“Now I Paul myself beseech you by the meekness and gentleness of Christ, who in presence am base among you, but being absent am bold toward you: but I beseech you, that I may not be bold when I am present with that confidence, wherewith I think to be bold against some, which think of us as if we walked according to the flesh.
For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: for the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds; casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ; and having in a readiness to revenge all disobedience, when your obedience is fulfilled.” 2 Corinthians 10:1-6 (KJB)
Disobedience
What Happened At Shiloh?
“In the beginning of the reign of Jehoiakim the son of Josiah king of Judah came this word from the LORD, saying,
‘Thus saith the LORD; ‘Stand in the court of the LORD’S house, and speak unto all the cities of Judah, which come to worship in the LORD’S house, all the words that I command thee to speak unto them; diminish not a word: if so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent Me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings. And thou shalt say unto them, ‘Thus saith the LORD; If ye will not hearken to Me, to walk in My law, which I have set before you, to hearken to the words of My servants the prophets, whom I sent unto you, both rising up early, and sending them, but ye have not hearkened; then will I make this house like Shiloh, and will make this city a curse to all the nations of the earth.’
So the priests and the prophets and all the people heard Jeremiah speaking these words in the house of the LORD.” Jeremiah 26:1-7 (KJB)
Shiloh is the place where the ark of the covenant was kept in the Tabernacle in the wilderness which Moses had made after the pattern of God’s in Heaven. Shiloh was the place from which it was taken foolishly by the priest thinking it had special powers even when the hearts of the people had turned against hearing the word of the LORD. It would do the reader good to read 1 Samuel 1 – 4 to get the background of what Jeremiah is saying.
When people will not hear the word of the LORD, and do what He says then you can be sure no amount of prayer, special offering, sacrifice will suffice to please God. He is pleased when we hear His word, and do it.
There are many places that are alive with activity in the name of the Lord, but full of ignorant, disobedient, sacrificing, giving people; separated from God, and do not even realize it. Their lives are empty and without meaning, because these places have a whole lot of fire, but not fire from God in Heaven. They will not hear and heed the word of the LORD.
“Therefore will I do unto this house, which is called by my name,…. The temple, as in Jer_7:11, for though it was called by his name, and his name was called upon in it, yet this could not secure it from desolation; for so the name of the Lord was set in the tabernacle at Shiloh, and yet he forsook it through the wickedness of the people:
wherein ye trust; they trusted in the sacrifices there offered up, and the service there performed; in the holiness of the place, and because it was the residence of the divine Majesty; wherefore they thought this would be a protection and defence of them; and this was trusting in lying words, as in Jer_7:4,
and unto the place which I gave unto you and your fathers; meaning either Jerusalem; and so the Syriac version renders it, “and to the city”; or the whole land of Judea, as in Jer_7:7,
as I have done to Shiloh; See Gill on Jer_7:12.” From John Gill’s Exposition of the Bible on Jeremiah 26:6
O hear the word of the LORD. God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him would not perish, but have eternal life. That is a starting place.
Destruction happened at Shiloh. Life eternal happens at the cross of Jesus Christ. Hear the word of the LORD.
When the Enemy is not Driven Out
“And an Angel of the LORD came up from Gilgal to Bochim, and said, I made you to go up out of Egypt, and have brought you unto the land which I sware unto your fathers; and I said, I will never break My covenant with you. And ye shall make no league with the inhabitants of this land; ye shall throw down their altars: but ye have not obeyed My voice. Why have ye done this? Wherefore I also said, I will not drive them out from before you; but they shall be as thorns in your sides, and their gods shall be a snare unto you. And it came to pass, when the Angel of the LORD spake these words unto all the children of Israel, that the people lifted up their voice, and wept. And they called the name of that place Bochim: and they sacrificed there unto the LORD.” Judges 2:1-5 (KJV)
“Bochim” means weeping, thus the title. When you read these verses you see the reason for their weeping. When the “Angel of the LORD” makes an appearance with a message such as this, then, we should know that we need to be weeping.
