Touch Not My Anointed

 

This phrase is often echoed by those in the charismatic movement. When their Pastor / Elder / Bishop is criticized for unbiblical teaching, they will cry out, “Touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm!” This phrase is referenced in 1 Chronicles 16:22 and Psalm 105:15. Who was in view when this phrase was uttered? Was it the Pastor Elder or Bishop? No. Let’s examine 1 Chronicles 16:22 in context.

Starting at 1 Chronicles 16:19-22 (Amplified Version) we read from King David “When they (the nation of Israel, parentheses mine), were but few, even a very few, and only temporary residents and strangers in it; when they went from nation to nation, and from one kingdom to another people; He allowed no man to do them wrong; yes. He reproved kings for their sakes (Gen 12:17; 20:3; Exod 7:15-18). Saying touch not my anointed and do my prophets no harm” (Gen 20:7). David is praising God and giving a brief history of his people; how they began very small in number when they were in Canaan.

Psalm 105:12-15 repeats the same language.

So the anointed discussed above are the patriarchs the prophets and the nation of Israel specifically. God warned the enemies of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob to leave them alone because they belonged to Him. God prevented Gentile nations from harming them. The Hebrews are a chosen people because God decided of His own un-influenced will to make a covenant with one man, Abram (name later changed to Abraham Gen 17:5).

David recognized that his enemy and father-in-law King Saul was the Lord’s anointed. David on two occasions had opportunity to kill him when Saul was pursuing David and wanted to kill him. David refused to take Saul’s life stating to Abishai, “Do not destroy him, for who can lift a hand against the Lord’s anointed and be guiltless? Surely as the Lord lives, the Lord Himself will strike him down. But the Lord forbid that I should stretch out my hand against the Lord’s anointed (1 Sam 24:6; 26:9-11).

David understood that vengeance belongs to the Lord, not him (Deut 32:35; Rom 12:19).

Paul Rebukes Peter

In Galatians 2:11-16 we read:

But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. For before that certain men came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles; but when the were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their hypocrisy.

But when I saw that they were not straightforward about the truth of the gospel, I said to Peter before them all, “If you being a Jew live in a manner of Gentiles and not as the Jews, why do you compel Gentiles to live as Jews? We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified.”

We see that Peter was rebuked for his hypocrisy by Paul to his face in public although Peter was anointed of God. Why? Because Peter and Barnabas along with other Jews were being two faced regarding the gospel. When Peter and others were with Gentiles they behaved like them, but when the Jews came around they withdrew from the Gentiles.  

Although Peter was a leader in the Church, he was not beyond correction. He of all people knew better. What Peter probably was expressing is that Gentiles had to keep the law of Moses in order to be saved. Paul reminded Peter and those with him that no one is justified by works of the law but faith in Jesus Christ only (sola Christos)[1]

David Spares Saul’s Life and desires God judge between he and Saul

In 1 Samuel 24:8-15 we read:

David also arose afterward, went out of the cave, and called out to Saul, saying, “My Lord the king!” And when Saul looked behind him, David stooped with his face to the earth, and bowed down. And David said to Saul; “Why do you listen to the words of men who say, ‘Indeed David seeks your harm?’ Look, this day your eyes have seen that the Lord delivered you today into my hand in the cave, and someone urged me to kill you. But my eye spared you, and I said, ‘I will not stretch out my hand against my lord, for he is the Lord’s anointed.’ Moreover, my father, see! Yes, see the corner of your robe in my hand!

For in that I cut off the corner of your robe, and did not kill you, know and see that there is neither evil or rebellion in my hand, and I have not sinned against you. Yet you hunt my life to take it. Let the Lord judge between you and me, and the Lord avenge me on you. But my hand shall not be against you. As the proverb of the ancients says, ‘Wickedness proceeds from the wicked.’ But my hand shall not be against you.

After whom has the king of Israel come out? Whom do you pursue?

A dog? A flea?

Therefore let the Lord be judge, and judge between you and me, and see and plead my case and deliver me out of your hand.”’

David knew Saul was the Lord’s anointed, but he pled his case against Saul because Saul was wrong in trying to kill David. The point I am making again are those who are anointed of God are never beyond rebuke. In a recent video clip T.D. Jakes states that no one can, put their mouth on God’s anointed; implying he is anointed. I respectfully disagree with T.D. Jakes; the anointed of God do sin occasionally and if necessary should be lovingly corrected, including him. This recent video is most likely in connection with recent allegations of indiscretions he is being accused of. If he is found guilty (and I truly hope he is innocent for his sake and his family), he will suffer the consequences of his actions just like any of us should.

