In pursuit of charity

Sunday 2021.11.28

In my New Testament reading today, I came across 1 Corinthians 14:1 which tells us to pursue charity (Gr agape, Godly love) and desire spiritual gifts in our lives.

This verse brings to mind the situation of a runner in a long marathon race, pursuing his goal of reaching the finishing line ahead of others, while he desires water from drinking stations along the route.

1 Corinthians 14:1 KJV King James Version
Follow after charity, and desire spiritual gifts . . .

"Follow after", the KJV says. Let us follow after charity, the Love of God. Let us pursue charity like a marathon runner pursuing his prize at the finishing line. And along the way let us desire gifts of the Holy Spirit to equip us for our pursuit.

Not all things are expedient, Not all things build up

Saturday 2021.11.27

Shabbat Shalom

Today is the Seventh Day of the Biblical Week. Let us keep the Fourth Commandment by resting from all our work until sunset this evening.

This morning in my New Testament reading, I came across verse 23 in 1 Corinthians chapter 10, telling us that sometimes the things that we think are right for us to do may not be helpful to our fellow believers around us. "Not all things are expedient, . . . not all things build up", the Apostle writes.

1 Corinthians 10:23 WEB World English Bible
"All things are lawful for me," but not all things are expedient.
"All things are lawful for me," but not all things build up.

In the next verse, the Apostle enjoins us to seek our neighbour's good rather than our own.

1 Corinthians 10:24 WEB
Let no one seek his own,
but each one his neighbor`s good.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us strive to seek one another's good. Let us refrain from doing things that mislead, stumble or discourage our fellow believers around us, even if our knowledge and reasoning tell us that those things are "lawful" to do. Let us remember that all things may be lawful but not all are helpful.

One God, we in Him, One Lord, we by him

Friday 2021.11.26

Today's Passages:
1 Chronicles 26:1 - 29:30 NIV (117 verses)
1 Corinthians 7:1 - 9:27 KJV (80 verses)

In this morning's NT reading, First Corinthians chapter 8, verses 5 and 6, the Apostle wrote that to us there is only one God, who is the Father of all creation, and "we in Him", and one Lord Iesus His Anointed, through whom all things are created, and "we by him".

1 Corinthians 8:5 - 6 KJV King James Version

For though there be that are called gods, whether in heaven or in earth, (as there be gods many, and lords many,) but to us there is but one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we in him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we by him.

The expressions "we in him" and "we by him", referring to one God and one Lord respectively, is translated in a less ambiguous way in the New International Version as "for whom we live" and "through whom we live":

1 Corinthians 8:5 - 6 KJV King James Version

For even if there are so-called gods, whether in heaven or on earth (as indeed there are many ‘gods’ and many ‘lords’), yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom all things came and for whom we live; and there is but one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things came and through whom we live.

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Iesus the Anointed One, let us remember that we have only One God our Father from whom we came and for whom we live our lives. And let us remember that we have only one Lord Iesus the Anointed, through whom we came and through whom we live.

Seek the LORD and His strength, Seek His presence continually

Monday 2021.11.22

This morning while reading First Chronicles chapter 16, I am reminded to seek God and to remember all His wonderful works in all circumstances.

1 Chronicles 16:11 - 12  ASV  American Standard Version

Seek ye Jehovah and his strength;
---- Seek his face evermore.
Remember his marvellous works that he hath done,
---- His wonders, and the judgments of his mouth,

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us continually seek God and His strength. Let us seek His presence. And let us remember all the marvellous works He has done in our lives.

The Law of the Spirit of Life

Sunday 2021.11.21

Today's Passages:
1 Chronicles 10:1 - 12:40 GNB (101 verses)
Romans 6:1 - 8:39 NKJV (87 verses)

About eighteen years ago, in March 2003, I wrote and delivered a sermon entitled, "The Three Spiritual Laws" to the Chinese Methodist Church in Kampar, the town where I worked and stayed. This sermon is based on the teachings about the Law of God, the Law of Sin and the Law of the Spirit written by the Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans, chapters 7 and 8, linked below:

• The Three Spiritual Laws

This morning I pondered over the Law of the Spirit of Life as explained in Romans 8:1 - 6, and it occurred to me that this Law of the Spirit involves three steps.

