua said in Matthew 5:11-12: "Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you."
Paul instructed: "Pray without ceasing." The enemy cannot stand against the armies of the living God, Yeshua the Messiah! But first get yourself right and humble yourself before Him. Hezekiah sets a wonderful example for us today!
2 Kings 20, Isaiah 38, Isaiah 39, 2 Chronicles 32
Hezekiah had been faithful to the LORD, and so the LORD was eager to heal him when he humbled himself and asked for this thing. However, Hezekiah did not use the healing for good but for evil. He sought to show himself in front of the king of Babylon, he fathered a son, Manasseh, who would turn to evil. Was death such a terrible thing for him to suffer? To live is to live for Christ and to die is gain. Hezekiah seemed to hold to a Sadducean mindset: that this life was all there is. We easily seek to please ourselves and our own interests with this mindset. While the king had spent much of his life honoring God, his last days were sadly a departure from this history.
Isaiah 40, Isaiah 41, Isaiah 42, Isaiah 43, Isaiah 44
Isaiah 40-44 are all about Yeshua, the Messiah, the coming one of Israel, who will redeem a people to Himself, bring sight to the blind, restore hearing to the deaf, and make straight paths through the wilderness. He would restore Torah and true worship of the One True God. He is one in being with the Father.
Isaiah 45, Isaiah 46, Isaiah 47, Isaiah 48
We have ONE God, the first and the last, and there is no other eternal god. How can people turn to idols? Isaiah's prophesy makes idolatry sound so foolish. Men warm themselves, cook food and make gods out of the same wood? Before Israel was even taken captive, the LORD explained that proud Babylon would be destroyed in her pride, Cyrus would rise from Media-Persia to help Israel, the Temple would be rebuilt, and indeed, Yeshua, the salvation and deliverance of God, would come. He said: "I proclaim to you new things from now on—hidden things that you have not known." But would they have eyes to see or ears to hear? Before Yeshua, who is One in Being with the Father, every knee will bow and every tongue confess that He is Yahweh/Yehovah! God said: “'My purpose will stand, and I will accomplish all that I please. I bring My justice near, it is not far off. So My salvation will not delay. I put salvation in Zion, My glory in Israel.'” God will not give His glory to another, and so we know, just like He said, God gave Yeshua His glory because He is NOT another. He is God! God sees all things, even into our hearts, so let us serve Yeshua and do righteousness, lest we be caught up in the destruction of the wicked.
Isaiah 48, Isaiah 49, Isaiah 50, Isaiah 51, Isaiah 52
God created the heaven and the earth through Yeshua for His pleasure, and now God has sent Yeshua out along with the Holy Spirit to teach His people the way we should go, for to obey God's commandments brings blessing—in fact, "peace like a river"—and a name that will not be cut off—He knows His children by name. God says to His people: "get out of Babylon," which is, to leave the world and go and sin no more, for there is no peace for the wicked.
God knows His children from birth, and it is not too difficult for Him to raise His children from sin and death into new life; His salvation shall reach the nations to the ends of the earth. He will keep His covenant of grace and restoration to those who come out of darkness. Praise the name of the LORD, who comforts His people.
The Hand of the LORD, the Messiah Yeshua, has power to redeem and deliver His people. No adversary who confronts God's people can prosper, for the LORD will help us.
The Torah of God will go out from Him and bring justice and righteousness to all saved according to the Word of God. God's people will wait for Him to move and respond to His will. God calls upon His people to have strength, for in the end He will defend His people and destroy the wicked.
The LORD will raise the dead and clothe His people in imperishable garments. We know His name: Yeshua! He will say "Here I am," and blessed are those who bring the good news of His salvation to the world; who announce peace in His name and according to His will. Our God reigns! Let us shout for joy! Hallelujah!
Isaiah 52, Isaiah 53, Isaiah 54, Isaiah 55, Isaiah 56, Isaiah 57
Yeshua, the servant of God, was lifted high and greatly exalted; His days prolonged, for death could not hold the righteous one of God who brings peace to those who trust in Him! But indeed He was despised and rejected by men; He was pierced for our transgressions and crushed for our iniquities ... a lamb led to the slaughter. Through His sacrifice, He would make many righteous, bearing the sins and transgressions of many.
Barren Sarah represents the new covenant assembly of Israel, the one who bore not, but through a miracle of God would bring forth fruit. As Paul noted, Hagar was the one who represented the children of this world, who would be sent away. The miraculous offspring through Yeshua would forget their shame, because the LORD Himself will redeem His children.
We ought to listen to the Word of the LORD diligently and take in His good instruction, for it will bring the abundance of peace and life to our souls. Our everlasting covenant is with Yeshua, who summoned all the nations of the world into His kingdom. Thus, let us forsake our wickedness and unrighteousness and return to the LORD and His commandments and He will abundantly pardon our sins. His ways are higher than ours, for it is by His Spirit that we can walk righteously before Him. His Word does not return void, but will accomplish all for which the LORD sent it.
The Sabbath is a holy day unto the LORD that He gave His people as a gift to rest and enjoy His presence. Blessed are those who keep it according to the LORD's commandment, for everlasting life awaits those who practice everlasting life in the Kingdom.
The LORD will bring peace to those who come near to Him through faith and obedience to His will, but there will be no peace for those who rebel against Him.
Isaiah 58, Isaiah 59, Isaiah 60, Isaiah 61, Isaiah 62
The fast the LORD desires is one that seeks to unveil unrighteousness in us and helps us to turn from wickedness restoring a righteousness that seeks to please God and love our fellow man. Whether Isaiah 58 refers only to Yom Kippur or also to the weekly Shabbat, we ought to seek God's presence during His Holy Days.
The LORD's Hand, Yeshua, will save, but we must turn away from our sin, which separates us from God, to enjoy His presence.
When darkness covers the entire earth, the light of Yeshua will come and His glory will appear before us. The LORD will bring in all who call upon His name and He will bring justice to the earth.
We must pray to the LORD for return and restore His way in the world, but also for others to repent in the meantime.
When the LORD comes, He will judge the earth. He will have mercy on the humble and contrite who worship and serve Him, but those who doubt His Word will be destroyed. It will be bloody. Compare Isaiah 63 to Revelation when Yeshua comes on His White Horse with His army.
Isaiah 63, Isaiah 64, Isaiah 65, Isaiah 66, 2 Kings 20, 2 Chronicles 32,
Like all God's chosen prophets, Isaiah wrote the conclusion of the whole matter from God's perspective: "For My hand has made all these things, so all these things came to be,” declares Adonai. “But on this one will I look, one humble and of a contrite spirit, who trembles at My word.”
Isaiah 66:2 (TLV).
The LORD will not only look down from heaven, but into our hearts; He will come to judge the earth and the whole heavens and earth will be shaken. Those who turn from sin and everything that is unclean will dwell with Him forever, but those who reject Him and His Way will be destroyed.
"For from days of old no one has heard, no ear perceived, no eye has seen God, except You, who acts on behalf of the one waiting for Him." Our imaginations cannot capture how wonderful being with Yeshua in the Kingdom of God will be. Let us put God first in our lives!
2 Kings 21, 2 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 33, 2 Chronicles 34, Jeremiah 1, Jeremiah 2
Manasseh was the son Hezekiah fathered after the LORD gave him 15 more years of life. We're tempted to ponder whether it would have been better for Hezekiah to die, so that Manasseh would not have been born, but this would not be the right conclusion. Though Manasseh did such evil that he brought the irrevocable wrath of God onto Judah—he shed innocent blood, he set up idols, he practiced witchcraft—he was the worst of the worst, having known the peace of the LORD for 12 years under his father's rule but turning away from it completely toward the path of Satan—yet the wicked king repented and restored his position with the LORD in the Kingdom. The LORD judged Manasseh by driving him off with hooks in his mouth to Babylon, and he humbled himself there (please read the Prayer of Manasseh in the Apocrypha—it's amazing), and thus the LORD redeemed him to return to his throne and he moved to restore Jerusalem for the LORD. Manasseh's fall and rise would be a prophetic template for all of Judah, which likewise would fall into total depravity, be taken into captivity into Babylon, and then in their humility the LORD would restore them in His mercy and grace back into the Promised Land.
https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Prayer of Manasseh 1&version=CEB
Manasseh's son Amon had learned his father's evil habits, but did not learn from the judgment he endured, his repentance, nor his reconciliation with the LORD. He was 22 when he began to reign. He should have known better. He was past the age of accountability. The people had already been through hell with Manasseh, and they weren't about to endure it again; they assassinated King Amon and brought up Josiah who would continue Judah's walk together with the LORD and not function like a dog that returns to his vomit. Josiah purified the land and restored the faith. Unfortunately, Manasseh's evil influence had a lasting effect on the culture and the people of the land didn't fully return to the LORD. That influence would fester and grow until God would need to humble the entire nation. As we'll see as we read on, Josiah's influence as a righteous leader could only go so far. When people are so caught up in sin that they don't follow their righteous leaders God rises up, the time for judgment is near.
Jeremiah wrote during the days of Josiah to the end of Judah's possession of the land. The prophet would write about the heart condition of the people, calling them to return fully to the LORD, but they would remain far away, practicing syncretism by mixing the holy with the profane. Whenever we are afraid to spread the Gospel, we ought to think about Jeremiah and what he was up against. Nothing could be worse than his experience, and yet he still served God in obedience. The people, on the contrary, would call on the name of the LORD while rejecting His commandments, and for this they would fall. The people committed two evils: they forsook the LORD, who gave them life, and they tried to replace the peace and joy that can only come from God with their own traditions. The LORD explained: "Your own wickedness will rebuke you and your backslidings will chide you." The LORD, in His love for His people, allows us to go the way that we desire, and He also allows us to suffer the consequences. There is no joy or peace outside of God—we will experience the emptiness of sin when we pursue wickedness. The proper response to this is humility and repentance, for joy and peace are only possible for the repentant.
Jeremiah 2, Jeremiah 3, Jeremiah 4, Jeremiah 5
Israel completely defiled herself with foreign gods and practices, and Judah observed this and followed suit, only later repenting, but Judah's repentance causes sadness in my heart—I see the same thing happening in Christendom today. We read: "And after all this her unfaithful sister Judah did not return to Me with her whole heart, but only insincerely...” This makes me think of Yeshua's Word in Revelation 3:15-16: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth." The LORD cries out: "Return backsliding Israel ... I will no longer frown on you, for I am merciful... only acknowledge your iniquity.... You have not obeyed my voice." This reminds me of Ezekiel 18:32: "For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,” says the LORD God. “Therefore turn and live!” Yeshua said in Revelation 3:19: "As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent." We must repent fully! Surrender to the Word of God. Live in the freedom that makes us free!
And then we read in Jeremiah 4:1-2: “If you will return, O Israel, return to Me,” declares Adonai. “If you will put your detestable things out of My sight. Then you will not waver. You will swear, ‘As Adonai lives!’ in truth, in justice and in righteousness. The nations will bless themselves in Him and in Him they will glory.” He instructs us: break up the fallow ground and don't sow where demons roam, circumcise your hearts by the power of His Holy Spirit—surrender sin to Him—surrender your own ways and take on His ways. His wrath is coming! The Day of Judgment is on the horizon. Today is the day to sow the Word of God in the good soil, for the harvest is great but the laborers are few. But to truly purify our hearts from wickedness, so we may be saved, we have to know the LORD.
Branches that do not belong to the LORD will be stripped away (Romans 11), but what are those branches? They are believers who say, "As the LORD lives," but surely they swear falsely. They say, "Jesus lives," but they swear falsely. They say "LORD, LORD," but they do not do the will of the Father. "They are foolish. They do not know the way of the LORD, the ordinance of their God." Revelation 14:12 puts it this way: "Here is the endurance of the saints: Here are they who keep the commandments of God and their faith in Yeshua." Those Christians who say "No harm will come to us nor will we see sword and famine" will be utterly destroyed in the judgment. Only those who trust Yeshua fully in good times and in bad times will endure in their faith and consequently obey the commandments of God, surviving as God's remnant through the captivity in this world.
Jeremiah 5, Jeremiah 6, 2 Kings 22, 2 Chronicles 34
Fools lack understanding of God's Word because they fail to open their eyes to its instruction and therefore do not hear the voice of God. How do people cry out to the LORD without fear, knowing that He has made the heavens and the earth and everything in it? Should He not punish the wicked—those who fail to do His will? How do people fall into such depravity? Here's the answer: "The prophets prophesy falsely, the priests rule by their own authority, and God's people love it that way." But what will they do when Yeshua returns to judge the Earth? He has warned us: Reject the commandments of men and obey the commandments of God.
Through Jeremiah the prophet, the LORD poured out His heart relative to the warnings He gave in Deuteronomy 28 against the people who would reject His covenant. The Truth of God's Word is straightforward and simple—it is not hard—and it is this: "Thus says Adonai: 'Stand in the roads and look. Ask for the ancient paths— where the good way is— and walk in it. Then you will find rest for your souls. But they said, ‘We won’t walk in it.’ So I set watchmen over you, saying ‘Listen to the sound of the shofar!’ But they said, ‘We won’t listen.’ Therefore hear, O nations and observe, O congregation, what is against them. Hear, O earth! See, I will bring disaster on this people —fruit of their schemes— for they did not listen to My words and rejected My Torah." The LORD sends prophets to speak Truth, He sounds the warning when people ignore the truth, and then He brings judgment. God willing, some among the people will repent in the midst of the judgment and be saved.
When I read Josiah's story, I consider that God delayed His judgment against Judah because of the king's heart of humility and desire to serve the LORD. Just as when Abraham stood with the LORD overlooking Sodom and Gomorrah in Genesis 18:32, and the LORD said, “I will not destroy it for the sake of ten,” so too is the LORD long-suffering toward Judah on account of Josiah and his court. When they read Torah, they heard its instruction and humbled themselves, but the overall culture of Judah was depraved. Judgement was on its way, but delayed. I can't help but see the parallel of Josiah's time to what we're experiencing right now in the United States. We have a leader who has humbled himself before the LORD, but not completely. Since Covid, we even have a remnant of people who have woken up to the Word of the LORD, but will we endure until the end? Judgment is coming. Though we are in a reprieve today, tribulation is upon us and those who endure until the end will be saved. So help us, O LORD, our God, our King, Yeshua the Messiah!