Everyone that is saved is God’s anointed (1 John 2:20). The world could care less about that. God can and does sovereignly protect us. He also can warn the unbeliever not to harm us if He chooses. But in keeping matters in context, the Church cannot lay claim to that same Abrahamic Covenantal promise. Touch not my anointed was literally dealing with not harming or killing the king or the Lord’s prophets. We have to learn to stop playing fast and loose with the Biblical text. Those that are unskilled in handling God’s word often will insert themselves into passages that do not pertain to them because they fail to carefully examine the text within its context. Touch not my anointed is one of those that has been misused to uselessly insulate Pastors from constructive scrutiny when they are in error. Just because one is anointed does not make them like the Pope when he speaks ex-cathedra.[2] Anyone of us that are in error should be lovingly corrected as the word of God teaches (2 Timothy 3:16).

---

[1] Latin means Christ alone

[2] Ex cathedra is a Latin phrase which means “from the chair.” It refers to binding and infallible papal teachings which are promulgated by the pope when he officially teaches in his capacity of the universal shepherd of the Church a doctrine on a matter of faith or morals and addresses it to the entire world. The writer’s brief commentary: With all due respect to the Catholic Church the Pope has never nor will he ever speak infallibly. He is a sinner like all men and thus is fallible.

Do You Also Want To Go Away?

 In John chapter six Jesus miraculously feeds over five thousand people with five barley loaves and two fish. This sign should have clearly shown them that He was the Messiah. Jesus has to get away from them because they try to make Him their King by force (vs 15). Jesus made it clear later to Pilate in John 19:36 that His kingdom was not of this world. Jesus and His disciples make their way across the sea to Capernaum. The multitude finds Him and inquires when He arrives there (vs 25).

Jesus rebukes them and says, “Most assuredly you did not seek me because you the saw the signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled. Do not labor for the food that perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life…”(vv 26-27a). What the Lord was telling them is not to look only for temporary fulfillment, rather seek everlasting fulfillment which only He can provide.

The conversation takes a drastic turn when Jesus tells them that He is the true bread come down from heaven that gives life to the world. When the crowds request that Jesus gives them this true bread, He replies I AM the Bread of Life (vs 35). Jesus declared these wonderful words, “He that comes to Me shall never hunger, and He who believes in Me shall never thirst” (vs 35b). Clearly Jesus is talking spiritually. Those that place their trust in Jesus are eternally secure; not only in this life of sin, pain, and death, but in the eternal life to come.

Now I believe that Jesus offends the non-committed disciples on purpose by stating, “Unless you eat my flesh and drink my blood, you have no life in you. Whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up at the last day" (vs 54). The crowds being spiritually dense didn’t realize Jesus was speaking metaphorically regarding His flesh and blood. They became offended and thought he was offering his literal body and blood in a cannibalistic way instead of a salvific one (vs 52). Jesus said in verse sixty three said, “My words are Spirit and they are life.”

The Catholic Church has taken Jesus’ word literally. When they perform Mass or Eucharist, they believe the elements are supernaturally transformed into the actual body and blood of Jesus. This process is called transubstantiation. Problem with this doctrine is that when Jesus made the statement about eating His flesh and drinking His blood Communion had not been invented yet. Our Lord instituted Communion at the last supper (Matt 26:26,27; Mark 14:22-23; Luke 22:19-20; 1 Cor 11:23-25). Communion is a sacrament that commemorates the Lord’s death.

As a result of this hard teaching by the Lord, those who followed Him for the wrong reasons, withdrew and followed Him no longer (vs 66; 1 Peter 2:6-8;1 John 2:19). None of this surprised Jesus so he asked the twelve, “Do you also want to go away” (vs 67)? Peter in one of his greatest moments replied, “To whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life” (vs 68).

The twelve got the true message Jesus was teaching to everyone else and they remained. We know that Judas betrayed our Lord later. Jesus knowing this also said, “Did I not choose you, the twelve and one of you is a devil” (vs 70)?

I wanted to chronicle the above because it is essential that we understand that in order to follow Christ, we must come on His terms, not ours. He determines the rules of engagement. We must follow His example. For instance, Jesus declared in John 6:38-40 his mission from the Father, “For I have come down from heaven, not to do my own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of Him who sent Me, that all He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up on the last day. And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up on the last day.”

Just like Jesus had His assignment to fulfill from His Father, we have our assignment we must fulfill from Jesus; preach the gospel and make disciples (Matt 28:19).

The question we must ask ourselves is, “Are we going to serve ourselves or serve our Lord who died for us?” Those who are true, will remain faithful to the end like the disciples minus Judas and all the faithful men and women throughout Church History up until the present. Those who only desire temporary handouts from Jesus will soon walk away when God does meet their ungodly lusts upon demand proving they were not true. Jesus said it plainly, “Those who are of the truth hear my voice (John 18:37). A similar passage is in 1 John 4:6 says, “We are of God. He who knows God hears us. He who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the Spirit of truth and the spirit of error.”

We know God by studying His Holy Word. God’s Word is His Self Revelation.