First step: the Spirit dwells in our bodies

Romans 8:9 - 10 KJV says,"But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his. And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness."
It is also written in 1 Corinthians 3:16 KJV, "Know ye not that ye are the temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwelleth in you?"
Similarly in 1 Corinthians 6:19 KJV, "What? know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?"

Second step: the Spirit directs our lives

Romans 8:13 - 14 KJV says,"For if ye live after the flesh, ye shall die: but if ye through the Spirit do mortify the deeds of the body, ye shall live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God."
Likewise, Galatians 5:25 KJV tells us, "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit."

Third step: the Spirit delivers us from death

In Romans 8:10 - 11 KJV we read, "And if Christ be in you, the body is dead because of sin; but the Spirit is life because of righteousness. But if the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you."

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Iesus, let us allow the Holy Spirit to dwell in us, to direct our lives and to deliver us from death to life.

A confession of faith

Tuesday 2021.11.16

Today in my New Testament reading, I have read chapters 22 to 24 of the Acts of the Apostles.

In Acts chapter 24, we read about the Apostle Paul making his defence before Governor Felix in the city of Caesarea in the presence of his Jewish accusers from Jerusalem. In verses 14 to 16, the Apostle confesses his faith in the following manner:

Acts 24:14 - 16 ASV American Standard Version

But this I confess unto thee,
that after the Way which they call a sect,
-- so serve I the God of our fathers,
believing all things which are according to the law,
-- and which are written in the prophets;
having hope toward God, which these also themselves look for,
-- that there shall be a resurrection both of the just and unjust.
Herein I also exercise myself
-- to have a conscience void of offence toward God and men always.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us likewise confess our faith in God our Father to anyone who asks of us, that according to the writings of the Law and the Prophets, we serve the God of Our Fathers, that our hope is in God and that we look forward to the day of Resurrection of both the just and the unjust.

Let us live our lives with a clear conscience, with no offence toward God and Man.

A description of God

Sunday 2021.11.14

This morning I read chapters 17 to 19 of the Acts of Apostles in the New Testament.

In Acts chapter 17, the Apostle Paul described his God to a gathering of philosophers of the Areopagus in the city of Athens, as follows:

Acts 17:24 - 31 NIV New International Version
‘The God who made the world and everything in it
is the Lord of heaven and earth and
does not live in temples built by human hands.
And he is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything.
Rather, he himself gives everyone life and breath and everything else.
From one man he made all the nations, that they should inhabit the whole earth;
and he marked out their appointed times in history and the boundaries of their lands.
God did this so that they would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from any one of us.
“For in him we live and move and have our being.” As some of your own poets have said, “We are his offspring.”

‘Therefore since we are God’s offspring, we should not think that the divine being is like gold or silver or stone – an image made by human design and skill. In the past God overlooked such ignorance, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent. For he has set a day when he will judge the world with justice by the man he has appointed. He has given proof of this to everyone by raising him from the dead.’

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Iesus the Anointed One, let us remember that we are the offspring of our God who created the heaven and the earth and everything in it - God who does not live in temples nor resemble any image of gold or silver made by human hands.

Let us seek Him and reach out for Him. He is not far from us.

Let us hold fast to our faith and hope in God Almighty who has set a day to judge the world by Iesus his Anointed One whom he has raised from the dead and made to be seated at His right hand.

Ezra was skilled in the Law of Moses

Sunday 2021.11.14

During the reign of King Artaxerxes 1 of Persia, the scribe Ezra ben Seraiah was granted permission by the king to return to his homeland Judah, to the city of Jerusalem with a group of priests, Levites, singers, gatekeepers, and temple servants to restore the worship of God Almighty according to the Law of Yehovah.

King Artaxerxes 1 decreed in a letter given to Ezra that Ezra be given silver and gold to make freewill offerings to his God in the Temple in Jerusalem.

In Ezra chapter 7 verses 1 to 5, a genealogy Ezra ben Seraiah is recorded tracing his ancestors all the way back to Aaron the first priest of Israel.

