Three days and three nights, or the third day?

Passage for today

15 Then 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.”

Esther 4:15, 16

 

New International Version

On the third day Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the palace, in front of the king’s hall. The king was sitting on his royal throne in the hall, facing the entrance

Esther 5:1

 

New International Version

Some people argue that the Lord Iesus could not have been crucified, died and buried on a Friday to be resurrected on Sunday. This is because our Lord said in Matthew 12:40,

"As Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the fish, the Son of Man will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth".

To die on Friday and be resurrected on Sunday does not fulfill the three days and three nights prophecy. Yet surprisingly, we read towards the end of the Gospel of Matthew that after the Lord was buried, the chief priests and the Pharisees requested from Pontius Pilate in Matthew 27:63,64 saying

". . . we remember that while he was still alive that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise again.’ So give the order for the tomb to be made secure until the third day.

The request of the chief priests and Pharisees was for the tomb of our Lord to be sealed and guarded until the third day instead of until the fourth day. It did not include the third night. It seems to contradict what the Lord Iesus has said earlier in Matthew 12:40.

This apparent contradiction is also seen in my reading of the book of Esther this morning. In Esther 4:16, Esther asked her cousin Mordecai to gather all their fellow Jews to fast for three days and nights. Yet in the next chapter we read that Esther went to seek an audience with King Xerxes on the third day, before the three days and three nights were completed.

Is "three days and three nights" a figure of speech in Hebrew? Are the words of Esther 4:16 analogous to those of our Lord in Matthew 12:40?

Just as Esther's audience with the King on the third day fulfills her own "three days and three nights" instruction, I am persuaded that our Lord's resurrection on the third day likewise fulfills his own prophecy that he will be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth. As it is written in 1 Corinthians 15:3,4

3 For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures,
4 that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,

Conclusion:

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, Let us remember the Crucifixion and Resurrection of our Lord Iesus throughout the coming Holy Week leading to Easter next Sunday 05Mar2026.

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A Tale of Two Generations

Passage of the Day
Judges 2:6 – 10

8 And Joshua the son of Nun, the servant of Jehovah, died, being a hundred and ten years old. 9 And they buried him in the border of his inheritance in Timnath-heres, in the hill-country of Ephraim, on the north of the mountain of Gaash. 10 And also all that generation were gathered unto their fathers: and there arose another generation after them, that knew not Jehovah, nor yet the work which he had wrought for Israel.
Judges 2:8 – 10  American Standard Version

I wrote these notes towards the end of last year on 12Nov23, the Twenty-fourth Sunday after Pentecost in my church calendar.

In Judges chapter 2, we read that the children of Israel served Yehovah while Joshua was alive. They continued to serve Yehovah while the elders were alive after Joshua's death. These were the elders who had seen all the great things that Yehovah had done among them from the days when Joshua led them across the Jordan and brought down the walls of Jericho (verse 7).

Then another generation grew up.

This new generation of Israelites did not know Yehovah (verse 10). They did not know what Yehovah had done.

Soon they began to do evil in the sight of Yehovah (versesf 11 - 12). They served the baals. They forsook Yehovah, the God of their fathers. They worshipped various gods of the people around them.

They provoked Yehovah to anger (verse 12).

We can see a distinct difference between the old generation of the children of Israel and the new generation —

• The old generation of Israelites saw the great works of Yehovah under their leader Joshua and the elders who outlived him. And they believed in Yehovah.
• The new generation, however, only heard about the great works of Yehovah from the elders in their families. They had not witnessed the works of the LORD. Sadly, they stopped believing in Him.
• Eventually, they began to forsake Yehovah. They went to serve baals and various gods of the people around them.

One may say that the new generation of Israelites would not have turned away from Yehovah had they seen Him continue to work among them. Perhaps they would have held on to their faith in the LORD if they were taught by their elders to pray to Yehovah in times of need or trouble, and to see the hand of Yehovah working in answer to their prayers.

If they had done so, the new generation of Israelites would no longer be just a generation who merely heard about the works of Yehovah but, instead, would have seen Yehovah answer them when they cried out to Him in their prayers. They would have become a new generation of Israelites who saw God supply their needs and deliver them from evil.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us show, and lead and teach the next generation of believers among us to pray. Let us lead them to seek God our Father in Heaven, to depend on His Providence, and to experience Him answering their very own prayers.

Let us turn the next generation from merely hearing about God to actually seeing the Hand of God at work among them.

Fourteen years ago, I wrote about the patience of our Lord Iesus in teaching His disciples to open their eyes and see the work of the Father among them, link below.

• The Lord was patient with his disciples (May2010)

3+1 God's appointed time

Passage of the Day

Then he told this parable: ‘A man had a fig-tree growing in his vineyard, and he went to look for fruit on it but did not find any. So he said to the man who took care of the vineyard, “For three years now I’ve been coming to look for fruit on this fig-tree and haven’t found any. Cut it down! Why should it use up the soil?”
‘ “Sir,” the man replied, “leave it alone for one more year, and I’ll dig round it and fertilise it. If it bears fruit next year, fine! If not, then cut it down.” ’
Luke 13:6 – 9  New International Version

The significance of the number 4 in the Old Testament

These notes were first written five years ago on 01 September 2019 09:36 hrs

The number 4 symbolises the "appointed time" of God, starting from the 4th day of creation when sun moon and stars were completed, to divide day from night, and to indicate months and years, and seasons. In other words, God's appointed times began from Day 4.