2 Kings 23, 2 Chronicles 24, 2 Chronicles 25, Nahum 1, Nahum 2, Nahum 3
King Josiah forced Judah to worship God, and because the people had no heart for God themselves, it would not remain. Prophets like Nahum prophesied destruction even during his reign. God was bringing destruction because of the innocent blood spilt by Manasseh, because blood must atone for blood. Nevertheless, “Before him there had never been a king like him, who turned to Adonai with all his heart and with all his soul and with all his might, according to all the Torah of Moses, nor has any king like him risen since him.” The man Josiah himself was solid, and it would have been a wonderful and refreshing time to be alive in Jerusalem, to see the land completely cleansed of evil and the Word of God coming to life on account of his faith. Sadly, we cannot make others take up our faith, for each man will be judged for their own interactions with God.
Habakkuk 1, Habakkuk 2, Habakkuk 3, Zephaniah 1, Zephaniah 2
We cry out to God and wonder why it seems He doesn't hear us, but He does. We grieve bitterly over the violence around us, the wickedness, the devastation, the strife, the contention, we watch the Torah get thrown to the ground, but it is not God who causes this evil, but man who sins against God. The LORD will bring judgment against a people who practice lawlessness, using pestilence, the sword, famine and oppressive governments. Alas Babylon, the nation God would use to crush Judah would itself fall to its own idols, for Nebuchadnezzar held up his own strength as his god, and it failed him. To God's remnant, the LORD proclaims: Wait on the LORD—His Word will not fail—the righteous will live by faith. Those who live by the sword die by the sword. Pride leads to a fall. The borrower is slave to the lender. Blood must be spilt for innocent blood. Woe to those who cause their brothers to sin. Woe to those who worship idols, for God lives forever in His Holy Temple! Fear the LORD! His majesty is on High and is worthy of all praise! His Way is everlasting! In the LORD there is victory. Trust in the LORD alone!
The LORD is coming to judge the Earth. The unrighteous and wicked will be swept away and destroyed, while the righteous will be consecrated before the LORD. The LORD would not spare the Temple dedicated to His name; He would not allow a place dedicated to Him to be used in deception. All that is defiled will be swept away. All the earth and its fleshly desires will be destroyed at the judgment of God. God's people must seek righteousness and meekness and the LORD may hide us in the Day of His wrath. When the LORD comes to judge the Earth, it will be final and His people will finally be free from all unrighteousness.
Zephaniah 2, Zephaniah 3, 2 Chronicles 35, 2 Kings 23, Jeremiah 47, Jeremiah 48
In both Zephaniah and Jeremiah, the LORD declares his judgment against Moav and Ammon, because these two nations brought unprovoked aggression against Israel and opposed God and His people. Jeremiah also prophetically called the Philistines to account. God may have been in the midst of judging Israel and Judah when these nations attacked them, but judgment belongs to the LORD and He alone shall repay. If man ever takes judgment into his own hands, he has nothing but judgment to expect in return, especially when it comes to judgment against God's people. Judge not, for you shall be judged. The LORD desires mercy, not sacrifice. We ought to watch. Our only role is to speak God's Truth with kindness, and when these two foundational elements meet, one is truly walking with the LORD. Grace and Obedience! Kindness and Truth!
Josiah acted presumptuously, and it cost him his life. He acted on his own will, rather than seeking the will of God, and Judah's most righteous king was lost to his own delusions of grandier. Pharaoh Neco had been sent by God to judge Assyria, but Josiah meddled. Proverbs 26:17 teaches us: "He who passes by and meddles in a quarrel not his own Is like one who takes a dog by the ears." Nothing good can come of it.
2 Chronicles 36, 2 Kings 23, Jeremiah 22, Jeremiah 25, Jeremiah 26, 2 Kings 24
First from Egypt and then from Babylon, Judah's wicked kings faced judgment after judgment, but they did not mend their ways. Jeremiah prophesied the LORD's heart for their repentance, but they would not heed His call.
The LORD pleaded: "‘Execute justice and righteousness. Rescue the one who is robbed out of the hand of the oppressor. Do not mistreat or do violence to the stranger, the fatherless or the widow. Do not shed innocent blood in this place. For if you really carry out this word, then through the gates of this palace will enter kings..."
There will be blessing and peace for those who obey the Voice of God; those who listen to His prophets, who preach His Word.
For those who disobey, there will be judgment: “Yet you have not listened to Me,” declares Adonai. “So you are provoking Me with the work of your hands, to your own hurt.” God used Nebuchadnezzar to judge His own wicked people who rebelled against Him. When we take matters into our own hands, the LORD repays us according to the work of our own hands.
Jeremiah 25, Jeremiah 36, Jeremiah 45, Jeremiah 46
The LORD would and still will have fury on all nations, including Judah, and no one will escape, not even Baruch the son of Neriah, who faithfully delivered the words of Jeremiah to all the people and the king when Jeremiah was locked up. God says this to you and me—we who serve Yeshua—in Jeremiah 45: "But you, are you expecting great things for yourself? Seek no more! For I am about to bring calamity on all flesh”—it is a declaration of Adonai—“but I will grant you your soul as spoil in all places where you may go.” Yeshua said absolutely nothing different Himself. He said: "In this life you will have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world." As servants of God, we deserve nothing different than anyone else. We deserve death, and we will receive it in this life. But our souls will be preserved through faith in Yeshua and obedience to God's commandments. He will raise us up on the Last Day if we endure until the end. We will dwell in the Kingdom of God. But woe to people like King Jehoiakim, who hear the Word of God and burn it up or throw it to the ground. Their actions will bring the destruction of their souls, but the Word of God will continue forever, just as the Word given to Jeremiah would be preserved.
Jeremiah 19, Jeremiah 20, Daniel 1
We ought not forsake the LORD at any time, lest His anger be kindled against us as rebels and we suffer the curses of Deuteronomy 28, up to and including starvation that leads to cannibalism! Don't put the LORD your God to the test, Yeshua said, lest we end up in Gehennah, which is the Valley of Ben Hinnom—also called the Valley of Slaughter. It is the place where the wicked shall be consumed by the fire that comes forth from the mouth of our LORD! Let us not stiffen our necks in stubborn rebellion, but rather humble ourselves to the Word of the LORD!
Let us not be false prophets who lash out against those preaching the True Word of God, lest we be like Pashhur, which means "liberty," and be condemned to Magormissabib, which means "terror on every side." Woe to those who call evil good, and good evil!!!
I sometimes feel like Jeremiah—"everyone mocks me. For whenever I speak—I cry out—I proclaim: 'violence and ruin!'" ... It's coming! God has promised this. The Word of God is indeed a fire burning in my heart, purifying all that is not aligned with Him, and I want no one to suffer the consequences of rebellion. I love fiercely, and thus I strongly desire according to the LORD's heart that all should turn in repentance and inherit eternal life! And while I identify with Jeremiah, when he says, "Why did I ever come forth out of the womb to see trouble and sorrow, and my days end in shame?"—the answer is simple: To love and serve the LORD and to do His will with all my heart, soul, mind and strength—so help me God, for I cannot do this without His grace! Indeed, I pray, let me not love my life to the death, but instead look forward to eternal life with Yeshua, and so with all of you!
When living in Pagan Babylon, Daniel, Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah—Belteshazzar; Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego—refused to eat food sacrificed to idols. It wasn't a problem to know about pagan things, or even to be called by pagan names, but these men would have preferred death to actively participating in pagan acts or eating food sacrificed to idols. We must do likewise, and Paul taught the same thing in 1st Corinthians 10:21, saying: "You cannot drink the cup of the LORD and the cup of demons; you cannot partake of the Lord’s table and of the table of demons."
Daniel 2, Daniel 3, Jeremiah 7, Jeremiah 8
The king expected his witches to be able to both see and understand his dream without him explaining a thing, but even Daniel the prophet could not do such a thing. Only God, by His Mercy, revealed the king's dream and its interpretation. From this, we ought to conclude that only God can look into the minds and hearts of men, and only God can offer interpretations of prophetic visions and foretell the future. One filled with the Holy Spirit—humble and obedient before God—can discern and interpret the Word of God, if it is God's will, as it was with Daniel, but first we ought to pray in thanksgiving to God, seeking His mercy and purpose.
The dream itself foretells the coming kingdom of God and of His Messiah, the rock that grows into a mountain, which will completely supplant the kingdoms of this world.
Nebuchadnezzar's golden obelisk was an idol, and the king called for worship during its dedication. Don't be fooled: applause, shouting, music, praise and all such manner of things are a type of worship, and we ought to direct our worship toward God alone! Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego would not bend their knee to any power but God Most High, and for this they were preserved in the judgment of fire—the only thing consumed were their chains—but the men who accused them were fully consumed. It will be like this in the eternal judgment; God's faithful will be purified in fire, but the rebellious will be utterly consumed by the fire that proceeds from Yeshua's mouth.
If we mend our ways and deeds, the LORD will allow us to live with Him in His Kingdom. But God forbid we fall to deceptive words so that we find ourselves singing and worshipping the LORD in church and then going out to live like the rest of the world. If we think we can get away with this, then we are "trusting in deceptive words that are empty." We cannot sin and then come to the LORD's altar during our weekly service and proclaim our own salvation. We are not saved to do abominations, just as Paul said: Yeshua is not a minister of sin. The LORD speaks to us early and often; He warns us thoroughly, and this is why He is just and good in bringing judgment upon the whole world. We have been warned. We must "obey His voice" so that He will be our God and we will be His people. We cannot mix the holy with the profane. We cannot practice lawlessness. We cannot follow our own counsel. We have to cast away from us our wickedness; we have to turn toward the Word of God in order to live; otherwise, if we linger, we will become like refuse that will not be remembered.
Jeremiah 8, Jeremiah 9, Jeremiah 10, Jeremiah 11
As it says in Proverbs 24:16, "for the righteous falls seven times and rises again, but the wicked stumble in times of calamity," so the LORD explains in Jeremiah 8: "Do men fall and not get up again? Does one turn away and not return? Why then has this people—Jerusalem— turned away in perpetual backsliding? They cling to deceit; they refuse to return." It causes me sorrow to consider those so caught up in their own deception that they refuse to surrender to the will of God! To them, their own heart is king and they won't submit to God. These are not ashamed of the abominations they commit and say peace to you, when there is no peace. They will fall among the fallen. As Jeremiah writes in 8:23, so I also have experienced when I see this: “If only my head were water and my eyes a fountain of tears, then I would weep day and night for the slain of the daughter of my people!”
Jeremiah 9 warns us against those who "go from evil to evil and do not know" the LORD. They live in deceit rather than faithfulness. The LORD warns us to beware in times of great deception. "Don't even trust a brother. For every brother grabs like Jacob and every neighbor spreads slander. Everyone deceives his neighbor and does not speak the truth. They taught their tongue to speak lies." Beware! "They wear themselves out doing wrong." The LORD will not sit idly by during times like these. He will refine with fire. He will test those who say they have returned. He will allow calamity to sift those who are true from those who are not. We need not wonder when disaster strikes. It is because they have forsaken God's instruction. We cannot be uncircumcised in the heart.
God's people ought to hear the LORD's Voice, especially when He says: "Do not learn the way of the nations or be frightened by the signs of the heavens." We cannot learn the pagan ways. We cannot mix the holy with the profane. We cannot call something Christian and believe we honor Christ when God has commanded us not to do such things. Jeremiah 10 is clear: Honor God and forsake the traditions of men.
While under a New Covenant in Yeshua, we forsake it when we do not act faithfully by keeping the commandments of God. The writer of Hebrews wrote: "How much worse punishment, do you suppose, will he be thought worthy who has trampled the Son of God underfoot..." (10:29). Yeshua is not a minister of sin, Paul wrote. If we practice lawlessness, the LORD will not hear our cries for mercy or grace when He comes to judge the Earth. All who are not walking with Yeshua will be consumed by fire. The LORD of Hosts judges righteously and tests the minds and the hearts, and He will bring vengeance on all who lead Him like a lamb to the slaughter by continuing in unrighteousness. We must bear the fruit of righteousness to dwell with Christ.
Jeremiah 12, Jeremiah 13, Jeremiah 14, Jeremiah 15
"When Yeshua came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, 'Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?' So they said, 'Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets'" (Matthew 16:13-14).
Yeshua often cited Jeremiah when speaking judgment over the prophets and rabbis who taught the people deceptively, and in turn, Jeremiah prophesied of the Day of Yeshua. The LORD indeed set the false teachers apart for a day of carnage, prophesying the destruction of the Temple in AD 70 and the destruction of Jerusalem in AD 135. Those who knew Yeshua had been warned in Matthew 24.
Yeshua also died at the hands of His brothers, the people of Judah, and this too was prophesied: "Even your brothers—your father's house—even they will betray you, even they will shout after you," Jeremiah wrote. He abandoned His House and forsook His inheritance, giving His beloved people into the hands of their enemies. The LORD bemoans through His prophet: “Many shepherds ruined My vineyard. They trampled My property. They made My pleasant portion a desolate wilderness. They made it a wasteland. It mourns before Me, desolate." But the LORD would have compassion on Israel's wicked neighbors, if they swear, "As Adonai lives," then they will be built up amidst a redeemed Israel so long as they obey the Word of God. In other words, the Gentiles would be brought in to Israel if they confess Yeshua's resurrection and keep the commandments of God.
The LORD so desired a people that He would keep close to Him, like a linen waistband, but they completely defiled themselves and became good for nothing, because they walked in the stubbornness of their own wicked hearts and did not obey God's Word. The LORD would not have pity on them, but would make them a ruin. When they ask why, the answer is simple: iniquity—they became accustomed to doing evil.
On account of this, there would be no living water in Judah—they would be ashamed and humiliated. But when they call out to the LORD, "do not forsake us," the LORD will answer, "They did not restrain their feet. So the LORD does not accept them." He won't answer their prayers. Judgment is coming, because the prophets prophesied falsely. When they look for peace, they will find terror.