The “Angel of the LORD” is most likely a theophany. A pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus Christ. He was, He is, and He always will be (Revelation 1:4, 8, 18). That is why He would be speaking authoritatively the word of God. The Israelites had violated the word of God in disobedience (Exodus 23:32), and now they were beginning to suffer the consequences for it.
The above verse says “I will never break My covenant with you”, thus the disobedience of the people is their own judgment. The failure to drive out the enemy would be a snare to them. It is so with the follower of Jesus Christ today as well. This is cause for weeping.
The prophet Jeremiah tell us of this too (Jeremiah 2:19). Paul the apostle tells us,
“Be not deceived; God is not mocked: for whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap.” Galations 6:7
When the unredeemed are living their own lives, their own way they reap the harvest of what they have sown. When the redeemed turn from walking with God, disobey His word, we too will reap the harvest of what we have sown. Disobedience reaps thorns, sorrows, and snares.
It is a time for weeping. Weeping over our disobedience; our sin.
I Will Not Cast Them Away
…I Will Not Cast Them Away…
Leviticus 26:44-46
1. After reading the first 25 chapters and hearing about the benefits of holiness we now hear God’s Word concerning unholiness and its consequences.
2. God promises great reward to those of His children of Israel who will obey Him as a nation, a priesthood.
3. There are also grave consequences for disobedience for the people and the land; so that the land can heal.
4. Even though the LORD may punish or discipline His people He does not forsake them.
I. GOD DESIRES TO DWELL AMONG HIS PEOPLE WHOM HE HAS REDEEMED UNTO HIMSELF (v. 11; Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23).
II. THE LORD DESIRES TO BLESS THE LAND, HIS PEOPLE IN THIS WORLD (vv. 1-13).
III. WHEN GOD’S PEOPLE ARE NOT HOLY; HOW CAN A HOLY GOD CONTINUE TO BLESS; EXCEPT BY CLEANSING (vv. 14-39)
IV. THOUGH THE PEOPLE HAVE DISOBEYED, REBELLED, AND BECAME UNHOLY; THE LORD SAYS, ‘I WILL NOT CAST THEM AWAY’ (v. 44).
Application –
i. God dwells in His people through the antitype who is Christ Jesus Himself – He lives in those who are redeemed through His precious blood.
ii. The land could be a type of the spiritual blessings of those who are in Christ Jesus; spiritual gifts, life lived and given to the LORD.
iii. Even the Christian who is not walking with God suffers grave consequences (Galations 6:7-8), and must come back into a right and holy walk with God.
iv. He has promised, “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5) and He will not cast away His redeemed people (John 17:11).
-Tim A. Blankenship
Preached at Carr Lane Baptist Church February 2011.
Thus Saith the LORD God… 012414
“And it came to pass, when the children of Israel cried unto the LORD because of the Midianites, that the LORD sent a prophet unto the children of Israel, which said unto them, ‘Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, I brought you up from Egypt, and brought you forth out of the house of bondage; and I delivered you out of the hand of the Egyptians, and out of the hand of all that oppressed you, and drave them out from before you, and gave you their land; and I said unto you, I am the LORD your God; fear not the gods of the Amorites, in whose land ye dwell: but ye have not obeyed My voice.'” Judges 6:7-10
Through the Bible in a Year – 022413
THROUGH THE BIBLE IN A YEAR
Things That Really Count
Numbers 11 – 30
In our world today everything is digital. What does that mean. Some how the “experts”, at least those in the know about such things have figured out how we can have cell phones digitally; with their towers digitally; televisions are digital now; the computers are digital.
A “digit” is defined in the MIRRIAM/WEBSTER DICITONARY as “any of the figures 1 to 9 inclusive and usually the symbol 0.”
Some how the numbers 1 and 0 are the link to it all. When you have the right equipment you can place those numbers in “cyber space”, pull them out with a CD player, DVD player, or HDTV picture, and you have music, movies in your home and over the air, sattelite TV.
We look in the Bible and we see Digital is nothing new with God. Numbers or Digits do count with God.