And towards the last days, it is by the 4th Trumpet that the prophecy is given in Revelation 8:12 – 13 — that Three Woes will be coming upon the world. These Three Woes will be heralded by the 5th, 6th and 7th Trumpets respectively.

See my notes on The First Four Trumpets.

Link: The meaning of numbers in the Bible

In addition, Jewish tradition looks at 3+1 as the fulfilment of God's plans, e.g. in Amos chapter 1, we see a pattern of 3+1, where we read of God's impending judgment on Damascus, Gaza, Tyre, Edom, and Ammon, "For three sins, and for four".

Link: Judaism numbers

This allusion to the number 4, particularly to 3+1, of God's appointed times sheds light on the Parable of the Fruitless Fig Tree in Luke chapter 13, verses 6 to 9.

In this Parable, the fig tree was fruitless for 3 years, and the vineyard keeper asked the owner to give it one more year to bear fruits. It implies that the fruitless tree will suffer judgment at God's appointed time of 3 + 1 years.

Note that this parable was told in the context of the Lord Iesus warning in Luke 13: 1-5 about the peril of not turning away from sin. In this passage, the Lord warned his people, that regardless of whether one dies peacefully in his sleep, or in a violent death like the Galileans who were slaughtered by Pilate's men, or like those who were crushed by the falling tower at Siloam, they would all perish unless they repented.

unless you repent, you too will all perish. Luke 13:5

Brothers and Sisters in the Lord Iesus, let us take heed of God's appointed time. Let us repent.

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Below is a link to a post I wrote two years ago about bearing fruits worthy of repentance, a call by John the Baptist:

• He who has two coats

Why was Jacob loved, and Esau hated?

Why was Jacob loved and Esau hated?

I first wrote these notes four years ago, on 18 August 2019 14:45 hrs GMT+8.

Today, I have decided to post them here as part of my devotional blog collection.

The following are references that I have gleaned from the books of Genesis and Numbers, as well as from some of the books of the Prophets, that I have grouped under two headings:

1. Notes about Jacob's obedience to his father Isaac, in remembering YeHoVaH.
2. Notes about Esau's disobedience to his father Isaac, in turning away from YeHoVaH

Jacob obeyed his father and remembered YHWH

Genesis 27:46
Jacob obeyed his father Isaac by going to Laban's house in Mesopotamia to marry one of Laban's daughters.

Genesis 28:20-22 (First visit to Bethel)
Jacob set up and dedicated a memorial stone at Bethel to YHWH and promised to take YHWH as his God if he returns safely from Mesopotamia.

Genesis 32:10-12 (cf Genesis 28:14)
Jacob crossed the River Jordan with only a walking stick but eventually returned from Laban's household with two large families. He remembered the promises of YHWH.

Genesis 33: 10-11
Jacob reconciled with Esau and did his best to regain Esau's favour.

Genesis 33:16,17
After Esau had returned to Edom, Jacob went on to Sukkot (lit. booths), where he built a booth (sukkah) for himself and for his cattle. He arrived safely in Shechem, bought a field from the descendants of Hamor for 100 silver, set up an altar and named it after El - the God of Israel.

Genesis 35: 1-4, 7 (Second visit to Bethel)
At the command of Elohim (v.7), Jacob returned to Bethel, built an altar there and told his family to remove all foreign Gods and purify themselves before going)

Genesis 35:14 (Third visit to Bethel?)
Jacob set up another memorial stone again at Bethel.

Esau disobeyed his father and turned away from YHWH

Genesis 25: 27-34
Esau sold his birthright, with a vow, in return for a mere bowl of lentils. He despised what YHWH has ordained for him.

Genesis 26: 34-35, 27:46
Esau married Hittite wives and became a heartache to his mother.

Numbers 20:14-21
His descendants - EDOM - refused safe passage to Israel who were sojourning in the wilderness on their way to Kadesh.

Amos 1:11-12
The Edomites sinned repeatedly and hunted down their Israelite brothers, showing no mercy, unrelenting and unlimited anger. God will destroy city of Teman and the fortress of Bozrah.

Isaiah 34:5-17
YHWH will strike Edom and destroy them with his sword, likened to a great sacrifice at the city of Bozrah - to rescue Zion and to take vengeance on her enemies. V.11 tells us that its land will be barren wasteland again like before creation!

Isaiah 63:1-6
YHWH will come dressed in red, in power and strength, trampling the Nations like one who tramples grapes - from Bozrah - to save His people and to punish His enemies.

Jeremiah 49: 7-22
Again, Bozrah city will become a horrifying sight, a desert, a permanent ruin at which all will shake their heads, comparable to Sodom and Gomorrah. Likewise the city of Teman (v.20)

Ezekiel 25:12-14
Edom had been cruel to Israel. Their guilt endures. Israel will take revenge on Edom - from Teman to Dedan. Edom will feel the fury of YHWH

(Note: Edom is located in a high mountainous area.)

Ezekiel 35: 1-5
Adonai YHWH declares himself an enemy of Edom. He will make Edom (on the mountains of Seir) a desolate wasteland and because Edom was Israel's constant enemy, they will pay for their anger, jealosy and hatred towards Israel.

