Monthly Archives: July 2025

The Four R’s of Salvation (Part 2)

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Last week I spoke about redemption. The kinsman-redeemer of Ruth named Boaz. Redeeming the tithe or just using it for travel money. Cities of refuge against the avenger of blood, a type of redemption of blood for those accidently killing another. I also talked about recompense and how salam is related to shalom but has also the meaning of punishment when it is not peace. Today I will speak of restoration and reflection.

— Restoration

  • Joel 2:25-26: I will restore (šālam) to you the years that the swarming locust has eaten, the crawling locust, the consuming locust, and the chewing locust, my great army which I sent among you. You shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the LORD your God, who has dealt wondrously with you

Notice in Joel 1:4 the order of the locusts on what they eat is different:
What the chewing locust left, the swarming locust has eaten;
What the swarming locust left, the crawling locust has eaten;
And what the crawling locust left, the consuming locust has eaten.

let’s start with the swarming locust.

The first thing to note here is the verb for restore is the same hebrew word I spoke about last week meaning recompense but here in a positive, godly manner. When we get paid back for the evil done unto us we are being restored. So maybe what I mean in this section is the process of restoration. So much of life is a process, even salvation.

If the four kinds of locust took years to eat up your harvest should we expect restoration overnight? I’m not saying the Lord cannot work miracles like that but is that how he cleans us up? In the natural, if we have been poor and impoverished yet today we win the lottery or get some big windfall would we know how to properly manage such things? I have heard stories of people winning the state lottery only to eventually die broke and destitute. Of course, restoration is not all about money.

Isaiah 59:19 says ‘when the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD will lift up a standard against him’. A swarm is like a flood of pests. The idea in Isaiah 59 regarding a standard is not what we might think of as the gold standard. In fact, a better translation here is the breath or wind of the LORD drives away the flood. Similar to what the breadth of God did in parting the Red Sea. However, consider the locusts, they can be brought in by the wind.

Moses stretched out his rod over the land of Egypt, and the LORD brought an east wind on the land all that day and all that night. When it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts (Ex. 10:13)

The LORD turned a very strong west wind, which took the locusts away and blew them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the territory of Egypt (Ex. 10:19)

Great swarms of locust can be brought into our lives just by the wind. Remember it was both the east wind that brought in the locusts and also cleared a path for Israel through the Red Sea. God can both punish and reward.

When a swarm reproduces they eventually crawl, consume and chew.

Three types of locusts have been suggested here:
1 – cankerworm (crawling or hopping – young locust)
2 – caterpiller (consuming or stripping or destroying locust)
3 – palmerworm (chewing or cutting or gnawing devouring locust)

Whatever the exact species or stage of development it appears that these three locust types cannot fly. The nymph stage actually consists of 5 to 6 instars before the locust matures into an adult

When Satan attacks it might be rather benign at the beginning. We see the effects but he is mostly crawling or hopping and not consumming too much of our resources: our identity, our self-worth, our family, and our livelihood. We might be playing around with sin, trying to see the limits of what we can get away with and still call ourselves a child of God. After all, it is only a baby pet sin anyway…

Another tactic of Satan is to consume, or strip away your identity, self-worth, family and even your livelihood. As we dabble with sin it creeps into our lives there comes consequences. We still have abilities and talents, they are just being eaten away as the destroyer destroyes our lives. You might have an alcohol, drug, gambling or pornography issue that is consuming your time and treasure. We might think we have it under control but the reality is it really has you under it’s control, you just don’t know it yet.

Thirdly, Satan may chew up or cut away anything godly in your life. Once locusts have fully formed mandibles around the 5th instar they can cut or chew food. At this stage we might realize there is a problem. We have been stripped of identity, self-worth, family, and in some cases our livelihood. Shame has become your only reward. Godly friends might have left you as you seek like-minded individual to have revilry in sin. We might realize we need help but are unwilling or unable to get it. Your heart has now become reprobate. There is a persistent gnawing pain of knowing within that you are lost. The destroying “angel” from the bottomless pit now has full control your life and holds you in his fully formed mandibles.

Swarming locust are the ones that take flight and spread to other places and affect other communities. They reproduce so as to eventually spread mayhem. They have fully developed wings. Not only have we messed ourselves up, we also spread to infect others with the effects of sin. We are open to the wind and may be blown into a new situation to re-infect.

The good news, even in Joel, is that the LORD can restore to us the years the various locusts have eaten. We just need to fully repent and get rid of those pet sins that may have now overwhelmed our lives. Our lives need transforming and we need restoration to begin afresh.

— Reflection and Reflected Glory
Solomon’s story (wisdom and understanding and guidance and reflection) on what God has done

Proverbs 9:10 – The fear (or terror) of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding (or discernment).

John 16:13:: when He, the Spirit of truth, has come, He will guide you into all truth

Solomon asked for an understanding heart (hear and obey!) so as to judge God’s people (1 Kings 3:9).

2 Cor. 3:18:: we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image (eikōn) from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

Heb. 1:3:: (His son) being the brightness (apaugasma) of His glory and the express image (charaktēr) of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high

apaugasma (ap-ow’-gas-mah) has two definitions:
1) reflected brightness
2) effulgence (shining one)

I would suggest here that the first definition is more appropriate. “Lucifer” translates to “light-bringer” or “shining one” in Latin. Lucifer brings forth light but not from the Father.

The NCV actually says ‘the Son reflects the glory of God and shows exactly what God is like’. Radiance is often used in interpretations of Hebrews 1:3 but that can be light emitted or reflected.

