Introduction to the Book of Acts – A History of the Early Church

The Book of Acts

A history of the Early Church

The book of Acts also called The Acts of the Apostles was written by Luke, the same author of the gospel of Luke. Both documents were adressed to a “most excellent Theophilus” who may have been a high ranking Roman government official. The book of Acts was written sometime between 61 and 64 AD. The book ends with Paul’s house arrest in Rome in 61AD. The book makes no mention of Paul’s death or Nero’s persecution nor of the fall of Jerusalem in 70 AD. This places the date of this book at least before 70 AD. Luke was a very accurate and detail oriented historian and would have included these events if they had happened at the time of writing. The book of Acts is a condesned history of the early Apostolic church, it is an eyewitnmess account of the spread fof the gospel from Jerusalem to Rome. The recurring theme in the book is the empowerment of the early believers from the Holy Spirit and it is this same Holy Spirit that empowers believers yet today. While being a historical narrative it also is theologically profound. We as believers do not have “blind” faith, but a FAITH that rests on the facts of history. The life, death and resurrection of Jesus are historical facts recorded by Luke in the gospel that bears his name. The book of Acts gives believers the reassurance that our faith in Christ is based on and rests on historical facts.

1 Corinthians 15:17

New Living Translation (NLT)

17 And if Christ has not been raised, then your faith is useless and you are still guilty of your sins.

Acts 1:1-5

New Living Translation (NLT)

The Promise of the Holy Spirit

1 In my first book[a] I told you, Theophilus, about everything Jesus began to do and teach 2 until the day he was taken up to heaven after giving his chosen apostles further instructions through the Holy Spirit. 3 During the forty days after his crucifixion, he appeared to the apostles from time to time, and he proved to them in many ways that he was actually alive. And he talked to them about the Kingdom of God.

4 Once when he was eating with them, he commanded them, “Do not leave Jerusalem until the Father sends you the gift he promised, as I told you before. 5 John baptized with[b] water, but in just a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Luke 24:36-53

New Living Translation (NLT)

36 And just as they were telling about it, Jesus himself was suddenly standing there among them. “Peace be with you,” he said. 37 But the whole group was startled and frightened, thinking they were seeing a ghost!

38 “Why are you frightened?” he asked. “Why are your hearts filled with doubt? 39 Look at my hands. Look at my feet. You can see that it’s really me. Touch me and make sure that I am not a ghost, because ghosts don’t have bodies, as you see that I do.” 40 As he spoke, he showed them his hands and his feet.

41 Still they stood there in disbelief, filled with joy and wonder. Then he asked them, “Do you have anything here to eat?” 42 They gave him a piece of broiled fish, 43 and he ate it as they watched.

44 Then he said, “When I was with you before, I told you that everything written about me in the law of Moses and the prophets and in the Psalms must be fulfilled.” 45 Then he opened their minds to understand the Scriptures. 46 And he said, “Yes, it was written long ago that the Messiah would suffer and die and rise from the dead on the third day. 47 It was also written that this message would be proclaimed in the authority of his name to all the nations,[a] beginning in Jerusalem: ‘There is forgiveness of sins for all who repent.’ 48 You are witnesses of all these things.

49 “And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”

The Ascension

50 Then Jesus led them to Bethany, and lifting his hands to heaven, he blessed them. 51 While he was blessing them, he left them and was taken up to heaven. 52 So they worshiped him and then returned to Jerusalem filled with great joy. 53 And they spent all of their time in the Temple, praising God.

Footnotes:

1. Luke 24:47 Or all peoples.

2 Peter 1:16

New Living Translation (NLT)

16 For we were not making up clever stories when we told you about the powerful coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. We saw his majestic splendor with our own eyes

It is in the first cahpter of this book that is recorded Jesus ascedning into Heaven, Jesus is the prominent figure of this book. The central theme of the all the sermons, defenses, and the life of the church throughout this book is that of the Resurrected Christ. It is in this book that we meet Saul of Tarsus, and learn of his dramatic conversion experince and how he becomes the Apostle Paul, and of his missionary ecxperinces and influenc over the early church.

Outline of the Book of Acts

1. The apostle’s witness in Jerusalem

2. The Early Church’s Witness to All of Judea and Samaria

3. The Witness to the End of the Earth

What Happened on Friday?

What Happened on Friday?

