First of All, Pray: Blog
Bringing Biblical Truths to Daily Life
James 5:10—Take the prophets, for example
As an example, brethren, of suffering and online diflucan patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord. James 5:10
My guess is that it has never been convenient or comfortable to be a messenger of righteousness in the midst of a godless or backslidden generation, even back in the days of Noah: “For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly…” (2 Peter 2:4-5, emphasis added). I can picture Noah preaching repentance and righteousness to the rebellious pre-flood world the whole time he worked on the ark—more than likely being scorned and mocked the entire time.
…take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.
Isaiah, Jeremiah, Hosea, and Amos spoke to God’s people living in the midst of prosperity. While the people conformed to a display of religious tradition, many also cozied up to pagan worship. Leaders were becoming more and more corrupt, families were growing increasingly unstable due to widespread immorality, and class hatred was on the rise (taken from notes on the Book of Isaiah and the Book of Hosea, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Thomas Nelson, Inc., ©1991).
Joel prophesied during an interruption to the prosperity in Judah when it was overrun by a devastating plague of locusts that stripped the land of all vegetation within a few short hours.
Micah saw the beginnings of the divided kingdom and witnessed the spread of idolatry as it competed with the worship of God. Zephaniah was the last to prophesy to Judah before its captivity; and Habakkuk witnessed increasing violence against citizens, oppressive treatment of the poor, and the collapse of the legal system in Judah, just before Jerusalem fell (taken from notes on the Book of Micah, the Book of Zephaniah, and the Book of Habakkuk, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Thomas Nelson, Inc., ©1991).
Daniel and Ezekiel prophesied during the time of exile; Haggai and Zechariah prophesied in the days following exile as the people returned to their land, and by the time of Malachi, the final prophet in scriptural record before the birth of Christ, the people had become immoral and careless once again (taken from notes on the Book of Malachi, Spirit-Filled Life Bible, Thomas Nelson, Inc., ©1991).
None of these godly men had an easy task; with fire in their hearts and tears in their eyes, they warned a rebellious people of God’s judgment.
As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience…
Although some of those prophets met with seasons of favor, none of them saw lifelong celebrity or fame. It didn’t matter; what did matter was the message God had branded upon their hearts.
Prophets had a unique manner of staying separated to God even as they connected with people. They were often loners who were misunderstood because of the message God gave to them and the methods by which He led them to share that message. They were the proverbial sore thumb, sticking out in the crowd. They were typically unpopular. They were rarely viewed as rock stars.
Although Isaiah enjoyed more favor than most of the others, it is traditionally thought that he was sawn in two under the reign of wicked king Manasseh. Daniel, another more favored prophet, was deported to Babylon as a teen at the beginning of the captivity of Jerusalem, never to return home. Ancient historian Josephus wrote that this godly youth was likely made a eunuch early in his captivity (see http://www.biblestudy.org/question/what-is-a-eunuch.html), and as an older man under the reign of Darius the Mede, Daniel was thrown into a den of lions. His crime? He violated the edict created to ensnare him by jealous satraps and governors—he prayed to the one true God instead of the king. Isaiah and Daniel each patiently served God in their time and were both willing to suffer death if necessary to maintain their loyalty to Him alone.
God directed Hosea to disrupt his domestic peace and levitra for women au expose himself to heartbreak by marrying a prostitute. In this way, Hosea’s life became a living sermon about the agonizing waywardness of God’s people and the greatness of His mercy, forgiveness, and love.
And then there was Jeremiah. Called as a young man, Jeremiah was immediately informed by God that his message would not be well-received. The Lord told him, “Do not be afraid of them, for I am with you to deliver you” (Jeremiah 1:8). He also said, “They will fight against you, but they will not overcome you, for I am with you to deliver you” (verse 19).
He was commanded by God not to marry and to remain childless as a sign of the destruction coming upon his generation (see Jeremiah 16:1-4). When Jeremiah prophesied in the court of the Lord’s house about the coming doom, the son of the priest struck him and put him in stocks outside at the gate, leaving him there all day and all night (see Jeremiah 20:1-3). When he later prophesied concerning King Zedekiah’s soon undoing, he was imprisoned within the king’s house (see Jeremiah 32:1-3).
While in prison, Jeremiah continued prophesying, not shrinking back from the word of the Lord despite the consequences. The king’s officials begged Zedekiah, “Now let this man be put to death, inasmuch as he is discouraging the men of war who are left in this city and all the people, by speaking such words to them; for this man is not seeking the well-being of this people but rather their harm” (Jeremiah 38:4). The king responded, “He is in your hand,” so they took the prophet and threw him in a dungeon filled with mire—deep, slimy mud (and who knows what else)—leaving him there to die (see verses 5-6). But, praise God, an Ethiopian eunuch, Ebed-Melech, pleaded for Jeremiah’s life before the king, and in response, Zedekiah ordered the release of the prophet (see verses 7-13).
James wrote, “As an example, brethren, of suffering and patience, take the prophets who spoke in the name of the Lord.” You have a rich heritage, passed down from men of faith, running through your veins. Stand fast in that Truth; it is the Word of life that can set men free. Cling tightly to Jesus; He is the Rock that will never roll; He will never leave you or forsake you.