Furthermore charaktēr means the exact image of a person or thing. In John 14:9 Yeshua said ‘he who has seen Me has seen the Father’. Yeshua does not represent another light source. He represents the Father’s light. That is why He and the Father are one. So it is essential that we know the Son these days. David said ‘kiss the son lest he be angry’ (Ps. 2:12).

When it comes to David’s son Solomon the prophet Nathan spoke this:
2 Sam. 7:13-14:: He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.
I will be his father, and he shall be my son. If he commit iniquity, I will chasten him with the rod of men, and with the stripes of the children of men:

I think this might be one reason Psalm 2:12 says ’embrace discipline’ in the Septuigint and Vulgate, instead of Kiss the Son. Physically Solomon was David’s son and he was the one gifted to build the temple of God. For David himself was a man of war and shed blood (1 Chr. 28:3). Solomon would have received the stripes of chastening if he committed iniquity. Spiritually, Solomon represents the eternal Son, the one to build the temple of God and who’s throne will last for ever.

Yeshua would actually receive the stripes for our iniquities. Solomon’s punishment is somewhat parallel to the account of Abraham and Isaac where Isaac was not the sacrifice for our sins which fell upon Christ himself. Solomon may or may not have received the stripes for iniquity but my point is Christ did receive it.

Apostle Paul stated in Col. 1:24 ‘I now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up in my flesh what is lacking in the afflictions of Christ, for the sake of His body, which is the church’. Paul himself said three times I was beaten with the rod of men (2 Cor. 11:25). This punishment of Solomon with the rod of men may have been in Paul’s mind in regards to Solomon since Yeshua received the stripes of chastening. What an honor to consider himself worthy of sharing in Christ’s afflictions!

Apostle Paul said in 2 Cor. 5:11 ‘knowing, therefore, the terror of the Lord, we persuade men’.

Matt. 11:27:: All things have been delivered to Me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father. Nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and the one to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

Did you not hear? Nobody knows who the Son is except the Father. We say we know Jesus as our Lord and Savior. The bible says we really do not know him. John 5:22 says ‘the Father judges no one, but has committed all judgment to the Son’. So you really don’t want to meet the Son of God without being covered by his blood, the blood of atonement for your sins. We however, can know the Father because the Son reveals Him to us. For implicit in John 4:16 is the idea that Abba, Father so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son such that whosoever believes and trusts in him shall not perish.

There is a verse in Genesis that I think represents the concept of Father and Son.
Gen. 1:16:: Then God made two great lights: the greater light to rule the day, and the lesser light to rule the night.

Yeshua said “I must work the works of Him who sent Me while it is day; the night is coming when no one can work.
As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world. (John 9:4-5)

This does not mean that once Yeshua ascended to heaven that darkness covers the Earth and no works can be performed because he gave unto us the Holy Spirit on Pentecost. Listen to the new covenant:

Now the Lord is the Spirit; and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Cor. 3:17)

Eph. 3:16-17:: that He would grant you, according to the riches of His glory, to be strengthened with might through His Spirit in the inner man, that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith.

So Christ is still in the world through His Spirit. See the reference article for some ideas of who sends the Holy Spirit post resurrection and what He now represents unto us.

2 Cor. 3:18:: says ‘we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord’. See also Eph. 3:16-19.

So it is by the the idea of a mirror or reflected glory we are also being transformed into the same image.

Night is still coming. For the mystery of lawlessness is already at work; only He who now restrains will do so until He is taken out of the way (2 Th. 2:7).

There is so much more to explore but let’s conclude for now this discussion of reflecting God’s glory.

References:
https://peskylittlecritters.com/how-to-identify-different-stages-of-desert-locusts/
https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/stewart_don/faq/the-identity-of-the-holy-spirit/16-why-is-the-holy-spirit-called-the-spirit-of-jesus.cfm

The Four R’s of Salvation (Part 1)

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— Redemption

— Naomi husband’s property was redeemed back by the kinsman-redeemer (Boaz) through the Moabitess Ruth.

Ruth 1:20:: Do not call me Naomi [pleasant] call me Mara [bitter] for the Almighty has dealt very bitterly with me

This is not unlike the bitter waters that the children of Israel found in the wilderness of Shur for which they could not drink:
Ex. 15:22-23:: they went three days in the wilderness and found no water. Now when they came to Marah, they could not drink the waters of Marah, for they were bitter. Therefore the name of it was called Mara

Life can become bitter for want of water or even because of life’s circumstance. Naomi and Ruth came to Bethlehem at the beginning of the barley harvest, about the time of Passover. Now Ruth was told to harvest in the field of Boaz, a close relative. Ruth, with the help of Naomi her mother-in-law, found favor with Boaz but there was one closer to Naomi who could redeem the land of her dead husband Elimelech. Yet the closer relative took off his shoe signifying that Boaz could redeem the land.

We have a close relative, his name is Yeshua. He actually owns cattle on a thousand hills. Yet he takes off his shoe in response to redemption and passes the responsibility to another relative, one with money. And so Boaz was able to redeem the land for both Naomi and Ruth and also acquire Ruth as his wife. Back then women were given along with property. Boaz redeemed the land and also Ruth. This was pleasant so Naomi would no longer be remembered as Mara. So Ruth, a Moabitess became the mother of Obed who was the father of Jessee, the father of King David.