Moses and Samuel were Godly men, but even if they stood before God and plead for the people of Judah, God would not accept them. Because of the abominations of Manasseh and the innocent blood he shed, they would face the sword, death, famine and exile. Exile was the merciful option. Jeremiah cried out concerning His faithfulness, and the LORD replied, "If you return, I will restore you, and you will stand before me. If you extract the precious from the worthless, you will be as My mouth. Let them turn to you, but you must not turn to them." Let us do likewise. The people who stood fast to the LORD would be delivered as a remnant out of the hands of the wicked.
Jeremiah 16, Jeremiah 17, Jeremiah 18, Jeremiah 35
It's not a good prognosis for Judah, but they earned it with lawlessness. Note similar language to the Gospels: "the days are coming quickly" and "the voice of the bridegroom and the voice of the bride" precede the judgment that comes "suddenly." Nevertheless, when Judah is scattered, the LORD will send out fishermen and hunters—disciples of Yeshua—to reach the remnant throughout the whole world. After the Messiah's coming, the LORD will send out His workers to reach His remnant, both among the Jews and the Gentiles, but the remnant will understand they have inherited lies. We need to know the LORD.
From Jeremiah 17, these words of the LORD are fundamental: “Cursed is the one who trusts in man, and depends on flesh as his arm, and whose heart turns from Adonai. For he will be like a bush in the desert. He cannot see goodness when it comes, but will dwell in parched places in the wilderness— a salt land where no one lives. Blessed is the one who trusts in Adonai, whose confidence is in Adonai. For he will be like a tree planted by the waters, spreading out its roots by a stream. It has no fear when heat comes, but its leaves will be green. It does not worry in a year of drought, nor depart from yielding fruit. The heart is deceitful above all things, and incurable—who can know it? I Adonai search the heart, I try the mind, to give every man according to his ways, according to the fruit of his deeds. Adonai, You are the hope of Israel! All who forsake You will be ashamed. Those who depart from You will be written in the dirt, for they have forsaken Adonai, the fountain of living waters. Heal me, Adonai, and I will be healed. Save me, and I will be saved. For You are my praise. Look, they are saying to me, 'Where is the Word of Adonai? Let it come now!'” Let HIM come now!
Honoring the Sabbath is the Fourth Commandment of Ten Words that lead to eternal life. We have to guard our souls so we may listen attentively to the LORD. He commanded us to remember the Sabbath, and yet it's the one thing we've forgotten. It's not a small matter. We face judgment if we forget to honor the LORD's Sabbath, for He is the King, and He invites us to join Him on this day. How could we possibly deny Him our love?
We are like clay in the LORD's hands, and He will remake us in this life until He gets us right, but only when our heart desires to serve Him and we turn away from evil. The LORD works through His creation to direct our hearts toward Him, but He still leaves it up to us to choose Him or not in the end. We will receive what we have chosen.
The Rechabites sons of Jonadab were descendants of Moses's father-in-law Jepthah who came into the land of Israel with the tribes, but they did not consider the land their home. They longed for the same Promised Land of God that you and I long for today. These were such obedient children that they obeyed their father's commandment to avoid wine and to dwell in tents. How could Judah not do the same for their God, who gave them commandments for their good? Judah would be judged on account of their disobedience, but God would bring the Rechabites into His eternal Kingdom.
Jeremiah 49, 2 Kings 24, 2 Chronicles 36, Jeremiah 22, Jeremiah 23
Those who oppose Israel, even in the midst of her depravity, will be judged even more harshly than she.
Jehoiakim and Jehoiachin were evil kings leading up to the captivity into Babylon.
The shepherds who drive God's people away from His Word keep saying to those who despise the LORD: "The LORD has said, you will have peace." These are those pastors who say "grace, grace," even though people don't turn from their sins. The LORD warns us strongly: DO NOT listen to such messages for they are not from God. Such teachings do not benefit a single soul. We ought to disregard pastors speaking of dreams to distract from the Word of God, for only the Word shall stand.
The LORD's righteous branch who would come to bring God's people together all around the world would be called: "Yahweh our righteousness." Could it be any more clear that Yeshua is God? I don't believe so. Jeremiah 23:6 states plainly that this will be the name of Messiah when He comes to save Judah and Israel, and this has taken place in Yeshua.
Jeremiah 23, Jeremiah 24, Jeremiah 29, Jeremiah 30, Jeremiah 31
23. Those who believe the law of God is a "burden" will be cast off into everlasting disgrace and everlasting shame that will not be forgotten, said the LORD. If any pastor says the law is a burden, cast them off from you, as God casts off false prophets, so that you can live. God's commandments are a law of liberty that He gave to us for our good!
24. The parable of the fig tree has roots all over Scripture, and we can find one example here, where Israel is compared to the fruit of a fig tree—some very bad figs, others very good figs. The good figs represent those righteous who would return to the Promised Land and be preserved, even though taken into captivity, while the bad figs represent those lawless who will be utterly destroyed never to return to the Kingdom.
29. When we find ourselves captives in a land that is wicked, away from the peace and righteousness we remember, we ought to focus on making the best of the lives we've been given, all in service to God and His righteousness. Never should we attempt to cater to the wicked in times like these, or even say that wicked things are good to save our skin, but rather we should repent for the evil we ourselves have committed and seek the Way of God, humbly depending on Him to help us endure, and He will bring us into His Land. Anyone who teaches falsely on account of the threat of hardship will be utterly destroyed.
Jeremiah prophesied Judah would return in the 70th year of captivity, and this happened just as prophesied, proving Jeremiah to be a true prophet of God.
30. The LORD will destroy all who oppose Israel, but will preserve a remnant among Israel. The LORD will fulfill all of His promises. We must be grafted-in to Israel through faith in Yeshua the Messiah to be saved in the last days, when God will be the God of Israel forever, and Israel will be His people forever.
31. Rachel would figuratively weep, refusing to be comforted as Herod slaughtered so many children in Bethlehem, but Yeshua would escape this peril to complete His task on the Earth; namely, to give us an example of righteousness, to die for our sins, and to rise up a conquering King, ready to restore life and celebration to the remnant of Israel. He comforts those who mourn and all who trust in Him will be satisfied with His goodness.
Jeremiah 31, Jeremiah 49, Jeremiah 50, Jeremiah 51
31: The New Covenant in Yeshua calls us to a deeper relationship with God, wherein we no longer look to priests to mediate between us and God, but we all have a relationship with Him by His Holy Spirit through Yeshua and have something to teach one another. The children aren’t judged for their father’s sins and vice versa, but all men will suffer the consequences of their own rebellion against God. The LORD is calling His people to Him to give hope for our future! We ought to cherish the discipline of God’s Holy Spirit according to the law, and humble ourselves, turning to do God’s will instead of our own. The LORD may speak harsh words against sin—even mournful words—but He delights in the return of His children. Let us no longer waver and backslide, but rather give the LORD everything! In return, He will fully satisfy our weary souls and refresh us with eternal blessings.
49 The LORD would punish but also restore a remnant of Elam—perhaps those who had been converted into the faith during the Babylonian captivity of Judah. Elom is a part of modern Iran that would also become a part of Babylon and Media-Persia. They would be judged for keeping Judah in bondage, but also some of them would be restored for their faithfulness.
50&51 Jeremiah prophesied that Babylon, which represents the systems of this world, would be destroyed by the sword of a combined force from the north. Media-Persia that would later conquer Babylon because Babylon gloated in the destruction of Judah and God’s Holy Temple. See Daniel 5. Compare Jeremiah 50 & 51 to Revelation 14. When Yeshua returns to judge the Earth, the systems of this world (Babylon) will be utterly annihilated because they rebel against God‘s order and persecute His people. Thus Jeremiah 50 is an inaugurated eschatology with both short and long-term fulfillment. We’re warned therefore prophetically: “Flee from within Babylon! Each one, escape with his soul! Be not silenced in her iniquity! For it is a time of vengeance for Adonai. He will repay her recompense. Babylon has been a golden cup in Adonai’s hand, intoxicating the whole earth. The nations drunk her wine— so the nations are going crazy. Suddenly Babylon is fallen! Shattered! Howl over her! Bring balm for her wound. Perhaps she may be healed? We would have healed Babylon, but she cannot be healed. Abandon her! Let’s go, each one to his own country, for her judgment has reached up to the heavens and has risen beyond the skies.“ We must abandon the worldly cultures and traditions of this world and take on the Way of Yeshua, lest we be destroyed also at the Last Day.
Jeremiah 51:15-58, 2 Chronicles 36:10, 2 Kings 24:10-17, 1 Chronicles 3:10-16, 2 Chronicles 36:11-14, Jeremiah 52:1-3, 2 Kings 24:18-20, Jeremiah 37:1-10
The LORD sent Nebuchadnezzar to take the ruling class of Judah captive—the kings, His servants and the priests and prophets—and he left only the poor to remain in Judah. The LORD brought this upon Judah because of their persistent unfaithfulness, but Babylon became proud in her conquest of God's people, and so Babylon itself would be utterly destroyed in its boastfulness. In Revelation 13, the LORD would allow the Beast "to make war with the saints and to overcome them," but ultimately the Beast would be thrown into the lake of fire, while the Saints would be raised up into God's Kingdom. Likewise, though Jerusalem was burned with fire, the remnant of Judah would return to rebuild the Holy City and its Temple. Babylon would be burned with fire and would never again recover.
Judah's final kings attempted to fight Babylon by their own strength, resting on the testimony of false prophets. But they were like the Israelites who went up to take the Promised Land after God had told them not to because they had lacked faith in His promises. Those who faithfully lived out their lives in the wilderness, humbled before God to die there, may still make it into His Kingdom. Likewise, those of Judah who humbled themselves in Babylon to serve the LORD may still live with God forever. Those of us who do not bow to the Beast and take his mark of lawlessness, but overcome the accuser by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of His testimony, and do not love our lives to the death, will dwell in the Kingdom with God.
Jeremiah 37, Jeremiah 38, Ezekiel 1, Ezekiel 2, Ezekiel 3
Jeremiah was a faithful servant to the LORD, even though he was thrown into the pit and despised by all his people. King Zedekiah knew Jeremiah spoke the Truth of God's Word, and if the king would have listened to the prophet he would have been saved, and the LORD would have relented in the disaster against Judah, but he was too afraid to act on the Word of Truth. We read in Revelation 21:8 that the cowardly will not inherit the Kingdom of Heaven. Zedekiah would suffer a horrible fate on account of his failure to act on the Truth. For his part, Jeremiah was not afraid to speak and act on the Truth, even though it caused him great personal suffering to do so. This is the type of man the LORD is seeking to bring into His Kingdom.
Ezekiel, a priest of the Most High God, was called after seeing a great vision of the Almighty on His throne. God commanded Ezekiel to go to the exiles of Israel to speak the Word of God to Him and to strengthen his resolve to speak the Truth regardless of the consequences. The Word God gave to Ezekiel is the same Word that He gives to any one of us who choose to follow Yeshua and preach the Gospel, and it is this: "Whether they listen, or whether they will refuse to listen—for they are a rebellious house—they will know that a prophet was among them. 'But you, son of man, do not be afraid of them. Do not fear their words...' As followers of Yeshua, we ought to fear the Word of the LORD that judges us, and not the scoffing or mocking words of those who are perishing or the deceptive words of false prophets. The LORD also explained that the Gentiles would hear Ezekiel's words and listen to him, but the House of Israel would not listen on account of their rebellion. We must "Preach the Word! Be ready in season and out of season. Convince, rebuke, exhort, with all longsuffering and teaching" (2 Tim. 4:2). Whether they hear or not, we are called to preach!
Ezekiel 3, Ezekiel 4, Jeremiah 27, Jeremiah 28, Jeremiah 51
If we find our brother in sin, it is our obligation to go and confront them about it, for this is precisely what it means to love our brother. As Jude said, some we ought to have compassion on some, but pull others out of the fire, hating even the garment defiled by the flesh.
Ezekiel's theatrical prophesy is interesting to observe. What's interesting here in Ezekiel 4 is we see a prophetic template for Peter's vision of the sheet being lowered with unclean animals on it in Acts 10. The LORD asked Ezekiel to eat food cooked in human dung, which was a test of his righteousness. It's something he refused to do, passing the test, and so the LORD gave him cow dung to use instead. Likewise, Peter refused to eat unclean animals, but the LORD didn't intend for him to do that either. Instead, God simply wanted Peter to accept Gentiles into the faith as equals.
Jeremiah also performed theatrical prophesy in chapter 27, explaining to Judah that they would serve Nebuchadnezzar as captives in his kingdom—they would need to put a yoke onto their necks. He decried the false prophets who said there would be peace when there would be no peace. Hananiah, for prophesying the desires of his own heart instead of the will of God, would die that very same year for speaking against the will of God. We have to be careful to speak only according to the will of God.
Babylon would not prosper on account of their conquest of Judah, but would rather sink also and remain desolate.
Ezekiel 5, Ezekiel 6, Ezekiel 7, Ezekiel 8, Ezekiel 9
Through the shaving parable, the LORD explained that one third of Judah would be slain with the judgment of war inside the city, another third outside the city, and another third taken into captivity to bring them to repentance, but even in those brought into captivity, only a remnant of that remnant would actually be restored into relationship with the LORD. Through adversity, we must lean in closer to the LORD, and He will redeem us out of adversity. If we ever get angry or impatient with God, we have made ourselves His enemy.
Those who worship idols will be slain among them when they are destroyed.
This is a terrifying statement that we cannot allow to happen in our midst: "Torah will perish from the priests and counsel from the elders." Whenever the law and the prophets, and the Holy Spirit counsel that comes from knowing the LORD Yeshua is lost from pastors and teachers, the people are headed for destruction.
