BiblicalInsights.net

Recently, I uploaded a new book review on the book review page of my blog.  The book reviewed is Devotions on the Greek New Testament by J. Scott Duvall & Verlyn D. Verbrugge, editors.  The book contains 52 essays on various passages in the New Testament.  The main idea behind the book is to demonstrate how the knowledge of the Greek language is beneficial to New Testament exegesis.  There are insights that can be gained by knowing Greek grammar and syntax that cannot be known by reading the text in English.  Also, Greek word studies help identify links between passages of Scripture that aid in ascertaining the meaning of words and the variety of meaning of words in the New Testament.  Over 30 New Testament Greek scholars contributed to the essays in the book.  The reader should know that a knowledge of New Testament Greek is helpful for gleaning the most out of the book.  This book is written primarily for those ministers who took New Testament Greek and then abandoned it in their studies because they felt it was not productive or too much work.
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Jeremiah was a prophet of God during the time of Judah’s apostasy.  He is known as the weeping prophet.  He was called in the 13th year of King Josiah (626 BC) and continued to prophesy until the fall of Jerusalem in 587 BC.  He prophesied under the last five kings of Judah:  Josiah, Jehoahaz, Jehoiakim, Jehoiachin, and Zedekiah.  Judah was engulfed in idolatry and moral degeneracy.
God gave Jeremiah a mission:  find a man that executeth judgment and seeketh the truth.  “Run ye to and fro through the streets of Jerusalem, and see now, and know, and seek in the broad places thereof, if ye can find a man, if there be any that executeth judgment, and that seeketh the truth; and I will pardon it” (Jeremiah 5:1).  Jeremiah needs to find one good man.
The search begins among the common people, the poor, the regular folks (5:4).  They have God’s name on their lips, but they do not have His glory on their minds (5:2).  They swear falsely–they commit perjury with their lips.  They have suffered, but their suffering does not produce character.  They are ignorant (5:4) and do not respect the LORD (5:11-12).
Jeremiah turns to the leaders among the people (5:5).  “I will get me unto the great men…”  He looks among the politicians and the priests.  He remarks that they have known the way of the LORD and the judgment of their God.  But, they have broken off the yoke–they were willfully disobedient to God.  They have not sinned out of ignorance.  They have sinned out of defiance!
The quest continues among the children.  Jeremiah indictes them, “thy children have forsaken me” (5:7).  The children are following in the footsteps of the parents.  They swear by gods that are not gods.  They committed adultery and fornication.  This may refer to fornication which was commonly associated with idolatry.  Jeremiah compares them to an animal in heat, “Everyone neighed after his neighbor’s wife” (5:8).  They were sex-crazed!
Jeremiah looks among the prophets (5:13).  “And the prophets shall become wind, and the word is not in them…”  They should be preaching God’s Word, but the only thing coming from their mouths was “hot air.”  Jeremiah was the exception.  “I will make my words in thy mouth fire, and this people wood, and it shall devour them” (5:14).  The prophets among the people prophesied falsely and the people loved to have it so (5:31).
All Jeremiah needed to do was find one good man.  But, so far, he has found none.  God’s indictment against them reads, “But this people hath a revolting and rebellious heart; they are revolted and gone.  Neither say they in their heart, Let us now fear the LORD our God…” (5:24,25).  Jeremiah calls them to repentance, but his words fall on deaf ears and hardened hearts.  God will visit them, i.e. punish them for their sins (5:25-31).
Jeremiah was looking for one good man.  What type of man was he looking for?  One who seeks God and His truth.  One who discerns the times and keeps himself unspotted from the world.  One who fears God.  One who respects God in worship and whose lips speak authentically from a pure heart.  One who bodly declares God’s Word.  One who faithfully serves God with tears.  Now, where could we find such a man?