Dorothy
And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and generic viagra sale because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death. Revelation 12:11
James 5:9—Don’t complain against each other
Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door. James 5:9
James wrote, “Be patient. Strengthen your hearts. The coming of the Lord is near” (see verse 8). He was girding believers for long-haul Christianity in the face of gross misrepresentation and ill-treatment. And then he admonished, “Do not complain, brethren, against one another, so that you yourselves may not be judged; behold, the Judge is standing right at the door.”
The fledgling Church, arising on the scene in a hostile world, found herself under assault. In light of this, James advised the believers to be vigilant in three areas: “Be patient. Strengthen your hearts. Do not complain against one another.” This thought is enormous—and it’s probably bigger than any of us have imagined.
To navigate effectively and with integrity in the midst of a “Christophobic” environment (the direction in which our culture appears to be heading), you must exert patience and strengthen your heart. This is so you can outlast every strategy the enemy throws at you while you wait expectantly on God. But of equal importance is this: you must zip your lip when it comes to your brothers and sisters in Christ.
Being patient and strengthening your heart makes sense as a firm defense against both the schemes of the devil and those who seek to undermine your faith. But James revealed that what you say about fellow believers is equally as vital when it comes to standing solidly in Christ in the midst of a wicked and acheter levitra france perverse generation. In other words, if your lips are loose about your brethren, you weaken yourself. You make yourself vulnerable to diabolic schemes without even realizing it. You give the devil an opportunity (see Ephesians 4:26-27).
Jesus said, “A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another.” He then went on to say, “By this all men will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another” (see John 13:34-35). Remember, Jesus commissioned you and me to make disciples of all nations (see Matthew 28:19), but how will they know for sure that we really do represent Him? According to the Lord, it’s by the love we have toward one another. Since this is so, how can someone who shreds disciples with their words make disciples by their example? Who would want to be a disciple of that kind of bitter, fault-finding, contentious “holy” person?
When people see the love of Jesus demonstrated among believers, they have something very real to think about—something which can turn their cynicism into faith. If they choose to reject the truth in the face of God’s love in action, then they have no one to blame but themselves. But if they reject what they see in the church due to the back-biting and accusations they’ve witnessed within our ranks, then we believers have played a part in their ultimate destruction.
This doesn’t mean that you can’t get counsel about issues with others; it doesn’t mean that you must embrace an “anything goes” attitude when it comes to sin in the Church; it doesn’t even mean that you must accept everything you hear from every pulpit. It simply means that you are to treat your brothers and sisters with love and respect as joint heirs with Christ.
However, if you realize that you’ve been keen to blab about someone’s irritating quirks, sinful indiscretion, or even what you perceive as someone’s imbalanced grasp of the truth, sober up. James is talking to you—you have positioned yourself to be judged.
The coming of the Lord is near; the Judge is standing right at the door. The apostle Peter, writing about the end of our age asked, “What sort of people ought you to be in holy conduct and godliness?” (See 2 Peter 3:11.) And the writer of Hebrews declared, “…let us consider how to stimulate one another to love and good deeds, not forsaking our own assembling together, as is the habit of some, but encouraging one another; and all the more as you see the day drawing near” (Hebrews 10:24-25; emphasis added).
It makes sense then, as the age comes to a close, that Satan will seek to stir up complaint, indignation, bitterness, and outrage—believer against believer. First, if he can lure us off of our prayer post by distracting us with petty offenses, he will effectively strip away any threat or restraint we pose to his agenda. Oh, we may rant and rail about the wicked trends of this dark generation; but if we refuse to walk in love with one another, we forfeit the power of God moving on behalf of our prayers for the culture—because faith works through love (see Galatians 5:6).
And secondly, as the Lord’s return draws near, Satan is seeking to block the light of the gospel from the unbelieving. When we lose ourselves in pettiness and strife, looking down our noses at other believers, the love of God is nowhere to be found among us. If lost men and women search for Him and turn to us for help as we stew in indignant pettiness—they won’t find Him. Our strife will block His light.
If you persist in complaining against another Christian, you do so at your own risk. Instead, trust God with the whole situation. Repent for not releasing your concern to Him before now, and forgive that person for their offense. Then purpose to walk in love.
The Judge is near; He is standing right at the door.
Dorothy
Do all things without grumbling or disputing; so that you will prove yourselves to be blameless and innocent, children of God above reproach in the midst of a crooked and perverse generation, among whom you appear as lights in the world. Philippians 2:14-15
James 5:7-8—Be patient
Therefore be patient, brethren, until the coming of the Lord. The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it, until it gets the early and late rains. You too be patient; strengthen your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is near. James 5:7-8
Therefore be patient, brethren…
James had just written about the self-absorbed, inhumane behavior that some who were wealthy displayed toward souls more righteous than they—men of whom the world was not worthy (Hebrews 11:38a). In the face of such treatment, James wrote “be patient”. The Greek word for “patient” is makrothymeō, which means “to be of a long spirit, not to lose heart”; “to persevere patiently and bravely in enduring misfortunes and troubles”; “to be patient in bearing the offenses and injuries of others”; “to be mild and slow in avenging”; and “to be longsuffering, slow to anger, slow to punish” ( see http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G3114&t=KJV). When suffering unjustly, no one feels like responding that way. Yet this is what James taught.
The first meaning for makrothymeō is telling—“to be of a long spirit”. Your spirit, made in the image of Jesus Himself, is capable of bearing long under anything. As unpleasant as this may sound, the “long spirit” outlasts everyone and everything else. A man or woman with a “long spirit” is the last one standing, and hence, through Christ, is more than a conqueror. But how long must you exercise this “long spirit” of patience?
