“And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea.”

The bumper sticker read, “There is no Planet B.” But this, and many other scriptures say differently. God’s plan from before the creation was to put in place a new heavens and a new earth.

Why would he have to do that? It started with the disobedience of Adam and Eve to God’s command in the garden of Eden, as recorded in Genesis 3. In Genesis 3:17-19 we read about the curse that God put on the earth because of their sin, “And unto Adam he said, Because thou hast hearkened unto the voice of thy wife, and hast eaten of the tree, of which I commanded thee, saying, Thou shalt not eat of it: cursed is the ground for thy sake; in sorrow shalt thou eat of it all the days of thy life; thorns also and thistles shall it bring forth to thee; and thou shalt eat the herb of the field; in the sweat of thy face shalt thou eat bread, till thou return unto the ground; for out of it wast thou taken: for dust thou art, and unto dust shalt thou return.” The creation was cursed by God because they disobeyed.

 Romans 8:19-22 reveals the same thing, “For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope, because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now.” There needs to be a new earth.

But why new heavens? There are at least three times in scripture where it is recorded that the enemy, satan, is in God’s presence: Job 1, Job 2, and Zechariah 3. Apparently, in God’s mercies and humility the enemy is allowed to have access to God’s presence. But the day is coming when he will be removed from heaven. Revelation 12:7-10 tells us, “And there was war in heaven: Michael and his angels fought against the dragon; and the dragon fought and his angels, and prevailed not; neither was their place found any more in heaven. And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. And I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, Now is come salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of his Christ: for the accuser of our brethren is cast down, which accused them before our God day and night.”

Here we learn two things. First, the end of the passage tells us that the enemy of our souls uses his access before God to accuse the saints. And he does it day and night! This reminds of Zechariah 3. The other thing we learn is that his access will end on the yet-to-come day when he will be cast out of heaven, with all of his minions, never again to enter there, as told in Revelation 12. Their next destination is the lake of fire. Never again will they come before God to accuse the saints, or for any other reason!

Those hallowed halls have endured the footprints of the enemy and his demons ever since the fall of man, perhaps even before. The glorious presence of the Lord God Almighty has been assaulted by the comings and goings of him who is not only the enemy of mankind, but the enemy of God! Revelation 12:10 shows rejoicing in heaven at the enemy’s departure.

So, there is also a need for a new heavens. God’s plan from before the foundation of the world was to provide redemption for mankind, and to undo His great creation and replace it with another: both heaven and earth. In 2 Peter 3:10 we read, “But the day of the Lord will come as a thief in the night; in the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.” According to timing revealed in scripture, this verse covers around 1,007 years. The end refers to the heavens passing away, and the earth being burned up. This will make way for the new heavens, and the new earth, described in Revelation 21 and 22.

Concerning that coming time of the end, in Revelation 22:12, 13 Jesus said, “And, behold, I come quickly; and my reward is with me, to give every man according as his work shall be. I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.” He is the beginning and the end. John 1:3 says of Jesus, “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.,” revealing that He was the beginning of all of creation. In that He is the end, this suggests that the end of all things, discussed above, is also in His almighty and capable hands. We can do nothing to coerce Him or force His hand. The day of the end will come at the time that He has set, and not a minute sooner.

Unlike a “Plan B” as we call it, where the first and best plan fails, so contingencies are put in place, God’s new heavens and new earth will be better than what we know now. As Peter tells it in 2 Peter 3:13, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” There is the difference. This earth seems void of righteousness, and as noted above, the enemy and his minions have access to God’s presence for a while, which will end in God’s timing. But the new heavens and the new earth will be characterized by nothing but righteousness! The new heavens and new earth will be glorious!

At the end of the verse above we read that there will be no more sea. This interesting comment reminds of Micah 7:19 where we read, “He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” According to this, until the day of the new heavens and new earth, the depths of the sea contain the sins of those that are redeemed. And in the new heavens and new earth, there will be no more sea. It and its contents will be taken away, never to be seen again. How wonderful is that!

John saw the Heav’n and earth made new,
The first had passed away,
The holy city coming down,
The new Je­ru­sa­lem.

And God Himself shall dwell with men,
And wipe away all tears,
There is no sorrow, pain or death,
Throughout the coming years.

Behold, I make all things anew,
These faithful words are true,
To him who overcometh sin,
On earth with God shall rule.

In beau­ti­ful Je­ru­sa­lem,
God’s glo­ry gives it light,
All kings and nations walk in it,
For there shall be no night. (Louise Lapp)

“…Which in His times He shall shew, Who is the Blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and the Lord of lords; Who only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto; Whom no man hath seen, nor can see: to Whom be honor and power everlasting. Amen.”

The end of verse 14 speaks of the appearing of the Lord Jesus Christ. This makes Him the subject of verses 15 and 16. These verses say that in His timing, Jesus will reveal Who is the Blessed and only Potentate, and King of kings and Lord of lords.

Jesus is, and will one day be, King of Kings and Lord of lords. Revelation 19 reports the coming of the Lord Jesus to the earth. In verses 11-16 John says, “And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on his head were many crowns; and he had a name written, that no man knew, but he himself. And he was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and his name is called The Word of God. And the armies which were in heaven followed him upon white horses, clothed in fine linen, white and clean. And out of his mouth goeth a sharp sword, that with it he should smite the nations: and he shall rule them with a rod of iron: and he treadeth the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.” All earthly kings will bend the knee, as will all inhabitants of the earth.

