WEATHER: Meeting at the building suspended today, February 2, 2022
Read the Proverbs through in a month,
one chapter per day.
Read the Psalms through in a month,
five Psalms per day.
See today's reading schedule & excerpts from the Psalms & Proverbs at the bottom of this page
Our congregation is dedicated to worshipping God in spirit and in truth as closely as we can ascertain from the New Testament. We search the scriptures for guidance and authority on how we ought to live our lives in order to be pleasing to God.
To learn more about us, or to get in touch with us — stop by in person or send us an email at:
wscoc@wschurchofchrist.org
.
Or Call (216) 671-1759.
In the letters to the churches of Rome, Corinth, Colossi and Philippi, the Apostle Paul expressed his deep gratitude for those congregations. He was thankful for their faithfulness, fellowship and spiritual growth. Even though these groups of Christians struggled with temptation and sin, Paul appreciated his relationship with the church.
Can we say the same about ourselves? Are we thankful for the church? If so, how do we express our appreciation? Here are a few ways and reasons we should be eternally grateful for this great institution:
— Scott R
— Scott R
— Scott R
Continued below— Scott R
Hebrews 11:20-40 (NKJV)
20 By faith Isaac blessed Jacob and Esau concerning things to come. 21 By faith Jacob, when he was dying, blessed each of the sons of Joseph, and worshiped, leaning on the top of his staff.
22 By faith Joseph, when he was dying, made mention of the departure of the children of Israel, and gave instructions concerning his bones. 23 By faith Moses, when he was born, was hidden three months by his parents, because they saw he was a beautiful child; and they were not afraid of the king's command.
24 By faith Moses, when he became of age, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter, 25 choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt; for he looked to the reward.
27 By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured as seeing Him who is invisible. 28 By faith he kept the Passover and the sprinkling of blood, lest he who destroyed the firstborn should touch them.
29 By faith they passed through the Red Sea as by dry land, whereas the Egyptians, attempting to do so, were drowned.
30 By faith the walls of Jericho fell down after they were encircled for seven days. 31 By faith the harlot Rahab did not perish with those who did not believe, when she had received the spies with peace.
32 And what more shall I say? For the time would fail me to tell of Gideon and Barak and Samson and Jephthah, also of David and Samuel and the prophets: 33 who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises, stopped the mouths of lions, 34 quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of the aliens. 35 Women received their dead raised to life again.
Others were tortured, not accepting deliverance, that they might obtain a better resurrection. 36 Still others had trial of mockings and scourgings, yes, and of chains and imprisonment. 37 They were stoned, they were sawn in two, were tempted, were slain with the sword. They wandered about in sheepskins and goatskins, being destitute, afflicted, tormented— 38 of whom the world was not worthy. They wandered in deserts and mountains, in dens and caves of the earth.
39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith, did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
Jesus speaking: "...I said therefore to you that you will die in your sins; for unless you believe that I am he, you will die in your sins." John 8:24 (WEB)
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (WEB)
By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance... not knowing where he went. 9 By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. 10 for he waited for the city which has foundations, whose builder and maker is God. Hebrews 11:8-10 (WEB)
By faith, even Sarah herself received power to conceive, and she bore a child when she was past age, since she counted him faithful who had promised. 12 Therefore as many as the stars of the sky in multitude, and as innumerable as the sand which is by the sea shore, were fathered by one man, and him as good as dead. Hebrews 11:11,12 (WEB)
By faith, Abraham, being tested, offered up Isaac. Yes, he who had gladly received the promises was offering up his one and only son; 18 even he to whom it was said, "In Isaac will your seed be called;" 19 accounting that God is able to raise up even from the dead. Figuratively speaking, he also did receive him back from the dead. Hebrews 11:17-19 (WEB)
These all died in faith, not having received the promises, but having seen them and embraced them from afar, and having confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth. 14 For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking after a country of their own. 15 If indeed they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had enough time to return. 16 But now they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed of them, to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:13-16 (WEB)
In God's love, Scott
Who has ascended up into heaven, and descended?… Who has established all the ends of the earth? What is his name, and what is his son's name, if you know? Proverbs 30:4 (WEB).