… until the coming of the Lord.
You are called to be patient until the coming of the Lord. Jesus did not return in James’ time, therefore, the patience of his audience was to extend to the end of their days. You and I are called to this duration of patience as well—until the coming of the Lord or the end of our lives, whichever comes first. And remember: the Lord never calls you to do anything for which He does not equip you. You are equipped; through Jesus you have been given a “long spirit”.
The farmer waits for the precious produce of the soil, being patient about it…
Farmers have patience. They understand sowing and reaping, and they understand the necessity of waiting out the process for seeds sown to develop into a fully mature harvest. Jesus said, “The kingdom of God is like a man who casts seed upon the soil; and he goes to bed at night and gets up by day, and the seed sprouts and grows—how, he himself does not know. The soil produces crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, then the mature grain in the head” (Mark 4:26b-28). The farmer doesn’t dig up the seed every day to see if it has sprouted roots yet; he waits and lets the seed and the soil do their thing.
The church world today has viewed sowing and reaping and the patience of the farmer primarily in relation to the things we’ve desired. And that is fitting. Yet here, James was likening the patience of a farmer to believers enduring through ungodly treatment. Even when others look down on or misuse you, remember the farmer’s patient sowing and reaping. You sow peace; you sow integrity; you sow love and endure patiently, and you will reap an enormous crop of righteousness—if not now, then later. If not later, then in the world to come. And according to the Word—great shall be your reward (see Matthew 5:12).
…until it gets the early and late rains.
In James’ day, the early rains started in October (see http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G4406&t=KJV). The late rains were in March or April, just before the harvest (see http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=G3797&t=KJV).
Patiently waiting for a mature crop was the way of life for James’ readers, and they knew the importance of rainstorms. Yes, it was muddy. Yes, the air was heavy with a damp chill. Yes, it was gloomy and dark. But the rains were necessary for the harvest to spring forth from the ground in all its abundant glory. Waiting in the damp, muddy, gloomy chill for a bumper crop was well worth every dark, dank, sticky, icky minute.
You too be patient…
James reminded them of the patience which farmers exerted through the often unpleasant, long wait and urged: You too be patient. He was encouraging them to view their harsh circumstances as the rain necessary to produce an abundant crop. If they encountered ill-treatment or distorted misrepresentation, it was like torrential downpours and angry thunderstorms. They, like farmers, could endure it all for the sake of the coming harvest.
…strengthen your hearts…
How do you strengthen your heart? Psalm 27:14 declares, “Wait for the LORD; be strong and let your heart take courage; yes, wait for the LORD.” Patience—waiting on God—has a strengthening component to it. As you wait on Him, you gain new strength (see Isaiah 40:31). And as you wait on Him, your heart takes courage, enabling you to stand. When you have done everything to stand, His courage within you empowers you to keep standing.
… for the coming of the Lord is near.
The endgame is not what evil men and women envision with their cleverly crafted social engineering. The endgame is not the ultimate triumph of man’s methods, ways, and ideologies over the beliefs of “unevolved clingers to an archaic Deity”. No.
The endgame is this: The coming of the Lord is near, and every eye will see Him (see Revelation 1:7). And the end of the matter is this: Because Jesus is Lord, you win. You—man or woman of the “long spirit”—have within you the ability to outlast and surpass the most unnerving, depressing, manipulative, wicked, undermining schemes concocted by man or by devil. Exert patience. Strengthen your heart.
The Lord is coming soon.
Dorothy
O love the Lord, all you His godly ones! The Lord preserves the faithful and fully recompenses the proud doer. Be strong and let your heart take courage, all you who hope in the Lord. Psalm 31:23-24
James 5:4-6—In bondage to money
Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth. You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter. You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you. James 5:4-6
Although Matthew Henry’s commentary suggests that this portion of James’ letter was aimed at those among the Jews who didn’t know Jesus as Lord, I feel that Christians would do well to take this stern warning to heart. It focuses on attitudes concerning the use of money and is absolutely relevant.
In recent years the news has been filled with the outcry of the so-called “99%” against the supposed “1%”. According to those protesting the affluence of others, possession of wealth alone is an indictment against the rich (except for the wealthy who invest big bucks in their cause).
If he were alive today, James would not join in on the “occupying”. How do I know? He cared less about what someone owned and more about what—or who—owned them. If you’re shouting at people with money because they have money, you’re not driven by the wisdom from above—which is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy (James 3:17; http://www.firstofallpray.com/?p=6136 ). You’re being driven by the wisdom from below—and it’s earthly, natural, and demonic. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing (see James 3:15-16; http://www.firstofallpray.com/?p=6131 ).
If James wasn’t against being rich, then why did he seem to come down so hard on affluence? Again, he didn’t care how much wealth someone had accumulated. What he did care about was the driving force within the man—was it to serve God or mammon? His strong comments were directed to believers who evidenced a stronger allegiance to money than to the Master.
Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
I understand that most believers don’t think of themselves as employers. However, this verse is not merely speaking to business leaders or company owners. This verse hits closer to home. It addresses every kind of transaction in which you pay for work done on your behalf. Do you ever go out to eat? If so, what’s your attitude about tipping? How do you treat the person who cuts or colors your hair? Do you hire someone to clean your house? Have you ever hired someone to work on your yard or repair things around your house? Have you ever hired a baby sitter? A dog or a cat sitter? If so, you do hire laborers.