In connection to John 6:66 the great theologian F.F. Bruce penned these words:

“What they wanted, He would not give; what He offered, they would not receive.”[1]

 

That quote sums up the sinful rebellious nature of mankind toward God and His response to that rebellion.

 

---

[1] F.F. Bruce, The Gospel of John [Grand Rapids:Eerdmans, 1983], 164

Committed Any Murders Lately?

 

This question is more serious than it is satirical. This question will cause a professing Christian to check their heart. It should be obvious from the title that the writer is not talking about an actual murder. I am talking about murder of the heart. This is a matter Jesus relayed to His audience when He taught His sermon on the mountain in Matthew chapters 5-7.

           

 “You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall love your neighbor and hate your enemy.’ But I say to you,   love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who   spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be sons of your Father in heaven; for He makes     His sun rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those  who love you, what reward have you? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? And if you greet  your brothers only, what do you do more than the others? Do not even the tax collectors do so?    Therefore, you shall be perfect, just as your Heavenly Father is perfect (Matthew 5:43-48).

 

Before the above verses, Jesus said this, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, “You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without cause (italics mine) shall be in danger of judgment’ (Matthew 5:21-22). What Jesus is explaining here is that not only is murder wrong and a sin, so is being angry with your brother without just cause for that anger. The latter is murder of the heart. The internal hatred against someone is still sinful although an actual murder did not occur.

The Apostle John in 1 John 3:13-15 provides this sobering and warning and truth, “Do not marvel my brethren, if the world hates you. We know that we have passed from death to life, because we love the brethren. He who does not love his brother abides in death. Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.”  The Greek word for murderer is anthropoktonos which means manslayer.

To put it in laymen’s terms, a person who hates Christians and claims salvation is a liar. They are not actually saved. They are of the spirit of wicked Cain who killed his brother Abel because of jealousy (1 John 3:12; Jude 11). We read in 1 John 4:20-21, if someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; for he who does not love his brother whom he has seen, how can he love God whom he has not seen? And this commandment we have from Him; that he who loves God must love his brother also.”

John is teaching us that our love for God is in direction connection to how we love our brother and sister in Christ. If you have any animosity toward someone in the body of Christ, make every effort to reconcile with that person sooner than later. This insight I am sure is new and radical revelation to Christians who are young in the faith. It is especially challenging to woke evangelicals and social justicians[1] who worship their melanin more than God who they claim to love. Their blackness is a religious tribalism that all blacks must adhere to if one is to be truly for black people. For Blacktivists if you are not down for the Black “Race” and all its causes, even the ungodly ones, you’re a sellout and a coon. Blackness as a religious construct is a golden calf that must be incinerated in the Church of Jesus Christ. Regardless of our ethnic background and differences, we are one in Christ Jesus (Galatians 3:28). When your ethnicity super cedes your Christianity, the devil has trapped you. Stop worshipping your Black or White skin. None of us had nothing to do with how we were born; God is the one that did it. We all should be proud of our ethnicity, but we must never idolize it. Melanin does not talk, walk, see, hear, or feel.

So, the challenge for those who profess to be Christians but hate someone because of the color of their skin – this vitriol is usually between black and whites, then you must examine yourselves to see if you are actually a Christian (2 Cor 13:5).

Even in the Church we are going to offend each other. We are fallen people in a world full of sin. When we sin against each other, and it is brought to our attention, we must apologize. The one offended must be quick to forgive so that God will forgive their trespasses (Mark 11:25-26).

Examine yourself. Are you holding bitterness against your brother or sister? Be honest with yourself, do you hate that person?  If so, the Bible calls you a murderer and you are not even saved. You have only pretended to be (1 John 3:15). You must repent to God immediately to be cleansed of your unrighteousness (1 John 1:9). Go and reconcile with that person(s). If they are unwilling and want to remain in unforgiveness, then you are free from guilt because you made the effort.  If you can reconcile with your brother or sister, then you have won them back – all is well.

 

---

[1] A social justician is a black evangelical who professes to be a Christian but champions black causes like Black Liberation Theology above everything else. When black injustice is present like when a white police officer kills a black man or woman, their Christianity takes a back seat, and all their strength is put into making sure the white person is put in jail and the slain receive justice and or reparations. It does not matter if they have all the facts. In their minds the killing was racially motivated. Sadly, oftentimes it is. White people are still oppressors and any retribution they get is justified, even if they are Christian and forgiven by God. It does not matter to Black Activists. Their ancestors enslaved our ancestors, so they are guilty by proxy, so revenge is more important than forgiveness. The hypocrisy of many black people is in the area of abortion. Since 1973 when Roe v Wade was made law, over 20 million black babies have been killed through Planned Parenthood and other abortion centers https://www.foxnews.com/politics/abortions-since-roe-v-wade . 

