Randy Green's Blog - Posts Tagged "light"
Tripping Over My Own Feet
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil [Proverbs 3:7].
We have a stunning contrast in the opening Bible text of this study. Let’s view it as a bulleted list:
• wise in your own eyes
• fear the Lord
These form a parallel of sorts, what is known as parallelism in Biblical Hebrew poetry. Most often the parallel is synonymous, meaning the two concepts are in agreement. In this case the parallel is antonymous because the two concepts are in sharp contrast and opposition to each other. This makes the text to be in the form of antonymous parallelism.
But not to be distraught over the abstract terminology, dear friends. Let me demonstrate using the particulars, and then it will become crystal clear.
Man is a sinner. His every instinct is to do the opposite of what the Lord tells him to do. He often isn’t even conscious of this motivation because it is ingrained into his very nature, a sin nature. He disobeys automatically without even thinking about it.
The Lord created man and established him as the custodian over His garden. In the cool of the day the Lord came and visited with the man and enjoyed a time of fellowship with him. Picture a country house with a screened front porch. After the outdoor work was done in the evening, folks sit for a spell inside the screened-off area and chitchat for a while.
Anyway, the Lord gave man his food, which consisted of all the fruit in the entire humongous garden—all, that is, except for the fruit of one tree. In the midst of the garden the Lord planted two trees, their location highlighting their prominence. One tree was the life tree, the other the kogae tree.
Here’s the prominence held by the two trees. The Lord instructed man that, if he ate of the life tree, he would live. In contrast if the man ate of the kogae tree, he would die. Not complicated instructions, was it? The life tree had no medicinal properties, and the kogae tree wasn’t poisonous. Obedience or disobedience to the Word of God determined what resulted from eating the fruit of either tree.
When the woman ate from the kogae tree, two concepts were behind her action. Would it surprise you to know the two concepts are the same two which occur in our opening Scripture verse? The woman did not fear the Lord, or else she would have eaten from the life tree in obedience to his warning. Rather, she was wise in her own eyes, which led her to eat the forbidden fruit of the kogae tree.
Therein lies the real reason for the state of the world today, dear friends. Mankind is composed entirely of sinners, and sinners by nature want to disobey the Word of God. Sinners by nature have no fear of God. Sinners by nature are wise in their own eyes. Listen to another Scripture text which portrays this situation:
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble [Proverbs 4:18-19].
Again we have two contrasting concepts, the same two:
• the path of the righteous
• the way of the wicked
The path of the righteous is paved with obedience to the Word of God. Accordingly it is like the light of dawn: it shines increasingly brighter as the day wears on. The way of the wicked, in stark contrast, is like darkness. Accordingly their wont is to stumble incessantly, and they cannot even see over what they stumble! What a frustrating way to live.
None of us would consciously choose to trip over our own feet…would we? I surely hope not! Let’s go by “Thus saith the Lord” and not by “I think”, okay? Light is always preferable to darkness. Speaking of light…time spent alone with Jesus is the brightest and best light available. Let’s recharge ourselves now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
We have a stunning contrast in the opening Bible text of this study. Let’s view it as a bulleted list:
• wise in your own eyes
• fear the Lord
These form a parallel of sorts, what is known as parallelism in Biblical Hebrew poetry. Most often the parallel is synonymous, meaning the two concepts are in agreement. In this case the parallel is antonymous because the two concepts are in sharp contrast and opposition to each other. This makes the text to be in the form of antonymous parallelism.
But not to be distraught over the abstract terminology, dear friends. Let me demonstrate using the particulars, and then it will become crystal clear.
Man is a sinner. His every instinct is to do the opposite of what the Lord tells him to do. He often isn’t even conscious of this motivation because it is ingrained into his very nature, a sin nature. He disobeys automatically without even thinking about it.
The Lord created man and established him as the custodian over His garden. In the cool of the day the Lord came and visited with the man and enjoyed a time of fellowship with him. Picture a country house with a screened front porch. After the outdoor work was done in the evening, folks sit for a spell inside the screened-off area and chitchat for a while.
Anyway, the Lord gave man his food, which consisted of all the fruit in the entire humongous garden—all, that is, except for the fruit of one tree. In the midst of the garden the Lord planted two trees, their location highlighting their prominence. One tree was the life tree, the other the kogae tree.
Here’s the prominence held by the two trees. The Lord instructed man that, if he ate of the life tree, he would live. In contrast if the man ate of the kogae tree, he would die. Not complicated instructions, was it? The life tree had no medicinal properties, and the kogae tree wasn’t poisonous. Obedience or disobedience to the Word of God determined what resulted from eating the fruit of either tree.
When the woman ate from the kogae tree, two concepts were behind her action. Would it surprise you to know the two concepts are the same two which occur in our opening Scripture verse? The woman did not fear the Lord, or else she would have eaten from the life tree in obedience to his warning. Rather, she was wise in her own eyes, which led her to eat the forbidden fruit of the kogae tree.
Therein lies the real reason for the state of the world today, dear friends. Mankind is composed entirely of sinners, and sinners by nature want to disobey the Word of God. Sinners by nature have no fear of God. Sinners by nature are wise in their own eyes. Listen to another Scripture text which portrays this situation:
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble [Proverbs 4:18-19].
Again we have two contrasting concepts, the same two:
• the path of the righteous
• the way of the wicked
The path of the righteous is paved with obedience to the Word of God. Accordingly it is like the light of dawn: it shines increasingly brighter as the day wears on. The way of the wicked, in stark contrast, is like darkness. Accordingly their wont is to stumble incessantly, and they cannot even see over what they stumble! What a frustrating way to live.
None of us would consciously choose to trip over our own feet…would we? I surely hope not! Let’s go by “Thus saith the Lord” and not by “I think”, okay? Light is always preferable to darkness. Speaking of light…time spent alone with Jesus is the brightest and best light available. Let’s recharge ourselves now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Who Turned Out the Lights?
The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts of his being [Proverbs 20:27].
Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin [Proverbs 21:4].
I like the Sherlock Holmes books, and so I also like the movies. The newest effort starring Robert Downey Jr. has more suspenseful thrills and nail-biting excitement than what went before. Nonetheless the prior movies, as well as the books, are capable of leaving us spellbound too.
The scene of the Sherlock Holmes tales is 18th Century London. The cobblestone streets, the dimly lit sidewalks, the dingy atmosphere of brothels and floozies, all contribute to the tale. I particularly recall for purposes of this study the people and the cabbies with their lanterns in hand or hanging from the horse-drawn cabs.
Without those lanterns, you see, all would be too dark to function. Driving the cab down the street would imperil pedestrians. Walking down the sidewalks would be hazardous to one’s health, considering all the unseemly sorts of scoundrels lurking in the dark crevices. Indeed, light was essential to survive and function in sleepy London Town back then. Without the portable lamps, all the streetlights would have proved insufficient for the task at hand.
We hear a good deal about light and lamps in the Bible too. Spiritual reality is that the world is in the throes of Satan. Sin rules man and sin breeds darkness. Man is unable to recognize truth and reality because sin blinds him to suchlike things.