Thursday Jesus and the disciples obesrved Passover and Jesus instituted the Lord’s Supper. Jesus was betreayed on Thursday evening as He and the disciples prayed. It is in the Garden of Gethsame where they prayed and Judas brought the temple guards to arrest Jesus. It is then that Peter cut off the ear of one of the guards. Then Jesus underwent bascially three trials on Thursday exteding into Friday morning very early. Pilate caved into the political pressure of that day and finally gave the Sanhedrin what the wanted- Jesus to be put to death- they meant it for evil but God meant it for good. The trial in the Jewish court was a knagaroo court which was an illegal trial held in the middle of the night with witnesses which were paid to lie. They meant it for evil but God meant it for good. It is now Friday- but Sunday is coming! It is Friday- Jesus is mocked and crowned with a crown of thorns and beaten so badly that He is beyond physical recognition – it’s Friday- But Sunday is Coming! Jesus is led to the Golgatha and stipped and beaten and nailed to the cross- it is Friday- Sunday is coming! The Apostle John is there as is Jesus Mother Mary- Jesus speaks from the cross- the pain, the blood, the shame, the humiliation, Jesus speaks from the cross- what an effort even that must have been- Its Friday- Sunday is coming- From the cross Jesus forgives, makes arrangements for His Mother’s care, shows His full humanity – and asks, prays, “My God, My God why have you forsaken me?” Did God really forsake His Son? I do not believe so, Jesus here is being human, what one of us in that situation would not feel like God had forsaken us? This is a very human question and came from the human nature of Jesus. He was letting the world know that at times we make feel as if God has abandoned us- that is how we feel( our emotions) but God’s promise is that He will never forsake us. And He will not and he did not forsake His own Son! It is Friday- Sunday is Coming!

Jesus forgives from the cross, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do” Jesus here is interceding here for all sinners throughout eternity. He is looking into the time before the cross and the time after the cross and seeing not only the sin, but the sinner- it is here that the gift of grace is being granted to all who would accept it. Even as he is feeling the nails piercing his wrists and feet, as the thorns punture clear through the skull into the brain tissues, as the pressure on the chest becomes unbearable and breathing causes excruciating pain- He is suffering the torture that we (sinners) deserve as He is interessing with the Father for us. Its Friday, Sunday;s Coming! He cries out “I thirst” again showing His frail human nature. At last the Suffering Servant cries out – IT IS Finished! And says Father into Your hand I committ my Spirit. And He gives up the ghost. It is Friday- Sunday is coming! Jesus is then taken from the cross and laid in a borrowed tomb- it is Friday- Sunday is coming!

The disciple have gone into hiding where the remain all day Saturday, the Sabbath. What a dark sabbath that must have been! It is now Saturday- the Sabbath- but Sunday is coming!

Got Talents? Gabe who?? ( Nope not Kotter!)

Lets open tonight with the parable of the talents in keeping with our study on what the Bible says about handling the resources that God has blessed us with.  To understand what God’s will is for our finances we have to understand what stewardship means. Webster defines a steward as “one who manages another’s property”  We gave to understand that all the we have belongs to God and He has entrusted those resources for us to manage. I have always said that there are actually three conversions that take place when one comes to Christ- the first is of the mind, then the heart, and the last conversion is that of the wallet.  This is the most important thing to understand and yet is the hardest to do- admitting that we have nothing except what God blesses us with and when we leave this earth, we leave it behind.  Lets look at the parable. Wait a minute- who knows what a parable is? Simply stated it is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning.  Ok , here is the parable of the talents followed by a few question for thought and meditation:

Matthew 25:14-30

New King James Version (NKJV)

The Parable of the Talents

¹⁴ “For the kingdom of heaven is like a man traveling to a far country, who called his own servants and delivered his goods to them. ¹⁵ And to one he gave five talents, to another two, and to another one, to each according to his own ability; and immediately he went on a journey. ¹⁶ Then he who had received the five talents went and traded with them, and made another five talents. ¹⁷ And likewise he who had received two gained two more also. ¹⁸ But he who had received one went and dug in the ground, and hid his lord’s money. ¹⁹ After a long time the lord of those servants came and settled accounts with them.

²⁰ “So he who had received five talents came and brought five other talents, saying, ‘Lord, you delivered to me five talents; look, I have gained five more talents besides them.’ ²¹ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you were faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’²² He also who had received two talents came and said, ‘Lord, you delivered to me two talents; look, I have gained two more talents besides them.’ ²³ His lord said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful servant; you have been faithful over a few things, I will make you ruler over many things. Enter into the joy of your lord.’

²⁴ “Then he who had received the one talent came and said, ‘Lord, I knew you to be a hard man, reaping where you have not sown, and gathering where you have not scattered seed. ²⁵ And I was afraid, and went and hid your talent in the ground. Look, there you have what is yours.’