Check the state of your heart when the transaction takes place. Do you begrudge that money? Do you tell others that the worker tried to rip you off? Do you seek to pay as little as possible? Then you need to reread verse 4: Behold, the pay of the laborers who mowed your fields, and which has been withheld by you, cries out against you; and the outcry of those who did the harvesting has reached the ears of the Lord of Sabaoth.
You see, your attitude toward the money you pay to the various people doing different jobs for you is huge to God. Any money you withhold from them—pinching and manipulating to get a “good deal” out of them—cries out against you! And take a peek at whom those tightly clutched dollars cry out: the Lord of Sabaoth—the Lord of the armies of Heaven! God means business when it comes to withheld money.
I don’t want the squeezed-out, “good deal” money I hold back to shout to the Lord, “She refused to give me to the young man who did her yard work! You know You told her to pay more, Lord!” I don’t want to hear the cash in my wallet scream, “She kept me back, God, from the woman who colored her hair when she knew good and well that I should have gone to that hairdresser!” And I surely don’t want to hear it cry, “Lord Jesus! She stiffed the gal who cleans her house again! That lady needed a blessing, and Dorothy refused to give her a dime more than the bare minimum.”
God hears the pay of the laborers crying out against you when you withhold what is justly due. In order to keep your funds from protesting with loud cries to God, be generous and bless others who work or provide a service to you.
You have lived luxuriously on the earth and led a life of wanton pleasure; you have fattened your hearts in a day of slaughter.
The Lord knows that you need to live. He knows you need to eat and that you need shelter and clothing. And according to God’s Word, it’s not sinful to enjoy comfort and nice things (see 1 Timothy 6:17b). However, James wrote here of excessiveness—the pursuit of luxury and pleasure which focuses solely upon self. The outcome of this kind of extreme indulgence is not nice—like cattle led to slaughter, the excessive individual is actually fattening his or her heart for a massive downturn—for a day of slaughter.
You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.
Refusal to pay others fairly combined with the funneling of your income entirely upon self-indulgent pleasures—such behaviors do not reflect the Lord Jesus in your life. Instead, without realizing it, your excesses end up condemning and putting to death the righteous man [the person who provides you a valuable service for very little output when you could easily afford to pay more]; he does not resist you [he or she does not complain, but barely makes a subsistence living when the services provided to you genuinely streamline and/or enhance your life].
Yes, this is extreme language; this is why Matthew Henry did not think it was written to believers. However, those who serve or do work for us have needs; perhaps their needs are enormous and their lives are hanging in the balance; perhaps offering a bit more of your resources would tip the scale in their favor and bring blessing and relief to their depleted lives. Conversely, your disregard for fair payment could become the proverbial straw that breaks the camel’s back. Don’t let this happen on account of you. Remember, the Lord of Armies is listening to the cries of money withheld from those who work for you.
Be on your guard against a mindset of “me, me, me; mine, mine, mine”. Recognize the behaviors that are linked to a self-indulgent lifestyle. And if you find yourself in that place—stuck on self—then throw yourself in reverse, back-pedal out of that “fat” place, and high-tail it out of there, far, far away from the day of slaughter.
May the Lord help all of us to be blessers rather than withholders!
Dorothy
Do not withhold good from those to whom it is due, when it is in your power to do it. Proverbs 3:27
There is one who scatters, and yet increases all the more, and there is one who withholds what is justly due, and yet it results only in want. The generous man will be prosperous, and he who waters will himself be watered. He who withholds grain, the people will curse him, but blessing will be on the head of him who sells it. Proverbs 11:24-2
James 5:1-3—A word to the rich
Come now, you rich, weep and howl for your miseries which are coming upon you. Your riches have rotted and your garments have become moth-eaten. Your gold and your silver have rusted; and their rust will be a witness against you and will consume your flesh like fire. It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure! James 5:1-3
James begins the fifth chapter of his letter with a scathing directive to the rich. Matthew Henry’s commentary suggests that he primarily wrote this section to address the rich among the Jews who had not yet received Jesus. This opinion is based upon verse 6: “You have condemned and put to death the righteous man; he does not resist you.” Mr. Henry explained that under the governance at the time, Christians—including the rich ones—had no jurisdiction to put anyone to death. Nonetheless, James’ comments are a valid reminder for all of us to view our resources through the eyes of the Lord.
The book of Psalms has many references to the wealthy wicked. Psalm 73 sorrowfully laments the arrogant debauchery of evil men who obtain power and wealth: “Behold, these are the wicked; and always at ease, they have increased in wealth” (vs. 12). However, Psalm 37:7b declares, “Do not fret because of him who prospers in his way, because of the man who carries out wicked schemes” and verse 9 assures, “For evildoers will be cut off but those who wait for the Lord, they will inherit the land.” Throughout the Scriptures, we are warned of the inevitable temptations for those who are “large and in charge”—arrogance, haughtiness, utter disregard for the lives of those who are less fortunate, and flagrant nose-thumbing at God.
The question remains: How much of this portion of James’ admonition actually applies to Christians? Is this a section of the New Testament about which we can breathe a sigh of relief? Whew! This doesn’t apply to me!
Paul the apostle wrote concerning the amassing of wealth and how to approach it. He stated in Philippians 4:11b-13, “I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I also know how to live in prosperity; in any and every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both of having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him who strengthens me.”