When the LORD is getting ready to judge the earth, people who have the mark of God will be spared; those with the mark of God are they who keep the commandments of God and the faith in Jesus. These will "sigh and moan over all the abominations that are committed in" the earth. God will have absolutely no pity on anyone else. This is the Word of the LORD: "Show no pity or compassion; kill off old men, young men and girls, little children and women. But touch no one who has the mark. Begin at My Sanctuary." Do you see how serious it is when pastors do not teach their flock to abide in the law of God? They will be the first ones destroyed, but the LORD will have no pity on any who forsake the Word of God. We must be found wearing the mark of God!
Ezekiel 10, Ezekiel 11, Ezekiel 12, Ezekiel 13
Ezekiel saw a vision of the LORD leaving the Temple in Jerusalem and allowing the city to burn, because the city was deprived in sin. The vision was marvelous. The LORD dwells among the cherubim and sits on a sapphire throne amidst the flames of His great holiness! He wrote the 10 Commandments on sapphire stones; it was literally from the heart of Heaven that God gave His instruction and lovingkindness to mankind.
The LORD will be a little sanctuary with the people, even in exile, for He would dwell in the hearts of all who call upon His name and obey His voice. Those who return home would cleanse the land for the LORD. The LORD would circumcise His people's hearts with His Spirit specifically so they will keep His laws and His ordinances and practice them.
To have eyes to see that do not see and ears to hear that do not hear means that these are human beings with the potential to know God who refuse to come into relationship with Him. They know the Truth, but they rebel against it.
Ezekiel set up himself as a model of exile for the people of Judah. No longer would the prophet's prophesies be for a long-off time, for the day of the LORD was at hand. Yeshua said "no one knows the day or the hour," and so we must always be ready for His promises to come to pass.
Prophets who preach grace and peace to sinners will be destroyed by the LORD, but those who call sinners out from their sin to the righteousness of Yeshua will inherit life.
Ezekiel 14, Ezekiel 15, Ezekiel 16
When we read Ezekiel 14, it's imperative that we understand that Israel is the eternal name for God's assembly of believers, made up of both Jews and Gentiles, and we must be grafted-in to Israel through faith in Messiah Yeshua in order to be counted among the Church (Assembly) of God's people Israel. With that in mind, we can understand that these prophesies apply to both ancient Israel and Judah as well as the Church today, which is made up of both Jews and Gentiles as one Body in Messiah Yeshua. In describing the meaning of Ezekiel 14, note that this prophesy is divided into two parts, as follows:
In the first part, the elders of (spiritual) Israel came to sit before the prophet Ezekiel. God explained that these leaders of the Church have come in with iniquity in their hearts, and because of this, they are estranged from God; God will not dwell in them or with them. He will answer them to their face and cut them off from among the assembly of God's chosen people. They believe they are saved, but they are not saved. Paul exhorted similarly in 1 Thessalonians 5:19 by saying "do not quench the Holy Spirit," and He instructed us on how to avoid this in verse 22: "Abstain from every form of evil." If you quench the Spirit by coming in to inquire of God with iniquity in your heart, you are in the same place as the elders in Ezekiel 14. But this does not mean God's faithfulness expires—quite the contrary. Instead of immediately destroying those who are seeking Him with iniquity in their hearts, He instructs them how to return into relationship with Him: "Return," which is to repent, "turn away from your idols; turn your faces from all your abominations," or in other words, "abstain from every form of evil." We cannot inquire from pastors set on doing evil nor have such a heart ourselves, for with such a heart, God will send us out to face correction. He will be our God and we will be His people when we return to His Way and no longer defile ourselves or wander away from God's instruction.
In the second part of Ezekiel 14, God explains that He will send four judgments to His people who are sinning against Him; namely, famine, evil beasts (meaning government oppression), the sword (war), or the plague (disease/pandemic). Study Revelation 6, for these are the same four judgments that will come upon the whole world for rebellion against God and His Messiah at the End of Days, and that makes this prophesy extremely relevant to us today. Accordingly, in the second part of Ezekiel 14, God gave the prophet a series of scenarios that apply to any nation whatsoever, and then He concluded the prophesy by speaking about Jerusalem, which is meant to represent the Jews. This is the same message that Paul brought in Romans 1-2 and that He spoke to the Athenians in Acts 17, specifically verses 30-31, where we read: "Truly, these times of ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent, because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.” God is calling on all people everywhere to repent, to put their faith and trust in Him, and to walk according to His Way, forsaking the wickedness of their own way.
In order to escape God's judgment, whether temporary, for correction, or the eternal judgment on the Last Day, which separates us permanently as either sheep or goats, we must be like "Noah, Daniel, and Job," according to Ezekiel 14. Noah was one man who obeyed God in faithfulness despite the hundreds of millions of people around him going the other way; namely, "every intent of the thoughts of [their] heart[s] was only evil continually." We have to be like Noah! Daniel was a man who was taken captive into a world where everyone around him was forced to obey the "ruler of this world," Nebuchadnezzar, who represents Satan, upon penalty of death. Despite threat of death, he obeyed God's law and lived faithfully trusting in the LORD to deliver him, if not in this life, certainly in the next. We have to be like Daniel. Job had absolutely everything material in this world taken from him, including his own health, and those closest to him tempted him to "curse God and die," and yet he retained his trust in God, saying "I know that my Redeemer lives," when there was no evidence of his redemption around him. He groaned and sighed over all the abominations being committed in its midst (Ez 9:4), but never turned against God, and so God restored Him fully. We have to be like Job. Especially as the Last Days approach, we have to be mindful of this "great cloud of witnesses" who love God and keep His commandments, no matter what.
Ezekiel 15 explains that the vine symbolizing the ancient physical Israel living in the Promised Land failed in itself for the purpose God called it. God called Israel to be a light to the nations, but they had instead consumed the darkness of the world all around them and had become good for nothing, just like a vine that is not "useful for any work." Thus, the LORD in His infinite wisdom, would throw this useless vine in the fire to be consumed on account of its uselessness. But in doing this very thing, God would make the faithless nation useful; it would not only produce light but also warmth. You see, God said in His Torah that if Israel would obey His commandments they would be blessed, but if they would disobey His commandments they would be cursed. Through this curse of Israel all of the nations of the whole world would come to know that the Torah of God is eternal and true. God would be glorified by honoring His Word, and everyone with eyes to see and ears to hear would know it. On top of this, though not stated directly in this prophesy, God would redeem Israel and continue to use the nation for His glory by bringing forth His Messiah through Judah, and this King in the line of David would sit on the throne eternally, judging with mercy and righteousness. Now all who love and obey Him are Israel—a light to all people.
Ezekiel 16 is a very powerful and blatantly crass prophesy that has both temporal and eternally spiritual meaning. I want to point out the temporal meaning first, because its goodness might be lost on those skimming through quickly on account of how difficult it is to digest. Here is the text I want to analyze first: "When I passed by you, and saw you kicking in your blood. I said to you, ‘In your blood, live!’ Yes, I said to you, ‘In your blood, live!’ I made you grow as myriads, like a branch of the field. You grew up, got tall and came to full adornment. Your breasts were formed, your hair sprouted. Yet you were naked and bare. Again I passed by and saw you, and behold, you were truly at the time of love. I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I swore to you and entered into a covenant with you....” This is important, because in the Talmud the Rabbis incorrectly teach that young preteens are capable of marriage based on their own lust, and the Muslims are worse saying errantly that even children can marry grown men. Don't you see this perversion raising to the surface even in our day? Here in Ezekiel, God explains when a woman is ready for marriage: First she completes puberty, but even then she's not ready for marriage. God says, "again I passed by and saw you." It isn't until after she grows up to her full height and full maturity that she is ready for "love." In America, we say this age is 18, and that's a fair approximation of what God's Word is describing.
In its spiritual meaning, the LORD explains here how Israel was formed from an unloved and small group of people, and God developed her from spiritual immaturity to maturity, and then He taught the nation to remember His eternal commandments that had been lost during the 400 years of bondage. He Himself covered her with His covenant, and on account of this she became rich and beautiful, greater than any nation on Earth. But in the fullness of her beauty, she forgot her Husband, she broke her covenant with God and went out seeking to make covenants with all of the demonic spiritual teachings of pagan nations. She mixed the holy with the profane, for instance, worshipping both Yahweh and the "Queen of Heaven." She forgot her humility before her Husband, and even sacrificed sons and daughters of Israel to these foreign gods on burning pyres. This was an ancient form of abortion, but its purpose was the same; namely, to bring prosperity to those committing the act. She even experimented with every foreign culture around her, assuming all of their seed (teachings) into herself, taking on all of these pagan practices and syncretizing them with her own. Why not trust alone in her Husband who made her wealthy with His seed (teachings)? Consequently, the LORD would use all of these foreign cultures Israel assumed to destroy Israel and all these other women (cultures) would observe the promises of God come to pass. Israel would be reduced back to a helpless and naked woman, impoverished and homeless, because she sinned worse than the people she dispossessed, her sisters. On account of this, God would provide an opportunity for all the woman (the seven women who make up the Church) to be redeemed as wives to Him, including Israel, but not all the woman would accept this invitation. In this eternal covenant, all the women in the world (the congregations of faithful followers of Yeshua) would remember their shame and humbly stand before God; they would confess their sins, accept His grace, and live according to His way without objection—"you will never open your mouth again because of your disgrace." God alone will redeem His people from among Israel and all the nations.
Ezekiel 17, Ezekiel 18, Ezekiel 19
As Judah failed to keep God's covenant, so did the king of Judah fail to keep a covenant with the king the LORD sent to conquer him, and both God and man would judge Judah on account of their unfaithfulness.
The LORD will take the lofty and the flourishing and cut them off from His Spirit, but He will take those who have been neglected in this world and are therefore lowly and exalt them, providing them with Living Water so they can flourish.
Yeshua in Mt 7:23 references Ez 18 (and 33) when He states: "depart from me you who practice lawlessness, I never knew you." In Mt 7:21, He states that those who "do the will of the Father" will inherit God's "Kingdom." Each and every person will be held accountable for their own actions, especially whether they reflect an honest faith in Messiah Yeshua and keep His commandments. Indeed, Ez 18 explains that the LORD will not "remember" the "righteousness" of a man who turns away from righteousness to disobey God and walk in iniquity, for as Is 64 explains, his righteousness will become like filthy rags when he turns to sin like this. On the contrary, in repentance, God will also not "remember" the "wickedness" of a man who turns away from wickedness to follow God's law in righteousness, obeying the example of Yeshua, for he will be clothed in the righteousness of Messiah. If one is no longer remembered, then He is not known by the LORD, and if sin is no longer remembered, because of Messiah, then certainly the LORD will form eternal relationship with such a man. The LORD in His infinite goodness has no pleasure that any one should perish; He desires all to turn in repentance to walk in His ways and inherit eternal life.
The fierce and regal Israel and Judah were humbled like young lions caught in a net; burned like a bountiful vine dried up by the east wind. They were taken into captivity by Assyria and Babylon respectfully ,and then they were burned up in the aftermath of denying Messiah Yeshua, for the Messiah would come from the Mt. of Olives through the East Gate, just as prophesied. No human king would ever reign over the land again, but now the people lament as we all await Messiah's return to take His eternal throne.
Ezekiel 20, Ezekiel 21, Ezekiel 22
The LORD showed such mercy to Israel in the midst of her rebelliousness because He had created a people for Himself and promised them mercy, and He relented of the disaster against them when they repented so that He could show His nature to the Gentiles. The time had come for the rebellious to be judged for their iniquity, because our God is not a minister of sin. The LORD gave His commandments so we would live by them—so that we would be blessed by them, and yet we so often turn against them to our ruin. In violating these commandments, God has promised curses, and judgment will befall the wicked. But the mercy of God endures forever, and He will bring a people for Himself into His kingdom at the End for the glory of His great name—will will all stand in shame for the evil we have done, loathing the evil. This humility and repentance is what we can expect in the hearts of those who will stand before the LORD.
The wicked believe the LORD speaks in parables, in riddles, but He won't ever actually do what He has literally said. They are mistaken. For those who stand against the LORD with pride and rebellion in their hearts, they will literally face the sword, the famine, the pestilence, and the beasts of the earth, and if they do not return to the LORD in the midst of temporal judgment, they will be thrown into the lake of fire, which is the second death. The day of the LORD's wrath is coming, and so let us repent today while we still have time. We must not listen to false prophets who say we can have peace even while following the dictates of our own wicked hearts. One day, the time of certain judgment will come, so let us repent! Today if you hear His voice, harden not your hearts as in the day of rebellion. The LORD will purge uncleanness only from the hearts of those who return to Him.
Ezekiel 22, Ezekiel 23, 2 Kings 24, 2 Kings 25, Jeremiah 52, Jeremiah 39:1, Ezekiel 24
22. The LORD is bringing judgment on Israel because the prophets lie to the people and tell them what they want to hear so that they can get wealthy off of their donations; the preachers rip apart the law and make no distinction between what is holy and what is unholy, according to the Word, and they do not honor the Sabbath, profaning the holiness of God; the pastors give poor advice that harms rather than helps for their own benefit; and the people have turned to selfish interests on account of this. No one is standing up and explaining what is right and what is wrong based on the law of God, building a wall of discernment between what is good and evil, and so judgment is coming.
23. God will teach wise women not to imitate the sins of Judah and Israel, who fornicated first with Assyria and then with Babylon, to their own destruction. Judah should’ve known better seeing the destruction of her sister Israel, but did even worse than she. Paul said that the time of ignorance God had overlooked, but now He calls everyone everywhere to repent.
“For through the anger of Adonai it came to a point in Jerusalem and Judah that He finally banished them from His presence. ...” (2 Kings 24:20 a)
“I, Adonai, have spoken —it is coming. I will do it, I will not let go, not pity, not relent —according to your ways and according to your deeds they will judge you.’” It is a declaration of Adonai.”
Ezekiel 24:14 TLV
We will be judged according to our works, according to the word of the LORD.
Matthew 16:27
“For the Son of Man will come in His Father’s glory with His angels, and then He will repay each one according to what he has done.”
Revelation 22:12
“Behold, I am coming soon, and My reward is with Me, to give to each one according to what he has done.”
2 Corinthians 5:10
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive his due for the things done in the body, whether good or bad.”