The spiritual lesson here is not quite obvious. Yeshua passes the batton to another. Why would he do that? I think the answer is that we are co-laborers with Christ. He told his disciples to harvest the fields (they are white for harvest in John 4:35). In the story of the woman at the well Yeshua tells his disciples to harvest what others have labored after. We are rich in Christ so he asks us to carry on his work.

— Redeeming the tithe and travel to Jerusalem

Redeeming means buying back what was sold or given away.

Lev. 27:30-31:: all the tithe of the land, whether of the seed of the land or of the fruit of the tree, is the LORD’s. It is holy to the LORD. If a man wants at all to redeem any of his tithes, he shall add one-fifth to it.

Basically the redemption was like a loan with a pretty hefty interest rate.

Numbers 18 spells out the tithe of the land as belonging to the Levites who had no inheritance in the land. A heave (lifting up) offering, a tithe of the tithe was then given to the priests (Num. 18:26). But the portion in Leveticus which was redeemed (bought back) was done at a surcharge of 20%. In other words, the tax on the produce of the land (or herds of the flock) could be lent back to the landowner with a surcharge.

Actually four tithes in the seven year sabaatical cycle does not stipulate any surcharge for the tithe:
Deut. 14:24-26: if the journey is too long for you, so that you are not able to carry the tithe, or if the place where the LORD your God chooses to put His name is too far from you, when the LORD your God has blessed you,
then you shall exchange it for money, take the money in your hand, and go to the place which the LORD your God chooses and you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires

It was meant to allow for easy travel to Jerusalem where a great feast was held in honor of the farmers. Many say the second and third tithes were in addition to the first tithe given to the Levites. Again, I am not trying to teach on tithing laws in Israel, only about redemption herein. Caution needs to be exercised in any teaching of the law since grace has superceded ceremonial aspects of the law. But notice that in these two versions of the tithe it was not a burden to Israel but a benefit to those who farmed the land and had herds of domesticated animals.

Tithing is so much more than money. We give of ourselves and of our time and our love. In reality a tithe is far too little to respond back to the Master for his goodness. As laborers in the vineyard we have to remember who’s field we labor in and what are our wages (or in what sheep fold we labor). The fact that the master allows farmers to use part of this tithing system is because of his generousity and compassion. It is only because of the hardness of men’s hearts and greed do we see tithing fostered on the church without compassion and love. It is a great sin to manipulate without love. Remember, the Levites (and priests) were not land owners in ancient Israel but in general we are spiritual laborers who received wages from others (those who own land
).

— Cities of refuge.

Number 35:12-29 speaks of the six cities of refuge. We find out in Deut. 19 the cities of refuge are really for those who unintentially kill their neighbor so as to have protection from the avenger of blood (undoubtedly a close relative or friend). While the cities of refuge are not specifically a redemption they are places of refuge such that your life might be spared, in essence redeemed. This brings new light on the verse from Apostle John:

1 John 5:16:: If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that.

Cities of refuge are for 1) children of Israel, 2) the stranger, and 3) the sojourner(vs. 15) so God makes no distinction here to favor only the Jews. We all can come under God’s protection when we mess up.

There has to be something more powerful than cities of refuge for one who intentially murders a brother. Taken literally 1 John says to not even pray for one who murders with intent. Of course we should pray for their souls but that is why in many places pre-meditated murder carries the death sentence.

Hebrews 10 contains a stark warning for those who continue in willful sin:
Heb. 10:26-27:: For if we sin willfully after we have received the knowledge of the truth, there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins, but a certain fearful expectation of judgment, and fiery indignation which will devour the adversaries.

Trespasses (paraptóma) can be intentional or unintentional, and they involve intruding or infringing upon something or someone else. Transgression (parabasis), which is similar to trespassing, carries the idea of willfully and intentionally disobeying or violating a known standard or law. However, many bible translations never distinguish between the two in new testament translations.

In the sermon on the mount Yeshua address only the idea of trespasses:
Matt. 6:14-15:: if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you.
But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Trespasses can be intentional which brings out the concept of transgression.

Gal. 3:19:: What purpose then does the law serve? It was added because of transgressions (parabasis), till the Seed should come to whom the promise was made

Rom. 5:14:: death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over those who had not sinned according to the likeness of the transgression (parabasis) of Adam, who is a type of Him who was to come

This at least gives hope, even according to the old covenant, of atonement for intentional sins.

Adam committed willful transgression of God’s commands in the garden of Eden. In the book of Act, Ananias and Sapphira willingly, with intent and planning, lied to Peter in front of the Holy Spirit. Adam died spiritually but Ananias and Sapphira also died physically.

Heb. 2:1-3:: Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.
For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression (parabasis) and disobedience received a just reward, how shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him,

My point here is that Christ also redeemed us from intentional sins – after we fully repent.

Heb. 9:15;: He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions (parabasis) under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.

We can also be redeemed from bondage (physical sickness, spiritual limitations, financial debt, our time). Christ himself has redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse himself upon the cross (Gal. 3:13).

We read in Romans 8:2 ‘the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death’. We get redeemed by the Spirit of life in Christ.

So whether unintentional or intentional Christ can redeem us so we no longer need to fear death by the avenger of blood. But if death is ordained for a capital crime, it might still result in physical death but our spirits can be saved by the blood of Christ.

— Recompense
It can mean repayment after loaning out money and not getting it back but in the biblical sense has little to do with money and more to do with living at peace or receiving punishment. The verb means to make amends to (someone) for loss or harm suffered; compensate. This can be justice, even divine justice.

Prov. 11:31:: If the righteous will be recompensed (šālam) on the earth, how much more the ungodly and the sinner.