Now faith is assurance of things hoped for, proof of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1 (WEB).
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, 19 because that which is known of God is revealed in them, for God revealed it to them. 20 For the invisible things of him since the creation of the world are clearly seen, being perceived through the things that are made, even his everlasting power and divinity; that they may be without excuse. Romans 1:18-20 (WEB).
By faith, we understand that the universe has been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen has not been made out of things which are visible. Hebrews 11:3 (WEB).
Without faith it is impossible to be well pleasing to him, for he who comes to God must believe that he exists, and that he is a rewarder of those who seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (WEB).
By faith, Abel offered to God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, through which he had testimony given to him that he was righteous, God bearing witness... Hebrews 11:4 (WEB).
By faith, Enoch was taken away, so that he wouldn't see death,... For he has had testimony given to him that before his translation he had been well pleasing to God. Hebrews 11:5 (WEB).
By faith, Noah,... moved with godly fear, prepared an ark for the saving of his house, through which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is according to faith. Hebrews 11:7 (WEB).
By faith, Abraham, when he was called, obeyed to go out to the place which he was to receive for an inheritance... not knowing where he went. 9 By faith, he lived as an alien in the land of promise, as in a land not his own, dwelling in tents, with Isaac and Jacob, the heirs with him of the same promise. Hebrews 11:8,9 (WEB).
In God's love, Scott
1 Samuel 8:5, " They said to him, "Behold, you are old, and your sons don't walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations." Samuel prayed to God and God told him in verse 7, "Listen to the voice of the people in all that they tell you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected me as the king over them." So Israel wanted to be like the nations all around them and have a king. They rejected God as their King and followed after the way of the world. Do you see the danger for our country if we 'remove God from our country' like the leftists in this land are trying to do. They want us to be godless, like Europe, and have a government that is godless, which is Socialism and Marxism. A good thing for us, God always reserves a remnant of faithful people, whether in the Old Testament time or New Testament, the saints, those who haven't bowed to foreign gods. God still led Israel and cared for them though they rejected him.
Some of the kings were faithful to God. The first three kings were and they were the only ones to rule over all of Israel. They were; Saul, who started out good but lost his favor with God by not consulting with him but the witch of Endor instead. King David was faithful and God promised him that through his bloodline the Messiah would come, and his son Solomon was faithful but permitted his foreign wives to have 'high places' to worship their false gods. Solomon's son Rehoboam was to harsh on the people with taxes and the nation split. The ten northern tribes became the Northern Kingdom, and the tribes of Benjamin and Judah stayed faithful to Rehoboam and God and became the Southern Kingdom. The northern tribes had 19 kings and all of them did evil in the eyes of God and were eventually punished and carried away by Assyria, never to come back.
Jim L
Our God is the God of order and not chaos. God gives us laws to follow to keep order and peace because mankind as a whole tend to make bad decisions and often behave like sheep and will wander away and become lost or get into some kind of trouble. We need rules, we need boundaries that cannot be crossed. We need a system that provides a way to enforce those laws fairly and justly for all. When that happens the result is freedom, happiness and peace. It has been God's intention for mankind that a system of rule be established to keep order. Mankind with no leadership is soon plunged into disorder and chaos and everyone turns to his own way resulting in anarchy. We are fortunate today to live in such a society that functions well when there is good leadership and the rule of law is followed. We can immediately see the harm that can be done when you have bad leadership and the system of rule breaks down.