Black people despise it when whites (especially white cops) kill blacks but are complicit when we kill each other in the womb. Even so-called black Pastors support abortion. God forgives us of sin continually when we genuinely repent to him. We must be willing to forgive one another – no matter the offense or skin color. Remember, all people are made in the image of God

 (Gen 1:27, 9:6; James 3:9) If we hate our brother or sister in our hearts, biblically we have committed murder. I also realize the hardness of the heart of men will refuse to forgive even when God’s truth is revealed to them. A person like that may be beyond prayer (1 John 5:16).

Becoming All Things To All Men

 

The Apostle Paul makes the above statement in 1 Corinthians 9:22. To understand the flow of thought, we must read and comprehend the context. Paul is talking about proclaiming the gospel. Starting from 1 Corinthians 9:19 to verse 23 we read:

For though I am free from all men, I have made myself a servant to all, that I might win the more; and to the Jews I became as a Jew, that I might win the Jews; to those who are under the law, under the law, that I might win those who are under the law; to those who are without the law, as without the law (not being without the law toward God, but under toward Christ), that I might win those without the law; to the weak, that I might win the weak. I have become all things to all men, that I might by all means save some. Now this I do for the gospel’s sake, that I may be partaker of it with you.

Paul is expressing his desire to save people from all walks of life. He is identifying with their status of being. There are many in the Church that sadly misinterpret verse twenty-two. Becoming all things to all men does not mean we compromise the truth of the gospel to get all types of people in our Churches. We cannot water down God’s testimony so that the unsaved will enter the Church with secular music and a club atmosphere – that is sin. Rather, the text is saying that we do our best to relate with people where they are; find common ground so that we can present to the truth the gospel.

I grew up with Crips, Bloods, and hustlers. Most were authentic or as we say on the streets OG’s, and others were wanna-be’s. That was my neighborhood as a small child and teenager. I went to school with them. I played football in the streets with them. I even went to Church with some of them. Several of them knew me and my mother. If I wanted to reach them, I would need to be sympathetic and hear their story. Now, Paul is not saying in order to win a Crip and a Blood to Christ, you have to join a gang and start set trippin to win them over. No! I believe what the Apostle is saying is in order to win them to Christ, we go where they are – bring the Church to them; meet them where they are. While at the same time, not compromising your integrity toward God and His truth. You’re making every effort to persuade the person to see things God’s way instead of their own. You want to win them over with the love of God through a robust effective gospel presentation so that they are pricked in their souls, broken in their spirits, and eager to repent of their sins and believe the gospel and become saved.

This should be the attitude of every Evangelist. Willing to inconvenience themselves for the sake of the gospel and love others as they love themselves.

If we want to the win the world to Christ, we cannot use worldly gimmicks to get them in the doors of the Church. If the Church atmosphere is the same as theirs, they will be deceived into thinking they are saved because they are in a Church building and walked down the aisle. This is the fault of the Pastor who has been derelict in his duty to share the true gospel because he is afraid to offend the un-churched. That is not what Paul meant when he said. “I have become all things to all men that I might by all means save some.” Paul was never interested in making the unsaved feel comfortable in their sin. But rather he confronted their sin lovingly with the gospel truth acquiescing as much as he could without compromise to their station in life. In that sense, Paul was most effective in winning souls for Christ because he was willing to become a servant to all although he was free from all men (1 Cor 9:19).

Can We Prove the Trinity in the Bible?

 

T

he word Trinity is a compound word supposedly created by the church father Tertullian (160-225 AD). He invented the word to combat a man named Praxeus who promoted the Monarchian heresy. The prefix Tri means three. The suffix nity is shorthand for the word unity meaning one. In regard to God, He is one God manifested in three persons: The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. Many argue that Christians worship three gods[1] thus making Christianity a polytheistic religion. Polytheism is a religious system where one worships multiple deities. Christianity is monotheistic; we worship one God only.

In Deuteronomy 6:4 it says, “Hear, O Israel. The Lord our God, the Lord He is One!” The Hebrew word Elohim in Genesis 1:1 tell us that our God is plural in person and one in essence. The word Elohim is a compound word. El means God. The im suffix indicates a plural. An example would be a cherub is one angel, but cherubim indicate two or more angels. The name Elohim is the most common name used for God. It is used over 2500 times in the OT.[2] The primary meaning of the name Elohim is one of strength or power of effect. Elohim is the all powerful God. The Creator and sustainer of the universe and supreme judge of the earth.

When we try to rationalize the Triune God, we cannot. It is a mystery. There are no human comparisons one can make to explain the Lord’s Triune nature. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are co-equal, co-eternal, and co-powerful. They always work together in harmony.

All three persons of the Godhead were involved in creation

Genesis 1:1 tells us in the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. Verse three tells us the Spirit of God hovered over the face of the waters. But where does the Son come in? John 1:3 tells us by the Word (Logos /Christ) was everything made. And without Him was not anything made that was made. Colossians 1:16 says that by Him (Jesus) all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. In Revelation 4:11 John witnesses heavenly worship by angels and the twenty-four elders saying, “You are worthy O Lord to receive glory and honor and power. For you created all things, and by your will they exist and were created.”