Obadiah 1 - 14
YHWH will pull Edom down from its high mountain fortress. Teman will be terrified. v.15 - Edom will receive retribution for what she has done, a bitter cup of punishment.

Malachi 1: 2-5
Edom's attempts at rebuilding their towns will be futile. She has become a nation with whom YHWH is angry forever.

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Brothers and Sisters, let us remember the example of Jacob and be warned not to follow the footsteps of Esau and his descendants Edom.

Malachi 2: 1,2
This command is for you: you must honour Me (My Name) by what you do.

Beneath the facade of Artificial Intelligence

The article linked below talks about researchers successfully inventing a liquid metal robot that can shapeshift like a Terminator:

A liquid metal robot that can shapeshift like a terminator, 28Jan23.

Software and robotics engineers are making rapid progress in artificial Intelligence.

Soon, AI stuff like ChatGPT will become child's play.

Here's my two cents worth of opinion on the recent emergence of artificial intelligence on the Internet:

From electronic calculators to supermarket point-of-sale terminals to utility bills, from bar codes to Quick Response codes, from e-banking to e-wallets, we have steadily "surrendered" the task of checking and counting to computer systems.

We trust the computer to be correct all the time, as long as the input data has been keyed or scanned in correctly.

Few realise that such trust can be misplaced when we depend on sophisticated software systems like google search, for instance, to look for answers to questions, for general knowledge and for links to websites.

It is no longer a matter of computation or calculations.

Instead, the people who control the search engine can control what we see and what we don't see. They can conceal some inconvenient truths or hide some historical facts if they want to, perhaps at the behest of a powerful "deep state".

Recently, AI has made another leap forward in providing, and also controlling, answers to our questions.

Instead of being a search engine that merely displays a list of stuff for us to browse through, AI robots like chatGPT responds to our questions (called prompts) by replying us in complete and articulate sentences composed into a coherent passage.

In other words, it combines information from multiple sources, including language and even local culture (I have seen examples of chatgpt replying in malaysian slang) when responding to our prompts.

In doing so, this artificially intelligent robot seems to converse intelligently with us. Hence its name "chatbot".

Here is where our fascination should end, and our precaution should begin:

1. The organisations that produce chat robots can control what sources the chatbot includes and what it leaves out, i e. it can control what it wants us to read or learn. Imagine an entire generation of young people who take chatbots as the final authority in all areas of knowledge without question.
2. Chatbots will continue to advance rapidly, to reply our prompts with such flair and eloquence, with such persuasive statements and convincing arguments that we will gradually, even progressively lose our ability to think, to write and to articulate our thoughts. We will soon be surrendering yet another basic life-task to the computer.
3. AI users who steadily lose their ability to carry out basic tasks, will increasingly become more dependent on such robots.
4. Such chatbots will continue to evolve into "higher" forms e.g. a life-like robot who actually sits down and chats with you at Starbucks, or in a more undesirable way, a robot that can threaten you with harm and violence.

The shape shifting liquid metal robot described in the link at the beginning of this article is a precursor to more sinister AI stuff in years to come.

It may herald the fulfillment of some of the prophecies in the Book of Revelation e.g. the image of the Beast.

Brothers and Sisters in Jesus the Anointed One, let us be watchful. We are living in the last days.

NPY
20Feb23
17:55 hrs GMT+8

The Least in the Kingdom of God

In my reading from the Gospel according to St Luke today, I came across a saying of our Lord that I found difficult to understand.

In Luke 7:28, the Lord told his audience that, whilst John the Baptist was the greatest among all born into this world, the "least" in the kingdom of God is greater than John.

How can this be? Who is the "least" in the kingdom of God that our Lord was referring to?

I tell you, among those born of women there is no one greater than John,
yet the one who is least in the kingdom of God is greater than he.
Luke 7:28  New International Version

I found my answer in a verse two chapters later, in Luke 9:48.

In this verse, the Lord Iesus used an example of a little child to teach his disciples that the least among them (in the kingdom of God) is the greatest.

It is not surprising therefore, that such a person, the "least", will also be greater than a great person like John the Baptist.

Then he said to them, “Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me;
and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me.
For he who is least among you all — he is the greatest.”
Luke 9:48  New International Version

Dear Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us endeavour to be among the least in the kingdom of God.

A Name of Wonder: it is Incomprehensible

In chapter 13 of the book of Judges we read about Manoah from the tribe of Dan whose wife was barren. One day, Manoah asked the Angel of the LORD who had appeared to him and his wife to assure them that they will have a child (Samson),

"What is your name?"

The Angel told Manoah that his name was "incomprehensible" (verse 18, WEB).

The KJV renders "incomprehensible" as "wonderful", while the GNB says, "It is a name of wonder".

17 Manoah said to the LORD’s angel, “What is your name, that when your words happen, we may honour you?”
18 The LORD’s angel said to him, “Why do you ask about my name, since it is incomprehensible*?”
Judges 13:17 - 18  World English Bible (British Edition)

If the name of the Angel of the LORD is too wonderful to be mentioned and too diificult for us to comprehend, how much more wonderful and incomprehensible is the Name of the LORD Himself. This could be the reason why nobody knows with certainty the exact pronunciation of the Name of God written in the Tetragrammaton consonants "yod-hey-vav-hey" or YHWH.

Until today, the people of Israel will say "Adonai" (LORD) or "HaShem" (the Name) whenever they come across the Tetragrammaton in the TaNaKh (Torah, Neviim, Khetuvim: Law, Prophets, Writings).