You approach wealth the same way you approach poverty—you live in contentment through Christ who strengthens you.
Paul wrote in his first letter to Timothy, “If we have food and covering, with these we shall be content. But those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a snare and many foolish and harmful desires which plunge men into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs” (1 Timothy 6:8-10).
Both of Paul’s writings contain a certain word—“content”. Contentment with what God has supplied for you goes a long way to help keep your motives in check. A sense of discontent can surely drive an individual to find better and more satisfying employment—“A worker’s appetite works for him, for his hunger urges him on” (Proverbs 16:26)—a good thing; but if allowed, discontentment can quickly morph into lust for more, more, more. “The leech has two daughters, ‘Give,’ ‘Give’ (Proverbs 30:15a).
…his freedom required that he let go of his treasure; he chose treasure over freedom.
Paul warned the Church that the desire to get rich can lead to temptation and a snare, complete with many foolish and harmful desires. It’s not your job to judge anyone else concerning this; it is your job to keep a grasp on what’s going on inside your own heart about money. Guard your heart concerning your resources; let the Lord direct you in giving, buying, selling, and saving; and don’t be like the monkey who was easily captured: he couldn’t pull his paw out of a jar without first releasing the peanut he had in his fist—his freedom required that he let go of his treasure; he chose treasure over freedom. Paul wrote that such choices plunge men into ruin and destruction; he also wrote that “the love of money is a root of all sorts of evil, and some by longing for it have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs.”
Strong words flowed from the pen of Paul—not to the unbelieving, but to the household of faith. Therefore, when James writes such a forceful sentiment to the rich, it pays to take notice. Perhaps the third verse not only sums up his thought here, but also gives a standard by which to discern your own motives: “It is in the last days that you have stored up your treasure!” The question then, to ask yourself is: What is my treasure, and where am I storing it?
Dorothy
Instruct those who are rich in this present world not to be conceited or to fix their hope on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly supplies us with all things to enjoy. Instruct them to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, storing up for themselves the treasure of a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is life indeed. 1 Timothy 6:17-19
But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves do not break in or steal; for where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Matthew 6:20-21
His portion—Easter Series Part 12
Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong; because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors. Isaiah 53:12
Throughout history, great victory on the battlefield was rewarded by plundering the spoil of the defeated. The battlefield for Christ extended from His arrest until He breathed His last; the height of His warfare occurred upon the cross. When He uttered the words, “It is finished,” His accusers and detractors twitched with delight thinking they had silenced forever the One who was believed by many to be the Messiah. It is finished, indeed, they must have smiled to themselves. Now this Upstart has gotten His just desserts.
In an unseen realm, a far more sinister party likewise twitched with delight. He is dead! they must have raved. We did it! We killed the Son of God! What idiots those religious uppity-ups are! They played right into our hands, and now humanity is ours forever! And so the partying continued.
But the Living God was just getting started. True, His only Son had died mere moments ago, but what He planned to do next—fixed in divine order from the beginning of the world—would rock the kingdoms of men and of darkness for the remainder of time.
Five…four…three…two…one…roll away the stone…RESURRECTION!
Scripture says Jesus disarmed the rulers and authorities of darkness and made a public display of them, having triumphed over them (see Colossians 2:15). Bible teachers differ as to whether the actual disarming and display occurred when the Lord was on the cross, while His body was in the grave, or as He rose from the dead. However, I am certain of one thing: neither men nor the hosts of darkness saw it coming. “…for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:8b).
Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong…
Matthew Henry said of this verse, “…a great general, when he has driven the enemy out of the field, takes the plunder of it for himself and his army, which is both an unquestionable evidence of the victory and a recompense for all the toils and perils of the battle” (see http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Isa/Isa_053.cfm).
As for the portion and plunder Jesus received, Mr. Henry wrote, “Much of the glory with which Christ is recompensed, and the spoil which he has divided, consists in the vast multitudes of willing, faithful, loyal subjects, that shall be brought in to him” (ibid.) Along this line of thought, Holman Christian Standard Bible translates this part of verse 12: “Therefore I will give Him the many as a portion, and He will receive the mighty as spoil.” In other words, the souls of men, women, and children redeemed by His blood are Jesus’ portion and prize. You are Jesus’ portion. You are Jesus’ prize.
…because He poured out Himself to death, and was numbered with the transgressors; yet He Himself bore the sin of many, and interceded for the transgressors.
Isaiah ended the prophecy about the Suffering Servant by outlining four key components of His agonizing passion for mankind. This is what qualified Him to be given the many as a portion, and to receive the mighty as spoil.
- He poured out Himself to death. Jesus did not merely die. The very essence of who He was—His righteousness, His purity, His kindness, His wisdom, His power, His love—poured out through His blood upon the ground as a perfect offering for sin, covering the entire human race—whosoever would receive and believe in Him.
- He was numbered with the transgressors. Throughout His ministry, His detractors constantly sought to sully His reputation by accusing Him of sin and carnality. (“He’s a lawbreaker.” “He’s a drunkard and a glutton.” “He’s clueless about the type of woman who is washing His feet.”) Then they nailed Him high on the cross between two thieves as if to say, “He’s riff-raff. He’s bad news.” Those passing by, along with the chief priests and scribes, taunted Him, telling Him to take Himself off of the cross. “He saved others” they sneered; “He can’t save Himself” (see Mark 15:29-31). This was an important aspect of His enemies’ strategy—to paint Him as just another transgressor, every bit as sinful as anyone else.