Instead of truth and reality, sin breeds in man haughty eyes and a proud heart, as noted in the verses which introduced this study. Those two evils may be displayed in a list for easy recognition:
• haughty eyes
• a proud heart
The verse defines these two evils as the lamp of the wicked, noting they are sin. Let’s assay the two.
In Scripture the heart is used to identify the center of one’s life, what he loves and so what motivates him. It is the internal man, the real person, the root and vine from which his life grows. The eyes are used to identify man’s outward focus, what he sees and so lusts after. The heart fertilizes the soil and plants the seeds, while the eyes produce the fruit.
When a person lives in sin rather than recognizes it and repents, his heart is darkness. Accordingly the fruit of his life is the fruit of darkness. His heart by nature seeks to accomplish his pleasure, and so his eyes wander about looking for ways to fulfill his lusts. The heart and the eyes work in conjunction to lead him into sin upon sin. The two serve to provide him light along the paths of sin and wickedness.
In utter contrast to this scenario is the lamp of the Lord (cf., the verses quoted to start this study). Scripture identifies what the lamp of the Lord is, so we don’t have to guess.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path [Psalm 119:105].
The Word of God is the lamp of the Lord, and it affords the believer light along the path of life. This light keeps the believer from stumbling onto the path of sin and wickedness. That is what the verses quoted at the start of this study teach.
A believer trusts in the Word of God (i.e., the life tree), rather than in his own understanding (i.e., the kogae tree) as the wicked do. Ergo, he allows the Word of God to search all the innermost parts of his being. In doing this the Word of God rules over the spirit of man. The Bible functions as the reins in the mouth of the horse (i.e., the spirit of man), effectively being the driving force of the spirit of man.
So we are left with a choice between two lamps, and the choice we make affects our eternal condition and location.
1. the lamp of the wicked
2. the lamp of the Lord
The ball is in your court, sir and madam. Which lamp do you choose? One of them feeds pride and affluent living, the other love for the Lord and the overwhelming desire to live like Him. Choose you this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will choose the Lord. I trust you will make the same choice.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin [Proverbs 21:4].
I like the Sherlock Holmes books, and so I also like the movies. The newest effort starring Robert Downey Jr. has more suspenseful thrills and nail-biting excitement than what went before. Nonetheless the prior movies, as well as the books, are capable of leaving us spellbound too.
The scene of the Sherlock Holmes tales is 18th Century London. The cobblestone streets, the dimly lit sidewalks, the dingy atmosphere of brothels and floozies, all contribute to the tale. I particularly recall for purposes of this study the people and the cabbies with their lanterns in hand or hanging from the horse-drawn cabs.
Without those lanterns, you see, all would be too dark to function. Driving the cab down the street would imperil pedestrians. Walking down the sidewalks would be hazardous to one’s health, considering all the unseemly sorts of scoundrels lurking in the dark crevices. Indeed, light was essential to survive and function in sleepy London Town back then. Without the portable lamps, all the streetlights would have proved insufficient for the task at hand.
We hear a good deal about light and lamps in the Bible too. Spiritual reality is that the world is in the throes of Satan. Sin rules man and sin breeds darkness. Man is unable to recognize truth and reality because sin blinds him to suchlike things.
Instead of truth and reality, sin breeds in man haughty eyes and a proud heart, as noted in the verses which introduced this study. Those two evils may be displayed in a list for easy recognition:
• haughty eyes
• a proud heart
The verse defines these two evils as the lamp of the wicked, noting they are sin. Let’s assay the two.
In Scripture the heart is used to identify the center of one’s life, what he loves and so what motivates him. It is the internal man, the real person, the root and vine from which his life grows. The eyes are used to identify man’s outward focus, what he sees and so lusts after. The heart fertilizes the soil and plants the seeds, while the eyes produce the fruit.
When a person lives in sin rather than recognizes it and repents, his heart is darkness. Accordingly the fruit of his life is the fruit of darkness. His heart by nature seeks to accomplish his pleasure, and so his eyes wander about looking for ways to fulfill his lusts. The heart and the eyes work in conjunction to lead him into sin upon sin. The two serve to provide him light along the paths of sin and wickedness.
In utter contrast to this scenario is the lamp of the Lord (cf., the verses quoted to start this study). Scripture identifies what the lamp of the Lord is, so we don’t have to guess.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path [Psalm 119:105].
The Word of God is the lamp of the Lord, and it affords the believer light along the path of life. This light keeps the believer from stumbling onto the path of sin and wickedness. That is what the verses quoted at the start of this study teach.
A believer trusts in the Word of God (i.e., the life tree), rather than in his own understanding (i.e., the kogae tree) as the wicked do. Ergo, he allows the Word of God to search all the innermost parts of his being. In doing this the Word of God rules over the spirit of man. The Bible functions as the reins in the mouth of the horse (i.e., the spirit of man), effectively being the driving force of the spirit of man.
So we are left with a choice between two lamps, and the choice we make affects our eternal condition and location.
1. the lamp of the wicked
2. the lamp of the Lord
The ball is in your court, sir and madam. Which lamp do you choose? One of them feeds pride and affluent living, the other love for the Lord and the overwhelming desire to live like Him. Choose you this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will choose the Lord. I trust you will make the same choice.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 1
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
When preachers employ this text for a sermon, they exhort Christians to let God’s light shine through their lives to others. And they are quite correct in their understanding of the text. But there is another truth in the text which deserves honorable mention. This truth runs throughout the Gospel According to Matthew. We will assay it today.
The New Testament contains four Gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are broken down in theology textbooks into two categories. On the one hand there is the Gospel According to John, on the other are the three synoptic gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The word “synoptic” comes from the Greek preposition “sun” which means “with” or “together with”, and the Greek word from which we derive “optics” or “optical”, which has to do with sight or vision or appearance. Hence the word “synoptic” refers to things which present the same appearance or vision.
Anyone who reads Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and then reads John, recognizes readily enough how John follows a different framework than the other three. Matthew, Mark, and Luke present the story of Jesus’ first advent in much the same light, even employing the same stories overall. Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s gospels are written as historical accounts.
John, contrariwise, presents the story of Jesus from a philosophical perspective, not a historical one. When we read the Gospel According to John, we are taken on flights into the heavenlies. We encounter visions of glory unlike the way Jesus’ life is recorded in the other three gospel accounts. The other three Gospel writers are quite pragmatic in their telling, while John is a visionary and who sees beyond the pragmatic to the deep things of God.
What we want to delve into today is a different dichotomy which occurs within the four gospel accounts:
1. kingdom of God
2. kingdom of heaven
Only Matthew refers to the “kingdom of heaven”, which he does predominantly in his account. He also makes mention of the “kingdom of God” a few times. The other three gospel accounts never speak of the “kingdom of heaven”, while they do point to the “kingdom of God” quite often.
Why this distinction? What does it mean? Right fine questions these and worthy of answers. Time’s a-wastin’! So let us betake ourselves to the answers.