In the New Testament, our Lord Iesus the Anointed One taught His disciples to call God, "the Father".

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One. The name of the Angel who appeared to Samson's parents was incomprehensible. It was too wonderful to be mentioned. Likewise, the Name of our God is a Name of Wonder, too wonderful for us to say, and too profound for us to comprehend.

Like our Lord Iesus, let us call God our Father in Heaven.

The New Commandment: a final commandment.

Shabbat Shalom.

Today is the Seventh Day of the Biblical Week. Let us rest from all our work and keep the Fourth Commandment.

The new commandment given by the Lord Iesus in John 13:34, 35 was the Lord's final commandment to the disciples.

34 A new commandment I give unto you, That ye love one another; as I have loved you, that ye also love one another.
35 By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.
John 13:34 - 35  King James Version

This commandment was given after Judas Iscariot had left the supper, when Satan had entered him, upon being told by the Lord Iesus, "That thou doest, do quickly".

26 Jesus answered, He it is, to whom I shall give a sop, when I have dipped it. And when he had dipped the sop, he gave it to Judas Iscariot, the son of Simon.
27 And after the sop Satan entered into him. Then said Jesus unto him, That thou doest, do quickly.
John 13:26 - 27  King James Version

The new commandment was given after the Lord had told His disciples that the time had come for the Son of Man to be glorified.

Therefore, when he was gone out, Jesus said, Now is the Son of man glorified, and God is glorified in him.
John 13:31  King James Version

Our Lord knew that his hour had come, that Judas would betray him into the hands of his enemies. The Lord gave His new commandment to the disciples immediately after telling them that he would be with them only a little while more, that where he was going they couldn't go.

Little children, yet a little while I am with you. Ye shall seek me: and as I said unto the Jews, Whither I go, ye cannot come; so now I say to you.
John 13:33  King James Version

Finally, this commandment was given before the Lord delivered his long and final discourse to His disciples, recorded in John chapters 14 to 16, culminating in His High Priestly Intercessory Prayer in John chapter 17 and His arrest in John chapter 18.

At the end of His final discourse, the Lord told His disciples, "Behold, the hour cometh . . . "

Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.
John 16:32  King James Version

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us keep the new commandment, to love one another as the Lord has loved us. It was His final commandment before He left.

I will never leave thee nor forsake thee

This afternoon in my reading from the Epistle to the Hebrews, I am reminded to bravely free myself from the love of money and to be contented with what I already have.

Hebrews 13:5 - 6  WEB  World English Bible

5 Be free from the love of money, content with such things as you have, for he has said, 'I will in no way leave you, neither will I in any way forsake you.'

6 So that with good courage we say, 'The Lord is my helper. I will not fear. What will man do to me?'

Hebrews 13:5,6 above quotes promises and prophecies from Joshua 1:5 and Psalm 118:6 (Psalm 117:6 LXX), as shown below:

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Joshua 1:5  KJV  King James Version

There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee.

Psalm 118:6  KJV  King James Version

The LORD is on my side; I will not fear: what can man do unto me?

Psalm 117:6  LXX  Septuagint Brenton

The Lord is my helper; and I will not fear what man shall do to me.

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The connection between the call to be free from the love of money in Hebrews 13:5 and the promise by God never to forsake Joshua, along with the affirmation by the Psalmist that God is always on his side, is not very obvious. I wrote my thoughts on this "not so obvious" connection about thirteen years ago in my devotional blog, link below:

• Not so obvious (26May2009)

Our Lord Iesus and his God

From chapter 13 of the Gospel of John today, I reminded that our Lord Iesus had come from God and was going back to God.

John 13:3  NKJV  New King James Version

Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God

John 13:3  NET  New English Translation

Because Jesus knew that the Father had handed all things over to him, and that he had come from God and was going back to God,

John 13:3 also reminds me of the words of our Lord in His prayer in John 17:3, telling us that His God is the Only True God.

John 17:3  NKJV  New King James Version

"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, do you believe that our Lord Iesus the Anointed One has come from God and has gone back to God? Do you also believer that the God of our Lord Iesus is the Only True God?

Let us say together with the Apostle,

"Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ:" (Ephesians 1:3 KJV)

Over the years, I have written about various accounts in the New Testament that clearly tells us that our Lord Iesus the Anointed One has a God: His God and Father in Heaven, the Only True God. Two of my articles are linked below:

• Iesus - Our Mediator (26Apr2010)
• Does God have a God? (28Dec2012)

To be seen or not to be seen?

Friday 01Apr2022

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Matthew 5:16  WEB  World English Bible

Let your light shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.

Matthew 6:1  WEB

Be careful that you don't do your chartable giving ("acts of righteousness") before men, to be seen by them, or else you have no reward from your Father who is in heaven.

In my New Testament reading today, I came across two verses in the Sermon on the Mount containing the teachings of our Lord Iesus the Anointed One that appears to contradict one another.

In the first verse, Matthew 5:16, our Lord commands us to live as light shining in this world, in such a way that people around us will see our good works and give glory to our Father in Heaven.

However, another verse, Matthew 6:1, seems to tell us to do the opposite: to ensure that our acts of righteousness, like giving alms, are not carried out to be seen by people around us. Otherwise, we will have no reward from our Heavenly Father.