Ezra 7:1 - 5 RSV Revised Standard Version

1Now after this, in the reign of Ar-ta-xerx'es king of Persia,
Ezra the son of Serai'ah,
son of Azari'ah,
son of Hilki'ah,
2son of Shallum,
son of Zadok,
son of Ahi'tub,
3son of Amari'ah,
son of Azari'ah,
son of Mera'ioth,
4son of Zerahi'ah,
son of Uzzi,
son of Bukki,
5son of Abishu'a,
son of Phin'ehas,
son of Elea'zar,
son of Aaron the chief priest —

Verse 6 in the same chapter tells us that Ezra the scribe was skilled in the Law of Moses, that the hand of God was with him, causing King Artaxerxes to grant him all that he asked for. In verse 10, we read that Ezra had set his heart to study the Law of Yehovah, to do it, and to teach his statutes and ordinances to the children of Israel.

Ezra 7:6 RSV

6this Ezra went up from Babylonia. He was a scribe skilled in the law of Moses which the LORD the God of Israel had given; and the king granted him all that he asked, for the hand of the LORD his God was upon him.

10For Ezra had set his heart to study the law of the LORD, and to do it, and to teach his statutes and ordinances in Israel.

Finally, after leaving Babylon on the 1st day 1st month, in the 7th year of the reign of King Artaxerxes, Ezra and his contingent of priests, Levites, and temple servants came to Jerusalem on the 1st day 5th month . The journey had taken them altogether four months. (Ezra 7:9).

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us follow the example of Ezra ben Seraiah to study the Law of Yehovah, to do it and to teach it to one another.

What must I "DO" to get salvation?

Saturday 2021.11.13

Shabbat Shalom.

On this Sabbath Day, in the New Testament, I read chapters 14 to 16 of the Acts of the Apostles.

Acts chapter 16 contains an account of the baptism of the jail-keeper at Philippi after Paul and Silas were set free from the city jail by the hand of God Almighty through an earthquake.

From the beginning of the ministry of John the Baptist, people have been called to show their repentance from sin and their faith in God by going through baptism, in those days typically in the waters of a river. This practice of baptism (or mikveh in Hebrew) is described by the Apostle Peter in 1 Peter 3:21 as ". . . not the washing off of bodily dirt, but the promise made to God from a good conscience".

One can say that baptism is something one must do outwardly to make a promise to God from a good conscience inwardly. In other words, baptism is an outward demonstration of inward repentance from sin.

In Acts chapter 16 we read, similarly, in the account of the Philippian jail-keeper who asked Paul and Silas, "What must I do to get salvation?", the jail-keeper was baptised immediately after he put his faith in the Lord Iesus (Acts 15:30 - 34).

Acts 16:30 - 34 BBE Bible in Basic English

30 And took them out and said, Sirs, what have I to do to get salvation?
31 And they said, Have faith in the Lord Jesus, and you and your family will have salvation.
32 And they gave the word of the Lord to him and to all who were in his house.
33 And that same hour of the night, he took them, and when he had given attention to their wounds, he and all his family had baptism straight away.
34 And he took them into his house and gave them food, and he was full of joy, having faith in God with all his family.

From the above passage, we learn that there were three things that the jail-keeper had in his life on the day of his salvation:

1. he had faith in the Lord Iesus (v 31)
2. he had baptism (v 33)
3. he had fulness of joy (v34)

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Iesus, let us likewise hold fast to these three things that we have in our lives: we have faith in our Lord Iesus, we have gone through the waters of baptism, and we now have the fulness of joy that comes from the Spirit of God.

Through this Iesus, forgiveness of sins is announced

Friday 2021.11.12

Today is the Sixth Day of the Biblical Week. It is Preparation Day. Let us finish all our tasks for the week, tie up all loose ends, and prepare to enter into Sabbath Rest when the Seventh Day begins at sunset this evening.

In my reading of the New Testament this afternoon, I read chapters 12 and 13 of the Acts of the Apostles.

In Acts chapter 13, the Apostle Paul, on his First Missionary Journey, spoke to a Jewish congregation in the synagogue of Antioch in Pisidia on a Sabbath day, saying in verses 38 and 39:

Acts 13:38 - 39 WNT Weymouth New Testament

"Understand therefore, brethren, that through this Jesus forgiveness of sins is announced to you;
and in Him every believer is absolved from all offences, from which you could not be absolved under the Law of Moses.

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Iesus, let us remind ourselves that through Iesus we have forgiveness of sins. Let us keep in our hearts that in Him we are absolved from all offences. Let us therefore strive to live an upright life, holy and acceptable to God our Father and our Lord Iesus the Anointed One.