In his dream of a great statue, which represented the kingdoms of the world, Nebuchadnezzar saw a stone that was cut out without hands which struck and destroyed the statue. In Daniel 2:44, through Daniel the Lord revealed that as “…in the days of these kings shall the God of heaven set up a kingdom, which shall never be destroyed: and the kingdom shall not be left to other people, but it shall break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it shall stand for ever.”

Even before the time of Daniel the Lord had promised that He will reign on the earth. When that happens, His kingdom will last forever. God’s kingdom will destroy all the others, but it shall never be destroyed, and it will stand forever. He only is Blessed, and He only is the great authority over the earth, even now. The day will come when He will rule as King of kings and Lord of lords.

Mankind thinks that their governments will make things right. The truth is that all the kingdoms of the world are established by God. In Daniel 4:25 Daniel told King Nebuchadnezzar, “…the most High ruleth in the kingdom of men, and giveth it to whomsoever he will.” Paul told the people of Athens in Acts 17:26, God has “…made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed, and the bounds of their habitation…” Not only does God dictate the boundaries of the kingdoms, He dictates how long they will last. In His time Jesus shall reign, and human governments will be but a memory. He is King of kings and Lord of lords.

In His time Jesus will reveal Him Who “…only hath immortality, dwelling in the light which no man can approach unto…” There is no overstating the greatness and the glory of God, Maker of Heaven and Earth and all that is in them. Almost every contact between men and God recorded in scripture resulted in the men falling on their faces as dead. Scripture says that God is light, and in Him there is no darkness at all (1 John 1:5).

In His time Jesus will reveal Him “…Whom no man hath seen, nor can see…” In Exodus 33:18-20 Moses requested that he may see God’s glory: “And Moses said, I beseech thee, shew me thy glory. And he said, I will make all my goodness pass before thee, and I will proclaim the name of the LORD before thee; and will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will shew mercy on whom I will shew mercy. And he said, Thou canst not see my face: for there shall no man see me, and live.” His presence and brightness are so great, that no mortal can endure it. Wonderfully, in Revelation 22:3, 4 were told, “And there shall be no more curse: but the throne of God and of the Lamb shall be in it; and his servants shall serve him: and they shall see his face; and his name shall be in their foreheads.”

Concerning Jesus, Philippians 2:9-11 tells us, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” In His time Jesus will show Him, “…to Whom be honor and power everlasting.” Jesus is that one that will be honored by all.

The day when Jesus will reveal these things is yet to come. World events suggest it will be soon. Since it is impossible for God to lie, no doubt He will surely come again and establish His kingdom on the earth. When He comes, He will be the Blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and the Lord of lords. And He shall reign for ever and ever.

Lift up your heads, pilgrims aweary,

See day’s approach now crimson the sky;

Night shadows flee, and your Belovèd,

Awaited with longing, at last draweth nigh.

Refrain

He is coming again, He is coming again,

The very same Jesus, rejected of men;

He is coming again, He is coming again,

With power and great glory, He is coming again!

Dark was the night, sin warred against us;

Heavy the load of sorrow we bore;

But now we see signs of His coming;

Our hearts glow within us, joy’s cup runneth o’er!

Refrain

O blessèd hope! O blissful promise!

Filling our hearts with rapture divine;

O day of days! Hail Thy appearing!

Thy transcendent glory forever shall shine.

Refrain

Even so, come, precious Lord Jesus;

Creation waits redemption to see;

Caught up in clouds, soon we shall meet Thee;

O blessèd assurance, forever with Thee!

Refrain (Mabel J. Camp)

“I know, O LORD, that thy judgments are right, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.  Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.”

In verse 75 the writer of Psalm 119 revealed that he understood that God’s judgment was upon him for sins he had committed. He knew and acknowledged that he was guilty. And he reveals a perspective that he gained in his affliction.

He said that he knew that God’s judgments are right, or righteous. A judgment is a verdict or a sentence. A verdict is made when there is guilt: it is the outcome. God said that the wages of sin is death. As far as the writer of Psalm 119, we have no idea what the writer had done. But we can be sure that he was of the human race. And the Lord said, “…all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23) He also says in Romans 3:10, 11, “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: there is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.” Such is the condition of mankind.

Whatever was going on, the writer knew that God’s judgments were righteous and just. Even though what he was enduring was because of his own sin, he said that he knew that God’s judgments are right. That which he received was what he was due for his sin. Every man, woman, and child needs to realize this to be true for themselves. We all stand guilty before God.

The revelation was he realized that God’s dealings with him were in faithfulness to him: “thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me.” Another word for faithfulness is fidelity. The writer saw that God was being faithful to him in the things that he suffered. What an insight! God’s dealings with mankind are in faithfulness. The cross of Jesus revealed how far God was willing to go to be faithful to His people! Through it He restored mankind to Himself.

It may be difficult to understand how God’s afflictions are evidence of His faithfulness to us. Trials and anguish hurt. Illness and financial loss are frightening. The specter of death haunts us all. How could someone conclude that it was God’s faithfulness that such things had happened? These things come our way because of our nature that desires to sin against Him. God sees and knows all, including those things in our lives that offend Him. Being our Creator of us and all things, He surely deserves our respect. But we sin against Him. And yet, He is faithful to His people.