- He Himself bore the sin of many. Yes, He certainly was crucified between two transgressors on Calvary, but as He hung there for all to see, He took on the iniquity and the chastisement for every transgressor who ever lived.
- He interceded for the transgressors. As the Lord hung high up on the cross, He interceded for all of us. He not only prayed on behalf of sinners; He actually took our place and died in our stead, the highest form of intercession possible—utter identification with the objects of intercession.
Therefore, I will allot Him a portion with the great, and He will divide the booty with the strong (Isaiah 53:12a). In short, here’s a summary of both His anguish and His portion and plunder:
- He poured Himself out to death, once for all, never to die again.
- He was numbered with the transgressors, and now transgressors—who receive Him as Lord and are cleansed by His blood—are numbered with Him.
- He bore the sin of many, and because of that, now many have been made righteous.
- He interceded for the transgressors, and now He ever lives to make intercession for all of us.
Today, the resurrected Son of God is alive and well. He is the head of His body, the Church, and He sits at the right hand of the Father, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and every name that is named—not only in this age but also in the one to come. And He is coming again to sum up everything in Him (Ephesians 1:10).
And all of it is made possible because He was willing to pour Himself out unto death and bear the sins of many.
Dorothy
Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen. Luke 24:5b-6a
The Righteous Servant—Easter Series Part 11
As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied; by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities. Isaiah 53:11
The book of Hebrews encourages believers to fix their eyes upon Jesus “who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God” (see Hebrews 12:2). This underscores what Isaiah prophesied about the suffering Servant. The anguish of the Messiah on our behalf was extreme beyond measure, yet the glorious results far outweighed the agony of His sacrifice.
As a result of the anguish of His soul, He will see it and be satisfied…
His anguish was on purpose to accomplish a purpose. As a result of His anguish, God’s will was carried out, resulting in fullness of joy and abundance of fruit. With great satisfaction, the Servant who suffered for us has been able to look back on His passion without regret. He told His followers before it all happened, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. Truly, truly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24). Who would have thought that through His hour of humiliation, agonizing suffering, apparent defeat, and death that He would soon view it all as joy, satisfaction, and a job well done? The prophet Isaiah knew it by the Spirit of God.
Matthew Henry said it this way: “God will be glorified, penitent believers will be justified, and then Christ will be satisfied” (http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Isa/Isa_053.cfm).
…by His knowledge the Righteous One, My Servant, will justify the many, as He will bear their iniquities.
The Suffering Servant is now called the Righteous Servant. Throughout all of His sufferings, this Servant never lost sight of His mission and lived sinlessly despite being tempted in all ways as we. Only a pure and spotless Substitute could bear our sin and take on the full force of God’s wrath against it as He did. After becoming sin for us (see 2 Corinthians 5:21), the Servant emerged triumphant over sin, death, and hell. From start to finish, He Himself remained guiltless as He bore our guilt.
Through knowing Him and accepting what He accomplished that day on the cross, many are justified.
What does this mean? The Hebrew word for “justify” means “to be just” or “to be righteous” (see http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=H6663&t=KJV). Therefore, by the knowledge of the Righteous One you are made just; you are made to be righteous. Second Corinthians 5:21 says it like this: “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”
This is why Jesus came to earth. He came to die in your place and mine as our sinless Substitute, bearing our judgment, so that we could be freed from the domination of sin and be reborn to live transformed, righteous lives through faith in Him.
By knowing Him, you can now know peace. Your guilt has been dealt with by the Righteous One.
Dorothy
For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, yet without sin. Hebrews 4:15
For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh… Romans 8:3
But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God…For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified. Hebrews 10:12, 14
The good pleasure of the Lord—Easter Series Part 10
But the Lord was pleased to crush Him, putting Him to grief; if He would render Himself as a guilt offering, He will see His offspring, He will prolong His days, and the good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand. Isaiah 53:10
Jesus, the Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the earth, was manifested for this purpose: through being crushed, He would crush the serpent’s head. Through the depths of the grief He bore, the tears of all the saints would one day be wiped away.
But the Lord was pleased to crush Him…
God was not, is not, and never will be a sadist. Like the Son who despised the shame of the cross (see Hebrews 12:2), the Father could not look upon His Son at the height of His agony. The sin, corruption, disease, and depravity of mankind hung on His Son as His Son hung on that cross. The agony of His Son bearing His wrath and the penalty for sin was not a pleasure to God; it was grievous. And as the cup of indignation against man’s sin was filled to the brim, God could not look upon His Son, the sin Substitute hanging upon the cross. Jesus knew it. He cried, “My God, My God! Why have You forsaken Me?” (See Matthew 27:46.)
Why, then, does the Word say that it pleased God to crush Him? It was because of what the crushing would bring about for humanity. Jesus was crushed so that you and I could be redeemed. He was forsaken so that neither you nor I would be forsaken. Like the Son, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising its shame (Hebrews 12:2), the Father’s pleasure was in all the sons and daughters who would be raised to newness of life through faith in His Son’s selfless sacrifice.
… putting Him to grief…
The Hebrew word for “grief” in this verse is chalah and means “to be or become weak, be or become sick, be or become diseased, be or become grieved, be or become sorry” (see http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=H2470&t=KJV). Once again, as in Isaiah 53:3-5, the act of redemption is revealed to apply not only to the human soul but also to the human body. Jesus, by His redemptive work, made provision for the total man—spirit, soul, and body.