The Godhead was present at Jesus’ baptism

In Matthew 3:16, When He (Christ) had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to Him, and He saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and alighting upon Him. And suddenly a voice came from heaven saying, “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Clearly, the Trinity is present. Our God is one Lord manifested in three persons.

Jesus mentions the Godhead after His resurrection 

In Matthew 28:19 Jesus commands the disciples to make disciples of all nations baptizing them in the name of the Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. Again, the Triune God from the lips of Jesus is mentioned, emphasizing the importance the unity, necessity, and power of the entire Godhead.

What is Modalism?

Modalism which was originally called Sabellianism is a heresy that teaches that God is not Triune; He is not three persons. Rather He appears in three modes. Sometimes He appears as the Father, then the Son, and at other times the Holy Spirit. This makes God a quick-change artist – a chameleon.  He has to enter into the closet and change His clothes. This breeds all types of confusion. In modalism, the Father is the Son, and vice versa. The Son is the Holy Spirit, and the Holy Spirit is the Father and the Son. Modalism makes God a schizophrenic because He is talking to Himself. How can Jesus say My God My God why have you forsaken Me if He is also the Father? That would mean the forsaken and the forsaker are the same person. How can Jesus send the Holy Spirit to believers if He is the Father and the Spirit too? This is the scenario if you draw it out to its illogical conclusion. The best definition of the mystery and beauty of our God is He is one Lord in essence, but three in person. This is not a contradiction. It would be a contradiction if Christians said God is one in person and three in person. Or if we said He is one in essence and three in essence. The finite mind can never fully understand the transcendent truth of the Trinity. Modalism and all its forms were denounced as heresy at the council of Nicea in 325 A.D. The Trinity was accepted as Church doctrine at that same council.

Modalism is still alive in the Oneness (Jesus Only) Pentecostal denomination. Modalism is very dangerous because it attacks the very nature of God Himself.

 Cleary our God is Triune. Christians are not polytheists or tritheits. Although the word Trinity does not appear in scripture, it does not negate its reality in it.

---

[1] The worship of three gods is called tritheism.

[2] https://printer.gotquestions.net/GeneratePF?articleId=19005

The Book of Jonah

                                                                The Reluctant and Angry Prophet

The name Jonah means dove. The Bible says Jonah was from a town named Gath-Hepher near Nazareth. This town according to Joshua 19:13 was in the tribal land of Zebulun in the north country. Jonah prophesied during the reign of Jeroboam II king of Israel (793-753 B.C.) according to 2 Kings 14:25. This would make him an eighth century prophet. God commanded Jonah to go east to Nineveh the capital city in Assyria and prophesy against it. Jonah is the only prophet in the Old Testament told to travel to a foreign nation to prophesy. Jonah refused and decided to travel far west to Tarshish which scholars claimed was in the region of Spain. Jonah simply wanted to get as far away from Nineveh as he could.

A brief history of the Assyrians

The nation Assyria gets its name from Asshur the son of Shem (Gen 10:22). Assyria was located on the west bank of the Tigris River which today is northern Iraq.[1] The original name of the region given by the Greeks was Mesopotamia which means land between two rivers. The Bible says Nimrod built Nineveh (Gen 10:11) which was the capital city of Assyria. The Assyrians were brutal warriors. They not only defeated their enemies, but they also mercilessly tortured their victims by dismembering them, impaling their naked bodies on stakes through the ribs, and beheading them and stacking their heads on stakes like totem poles as way of humiliation. They would also flay their enemies’ bodies and put their skins on walls. They bragged about burning their victims’ small children.

They wrote inscriptions and created countless reliefs displaying images of their military victories and barbarities. These brutalities served as murals on Assyrian palaces. The time of Jonah was during the Neo-Assyrian Empire. The first Assyrian king to deal with Israel was Shalmaneser III (858-824 B.C.) He received tribute from wicked King Ahab (874-853 B.C.) the husband of Jezebel, and King Jehu (841-814 B.C.) Assyrian King Pul aka Tiglath-Pileser III (745-727 B.C.) demanded and received tribute from Menahem King of Israel (752-742 B.C.) -1000 silver talents[2] which translates to 37.5 tons or 75,000 lbs. (2 Kings 15:19-20). The tribute money provided peace and protection of Menahem’s brief reign. Assyrian King Sargon II (722-705 B.C.) defeated the northern kingdom of Israel in 722 B.C. He displaced the northern tribes and exiled them to eastern territories (2 Kings 17:5-33). According to Assyrian records, they exiled 27,290 Hebrews. Sargon replaced the northern territory called Samaria with foreigners. They intermarried with Hebrews which produced a mixed group of people called Samaritans. The Hebrews / Jews of Jesus’ day hated Samaritans (Matt 10:5; Luke 10:29-37; John 4:9). It was during the end of the seventh century after the ministry of Jonah that Assyria began to decline in power. Assyrian King Sinsarruiskun (627-612 B.C.) and the city of Nineveh were eventually defeated in 612 B.C. by King Nabopolassar of Babylon (625-605 B.C.), the father of Nebuchadnezzar II (605-562 B.C.) The prophet Nahum predicts Nineveh’s destruction.