How do we reconcile these two apparently contradictory statements from our Lord?

Should we do good works before men? Or do we make sure that our good works are not done before men?

The answer lies in the words "that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven in Matthew 5:16.

Our Lord commands us to let our good works, even our entire life, be seen by people around us as a testimony of Godly living, like light shining in darkness, so that when they see the good works we do in our Godly life, they will glorify our God.

However, there is a precaution to take. In Matthew 6:1, we are told "be careful" that our good works are not deliberately, purposedly, and intentionally done just to be seen by people around us, may I add, with the hope that people will praise us, even glorify us. If we do our good works to be glorified by men, we have no reward from our Father in heaven

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us make sure that when people around us see our good works, they will glorify our Father in Heaven. Let us beware of doing good works to bring praise and glory upon ourselves.

Calling on the Name of the Lord Iesus the Anointed One

Sun 06Mar2022 20:45 hrs GMT+8

These notes were originally written in my note book on 23Dec2014 and has been left there for about eight years. Tonight, I came across the note and decided that I must post it here in this devotional blog.

Acts 19:13 records explicit evidence of how people called on the Name of the Lord Iesus the Anointed One in New Testament times.

Acts 19:13  NKJV  New King James Version

Then some of the itinerant Jewish exorcists took it upon themselves to call the name of the Lord Jesus over those who had evil spirits, saying, “We exorcise you by the Jesus whom Paul preaches.”

From verse 13 above, we can say that one calls upon the Name of the Lord with words such as,

• "by the Name of Iesus" or
• "in the Name of Iesus".

Similarly, in Acts 16:18 and in Acts 22:16. And compare with Acts 4:30 also:

Acts 16:18  NKJV  New King James Version

And this she did for many days. But Paul, greatly annoyed, turned and said to the spirit, “I command you in the name of Jesus Christ to come out of her.” And he came out that very hour.

Acts 22:16  NKJV

And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

Acts 4:30  NKJV

by stretching out Your hand to heal, and that signs and wonders may be done through the name of Your holy Servant Jesus.”

From the above verses, we can see that calling on the Name of the Lord is done by uttering, "in the Name of Iesus the Anointed". As such, whenever we come across the expression, "call on the Name of Iesus", as shown in Acts 9:14 and 1 Corinthians 1:2 below, we shall understand it to mean the utterance of "in the Name of Iesus".

Acts 9:14  NKJV  New King James Version

And here he has authority from the chief priests to bind all who call on Your name.”

1 Corinthians 1:2  NKJV

To the church of God which is at Corinth, to those who are sanctified in Christ Jesus, called to be saints, with all who in every place call on the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, both theirs and ours:

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One. Let us call on the Name of Iesus the Anointed One. Let us call on the Name of our Lord.

In the Name of our Lord Iesus Anointed, Amen.

One God and Father of all

Sunday 27Feb2022

Today I am reminded from Ephesians chapter 4 that we have One God and Father of all. Our God and Father is over all. He is through all. And He is in all.

Ephesians 4:5 - 6  BBE  Bible in Basic English
5 One Lord, one faith, one baptism,
6 One God and Father of all, who is over all, and through all, and in all.

My New Testament reading also brought me back to verses 7 and 8 of Ephesians chapter 4, which tells us that the Anointed One "gave gifts" to us when he ascended to heaven. This statement in Ephesians 4 is a reference to Psalm 68:18. However, in that verse, the psalmist wrote that the Anointed One "received gifts" instead. This contradicts what the apostle wrote in Ephesians 4:7,8.

Ephesians 4:7 - 8  KJV  King James Version
7 But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ.
8 Wherefore he saith, When he ascended up on high, he led captivity captive, and gave gifts unto men.

Psalm 68:18  KJV  King James Version
Thou hast ascended on high, thou hast led captivity captive: thou hast *received gifts* for men; yea, for the rebellious also, that the LORD God might dwell among them.

For many years, I found no answer to resolve this contradiction. Even a search of Psalm 68:18 in the Septuagint, from which many New Testament verses are quoted, failed to find the words "gave gifts".

Until one day, when I came across Psalm 68:18 in the Peshitta. There right before me stood the verse that says, "You have ascended on high and you have captured captivity and you have *given gifts* to the children of men and rebels will not dwell before God."

In in June 2020, I wrote a short post about my discovery, link below:

• Did the Anointed give or receive gifts?

That I may by all means save some

Sunday 20Feb2022

1 Corinthians chapter 9 from today's New Testament reading contains the Apostle Paul's explanation of how he gave up his right of receiving payment for his ministry of preaching the gospel, but instead worked for a living (tent-making?), to make the gospel "without charge" to all who listened, believed, and became part of the assembly.

In verses 18 to 23, the apostle further explains that besides preaching the gospel freely without charge, he also made himself under bondage to all to whom he preached, so that he might "gain the more".

In what way did Paul put himself under bondage to all his listeners? verses 20 to 22 tells us in the passage below:

1 Corinthians 9:18 - 23  ASV  American Standard Version
18 What then is my reward? That, when I preach the gospel, I may make the gospel without charge, so as not to use to the full my right in the gospel.
19 For though I was free from all [men,] I brought myself under bondage to all, that I might gain the more.
20 And to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might gain Jews; to them that are under the law, as under the law, not being myself under the law, that I might gain them that are under the law;
21 to them that are without law, as without law, not being without law to God, but under law to Christ, that I might gain them that are without law.
22 To the weak I became weak, that I might gain the weak: I am become all things to all men, that I may by all means save some.
23 And I do all things for the gospel's sake, that I may be a joint partaker thereof.