This idea of recompense here is to be complete or sound. The pual stem means to be at peace. It is actually a participle so we might say to be living in peace. In arabic and hebrew it is a close word to that of shalom and salam meaning to have peace. We in ourselves cannot have enough peace since ‘we are as an unclean thing and our righteousness is as filthy rags’ (Isaiah 64:6).

Rom. 3:21-23:: now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,

Does this mean that since we can never attain righteousness by works of the law we should never try? This is like the argument ‘may we continue in sin so that grace might abound’ (Rom. 6:1)

Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law (Rom. 3:31).

I just want you to see here that faith in Christ does not give us an excuse, a license to sin. It simply means we uphold the law, embrace it, and place our trust and faith in Christ. We still make it our lifestyle to live in accordance with the law yet depend upon God’s mercy and faith in Christ when we sin and fall short of the glory of God (Rom. 3:23).

Then there is the recompense of the ungodly and sinner. We don’t want to go there because there is no peace in sin. An example of the negative use of this word is found in 2 Kings where Jehu is sent out to seek vengeance against the son of Ahab, King of Israel. Kings Joram went out to meet Jehu at the property of Naboth the Jezreelite who you remember was the one who’s property Ahab stole.

2 Kings 9:28:: Surely I saw yesterday the blood of Naboth and the blood of his sons,’ says the LORD, ‘and I will repay (šālam) you in this plot,’ says the LORD. Now therefore, take and throw him on the plot of ground, according to the word of the LORD.”

Joram’s question to Jehu ‘is it peace’ would only be properly understood by a Hebrew since the word šālam and šālôm are related by the same root word. Obviously there is no peace and in this situation death comes to Joram.

Psa. 62:13:: to You, O Lord, belongs mercy; for You render (šālam) to each one according to his work.

So recompense is proportional to our works. To those who seek godliness and righteousness, the peace of God and to those who seek wickedness and sin the opposite, the recompense or wages of sin get imputed (Rom. 6:23).

The Psalm of David says to the chief musician Praise is awaiting You, O God, in Zion; and to You the vow shall be performed (šālam) (Psa. 65:1). Vows unto God are very serious matters. Apostle Paul made a vow and cut his hair in Cenchrea, probably to serve as a Nazarite for a period of time. We don’t know what vow King David spoke of but it is a matter of trying to make restitution.

Sources:
https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/tithing/
https://shunspirit.com/article/what-the-difference-between-trespasses-and-sins
https://biblehub.com/greek/3847.htm (parabasis)

Money and The Kingdom

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I think it high time I started a messages or messages on Money and The Kingdom. There has been so much said by prosperity preachers that I think the subject requires more investigation.

— Parable of the Sower

First, let’s start with a Parable that does not deal directly with money. This is the parable of the sower found in (Matt. 13:1-9 & 18-23, Mark 4:1–9; Luke 8:4–8). I have heard much about ‘seed’ faith in recent years. It is true that a seed is needed to bring in a crop. What is not true here is that the seed is always money. Six times in verse 20-23 Yeshua speaks about the word of the Kingdom. Mark 4:14 says ‘the sower sows the word’ and in Luke 8:12 ‘the seed is the word of God’. In Matthew 13:23 we bear fruit, some 30, 60, and 100 fold (see also Mark 4:8).

Can the seed be money? Can it bear more fruit? This is entirely possible but it was not the focus in this parable. So we have to start with what Yeshua focused on. The Kingdom. When your theology is based upon money it becomes the seed but when it is Kingdom based, which is relational, it is something else. Romans 14:17 says ‘the kingdom of God is not eating and drinking, but righteousness and peace and joy in the Holy Spirit’. Righteousness, peace, and joy or intangibles. It is not food or drink, nor money. It is not here nor there, it is within or among you.

When Yeshua was asked by the Pharisees when the kingdom of God would come, He answered them and said, “The kingdom of God does not come with observation; nor will they say, ‘See here!’ or ‘See there!’ For indeed, the kingdom of God is within you. (Luke 17:20)

If it were money in hand or a bank account balance then we could easily point to it and show that ‘this is the kingdom!’.

Why not rather assume that the Kingdom of God is relational? This includes evangelism, discipleship, maturation, and the corportate body and with it associated gifts and fruit of the spirit. So many get decieved this day as fraudsters and imposters worm their way into homes to steal the children’s bread and throw it to the little dogs (Matt. 15:26). The little dogs in this story represent gentiles but let’s assume it relates to those not yet mature enough to have been tutored by the law. Bread is the fruits of righteousness, as we shall see.

Giving money is more directly spoken about in 2 Corinthins 9.
this I say: He who sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and he who sows bountifully will also reap bountifully. So let each one give as he purposes in his heart, not grudgingly or of necessity; for God loves a cheerful giver (2 Cor. 9:6-7)

Now may He who supplies seed to the sower, and bread for food, supply and multiply the seed you have sown and increase the fruits of your righteousness (2 Cor. 9:10). So just saying, sowing seed can reference money and giving offerings but I think it is what we do with money that is the most important thing. It blesses people and helps build up the Kingdom of God. I just think saying that sowing should bring in 30, 60, or 100 fold financial blessings is really abusing the parable of the sower since Yeshua said the seed is the Word of God or Word of the Kingdom.

Yet in the parables of the talents and minas proper investment can bring in much gain.

— Parables of the talents and minas (Matthew 25:14-30, Luke 19:11-26)

The parables are very similar but differ in amounts given and amounts earned. The lesson is similar, however. God expects us to invest our resources to make money.