Galatians 6:7-8
“Do not be deceived: God is not to be mocked. Whatever a man sows, he will reap in return. The one who sows to please his flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; but the one who sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life.”
Ezekiel 24, Ezekiel 25, Jeremiah 34, Jeremiah 21, Ezekiel 29, Ezekiel 30, Ezekiel 31
E24. It's troubling to remain emotionless amidst judgment and tragedy, but this is what the LORD asked. In good times or in evil times, Paul said, "Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice!" (Phil 4:4).
E25. The LORD may bring judgment against His people, but it is meant to restore them through repentance, not to destroy them. When the nations rage against Israel, the LORD will bring the same calamity on them that they bring upon Israel. Antisemitism is a significant evil and unwarranted. All people groups have good and evil men among them—why the special attention toward Israel? Because they are God's chosen people. Blessed are those who bless them, and cursed are those who curse them. When we find the people of our congregations falling away from the LORD, it ought to be our focus to pray for their revival, rather than their judgment.
J34. The people had repented, and the LORD was going to relent of His planned judgment against them, but then they backtracked. What a terrible disappointment. I've seen this happen. It grieves my soul. How much more the LORD?
J21. The LORD leveled with Jerusalem: if they want to live, they'd have to go into captivity and accept the responsibility for their depravity. It was time for them to be sifted like wheat, for the righteous ones to endure through suffering. The city and all in it would be destroyed because of persistent unfaithfulness, but those obedient who accept trial and tribulation would be preserved. It reminds me of the LORD commanding Israel to wander in the wilderness 40 years. Joshua and Caleb endured; they made it into the Promised Land. How rare a person to work through their salvation with fear and trembling. Like Daniel, Shadrach, Machack and Abednego, perhaps?
E29,30&31. Pharaoh boasted of his irrigation systems and rerouting of the Nile, and so God would send the nation into captivity. He also reduced the prowess of the nation so Israel could not seek aid from her any longer. Perhaps they would at some point seek the help of their God? Egypt is still weak to this day, per the Word of the LORD.
Jeremiah 32, Jeremiah 33, Ezekiel 26:1-14
Is it madness to buy property in a land under siege, doomed for destruction? The LORD commanded Jeremiah to do this, and so he did it, putting the deed for the land into a clay jar to preserve it. We do not understand why the LORD commands certain things, but like Jeremiah we ought to obey without wavering. He is Yahweh, our Lord, He is Elohim, our God. "Is there anything too difficult for Him?" Is there anything too hard for the One who created the heavens and the earth? The LORD has designed blessing for His people, and this is His promise—it will come to pass, even past our point of understanding. We must wait on the LORD.
Thus says Yahweh: "Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know." While the wholeness of the LORD and all His ways is indeed "unsearchable"—for we serve an infinite God—we must never say that the LORD does not want us to understand Him. He said: "Seek and you shall find." What a joy to have infinity to learn ever more about our God!
The LORD exclaims to the people in the world: "come out of her, My people," so we can be set apart for the LORD in a place He has set aside for us. He said to the people in wicked Jerusalem, which was worse than Sodom and Gomorrah in the evil it was committing, we must "go out from among them and be separate," even into exile into a strange land and away from the place where we have comfort. Whether we are in the world among sinners or in a church that has become worldly among sinners, we must go out to seek the LORD alone and be set apart from evil. In Jeremiah 33, He exclaims: "I will restore Judah from exile and Israel from exile, and will rebuild them, as in former times.” And God will do this for His people Israel and the sons of David. From the place of exile from sin, the LORD will rebuild us, as in former times. His testimony is true! He will pardon all our transgressions against Him. He will put us again in a place where we can serve Him and praise Him for the good and peace He brings to us. We receive joy and gladness when we forsake everything, even our very own lives, and follow Him! He is indeed a Branch of Righteousness, Yahweh our Righteousness, this branch of David who rules us as King forever. His name is Yeshua! He is our Salvation! He is our God! We will forever praise Him amidst the children of Israel, who will all be restored from exile!
In Ezekiel 26, God's Word against Tyre, people stand in the midst of their customs, rejoicing with musical instruments and food and drink, marrying and giving in marriage, and this IS what the LORD wants for His people! However, He will not allow His people to rejoice while living in iniquity and rebellion against what is good. Revelry leads to death. Rejoicing comes from obedience. Like a potter working his piece of clay or a metalsmith removing dross from impure silver, God continues to work the whole Earth—the nations and Israel—through cycles of building up and destruction in order to achieve His final masterpiece; namely, a people set apart for Himself who will build an intimate relationship with Him forever! Let us make sure we are returning to the LORD in the midst of our tribulations. Consider Hebrews 12:7-8: "If you endure chastening, God deals with you as with sons; for what son is there whom a father does not chasten? But if you are without chastening, of which all have become partakers, then you are illegitimate and not sons." Embrace verses 12-13: "strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be dislocated, but rather be healed."
Ezekiel 26:15-21; Ezekiel 27; Ezekiel 28; 2 Kings 25:3-7; Jeremiah 52, Jeremiah 39
Tyre was a island metropolis in the Mediterranian Sea that served as a center of trade for all the nations around the sea, including trading partners such as Egypt, Sicily, Greece, Assyria, Israel, Lebanon, Syria, and the lands of the Philistines, among others. The island city-state became exceedingly wealthy because of this, and like many other rulers of the time, the king of Tyre declared himself god. Ezekiel 26-28 speaks about this city and the downfall God would bring upon her for being so proud, like Egypt before her and Babylon after her. Alexander the Great built a causeway out to the island and ultimately conquered the city, and it remains as ruins to this day.
Ezekiel 28 goes further than what we read about the city of Tyre and her pagan king. No king of Tyre was in Eden. No king of Tyre was a covering cherub of God. No king of Tyre was ever created to be perfect. This prophetic word from Ezekiel uses the king of Tyre and his wealthy city as an example to describe the most perfect being ever created by God; namely, the adversary himself—the Satan. He was indeed perfect, for everything God created was perfect and good, and this cherub was closer to God and His throne than any other created being had gone. He was full of wisdom, meaning that He knew the Son of God and cherished Him, and he was beautiful in splendor and glory because of what emanated from God in his midst. Rather than continue in this perfection that God had given him, he exalted himself and loved himself instead of the God who created him. The fire of pride that welled up inside him would be the source of his own destruction. He would bring violence to the whole earth, rebelling against the Most High, but he would also be destroyed in the midst of the greatest of all humiliation. Pride comes before destruction! So it would be for the king of Tyre and all on the earth who follow the evil one's example.
Meanwhile, Zedekiah, the king of Judah, had an opportunity to save the city, to save his throne, and to save his family and his own liberty. All he had to do was listen to the prophet of God who spoke an undesirable truth and surrender to Nebuchadnezzar. He also rebelled against the Word of God. He attempted to fight and then escape, contrary to the prophets' counsel, and he was captured instead. The last thing Zedekiah saw with his own eyes was the destruction of his family, and then he lived in captivity for life, according to 2 Kings 25 and Jeremiah 39 and 52. We might think that we can overcome life's difficulties with our own wisdom and our own strength, but it will always lead to destruction when we do, and it will also bring great pain to everyone around us. The only solution is to surrender to the law of God and the will of God, even when God's way seems impossibly unbearable to us. If we wait on the LORD, He will uphold us and give us strength, even if things don't turn out the way we expect. We will receive peace and joy in this life, even when facing the worst tribulations, and the glory of God in the next age when we are patient and wait on God. Let us not be like Zedekiah.
Jeremiah 39, Jeremiah 40, 2 Kings 25, Jeremiah 52, 2 Chronicles 36, Lamentations 1
Nebuchadnezzar knew enough about Jeremiah's prophesies to desire his comfort and release, and he commanded his general Nebuzaradan to protect him. But how did the king perceive Jeremiah? Was Jeremiah a prophet of the Most High God or was he a traitor to his people who helped Babylon conquer the land? It seems to me that almost all people saw Jeremiah as a traitor—both his own people and the people of Babylon. It's amazing to consider this ire is also what Yeshua faced on the cross, for both the Jews and the Gentiles executed Him together on that fateful Passover day. But Yeshua, like Jeremiah, spoke and lived out only the True Word of God. On account of Jeremiah's faithfulness, the LORD made it so Nebuzaradan would release Jeremiah in liberty to do as he pleased. He went to live in Mizpah among the impoverished who remained in Judah, to minister to them there. This too is very much like Yeshua, who healed the poor and lame. It's no wonder some pondered about Yeshua's identity, according to Matthew 16:24, saying: "Some say [you're] John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”
Eved-melech the Ethiopian eunuch had helped Jeremiah in the past (Jeremiah 38:7-11), because he knew him to be a true prophet of God. Though he was a "servant of the king," which is what his name means, he truly served the King of kings rather than either earthly king—Zedekiah or Nebuchadnezzar. God delivered this faithful man from burning Jerusalem as we read in Jeremiah 39. There seems to be a parallel here with the Ethiopian eunuch of Acts 8, who served the Queen of Ethiopia but put his relationship with God Most High first. He had traveled to Jerusalem for a feast day, per the commandment, and was heading home when Philip overtook him and taught him about Yeshua. The man was baptized instantly upon recognizing Yeshua as the man of sorrows in Isaiah 53, the Messiah and Son of God. As we read in Isaiah 56, "To the eunuchs who keep My Sabbaths, and choose what pleases Me, and hold fast My covenant, even to them I will give in My house and within My walls a place and a name better than that of sons and daughters; I will give them an everlasting name that shall not be cut off." More study is needed on these two Ethiopian servants of the Most High God.
On the 7th day of the 5th month, Babylon destroyed Jerusalem, burning the temple, the city, the walls and the kings' quarters with fire, looting the gold and bronze from the temple, and utterly destroying what Judah had once regarded as Holy. The LORD would not allow any people, not even those descended from Jacob, to call upon His name and trample His Holy courts while committing abominable sins and worshipping what is holy alongside the profane. The LORD is longsuffering, but there comes a time when He will not tolerate hypocrisy and evil in His name any longer. To destroy this holy city, the LORD preserved the honor and glory of His name, showing the whole world, Jew and Gentile alike, that He would honor His Word. Any priests, prophets, shepherds or other servants of Yeshua today who believe they can call on the name of "Jesus" while practicing sin and ignoring God's holy Word will receive a similar reckoning when they call out "LORD, LORD," and Yeshua replies "I never knew you." Any members of the Body of Christ who poison the Body with rebellion will be cut off and burned in the lake of fire, which is the second death. Those scattered and enduring in faith in Yeshua and obedience to God's Word will be preserved and restored.
Let us lament in the destruction of any who fall away; let us lament when the places and people who used to house God's Holy Spirit lose their faith in rebellion, pride, and selfishness. We must not rejoice in the judgment of God, but plead for His mercy and use all opportunities when God sends judgment and testing to come to repentance in all humility so that we might be brought back near to our God. Today is the day to repent, so that there doesn't come a day when it is too late.
Lamentations 2, Lamentations 3, Lamentations 4
We make our LORD and our God an enemy when we intentionally and continuously sin against Him in rebellion against His law. The same Yeshua who said, "If you love Me, keep My commandments," said "depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness." He will pour out His wrath like a fire that comes out of His mouth and burns up the adversaries and will swallow up all who oppose Him and His commandments, and He will do this without any pity at all. The King will laugh at the calamity of the wicked. When we see judgment from God, we ought to wail with our hearts sunk low to the ground and mourn the destruction of people who should have known better. Pray for the mercy of God, for we too are sinners who deserve such destruction.
Jeremiah rightfully asks: "Why should any living person complain when punished for his sins? Let us examine and test our ways, and let us return to Adonai. Let us lift up our heart and hands to God in heaven. We have transgressed and rebelled..." If we find ourselves in a place where the LORD will not pardon, where judgment is all around us, our only prayer should be to remind ourselves of God's Word here in Lamentations 3: "I called on Your Name, Adonai, from the depths of the Pit. ... Do not close Your ears to my cry for relief. You drew near on the day I called out to You. You said, 'DO NOT fear,'... You redeemed my life."
Alas, when we see sin around us worse than Sodom and Gomorrah, what else do we expect for our land than this? Let us pray for the children of our people as Daniel did in Daniel 9, for we too have not done enough to call out the sin around us. We too must repent!
Lamentations 5, Obadiah 1, 2 Kings 25:22-26, Jeremiah 40:7-16, Jeremiah 41
“Woe to us, for we have sinned! … But God!: “You, Adonai, are enthroned forever; your throne endures from generation to generation.” “Bring us back to you, Oh LORD.” As Jeremiah prayed to end his great lament, so must we when depravity rises up around us.
In the prophesy of Obadiah, we learn: “You should not look down on your brother on the day of his disaster. … You should not speak proudly in the day of their distress. … As you have done, it shall be done to you.”
Edom will be stubble burned up when Jacob is restored to burn brightly in the light of the LORD, because of how proudly he turned against his brother, time after time, especially when Israel was being judged.
As Nebuchadnezzar set up governor Gedaliah over Judah, the people who were left rebelled against him led by Ishmael son of Nethaniah. God had explained they would be at peace if they merely remained still and waited for Him as servants in their own land, but they refused to wait on God. The men of Judah, on account of their fear and disobedience, fled to Egypt, where they would be slaughtered by Nebuchadnezzar anyway. We always fail when trying to do things our own way.
Jeremiah 42, Jeremiah 43, Jeremiah 44, Ezekiel 33:21-33
When Judah was left with a remnant in the land, the LORD told them to remain under Nebuchadnezzar's governance and all would be well with them, but if they went to Egypt as they desired they would be destroyed. They did not listen to the LORD and they were indeed destroyed in Egypt along with all of the nation of Egypt.
When we ask the LORD for something and don't get the answer that we desire, what do we do? Do we continue with the plan of our own wicked heart and ignore the voice of the LORD, or do we test the spirits, to know whether they really are from God, and when they check out, do we then obey the voice of the LORD? Obedience is better than sacrifice in the eyes of God, and He desires mercy, not sacrifice. However, the LORD will not be merciful to the wicked who ignore His Word and go their own way, especially those worshipping the so-called "Queen of Heaven" or other demons. Idolatry is the fastest way to judgment, and continuous disobedience leads to destruction.