Matthew’s gospel account was written to the Hebrew people. We won’t spend our time today proving this is true. Suffice it to say that many occurrences in Matthew’s account point to this reality. His emphasis can only be explained by recognition of this verity.
The other three gospel accounts, contrariwise, were written to the Gentiles (i.e., all non-Hebrews). The audience to whom Matthew wrote provides the answer as to why he alone uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” rather than “kingdom of God”.
The difference in the two phrases is found in the words “heaven” and “God”. This leads to the logical query, “Why does Matthew refer to God’s kingdom as the ‘kingdom of heaven’?” It is obvious why the other three gospel authors identify God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of God”. We needn’t waste paper and ink (or computer bytes) to explain this! But Matthew’s reference, now that requires some deciphering.
Oh, but we must stop for the night and get our rest. We will continue this journey on the morrow. Enjoy some time with the Lord Jesus before calling it a day. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
When preachers employ this text for a sermon, they exhort Christians to let God’s light shine through their lives to others. And they are quite correct in their understanding of the text. But there is another truth in the text which deserves honorable mention. This truth runs throughout the Gospel According to Matthew. We will assay it today.
The New Testament contains four Gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are broken down in theology textbooks into two categories. On the one hand there is the Gospel According to John, on the other are the three synoptic gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The word “synoptic” comes from the Greek preposition “sun” which means “with” or “together with”, and the Greek word from which we derive “optics” or “optical”, which has to do with sight or vision or appearance. Hence the word “synoptic” refers to things which present the same appearance or vision.
Anyone who reads Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and then reads John, recognizes readily enough how John follows a different framework than the other three. Matthew, Mark, and Luke present the story of Jesus’ first advent in much the same light, even employing the same stories overall. Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s gospels are written as historical accounts.
John, contrariwise, presents the story of Jesus from a philosophical perspective, not a historical one. When we read the Gospel According to John, we are taken on flights into the heavenlies. We encounter visions of glory unlike the way Jesus’ life is recorded in the other three gospel accounts. The other three Gospel writers are quite pragmatic in their telling, while John is a visionary and who sees beyond the pragmatic to the deep things of God.
What we want to delve into today is a different dichotomy which occurs within the four gospel accounts:
1. kingdom of God
2. kingdom of heaven
Only Matthew refers to the “kingdom of heaven”, which he does predominantly in his account. He also makes mention of the “kingdom of God” a few times. The other three gospel accounts never speak of the “kingdom of heaven”, while they do point to the “kingdom of God” quite often.
Why this distinction? What does it mean? Right fine questions these and worthy of answers. Time’s a-wastin’! So let us betake ourselves to the answers.
Matthew’s gospel account was written to the Hebrew people. We won’t spend our time today proving this is true. Suffice it to say that many occurrences in Matthew’s account point to this reality. His emphasis can only be explained by recognition of this verity.
The other three gospel accounts, contrariwise, were written to the Gentiles (i.e., all non-Hebrews). The audience to whom Matthew wrote provides the answer as to why he alone uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” rather than “kingdom of God”.
The difference in the two phrases is found in the words “heaven” and “God”. This leads to the logical query, “Why does Matthew refer to God’s kingdom as the ‘kingdom of heaven’?” It is obvious why the other three gospel authors identify God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of God”. We needn’t waste paper and ink (or computer bytes) to explain this! But Matthew’s reference, now that requires some deciphering.
Oh, but we must stop for the night and get our rest. We will continue this journey on the morrow. Enjoy some time with the Lord Jesus before calling it a day. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 2
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
Yesterday we noted the distinction in Matthew’s gospel narrative, when compared to the other three gospel accounts. Only Matthew makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven”. The other three accounts refer to the “kingdom of God”. Both expressions refer to God’s kingdom. The difference between them lies in the words “God” and “heaven”. Let’s continue our vetting of this topic now.
The context for Matthew is that he wrote to the Hebrew people, while the other three wrote to the Gentiles (i.e., everyone else). To understand why Matthew refers to God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of heaven”, we need to examine the understanding of the Hebrew people of the day. This is to be discovered in the Old Testament.
The Gentiles didn’t know or even have the Hebrew Scriptures, so they weren’t influenced by its theological instruction. The Hebrews were steeped in their Scriptures however. Consequently their entire comprehension of theology and anything spiritual was formed from the instruction found in the Old Testament. So let us betake ourselves to a brief overview of the Old Testament.
The Lord saw that all the peoples of the world walked away from Him to do their own thing. They twisted the truths He taught mankind about Himself and eternity, creating their own set of beliefs about gods and idols and religion. All mankind became idolaters and heathens, falling into the most despicable degradations imaginable.
So the Lord called one man out of all the peoples of the world, Abram by name, and created a new nation from him. That would be the Israelites, by the way. He served as their King and gave them His laws, the Law of Moses. He also gave them some real estate to serve as their national location, viz., the Promised Land.
This land was located smack dab in the middle of the two major empires back in the day, viz., Egypt and Mesopotamia. Israel was the Lord’s witness to the world about the truths of the one true God. The rest of the world’s peoples could have “read” the Israelites to learn the truth about God and what He expected of mankind.
Alas, but the Israelites were sinners just like all the Gentiles. It wasn’t long before they stopped reading their Scriptures and obeying the Word of God. Soon they were indistinguishable from the Gentiles, and God’s witness was as non-existent in Israel as it was in all the world.
So the Lord sent His people, the Israelites, into exile in Babylon. Before that time the tent of meeting and later the Temple served as the location of the Lord’s visible presence on earth. Of course this location was in the midst of the camp of Israel and later within the confines of Israel’s geographical borders. Its final site was in Jerusalem atop Mount Moriah (aka Mount Zion).
When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, they sacked the city and burned the Temple. Ezekiel had a vision of the Lord leaving the Temple and returning to heaven. Thenceforth King Yahweh (aka the Lord) no longer dwelt on earth in His kingdom of Israel. The light of the world went out when the Shekinah glory returned to heaven.
Accordingly the Israelites no longer knew God’s kingdom as the kingdom of God on earth. Thereafter they recognized His kingdom as existing no longer on earth but in heaven because King YHWH exited His throne in the Temple and returned to heaven. Ergo, to the Hebrews back in the day, God’s kingdom was the “kingdom of heaven”.
We must desist now and take our rest. We will finish this topic on the morrow. Enjoy your time with Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Yesterday we noted the distinction in Matthew’s gospel narrative, when compared to the other three gospel accounts. Only Matthew makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven”. The other three accounts refer to the “kingdom of God”. Both expressions refer to God’s kingdom. The difference between them lies in the words “God” and “heaven”. Let’s continue our vetting of this topic now.
The context for Matthew is that he wrote to the Hebrew people, while the other three wrote to the Gentiles (i.e., everyone else). To understand why Matthew refers to God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of heaven”, we need to examine the understanding of the Hebrew people of the day. This is to be discovered in the Old Testament.