From the passage above, we see the Apostle living like a servant "under bondage" to various groups of people to whom he preached in his ministry. When preaching the gospel to the Jews, he became as a Jew to gain the Jews. When preaching to the Gentiles who were not under the Law, he became as one without the Law (all the while living under the Law of the Anointed One) to gain them who were not under the Law. To those who were weak, he became weak like them to gain them who were weak.

Throughout his ministry, he gave up his right to be free, to live freely in his own way. Instead, he became "all things to all men", so that by all means he might save some of them.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us emulate the example set for us by the apostle to "become all things to all men" that we might by all means save some who are around us.

The Day of Shavuot when the Holy Spirit was poured out

Sunday 06Feb2022

In my New Testament reading today, I read the account in Acts chapter 2 of the outpouring of the Holy Spirit upon the disciples as they were all gathered "with one accord in one place" in Jerusalem (Acts 2:1)

This outpouring of the Holy Spirit is the fulfillment of the prophecy written by the Propet Joel:

Joel 2:28 -32 (Joel 3:1 - 5 in LXX Septuagint)
1 And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out of my Spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. 2 And on my servants and on my handmaids in those days will I pour out of my Spirit. 3 And I will shew wonders in heaven, and upon the earth, blood, and fire, and vapour of smoke. 4 The sun shall be turned into darkness, and the moon into blood, before the great and glorious day of the Lord come. 5 And it shall come to pass that whosoever shall call on the name of the Lord shall be saved: for in mount Sion and in Jerusalem shall the saved one be as the Lord has said, and they that have glad tidings preached to them, whom the Lord has called.

From Acts 2:1, we learn that this outpouring happened on the Day of Pentecost or Shavuot in Hebrew.

Shavuot celebrates the grain harvest of late spring / early summer. It is celebrated exactly seven weeks after the Pesach (Passover).

To arrive at the date of Shavuot, the children of Israel will count 7 weeks (49 days) from the from the second evening of passover (evening of 15th day of 1st month). Today, this practice is called the counting of the omer (a unit measure of grain, particularly barley).

At the end of the counting of omer, shavuot falls on the 50th day after the first passover meal (evening of 14th day of 1st month), hence the name Pentecost

The following lists the dates of Pesach and Shavuot in this year 2022:

• Pesach begins on the evening of Fri 15Apr22 (14th day of 1st month)
• Counting of omer begins on Sat 16Apr22 (15th day of 1st month) and ends on Sat 04Jun22 (6th day of 3rd month)
• Shavuot is celebrated on Sun 05Jun22 (7th day of 3rd month)

Shavuot is one of the three Pilgrimage Festivals among the children of Israel, when Israelite males make pilgrimages to Jerusalem. The other two pilgrimage festivals are Pesach (Passover, 14th to 21st day of 1st month), and Sukkot (Tabernacles, 15th to 22nd day of 7th month)

It is not surprising therefore to read in Acts chapter 2 that a multitude of pilgrims from many distant places heard the disciples uttering the wonderful works of God in each of their languages.

Acts 2:9 - 11 KJV
9 Parthians, and Medes, and Elamites, and the dwellers in Mesopotamia, and in Judaea, and Cappadocia, in Pontus, and Asia,
10 Phrygia, and Pamphylia, in Egypt, and in the parts of Libya about Cyrene, and strangers of Rome, Jews and proselytes,
11 Cretes and Arabians, we do hear them speak in our tongues the wonderful works of God.

At the end of his discourse on that day of Shavuot, the Apostle Peter told the pilgrims who were gathered there:

Acts 2:38 - 39 KJV
38 Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
39 For the promise is unto you, and to your children, and to all that are afar off, even as many as the LORD our God shall call.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, have you repented from sin? Have you been baptised in the name of Iesus the Anointed One? And most of all, have you received the same outpouring of the Holy Spirit that was poured out on the disciples on that Day of Shavuot?

Nine years ago in May 2013, I wrote a short devotion on this account of Acts chapter 2 in my devotional blog, linked below:

• The Promise is for you, for your children, and for all afar.

From Potiphar to Prison to Pharaoh

Thursday 30Dec2021

Genesis chapters 39 to 41 in today's Old Testament readings tells of Joseph's journey from being sold to Pharaoh's officer Potiphar, to being appointed as overseer over Potiphar's household, to being falsely accused by Potiphar's wife and imprisoned by Potiphar, and subsequently to his successful and impressive interpretation of Pharaoh's disturbing dream resulting in his appointment by Pharaoh as ruler over all the land of Egypt, being given Pharaoh's very own signet ring.

Indeed, Joseph has impressed and won the favour of everyone he served with his wisdom and trustworthiness, from Potiphar, to the prison captain, to Pharaoh himself.

Genesis 39:1 - 4  NWB  Noah Webster Bible
1 And Joseph was brought down to Egypt: and Potiphar, an officer of Pharaoh, captain of the guard, an Egyptian, bought him of the hands of the Ishmaelites, who had brought him down thither.
2 And the LORD was with Joseph, and he was a prosperous man: and he was in the house of his master the Egyptian.
3 And his master saw that the LORD was with him, and that the LORD made all that he did to prosper in his hand.
4 And Joseph found grace in his sight, and he served him: and he made him overseer over his house, and all that he had he put into his hand.