…if He would render Himself as a guilt offering…
The word “if” reveals something important here—Jesus had a choice in the matter. If He would render Himself as a guilt offering… In the Garden prior to His arrest, Jesus longed for the cup of suffering to pass from Him, but told His Father, “Not My will, but Thine, be done” (see Luke 22:42). He came to do His Father’s will, not His own (see John 6:38)—but He could have backed out. His refusal would have sealed our eternal damnation.
When Peter sought to prevent the Lord’s arrest by cutting off the ear of the High Priest’s slave, Jesus stopped him and declared, “Do you think that I cannot appeal to My Father, and He will at once put at My disposal more than twelve legions of angels?” (See Matthew 26:53.) Jesus understood that He could call it quits whenever He wanted; He chose to render Himself as a guilt offering.
Three outcomes of His obedience to this supreme sacrifice are delineated in this verse.
- He will see His offspring
- He will prolong His days
- The good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand
He will see His offspring
You and I, along with an innumerable company of men, women, and children from every nation, race, tongue, and dialect are the offspring born of God due to Jesus’ willingness to render Himself as a guilt offering.
He will prolong His days
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God… And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us” (see John 1:1, 14). Jesus was in the beginning with God. He also declared that He would continue to live after leaving the earth: “After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also” (John 14:19). Jesus was eternal; He dwelt in eternity past; He would dwell in eternity to come.
Therefore, when Isaiah prophesied, “He will prolong His days”, he wasn’t referring to the eternal aspect of the suffering Servant—Jesus already was eternal. I believe this statement, instead, refers to His impact as the Son of Man on the Earth.
Here’s my thinking: Jesus’ days on the earth as a Man filled the span of thirty-three years, from the day He was born in Bethlehem until He breathed His last on the cross at Calvary. IF He would render Himself as a guilt offering, then He would prolong His days. How would this take place? Through His offspring—the sons and daughters born from above by faith in His redemptive sacrifice!
Ever since the days when Peter and the others believed on Him unto eternal life, Jesus has had a body in which to dwell on the earth. He dwelt in His disciples, then in Paul and Barnabus, Silas, Timothy, Phoebe, Priscilla, and Aquila. He dwelt in the true believers throughout the first, second, third, and fourth centuries. He dwelt in the true believers throughout all of the dark ages and into the Reformation and then on into the seventeenth, eighteenth, nineteenth, and twentieth centuries. He picked up a lot of us during this last century, and now He is still dwelling in His body here in the twenty-first century. By rendering Himself as a guilt offering, He really has prolonged His days here on earth—through His body!
The good pleasure of the Lord will prosper in His hand
Jesus did render Himself as a guilt offering. Therefore, from that day forward, the good pleasure of the Lord has prospered in His hand. You may look around yourself at all of the strife, sin, sadness, and sickness that has yet to be transformed by His resurrection touch, but look in the mirror! You belong to God; you were pulled out of darkness and depravity and were cleansed, delivered, and placed in the kingdom of His dear Son. That’s a miracle!
And He’s not finished. The Lord will bring many more sons and daughters to glory (see Hebrews 2:10), He will fulfill His Word, He will perform His good work, and He will sum up all things in Christ (see Ephesians 1:10). And as for you? He who began a good work in you will indeed perfect it until the day of Christ Jesus!
You are the good pleasure of the Lord; because Jesus did not turn away from rendering Himself as a guilt offering, you will prosper in His hand.
Dorothy
And I am convinced and sure of this very thing, that He Who began a good work in you will continue until the day of Jesus Christ [right up to the time of His return], developing [that good work] and perfecting and bringing it to full completion in you. Philippians 1:6, Amplified
His grave—Easter Series Part 9
His grave was assigned with wicked men, yet He was with a rich man in His death, because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth. Isaiah 53:9
His grave was assigned with wicked men…
This verse displays the laser-like accuracy of Isaiah’s prophecy. Jesus died between two common thieves (Luke 23:32-33), demonstrating the disdain of His executioners toward Him. Apparently, those supervising His crucifixion planned to cast Him into a common grave with the wicked, just as Isaiah 53:9 prophesied.
Religious leadership planned all this in order to heap the greatest level of discredit and disgrace possible upon the itinerant Preacher/Healer. He—who had so completely wowed the crowds by His simplicity, kindness, and power—stood in stark contrast to His detractors. Their lack of warmth, power, and godly authority had been exposed by the life of the Son of Man, and this was something they could not stomach and would not tolerate.
…yet He was with a rich man in His death…
One part of their plan fell apart when wealthy secret disciple, Joseph of Arimathea—himself a member of the Sanhedrin—went to Pilate and requested the body of Jesus (see John 19:38 and Luke 23:50). Pilate agreed, and Joseph, along with Nicodemus (see John 19:39), took the Lord’s body and bound it in linen wrappings and spices, a burial custom for the Jews. Joseph placed the body in his own new tomb (see Matthew 27:60). In this way, Isaiah’s prophecy was fulfilled: Jesus’ grave had been assigned with wicked men, and yet a rich man—Joseph—was with Him in His death.
…because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth.
Although indignities had been heaped upon Jesus from the moment He had been arrested and continued unabated throughout His trial, scourging, sentencing, and crucifixion, God would allow no further humiliation to be imposed upon Him. With His death, just as He declared, it was finished.