In Israel’s history, they were carried away by Nebuchadnezzar to Babylon. Through Jeremiah, the Lord promised that the captivity would last 70 years. In Ezra’s day, the Israelites returned to Jerusalem. In the book of Ezra, an idea is expressed that is similar to that in Psalm 119. As recorded in Ezra 9:13, Ezra said, “And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this…”

Sadly, in Ezra 8 and 9 they had again fallen into sin. As Ezra prayed to the LORD on that occasion, he appealed to God on the basis of His past dealings with them. His appeal was that God had previously punished them less than they deserved, and had even given them deliverance. Even in that situation they saw God’s faithfulness. Ezra went on to request God’s mercies in the matter at hand.

Then, the writer of Psalm 119 said in verse 76, “Let, I pray thee, thy merciful kindness be for my comfort, according to thy word unto thy servant.” Having realized God’s faithfulness, the writer looks to the Lord for His lovingkindness: His mercy and kindness to him. How interesting that, in spite of the sin that he knew he had committed, in spite of the judgement he was suffering because of it, he looked to God for mercy and kindness. How unlike us God is in this. Someone that crosses us we are hard pressed to treat kindly. Think about what you might require of someone who had crossed you and desired kindness and mercy from you. What would it be? What do you suppose would God require?

The writer appeals to God for mercy and kindness according to His Word! Only the guilty need mercy. God promised that He is merciful and kind. It is repeated many times in the scriptures. One example is in Exodus 34:5-7, “And the LORD descended in the cloud, and stood with him there, and proclaimed the name of the LORD. And the LORD passed by before him, and proclaimed, The LORD, The LORD God, merciful and gracious, longsuffering, and abundant in goodness and truth, keeping mercy for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” God says this about Himself.

God’s dealings are only and ever in mercy and kindness with His people, no matter how it may feel. As Abraham asked in Genesis 18:25, “…shall not the Judge of all the earth do right?” He shall indeed. Praise Him for Who He is!

Does the Lord afflict His chosen?
’Tis to draw them nearer home;
Many are the wiles that lure them
From their Father’s house to roam.

Refrain

Listen to His loving whisper,
Weary soul, come unto Me;
Listen to His louder summons,
Still ’tis love that calleth thee.

Whom God loveth He chastiseth,
Grinds his idols into dust;
Turns earth’s pleasures into ashes,
Shows how vain in them to trust.

Refrain

All His raging waves and billows
O’er thee now may wildly roll,
Yet He surely will deliver
Every humble, contrite soul.

Refrain

He will ne’er forsake nor leave us,
He’ll complete the work begun,
We will trust Him, ever trust Him,
Till we hear His glad Well done.

Refrain (Annie K. Moulton)

“Thus saith the LORD of hosts; Consider your ways. Go up to the mountain, and bring wood, and build the house; and I will take pleasure in it, and I will be glorified, saith the LORD.”

The book of Haggai was written in the second year of Darius, the king of the Medes. The Israelites had been in captivity in Babylon for seventy years. As the LORD had promised through Jeremiah, the time had come for them to be returned to their land.

The book of Nehemiah tells how Israel had rebuilt Jerusalem. The book of Ezra tells how they rebuilt the temple. As they were returning to their land, they were told by King Cyrus to rebuild the temple. But as they built, their enemies convinced Cyrus’ successor, King Ahasuerus, to stop the work. Ezra records that the work sat idle for about ten years.

During those ten years, King Ahasuerus died and King Darius took the throne. And Haggai was sent by the LORD to prophesy and to get the Israelites back to work on the temple. In the context of the verse above, the LORD rebuked them for what they were doing. They had moved back into the land of Israel by God’s command. And they were getting comfortable. But because of the stop-work order from the king, who was now dead, God’s house was being neglected. They had their comfortable houses, but God had nothing. So, Haggai told them to consider their ways. Why were they neglecting God?

What God wanted was not what one might think. The temple that Solomon built was a large, gold-covered structure with many glorious features. But through Haggai the LORD told them to simply go and bring wood and build. He did not require gold, like Solomon had used, or silver or marble floors. The God of the universe is certainly worthy of that.

But since they had recently come from Babylon, they did not have the resources that Solomon had. So, what the Lord asked them to do was to go and get wood: to go up the mountain, cut trees and bring them for building His temple. These materials were readily available. They were not fancy or eye catching. But it was wood which God had provided. The trees on the mountain were tended by God. He provided the rain and sun needed for their growth, and He made them to flourish.

Wonderfully, God promised to take pleasure in that temple. God always desires to dwell with His people. It is seen time again in scripture. So, wood cut from the hills and used to build a plain temple for the LORD in their midst would please Him.

In the book of Numbers, the Lord gave directions about how the camp of the Israelites was to be arranged. The tribes camped in a specific order to the north, south, east, and west. Inside of that the Levites were to camp according to a specific order. And, in the middle of them would be the tabernacle. Numbers also describes how they were to be arranged as they travelled. The tabernacle and the ark of the covenant were to be in their midst as they went. He was always to be in their midst

And that was what God wanted in Haggai’s day. Jerusalem was the city where He put His name. Now that they were back in it, He wanted His place, too. He promised them that He would take pleasure in what they built. He also said that He would be glorified in that building. As plain as that wooden structure may have been, God would be glorified in it.

His exhortation to the Israelites speaks to us today. God deserves glory from His people. He wanted the Israelites to do at least something for Him: to build Him something through which He could be in their midst. Work done for Him is always noticed by Him. It does not need to be fancy or expensive.