God never wanted mankind to be left to his own devices. When man fell from grace in the Garden, we see from the sentence of punishment pronounced upon Eve; "Your desire will be for your husband, and he will rule over you", we can infer that God established a patriarchal system of rule. Reading through early Old Testament history you find that is the case. When the population increased, you had elders of family clans being the leaders. Eventually mighty men like Nimrod rose up building great cities, establishing themselves as kings. By the time the bible's greatest patriarch Abram arrives on the scene, most cities were ruled by a king. When we read Genesis chapter fourteen, we read about the 'battle of the kings' and see that most cities had their kings. God's people were a Patriarchy and he was their God.
Jim L
Luke 1:26-38
Introduction:
There are three great pillars upon which Christianity rests. These are: (1) the existence of God, (2) the inspiration of the Bible, (3) and the deity or Sonship of Jesus Christ.
On the editorial page of the third issue of Volume 1 of The Spiritual sword, Brother Tomas B. Warren set forth the basic argument for the Sonship of Jesus Christ in the following syllogism:
If the particular characteristics of the person and work of Jesus Christ are such to be beyond those of mere men. Then Jesus is the Son of God.
The particular characteristics of the person and work of Jesus Christ are such as to be beyond those of mere men.
Therefore, Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
If the major premise of this argument is true, then the conclusion must be true.
There are several characteristics of the person and work of Jesus Christ that can be set forth to show that He is the Son of God. Such things as His virgin conception and birth, His miracles, His teachings, His fulfillment of many prophecies, and His resurrection from the dead are a few of these characteristics that cannot be true of a mere man.
There are two accounts of Jesus' birth in the New Testament. One is in Matthew and the other is in Luke. Both accounts deal with the miraculous conception of Jesus by Mary His earthly mother. No other birth like this one has ever happened before or since.
The virgin conception and birth of Jesus as recorded in Matthew and Luke was the fulfillment of an Old Testament prophecy found in Isaiah 7.
What I want to do at this time is to take a careful look at that prophecy and go to our text in Luke 1:26-38 and view the prophecy from the standpoint of Mary and then go to Matthew 1:18-25 and view the prophecy from the standpoint of Joseph.
Isaiah 7:14 reads as follows: “Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.” [all Scripture references are from the CSB (Christian Standard Bible) unless otherwise noted.] The word sign, while not always referring to a miracle, does so in this text as Ahaz the king is told to ask for a sign “Ask for a sign from the LORD your God - it can be as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven” (Isaiah 7:11). Ahaz refuses, so Isaiah said that the Lord Himself would give him a sign.
The difficulty with this prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 lies with the Revised Standard Version's translation of the Hebrew word almah as young woman. The King James Version, the American Standard Version, The New American Standard Bible, The English Standard Version, the Modern Literal Version and the New International version all translate almah as virgin.
In addition to Isaiah 7:14, the Hebrew word almah is used in Genesis 24:43, Exodus 2:8, Psalms 68:25, Proverbs 30:19, and Song of Solomon 1:3 and 6:8. H. C. Leupold concluded that it “cannot be denied that such a one is to be classified as a virgin” (156). In his work “The Virgin Birth of Christ”, J. Gresham Machen indicated “there is no place among the seven occurrences of almah in the Old Testament where the word is used of a woman who was not a virgin” (288).
God is good, I love you all In the name of Christ
Kevin J.
More to come on this subject
He then tells us that Moses was warned when he was about to build the earthly tabernacle to make sure he made it according the the pattern (Greek: tupos – type), God showed him on the mountain.
The writer is telling us that the tabernacle was a type (a copy and shadow, not the reality itself) and therefore, he will say, so is the entire Mosaical system a type (a copy) as he elaborates in the rest of chapter eight.
What was Moses shown on the mountain? Deut. 25:8,9,40. It may have been pictures, drawings, or even a model of the tabernacle and all its furnishings.
Whatever Moses was shown, it was a plan from heaven of how God wanted the tabernacle constructed. This type (copy) is from the original in heaven, the archetype. The archetype was used to make a "copy & shadow of the heavenly things" on earth, an earthly tabernacle which itself is a type (copy) of the original in heaven.