The Gentiles didn’t know or even have the Hebrew Scriptures, so they weren’t influenced by its theological instruction. The Hebrews were steeped in their Scriptures however. Consequently their entire comprehension of theology and anything spiritual was formed from the instruction found in the Old Testament. So let us betake ourselves to a brief overview of the Old Testament.
The Lord saw that all the peoples of the world walked away from Him to do their own thing. They twisted the truths He taught mankind about Himself and eternity, creating their own set of beliefs about gods and idols and religion. All mankind became idolaters and heathens, falling into the most despicable degradations imaginable.
So the Lord called one man out of all the peoples of the world, Abram by name, and created a new nation from him. That would be the Israelites, by the way. He served as their King and gave them His laws, the Law of Moses. He also gave them some real estate to serve as their national location, viz., the Promised Land.
This land was located smack dab in the middle of the two major empires back in the day, viz., Egypt and Mesopotamia. Israel was the Lord’s witness to the world about the truths of the one true God. The rest of the world’s peoples could have “read” the Israelites to learn the truth about God and what He expected of mankind.
Alas, but the Israelites were sinners just like all the Gentiles. It wasn’t long before they stopped reading their Scriptures and obeying the Word of God. Soon they were indistinguishable from the Gentiles, and God’s witness was as non-existent in Israel as it was in all the world.
So the Lord sent His people, the Israelites, into exile in Babylon. Before that time the tent of meeting and later the Temple served as the location of the Lord’s visible presence on earth. Of course this location was in the midst of the camp of Israel and later within the confines of Israel’s geographical borders. Its final site was in Jerusalem atop Mount Moriah (aka Mount Zion).
When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, they sacked the city and burned the Temple. Ezekiel had a vision of the Lord leaving the Temple and returning to heaven. Thenceforth King Yahweh (aka the Lord) no longer dwelt on earth in His kingdom of Israel. The light of the world went out when the Shekinah glory returned to heaven.
Accordingly the Israelites no longer knew God’s kingdom as the kingdom of God on earth. Thereafter they recognized His kingdom as existing no longer on earth but in heaven because King YHWH exited His throne in the Temple and returned to heaven. Ergo, to the Hebrews back in the day, God’s kingdom was the “kingdom of heaven”.
We must desist now and take our rest. We will finish this topic on the morrow. Enjoy your time with Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 3
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
We concluded our study yesterday by noting how the kingdom of God on earth used to be located in Israel in the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of Israel’s idolatry the Lord vacated the Temple and returned to heaven. Thenceforth God’s kingdom was no longer on earth. It was in heaven.
This is why Matthew, in writing his gospel narrative to the Hebrews, makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven” and not to the “kingdom of God”. Once upon a time God’s kingdom on earth was Israel, but no longer. Back then the Hebrews referred to the kingdom of God, but no more. So neither did Matthew.
It was quite otherwise for the Gentiles, however. They were never a part of God’s kingdom. Only Israel was. Any Gentile who wanted to be a part of God’s kingdom back then had to convert to Judaism and become a full-fledged Jewish proselyte. He had to renounce being a Gentile of whatever nationality and become a Jew, period.
All peoples of the world, back then and still today, recognize a god or gods of some sort or other. Everyone knows their god has his kingdom. The phrase the “kingdom of God” is therefore universal. This is why the three gospel writers other than Matthew identify God’s kingdom by the phrase “kingdom of God”. They wrote to the Gentiles.
When Matthew recorded the Sermon on the Mount, he wrote how Jesus referred to the Father “in heaven”. God no longer was on earth. He now ruled from heaven because the time of the Gentiles was in full swing on the earth.
God’s people, the Israelites, were no longer a sovereign nation. At the time the Romans ruled them. King YHWH (the Lord) vacated His throne on earth as chastisement to His people for their idolatry. Until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled, God’s kingdom will continue to be in heaven, not on the earth.
This doesn’t mean that God is no longer in control on the earth. It means His visible presence is no longer on the earth. It used to be so in the tent of meeting in the midst of Israel’s camp. Later His visible presence appeared in the Temple in Jerusalem.
But not until the end of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth will God’s kingdom be on earth again. That time will signal the end of the time of the Gentiles. At that time the Lord Jesus will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth with a rod of iron. He will take up His people Israel once again, and every promise to the Israelites not yet fulfilled will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
These are exciting realities taught in the Bible, dear friends. I trust your heart is palpitating from such revelations. I do hope you are excited for this to transpire and watching for it. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
We concluded our study yesterday by noting how the kingdom of God on earth used to be located in Israel in the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of Israel’s idolatry the Lord vacated the Temple and returned to heaven. Thenceforth God’s kingdom was no longer on earth. It was in heaven.
This is why Matthew, in writing his gospel narrative to the Hebrews, makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven” and not to the “kingdom of God”. Once upon a time God’s kingdom on earth was Israel, but no longer. Back then the Hebrews referred to the kingdom of God, but no more. So neither did Matthew.
It was quite otherwise for the Gentiles, however. They were never a part of God’s kingdom. Only Israel was. Any Gentile who wanted to be a part of God’s kingdom back then had to convert to Judaism and become a full-fledged Jewish proselyte. He had to renounce being a Gentile of whatever nationality and become a Jew, period.
All peoples of the world, back then and still today, recognize a god or gods of some sort or other. Everyone knows their god has his kingdom. The phrase the “kingdom of God” is therefore universal. This is why the three gospel writers other than Matthew identify God’s kingdom by the phrase “kingdom of God”. They wrote to the Gentiles.
When Matthew recorded the Sermon on the Mount, he wrote how Jesus referred to the Father “in heaven”. God no longer was on earth. He now ruled from heaven because the time of the Gentiles was in full swing on the earth.
God’s people, the Israelites, were no longer a sovereign nation. At the time the Romans ruled them. King YHWH (the Lord) vacated His throne on earth as chastisement to His people for their idolatry. Until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled, God’s kingdom will continue to be in heaven, not on the earth.
This doesn’t mean that God is no longer in control on the earth. It means His visible presence is no longer on the earth. It used to be so in the tent of meeting in the midst of Israel’s camp. Later His visible presence appeared in the Temple in Jerusalem.
But not until the end of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth will God’s kingdom be on earth again. That time will signal the end of the time of the Gentiles. At that time the Lord Jesus will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth with a rod of iron. He will take up His people Israel once again, and every promise to the Israelites not yet fulfilled will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
These are exciting realities taught in the Bible, dear friends. I trust your heart is palpitating from such revelations. I do hope you are excited for this to transpire and watching for it. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/-/e/B005PJ761C
https://sites.google.com/site/heavenl...
Tripping Over My Own Feet
Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and turn away from evil [Proverbs 3:7].
We have a stunning contrast in the opening Bible text of this study. Let’s view it as a bulleted list:
• wise in your own eyes
• fear the Lord
These form a parallel of sorts, what is known as parallelism in Biblical Hebrew poetry. Most often the parallel is synonymous, meaning the two concepts are in agreement. In this case the parallel is antonymous because the two concepts are in sharp contrast and opposition to each other. This makes the text to be in the form of antonymous parallelism.