1. The People Count;
2. The Sacrifices Count;
3. Disobedience Counts toward Judgment (Chapters 11-16);
- We see complaining of hunger in the numbers (11);
- We see unbelief in the numbers (12-14);
- We see envy of leadership (16);
4. There is a Prophet who Counted for Profit (23-25);
5. The Rock in the Wilderness Counts (20:7-11; Exodus 17:6; 1 Corinthians 10:4);
6. The Inheritance Counts for All (26-30; Romans 8:16-17).
-Tim A. Blankenship
Commanding the Ravens; Feeding the Prophet
When a prophet preaches the Word of God to his nation or to his church he must realize that word will affect his life too. Elijah was certain to find this out shortly after he pronounces judgment by drought upon Israel, and king Ahab.
We also find that the LORD takes care of those He calls, and equips as well. When Elijah told Ahab of the drought coming God already had a place for the prophet to go; to a brook; and there he would have water to drink and bathe, and God would send ravens with “bread and flesh” to eat in the morning and evening.
“And the word of the LORD came unto him, saying, ‘Get thee hence, and turn thee eastward, and hide thyself by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And it shall be, that thou shalt drink of the brook; and I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there.’ So he went and did according unto the word of the LORD: for he went and dwelt by the brook Cherith, that is before Jordan. And the ravens brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and bread and flesh in the evening; and he drank of the brook. And it came to pass after a while, that the brook dried up, because there had been no rain in the land.” 1 Kings 17:2-7 (KJV)
For those who have a problem with the Sovereignty of God, and His directing the affairs of this world, we need to hear what the Word of God says here. “I have commanded the ravens to feed thee there”. The LORD has the perfect place already for the prophet. The prophet must be obedient to the LORD’S leading and follow.
It does not occur to preachers some times, but what we preach affects us too. Even if you are not a preacher, but are a follower of Jesus Christ the Word of God is for you too. You can obey God and His Word; or you can be disobedient and completely miss God’s provision for your life.
God’s provisions are more bountiful and wonderful than anything our disobedience can give us.
Elijah did as God commanded went to Cherith, which flowed by the Jordan. I cringe a little when I think of having ravens bring bread and flesh to eat. However, what God provides He cleanses. What He blesses is good to eat.
The LORD of creation still commands the birds of the air, the fish of the sea (think of Jonah here), the beast of the forest, the cattle in the fields and upon the Thousand Hills Ranch :). He still blesses His preachers, prophets, and His people who will trust Him in drought and in flood. He provides by His own hand.
Commanding ravens and feeding prophets is no problem for the one who is Lord of all.
Teach me LORD.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Day 1 – Genesis 1 – 14
The first day of reading through the Bible in ninety days is here. I have completed the first 14 chapters. As I told you in the last post I will be reading the Bible in the New Living Translation, which I realize is a weak “translation”, but it has an ease of reading which the KJV does not have, thus and can read without too much distraction by trying to decipher the days, months and years; lengths, weights and such.
I did discover in my reading of the first fourteen chapters that there is much with the NLT which I have problems with in interpretation, but as I wrote of one of those problems in my journal, it could be a matter of perspective.
That problem was the NLT’s interpretation of Genesis 10:25,
“Eber had two sons. The first was named Peleg—“division”—for during his lifetime the people of the world were divided into different language groups and dispersed. His brother’s name was Joktan.” Genesis 10:25 (NLT)
Now the KJV,
“And unto Eber were born two sons: the name of one was Peleg; for in his days was the earth divided; and his brother’s name was Joktan.” Genesis 10:25 (KJV)
The problem I have with the NLT here is that it provides and interpretation that is not present in the text. The word “earth” in the KJV is “eh’-rets” in Hebrew and can mean various things,
“From an unused root probably meaning to be firm; the earth (at large, or partitively a land): – X common, country, earth, field, ground, land, X nations, way, + wilderness, world.” From Strongs Concordance — e-Sword.
The people had been divided by the change difference in languages, and there could have been a massive moving of the planet earth as well; not only causing a dividing of languages, but also of the land. That is my thought on the matter.
We find in the reading of Genesis 1 – 14 that God is the Creator; that He created the earth and all things upon it in a seven day period. On the sixth day having already prepared things for the crowning of creation He creates humanity, beginning with Adam, then his wife Eve. Things were without problem in the garden God had prepared for them. He even spent time with them in that garden, at least at one point He came to visit them, and found them hiding from Him.