Now one can understand why Jonah did not want to travel to Nineveh and pronounce a message of doom against the city. He hated the city. They were bitter enemies of Israel. He knew of the brutalities of the Assyrians and wanted nothing to do with them.

Assyrians Kings that mostly likely reigned during the prophetic ministry of Jonah

 

 

             

 

Chapter 1 – Jonah’s disobedience and attempt to run from God

The Lord commands Jonah to go to Nineveh and preach to that great city. Jonah, as I indicated earlier, refuses and decides to go the seaport of Joppa (modern day Jaffa), pay the fare, and gets on a ship headed to Tarshish. Immediately God causes a tempest on the sea. The men who are expert sailors never seen a storm like this are terrified and began to cry out to their gods to no avail. Jonah who is sleep in the bottom is awakened by the captain who tells him cry out to your God hoping he may calm the storm and save them.

The sailors decide to cast lots. Casting lots was an ancient way to make decisions and perhaps implicate perpetrators. Casting lots is like rolling dice or flipping a coin. One is relying on fate. The Bible never indicates what objects were used. The lot fell on Jonah. In this case God determined the lot would fall on Jonah since he was the cause behind the sailors’ fear. Jonah was running from the Lord in disobedience. The sailors asked Jonah where he was from, what nation he belonged to and what his occupation was. Once Jonah revealed who he was why they were in trouble was because of him.

In terror they cried to the Lord begging Him not to punish them for Jonah’s sin. Jonah told them to throw him overboard so the sea would be calm. First, they attempted to sail back to the land. But when the storm continued to rage, they threw Jonah overboard and the sea was calm. The sailors offered a sacrifice and took vows. A huge fish swallows Jonah where he dwells in its belly for 3 days and nights.

Commentary

When we do not obey God, we may put innocent people at risk of harm like our family and friends. Always be mindful of your actions so that others do not become collateral damage because of your sins. Because Jonah was initially selfish, he risked the lives of pagan sailors who proved to be more righteous than him. What Jonah also learned, as we will discover as we follow his journey is that no one can run away from God. If things are going wrong in your life, it may be you are in disobedience to what God has commanded you to do. Repent and be restored to God.

 

Chapter 2 – Jonah prays while in the belly of the fish

Jonah thanks God for his deliverance. Without God causing the fish to swallow him, he would have drowned. Jonah does say, “Out of the belly of Sheol I cried” (vs 2). Sheol is the Hebrew word for hell or the grave. Jonah knew God rescued him from sure death. He didn’t realize God had a prepared a fish to swallow him he expected to drown. Once he was miraculously preserved in the belly of the fish, he thanked God and said he would pay what he vowed (vs 9).

Commentary

It was as if Jonah was dead in the belly of the fish. He was cut off from the world and dwelt in darkness for three days and nights. Jonah did the only thing he could do and that was cry out to the Lord. The only help he had was from the Lord. The Lord is the only help any of us have. Once Jonah acknowledged this, God caused the fish to belch Jonah out on dry land.

 

Chapter 3 – Jonah preaches to Nineveh and the whole city repents

The Lord commands Jonah a second time to travel to Nineveh. Jonah obeys. It is a three-day journey and Jonah travels on foot. When he arrives, he utters eight words, “Yet forty days and Nineveh will be destroyed” (vs 4). All the people believed God’s word. The King proclaimed a fast, took off his royal clothes, put on sackcloth and sat in ashes to express his grief for the nation’s sins. The king commanded everyone to fast, put on sackcloth, sit in ashes and afflict their souls. From the greatest to the least of them. This even included the animals (vv 5-9). King commanded all to cry out to God and confess their sins. God saw their contrition and did not harm them because they were sorry for their sins and begged for mercy.

Commentary

The eight words above are the only recorded prophetic words we have of him speaking. It is not in the length of the message or the style and personality or charm of the messenger, but only in the power of God (Romans 1:16). The most powerful city on earth at that time repented at the preaching of Jonah who at first refused to go. What God needed Jonah to see was that he loved all people – event the vilest of sinners. And the Ninevites definitely fit that category.

 

Chapter 4 – Jonah is angry with God because He forgave his enemies

Jonah is angry at the Lord because He showed mercy to the Ninevites. Jonah reveals the reason why he never wanted to go to Nineveh, “Ah, Lord, was not this what I said when I was in my country? Therefore, I fled to Tarshish; for I know that You are a gracious and merciful God, slow to anger and abundant in lovingkindness, One who relents from doing harm. Therefore now, O Lord take my life from me, for it is better for me to die than to live!”  God asks Jonah, “Is it right for you to be angry” (vv 1-5)?