But not to be distraught over the abstract terminology, dear friends. Let me demonstrate using the particulars, and then it will become crystal clear.
Man is a sinner. His every instinct is to do the opposite of what the Lord tells him to do. He often isn’t even conscious of this motivation because it is ingrained into his very nature, a sin nature. He disobeys automatically without even thinking about it.
The Lord created man and established him as the custodian over His garden. In the cool of the day the Lord came and visited with the man and enjoyed a time of fellowship with him. Picture a country house with a screened front porch. After the outdoor work was done in the evening, folks sit for a spell inside the screened-off area and chitchat for a while.
Anyway, the Lord gave man his food, which consisted of all the fruit in the entire humongous garden—all, that is, except for the fruit of one tree. In the midst of the garden the Lord planted two trees, their location highlighting their prominence. One tree was the life tree, the other the kogae tree.
Here’s the prominence held by the two trees. The Lord instructed man that, if he ate of the life tree, he would live. In contrast if the man ate of the kogae tree, he would die. Not complicated instructions, was it? The life tree had no medicinal properties, and the kogae tree wasn’t poisonous. Obedience or disobedience to the Word of God determined what resulted from eating the fruit of either tree.
When the woman ate from the kogae tree, two concepts were behind her action. Would it surprise you to know the two concepts are the same two which occur in our opening Scripture verse? The woman did not fear the Lord, or else she would have eaten from the life tree in obedience to his warning. Rather, she was wise in her own eyes, which led her to eat the forbidden fruit of the kogae tree.
Therein lies the real reason for the state of the world today, dear friends. Mankind is composed entirely of sinners, and sinners by nature want to disobey the Word of God. Sinners by nature have no fear of God. Sinners by nature are wise in their own eyes. Listen to another Scripture text which portrays this situation:
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble [Proverbs 4:18-19].
Again we have two contrasting concepts, the same two:
• the path of the righteous
• the way of the wicked
The path of the righteous is paved with obedience to the Word of God. Accordingly it is like the light of dawn: it shines increasingly brighter as the day wears on. The way of the wicked, in stark contrast, is like darkness. Accordingly their wont is to stumble incessantly, and they cannot even see over what they stumble! What a frustrating way to live.
None of us would consciously choose to trip over our own feet…would we? I surely hope not! Let’s go by “Thus saith the Lord” and not by “I think”, okay? Light is always preferable to darkness. Speaking of light…time spent alone with Jesus is the brightest and best light available. Let’s recharge ourselves now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
We have a stunning contrast in the opening Bible text of this study. Let’s view it as a bulleted list:
• wise in your own eyes
• fear the Lord
These form a parallel of sorts, what is known as parallelism in Biblical Hebrew poetry. Most often the parallel is synonymous, meaning the two concepts are in agreement. In this case the parallel is antonymous because the two concepts are in sharp contrast and opposition to each other. This makes the text to be in the form of antonymous parallelism.
But not to be distraught over the abstract terminology, dear friends. Let me demonstrate using the particulars, and then it will become crystal clear.
Man is a sinner. His every instinct is to do the opposite of what the Lord tells him to do. He often isn’t even conscious of this motivation because it is ingrained into his very nature, a sin nature. He disobeys automatically without even thinking about it.
The Lord created man and established him as the custodian over His garden. In the cool of the day the Lord came and visited with the man and enjoyed a time of fellowship with him. Picture a country house with a screened front porch. After the outdoor work was done in the evening, folks sit for a spell inside the screened-off area and chitchat for a while.
Anyway, the Lord gave man his food, which consisted of all the fruit in the entire humongous garden—all, that is, except for the fruit of one tree. In the midst of the garden the Lord planted two trees, their location highlighting their prominence. One tree was the life tree, the other the kogae tree.
Here’s the prominence held by the two trees. The Lord instructed man that, if he ate of the life tree, he would live. In contrast if the man ate of the kogae tree, he would die. Not complicated instructions, was it? The life tree had no medicinal properties, and the kogae tree wasn’t poisonous. Obedience or disobedience to the Word of God determined what resulted from eating the fruit of either tree.
When the woman ate from the kogae tree, two concepts were behind her action. Would it surprise you to know the two concepts are the same two which occur in our opening Scripture verse? The woman did not fear the Lord, or else she would have eaten from the life tree in obedience to his warning. Rather, she was wise in her own eyes, which led her to eat the forbidden fruit of the kogae tree.
Therein lies the real reason for the state of the world today, dear friends. Mankind is composed entirely of sinners, and sinners by nature want to disobey the Word of God. Sinners by nature have no fear of God. Sinners by nature are wise in their own eyes. Listen to another Scripture text which portrays this situation:
But the path of the righteous is like the light of dawn, that shines brighter and brighter until the full day. The way of the wicked is like darkness; they do not know over what they stumble [Proverbs 4:18-19].
Again we have two contrasting concepts, the same two:
• the path of the righteous
• the way of the wicked
The path of the righteous is paved with obedience to the Word of God. Accordingly it is like the light of dawn: it shines increasingly brighter as the day wears on. The way of the wicked, in stark contrast, is like darkness. Accordingly their wont is to stumble incessantly, and they cannot even see over what they stumble! What a frustrating way to live.
None of us would consciously choose to trip over our own feet…would we? I surely hope not! Let’s go by “Thus saith the Lord” and not by “I think”, okay? Light is always preferable to darkness. Speaking of light…time spent alone with Jesus is the brightest and best light available. Let’s recharge ourselves now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Who Turned Out the Lights?
The spirit of man is the lamp of the Lord, searching all the innermost parts of his being [Proverbs 20:27].
Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin [Proverbs 21:4].
I like the Sherlock Holmes books, and so I also like the movies. The newest effort starring Robert Downey Jr. has more suspenseful thrills and nail-biting excitement than what went before. Nonetheless the prior movies, as well as the books, are capable of leaving us spellbound too.
The scene of the Sherlock Holmes tales is 18th Century London. The cobblestone streets, the dimly lit sidewalks, the dingy atmosphere of brothels and floozies, all contribute to the tale. I particularly recall for purposes of this study the people and the cabbies with their lanterns in hand or hanging from the horse-drawn cabs.
Without those lanterns, you see, all would be too dark to function. Driving the cab down the street would imperil pedestrians. Walking down the sidewalks would be hazardous to one’s health, considering all the unseemly sorts of scoundrels lurking in the dark crevices. Indeed, light was essential to survive and function in sleepy London Town back then. Without the portable lamps, all the streetlights would have proved insufficient for the task at hand.
We hear a good deal about light and lamps in the Bible too. Spiritual reality is that the world is in the throes of Satan. Sin rules man and sin breeds darkness. Man is unable to recognize truth and reality because sin blinds him to suchlike things.
Instead of truth and reality, sin breeds in man haughty eyes and a proud heart, as noted in the verses which introduced this study. Those two evils may be displayed in a list for easy recognition:
• haughty eyes
• a proud heart
The verse defines these two evils as the lamp of the wicked, noting they are sin. Let’s assay the two.