Matt. 25:14-15:: the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. To one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey.

Notice that the rich man gave his servants the talents. They did not earn them or inherit them. It was a gift. There are different types of talents during bible times but the idea is it was a lot of money.

There is no specific instruction in this parable to invest the money but the ones with five and two talents doubled their money and so the response was ‘well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things’ and they get rewarded as ruler over many things. But let’s listen to what the master says about the wicked and lazy servant who did nothing with the one talent.

Matt. 25:25-27:: I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’
“But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. ‘So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest.

So not investing our talents, our resources, is actually sinful.

The parable of the 10 minas is similar story but differes in several ways.

Luke 19:11-13:: Yeshua was near Jerusalem and because they thought the kingdom of God would appear immediately.
Therefore He said: “A certain nobleman went into a far country to receive for himself a kingdom and to return.
So he called ten of his servants, delivered to them ten minas, and said to them, ‘Do business till I come.

One mina was worth about three months salary. A nice sum!

One servant turned his money into ten minas, and a second into five minas. The third kept his mina in a handkerchief. Notice the reward (cities given) to each servant was equivalent to how many times they increased their mina. But the third man did not have a good story but said instead:

I feared you, because you are an austere man. You collect what you did not deposit, and reap what you did not sow (Luke 19:21). The story breaks down here because only three came forward and the other seven are not even mentioned as doing anything with the minas. I think this is more of a lesson, an allegory, so let’s not get hung up on who came back and who did not. The point here is the one who kept his mina hidden had to give it away to the one who earned 10 minas. This seems a bit unfair but it highlights the idea we are to invest our resources or expect to eventually lose them.

— Parable of the Rich Fool (Luke 12:16-21)

Yeshua spoke a parable to them, saying: “The ground of a certain rich man yielded plentifully. He thought within himself, saying, ‘What shall I do, since I have no room to store my crops?’ So he said, ‘I will do this: I will pull down my barns and build greater, and there I will store all my crops and my goods. I will say to my soul, “Soul, you have many goods laid up for many years; take your ease; eat, drink, and be merry.

Now Yeshua was recently asked to be arbitrator of dividing an inheritance between two brothers. He responds with ‘who made me arbitrator between you two?’ and ‘beware of covetousness’. So the parable of the rich man is really about sharing our resources and not being covetous. You see, the rich man was already rich. He did not have to hoard more with bigger barns. His life ended there and then. We need to invest in our brothers and sisters in Christ.

— Parable of building the tower (Luke 14:28-30)

This is a short parable but is sandwiched inbetween lessons on counting the costs. Bearing our own burdens which includes forsaking even our own family. In spiritual warfare we may need to count the burdens of leadership.

The parable says:
For which of you, intending to build a tower, does not sit down first and count the cost, whether he has enough to finish it— lest, after he has laid the foundation, and is not able to finish, all who see it begin to mock him, saying, ‘This man began to build and was not able to finish.

Can we forsake earthly relationships? Do we have enough support to go to war? This is something I take personally. Do I have enough support and finances to do the task the Lord has called me to do? Where is family backing?

Then there is the issue of the purpose of the tower. Is it in Babel? Is it a tower build on humility and not one of arrogance? I am remined of the Twin Towers coming down on 9/11. Was that a work for the Lord or arrogance?

I remember Jonathan Kahn quoting this verse after 9/11: The bricks have fallen down, but we will rebuild with hewn stones (Is. 9:10)

End here week #1

— Parable of the Unjust Steward (Luke 16:1-13)

Yeshua said to His disciples: “There was a certain rich man who had a steward, and an accusation was brought to him that this man was wasting his goods. So he called him and said to him, ‘What is this I hear about you? Give an account of your stewardship, for you can no longer be steward.’

We are not told exactly what the steward did wrong but the point is he wanted to safeguard his livelihood before being let go. Are we not stewards of what God has blessed us with?

We could win friends and influence people by forgiving part of their debt owed to our master. Technically it is not our right as stewards to forgive debt but the parable does not approach it that way. The master commends the unjust steward instead.

Verse 16 sum’s up the lesson here: No servant can serve two masters; for either he will hate the one and love the other, or else he will be loyal to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and mammon.

Unrighteous mammon or true riches from God? We live in a very materialistic world. We cannot see clearly what is true riches.

1 Cor. 2:9:: But as it is written:
“Eye has not seen, nor ear heard,
Nor have entered into the heart of man
The things which God has prepared for those who love Him.”[Is. 64:4]

Is. 64:4:: For since the beginning of the world
Men have not heard nor perceived by the ear,
Nor has the eye seen any God besides You,
Who acts for the one who waits for Him.

The LXX translates at the end ‘your works that you do are merciful to those who endure’

What I want you to see there is the idea that God rewards the faithful. We can say, I will recieve when I get into heaven but the promise is a little more immediate than that. It is during our lifetime if we wait long enough.

John 10:10 says ‘I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.’

3 John 1:2 says ‘Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.’

I do not think this is a health, wealth, and prosperity message. But it is one of anticipatory blessings for those that act and do as the Lord requires. The unjust steward presumable got invited to live with some of his debtors.

— Parable of the Rich Man and Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)

Luke pointed this out between the parable of the unjust steward and the rich man and Lazarus:
the Pharisees, who were lovers of money, also heard all these things, and they derided Him (Luke 16:14).

Maybe the Pharisees were the rich fool in mind, maybe they are the unjust stewards. They did believe in the resurrection of the just. But did they share with poor beggars like Lazarus. I have been fascinated with the resurrection of Lazarus, brother Mary and Martha. Perhaps there is no connection but it is still interesting to consider.