God’s Word declares, “For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour; Not in the lust of concupiscence, even as the Gentiles which know not God: That no man go beyond and defraud his brother in any matter:  because that the Lord is the avenger of all such, as we also have forwarned you and testified, For God hath not called us unto uncleanness, but unto holiness” (I Thess. 4:3-7).  Consider some of the main ideas Paul presents in this passage.
1.  Sanctified means to be set apart for a holy purpose.  Christians are bought with the blood of Christ (I Cor. 6:19,20).  They must fulfill their redemptive purpose by living consecrated lives.  No man can be sanctified or consecrated to God who does not restrain all lusts and direct his desires in lawful ways.  Love for God demands consecration to God.
2.  Sexual integrity is part of our sanctification and consecration to God.  Flee fornication!  Yet, we live in a sex-crazed society.  Pornography is abundant and available.  70% of people involved in this sin are secretly participating in it.  Pornography promotes fornication, adultery, and homosexuality.  Therefore, it undermines God’s will for marriage and the home.  The only proper means of sexual expression is between a man and woman in the marriage relationship (Heb. 13:4).  Pornography defiles the mind of man by polluting it with impure and unholy thoughts and images.  When lusts are aroused and individuals start “acting out” these desires the body is defiled.
3.  Every Christian must gain mastery over his/her own body.  Paul states, “…every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour…”  Even Paul exercised self-control and self-discipline.  “But I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway” (I Cor. 9:27).
4.  Adultery is a sin against God and another person.  God will judge such matters.
5.  Through the Gospel, God has called us to holiness.  Sexual purity is a part of true godliness and holiness before God.  Holiness is purity of mind and heart.  The pure in heart shall see God (Matt. 5:8).
6.  Sexual addiction is a form of defilement of the mind and heart before God.  It is a sin that needs to be conquered through reconciliation to God.  The glory of grace and the honor of holiness bring both salvation and sanctification to the Christian.  Both grace and holiness are transforming.  Both are essential aspects of the Christian life which manifests the image of God to the world.

In I Kings 18:16-18, there is an interesting exchange beteween king Ahab and Elijah the prophet.  The prophet Obadiah arranged a meeting between the king and the prophet of God.  The Biblical record gives the details of the meeting.  “And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?  And he answered, I have not troubled Israel; but thou, and thy father’s house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the LORD, and thou hast followed Baalim.”
Ahab’s Misperception.
Ahab blammed Elijah for the drought and famine that Israel was suffering.  It had not rained for three plus years (I Kings 18:1).  The drought was the result of Elijah’s prayer for it not to rain and God’s power which, in answer to the prayer, shut up the heavens.  The lack of rain was punitive.  God chastened His people to bring them to repentance for idolatry.  Israel had sinned.
Elijah’s Accurate Perception.
Elijah was not the troubler of Israel.  He said, “I have not troubled Israel.”  The word “troubled” refers to alientation from God which results from a heinious crime or sin.  Sin always produces trouble!  Elijah states that “ye have forsaken…”  The “ye” is plural and refers to the people of Israel who were involved in idolatry (they worshipped Baal).  Their sin was collective (committed as a group).  Elijah also said, “…and thou hast followed Baal.”  The “thou” is singular and indicts the king personally.  Elijah demonstrates great courage to speak so boldly before the king.   Idolatry was a serious sin against God and broke the first two of the ten commandments.  The result was God’s punitive act in causing a drought and famine.
Nobel Tester stated, “It’s easier to get mad at the preacher than it is to get right with God.”  Ahab was angry with Elijah and instead of humbling his heart and turning to the LORD, he hardened his heart (I Kings 19:1).
Truth Prevails.
Elijah challenges Ahab to produce the false prophets of Baal in order to have a challenge.  The challenge involved the demonstration of immediate power to consume a sacrifice.  The odds in this challenge were 450 prophets of Baal to 1 prophet of God–Elijah.  The false prophets of Baal attempted to excite Baal to act, but to no avail.  Baal did not respond to their cries of desperation.  Elijah prayed to God and God immediately sent fire down and consumed the sacrifice (I Kings 18:37-38).  This dramatic demonstration persuaded many of the people of Israel to repent.  But, Ahab did not repent.  Elijah proved that there is only one, true, and living God.  Ahab continued to deny this fact.
Ahab’s Legacy.
In I Kings 21:25-26, the Bible records the legacy of Ahab.  “But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.  And he did very abominably in following idols, according to all things as did the Amorites, whom the LORD cast out before the children of Israel.”  Ahab left a legacy of wickedness.  The true “troubler” of Israel is now apparent before all.  Sin always produces trouble!