In Scripture the heart is used to identify the center of one’s life, what he loves and so what motivates him. It is the internal man, the real person, the root and vine from which his life grows. The eyes are used to identify man’s outward focus, what he sees and so lusts after. The heart fertilizes the soil and plants the seeds, while the eyes produce the fruit.
When a person lives in sin rather than recognizes it and repents, his heart is darkness. Accordingly the fruit of his life is the fruit of darkness. His heart by nature seeks to accomplish his pleasure, and so his eyes wander about looking for ways to fulfill his lusts. The heart and the eyes work in conjunction to lead him into sin upon sin. The two serve to provide him light along the paths of sin and wickedness.
In utter contrast to this scenario is the lamp of the Lord (cf., the verses quoted to start this study). Scripture identifies what the lamp of the Lord is, so we don’t have to guess.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path [Psalm 119:105].
The Word of God is the lamp of the Lord, and it affords the believer light along the path of life. This light keeps the believer from stumbling onto the path of sin and wickedness. That is what the verses quoted at the start of this study teach.
A believer trusts in the Word of God (i.e., the life tree), rather than in his own understanding (i.e., the kogae tree) as the wicked do. Ergo, he allows the Word of God to search all the innermost parts of his being. In doing this the Word of God rules over the spirit of man. The Bible functions as the reins in the mouth of the horse (i.e., the spirit of man), effectively being the driving force of the spirit of man.
So we are left with a choice between two lamps, and the choice we make affects our eternal condition and location.
1. the lamp of the wicked
2. the lamp of the Lord
The ball is in your court, sir and madam. Which lamp do you choose? One of them feeds pride and affluent living, the other love for the Lord and the overwhelming desire to live like Him. Choose you this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will choose the Lord. I trust you will make the same choice.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Haughty eyes and a proud heart, the lamp of the wicked, is sin [Proverbs 21:4].
I like the Sherlock Holmes books, and so I also like the movies. The newest effort starring Robert Downey Jr. has more suspenseful thrills and nail-biting excitement than what went before. Nonetheless the prior movies, as well as the books, are capable of leaving us spellbound too.
The scene of the Sherlock Holmes tales is 18th Century London. The cobblestone streets, the dimly lit sidewalks, the dingy atmosphere of brothels and floozies, all contribute to the tale. I particularly recall for purposes of this study the people and the cabbies with their lanterns in hand or hanging from the horse-drawn cabs.
Without those lanterns, you see, all would be too dark to function. Driving the cab down the street would imperil pedestrians. Walking down the sidewalks would be hazardous to one’s health, considering all the unseemly sorts of scoundrels lurking in the dark crevices. Indeed, light was essential to survive and function in sleepy London Town back then. Without the portable lamps, all the streetlights would have proved insufficient for the task at hand.
We hear a good deal about light and lamps in the Bible too. Spiritual reality is that the world is in the throes of Satan. Sin rules man and sin breeds darkness. Man is unable to recognize truth and reality because sin blinds him to suchlike things.
Instead of truth and reality, sin breeds in man haughty eyes and a proud heart, as noted in the verses which introduced this study. Those two evils may be displayed in a list for easy recognition:
• haughty eyes
• a proud heart
The verse defines these two evils as the lamp of the wicked, noting they are sin. Let’s assay the two.
In Scripture the heart is used to identify the center of one’s life, what he loves and so what motivates him. It is the internal man, the real person, the root and vine from which his life grows. The eyes are used to identify man’s outward focus, what he sees and so lusts after. The heart fertilizes the soil and plants the seeds, while the eyes produce the fruit.
When a person lives in sin rather than recognizes it and repents, his heart is darkness. Accordingly the fruit of his life is the fruit of darkness. His heart by nature seeks to accomplish his pleasure, and so his eyes wander about looking for ways to fulfill his lusts. The heart and the eyes work in conjunction to lead him into sin upon sin. The two serve to provide him light along the paths of sin and wickedness.
In utter contrast to this scenario is the lamp of the Lord (cf., the verses quoted to start this study). Scripture identifies what the lamp of the Lord is, so we don’t have to guess.
Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path [Psalm 119:105].
The Word of God is the lamp of the Lord, and it affords the believer light along the path of life. This light keeps the believer from stumbling onto the path of sin and wickedness. That is what the verses quoted at the start of this study teach.
A believer trusts in the Word of God (i.e., the life tree), rather than in his own understanding (i.e., the kogae tree) as the wicked do. Ergo, he allows the Word of God to search all the innermost parts of his being. In doing this the Word of God rules over the spirit of man. The Bible functions as the reins in the mouth of the horse (i.e., the spirit of man), effectively being the driving force of the spirit of man.
So we are left with a choice between two lamps, and the choice we make affects our eternal condition and location.
1. the lamp of the wicked
2. the lamp of the Lord
The ball is in your court, sir and madam. Which lamp do you choose? One of them feeds pride and affluent living, the other love for the Lord and the overwhelming desire to live like Him. Choose you this day whom you will serve. But as for me and my house, we will choose the Lord. I trust you will make the same choice.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Deuteronomy: Volume 5 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 1
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
When preachers employ this text for a sermon, they exhort Christians to let God’s light shine through their lives to others. And they are quite correct in their understanding of the text. But there is another truth in the text which deserves honorable mention. This truth runs throughout the Gospel According to Matthew. We will assay it today.
The New Testament contains four Gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are broken down in theology textbooks into two categories. On the one hand there is the Gospel According to John, on the other are the three synoptic gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The word “synoptic” comes from the Greek preposition “sun” which means “with” or “together with”, and the Greek word from which we derive “optics” or “optical”, which has to do with sight or vision or appearance. Hence the word “synoptic” refers to things which present the same appearance or vision.
Anyone who reads Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and then reads John, recognizes readily enough how John follows a different framework than the other three. Matthew, Mark, and Luke present the story of Jesus’ first advent in much the same light, even employing the same stories overall. Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s gospels are written as historical accounts.
John, contrariwise, presents the story of Jesus from a philosophical perspective, not a historical one. When we read the Gospel According to John, we are taken on flights into the heavenlies. We encounter visions of glory unlike the way Jesus’ life is recorded in the other three gospel accounts. The other three Gospel writers are quite pragmatic in their telling, while John is a visionary and who sees beyond the pragmatic to the deep things of God.
What we want to delve into today is a different dichotomy which occurs within the four gospel accounts:
1. kingdom of God
2. kingdom of heaven
Only Matthew refers to the “kingdom of heaven”, which he does predominantly in his account. He also makes mention of the “kingdom of God” a few times. The other three gospel accounts never speak of the “kingdom of heaven”, while they do point to the “kingdom of God” quite often.
Why this distinction? What does it mean? Right fine questions these and worthy of answers. Time’s a-wastin’! So let us betake ourselves to the answers.
Matthew’s gospel account was written to the Hebrew people. We won’t spend our time today proving this is true. Suffice it to say that many occurrences in Matthew’s account point to this reality. His emphasis can only be explained by recognition of this verity.