In this parable Lazarus is seen in Abraham’s bosom, comforted. We are not told this Lazarus was risen from the dead but you know the Pharisees believed in resurrection of the just. So the message they received is ‘you better shape up or else hell is coming after you and you shall be in eternal torment’.

Then he (the rich man) said, ‘I beg you therefore, father (Abraham), that you would send him (the beggar) to my father’s house, for he had five brothers. But Abraham replied to him ‘they have Moses and the prophets; let them hear them’.

So they story gets told in front of the Pharisees for a lesson to them that they need to listen to Moses and the prophets. For Lazarus was laid at the rich man’s gate who apparently never took care of his needs. So what is the lesson for the Pharisees and other rich men? That they take care of the beggars at their own gates.

The beggar even desired to get the crumbs which fell from the rich man’s table. This means there was a connection between the rich man and Lazarus. They were close together and must have know each other’s situation. Yet the rich man had no compassion on Lazarus. It was a heartless situation.

We have precious promises in Christ our Messiah:
Philippians 4:19: “My God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

— Parable of the Workers in the Vineyard (Matthew 20:1-16)

The parable has to do with workers in the vineyard who are promised a denarius to work the fields. It says the kingdom of heaven is like…. the landowner is obviously the Lord himself. He promises us earthly wages for our service. But the problem is we each get equal no matter how many hours we work.

The owner called in the servants, starting with those who only worked the last hour. When those who worked all day came they expected more yet receieve only a denarius also. The lesson here ‘the last will be first, and the first last’.

I think there is another lesson in the story. The Lord pays us the same. We all get salvation despite our tenure as Christians working for the Master. The crowns we get for more labor is what we do with our time and talents, even our resources. It is not our longevity but our efforts and the results which count.

1 Cor. 3:12-15:: If anyone builds on this foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw, each one’s work will become clear; for the Day will declare it, because it will be revealed by fire; and the fire will test each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built on it endures, he will receive a reward. If anyone’s work is burned, he will suffer loss; but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire.

So we must always be doing the Master’s business but should be building something along the way. I am not saying it has to be buildings and property or a business even. We can build friendships, and relationships and community irrespective of physical structures.

— The sower in the woman at the well

The story of the woman at the well in Sychar, Samaria is not a parable but a true story. It combines the parable of the sower with the parables of the talents and minas. You probably remember the story of a somewhat tawdry samaritan woman who came to Jacob’s well late in the morning to avoid other women because of her questionable past. We have here what some call a markan sandwich. I like the case of Nabal in 1 Samual which is inbetween chapters 24 and 26 where David spares Saul’s life twice. In this case the sandwich is between Yeshua prophesying to the woman at the well and the results of the fruit gained in all of Samaria.

Fruit, as in the parable of the sower is not dealing primarily with money. It is the word of God bearing precious seed, the harvest of souls.

John 4:36-38: “And he who reaps receives wages, and gathers fruit for eternal life, that both he who sows and he who reaps may rejoice together. For in this the saying is true: ‘One sows and another reaps.’I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors

In the parables of the talents and minas the servant who did nothing is called a ‘wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed (Matt. 25:26) and ‘you knew that I was an austere man, collecting what I did not deposit and reaping what I did not sow’ (Luke 19:22)

So tell you that Yeshua also comissions us as gatherers. We sometimes reap what others have sown. In the case of the Jews much of that labor is done in synagogue’s and through traditions. On the day of Pentecost Peter and others harvested 3000 souls for which they had done no sowing little labor.

I sent you to reap that for which you have not labored; others have labored, and you have entered into their labors (John 4:38).

It is really a partnership of those sowing and those reaping. Apostle Paul spoke to the Corinthians:
1 Cor. 3:6-8:: I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the increase. So then neither he who plants is anything, nor he who waters, but God who gives the increase. Now he who plants and he who waters are one, and each one will receive his own reward according to his own labor.

In the case of the story of the Samaritan woman at the well, Yeshua is talking about reaping. Others had already sown the Word of God into her life. Despite the shame and sinfulness in her life, Yeshua was still able to harvest her life, and then many in Samaria.

Let me digress for a bit on an earthly example. In the Torah it says:
You shall truly tithe all the increase of your grain that the field produces year by year (Deut. 14:22).

This is not a lesson on tithing but just pointing out here this tithe was on increase which is net, not gross.

Notice verse 26 says ‘you shall spend that money for whatever your heart desires’. This tithe is a celebration of what God has done during planting season. Is it not ok to spend part of the proceeds celebrating?

Now the harvest of souls in Samaria was not a physical crop, but a spiritual one. Still, should we not celebrate what the Lord has done in bringing in the spiritual crop? This might even be a crop for which others have labored. If God can be accused of being an austere man, can not we also gather in where others have labored.

Even in the business world, we can often profit for where others have labored. We might patent an idea that has elements already present by gathering together seperate pieces and bringing a technology to market. The working computer mouse was brought to market by Xerox and Apple who did not invent it. Steve Jobs is accused of stealing the mouse from Xerox. Bill Gates cashed in on technologies to market personal PCs, despite much work going into computer development by IBM. The application of ideas for profit are endless, but this should never be to steal or take advantage of others so ethics is something the Lord takes very seriously. This is the subject of another lesson in the future.