What's the purpose of the copy? To show us the real object, the antitype, when it appears. And a copy implies an original.
Where does God live? Not in temples made by hands, Acts 17:24; 7:48,49. We are (the church) the temple of the God. 2 Cor 6:14-7:1. And individually our bodies are a temple also. 19 Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, 20 you were bought with a price.
So glorify God in your body. 1 Cor. 6:19,20
In God's love, Scott
We are told the Christ would be a King. God calls His Son God and then sets Him above his companions by anointing Him with oil, making Him King. Psa 45:6,7
In addition to being a King, the Messiah would also be a priest, but not in the order of Aaron.
The Hebrew writer asks:
A change in the priesthood drives (requires) a change in the law.
What's the purpose of the priest? To make atonement for transgressions of the law. It's the solution, the remedy, to our transgressions (ie sins) of the law. Hebrews 2:17,18
The former law had flawed priests who were unable to make the worshipper perfect because the law made nothing perfect. However, the perfected Messiah, as our great high priest was made our remedy with an oath (from God). Because of this oath He can guarantee a better hope and since He lives forever, he has a permanent priesthood. Heb 7:18-24,28
A new priest, a new law, a good thing!
In God's love, Scott
"Haven't you read that God from the beginning made them male and female, and said, 'For this cause a man shall leave his father and mother, and shall join to his wife; and the two shall become one flesh?' So that they are no more two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, don't let man tear apart." Matthew 19:4-6; Mark 10:6-9 (WEB).
According to Jesus there are two genders male and female and in marriage a man shall join his wife.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11 (WEB) 9 Or don't you know that the unrighteous will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't be deceived. Neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor male prostitutes, nor homosexuals, 10 nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor slanderers, nor extortioners, will inherit the Kingdom of God. 11 Such were some of you, but you were washed. But you were sanctified. But you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and in the Spirit of our God.
Canadian pastors are warning that a new "conversion therapy" bill, just passed by parliament, will likely ban them from teaching that homosexuality and transgenderism are sins according to the Bible.
The bill, known as C-4, unanimously passed both the House of Commons and the Senate before receiving Royal Assent.
[it officially became law on Jan 8.]
In the Preamble of the Bill, it says that the belief that "heterosexuality, cisgender gender identity and gender expression that conforms to the sex assigned to a person at birth are to be preferred over other sexual orientations, gender identities and gender expressions" is a "myth."
Check out these links for more info:
It is God who reserves the right to declare what is right and wrong by right of creation, Isaiah 45:18-19.
Now more than ever we need to be out informing our neighbors of God's message. Jeremiah 7:1-34
In God's love, Scott
About 12 years ago a close friend gave my wife some saw tooth oak seedlings he brought back from Arkansas. We took them and planted them all over our place. One particular tree was planted out back near where we had burned brush while cleaning the place up after we bought the property. Another was planted out front near where the old railroad line used to run. The tree planted out back where the soil was rich with ashes and plant material immediately began to grow while the tree in the front didn't seem to grow at all. Now, after all these years the tree in the back is over 30 feet tall while the tree in the front planted in the rocks and clay struggles to top 12 feet even though the trees were planted at the same time.
Jesus told a similar story about growing in Matthew 13. There He told of seeds being planted in different growing conditions and the results there of. Our spiritual growth is dependent upon the conditions we allow ourselves to live in and the everyday things we do. We must ask ourselves, “Am I feeding my spirit with God's word? Am I doing things which will grow my faith?” or “Am I slowing my spiritual growth by neglect and over exposure to things of the world?” By reading the bible daily, regular worship, and living a life full of love and good works will provide the necessary growing conditions for a healthy spiritual life.
Continued
The question is, "what do 'fiducial knowledge' and 'evidentiary knowledge' have to do with the question 'DO YOU KNOW That GOD EXISTS?'"