When we Pray that "the LORD OUR God" will tell us where we should go and what we should do, we had better be prepared to obey Him. When we refer to the LORD as someone else's God—"the LORD YOUR God"—faith is missing, and disobedience leading to death is sure.
It's remarkable to me that the Jews believed their worship of the Queen of Heaven was what sustained them, and their worship of Yahweh alone is what ended their prosperity. So many Christians today believe they need to add to their worship of God by praying to saints (praying to the dead) or praying to Mary (the Queen of Heaven, who is also dead). They believe they lose out on prosperity when they fail to practice these pagan traditions, that somehow it's asking too much to worship Yeshua/Jesus alone. How could it be too much to worship the only One Who saves—the only One Who redeems—the only One Who delivers? What could possibly be better than for our Creator Himself to offer Himself to us as the eternal Way? For whatever reason, we like to add to God's simplicity, and God has warned us repeatedly not to do this. Religion leads to death. A faithful walk with Yeshua in obedience to God's commandments with the Holy Spirit is the only Way to life.
Ezekiel 34, Ezekiel 35, Ezekiel 36
Ezekiel 34 is a terrifying warning against teachers who seek their own interests only; they seek to build their church congregations to increase the bottom line, sacrificing the Word of God in the process. They let people drop off who aren't contributing to the bottom line. It's a business for them. But what about the woman who gave two mites? Yeshua said she gave more than anyone else who was in the Temple that day. The LORD is the one who will restore true leadership for His people; He will lead according to the Word of God, not for His own benefit. Shepherds who answer the call to teach God's flock deserve absolutely nothing in return; they merely do their duty. It ought to be a pleasure to serve the living God and His people. Those who seek some gratification for their finances or their ego will be cut off. Those members who push down the weak and hold themselves up higher than others will also be cut off.
Edom, or any people, who seek to benefit off the misfortune of others will suffer the same misfortune themselves, but theirs will assuredly come from the LORD.
Ezekiel prophesied rightly that Israel would return to her land and be blessed, but it wouldn't be on account of their own righteousness, but rather to glorify the Name of the LORD who promised this would come to pass. Any time we believe our own righteousness brings us reward we fail to humble ourselves before our God, who is perfect in all His ways. He redeems us for His own glory! Praise, thanksgiving and heartfelt obedience ought to be our response to His grace!
Ezekiel 37, Ezekiel 38, Ezekiel 39, Ezekiel 32:1-16
Ezekiel 37-39 is a prophesy of the Last Day "Eternal Judgment" and the Resurrection of the Dead, both of which are "elementary principles of Messiah Yeshua," according to the writer of Hebrews in Hebrews 6:1-2. Paul explained this day in his letters to the Thessalonians, in 1 Corinthians 15, and elsewhere, and Yeshua Himself spoke about it in Matthew 24, John and Revelation, among other places. Most notably, Yeshua said in John 5:28-29: "Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth— those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation."
Ezekiel 37 explains the Resurrection of the Dead in great detail and gives us a look into the components of Man: breath, dust, and the resultant soul. Paul wrote that we would receive "incorruptible bodies" in this resurrection, when "all Israel will be saved," and WE MUST be among Israel to be saved. We are grafted-in through Yeshua. Our King Messiah Yeshua will return and reign forever on this day, and His people will all be with Him when He utterly destroys the armies of Satan and his followers who rise up against Him by simply opening up His mouth and speaking His Word. Gog of Magog represents the Antichrist movement that will stand against Messiah upon His return. Magog is a city in modern Turkey that has also been called Pergamum. It is Satan's seat. Micah 5 explains the Antichrist will come from Assyria, which is this same land. The Messiah, born in Bethlehem, and all who follow Him will be victorious on the earth's final day. The Word of God will consume the rebellious and disobedient and purify the faithful as the hottest fire to ever burn on that day. Egypt, a metaphorical representation for "the World," will be burnt up in this judgment. All that will remain will be Yeshua's perfect Kingdom forever and ever.
Ezekiel 32:17-32; Ezekiel 33:1-20; Jeremiah 52:28-30; Psalms 137; 1 Chronicles 5:1-17
32: The worldly men who do not know the LORD, who have not circumcised their hearts by the Holy Spirit, who go to battle for their own well-being at the expense of others—these will end up in the lake of fire.
33: Yeshua told us the second greatest commandment is to love our neighbor as ourselves, and He told us repeatedly to watch and pray. Ezekiel 33 explains exactly how to do this. As a watchman on the wall warns a city of the enemy coming near, so too do we as followers of Yeshua need to warn our fellow Christians of they fall into sin. If we warn them, we are doing our duty as followers of Yeshua. If we do not warn, we will be destroyed for the same sin they commit, even if we don’t commit it ourselves. Paul said the same thing at the end of Romans 1. But the LORD has no pleasure in the death of the wicked. His desire is for us all to “turn and live.” He gives us this ministry within His kingdom to work out His good in the lives of others. Because the LORD is righteous and faithful, He will accept the wicked man who turns from wickedness and lives righteously in obedience to Yeshua, and He will reject the righteous one who turns back toward his or her sins. Yeshua said the same thing. We will be judged by the works of our hearts.
Ps.137: There are days when I sit down and weep for the world I observe around me and the people I see oblivious to their Creator’s perfect goodness and eternal love. How can I sing of joy in this foreign land, when my home is in the Kingdom of God with Yeshua? I mourn for those who don’t know the LORD and yearn to reach them, pleading with the Father to help! I ask for the LORD to bring His vengeance on the evil one; to stop him from stealing, killing, and destroying those I love. I remember the LORD in the midst of my yearning, humble myself before Him, and then I am joyful that I know Him, and I certainly pray that He never lets me go, just like He promised.
“Though Judah was the strongest among his brothers, and a ruler came from him, the birthright belonged to Joseph.” (1 Chronicles 5:2 TLV) > All of Israel will be saved.
1 Chronicles 5, 1 Chronicles 6, 1 Chronicles 7, 1 Chronicles 8
All of these men we read listed in Chronicles were named in God's Holy Word and have significance in His grand story. Some of them lived for God, and others didn't. Consider Jehozadak, a high priest taken into captivity by the hand of Nebuchadnezzar. He certainly presided over a temple that was destroyed by the hand of the LORD. How much was he personally responsible for this? Was he redeemed in Babylon? His son Joshua was called to lead the Jews in the Second Temple God would have them build. There is a story behind every name, and I'm just scratching the surface. We ought to follow two lines of thought in such chronologies: 1) What is the story of these men and what can we learn from their stories, once we search them out? 2) Is our own name written in the Book of Life? What do we need to do in line with our faith in Yeshua to make sure our names are written there?
1 Chronicles 8:29-40, 1 Chronicles 9:1, Daniel 3:31-33, Daniel 4, Ezekiel 40:1-37
All Israel was registered and there is a book written for each one of us. What will be written in our book? Will it be incorporated into the Book of Life through faith in Yeshua? Will we be led into captivity on account of sin, or will we be redeemed on account of humility and faithfulness?
The story of Nebuchadnezzar is a lesson from the LORD for His people. This king was humbled in Daniel 3 to acknowledge the power, kingdom and wonders of God, which are eternal, and yet he fell away on account of his pride in Daniel 4. Have we ever found ourselves in a place where we praise God for the glorious gifts He brings into our lives and then we grow complacent in our comfort and forget the LORD who brought abundance? The LORD will allow us to have a wilderness experience apart from Him when we believe that anything we do is the reason for our success. Like Nebuchadnezzar the beast who wandered aimlessly for seven years, so too will we wander without purpose when we are apart from God. It is the LORD who blesses and the LORD who takes away blessing, and every bit of this is dependent on whether our heart seeks to elevate Yeshua and His commandments or whether we seek to elevate ourselves and our own way. If we find ourselves as brute beasts apart from God, we can still humble ourselves and return to Him! Like Nebuchadnezzar, God gives each of us a knock on the doors of our heart asking for us to let Him in. If we humble ourselves and repent, He will restore His Holy Spirit in us and lead us once more in the everlasting Way.
The end of Ezekiel is still a mystery and will likely remain that way until it is fully realized. These latter chapters of Ezekiel appear to be an inaugurated eschatology that describe the second temple while also spiritually describing the third temple Yeshua is building. Just as the LORD described each and every detail of His second temple through His prophets, so too does He know every detail of His people, who make up the building blocks of the third Temple. His eyes are constantly scanning our hearts to know exactly how we are producing righteousness for His Kingdom. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 3:11-13: "For no other foundation can anyone lay than that which is laid, which is Messiah Yeshua. Now if anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is." Just as Nebuchadnezzar was tested, so too will we be tested if we build up any pride in our own path. Only those walking along the narrow way of the LORD Yeshua will withstand His final fury.
Ezekiel 40:38-49; Ezekiel 41; Ezekiel 42; Ezekiel 43
Ezekiel wrote an inspired prophesy from his perspective as a priest desperately looking forward to the time when God would dwell among the people of Israel again in the Holy City. It is a story looking forward to redemption; a return of what was lost. But those returning to honor the LORD and experience His presence were called to humble themselves before the LORD, offering up blood to atone for their sins so they could even come in near and be among Him.
We look to the blood of Yeshua, a one-time sacrifice for sin, so that we can come in near to the throne of grace. Let us not quench the Holy Spirit through lawlessness or rebellion against our God, but rather let us seek the LORD through humble obedience to His commands, because He has made us clean by His blood. His glory indeed shines within His temple of souls that He has purified to dwell with Him forever, and so let us go in with hearts ready to serve Him according to His ways.
Ezekiel 44, Ezekiel 45, Ezekiel 46
Only the Prince, the נָשִׂיא nāśiy, will enter the East Gate, and only on the Sabbath, a Holy Day or a New Moon, and the Prince will bring in the sacrifice. When Yeshua came during the Second Temple period, He indeed entered from the Mt. of Olives through the East Gate into the Temple. Did that fulfill this prophesy? Yes. Entirely? I don't know. Is this a metaphor for what Yeshua is doing in Heaven? Is it something Yeshua will do during a "Millennial Reign" on the Earth? Is it something metaphorical for the Holy times that will still be celebrated in the Eternal Kingdom? I am still asking the LORD to reveal these things to me. What I can say for sure is that the Prince was not meant to do these things according to Torah, but the Messiah would be both Prince and High Priest, and so there is a Messianic element to this prophesy—Yeshua is both sacrifice and High Priest and also Prince of the Universe. Because Messiah's one-time sacrifice would serve once to atone for sins, and because Yeshua sits interceding for us as High Priest right now at the right hand of the Father, and because there will be "no death" in the Kingdom of God that is coming, I must side with a partial fulfillment and an allegorical interpretation of these passages.
Ezekiel 47, Ezekiel 48, Ezekiel 29:17-21; Ezekiel 30:1-19; 2 Kings 25:27-30; Jeremiah 52:31-34
The end of Ezekiel is an earlier prophesy about the same vision Yeshua showed John at the end of Revelation, complete with the river flowing forth from the Temple of God and the fruit lining the sides of the river, as well as the abundance flowing forth from the King, who is Messiah Yeshua. A closer study should compare Ezekiel and Revelation, and this will help uncover more of God's Truth. What's interesting is that Ezekiel makes it plain that Gentiles will be allotted an inheritance amidst the tribes of Israel in God's eternal Kingdom. If we are not grafted-in to Israel through faith in Messiah Yeshua, we will be outside the Kingdom with those of the world, represented by Egypt in today's reading, destroyed and bitterly left out in the place where there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. In the present day, the Kingdom of God has flown forth like a trickle at first from Yeshua and His 12 apostles, but it has increased into a massive river, making clean all who drink from the living water of God. Let us all produce fruit for the Kingdom of God so that His will can be done on the Earth as it is in Heaven. The LORD dwells amidst His people who love Him and keep His Word, and He is returning to dwell among us forever more.
Daniel 7, Daniel 8, Daniel 5, Daniel 6:1
The beasts from the sea are kingdoms from the masses of people on the Earth, and Daniel was given a vision of their reign. His prophesy came to fruition. First Babylon, then Media-Persia, then Greece, and then a divided Greece, with the "little horn" Antiochus Epiphanies IV reigning in the Seleucid Empire. He was an Antichrist figure—a type, if you will, of the Antichrist spirit, and these words describe him: “He will speak words against the Most High, and will continually harass the saints of the Most High, and will try to change the appointed times and law. The saints will be handed over to him for a time...” As Yeshua Himself said: "whoever endures until the end will be saved." We must endure in love and obedience to God and His commandments and live as Yeshua lived. His sanctuary will be vindicated, His people will be brought into His kingdom in peace, but those who are enemies of the Way will be burned up in the unquenchable fire of God's Holy Word! All of God's timing is appointed according to His will, and His will be done. Kingdoms of men will come and go, but the Kingdom of God endures forever. We must live as Daniel did, outlasting the world with complete confidence in Messiah Yeshua and His kingdom that endures forever.
Daniel 6:2-29; Daniel 9; 2 Chronicles 36:22-23; Ezra 1; 1 Chronicles 3:17-19
Like Daniel, we may be targeted for our faith and obedience to the LORD Yeshua by those who are jealous of our relationship with Him. This is particularly true of those who give lip service to Jesus but fail to surrender to Him. The lion's den is a place where Satan may appear fierce in our lives; where we may be tempted to feel overwhelmed, fearful, doubtful, or discouraged, but even in these darkest hours when we might feel like we may be abandoned and left for dead, our God is with us in the midst of the darkness, shining His light brightly. Because we are seated in the heavenlies with Yeshua our LORD and our God, we indeed can sit in the lion's den and wait for the light of day, which will certainly come. When we come out stronger and bolder in our faith than before, the enemy will be destroyed by his own trap, and what he meant for evil against us will be used to take ground from him and ultimately destroy him while we are lifted up. God will be given all the glory!