A repeated theme in the letters to the churches in Revelation 2 and 3 is the Lord telling them that He knew their works. Some were praised for what they were doing for Him, and others were rebuked. But in all cases Jesus knew what they were. He is fully aware not only of what they did, but the thoughts and intents of their hearts in the doing. Even works that may seem to be trivial do not escape His notice.

1 Corinthians 3:11-15 speaks of a coming day, “For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Jesus Christ. Now if any man build upon this foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, stubble; every man’s work shall be made manifest: for the day shall declare it, because it shall be revealed by fire; and the fire shall try every man’s work of what sort it is. If any man’s work abide which he hath built thereupon, he shall receive a reward. If any man’s work shall be burned, he shall suffer loss: but he himself shall be saved; yet so as by fire.” On that day, that which the Lord knows of our works will be made manifest, and rewards will be given.

What is the littlest thing we can be doing for the Lord? He notices and takes pleasure in it. In Mark 9:41 Jesus said, “For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.” Our efforts need not be on a national or international scale. How gracious of Him! How kind and caring He is!

All to Jesus, I surrender;
All to Him I freely give;
I will ever love and trust Him,
In His presence daily live.

Refrain

I surrender all, I surrender all,
All to Thee, my blessèd Savior,
I surrender all.

All to Jesus I surrender;
Humbly at His feet I bow,
Worldly pleasures all forsaken;
Take me, Jesus, take me now.

Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Make me, Savior, wholly Thine;
Let me feel the Holy Spirit,
Truly know that Thou art mine.

Refrain

All to Jesus, I surrender;
Lord, I give myself to Thee;
Fill me with Thy love and power;
Let Thy blessing fall on me.

Refrain (Judson W. Van DeVenter)

“The LORD is righteous in all his ways, and holy in all his works.”

Sometimes even Christians balk at these statements about God’s character because of what seems to be the testimony of the Old Testament. One might ask, “What about the many nations that were conquered by God through Israel?” or, “What about those that God had commanded to be utterly destroyed, including women and children?”

But this is not the only scripture that tells us that God is righteous. Psalm 71:19 says, “Thy righteousness also, O God, is very high, who hast done great things: O God, who is like unto thee!” and Psalm 116:5 says, “Gracious is the LORD, and righteous; yea, our God is merciful.”

If we were to start with these scriptures as fact, and then consider the Old Testament, what kind of light do they shed on these questions? How is God’s righteousness and holiness revealed in those situations?

Speaking about Israel, Jeremiah 16:10-13 says, “And it shall come to pass, when thou shalt shew this people all these words, and they shall say unto thee, Wherefore hath the LORD pronounced all this great evil against us? or what is our iniquity? or what is our sin that we have committed against the LORD our God? Then shalt thou say unto them, Because your fathers have forsaken me, saith the LORD, and have walked after other gods, and have served them, and have worshipped them, and have forsaken me, and have not kept my law; and ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me: therefore will I cast you out of this land into a land that ye know not, neither ye nor your fathers; and there shall ye serve other gods day and night; where I will not shew you favor.”

Here we see that the judgment that God promised to bring was because of their disobedience of Him and His law. God had called them His people. He brought them out of Egypt in a mighty way. He gave to them the Promised Land, and they turned their back on Him. They ignored Him, turned away from Him, and took up idolatry, in violation of the first commandment (Exodus 20:2-6). In fact, within a month of hearing this commandment from God’s lips they were worshipping the golden calf (Exodus 32:1-5). Ezekiel said that they had carried idols out of Egypt when they left (Ezekiel 20:7, 8). It is clear from what Jeremiah said that they were being judged because they followed idols, and ignored God and His ways.

There are multiple prophets in the Old Testament. For hundreds of years, they wrote warning Israel about their idolatry. Time and again God warned them about turning away from Him. Time and again He told them what would happen if they ignored His warnings. God was righteous in giving them warning after warning. But time and again they ignored His warnings. God’s promise to judge was not an empty threat. Lawlessness must be met with justice. Legally speaking, the only righteous thing God could do is to make good on His promises. He certainly was not being unpredictable. He gave hundreds of years of warnings from multiple prophets, some of whom were killed and all of whom were ignored.

Though focused on Israel, the scriptures above can be generalized to all of mankind, for God does not change. He Who had made us, and has given us what we need to live, have we refused and ignored to this day. Romans 1:18-21 says “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness; because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” Just like Israel, mankind has ignored God’s clear laws, choosing their own way.

Romans 3:21-26 says, “But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; to declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.” God’s dealings with mankind regarding sin are the whole point of scripture. Sin is the reason for the coming of Jesus to the earth. God has sent His Son to reconcile mankind with Himself. Like the prophets of old, many ignore Him. What more should God to do? The day is coming when He will judge in righteousness because lawlessness must be met with justice.

1 Peter 1:18-21 says, “Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot: Who verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you, who by him do believe in God, that raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory; that your faith and hope might be in God.” God has judged Jesus in our place. Refuse that, and we will bear God’s righteous wrath against our sin.

Great God of wonders! all Thy ways

Display Thine attributes divine;

But the bright glories of thy grace

Above Thine other wonders shine:

CHORUS

Who is a pardoning God like Thee?

Or who has grace so rich and free?

Who is a pardoning God like Thee?

Or who has grace so rich and free?

Such deep transgressions to forgive!

Such guilty sinners thus to spare!