Sources:

https://powerfuljesus.com/parables-of-jesus-dealing-with-money/

https://medium.com/bc-digest/the-xerox-thieves-steve-jobs-bill-gates-6e1b36fc1ec4
https://www.cultofmac.com/news/how-steve-jobs-invented-the-computer-mouse-by-stealing-it-from-xerox#google_vignette

Unity Amongst Believers #2

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REJECTING OTHERS NOT IN OUR GROUP

Mark 9:38 (also Luke 9:49-50)
John said to Him, “Teacher, we saw someone casting out demons in Your name, and we tried to prevent him because he was not following us. But Jesus said, “Do not hinder him, for there is no one who will perform a miracle in My name, and be able soon afterward to speak evil of Me. For he who is not against us is for us”.

There are many denominations in the world today: about 1.3 billion Catholics and about 900 million Protestants, 200 million Estern Orthodox, and almost 120 million in other major branches. One source I found suggests there are over 33k denominations in the world today. It seems that every few years new denominations are birthed and old ones remain. When do remove old groups? Probably NEVER. Some doctrinal changes might occur.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Christian_denominations_by_number_of_members
http://www.philvaz.com/apologetics/a106.htm

What I really want to know about this verse is how the other guys can perform a miracle in his name. What was his name? Jesus, Jesu, Christ, Jehoshua, Yeshua, or something other. They performed a miracle in the name of some holy man from Galilee who had 12 disciples. Sure enough, Apostle Paul found some disciples in Ephesus who had never heard about Holy Spirit baptism but that was decades after Christ was crucified and rose from the dead. It seems the issue in Mark 9 was not even about Holy Spirit baptism, but about groups and who they owed their allegiance to. Apostle Paul alluded to super apostles in 2 Cor. 11:5 so even though he had the blessing of the group in Jerusalem there were other groups preaching about Yeshua which had no real allegience to Paul and his traveling companions. Consider the sect of the circumcision of which James was probably a member or even a sect of the Pharisees (Acts 15:5).

Acts 15:1:: certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, “Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved.”

So differences in doctrine and practice was evident even in the early church.

Yeshua said may they all be one, as You Father, are in me and I am in you. (John 17:21). This was to be a witness to the world that God has sent Jesus to the world. Instead we have many in the world today involved with Islam, Hinduism, Buddism, Jaanism, Secularism, and other ism’s.

It is a great travesty that we have so many denominations around today. Still, we can work together, God willing, to bring about the Kingdom of God and impact the world.

Ecumenicalism has been tagged a bad thing by many in ecclesiastical circles, despite the prayer of Yeshua. It is true that compromise of essential doctrines is bad (so essential doctrines get debated). Non-essentials should never divide the body of Christ. We believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died a cruel death on the cross for our sins, and was raised again to life to provide forgiveness of sins in his name. Most Christians believe that Yeshua is coming again soon to set up his kingdom. That is about the entirety of the core christian message.

It was recently pointed out to me that most Quakers (Friends) do not believe in Water Baptism nor Communion but rather opt for spiritual transformation and direct communion with God.

Yet I have been in a godly group that places a high emphasis on water baptism, to the point of considering one unsaved if they have not yet got baptised because the Lord commanded us to baptise. Yet I could easily point out the theif on the cross to be an exception to this generally-accepted sacrement. Fully training 3000 new converts on the intricasies of Baptism on the Day of Pentecost seems a bit questionable to me also.

In terms of Communion the Lord said:
This do, as often as you drink it, in remembrance of Me.” For as often as you eat this bread and drink this cup, you proclaim the Lord’s death till He comes (1 Cor. 11:25-26).

I don’t think Yeshua had in mind NEVER, but we can easily disagree on the how often aspect of the Lord’s supper. I have been in churches where they offer the Lord’s Supper every week or every time they come together.

I doubt I can fully define all doctrinal differences concerning sacrements here (including holy confession for the Catholics). I am just exploring some of the things that divide us.

I will point out however, when we speak of grace being a substitute (fulfillment of) the law I am thinking he fulfilled the sacrifical law. There are aspects of the law dealing with love and justice and mercy and faithfulness which are eternal laws. So you see, things are not that simple when it comes to things that divide us.

FAVORTISM AMONGST THE BRETHREN

Mark 10:35-45
James (Jacob) and John, the two sons of Zebedee, came up to Jesus, saying, “Teacher, we want You to do for us whatever we ask of You. He said to them, “What do you want Me to do for you?” They said to Him, “Grant that we may sit, one on Your right and one on Your left, in Your glory.” But Jesus said to them, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I drink, or to be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized?” They said to Him, “We are able.” And Jesus said to them, “The cup that I drink you shall drink; and you shall be baptized with the baptism with which I am baptized.“But to sit on My right or on My left, this is not Mine to give; but it is for those for whom it has been prepared.” Hearing this, the ten began to feel indignant with James (Jacob) and John. Calling them to Himself, Jesus *said to them, “You know that those who are recognized as rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them; and their great men exercise authority over them. “But it is not this way among you, but whoever wishes to become great among you shall be your servant; whoever wishes to be first among you shall be slave of all. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.”

Think about these verses. Even the disciples begged to be first on Jesus’ favorite list. Jesus was quick to correct with the admonition that the cup to drink was not pleasant. You might even say it was the koolaid cup, Jim Jones style. To live for Christ and be his witness comes from the root word for martyr. There is really no glory as the world knows it when it comes to being a true witness for Christ. As it was in the beginning, the disciples of Christ were persecuted. Some are persecuted today. In the end the tribulation(s) will also result in persecution. Those that experience peace and prosperity are so blessed. We should never forget the cost many paid for our current blessings.