In his prayer for Israel, Daniel showed an example of how we ought to follow Yeshua—in humility, in contrition, with reliance on the love of God and total faith in His promises. The shame of our rebellion against the law of God ought to remind us of the great mercy of our LORD who gives us grace, commanding us to "go and sin no more." And yet we walk as He showed us in righteousness, which is His example, and we remember His compassion and forgiveness giving all glory to His name! When we pray like this, the LORD knows our hearts and He sends out His angels to answer even before we're done praying. The LORD is the restorer of what is broken and ruined; He is the one who keeps His promises even from the darkest hours. In that moment, the light breaks forth like the dawn and shines ever brighter to the midday Son! Daniel prophesied Yeshua's coming to the year from the decree of Cyrus to rebuild the temple. His prophesy is one of the main reasons we know Messiah Yeshua is the One, and only He could have fulfilled this prophesy. This is why doubters in the Jewish religion attempt to discredit Daniel as a prophet, but that is impossible. He was exactly correct with what he wrote about Antiochus Epiphanies IV and Yeshua. Praise Yeshua!
Ezra 2, Ezra 3, Ezra 4:1-5, 1 Chronicles 3:19-24
Men sent back to build the Temple differentiated between those who could prove themselves native born of Israel and those who couldn't for the purpose of ministering in the new Temple. When Assyrian transplants offered to help, they were turned away because they sought to subvert rather than assist. Discernment is needed here, both for our understanding of these passages as well as their application within our own lives. At the time, the people all around wanted to see Jerusalem remain desolate, as they do now, also. The returning Jews had a mandate from God and the king to rebuild, and they were obligated to prevent outsiders from thwarting the efforts. Spiritually speaking, we must prevent those who give Jesus lip service but don't actually follow Him from building our churches with us. They seek to subvert, not assist—to make the church more like the world, not to make themselves more like Messiah. Only those wholly seeking Yeshua ought to come in to worship with us so we can be certain that they will be building rather than supplanting or tearing down. The wishy washy and unfaithful ought to submit to God before they come in and stand beside the saints.
Daniel 10, Daniel 11, Daniel 12, Ezra 4:24, Ezra 5:1, Haggai 1
The words of the angel Gabriel to Daniel blow my mind, and they help me to understand how important our heart condition is with God. We read: "For from the first day that you set your heart to understand and to humble yourself before your God, your words were heard. I have come because of your words." Our prayers have immense power when they are made in total humility with a desire to know God and His will. God Himself hears us and sends forth His messengers to help us. In his humility and persistent prayer, Daniel is called a "highly valued man!" This was a message from God through His angel to a created man! He sees us when we are low and raises us up again! The angel encouraged Daniel: "Chazak!—Be strong!" God gave Daniel SPIRITUAL strength with this encouragement, and the Spirit of Power surpasses all physical strength.
As a side point, Gabriel intended to come sooner, but was delayed fighting the principality (demon) that oversaw Persia until Michael came to help him defeat the enemy. He was held up in the spiritual realm. We ought to understand that war is going on all around us, but we can rest assured that the victory is secured in Messiah. He will always overcome the powers of darkness, just as He did here.
The prophesy Gabriel gave to Daniel didn't just cover the near term future, but it addressed all important changes in the political landscape of the Middle East from that moment until the End of Days. Will we understand the prophesy? Daniel didn't, but it was shut up until the time of the end. Those days are certainly closer now than they've ever been, and they'll be closer still tomorrow. God will reveal what we need to know when we need to know it, and until then we ought to have faith in His promises, for they are certain. The partially fulfilled prophesies of Daniel are spiritual proof that this man knew the LORD and wrote what is true. More study and prayer is needed in Daniel 10-12.
Haggai 2:1-9, Zechariah 1:1-6, Haggai 2:10-19, Ezra 5:2, Haggai 2:20-23, Zechariah 1:1-4, 7-17, Zechariah 2:5-17, Zechariah 3, Zechariah 4, Zechariah 5
Haggai 2:1-9 is among the more important prophesies of the second temple. The LORD asked the prophet rhetorically, “Who remains among you who saw this House in its former glory? So how do you see it now? Does it not seem as nothing in comparison in your eyes?” Despite its size and stature, God makes it clear, “The glory of this latter House will be greater than the former … In this place, I will grant shalom.” Yeshua the Messiah would walk into the Second Temple, and nothing could bring greater glory, nor greater peace, than for God Himself to stand inside His Temple as the Messiah who came to save! He would indeed become the treasure of all the nations!
The LORD told His people through Zechariah: “Return to Me … and I will return to you,…” The LORD surely deals with us according to our ways and deeds, but He has mercy on the repentant. The LORD will be a wall of fire around His people as well as the light of glory in their center, just as John explains later in Revelation 21-22, and “In that day many nations will join themselves to the LORD and they will be My people and I will dwell among you,” said the LORD. In Messiah Yeshua we are grafted in to Israel; specifically into Judah. We all ought to stand in awe of Him!
The imagery of Zechariah is similar to the imagery of John, and helps explain it. The two witnesses of God, Israel and Judah, Smyrna and Philadelphia, are those saints grafted-in and returning to God who worship the Messiah Yeshua, the cornerstone, the one who brings us salvation by His grace, and who leads us by His Spirit into victory through obedience to His Word.
A curse will go out on the Earth like a flying scroll—it is the Word of God that condemns the wicked and upholds the faithful. Let us be sure to enjoy the covering of Yeshua’s blood and obedience to God’s will, so we will be passed over in the Judgment.
Zechariah 6, Ezra 5:3-17, Ezra 6:1-14, Zechariah 7, Zechariah 8
From Zachariah 6, we learned that the four horsemen of the apocalypse are indeed also called the four winds of Heaven, so that decoder ring has been unveiled. We also learned that the Messiah—the Branch—is going to build a temple, and subsequently rule from his throne, but it would be wrong to think that his temple is physical, and his throne is on earth. I believe this is referring to Messiah Yeshua building the temple of his church and rising to sit on the throne in heaven as our intercessor. While Yehoshua would be the high priest at the start of the second temple period, Yeshua would be the high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.
In Ezra, Satan tried to stop the work of the LORD to rebuild the temple through Tattenai, governor of Trans-Euphrates, by playing on the pride of the king. But Darius had already become a man of God through the story of Esther, his wife, and so he not only found the letter from Cyrus instructing the temple’s construction, he also ordered Tattenai to pay for the work out of his own treasury. Anyone protesting this would be hung on his own door post. This is an answer to much prophecy about how those who celebrated Judah’s destruction would have that destruction come back on their own heads. This is the way of all God’s people: while God disciplines His people when they sin, He brings back a remnant to worship Him. Those who stand against His people who are being disciplined will receive a higher measure of that discipline and will learn to eat their words. When Satan and his minions intend evil against God and His people, what they intended for evil will be used for good.
In Zachariah 7, we learn that when hardship comes our way, we should not view our humility in the hardship as spiritually significant for ourselves. When we sin, we will receive the discipline we deserve. The only comfort we can receive in such discipline is knowing that we are being made better as followers of our God. We ought to look to the biblical history as a model for various situations we face in our own lives, and find God talking to us there and instructing us in His righteousness.
Zachariah 8 shows that the LORD will fulfill His prophecy and create a people for himself in the land of Israel. This is the people we want to be among, for the Jewish man whose tzit-tzit (corner tassels representing the commandments) we are to grab is Yeshua, and this is how he desires that we live our lives: “speak the truth one to another; administer the judgment of truth and shalom in your gates; do not let any of you devise evil in your hearts against your neighbor; and do not love false oaths, for I hate all these things,” He said. Love God and love your neighbor. If we are to go with Yeshua into his kingdom, this we ought to do.
Zechariah 9, Zechariah 10, Zechariah 11, Zechariah 12, Zechariah 13, Zechariah 14
9. Yeshua came lowly, riding on a donkey, bringing salvation to all who trust in Him. He broke the bow of war, for the Jewish leaders rejected Him, and He brought peace to all nations of the Earth, including a remnant of Israel. His people would be like a flock of sheep following their shepherd, like gems on His crown, and among the people the bread and wine representing Yeshua's body and blood would bring purity.
10. Blessing would come in the Spring, at Passover, symbolized by the spring rains, but many would miss it on account of false teachers. The LORD will destroy these shepherds, but have mercy on the sheep. Yeshua would come from Judah and lead the sheep, both from Judah and from Ephraim, symbolic for all Israel, and He would have compassion on them. Followers would be gathered from around the Earth.
11. Following Yeshua's death and resurrection, the whole leadership structure of Israel would be dismantled. The land would be made desolate and the Old Covenant completely broken, replaced by the New. They betrayed Him with a kiss, and 30 pieces of silver was the price for Him, which bought a potter's field still maintained to this day. All who abandoned the flock for their own benefit would be lost; they would be blind and deaf.
12. More devastation. Fist the temple destroyed in AD 70 and then Jerusalem in AD 135, both by Rome, the surrounding peoples. The LORD warned His followers this would happen in Matthew 24; they were prepared and spared. Ultimately the nations that destroyed Israel would themselves be destroyed, just as Babylon before them, because God will always care for the Apple of His Eye. The remnant of Israel will ultimately look upon the One they pierced, Yeshua the Messiah, and mourn for their blindness in the Resurrection of the Dead. We all ought to mourn for our sins that led to the LORD"s suffering.
13. When the Shepherd was struck, all His apostles were scattered to the ends of the earth, so they could go forth and multiply, just as God commanded. This is still our calling today.
14. An End Days prophesy. The LORD will be One and His name One. Adonai Eloheinu, Adonei Echad. hear O' Israel, the LORD our God, the LORD is ONE. Yeshua and the Father are One! Hallelujah! All who are redeemed by Him will be resurrected unto life after a Day of darkness. At the evening of the Day, the Last Day, there will be Eternal Light! This is the Kingdom described by Revelation 21-22. All people who live will celebrate the LORD coming to tabernacle with His saints forever!
Ezra 6:14-22, Ezra 4:6, Esther 1, Esther 2, Esther 3, Esther 4
To celebrate the LORD's Passover, a celebration of the escape from Egypt by the blood of the lamb and a celebration of the escape from sin and death on account of the blood of the Lamb of God, we have to purify ourselves and make ourselves holy before the LORD. Paul explains the same in 1st Corinthians 11. It's critically important when we "Do this in memory of" Yeshua, we do so with clean hands and clean hearts. We ought to prepare our hearts ahead of time with humility and repentance.
So many people get the story of Esther wrong, as they do with the rest of the Scriptures. In the first link below, please review my sermon on the Book of Esther and the holiday of Purim. In the second link, you can review a transcript instead:
https://youtu.be/38IwV2TdgVI?si=jNiKWeCibfYcaNMB
https://storage2.snappages.site/ncm201u3w4/assets/files/20250315_Purim2015PDF.pdf
Fasting and prayer is essential as a regular part of our routine, to keep us humble before our God. Fasting means no food and no water, at least from sundown to sundown, but Esther did it for three days. One day helps prepare us each week for the LORD's will, while three days can help us in trying times, to answer significant prayers, or to prepare ourselves for a Feast, such as Passover. By the way, the Passover feast is implied in Esther's marriage feast. The Feast is prophetic for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb.
God put Esther in place "for such a time as this," as we read about in her book. We ought to ask God regularly what He has for us to do, but we ought to approach with humility, just like Esther. When He calls, we ought to respond like the prophets: "Here I am, LORD. Use me."
Esther 5, Esther 6, Esther 7, Esther 8, Esther 9, Esther 10
Please review the sermon on Purim and Esther linked here:
https://youtu.be/38IwV2TdgVI?si=jNiKWeCibfYcaNMB
https://storage2.snappages.site/ncm201u3w4/assets/files/20250315_Purim2015PDF.pdf
Esther boldly acted with righteousness to save her countrymen at the expense of her own life, if needed, and no greater love has someone than to give up his (or her) life for his (or her) friends.
Pride comes before a fall, and humility leads to exaltation.
The evil one's devices against God's people will be used for his own destruction.
All the nations of the world will be grafted-in to Israel at the time of the End.
Yeshua will rule over all the nations, and the bride of the King will be co-regent with Him.
Ezra 4:7-23, Ezra 7, Ezra 8
As noted in verse 24 of Ezra 4 (omitted from our reading), the work on the temple was delayed until the second year of the reign of Darius on account of the work of the enemy, but Cyrus had set things in motion and God's will would be accomplished. Ezra the High Priest, a son of Zadok—the high priest who had been loyal to David during his exile—put his trust in the LORD and began to bring the temple implements back to Jerusalem along with many of the priests needed for temple service. Ezekiel had prophesied the Sons of Zadok would fulfill this role. The Artaxerxes had sent a word with Ezra to the enemy that they were to support the Jews in their efforts, and this was certainly a move of the LORD to defend His people. Ezra called a fast prior to the trip back to humble the priests before the LORD, and in this effort to humble themselves the LORD was with them and protected them along the way. The people celebrated with thanksgiving and praise to God when they arrived.
Here is an article that discusses the timeline of these events in the latter prophets and the Book of Eshter: https://www.the13thenumeration.com/Blog13/2019/10/05/esther-ahasuerus-artaxerxes-who-was-the-persian-king-of-127-provinces/
Here is another opinion about the timeline that aligns with standard scholarship: https://biblearchaeology.org/abr-projects-main/the-daniel-9-24-27-project-2/4369-the-seraiah-assumption-and-the-decree-of-daniel-9-25
In order to properly identify the Persian Kings and the timeliness of these latter prophesies, the evidence must be weighed. I will submit that the historical chronology is still up for consideration. While, I maintain my belief that Darius I is Esther's husband, there is convincing evidence both for and against this, so we should continue to study with an open mind.
The following verse in Ezra 4:6 caught my attention, which got me thinking about this again: "And in the reign of Ahasuerus, in the beginning of his reign, wrote they unto him an accusation against the inhabitants of Judah and Jerusalem.”