²⁶ “But his lord answered and said to him, ‘You wicked and lazy servant, you knew that I reap where I have not sown, and gather where I have not scattered seed. ²⁷ So you ought to have deposited my money with the bankers, and at my coming I would have received back my own with interest. ²⁸ Therefore take the talent from him, and give it to him who has ten talents.

²⁹ ‘For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have abundance; but from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away. ³⁰ And cast the unprofitable servant into the outer darkness. There will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

 

To what did Jesus equate this parable? (hint – answer is in v 14)

Why was each given a different amount?  (hint- answer is in v 15)

Did the owner ask all to earn the same? 

How were the two faithful servants rewarded? (hint – answer is in vss 20-2

What happened to the last? (hint answer is in vs 26-27

Does verse 29 seem fair to you? why or why not? 

The main lesson is this parable is about stewardship.  Each using his own abilities, managing the Masters resources well and returning them to Him. This is about investing and getting a return-  even today with the volatile stock market making that a big risk, though historically the stock market has been the safest investment in the long with a the biggest returns. Even if you do not want to take a risk- a simple saving account will draw interest and provide a small return over time.  This parable does not only apply to money though- God has given all of us skills and abilities that He wants us to use to advance the kingdom- and a saved soul is more precious than gold. That song you sang may have impacted someone, that prayer you uttered may have had an influence on someone, that devotional you gave may have opened someone’s eyes, just being there at the church, or the funeral home, or that phone call you made just to chat may have had an impact.  

Ok, let jump now to a little about the angel Gabriel!  

The name Gabriel is Hebrew for “God’s Hero” or “the mighty one” or  ”God is great. Gabriel is often referred to as “the messenger of Jehovah” or “the Lord’s messenger”. Gabriel appears four times in the Bible , each time bringing a message of good news.   

Daniel 8:16, 9:21

Luke 1:19, 26

Gabriel first appears in the NT in Luke 1- first to Zacharias to announce the birth of John the Baptist and then to Mary to announce the birth of Jesus, God in the flesh!  

More on angel next time!

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A Few Words and then Going down the Road with Peter

I need to say a few words about abortion before we get to the study on 1 Peter. Ladies, if you have had an abortion,then you know better than I what the effects are on you mentally, emotionally, and physically. I am not passing judgment on you if you have had an abortion,that is not for me to do. And I have nothing but compassion for you.   The issue of abortion is not a political issue as some have made it, but it is a moral issue.   The bottom line on this issue seems to be when life begins.  But it goes much deeper than that. Fact is, it takes two to make a baby. We just studied the nativity accounts- and every time the unborn child was mentioned they were referred to as a baby or as a child. This makes it clear from a biblical standpoint -life begins at conception. There are those that will argue about cases of rape and incest- the fact is these account for less than 1% of all pregnancies.  It does not matter how the child was conceived, it is still a life and it is a human life.  Ladies, if you find yourself in this situation and for whatever reason, feel you cannot take care of the baby, seek help from one of the many Women’s Resource Center’s or Crisis Pregnancy Centers that are in almost every community.  They will get you in touch with the right people to  help you and guide in making the tough decisions that will be what is right for all involved, you, your child, and the father.  

The Bible definitely teaches that the unborn are persons because the unborn possess personal attributes, are described by personal pronouns, Jesus is called a child at conception, the unborn are called children, are protected by the same punishment as for adults, are called by God before birth, and are known personally by God just like any other person.  Since abortion is murdering a person, abortion is morally wrong (Gen. 9:6; Rom. 1:28-29). 

The following is a quote from elsewhere, I do not recall where I found this at but I liked the argument so well that I did a copy and paste of it several months ago and saved it.  

Many people will refuse to accept God’s word as a standard by which they should live and make decisions.  That is their right to reject it.  Nevertheless, I offer the following as reasons for not having abortions.