The other three gospel accounts, contrariwise, were written to the Gentiles (i.e., all non-Hebrews). The audience to whom Matthew wrote provides the answer as to why he alone uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” rather than “kingdom of God”.
The difference in the two phrases is found in the words “heaven” and “God”. This leads to the logical query, “Why does Matthew refer to God’s kingdom as the ‘kingdom of heaven’?” It is obvious why the other three gospel authors identify God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of God”. We needn’t waste paper and ink (or computer bytes) to explain this! But Matthew’s reference, now that requires some deciphering.
Oh, but we must stop for the night and get our rest. We will continue this journey on the morrow. Enjoy some time with the Lord Jesus before calling it a day. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
When preachers employ this text for a sermon, they exhort Christians to let God’s light shine through their lives to others. And they are quite correct in their understanding of the text. But there is another truth in the text which deserves honorable mention. This truth runs throughout the Gospel According to Matthew. We will assay it today.
The New Testament contains four Gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. These are broken down in theology textbooks into two categories. On the one hand there is the Gospel According to John, on the other are the three synoptic gospel accounts: Matthew, Mark, and Luke.
The word “synoptic” comes from the Greek preposition “sun” which means “with” or “together with”, and the Greek word from which we derive “optics” or “optical”, which has to do with sight or vision or appearance. Hence the word “synoptic” refers to things which present the same appearance or vision.
Anyone who reads Matthew, Mark, and Luke, and then reads John, recognizes readily enough how John follows a different framework than the other three. Matthew, Mark, and Luke present the story of Jesus’ first advent in much the same light, even employing the same stories overall. Matthew, Mark, and Luke’s gospels are written as historical accounts.
John, contrariwise, presents the story of Jesus from a philosophical perspective, not a historical one. When we read the Gospel According to John, we are taken on flights into the heavenlies. We encounter visions of glory unlike the way Jesus’ life is recorded in the other three gospel accounts. The other three Gospel writers are quite pragmatic in their telling, while John is a visionary and who sees beyond the pragmatic to the deep things of God.
What we want to delve into today is a different dichotomy which occurs within the four gospel accounts:
1. kingdom of God
2. kingdom of heaven
Only Matthew refers to the “kingdom of heaven”, which he does predominantly in his account. He also makes mention of the “kingdom of God” a few times. The other three gospel accounts never speak of the “kingdom of heaven”, while they do point to the “kingdom of God” quite often.
Why this distinction? What does it mean? Right fine questions these and worthy of answers. Time’s a-wastin’! So let us betake ourselves to the answers.
Matthew’s gospel account was written to the Hebrew people. We won’t spend our time today proving this is true. Suffice it to say that many occurrences in Matthew’s account point to this reality. His emphasis can only be explained by recognition of this verity.
The other three gospel accounts, contrariwise, were written to the Gentiles (i.e., all non-Hebrews). The audience to whom Matthew wrote provides the answer as to why he alone uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” rather than “kingdom of God”.
The difference in the two phrases is found in the words “heaven” and “God”. This leads to the logical query, “Why does Matthew refer to God’s kingdom as the ‘kingdom of heaven’?” It is obvious why the other three gospel authors identify God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of God”. We needn’t waste paper and ink (or computer bytes) to explain this! But Matthew’s reference, now that requires some deciphering.
Oh, but we must stop for the night and get our rest. We will continue this journey on the morrow. Enjoy some time with the Lord Jesus before calling it a day. See you tomorrow.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 2
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
Yesterday we noted the distinction in Matthew’s gospel narrative, when compared to the other three gospel accounts. Only Matthew makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven”. The other three accounts refer to the “kingdom of God”. Both expressions refer to God’s kingdom. The difference between them lies in the words “God” and “heaven”. Let’s continue our vetting of this topic now.
The context for Matthew is that he wrote to the Hebrew people, while the other three wrote to the Gentiles (i.e., everyone else). To understand why Matthew refers to God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of heaven”, we need to examine the understanding of the Hebrew people of the day. This is to be discovered in the Old Testament.
The Gentiles didn’t know or even have the Hebrew Scriptures, so they weren’t influenced by its theological instruction. The Hebrews were steeped in their Scriptures however. Consequently their entire comprehension of theology and anything spiritual was formed from the instruction found in the Old Testament. So let us betake ourselves to a brief overview of the Old Testament.
The Lord saw that all the peoples of the world walked away from Him to do their own thing. They twisted the truths He taught mankind about Himself and eternity, creating their own set of beliefs about gods and idols and religion. All mankind became idolaters and heathens, falling into the most despicable degradations imaginable.
So the Lord called one man out of all the peoples of the world, Abram by name, and created a new nation from him. That would be the Israelites, by the way. He served as their King and gave them His laws, the Law of Moses. He also gave them some real estate to serve as their national location, viz., the Promised Land.
This land was located smack dab in the middle of the two major empires back in the day, viz., Egypt and Mesopotamia. Israel was the Lord’s witness to the world about the truths of the one true God. The rest of the world’s peoples could have “read” the Israelites to learn the truth about God and what He expected of mankind.
Alas, but the Israelites were sinners just like all the Gentiles. It wasn’t long before they stopped reading their Scriptures and obeying the Word of God. Soon they were indistinguishable from the Gentiles, and God’s witness was as non-existent in Israel as it was in all the world.
So the Lord sent His people, the Israelites, into exile in Babylon. Before that time the tent of meeting and later the Temple served as the location of the Lord’s visible presence on earth. Of course this location was in the midst of the camp of Israel and later within the confines of Israel’s geographical borders. Its final site was in Jerusalem atop Mount Moriah (aka Mount Zion).
When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, they sacked the city and burned the Temple. Ezekiel had a vision of the Lord leaving the Temple and returning to heaven. Thenceforth King Yahweh (aka the Lord) no longer dwelt on earth in His kingdom of Israel. The light of the world went out when the Shekinah glory returned to heaven.
Accordingly the Israelites no longer knew God’s kingdom as the kingdom of God on earth. Thereafter they recognized His kingdom as existing no longer on earth but in heaven because King YHWH exited His throne in the Temple and returned to heaven. Ergo, to the Hebrews back in the day, God’s kingdom was the “kingdom of heaven”.
We must desist now and take our rest. We will finish this topic on the morrow. Enjoy your time with Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Yesterday we noted the distinction in Matthew’s gospel narrative, when compared to the other three gospel accounts. Only Matthew makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven”. The other three accounts refer to the “kingdom of God”. Both expressions refer to God’s kingdom. The difference between them lies in the words “God” and “heaven”. Let’s continue our vetting of this topic now.
The context for Matthew is that he wrote to the Hebrew people, while the other three wrote to the Gentiles (i.e., everyone else). To understand why Matthew refers to God’s kingdom as the “kingdom of heaven”, we need to examine the understanding of the Hebrew people of the day. This is to be discovered in the Old Testament.