Genesis 41:41 - 44  NWB
41 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, See, I have set thee over all the land of Egypt.
42 And Pharaoh took off his ring from his hand, and put it upon Joseph's hand, and arrayed him in vestures of fine linen, and put a gold chain about his neck;
43 And he made him to ride in the second chariot which he had: and they cried before him, Bow the knee: and he made him ruler over all the land of Egypt.
44 And Pharaoh said to Joseph, I am Pharaoh, and without thee shall no man lift up his hand or foot in all the land of Egypt.

A few noteworthy verses are found in the passage above. Genesis 41:40 says that Pharaoh gave Joseph so much authority over the kingdom that "only in the throne will I be greater than thou". Pharaoh gave Joseph the name "Zaphnath-paaneah" (Gen 41:43 NWB) and verse 42 tells us that Pharaoh even took off his own signet ring and put it on Joseph's hand!

With such absolute power, it is no wonder that wherever Zaphnath-paaneah went in Pharaoh's second chariot, the people were ordered to "Bow the knee!" before him. (Gen 41:43 NWB).

This reminds us that our Lord Iesus was likewise anointed by God to rule over heaven and earth, in a manner similar to Joseph (Zaphnath-paaneah) being appointed by Pharaoh to rule over the land of Egypt. In Matthew 28:18, our Lord told the disciples after his resurrection, "All power is given to me in heaven and upon earth".

Indeed, the Lord Iesus is given such a high position that Philippians chapter 2 tells us that God has highly exalted him and has given him a name that is higher than every other name. And just as Genesis 41:43 tells us that every one was to bow the knee before Zaphnath-paaneah, Philippians 2:10 says that every knee shall bow at the name of Iesus. In fact, the name of Iesus is far higher over and above the name of Zaphnath-paaneah because those who bow the knee at the name of Iesus include all things in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth.

Philippians 2:11 goes on to state that every tongue shall confess that Iesus the Anointed is Lord, TO THE GLORY OF GOD THE FATHER.

Philippians 2:9 - 11  NWB
9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things on earth, and things under the earth;
11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Brothers and Sisters in the Anointed One, let us also bow our knees at the Name of our Lord Iesus who has been Anointed and Highly Exalted by God to rule over every thing in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. Let us confess that Iesus is Lord and give glory to God our Father in Heaven.

Why did the master praise the dishonest steward?

Monday 2021.10.25 15:33 hrs

Today, for my New Testament reading, I read through chapters 16 and 17 of the Gospel of Luke

Luke 16:1 - 12 records the Parable of the Dishonest Steward (or Dishonest Manager), a parable that I had for many years found rather puzzling, even disturbing, because of two things mentioned in it.

Firstly, in verse 8 our Lord tells us in this parable that the Master praised his dishonest manager for "doing such a shrewd thing". Why would the Master praise his employee after getting cheated by him?

Secondly, in verse 9, our Lord tells his followers to "make friends for yourselves with worldly wealth, so that when it gives out, you will be welcomed in the eternal home". What friends do we make with our worldly wealth? Who are these friends who will welcome us in eternity?

Luke 16:1 - 12 GNB

1Jesus said to his disciples, “There was once a rich man who had a servant who managed his property. The rich man was told that the manager was wasting his master's money, 2so he called him in and said, ‘What is this I hear about you? Hand in a complete account of your handling of my property, because you cannot be my manager any longer.’ 3The servant said to himself, ‘My master is going to dismiss me from my job. What shall I do? I am not strong enough to dig ditches, and I am ashamed to beg. 4Now I know what I will do! Then when my job is gone, I shall have friends who will welcome me in their homes.’

5“So he called in all the people who were in debt to his master. He asked the first one, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ 6‘100 barrels of olive oil,’ he answered. ‘Here is your account,’ the manager told him; ‘sit down and write fifty.’ 7Then he asked another one, ‘And you — how much do you owe?’ ‘A thousand sacks of wheat,’ he answered. ‘Here is your account,’ the manager told him; ‘write 800.’

8“As a result the master of this dishonest manager praised him for doing such a shrewd thing; because the people of this world are much more shrewd in handling their affairs than the people who belong to the light.”

9And Jesus went on to say, “And so I tell you: make friends for yourselves with worldly wealth, so that when it gives out, you will be welcomed in the eternal home. 10Whoever is faithful in small matters will be faithful in large ones; whoever is dishonest in small matters will be dishonest in large ones. 11If, then, you have not been faithful in handling worldly wealth, how can you be trusted with true wealth? 12And if you have not been faithful with what belongs to someone else, who will give you what belongs to you?

Eight years ago in September 2013, after pondering over this passage, I came to two conclusions about the parable which I discussed in detail in a devotional blog post, linked below:

• One Parable, Two Lessons

Build up treasure in heaven, Keep your lamps burning

Saturday 2021.10.23

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 from the New Testament, I read Luke chapters 12 and 13 using J.N.Darby's Translation.

Luke chapter 12 carries an account of our Lord Iesus the Anointed One teaching the people to build up an everlasting treasure in heaven by giving alms. Immediately after saying this, our Lord goes on to remind his followers to keep their lamps burning and watch for the Lord's return.