This is Thy grand prerogative,

And in this honor none shall share:

CHORUS

Pardon, from an offended God!

Pardon, for sins of deepest dye!

Pardon, bestowed through Jesus? blood!

Pardon, that brings the rebel nigh!

CHORUS (Samuel Davies)

“For as the earth bringeth forth her bud, and as the garden causeth the things that are sown in it to spring forth; so the Lord GOD will cause righteousness and praise to spring forth before all the nations.”

An unmistakable miracle in the earth is the germination and growth of seeds. It is simply a matter of burying seed, and waiting. In Mark 4:26-28, Jesus used this principle to illustrate His teaching about the kingdom of God. We read, “And he said, So is the kingdom of God, as if a man should cast seed into the ground; and should sleep, and rise night and day, and the seed should spring and grow up, he knoweth not how. For the earth bringeth forth fruit of herself; first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear.” The seed springs up and grows, and the sower doesn’t know how. It is certainly a miracle.

As told in Genesis 7 and 8, the whole earth was once flooded. It was God’s judgment against the evil of mankind. Only Noah and his family survived, along with the animals that the LORD sent to him. Chapter 8 tells about the end of the flood, and Noah, his family, and the animals leaving the ark. In the months before they left, Noah twice released a dove from the ark. On the second time, the dove returned with a olive leaf in its mouth. This was only 47 days after the ark rested on the mountains of Ararat. How did that happen?

Pictures of an area that has been hit by a flood show a stark scene; mud everywhere, no vegetation, piles of debris. But, within a short time, plants are growing. Imagine what the earth looked like after the Great Flood. Scripture tells us that the flood was upon the earth one hundred and fifty days. And, that the whole earth was covered with water 20 feet deep. Also, a year passed from the start of the flood until Noah and his family left the ark. Eleven months of water damage from which to recover. By the time the Lord told Noah and his family to leave, the recovery had begun.

In the verse above, Isaiah used the miracle of plants growing from the earth as an analogy for the coming of righteousness to the earth. Just as sure as the growth of seeds in the earth, so is the coming of righteousness and praise. It is certain, inevitable, and inexorable!

That coming day of righteousness is described in Philippians 2:9-11. The significance of the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ to earth the first time is described in verses 5-8. Then, the result, “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” This is the coming day on which Jesus will receive honor from all of mankind, every knee bowing, every tongue calling Him Lord.

Isaiah spoke of this day again in Isaiah 51:6, 7, “My righteousness is near; my salvation is gone forth, and mine arms shall judge the people; the isles shall wait upon me, and on mine arm shall they trust. Lift up your eyes to the heavens, and look upon the earth beneath: for the heavens shall vanish away like smoke, and the earth shall wax old like a garment, and they that dwell therein shall die in like manner: but my salvation shall be for ever, and my righteousness shall not be abolished.” Or, as Peter put it in 2 Peter 3:13, “Nevertheless we, according to his promise, look for new heavens and a new earth, wherein dwelleth righteousness.” Great changes are ahead for this planet and the people on it.

Like Isaiah said in the verse above, James 5:7, 8 says, “Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain. Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.” John tells it this way in Revelation 11:15, “… The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

It is inevitable like the springing up of plants in the earth. Wait for it! Even so, Come Lord Jesus!

Lift up your heads, pilgrims aweary,
See day’s approach now crimson the sky;
Night shadows flee, and your Belovèd,
Awaited with longing, at last draweth nigh.

Refrain

He is coming again, He is coming again,
The very same Jesus, rejected of men;
He is coming again, He is coming again,
With power and great glory, He is coming again!

Dark was the night, sin warred against us;
Heavy the load of sorrow we bore;
But now we see signs of His coming;
Our hearts glow within us, joy’s cup runneth o’er!

Refrain

O blessèd hope! O blissful promise!
Filling our hearts with rapture divine;
O day of days! Hail Thy appearing!
Thy transcendent glory forever shall shine.

Refrain

Even so, come, precious Lord Jesus;
Creation waits redemption to see;
Caught up in clouds, soon we shall meet Thee;
O blessèd assurance, forever with Thee!

Refrain (Mabel J. Camp)

The Bible frequently speaks of faith. For all it says, one should conclude that it is an important quality. In fact, Hebrews 11:6 says, “…without faith it is impossible to please Him: for he that cometh to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him.” This is how important faith is to God. Without faith, it is impossible to please Him! People refer to their system of beliefs as their faith. But faith as the Bible speaks of it is not that. A word that parallels “faith” is “trust.” For example, Proverbs 30:5 says, “Every word of God is pure: he is a shield unto them that put their trust in him.” Trust in God’s pure Word, in what He says, is faith.

Hebrews 11:1-3 provides a definition of faith. It says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. For by it the elders obtained a good report. Through faith we understand that the worlds were framed by the word of God, so that things which are seen were not made of things which do appear.” To the earthly mind things that are hoped for, or not seen, are unimportant. They cannot be proven to be, and so are of no earthly good. Or, they are beyond hope of attaining, and so are not worth pursuing. God has made many promises in His Word. Faith believes what He has promised. These verses also speak of creation, that it came into being by the Word of God, made of things which do not appear. Since God can do the one, and we can see it around us, we can trust that He will keep His promises. Faith gives substance to the unseen.