There are innumerable empirical evidences that provide "evidentiary knowledge.”
The heavens with the sun, moon and stars declare to all men everywhere in the world the wisdom and orderly design of an all-wise Designer. Did it just happen by accident or coincidence that the sun is 93 million miles from the Earth? If the sun were closer, the Earth would burn; if farther away, it would be a ball of ice. Did it just happen by accident or coincidence that the moon is 238,700 miles from the Earth? That the moon is in the exact position to control the tides and keep them from inundating or flooding Earth Did the consistency of time for each day happen by accident or coincidence?
How is it that by that consistency man was able to design a watch dividing each day into 24 equal parts?
What about the design of the world in such a way that man and every creature will have provisions for life. The rain falls to the Earth, it waters the land, provides crops, goes into the creeks, rivers, and oceans, evaporates and then is picked up by the clouds and is once again deposited upon the Earth in the form of rain. The seasons were designed to provide for man.
IMAGINE A WORLD IN WHICH THE SEASONS HAD NO ORDER! How could man survive?
(to be continued)
God is Good, I love you all, in the Name of the King.
Kevin J.
Continued
Also, there is “fiducial knowledge.” The nature of the God revealed in the Bible is SO IMPORTANT in this discussion. He is the “unlying God,” and the “God, who cannot lie,” Titus 1:2. It is impossible for God to lie; therefore, whatever HE tells us IS true! Hebrews 6:18. Interestingly, the God who will not and cannot lie directed our attention to the order and design that every one of us can observe empirically.
The Psalmist directs our attention to the universe,
Psalm 19:1-6The Apostle Paul urged idolaters to consider the natural world,
Acts 14:17The Apostle Paul addressed God's existence, its evidence, and its rejection by some human beings. He declared in
Romans 1:18-23:(to be continued)
God is Good, I love you all, in the Name of the King.
Kevin J.
Continued
Amazingly, NO ONE truly lives by that premise in any other area of life! Every person says he knows that things are true even though he cannot prove them empirically. For example, one may tell you about his/her parents, children, or siblings. If you have not seen them, do you know that they exist? If your mate or close friend tells you about and accident he saw recently, do you tell others about what you "know” even though you have no empirical knowledge? Do you know that Abraham Lincoln, Peter the Great, or Adolph Hitler actually lived? Do you have empirical knowledge of them? These are examples of how we all know things apart from or without empirical knowledge. This is called "fiducial knowledge.” It is knowledge based upon the truthfulness of the one relating the information to you. We all live by this premise daily! And yet, we are all SO cautious about living by this principle. Why? Has someone lied to you? Certainly! You thus realize that one who tells you information could be deceiving you whether intentionally or unintentionally!
Another kind of knowledge is "evidentiary” or "experiential knowledge.” Courts of law are based upon "evidentiary knowledge.” Judges and juries often have little if any empirical knowledge of one's crime. They did not see the accused person commit the illegal act. However, by the use "evidentiary knowledge,” the judge and jury can know that the accused is guilty.
(to be continued)
God is good, I love you all. In the name of the King.
Kevin J.
Continued
Others seem to be convinced that God exists because they have seen some artist's painting, Icon, or image. Some will advocate, "Even if there IS NO God, Christianity is still the best way of life." Often one affirms faith in God only to continue by saying, "No one can really KNOW if God exists." The next question is, "why be a believer then?" Every one of these statements is rooted in agnosticism, the idea that Christianity has NO certainty or basis for our beliefs. Thus, Christians are seen as merely gullible people who base their ideas upon fanciful theories that have no legitimate foundation.
True Christianity is completely different from the ideas mentioned above. TRUE Christianity is built upon a SOLID ROCK - absolute certainty that God DOES exist, and that man can and must know, respect, and obey God!