Luke 12:29 - 37 JND J N Darby's Translation
29 And *ye*, seek not what ye shall eat or what ye shall drink, and be not in anxiety;
30 for all these things do the nations of the world seek after, and your Father knows that ye have need of these things;
31 but seek his kingdom, and all these things shall be added to you.
32 Fear not, little flock, for it has been the good pleasure of your Father to give you the kingdom.
33 Sell what ye possess and give alms; make to yourselves purses which do not grow old, a treasure which does not fail in the heavens, where thief does not draw near nor moth destroy.
34 For where your treasure is, there also will your heart be.
35 Let your loins be girded about, and lamps burning;
36 and *ye* like men who wait their own lord whenever he may leave the wedding, that when he comes and knocks, they may open to him immediately.
37 Blessed are those bondmen whom the lord on coming shall find watching; verily I say unto you, that he will gird himself and make them recline at table, and coming up will serve them.

The above passage brought up one question in my thoughts,
"Is building up treasure in heaven (giving alms) part and parcel of watching and waiting for the return of our Lord Iesus? Do we keep our lamps burning by continually giving to the poor and needy?"

These are questions I ponder over on this day of Shabbat.

Sacrifices and Offerings Thou didst not desire

Sunday 2021.10.03 11:22 hrs

This morning, as I was reading through Psalms 31 to 41, I was reminded of a well known passage in Psalm 40.

Psalm 40:6 - 8 is a Messianic prophecy, foretelling the coming of the Anointed One of God, who delights to do the will of His God by giving up his body as the sacrifice for all sins.

Being translated from the Masoretic texts, the KJV, like most English Translations, render Psalm 40:6 as "Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened . . ."

Psalm 40:6 - 8 KJV

6 Sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire; mine ears hast thou opened: burnt offering and sin offering hast thou not required. 7 Then said I, Lo, I come: in the volume of the book it is written of me, 8 I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law is within my heart.

However, in the Septuagint, from which many verses are quoted in the New Testament, Psalm 40:6 (which is Psalm 39:7 in LXX) says, "Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not; but a body hast thou prepared me . . ."

Psalm 39:7 - 9 LXX Brenton

7 Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not; but a body hast thou prepared me: whole-burnt-offering and sacrifice for sin thou didst not require.
8 Then I said, Behold, I *come: in the volume of the book it is written concerning me,
9 I desired to do thy will, O my God, and thy law in the midst of mine heart.

The prophecy that "a body thou has prepared me" is quoted in the New Testament in Hebrews 10:5-9, where it is explained that God has taken away the first covenant of sacrifices and burnt offerings, and has established the second covenant of a single once-for-all-sacrifice - the sacrifice of the body of His Anointed one.

Hebrews 10:5 - 9 KJV

5 Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me:
6 In burnt offerings and sacrifices for sin thou hast had no pleasure.
7 Then said I, Lo, I come (in the volume of the book it is written of me,) to do thy will, O God.
8 Above when he said, Sacrifice and offering and burnt offerings and offering for sin thou wouldest not, neither hadst pleasure therein; which are offered by the law;
9 Then said he, Lo, I come to do thy will, O God. He taketh away the first, that he may establish the second.

Behold my Servant

Sunday 2021.10.03 11:04 hrs

For my NT reading today, I read the Gospel of Matthew chapters 12 and 13 using the Bible in Basic English. Tomorrow I will continue with Matthew 14 using the World English Bible.

In Matthew chapter 12, we read the account of the Pharisees meeting together to discuss how to destroy our Lord Iesous after our Lord healed a man of his withered hand in their synagogue on a Sabbath Day. Being aware of the Pharisees' council, our Lord withdrew from that place. Great crowds followed him, and he healed them all, charging them not to make him known.

Our Lord's quiet retreat from his enemies and his secret healing of all who followed him is described by Matthew in verses 18 to 21 as the fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah 42:1 - 3 and Isaiah 11:10.

Matthew 12:18 - 21 Bible in Basic English

18 See my servant, the man of my selection, my loved one in whom my soul is well pleased: I will put my Spirit on him, and he will make my decision clear to the Gentiles.
19 His coming will not be with fighting or loud cries; and his voice will not be lifted up in the streets.
20 The crushed stem will not be broken by him; and the feebly burning light will he not put out, till he has made righteousness overcome all.
21 And in his name will the Gentiles put their hope.

Isaiah 42:1 - 3 KJV

Behold my servant, whom I uphold; mine elect, in whom my soul delighteth; I have put my spirit upon him: he shall bring forth judgment to the Gentiles.
2 He shall not cry, nor lift up, nor cause his voice to be heard in the street.
3 A bruised reed shall he not break, and the smoking flax shall he not quench: he shall bring forth judgment unto truth.

Isaiah 11:10 KJV

And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious.

It is noteworthy that our Lord's fulfilment of the prophecy of Isaiah in "not with fighting nor loud cries" and in "crushed stem not be broken by him" results in the Gentiles putting their hope in Him.

Yes, the earthly ministry of the Lord Iesous is a ministry for the whole world. God has put His Spirit on the Lord Iesous to show his judgment to the Gentiles. In His Name will the Gentiles put their hope.

"Behold my servant . . . ", Isaiah 42:1 says. Let us behold our Lord, the Servant of God, in whom God delights, and upon whom God has put His Spirit. Let us put our hope in our Lord Iesous.