Tabitha, get up

Wednesday 2021.11.10

This afternoon, in my Old Testament reading, I read chapters 3 to 6 of the Book of Daniel. In the New Testament, I read chapters 8 and 9 of the Acts of the Apostles.

Acts chapter 9 tells of a disciple in the city of Joppa, a sister whose Aramaic name was Tabitha. In Greek, her name was called Dorcas. Both Tabitha and Dorcas means "gazelle", a type of antelope. The dorcas gazelle is smaller than the mountain gazelle, standing only about two feet tall at shoulder height.

In Acts chapter 9 verse 36, we read that Dorcas was very kind. She was always doing good and helping the poor.

Acts 9:36 NIV New International Version
In Joppa there was a disciple named Tabitha (in Greek her name is Dorcas); she was always doing good and helping the poor.

One day, Dorcas fell ill and died. The other disciples called for the Apostle Peter to come over from a nearby town called Lydda. Subsequently, Peter came to Joppa, entered the room where Dorcas' body was laid, knelt down and prayed to God. He then turned to the dead woman and said, "Tabitha, get up" (Acts 9:40).

Dorcas opened her eyes. She was alive again.

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord, let us do good and help the poor like Dorcas did all her life.

He must remain in heaven until the time comes

Monday 2021.11.08

In my New Testament reading today, I read chapters 3 to 5 of the Acts of the Apostles.

In Acts chapter 3 verses 13 and 21, Peter stated two undeniable facts about Iesus the Anointed One in his message to the people of Jerusalem who had gathered in Solomon's Porch in great amazement after seeing the crippled beggar of Beautiful Gate standing together with the apostles, completely healed.

The first fact is that the God of their ancestors has given glory to Iesus the Anointed One, whom Peter referred to as God's Servant, "His Servant Iesus".

The second fact is that, after his resurrection and ascension, Iesus the Anointed One must remain in heaven until the end of times when all creation will be renewed.

Acts 3:13 GNB Good News Bible

The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our ancestors, has given divine glory to his Servant Jesus. . . .

Acts 3:21 GNB

He must remain in heaven until the time comes for all things to be made new, as God announced through his holy prophets who lived long ago.

Brothers and Sisters, let us hold fast to these two facts about our Lord Iesus: that God Almighty has glorified His Servant Iesus, and that Iesus must remain in heaven until the times of renewal.

Do not eat or drink for three days: night or day

Sunday 2021.11.07

This morning I read the first four chapters of the Book of Esther and two chapters from the Acts of the Apostles.

In Esther chapter 2, we read that Hadassah was an orphan girl who lost her parents when she was small. She was brought up by her cousin Mordecai ben Jair ben Shimei ben Kish of the tribe of Benjamin.

Hadassah was also called Esther.

When Jerusalem fell to the Babylonians, Mordecai and Esther were taken captive to Babylon, and after it was conquered by the Persians, they lived in the citadel of Susa during the reign of King Xerxes.

Subsequently, Esther was chosen by King Xerxes to replace the deposed Queen Vashti. At last, the poor Jewish orphan girl Hadassah has risen to become Queen Esther of the Persian Empire. It must have been a dream come true.

One day, the dream turned into a nightmare.

An evil nobleman called Haman son of Hamedatha was offended by Mordecai's refusal to kneel and bow to him at the King's gate. Haman convinced the King to issue an edict on the First Month 13th day (one day before Passover of the Jews) to all provinces in the empire that all Jews, young and old, men, women, and children, must be killed on the Twelfth month 13th day. That year was the Twelfth Year of the reign of King Xerxes.

Mordecai desperately urged Queen Esther to appeal to King Xerxes to withdraw this evil edict. However, King Xerxes has not summoned Queen Esther to see him for the past thirty days and by law, anyone who appeared in the presence of the King without his order would be executed if the King was not pleased.

Queen Esther was in great danger.

If she sought an audience with the King, she might die. If she didn't, all the Jews in exile in the empire would die. In Esther chapter four verse fifteen, we read:

Esther 4:15 - 16 NIV New International Version

15Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai:
16‘Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my attendants will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish.’

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One. Let us put our trust in God Almighty just like Queen Esther did. If necessary, let us fast and pray when facing difficult, and even dangerous circumstances.