The importance of faith to God can be seen in an exchange between Jesus and Peter. In Luke 22:31, 32 we read, “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: but I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” Jesus’ revelation clearly referred to the fact that Peter would deny Jesus. Consider what Jesus said about how He had prayed for Peter. If we were to pray for him, knowing that he would fall like he did, our prayer would be that Peter would be prevented from denying Jesus. Perhaps we would pray that he would be busy or in some other way miss the confrontation. Or, that the Lord would keep him from denying Jesus. Jesus’ prayer focused on the thing that pleases God; “That your faith fail not.” Notice that Jesus also gives Peter an assignment for afterward, “strengthen your brethren.”

Job was a man that endured great trials of loss. In fact, He lost everything he had, including his children. As we read in Job 1:20-22, upon hearing the report of his losses, “Then Job arose, and rent his mantle, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped, and said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD. In all this Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly.” That last statement is characteristic of faith. Despite the heavy trials that had befallen him, Job refused to shake his fist at God. How unlike the typical reaction of mankind, that is, to do as Job’s wife suggested, “Curse God and die.” (Job 2:9) Instead, Job tore his clothes, shaved his head, fell on the ground and worshipped God. Job sinned not, nor charged God foolishly. He did not blame God for what had happened. He trusted Him in it, counting Him worthy of praise despite it. Faith trusts God even at the worst, just like Job did. His loss did not make him blame God.

Sara had reached the age of ninety. A little more than twenty years before God had promised Abram that he would have an heir. God promised Abram that He would bless the nations through his heir. And Sara had not had a child. She suggested a plan by which Abram gained a son. But God told Abram that that son was not the one He meant. Sara would bear the heir. Then came the day when God told Abram that Sara would bear that son. In Hebrews 11:11 we read, “Through faith also Sara herself received strength to conceive seed, and was delivered of a child when she was past age, because she judged him faithful who had promised.” This detail is told only in Hebrews. But it reveals Sara’s heart. Her faith, her trust in God, was such that she concluded that God was faithful. The passage of time did nothing to the truth of God’s promise. We learn that the passage of time diminishes promises that people make. This is because people are frail. They either forget or are incapable keeping their promise. But such is not with God. He is eternal, and well able to keep His promises. Not only that, but He remembers that we are dust (Psalm 103:14) and with that in mind, would never make a promise that He could not fulfill. Sara’s ability to bear children did not prevent God from keeping His promise to Abram. Hebrews tells us that she counted God to be faithful, and so was able to have the promised heir. Even her dead body did not keep God from keeping His promises.

Interestingly, Matthew 3:16, 17 tells us, “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: and lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” And Jesus said in John 8:28, 29, “Then said Jesus unto them, When ye have lifted up the Son of man, then shall ye know that I am he, and that I do nothing of myself; but as my Father hath taught me, I speak these things. And he that sent me is with me: the Father hath not left me alone; for I do always those things that please him.” Remember Hebrews 11:6 where we were told that without faith it is impossible to please God. Even Jesus Christ lived His life in dependence on His Father. Speaking of Jesus, Peter wrote in 1 Peter 2:23, “…Who, when he was reviled, reviled not again; when he suffered, he threatened not; but committed himself to him that judgeth righteously…” Jesus, too, lived a life of faith.

Does Jesus pray for us that our faith will fail not? Do we endure the things that come our way, praising God, not blaming Him? Do we trust God though His promises seem long in coming, counting Him as faithful? Do we commit to the Father Who judges righteously, like Jesus did? These are elements of faith well worth considering and pursuing.

Have faith in God, what can there be
For Him too hard to do for thee?
He gave His Son; now all is free;
Have faith, have faith in God.

Have faith in God, and trust His might
That He will conquer as you fight,
And give the triumph to the right;
Have faith, have faith in God.

Have faith in God, press near His side;
Thy troubled soul trust Him to guide;
In life, in death, whate’er betide,
Have faith, have faith in God. (Daniel W. Whittle)

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

At first, this verse may bring an “Amen” from those that read it. The LORD is on my side! What could be better than that? It reminds of what Paul told the Romans in Romans 8:31, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?”

The second half of this verse may also give rise to agreement. That is, until we discover first-hand what man can do unto us. History reveals that men can be and have been very cruel unto their fellow men. Psalm 118 is among the writings of the Jews who believed on the LORD. The history of mankind with the Israelites is not kind, and ought to be an embarrassment. The things that they have endured, even in the Old Testament times, are harsh beyond description. “…what can man do unto me?”

But hear what Jesus told His disciples as recorded in Luke 12:4 and 5, “And I say unto you my friends, Be not afraid of them that kill the body, and after that have no more that they can do. But I will forewarn you whom ye shall fear: Fear him, which after he hath killed hath power to cast into hell; yea, I say unto you, Fear him.” This is what the writer of Psalm 118 expressed. The fear of the LORD is more important than the fear of man. Jesus told them, and us today, that they were not to fear men.

What can man do unto us? Plenty! But the worst that they can do is to kill the body. This is something we do fear. Perhaps not while we are sitting and reading our email. But at those times when we feel that we are threatened we do fear. As someone once said, “It’s not that I am afraid to die. Just, how fast!” But Jesus said that after they have done so, there is nothing else that men can do. And, the death of the body is not the end. Jesus said that the One we should fear is the One Who has the power to cast into Hell. When He was on earth, Jesus spoke more often about Hell than He did about Heaven. It is a real place, and to be avoided.