The Gentiles didn’t know or even have the Hebrew Scriptures, so they weren’t influenced by its theological instruction. The Hebrews were steeped in their Scriptures however. Consequently their entire comprehension of theology and anything spiritual was formed from the instruction found in the Old Testament. So let us betake ourselves to a brief overview of the Old Testament.
The Lord saw that all the peoples of the world walked away from Him to do their own thing. They twisted the truths He taught mankind about Himself and eternity, creating their own set of beliefs about gods and idols and religion. All mankind became idolaters and heathens, falling into the most despicable degradations imaginable.
So the Lord called one man out of all the peoples of the world, Abram by name, and created a new nation from him. That would be the Israelites, by the way. He served as their King and gave them His laws, the Law of Moses. He also gave them some real estate to serve as their national location, viz., the Promised Land.
This land was located smack dab in the middle of the two major empires back in the day, viz., Egypt and Mesopotamia. Israel was the Lord’s witness to the world about the truths of the one true God. The rest of the world’s peoples could have “read” the Israelites to learn the truth about God and what He expected of mankind.
Alas, but the Israelites were sinners just like all the Gentiles. It wasn’t long before they stopped reading their Scriptures and obeying the Word of God. Soon they were indistinguishable from the Gentiles, and God’s witness was as non-existent in Israel as it was in all the world.
So the Lord sent His people, the Israelites, into exile in Babylon. Before that time the tent of meeting and later the Temple served as the location of the Lord’s visible presence on earth. Of course this location was in the midst of the camp of Israel and later within the confines of Israel’s geographical borders. Its final site was in Jerusalem atop Mount Moriah (aka Mount Zion).
When the Babylonians captured Jerusalem, they sacked the city and burned the Temple. Ezekiel had a vision of the Lord leaving the Temple and returning to heaven. Thenceforth King Yahweh (aka the Lord) no longer dwelt on earth in His kingdom of Israel. The light of the world went out when the Shekinah glory returned to heaven.
Accordingly the Israelites no longer knew God’s kingdom as the kingdom of God on earth. Thereafter they recognized His kingdom as existing no longer on earth but in heaven because King YHWH exited His throne in the Temple and returned to heaven. Ergo, to the Hebrews back in the day, God’s kingdom was the “kingdom of heaven”.
We must desist now and take our rest. We will finish this topic on the morrow. Enjoy your time with Jesus now.
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
Who Turned Out the Lights? – Part 3
Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father who is in heaven [Matthew 5:16].
We concluded our study yesterday by noting how the kingdom of God on earth used to be located in Israel in the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of Israel’s idolatry the Lord vacated the Temple and returned to heaven. Thenceforth God’s kingdom was no longer on earth. It was in heaven.
This is why Matthew, in writing his gospel narrative to the Hebrews, makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven” and not to the “kingdom of God”. Once upon a time God’s kingdom on earth was Israel, but no longer. Back then the Hebrews referred to the kingdom of God, but no more. So neither did Matthew.
It was quite otherwise for the Gentiles, however. They were never a part of God’s kingdom. Only Israel was. Any Gentile who wanted to be a part of God’s kingdom back then had to convert to Judaism and become a full-fledged Jewish proselyte. He had to renounce being a Gentile of whatever nationality and become a Jew, period.
All peoples of the world, back then and still today, recognize a god or gods of some sort or other. Everyone knows their god has his kingdom. The phrase the “kingdom of God” is therefore universal. This is why the three gospel writers other than Matthew identify God’s kingdom by the phrase “kingdom of God”. They wrote to the Gentiles.
When Matthew recorded the Sermon on the Mount, he wrote how Jesus referred to the Father “in heaven”. God no longer was on earth. He now ruled from heaven because the time of the Gentiles was in full swing on the earth.
God’s people, the Israelites, were no longer a sovereign nation. At the time the Romans ruled them. King YHWH (the Lord) vacated His throne on earth as chastisement to His people for their idolatry. Until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled, God’s kingdom will continue to be in heaven, not on the earth.
This doesn’t mean that God is no longer in control on the earth. It means His visible presence is no longer on the earth. It used to be so in the tent of meeting in the midst of Israel’s camp. Later His visible presence appeared in the Temple in Jerusalem.
But not until the end of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth will God’s kingdom be on earth again. That time will signal the end of the time of the Gentiles. At that time the Lord Jesus will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth with a rod of iron. He will take up His people Israel once again, and every promise to the Israelites not yet fulfilled will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
These are exciting realities taught in the Bible, dear friends. I trust your heart is palpitating from such revelations. I do hope you are excited for this to transpire and watching for it. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
We concluded our study yesterday by noting how the kingdom of God on earth used to be located in Israel in the Temple in Jerusalem. Because of Israel’s idolatry the Lord vacated the Temple and returned to heaven. Thenceforth God’s kingdom was no longer on earth. It was in heaven.
This is why Matthew, in writing his gospel narrative to the Hebrews, makes reference to the “kingdom of heaven” and not to the “kingdom of God”. Once upon a time God’s kingdom on earth was Israel, but no longer. Back then the Hebrews referred to the kingdom of God, but no more. So neither did Matthew.
It was quite otherwise for the Gentiles, however. They were never a part of God’s kingdom. Only Israel was. Any Gentile who wanted to be a part of God’s kingdom back then had to convert to Judaism and become a full-fledged Jewish proselyte. He had to renounce being a Gentile of whatever nationality and become a Jew, period.
All peoples of the world, back then and still today, recognize a god or gods of some sort or other. Everyone knows their god has his kingdom. The phrase the “kingdom of God” is therefore universal. This is why the three gospel writers other than Matthew identify God’s kingdom by the phrase “kingdom of God”. They wrote to the Gentiles.
When Matthew recorded the Sermon on the Mount, he wrote how Jesus referred to the Father “in heaven”. God no longer was on earth. He now ruled from heaven because the time of the Gentiles was in full swing on the earth.
God’s people, the Israelites, were no longer a sovereign nation. At the time the Romans ruled them. King YHWH (the Lord) vacated His throne on earth as chastisement to His people for their idolatry. Until the time of the Gentiles is fulfilled, God’s kingdom will continue to be in heaven, not on the earth.
This doesn’t mean that God is no longer in control on the earth. It means His visible presence is no longer on the earth. It used to be so in the tent of meeting in the midst of Israel’s camp. Later His visible presence appeared in the Temple in Jerusalem.
But not until the end of the Great Tribulation and the Second Coming of Jesus to the earth will God’s kingdom be on earth again. That time will signal the end of the time of the Gentiles. At that time the Lord Jesus will sit on His throne in Jerusalem and rule the earth with a rod of iron. He will take up His people Israel once again, and every promise to the Israelites not yet fulfilled will be fulfilled during the Millennium.
These are exciting realities taught in the Bible, dear friends. I trust your heart is palpitating from such revelations. I do hope you are excited for this to transpire and watching for it. May the Lord Jesus Christ be praised!
To further research this issue, I direct you to my book Joshua: Volume 6 of Heavenly Citizens in Earthly Shoes. To purchase my books please go to:
http://www.amazon.com/Randy-Green/e/B...