I am the True Vine, My Father is the Gardener

Friday 2021.11.05 14:13 hrs GMT+8

In my New Testament reading this afternoon, I read chapters 15 to 17 of the Gospel of John.

John chapter 15 reminds me of a sad encounter eleven years ago, back in April 2010, seeing two little girls visiting their mother's grave at the Hokkien Cemetery in Sungei Jelok Kajang, Selangor. Later that evening, while attending an anniversary dinner of my university Christian Fellowship, I was awakened to some new observations from the words of our Lord Iesus to his disciples in John 15:1 - 17. This led me to write a long devotional article in my blog a few days later.

Part of my devotional post, written on Mon 05Apr2010, is reproduced below. The link to the complete post can be found at the bottom of the page.

John 15:1 - 17 CEV Contemporary English Version
"Jesus said to his disciples:
I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. He cuts away every branch of mine that doesn't produce fruit. But he trims clean every branch that does produce fruit, so that it will produce even more fruit. You are already clean because of what I have said to you.

Stay joined to me, and I will stay joined to you. Just as a branch cannot produce fruit unless it stays joined to the vine, you cannot produce fruit unless you stay joined to me. I am the vine, and you are the branches. If you stay joined to me, and I stay joined to you, then you will produce lots of fruit. But you cannot do anything without me. If you don't stay joined to me, you will be thrown away. You will be like dry branches that are gathered up and burned in a fire.

Stay joined to me and let my teachings become part of you. Then you can pray for whatever you want, and your prayer will be answered. When you become fruitful disciples of mine, my Father will be honored. I have loved you, just as my Father has loved me. So remain faithful to my love for you. If you obey me, I will keep loving you, just as my Father keeps loving me, because I have obeyed him.

I have told you this to make you as completely happy as I am. Now I tell you to love each other, as I have loved you. The greatest way to show love for friends is to die for them. And you are my friends, if you obey me. Servants don't know what their master is doing, and so I don't speak to you as my servants. I speak to you as my friends, and I have told you everything that my Father has told me.

You did not choose me. I chose you and sent you out to produce fruit, the kind of fruit that will last. Then my Father will give you whatever you ask for in my name. So I command you to love each other. "

I have read this passage many times before but that evening I noticed, for the first time, that in the midst of our Lord Jesus' commands to his disciples to abide in him and to obey him, there were at least three references to the Father. Once at the beginning, several times in the middle and once more at the end of the passage.

At the beginning of the passage, I read that our heavenly Father is our Gardener. God is our Father who cuts away fruitless branches from the vine and trims the fruitful ones so that the fruitful disciples will bear even more fruit. Every Christian who abides in the commands of our Lord Jesus remains as part of this vine in this garden.

And those of us who bear fruits in Christ will be pruned, trimmed and tended to by our Father in heaven, so that we will bear even more fruits. However, we must beware of the pitfall of living fruitless lives should we depart from obeying Christ in our lives - our Father will cut such people away from his kingdom!

Then about halfway through the passage, I realised that our heavenly Father is our Guide. The Lord Jesus told his disciples that their fruitfulness in life was to glorify his Father (rather than to glorify Jesus himself). He went on to tell them twice that he his love for the disciples was guided by his Father's love: first by saying that he loved them just as his Father has loved him, and again by saying that he would keep loving them if they obeyed him just as his Father keeps loving him because he had obeyed his Father.

Indeed, it is clear that our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One, the only begotten Son of God looked to his Father in heaven as his guide in his love for his disciples and in his obedience to his Father. This is the same God who is our heavenly Father today, who is our guide as we obey the commandments of our Lord Jesus Christ.

And finally, at the end of the passage, I saw that our Father in heaven is our Giver. The Lord Jesus told his disciples that he had chosen them and had sent them out to produce fruit in life that will endure. And then his Father will give them whatever they ask for in Jesus' name. This is the joy that all who follow and obey the Lord Jesus Christ can have everyday of their lives: the joy of being chosen, of being sent out to live fruitful lives and the joy of receiving from our heavenly Father whatever we ask in the name of Christ.

The full text of my original blog-post is linked below:

• Motherless Children, Fatherless Christians

Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise

Friday 2021.11.05

Today is the Sixth Day of the Biblical Week again. It is Preparation Day. Let us tie up all loose ends, finish all our tasks for the week and prepare to rest for the Seventh Day Sabbath which will begin at sunset this evening.