Consider how mankind treated Jesus, as told in Mark 14:65 and Mark 15:19, “And some began to spit on him, and to cover his face, and to buffet him, and to say unto him, Prophesy: and the servants did strike him with the palms of their hands.”, “And they smote him on the head with a reed, and did spit upon him, and bowing their knees worshipped him.” He was also arrested by a mob, beaten with whips, and subjected to a mock trial, hung on a cross by nails, and much more. It is no wonder that He prayed, “O my Father, if it be possible, let this cup pass from me: nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.” (Matthew 26:39) Certainly the LORD, His Father, was on Jesus side, and He went eyes-wide-open to the cross, fearing His Father more than man.

The writer of this psalm spoke of the LORD being on his side. The worst men can do is to kill the body. As he put it, “What can man do unto me?” As awful as mankind can be in their treatment of their fellow man, eternal things are waiting, and to be headed for Heaven is eternally better than what this life has to offer. With the LORD on his side, he need not fear eternal torment in Hell.

That mankind will treat His followers the way treated Jesus is seen in Luke 6:22, 23 where Jesus said, “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.” Rejoice, He told His disciples, because your reward in heaven is great!

When the sacrifice of the LORD Jesus Christ is applied to the lives of believers, God is on their side. Our eternal state is secure and is glorious beyond our knowing. What can man do unto me? They can kill the body, but after that there is nothing more that they can do. Eternal blessings are as certain as God’s promise. As Paul wrote in Romans 8:38, 39, “For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

In 1 Corinthians 15:50, 53-57 Paul wrote, “Now this I say, brethren, that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God; neither doth corruption inherit incorruption. …this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality. So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory. O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.”

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

The Lord appears my helper now,
Nor is my faith afraid
What all the sons of earth can do,
Since Heav’n affords its aid.

’Tis safer, Lord, to hope in Thee,
And have my God my friend,
Than trust in men of high degree,
And on their truth depend.

Like bees my foes beset me round,
A large and angry swarm;
But I shall all their rage confound
By Thine almighty arm.

’Tis through the Lord my heart is strong,
In Him my lips rejoice;
While His salvation is my song,
How cheerful is my voice! (Isaac Watts)

“But he, being full of compassion, forgave their iniquity, and destroyed them not: yea, many a time turned he his anger away, and did not stir up all his wrath.”

Psalm 78 refers to the release of Israel from Egypt by God’s hand. In it, Israel’s unfaithfulness to the LORD is shown. For example, verses 35-37 say, “And they remembered that God was their rock, and the high God their redeemer. Nevertheless, they did flatter him with their mouth, and they lied unto him with their tongues. For their heart was not right with him, neither were they steadfast in his covenant.” Though the LORD had been gracious to them, and had mightily delivered them from Egypt, yet they turned from Him and worshipped idols.

But the wonderful thing in the above verse is what it tells about God’s character. It is revealed in how He reacted to their treatment of Him. And verse 39 explains why He did what He did, “For he remembered that they were but flesh; a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.”

First, we are told that He is full of compassion. Or, He is merciful. Mercy is extended only where offense has occurred, it is not necessary for someone who is innocent. He was merciful to them in their sin against Him. Had God not been merciful, His justice would require punishment for their sin. Again, verse 39 explains the immediate reason for His compassion. Psalm 103:14 puts it this way, “For he knoweth our frame; he remembereth that we are dust.”

Then, because of His mercy, He forgave their iniquity. Since God is the offended party in all sin, He is the only one that can forgive it. It is wonderful to know that God is willing to forgive. When Jesus taught about forgiveness, He and Peter had a discussion. In Matthew 18:21, 22 we read, “Then came Peter to him, and said, Lord, how oft shall my brother sin against me, and I forgive him? till seven times? Jesus saith unto him, I say not unto thee, Until seven times: but, Until seventy times seven.” This kind of forgiveness is not just for us to offer. He, too, forgives to beyond 490 times. The fact is that we have all offended God so many more times than that.

Then we are told that He did not destroy them. God had made promises to Israel about the inheritance which He would give them. Had He destroyed them because of their sin, He would have been unable to keep those promises. Before He made them, He knew in what way they would sin against Him. He made a plan by which He would be able to forgive their sin. Because of this plan He did not destroy them, though surely they deserved it, and even though He had every right to do so.

Many times He turned away His anger. This is one side of a coin concerning God’s dealings with His people. He deferred His anger. We have all endured when someone, even of our family, has done something that has caused us to be angry. But as we consider what was done, and who it was that had done it, we set aside our anger for their sake. It is something we choose to do. As noted before, Jesus spoke of forgiving, and told Peter that he should forgive many times. Here, God turned away His anger many times. He deferred His righteous anger against them.

And, many times He did not stir up all His wrath. This is the other side of the coin. When He did move with anger, He did not stir up all His wrath. In Ezra 9:13, Ezra said, “And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this…” Judah was back in the land that God had given them after seventy years of captivity. Ezra brought up the obvious. They had received less than what their iniquities deserved.

God says that the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). This is not only physical death, but it is also spiritual death, or separation from Him in Hell. This is why Jesus died. He took in mankind’s place the punishment that they deserve for sin. This was God’s plan from before the foundation of the world. And on this basis God can show the mercy and forgiveness that is His nature. Since His wrath was poured out on Jesus, His justice was satisfied. Sadly, not everyone receives the sacrifice of Jesus as being for them. But, for those that do there is mercy, grace, forgiveness, and assurance of eternal life.