Understanding knowledge and how we know anything is extremely important to answering the question, "Do You KNOW That God Exists?" When discussing religion, atheists, agnostics, and many religious people live by the premise that the only way you can know anything for sure is by having empirical evidence. What is empirical evidence? It is knowledge based upon the experience of the five senses; what you see, hear, smell, taste, or touch. Thus, atheists are SURE that God does not exist because they cannot see Him. So, atheists, agnostics, and "uncertain unbelievers" claim that they cannot "know" anything concerning the supernatural without empirical knowledge.
(To be continued)
God is good. I love you all in Christ our King and Savior.
Kevin J.
You, a human being, have lived for a number of years in this life. Perhaps you have heard some people totally deny the supernatural and others seem to be certain that there is NO supernatural being or "God." Those who deny the existence of the supernatural and of Divine Beings may see others who believe in God and the supernatural as dependent people who need a crutch for their emotional weaknesses or as mentally challenged people who seek assistance from above to help them overcome their struggles and to solve their problems. Many deny that "God" rally exists. They suggest that "He" is just a figment of people's imagination, or an idea (fable) that is passed down from parents to children.
Many religious people who claim to believe in God have almost the same position as those described in the previous paragraph. For example, a great percentage of people in "Christendom" will say, "There is NO WAY that I can KNOW that God exists! I just BELIEVE it!" Others seem to be convinced that God exists because they have seen some artist's painting, Icon, or image. Some will advocate, "Even if there IS NO God, Christianity is still the best way of life." Often on affirms faith in God only to continue by saying, "No one can really KNOW if God exists." The next question is, "why be a believer then?" Every one of these statements is rooted in agnosticism, the idea that Christianity has NO certainty or basis for our beliefs. Thus, Christians are seen as merely gullible people who base their ideas upon fanciful theories that have no legitimate foundation.
True Christianity is completely different from the ideas mentioned above. TRUE Christianity is built upon a SOLID ROCK - absolute certainty that God DOES exist, and that man can and must know, respect, and obey God!
To Be Continued
God is good, I love you all, In Jesus holy name.
Kevin J.
The southern kingdom had 20 kings and only a few did what was right in the eyes of the LORD, and they too were punished and carried away by a foreign army, Babylon, and was there for 70 years. King Cyrus feared the God of Israel and permitted the remnant of the southern kingdom to return to their homeland and rebuild Jerusalem and the temple. Of all the kings that both kingdoms had, none of them obeyed all of the rules that God gave them through Samuel to follow. God would speak to the prophets of Israel and give them hope of a king that would be faithful to God above all others. A sinless king, a Messiah who would deliver all of mankind from sin. King David speaks to this coming king who's kingdom will endure forever for all mankind, for all those who fear him and love him,
Psalm 145:9-13, "Yahweh is good to all. His tender mercies are over all his works. All your works will give thanks to you, Yahweh. Your saints will extol you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom, and talk about your power; to make known to the sons of men his mighty acts, the glory of the majesty of his kingdom. Your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. Your dominion endures throughout all generations. Yahweh is faithful in all his words, and loving in all his deeds." Daniel agrees, 2:44 "In the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom which will never be destroyed, nor will its sovereignty be left to another people; but it will break in pieces and consume all these kingdoms, and it will stand forever...The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure." Praise be to the Holy and Living God of Heaven! He has given us a King above all kings, and a Lord above all Lords, he has given us Messiah. Brothers and sisters, we have a King! Amen.
Jim L
God made promises to Abraham that he would have a land to live in, have a family that would be so many they would be a nation and that through his seed he would raise up a king for all the people of the world. Over the next several hundred years God's people became so numerous, God raised up Moses to lead his people out of bondage from Egypt and God established a theocracy form of government with them. God as the head and Moses as his spokesman. God made a covenant with them that had all the rules for governing the people and how to worship him. They had a system of priests and judges to rule the people. Deu 17:8-10 says, "If there arises a matter too hard for you in judgment, between blood and blood, between plea and plea, and between stroke and stroke, being matters of controversy within your gates; then you shall arise, and go up to the place which Yahweh your God chooses.