In my Old Testament reading today, I read the entire book of Lamentations, from chapter 1 to chapter 5.

In the midst of all the sad verses lamenting the fall and destruction of Jerusalem, the writer of the Book of Lamentations held on to his hope and trust in the unfailing love of Yehovah. In chapter 3 verses 22 and 23, we read that the love and mercy of Yehovah is "fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise".

Lamentations 3:22 - 27 GNB Good News Bible

22The LORD's unfailing love and mercy still continue,
23Fresh as the morning, as sure as the sunrise.
24The LORD is all I have, and so I put my hope in him.
25The LORD is good to everyone who trusts in him,
26So it is best for us to wait in patience — to wait for him to save us —
27And it is best to learn this patience in our youth.

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord. Let us hold on to our trust in the unfailing love and mercy of the LORD. In times of trouble, let us wait in patience for Him to save us.

Boaz, the father of Obed by Ruth

Thursday 2021.11.04

This morning I read through the Book of Ruth in the Old Testament while in the New Testament, I read chapters 13 and 14 of the Gospel of John.

It is noteworthy that while Bo'az agreed to marry Ruth after her husband Chillion ben Elimelech had died in the land of Moab, "to perpetuate the name of the dead in his inheritance, that the name of the dead may not be cut off from among his brethren" (Ruth 4:10), the Book of Ruth ends with a brief genealogy showing the lineage of descendants of Perez down to David, with Obed listed as the descendant of Boaz, the son borne to Boaz by Ruth, rather than the descendant of Chillion his nominal father.

Ruth 4:18 - 22 RSV Revised Standard Version

Now these are the descendants of Perez:
Perez was the father of Hezron,
Hezron of Ram,
Ram of Ammin'adab,
Ammin'adab of Nahshon,
Nahshon of Salmon,
Salmon of Bo'az,
Bo'az of Obed,
Obed of Jesse,
and Jesse of David.

It is also significant that a similar and more complete genealogy is recorded in chapter 1 of the Gospel according to Matthew, beginning with the generation of Abraham and going down the lineage all the way to Joseph the husband of Mary, the mother of Iesus the Anointed One:

Matthew 1:1 - 16 RSV Revised Standard Version

1The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham.
2Abraham was the father of Isaac,
and Isaac the father of Jacob,
and Jacob the father of Judah and his brothers,
3and Judah the father of Perez and Zerah by Tamar,
and Perez the father of Hezron,
and Hezron the father of Ram,
4and Ram the father of Ammin'adab,
and Ammin'adab the father of Nahshon,
and Nahshon the father of Salmon,
5and Salmon the father of Bo'az by Rahab,
and Bo'az the father of Obed by Ruth,
and Obed the father of Jesse,
6and Jesse the father of David the king.

And David was the father of Solomon by the wife of Uri'ah,
7and Solomon the father of Rehobo'am,
and Rehobo'am the father of Abi'jah,
and Abi'jah the father of Asa,
8and Asa the father of Jehosh'aphat,
and Jehosh'aphat the father of Joram,
and Joram the father of Uzzi'ah,
9and Uzzi'ah the father of Jotham,
and Jotham the father of Ahaz,
and Ahaz the father of Hezeki'ah,
10and Hezeki'ah the father of Manas'seh,
and Manas'seh the father of Amos,
and Amos the father of Josi'ah,
11and Josi'ah the father of Jechoni'ah
and his brothers, at the time of the deportation to Babylon.

12And after the deportation to Babylon:
Jechoni'ah was the father of She-al'ti-el,
and She-al'ti-el the father of Zerub'babel,
13and Zerub'babel the father of Abi'ud,
and Abi'ud the father of Eli'akim,
and Eli'akim the father of Azor,
14and Azor the father of Zadok,
and Zadok the father of Achim,
and Achim the father of Eli'ud,
15and Eli'ud the father of Elea'zar,
and Elea'zar the father of Matthan,
and Matthan the father of Jacob,
16and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary,
of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.

One may say that the whole purpose of the narrative of the Moabitess Ruth, returning to the land of Israel with her mother-in-law Naomi, is to show that Ruth was predestined to become the great-grandmother of King David, God's chosen king, from whom the Messiah will come.