In Romans 5:6-10 Paul said, “For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

As David said in Psalm 32:1, 2, “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the LORD imputeth not iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no guile.”

This is Who God is, compassionate, gracious, and forgiving. It is He that planned, even before creating us, to reconcile mankind to Himself through Jesus Christ!

Great God of wonders! all Thy ways

Display Thine attributes divine;

But the bright glories of thy grace

Above Thine other wonders shine:

CHORUS

Who is a pardoning God like Thee?

Or who has grace so rich and free?

Who is a pardoning God like Thee?

Or who has grace so rich and free?

Such deep transgressions to forgive!

Such guilty sinners thus to spare!

This is Thy grand prerogative,

And in this honor none shall share:

CHORUS

Pardon, from an offended God!

Pardon, for sins of deepest dye!

Pardon, bestowed through Jesus’ blood!

Pardon, that brings the rebel nigh!

CHORUS (Samuel Davies)

“Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.”

What news this was for the believers in Smyrna. It is startling to think about the things that they were told. It was what they were going to endure. Jesus promised them prison, trial, and tribulation. What would one do with such news? But they were not the first to hear such things.

In John 21:18, 19 Jesus told Peter, “Verily, verily, I say unto thee, When thou wast young, thou girdedst thyself, and walkedst whither thou wouldest: but when thou shalt be old, thou shalt stretch forth thy hands, and another shall gird thee, and carry thee whither thou wouldest not. This spake he, signifying by what death he should glorify God. And when he had spoken this, he saith unto him, Follow me.”

Jesus told Peter that when he would become old he would be carried to a place to which he would not want go. In verse 19, John included the insight that Jesus was indicating to Peter by what death he would die: by what death he would glorify God. Peter was then told to follow Jesus. From reading the book of Acts it is clear that Peter did just that. Tradition tells us that he died by crucifixion.

In Acts 9:15, 16, the Lord was speaking to Ananias concerning Saul, “But the Lord said unto him, Go thy way: for he is a chosen vessel unto me, to bear my name before the Gentiles, and kings, and the children of Israel: for I will shew him how great things he must suffer for my name’s sake.”

Ananias was sent by the LORD to speak to Saul. Saul had just met the Lord on the road to Damascus. The encounter blinded him, and Ananias was sent to heal Saul’s sight. As the Lord sent Ananias, He told him that He would show to Saul what great things he would suffer for His sake. We know from scripture that for two weeks Saul, by then called Paul, endured a hurricane in a boat on the Mediterranean Sea. Though scripture does not tell us, tradition tells us that he was beheaded. The book of Acts as well as the epistles reveal other things that he suffered. The Lord told Paul what he would suffer for Jesus’ name’s sake.

In John 16:32, 33, Jesus told His disciples, “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. These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world.”

Jesus Himself knew what was coming as He entered the human race. His death was no accident, it was why He came. Here, He told His disciples that they would abandon Him, but that He was not alone. His Father was with Him. He then tells them that they shall have tribulation. But in that tribulation He told them to be of good cheer! And why should they be of good cheer? Because He has overcome the world. The bad news of tribulation is offset by the wonderful news that He has overcome the world.

Then, in Luke 6:22, 23, Jesus told His disciples, “Blessed are ye, when men shall hate you, and when they shall separate you from their company, and shall reproach you, and cast out your name as evil, for the Son of man’s sake. Rejoice ye in that day, and leap for joy: for, behold, your reward is great in heaven: for in the like manner did their fathers unto the prophets.”

Jesus told His disciples that they are blessed when men hated them and separated them from their company. He promised that they would be reproached and reviled, and falsely accused for His name’s sake. They were to rejoice in that day, and leap for joy. They were promised such trials and tribulations, but they were promised a great reward in heaven. The people of Smyrna were promised a crown of life.

In Acts 5 the story is told of the disciples, including Peter, being taken by the authorities, and beaten for preaching in the name of Jesus. In verses 40 and 41 we are told, “… and when they had called the apostles, and beaten them, they commanded that they should not speak in the name of Jesus, and let them go. And they departed from the presence of the council, rejoicing that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for his name.”

They rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer shame for His name. What had happened was what the Lord promised in Luke 6, and He told them to rejoice in the day when these things came upon them. And so they did!

Like the people of Smyrna Peter, Paul, Jesus, and His disciples were told of the trials that they were going to face. The reason for the trials is the fact that the world hates God, and His people. This means that all His people, including saints to this day, should expect the same treatment. As Jesus said before, “In this world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33). The things of this world are temporary. Jesus has overcome the world, and will bless His people with eternal benefits: a great reward in heaven, and crowns of life, to name only two. So, Paul told the Thessalonians, “In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18). Jesus told His disciples to rejoice. And Jesus told the people of Smyrna, “Fear not.”

God moves in a mysterious way
His wonders to perform;
He plants His footsteps in the sea
And rides upon the storm.

Deep in unfathomable mines
Of never failing skill
He treasures up His bright designs
And works His sovereign will.

Ye fearful saints, fresh courage take;
The clouds ye so much dread
Are big with mercy and shall break
In blessings on your head.

Judge not the Lord by feeble sense,
But trust Him for His grace;
Behind a frowning providence
He hides a smiling face.

His purposes will ripen fast,
Unfolding every hour;
The bud may have a bitter taste,
But sweet will be the flower.

Blind unbelief is sure to err
And scan His work in vain;
God is His own interpreter,
And He will make it plain. (William Cowper)