I think in Kenya us white folks (musungo) have to be careful how we deal with people so as to not create the perception of favortism. In many places musungo is treated very nicely here, even almost to the point of royalty. In the Kingdom there is not big I’s and little You’s.

OUR AUTHORITY (Earthly Example)

Spiritual authority is not the same as legal or civil authority which is exercised by government. Apostle Paul talks about giving heed to civil authority in Romans 13 and Titus 3:1. One noteable exception to this has been the Holy Roman Empire which has claimed both spiritual and legal authority over many lands from around the time of Charlemagne (about 800 AD) up until the Napoleanic Wars (about 1806).

Normally we start a discussion about spiritual authority from a verse like Luke 9:1 which talks about power and authority given to the 70 disciples sent out to cast out demons and heal the sick. But instead I’m going to start from a slightly different perspective.

Acts 5:1:: But a man named Ananias, with his wife Sapphira, sold a piece of property, and kept back some of the price for himself, with his wife’s full knowledge, and bringing a portion of it, he laid it at the apostles’ feet. Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back some of the price of the land. While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not under your control? Why is it that you have conceived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” As he heard these words, Ananias fell down and breathed his last; and great fear came over all who heard of it.

gr exousia is the word used here for authority or control

So whether you have a million dollars or just a small amount like a few cents it is under your control to do with it as you will. Jesus commended the poor widow women for putting a mite into the temple treasury. The point here is we don’t lie or act deceiptfully in our giving. God loves a cheerful giver as it says in 2 Cor. 9:7. We give as the Lord lays upon our hearts. Give and it shall be given unto you (Luke 6:38) is actually a measure that shows how our giving is proportional to blessings from God. If we lie and cheat in our giving then we are actually stealing from God (and lying). Mal. 3:8, often quoted, describes how people cheat God. Someone once pointed out it was the priests who where the YOU of that verse. I’m not going down that rabbit hole today. My point is who has control in the realm of giving and receiving.

I would like to point out that the messenger in Mal. 3:1 was likely speaking about Yeshua. Yeshua appears on the scene hundreds of years after the Spirit of God left the temple and clears the temple of the money changers and those who made merchandise of God’s people for religious service. According to Malachi ‘He is like a refiner’s fire and like launderers’ soap’. Yeshua said unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and pharisees you shall in no way enter the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 5:20). Yeshua said to the Pharisees and teachers of the law ‘You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence’ (Matt. 23:25). This empasizes Yeshua’s concern for internal moral cleanliness and not outward cleanliness through rituals.

It would be like someone making an excessive sum from book sales or charging exhorbanant fees for speaking. Apostle Paul talks about false apostles in 2 Corinthans 11 and those who worm their way into homes in 2 Tim 3:6 (was he talking about televangelists?). On the contrary, Apostle Paul tried not to be a burden to anyone but received from Macedonia in the case of those in Corinth (2 Cor. 11:9). I also try to do that in Kenya and elsewhere. Paying my way and even moreso in some cases… yet the laborer is worthy his hire (1 Tim. 5:18).

Getting back to authority …
Exousia is used in Matthew 7. Verses 28–29 say, “When Jesus had finished saying these things, the crowds were amazed at his teaching, because he taught as one who had authority [exousia], and not as their teachers of the law.” The word is also used in Matthew 9:6 when Jesus demonstrates that He has “authority” to forgive sins by healing a paralyzed man. The word is again used in Matthew 21:23–27 when the chief priests and elders question Jesus’ authority.

We all have spheres of authority. Money is one venue, another one is authority over people. The military fully knows about authority. Disobeying orders can get you into all sorts of trouble. In both Matthew and Luke we hear about the faith of the centurian which is a leader of 100. Jesus comments he has not heard of such faith in all of Israel.

I knew of a man in Africa who once moved funds from an orphanage to a church building program. This should not be so. Lines of authority ultimately come from God but many times flow through men and organizations. In the church we tend to have a measure of authority related to one’s work or mission:

2 Corinthians 10:12-16::
But we will not boast beyond our measure, but within the measure of the sphere which God apportioned to us as a measure, to reach even as far as you. For we are not overextending ourselves, as if we did not reach to you, for we were the first to come even as far as you in the gospel of Christ; not boasting beyond our measure, that is, in other men’s labors, but with the hope that as your faith grows, we will be, within our sphere, enlarged even more by you, so as to preach the gospel even to the regions beyond you, and not to boast in what has been accomplished in the sphere of another.

Apostle Paul did boast to some extent to those he had influence over. Mainly in those places he helped to pioneer as a missionary which were Asia Minor, Greece, and eventually Rome. He did not boast in another’s man’s sphere, like among the Jews who were under James and Peter’s authority. Philip went down to Samaria but was later recorded as having worked in Scythina (Black and Caspian Seas area). I recently heard from a missionary friend from India that Apostle Thomas planted churches in the area around eastern India, his tomb is traditionally held to be in Mylapore, India. Apostle Andrew was said to have gone to Scythina and neighboring countries. Bartholemew was reported to have spend time in Armenaia and Upper Phrygia. In the end apostle Paul advises us to just BOAST IN THE LORD. The apostle even spends the whole of chapter 11 boasting about his suffering. Imagine that, boasting about suffering, not about your exploits or how large your church or ministry has become, or how many souls you have saved by your own effort.

So let us strive to do good and be effective for the Kingdom.

Sources:
https://christian.net/theology-and-spirituality/what-do-quakers-believe-about-baptism/