It also shows the sovereign hand of the LORD Yehovah in preparing for the arrival of King David to rule over Israel, and eventually for the Messiah, the Seed of David to be the Anointed One, the chosen eternal High Priest and King over the Kingdom of God Almighty.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, today let us ponder over the earthly genealogy of our Lord Iesus. Let us remember our Lord as the promised Seed of King David, chosen and anointed by God Almighty to be our eternal High Priest and King over the everlasting Kingdom of God Almighty.

Blessed is he that cometh in the Name of Yehovah

Wednesday 03Nov2021, UPDATED: Wednesday 05Jan2022

In the New Testament today, I read John chapters 11 and 12.

John 12:13 tells of the people welcoming our Lord Iesus into Jerusalem with the exclamation, "Hosanna", a Greek word which some scholars believe is a combination of the Hebrew words “yasha” (to save or deliver) and “anna” (please, I beseech).

We can see this meaning reflected in Psalm 118:25,26, a prophecy that was eventually fulfilled in John 12:13,

John 12:12 - 13 KJV King James Version

On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.

Psalm 118:25 - 26 KJV

Save now, I beseech thee, O LORD: O LORD, I beseech thee, send now prosperity.
Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the LORD: we have blessed you out of the house of the LORD.

Bearing in mind that the Greek expression "Hosanna" is equivalent to the Hebrew "yasha anna" or "save, I beseech thee" (Psalm 118:25), a more detailed account of our Lord's triumphant entry into Jerusalem is given in the Gospel of Matthew chapter 21:

Matthew 21:8 - 11  KJV  King James Version

8 And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
9 And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
10 And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this? 11 And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.

The words, "Hosanna to the Son of David" and "Hosanna in the highest" in verse 9 is rendered more clearly by the Weymouth New Testament as,

"God save the Son of David!"
and
"God in the highest Heavens save Him!" respectively.

In other words, "Hosanna" was a prayer to God for our Lord Iesus the Anointed to be saved from his enemies.

When we understand that Hosanna means "Save, I beseech Thee", we begin to understand, somewhat profoundly, that "Hosanna to the Son of David" (Matthew 21:9 KJV) is not a cry to the Lord Iesus. Instead, it was a cry in prayer to God, beseeching Him to save the Son of David!

Furthermore, the meaning of the expression of praise, "Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the LORD" becomes much more meaningful if we recognise that the word translated "LORD" refers to the Name of God, YeHoVaH, from the tetragrammation Yod-He-Vav-He.

Thus when our Lord Iesus was entering Jerusalem triumphantly that day, the people were exclaiming, "Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of YeHoVaH". In other words, the people recognised that Iesus came to them in the Name of his God.

Brothers and Sisters in Iesus the Anointed One, let us ponder over the meaning of these words of prayer "Hosanna to the Son of David" and "Hosanna in the highest", and the words of praise, "Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the Name of the LORD".

Let us likewise call upon our God to save us, "yasha anna". In our own words, "Save us, we beseech Thee" and bless the Anointed Lord Iesus, "Blessed is he who comes to us in the Name of Yehovah".

I tell the world only what I have heard from Him

Monday 2021.11.01

This afternoon I read the Gospel of John chapters 7 and 8 in the New Testament.

John chapters 7 and 8 records the account of our Lord's visit to Jerusalem at the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot) where the Jewish leaders questioned him about his authority.

The following verses record our Lord's replies to their critical questions:

John 7:16 GNB Good News Bible

Jesus answered, “What I teach is not my own teaching, but it comes from God, who sent me.

John 8:23 GNB

Jesus answered, “You belong to this world here below, but I come from above. You are from this world, but I am not from this world.

John 8:25 - 27 GNB

25“Who are you?” they asked him. Jesus answered, “What I have told you from the very beginning. 26I have much to say about you, much to condemn you for. The one who sent me, however, is truthful, and I tell the world only what I have heard from him.” 27They did not understand that Jesus was talking to them about the Father.

John 8:42 GNB

Jesus said to them, “If God really were your Father, you would love me, because I came from God and now I am here. I did not come on my own authority, but he sent me.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us ponder over these words of our Lord and remind ourselves that our Lord Iesus came from God above, that he did not come to this world on his own authority but was instead sent by God, and that his teachings came from God who sent him.