Further indignities had been planned against this Man, even after His death. As Isaiah had prophesied, His grave was assigned with wicked men. His accusers were determined to afford Him no honor. Indeed, the chief priests and Pharisees met with Pilate and asked that he ensure the security of Jesus’ tomb. Why? They said they feared that His disciples would steal the body to make everyone think that Jesus had risen. Pilate replied, “You have a guard; go, make it as secure as you know how.” With that, they secured the grave, and along with the guard they set a seal on the stone (see Matthew 27:65-66). In fearful contempt for the Lord, they wanted to make sure His body stayed put in that tomb.
Yet Jesus had come to fulfill a specific task—to take on the sin of the world and to bear the full judgment for it. When He declared on the cross, “It is finished,” it was finished. Despite the deluded thoughts gurgling within those who killed Him to incriminate Him after death for all time, when Jesus died, their role ceased. God saw to it.
Because He had done no violence, nor was there any deceit in His mouth, God directed Joseph to care for the Lord’s body with dignity and to place it in a respectable tomb. The Lamb of God came to die for you and me; after that He broke open the prison gates of death and the grave by the resurrection power of God. The plan of God had to play out according to His rules, not man’s.
God’s plan will always unfold according to His rules; and when man seeks to override that plan, he will always come up short. If man persists to push against God’s will, like those who crucified the Lord, he will be in for a big surprise: the irrefutable, unstoppable resurrection power of God. Be advised: God’s plan cannot be thwarted.
Dorothy
…but we speak God’s wisdom in a mystery, the hidden wisdom which God predestined before the ages to our glory; the wisdom which none of the rulers of this age has understood; for if they had understood it they would not have crucified the Lord of glory. 1 Corinthians 2:7-8
His generation—Easter Series Part 8
By oppression and judgment He was taken away; and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? Isaiah 53:8, NASB
He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation? for he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken. Isaiah 53:8, KJV
The first of the above two versions of Isaiah 53:8 is from the translation I normally use, the New American Standard Bible (NASB). The second is from the King James Version (KJV); using both versions together sheds new light on this verse.
By oppression and judgment He was taken away… (NASB)
John MacArthur said of the crucifixion of Jesus, “No victim of injustice was ever more innocent than the sinless Son of God…It was the greatest travesty of justice the world has ever seen” (see http://www.oneplace.com/ministries/portraits-of-grace/read/articles/the-murder-of-jesus-13577.html).
Others have stated that His arrest, trial, and sentencing was, by far, the worst case of criminal miscarriage of justice in history. It was because of man’s oppression and evil judgment that Jesus was nailed to the cross, but God turned the twisted wisdom of men’s murderous ambition on its head. Instead of the intended “snuff job”, the crucifixion of Jesus Christ gave the entire human race access to redemption and eternal life—not the outcome His executioners were anticipating.
He was taken from prison and from judgment… (KJV)
Jesus had been oppressed and judged by man’s judgments, and He was taken from the prison of the grave and judgment by the resurrection power of God. Commentator Matthew Henry wrote of this verse, “He was discharged…He was by an express order from heaven taken out of the prison of the grave, an angel was sent on purpose to roll away the stone and set him at liberty, by which the judgment given against him was reversed and taken off” (see http://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/mhc/Isa/Isa_053.cfm). Because of His sinlessness, neither judgment, nor death, nor the grave could hold Him down once He had completed His redemptive mission.
…and as for His generation, who considered that He was cut off out of the land of the living for the transgression of my people, to whom the stroke was due? (NASB)
Who living in that generation even once considered during the arrest, trial, and crucifixion of Jesus Christ that He was cut off—assassinated—for their own sins and guilt-laden ways? They deserved death and judgment; He took it on for them; they were clueless concerning it.
… and who shall declare his generation? For he was cut off out of the land of the living: for the transgression of my people was he stricken (KJV).
The KJV reads, “He was taken from prison and from judgment: and who shall declare his generation?” Because Jesus was sinless, death could not hold Him. Therefore, when He rose from the dead He became the firstborn among many brethren after bearing our sins and wiping out our debt. As a result, His generation—you and I and all the others who would be born again through faith in Him—would be without number.
“Declare” in this verse is siyach, and according to Gesenius’ Hebrew-Chaldee Lexicon, it means “to think upon anything” (see http://www.blueletterbible.org/lang/Lexicon/Lexicon.cfm?strongs=H7878&t=KJV). It is the same word used in Psalm 143:5, “muse”—“I muse on the work of Your hands.” With this definition in mind, a paraphrase of this portion of Isaiah 53:8 might be, “He was taken from prison and from judgment by the resurrection from the dead; who can ponder the full extent of His generation—the innumerable company of His brothers and sisters—who have been raised to newness of life through faith in Him?” Glory to God—that includes you and me!
His generation—those alive during His time—had no idea how significant that gruesome day was until they themselves were raised from death to life by faith in Him. And His generation—the uncountable multitude of human beings who have become His brothers and His sisters by believing in Him—span all generations from His day forward, throughout history, for as long as this age remains.
You, too, are a member of His generation if you believe in Him and the reality of His death and resurrection on your behalf. And because of your genuine faith in Him, the stroke and judgment for your sin will never fall upon you. For you the prison door has been opened; you are no longer guilty; you are free.
Dorothy
For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren… Hebrews 2:10-11