Jonah left and sat outside the city, prepared a shady place to sit to see if perhaps God may change his mind and destroy the Ninevites anyway. His insatiable desire for their destruction was deep seeded. God caused a plant to grow to cover Jonah’s head which he was happy for. In the morning God caused a worm to destroy the plant. God also sent a strong east wind to blow which exposed the sun which beat on Jonah’s head. This made him so tired that he began to complain and asked to die. God asked him a second time, “Is it right for you to be angry?” Jonah said yes, I should be angry even to death!

God told Jonah you cared more about a plant that you had nothing to do with that grew and died in one night. Here is the moral of the whole story, “And should I not have pity on Nineveh that great city in which are more than one hundred twenty thousand children who do not know between their left and right hand along with much livestock?”

I could imagine God saying to Jonah, “Are you serious right now my son? You love the fact I am merciful to you, but you hate the fact that I am merciful to your enemies who repented?”

Commentary

The book ends on that cliff hanger question.

So, all along Jonah did not want to travel to Nineveh because he knew there was a chance God would spare his enemies whom he hated with a passion. Jonah would have been content to have them destroyed like Sodom and Gomorrah. Jonah is like any other ungrateful sinner; they want mercy for themselves, but not for others. They want God to forgive them of their sins, but not forgive those they hate. Jonah learned the hard way that God is not a respecter of persons. As the apostle Peter learned at Cornelius the Roman Centurion’s house, “In truth I perceive that God shows no partiality. But in every nation whoever fears Him and works righteousness is accepted by Him” (Acts 10:34-35).

Jonah allowed his sinful anger to cloud his judgment. He hated the Ninevites for their wickedness and desired for them to repent (while others may argue he only desired their destruction). When they did repent, he is even more enraged and desires to die. Here is another reality Jonah had to face: Nineveh repented with just eight words from Jonah's lips. God through his prophets had been preaching to the nations of Israel and Judah for centuries yet they refused to repent. An unchosen pagan nation received forgiveness and his own people were apostate. This made Jonah burn with jealousy. He did want God to spare Nineveh.

Nineveh believed and feared God and worked righteousness when they heard the words of Jonah. It is a shame that Jonah despised his prophetic office and preferred to die than live because he hated his enemies so much. Let me be clear, the Ninevites deserved to be wiped out for their wickedness and would have been had they not repented. As I mentioned above, the next generation of Ninevites were destroyed due to their unrepentance. Nahum was the prophetic voice during that later generation.

---

[1] Iraq may it gets its name from the Sumerian name Uruk (Biblical Erech)

[2] In the Bible one silver talent was equal to 75 pounds. As of this writing (11.23.23)

an ounce of silver on the market is worth $24.07. The amount Tiglath-Pileser

collected would be nearly 29 million dollars today.

If there is no hell...

On November 18, 2023, I saw a YouTube clip of two men, E. Dewey Smith, and Tim Rogers. Two men I never heard of before discussing the matter of hell. They concluded that hell is not a literal place, but rather hell is  based on bad choices in your life. In other words, you create your own hell here on earth. They believe this is what the Bible teaches. If that is true, then Jesus who described hell more than anyone is a liar. I want to attempt to exposit as well as I can why their and so many others view of hell is tragic. There are several implications that must be examined if hell is not a real place, but just allegory.

 

Implication #1 – If there is no hell, where did the countless souls go who died in their sins when they rejected Christ?

Implication #2 – If there is no hell, why should we believe there is a literal heaven.

Implication #3 – If there is no hell, where will the devil, the beast and false prophet, the demons and wicked angels end up at the end of time?

Implication #4 – If there is no hell, what is the purpose of the Great White Throne Judgment?

Implication #5 – If there is no hell, why believe any of the Bible is real?

Implication #6 – If there is no hell, there can be no doctrine of sin.

I only listed six. There are so many more questions I could have added.

Preachers who do not teach on the doctrine of hell are unfaithful cowards. If one does not teach all the counsel of God, especially the uncomfortable parts, you should step down from the pulpit immediately! You’re not fit to lead God’s people. We cannot teach on a curve. That person has proven that they are unfaithful shepherds. They do not love the truth or the people of God. They also do not love the unsaved.

The problem with most people is that we do not understand the Holiness of God verses the wickedness of man. These two truths we must internalize or else we will continue to minimize the realization of both at best, or totally ignore the two realities (which most of the world does now) at worst.

If we learn how depraved we are against how perfect, holy, and righteous God is, we will begin to loathe[1] ourselves and fear God in a way that is reverent. Sadly, the world reveres itself and hates God.

The following passages clearly explain the current heart condition of the unregenerate man.

Genesis 6:5, “Then the Lord saw that the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.”