Here we find the answer for all the ills and problems in our world today. Why is there killing, sickness, disease, hardships of all sorts? It comes down to this point that the first man and woman did not listen to God, nor obey His commandment. That one commandment was,
“And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.'” Genesis 2:16-17
Following their sin of disobedience, God comes to them, finds them hiding from Him and God drives them from paradise; places a guardian at the gate of Eden preventing their way to eternal life at the Tree of Life, and they begin to die. Adam Eve have two sons Cain and Abel. Rebellion sets in Cain’s heart even to the point of killing his brother. God curses Cain.
Adam and Eve have other children. We find the godly lineage in chapter 5; however there is much evil on the earth, and God destroys the earth and every land going animal; except for those He has chosen to save through the only justified man living. “Noah found grace in the eyes of the LORD” (6:8). The flood comes. Noah, his wife, their sons, and their sons wives are in the ark of redemption with the chosen animals – 7 of each clean animal; 2 of each unclean. My how God is full of grace and mercy.
From paradise to death to hope through Abram and a new land. A new people, nation, a Promised Redeemer.
-Tim A. Blankenship
I Also Sent Them Into The World
The world inwhich we live, ie., the cosmos, is the creation of God. From the beginning it has been in His hand, and He has never removed His hand from it. We even have an account in the epistle of Paul to the Romans, where Paul wrote, “For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” Romans 8:22 (KJV). This world and all that is in it were created perfect. There was no sickness or disease. There were no terrifying earthquakes, no loud boisterous thunderstorms, or lightening flashing and terrifying life everywhere. These things did not occur until sin entered the world by way of Adam’s and Eve’s disobedience to God.
That is why our Lord Jesus has prayed with concern of our being in the world. The world of sin, iniquity, and rebellion. From verses 11-16 He has prayed for us and our position in this world. In verse 17 He prayed for our sanctification through the Word. We come now to His sending us as His people to be His ambassador in this world. We read;
“As Thou hast sent Me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes I sanctify Myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.” John 17:18-19 (KJV).
I am assured that this prayer is for all who will believe and follow Jesus. He has asked for our sanctification, and that is the work that continues to go on in our lives day after day after day. It is His work in us. Let’s be thankful for His daily work of grace which not only saves us for all eternity, but works it out in our lives through cleansing and removing all that is vile and sinful in His sight.
Jesus, Himself, has set Himself aside to do the Father’s will. To accomplish all that the Father sent Him to do. The will of the Lord Jesus, and the will of the Father are one and the same. Be assured today, that, it is God’s will to complete what He has started in you, and He will. You are His ambassador in this world. Let’s live as though we are.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Grace Into Lewdness
“For certain men have crept in unnoticed, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, who turn the grace of God into lewdness and deny the only Lord God and our Lord Jesus Christ.” Jude 4 (NKJV).
Yes! This is the same verse as yesterday’s. However it seems prudent to deal a little more on that part of the verse which is in bold print.
It is sad that there seems to be a growing number of professing Bible teachers who call themselves or have been called “Free Gracers”. Grace is free from our loving God and Savior, however, the fact of its being free to us does not give us freedom to live without control. That is usually what is meant by those who believe in “Free Grace”. It is usually meant that when you have received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, or they would just say Savior, then you have the “Liberty of conscience, or spirit” to live as you so please.
In affect, they turn the “grace of God into lewdness”, and the idea of Christian liberty is taken beyond what the apostle Paul meant when he wrote, “Where the Spirit of the Lord is; there is liberty”. We are free in Christ.
“Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? But God be thanked, that ye were the servants of sin, but ye have obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine which was delivered you. Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” Romans 6:12-18 (KJV)
The freedom which we have in Jesus Christ is not freedom to live as we please, but freedom from the law of condemnation, and freedom to live for Christ and unbound by sin. Before salvation we were servants of sin. Having Jesus as our Lord and Savior unbinds us from sin, then, to serve our Lord Jesus, and to live in the way that will glorify His precious and holy name.