While we can't say for sure, it sure does seem like this refers to Haman's accusation against the Jews. However, the idea that "Ahasuerus" is a general Persian term meaning "king" still holds, and the evidence is too inconclusive to declare this refers to someone named "Xerxes" in the Greek. So this very well could refer to Darius 1 as it might in Esther. The use of Ahasuerus as a title and Darius interchangeably in the text is a possibility, but it's also possible that the terms are used to refer to two different people.
I think it would be good practice to conclude that the chronology and identity of Esther's king is beyond us.
Ezra 9, Ezra 10, Nehemiah 1, Nehemiah 2
Oh that we would have the humility and understanding of Ezra, who stood before God in terror observing the depravity of the people around him, taking their guilt and shame upon himself. How long did it take following the LORD's mercy for them to forget to keep themselves holy from what is profane? As men we wander after our own desires, and deserve to be dragged right back outside the camp once more, but God has mercy on us when we fall before Him, as Ezra did, saying: "Adonai, God of Israel, You are righteous, for we are left this day as a remnant. Behold, here we are before You in our guilt; because of it no one can stand before You.” Thanks be to God that He offers the repentant a Way forward toward His Kingdom through the grace of Messiah Yeshua!
Our faith communities need strong leaders like Ezra who through humility and servanthood lead the people back to the narrow path. The people came and gathered around Ezra in his distress, and sought to make things right. The men of Israel were unequally yoked to their wives, a sin that brought down Solomon the wise and divided Israel into two kingdoms so long ago. Now, just as Abraham sent away Hagar and Ishmael for Sarah and Isaac's sake, so that the kingdom would not be divided, so too would Ezra instruct the people to send away their pagan wives and children so as not to infect the humbled nation. In our application of this lesson, we cannot allow sin to fester among us in our churches lest it spread like a cancer and take down the whole church. This is why there are LGBTQ churches today, and churches that generally disparage the law of God. We can't let this stand. Just as Charlie Kirk did in his ministry, so too must we call out sin as sin and gently and kindly steer people back to Yeshua and God's commandments.
Nehemiah, the king's cupbearer in Media-Persia, sought favor with the king to restore the remnant of Jews to Jerusalem and to repair the walls of the city. As Nehemiah prayed for the LORD's grace in this matter, he reminded God of all of His promises to the people of Israel in Torah, as we also ought to do. He fasted by refraining from eating and drinking leading up to his request of the king, just as we ought to fast and pray prior to major changes in our lives. The LORD moved the king's heart and the king granted this request. Nehemiah, upon arriving in Jerusalem, next had to win the favor of the people to help him rebuild the walls, and the LORD also granted this supplication. Finally, Nehemiah would have to lead the people against the taunts and discouragement of the enemy, which we also face. If we are patient and endure through such insurmountable barriers, trials and tribulations, the LORD will deliver us at His appointed time.
Nehemiah 3, Nehemiah 4, Nehemiah 5, Nehemiah 6, Nehemiah 7:1-3
The Jewish people united to rebuild the city's walls, all working on their own section to finish the whole. In the very same way, we are each building the city's walls today as members of Yeshua, and He is the Cornerstone. When the New Jerusalem comes down to dwell upon the Earth, this will literally be the collection of saints risen from the dead on the Last Day who will descend to inhabit the earth with God. We ought to do our part now, even in the face of the enemy, with the Sword of the Spirit in one hand to defeat the enemy's attacks and our tools for building in the other, which is the same Word.
The enemy was enraged with the Woman [Israel], and he went to make war with the rest of her offspring, who keep the commandments of God and have the testimony of Messiah Yeshua. (Revelation 12:17). He will come to mock us first, during which time we ought to trust in the LORD and the protection He has promised. God will indeed turn the enemy's mocking words against him, and the words meant for evil against Israel will come back upon the enemy of Israel's head to destroy him and all who are deceived by him.
The enemy won't rest in this, but will conspire repeatedly to deceive, to distract, and to ambush. The enemy will lie about us and make up stories, attempting to entrap us in the fog of defense. He will even use people who are among us in the church to try and lead us astray. Had Nehemiah gone into the Holy of Holies in the temple in fear of the enemy, he would have sinned against God and his enemies would have won. He stood boldly in opposition to this attack from within his ranks, from Shemaiah the priest. BEWARE: false prophets will rise up from among you and will deceive many, the LORD has said. Those who are deceived live in lawlessness, such as the Jews who were collecting usury from their brethren against the Torah. We have to be careful to follow the righteousness of Yeshua in our walk with God and not fall into the bondage of sin that leads to judgment and death. When we are finished with the work the LORD has appointed to us, it's important that we appoint overseers to manage the work with integrity so we can move on to what the LORD has for us next.
Nehemiah 7:4-72, Nehemiah 8:1-12
After counting 42,360 people who had returned from captivity, Ezra stood up to read the entire Torah on the first day of the seventh month, which is Yom Teruah, or the Feast of Trumpets. This day is coming up on 9/23/2025 this year. He didn't just read the Torah, though. We read: "The Levites ... instructed the people in the Torah while the people were standing in their place. They read from the Torah scroll of God, distinctly explaining it and giving insight. Thus they understood what was read." It is the duty of a pastor to not just read from the Torah, but also to explain the instruction of God and how it applies to the lives of the people. His duty is to bring understanding of what was read. If you don't go to a church that does this, it's time to find a new church that does.
Yom Teruah (The Day of Trumpets/Shouting) and the reading and interpretation of the Torah was a time of celebration, and the people were commanded not to weep. Yom Kippur (the Day of Atonement) was coming up (10/2 this year), though not mentioned. Scripturally, this is a day to afflict the souls to weed out any sin in our hearts and to prepare for Sukkot (the Feast of Tabernacles) (10/7 and 10/14), when we celebrate God coming to dwell among us and look forward to the future Kingdom when we will dwell with God forever.
Nehemiah 8:13-18; Nehemiah 9; Nehemiah 10:1-40
We're getting ready to head to Corner Fringe Ministries' Feast of Tabernacles celebration in Minnesota, which begins on Oct. 7 and goes until the 14th, and we're very excited to fill up a whole campground for the festival and enjoy the company of our fellow brothers and sisters in Messiah Yeshua. We anticipate a time of complete joy in the LORD, and this is exactly how the LORD wants us to celebrate with Him on His Feast Days. May it bring glory to the name of Yeshua!
Nehemiah and Judah seemed to be rediscovering Torah after their ancestors lost track of it. What a time! I remember from the time I discovered our calling into Torah myself; it was a time full of fear, but also intrigue, exploration, and excitement, and this is the exact mindset that the LORD desires from us always. When I read this account, I think of what Yeshua said in Revelation 2:4-5 to the Ephesians: "I have this against you, that you have left your first love. Remember therefore from where you have fallen; repent and do the first works, or else I will come to you quickly and remove your lampstand from its place—unless you repent." We ought to take this seriously even now, for Ephesus was a Gentile church. The LORD wants us to respond to His free gift of grace with yearning to obey Him, not out of fear, but a desire to please Him. Nehemiah seems like he was really getting into His relationship with the LORD, and expect the LORD blessed Him for it. I do hope he endured, and I look forward to meeting him on the Last Day.
According to the Lexham Theological Wordbook (2014), "Repentance is an act of acknowledging past wrongdoing, expressing regret or contrition, and committing to right behavior and obedience to God. It is a transformative process that involves turning away from sin or transgression and turning back to God. The OT concept of repentance is expressed with two key Hebrew terms: שׁוּב (šûb) and נָחַם (nāḥam). The Hebrew word šûb (“turn”) expresses repentance as turning away from the wrong path, i.e., sinful behavior, and turning back toward God (Hos 3:5). Thus, repentance is an act of reorientation. The term nāḥam (“console”) can have a number of different meanings, including feeling sorrow or remorse; it can thus express the aspect of repentance that involves contrition for wrongdoing (Job 42:6). In the NT, the Greek word μετανοέω (metanoeō) means “to change the mind”; the related noun μετάνοια (metanoia) means “change of mind” (Mark 1:4, 15). Repentance is thus understood as a process in which the individual reorients the mind and will—away from sin and toward God. Like Hebrew, Greek can also express repentance or conversion as turning back to God with the verb ἐπιστρέφω (epistrephō, “to turn back”; Matt 13:15)."
Nehemiah 11, Nehemiah 12:1-26, 1 Chronicles 9:1-34
What an honor it would be to live in Jerusalem and serve in the LORD's temple. They cast lots, coming back from Babylon, because everyone who was of a right mind and spirit would want to do this, but not everyone could. Some would need to minister in the outlying towns. Each of us has a purpose in the Kingdom of God, which is at hand, and we will all have a role in His eternal Kingdom, also. If we are in Yeshua and obeying God, then we are part of the Body and ought to serve in the place God has put us. I am blessed to be serving the LORD where He wants me, and I will continue to obey His command for each and every step.
Nehemiah 12:27-47, Nehemiah 13:1-6, Nehemiah 13:7-31, Malachi 1, Malachi 2:1-9
Enter His gates with praise and thanksgiving! What a wonderful example that Nehemiah set for us. What a sound it must have been to hear two choirs singing to the LORD, restoring the instruments of King David, bringing worship before Him non-stop in His temple! I long to have enough men and women standing beside me to worship the LORD without ceasing. I hunger and thirst for this.
In doing the work of the LORD, Hosea prayed repeatedly, "remember this also on my behalf, O my God, and have compassion on me according to the greatness of your lovingkindness." He was not seeking reward for His works; rather, he sought the LORD's grace for his shortcomings, he sought the LORD in humble obedience on account of His love! And the LORD has compassion on His servants, those who love Him and keep His commandments. The LORD knows that we love Him when we obey Him and when we love our fellow man. It is evident that we love others when we teach them the commandments of God through example and by the Word of the LORD, just as Yeshua taught us to do.
The instruction of God makes it abundantly clear we cannot mix the holy with the profane; we cannot follow the LORD the way we desire, the way that is convenient to us. If we truly love God, we have to serve Him in the Way He showed us. Just as Israel cast out the foreigners who were in the Holy Assembly, and their foreign wives who worshipped foreign gods, so too must we not allow unbelievers and heretics to remain among us, lest their apostasy lead everyone astray. We cannot treat the LORD our God as a common thing, as Eliashib did by allowing Tobiah to live inside the Temple storehouses. God is not common. He is the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth and everything in it. We ought to revere Him only! Likewise, the Fourth Commandment is not less among the other nine, but equal. We ought to keep the Seventh Day Sabbath that God commanded us to keep, for if we break one law we violate them all. It's not a ceremonial relic, it's a commandment. We ought to have the zeal of Nehemiah to separate ourselves from labor and the world on this day, not allowing anything common in our midst. It is in setting apart the Sabbath that we can truly be with our Beloved King and His people! There is nothing that brings more joy! Our God won't force us to do this, just as He won't force anything upon us, but how can we say we love Him when we won't come in to celebrate with Him on the Day He has given us? It is a gift! We ought to enter His gates with praise and thanksgiving! If we truly love Him, we ought to desire this greatly!
God expressed His heart to His people Israel through Malachi, and Malachi articulated the heart of the LORD better than most. The people offered blemished sacrifices, and they half-heartedly went through the motions of a religion created by men; they did not serve the LORD the way He instructed them to serve Him, and they thought nothing of it. Do we give the LORD time in prayer? Do we give Him worship? Do we give Him His Day, His Sabbaths? Or do our lives and our own priorities take precedence over our God? Would we treat the governor that way if he or she invited us to an exclusive party? What about our best clients? What about God! "'For I am a great King,' says Adonai-Tzva’ot, 'and My Name shall be revered among the nations.'” We cannot be half-hearted with God, giving Him our leftovers and our lip service! He is the KING of the Universe, and He deserves nothing but our first and our best! He gives us life and peace, joy and blessing! What can we offer Him? He rules over everything! We ought to give our KING everything!
Malachi 2:10-17, Malachi 3:1-18 (includes Malachi 4 in the TLV), Joel 1, Joel 2, Joel 3
Malachi continues to communicate the LORD's heart for His people. We defile our relationship with the LORD by mixing in pagan practices with our worship, just as a wife defiles her husband or a husband his wife through unfaithfulness and divorce. God hates it! Even worse, the priests are telling the people that it's OK for them to do evil, because the grace of God makes everything right and the LORD delights us even though we sin. Prophetically, the LORD explains He is wearied when people ask, "Where is the God of justice." Those who overemphasize grace without speaking about righteousness are wearying the LORD with false teaching. The LORD saves us so we can walk righteously before Him, not so we can continue living in sin.
The LORD Yeshua will come suddenly, He is the One Israel has been asking for since Sinai, and He will walk in His Temple, but would anyone accept Him when He comes? Who could compare to Him in His perfection? He would refine and clean His people, who humble themselves before Him and offer their righteousness in their love for Him. The Spirit would be a witness against all evil and an instructor in righteousness. God DOES NOT change, and His ways have always been the same, as has His desire persisted for His people. He invites all to come to Him: "Return to Me, and I will return to you." We must repent! We also ought to give Him a tenth of our first and best through the congregation that we call home, and in this the LORD will bring blessing! The LORD will not endure grievous words; He will not endure a heart condition that finds it burdensome to put God first. The LORD takes notice of those who revere Him—these shall be His people. We revere Him by distinguishing between what is righteous and what is wicked, between one who serves God and one who doesn't. Judgment is coming, but as Peter noted in 2 Peter 3, the LORD is long-suffering and desires we all come to repentance. A day will come; however, when our opportunities to repent runs out. There will be ashes left of those who refuse even until the end. The LORD will seek to unite His people and there will be revival before He comes amidst a great war between good and evil. That time is upon us.
Joel explains this time using locusts as a metaphor. Like locusts devour the land and leave nothing left, the entire earth will be made desolate in the Day of the LORD—there will be absolutely nothing left. We blow the shofar in Zion, especially on a day like today, Yom Teruah, to warn the people of the earth. Though the LORD tarries, He will not tarry forever. Be alert. Watch. He is coming! Let all the living tremble. It could come any day or any hour. We must humble ourselves NOW! But the Earth will be renewed and the LORD's resurrected people will eternally inhabit the Land He renews. All who call upon the name of the LORD will escape, but no one who trusts in their own strength will live.