Proverbs 20:6 says, “Most men will proclaim each his own (italics added for emphasis) goodness, but who can find a faithful man.”

Jeremiah 17:9 says, “The heart is deceitful above all things and desperately wicked. Who can know it?”

Romans 3:10-12 says, “As it is written, “There is none righteous, no, not one; there is none who seeks after God. They have all turned aside; they have together become unprofitable; There is none who does good, no not one.”

Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.”

Isaiah 64:6, “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness are like filthy rags.”

John 3:19 Jesus said to Nicodemus, “Men loved darkness rather than light because his deeds are evil.”

Matthew 23:33 Jesus talking to the religious leaders because of their evil said, “Serpents! Brood of vipers! How can you escape the damnation of hell?”

I believe God’s report on the disposition of man. Whose report will you believe my friend?

The above references clearly reveal that mankind from a divine perspective is not good but purely evil and deserving of hell. It astounds me that men who claim to be preachers of the gospel will not teach the doctrine of hell. We do not get to twist the Bible to our whim because certain texts of scripture offend us. Teaching about the reality of hell is most loving when combined with the good news that one can repent of their sins, trust in the person and work of Jesus Christ and receive eternal life and avoid hell forever; that is the best news of all time.

I will submit to the reader that if you are attending a Church that does not teach on the horrors of hell and the need for repentance because the Pastor does not want to offend anyone, you are dealing with a false teacher. A wolf and sheep’s clothing. Get far away from that place! Your eternal life depends on it.

These false teachers do not trust God or His Word to perform the conviction in a spiritually dead person’s soul. A person that is unsaved does not need to feel good about themselves; they need to feel terrible about themselves. Why? Because their lifestyle is an affront to God and the Lord’s wrath abides on them (John 3:36). Teaching the admittedly uncomfortable doctrine of hell is needed in order to incite godly fear in the sinner so that they are aware of their rebellious lifestyle against their Maker. Then the faithful preacher can soften his tone and language by sharing the good news - that God desires their repentance so that He can forgive their sins and received them into His glorious kingdom. All sinners MUST come to God on His terms. Jesus said, “I am the Way the Truth and the Life. No man comes unto the Father but by Me” (John 14:6).

The Pastor never does his congregants or the unsaved justice by sanitizing the message of hell by lying about it. We must share it with all its razor-sharp edges so that it cuts deep and bleeds the soul. It is designed to hurt, upset, and terrify us. It should make a person feel sick to their stomach. Once the sinner is an utter despair and they see their sin for what it really is – exceedingly and disgustingly sinful against a Holy and righteous God; if he or she has any common sense, they will cry out to God and beg for His forgiveness for their wretched lives. The wonderful thing is God is waiting with His arms open wide to receive whoever believes in Christ.

Jesus said this on Matthew 11:28-30, "Come to Me all who are labor and heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn of me for I am meek and humble at heart, and you find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

 

“Who is a God like You, pardoning Iniquity, and passing over transgression of the remnant of His heritage. He does not retain anger forever, because He delights in mercy. He will again have compassion on us and will subdue our iniquities. You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea” (Micah 7:18-19).

“I, even I am He who blots out your transgressions for My own sake, and I will not remember your sins” (Isaiah 43:25).

You see by not preaching about the horrors and reality of hell, a person is not given the opportunity to experience true contrition the way God desires for them to. Their sin is not exposed because the charlatan will not teach sin since he denies the reality of hell. Sin and hell are mother and daughter; their daddy is the devil. Sin and hell are mankind’s enemies and must be stopped by the Gospel of grace or sin will abound because the preacher decided to keep silent and sleep with the enemy (hell) [Romans 5:20-21].

Paul when he was speaking to the elders of Ephesus upon his departure to Jerusalem said, “For that reason I testify to you on this day that I am innocent of the blood of all people. For I did not shrink from declaring to you the whole purpose and the plan of God” (Acts 20:26-27). Paul held nothing back. That is the way all ministers of the gospel must be.

The hell the faithless preacher said does not exist will be the hell he will experience lest he repents.

Below are older articles I wrote on hell:

https://gospelofrepentance.blogspot.com/2015/05/is-hell-real-place.html?view=sidebar

https://gospelofrepentance.blogspot.com/2021/03/the-necessity-of-hell.html?view=sidebar

Here Is the link regarding the discussion between E. Dewey Smith and Tim Rogers who were talking about hell. You will want to start at the 15:40 mark of the video if you do not want to watch the entire thing which is slightly over 42 minutes:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0HKwRdS9ks

Great article and video on hell from www.gotquestions.org

https://www.gotquestions.org/loving-God-send-someone-hell.html  

Singer Tim Rogers said that Hell is an Imaginary place and a fairy tale. Check this clip out around the 33:25 mark of the video.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yrzBJTyd6hg

 

 

---

[1] To read about loathing reference Ezekiel 36:24-33