It is not in the heart of a child of God to continue in disobedient, rebellious sin against our Lord. Jesus is Lord of the true believer, the true child of God. If the heart of the individual professing Jesus as Savior is not prone to glorify God by living for Him, then, that heart is not redeemed, and needs Jesus as their Lord and Savior. The heart of the truly saved individual desires to live in such a fashion that Jesus’s name will be glorified in their life. It is not given to the disobedience of sin.
The teacher who teaches such heresy is not a teacher of God, but is one of those who has come in “unnoticed” or “Unawares”. Take heed to what every teacher, who is teaching, teaches. Use the spiritual discernment which the Spirit of God gives you, along side the Word of God.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Think Of Isaiah’s Thoughts
Prophet’s Possible Perspective
Being a member of a noble family I sometimes become frustrated by having other people waiting on me and doing things, which I know I could do. Nevertheless, I have a good life, really it is too good. I am truly blessed
As I was walking by one of our fields yesterday, I noticed a familiar site. One I had seen many times before; one of our servants walking behind an ox, prodding him with a goad, guiding his direction, and that ox did exactly what this man directed him to do. If the man tapped the ox on the left side of the neck the ox turned right. If the man tapped him on the right side he turned left. When the ox was tapped on the rump he would increase his speed. The ox gave no sign of hesitating to any tap of the goad.
This became of great interest in my heart. God, holy God; began speaking to me through this ox working in the field. If the ox does not hesitate to obey its master and turns wherever he is directed, then why does God’s people not obey Him? This was the question which came to my mind.
As I was going back to the house I went by the stables, and I noticed a donkey which had just been brought back from carrying a heavy load of trade goods. This donkey just went right to the trough, knowing that his owner had put feed there for him. Once again the Spirit of God showed me how rebellious the people of God had become.
O, how terrible, that the people of God forget the merciful, providential, gracious, loving, hand of God. They go on their way, but do not consider. It is as if, they do not even know God.
“The ox knows his owner, and the donkey his master’s crib: but Israel does not know, my people does not consider” (Isaiah 1:3).
O, that the people of God would only “Consider” these matters.
-Tim A. Blankenship
Israel’s Backsliding
Israel’s Backsliding
God is loving, merciful and gracious. He has been with the northern kingdom of Israel, and with the southern kingdom of Judah. In His love, and His pursuit of His people, the rebellion, coldness, disobedience, and rebellion continue.
It is a shame that those who call themselves the people of God cannot see that they have departed from Him. They are a backsliden people. Hear the words of the prophet from God:
“The LORD said also to me in the days of Josiah the king: ‘Have you seen what backsliding Israel has done? She has gone up on every high mountain and under every green tree, and there played the harlot. And I said, after she had done all these things, ‘Return to Me.’ But she did not return. And her treacherous sister Judah saw it.” Jeremiah 3:6-7 (NKJV).
The sin of Israel was their turning away from their worship of God alone, and they had started developing patterns consistent with pagan worshippers of false gods, even including their worship to false gods in their supposed worship to God. God has given very careful guidance in the true worship of Him. “Thou shalt have no other gods before Me”, and that means the worship of God, YHWH [YaHWeH] alone. To include others is to destroy true worship of the one true God.
They in effect have worshipped demons, rather than God;
“They shall no more offer their sacrifices to demons, after whom they have played the harlot…” Leviticus 17:7 (NKJV).
Paul writing to the Corinthians says,
“Observe Israel after the flesh: Are not those who eat of the sacrifices partakers of the altar? What am I saying then? That an idol is anything, or what is offered to idols is anything? Rather, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice they sacrifice to demons and not to God, and I do not want you to have fellowship with demons.” 1 Corinthians 10:18-20 (NKJV).
Worship directed to a Jesus who is not God is a false worship. Worship directed to anyone or anything that is not God is false worship.
Israel has sinned in their worship. It appears that there is more and more people who call themselves Christian who are also sinning in their worship. Their rebellion, disobedience, and adultery toward God must be repented of, seeking God’s forgiveness.
God has said to Israel, “Return to Me”. His call to the Church is the same; “Return to Me”. Be backsliding no more and return to God, and the holy and right worship through the Lord Jesus Christ alone.
-by Tim A. Blankenship
Broken Pieces 