You shall come to the priests who are Levites, and to the judge who shall be in those days. You shall inquire, and they shall give you the verdict. You shall do according to the decisions of the verdict which they shall give you from that place which Yahweh chooses." The Lord, knowing the nature of man and how he is inclined to sin, prophesied to them just a few verses later how in the future they would break covenant with him, "Deut. 28:36, "Yahweh will bring you, and your king whom you will set over yourselves, to a nation that you have not known, you nor your fathers. There you will serve other gods of wood and stone." The prophecy alludes to Israel installing a king and being punished for sin and being banished to another land. This happens when Israel's final judge Samuel, appoints his sons as judges over the people and they rebel against them because of his son's wickedness.
Jim L
What I want to do at this time is to take a careful look at that prophecy and go to our text in Luke 1:26-38 and view the prophecy from the standpoint of Mary and then go to Matthew 1:18-25 and view the prophecy from the standpoint of Joseph.
Isaiah 7:14 reads as follows: "Therefore, the Lord himself will give you a sign: See, the virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel." [all Scripture references are from the CSB (Christian Standard Bible) unless otherwise noted.] The word sign, while not always referring to a miracle, does so in this text as Ahaz the king is told to ask for a sign "Ask for a sign from the LORD your God – it can be as deep as Sheol or as high as heaven" (Isaiah 7:11). Ahaz refuses, so Isaiah said that the Lord Himself would give him a sign.
The difficulty with this prophecy in Isaiah 7:14 lies with the Revised Standard Version's translation of the Hebrew word almah as young woman. The King James Version, the American Standard Version, The New American Standard Bible, The English Standard Version, the Modern Literal Version and the New International version all translate almah as virgin.
In addition to Isaiah 7:14, the Hebrew word almah is used in Genesis 24:43, Exodus 2:8, Psalms 68:25, Proverbs 30:19, and Song of Solomon 1:3 and 6:8. H. C. Leupold concluded that it "cannot be denied that such a one is to be classified as a virgin" (156). In his work "The Virgin Birth of Christ", J. Gresham Machen indicated "there is no place among the seven occurrences of almah in the Old Testament where the word is used of a woman who was not a virgin" (288).
Who is the virgin mentioned here in Isaiah 7:14? In his commentary on Isaiah, Wayne Jackson lists the following possibilities:
Some have suggested she was the wife of Ahaz. But this is not possible since Abi, his wife (2 Kings 18:2), was already the mother of Hezekiah at this time. Others have opined that Isaiah's wife is in view; yet the prophet's wife had already given birth to a son (7:3), hence was not a virgin. The idea that the "virgin" was a personification of the house of Israel is a ridiculous attempt to escape the obvious import of the passage, The double-fulfillment theory, advocated by many, declares that the primary reference is to a girl of Isaiah's day (then a virgin, but later to marry, conceive, and bear a son), who serves as a type of the virgin Mary. Matthew, in the New Testament account (1:22), thus sees the virgin birth of Christ as a "typological fulfillment" of that unidentified Old Testament maiden. (21)
Even though some within the Lord's church hold to a double fulfillment view of this prophecy, I believe the evidence mitigates against such a view. Quoting Wayne Jackson again:
"First, if Matthew correctly applied Isaiah 7:14, then unquestionably a virgin birth was in the prophetic scope. It was a virgin who was to conceive; not a virgin who would become a non-virgin and then, by sexual intercourse, conceive. This would suggest that if Isaiah alluded to a girl of his own time, then history testified to two virgin births. If, on the other hand, Isaiah referred to a girl who was a virgin at the time of his prophecy, but would later marry and normally conceive a child, an antitypical interpretation regarding Mary could be made similarly, and the virgin birth of Christ denied." (21)
Oswald T. Allis stated that "if the birth of Immanuel in Isaiah's time was a perfectly natural one, this analogy would clearly favor the rejection of the virgin birth of Jesus" (13).
Using Isaiah 7:14, Matthew writes, "Now all this took place to fulfill what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet: See, the virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel, which is translated 'God is with us'" (1:22-23). Matthew uses the Greek word Parthenos, unquestionably denoting a virgin. He also uses an expression found ten times in his gospel, "that it might be fulfilled," an expression found nowhere else in the New Testament. What we have here in Matthew is an inspired interpretation of an Old Testament prophecy. In the use of the Immanuel, we have set forth the dual nature of Christ. He is "God with us," or the God-man of prophecy. Notice also that in Matthew 1:16, Matthew says, "And Jacob begat Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom was born Jesus, who is called Christ." Matthew is careful to avoid the notion that Joseph was the biological father of Jesus. He does not say that Joseph "begat" Jesus as in the other cases in his genealogy (v. 16).
When Joseph found out that Mary his betrothed wife, was with child, he assumed that she had been guilty of sexual relations with another man and was about to put her away or divorce he secretly. But the angel informed Joseph saying, "…don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife, because what has been conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit" (Matthew 1:20).
God is good, I love you all. In Jesus name, amen and amen.
Kevin J.
The first criminal on the cross hurled insults at Jesus because he did not believe that Jesus was the Son of God. But the second criminal believed. That faith was reflected in what he said to Jesus.
Jesus did not look at all the bad things this man had done. Neither will the Father when this criminal dies. Because the Bible teaches that on the basis of our faith in Jesus, God imputes the righteousness of Jesus on us.
This criminal received salvation and could enter paradise not because of good things he had done. He had no more chance to do good things. Yet righteousness does not come from doing good deeds. It comes from a relationship with God attained through faith in Jesus Christ.
God is good, I love you all in Jesus name,
Amen and amen.
Kevin J.
Luke 23:39-43 MLV
Two criminals spoke to Jesus. One insulted Him while the other affirmed Him. Notice Jesus did not even respond to the first one who insulted Him. He totally ignored him and concentrated on what is important – ministering to the one who believed Him.
Would we be so tolerant with people that have insulted us? Usually when we hear an insult we respond immediately, "What did you just say?" Yet Jesus demonstrated what true love is. True love is slow to anger.
1 Corinthians 13:4-5
When Jesus was on the cross, there were two criminals beside Him. One of the criminals hurled insults at Jesus. But the other one said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." Jesus answered him, "Today you will be with me in paradise." That criminal did a lot of bad things in his life. That was why he was crucified. But Jesus was willing to overlook all the wrong that he had done. God does not condemn us for our past. He is willing to accept us as we are.
Do you feel that you need to straighten yourself out before you approach God? Jesus would say this to you.
Mark 2:17
God wants to accept you as you are. Jesus demonstrated this when He was willing to accept the criminal who did so much wrong he was sentenced to be crucified.
Is there some sin in your life that you think God would not be willing to accept? Why don't you confess that sin to God and ask Him to take away the guilt and condemnation.
God is good, I love you all, in Christs name, Amen and amen.
Kevin J.
1 Corinthians 6:9-11
Romans 13:1-14
We are told to stand with the government because it is commanded. We are not to protest, riot, or speak evil of the leader of our people.
This is what the apostle Paul said when he was ordered to be slapped by the high-priest
Acts 23:3
I am not here to talk against the government. I do care about the government passing bills that would allow God's people to be persecuted because of truth?... the point is to show love toward those who are in sin and help lead them to Christ. By doing this we are saving a soul that is dead. It is not to condemn the government for its poor choice of thing to approve of.
...[T]he Lord... never once condemned the government of His day.... If we set our eyes on Christ, then we will be at peace in our tormented souls.
God is good, I love you all, in Christs name, Amen and amen. Kevin J.
In Jesus Name, Amen and amen, Kevin J