1. What is growing in the womb of the woman is alive.
   1. Even one-celled creatures are alive.
   2. What is growing in the woman is more than a one-celled creature.
2. The nature of the life in the woman is human.
   1. It is the product of human DNA; therefore, its nature, its essence, is undeniably human.
   2. Because it is human in nature, if left to live, it will result in a fully developed human baby.
   3. Humans are humans not because they have feet, hands, walk vertically, and speak, etc.  Not all people have feet, hands, can walk, and speak. They are humans because of their nature, their essence, not because of physical abilities or disabilities.
   4. 1. A person born without arms and legs is still human.
      2. A person who cannot speak is still human.
      3. A person in a coma, helpless, unaware, unmoving, is still human by nature and it is wrong to murder such a person.
   5. What is growing in the womb does not have the nature of an animal, bird, or fish. It has human nature.
      1. If it is not human in nature, then what nature is it?
      2. If it is not human in nature, then does it have a different nature than human?
         1. If so, then from where did it get this different nature, since the only sources of its nature are human egg and human sperm?
   6. Objection: A cell in the body has human DNA and is alive and it’s okay to kill it.  So, it doesn’t make any difference with a fetus.
      1. Though it is true that a cell in the human body has DNA and is alive, a cell (muscle cell, skin cell, etc.) has the nature of being only what it is — not a human.  In other words, a muscle cell is by nature a muscle cell.  A skin cell is by nature a skin cell.  But the fertilized egg of a human is, by nature, that very thing which becomes a fully developed human.  Its nature is different than that of muscle or skin cells because these do not grow into humans.  Therefore, a human cell and a human egg are not the same thing.
         A fertilized human egg has the nature of human development and it is alive.  This is not so with a muscle or skin cell.
3. To abort the life, which is human in nature, is to kill that which is human in nature.
4. Therefore, abortion is killing a life which is human by nature.
   1. Where, then, does the mother get the right to kill the human within her?

A question for those who believe in abortion, and that the life in the womb is not human.  Is it okay to take a fertilized egg between a man and a woman and place it in the womb of a dog?

• If you say no, then why?  If it is not human then it doesn’t matter, right?
• If you say no because it will become a human, then you admit that it has human nature and is alive.  If it is human in nature and alive, then you do not have the right to abort it.
• If you say it is alright, why is it okay?Ok

Ok, lets get back and finish up 1 Peter and tackle a couple of verses from 1 Peter Chapter two.

Verse 15- The word holy is translated from the Hebrew qadash and the Greek hag- and the word means set apart, in this case set apart for sacred use that is that we are set apart to be used by God for His purposes- that we should live lives that show that we totally dedicated to God.

Verse 16- “because it is written,”Be Holy, for I Am holy”” – Again we are live our lives in a manner that is pleasing to God. The world should look at how we act and respond to the things that life throws at us and see that it is different than how they would respond to the same things.

Verse 17- Our relationship with God does not mean that we will escape judgment. God is our heavenly Father as well as our earthly judge. This should be understood as something between terror(for the lost) and reverential awe for the believer. We will be judged on our works done in fear. For the believer this has to do with reward for the unbeliever their judgment will be based on works alone.

Verse 18- The basic meaning of the redemption is to release or freedom on payment of a price or deliverance by a costly method. As humans we are slaves to sin and we must be set free to become servants of God. God has redeemed us by the sacrifice of His Son, Jesus on the cross. This is a completed act as far as God is concerned. We experience the results of this redemption now in part, and will fully recognize full redemption at the resurrection of the dead.

Verse 19-This compares God’s way of salvation to mans. Precious blood- that word precious in Hebrew often referred to precious stones or possessions, it could also be translated as costly or expensive. There is no forgiveness of sins without the shedding of blood. Jesus was the Sacrificial Lamb whose blood was shed for us. He was without sin( without blemish or perfect). The analogy here could refer to the Passover Lamb or the many lambs that were sacrificed to temporarily atone for sin.

Verse 20- God’s plan of salvation was made before the world was even created. Our salvation was not an afterthought of God’s. God planned for it long before the need arose. What was known only to God before the creation is now revealed to us.

Verse 22- The purification of our souls in through obedience to Christ. We do not purify our own souls. This could refer either to the conversion process or to the sanctification process that occurs after the initial conversion.

Verse 23- Born again- this is common phrase today used by many Christians. It is rarely found used in the NT. The phrase refers to a renewing of the spirit that once was dead in sin and once Christ is accepted becomes alive through grace.

This bring us to chapters two and three of the letter that is titled 1 Peter. There are only five chapters in this book but each word is so profound.

As we live in this world and are bound for our home in heaven, we need to keep in God’s Word and prayer constantly. This is what gives us our strength, it is our guide, and it is nourishment for the spirit. It is in this way that we know that God is walking with us and is with us in all of our trials, and it is He that leads us toward our goal of reaching out home in heaven.

1Therefore, laying aside all malice, all deceit, hypocrisy, envy, and all evil speaking,2as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby,3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is gracious.

Our focus here is on verse 2 – we should long for the study of God’s word with all of our being. Not just to learn but so that we will grow in the faith and mature in the faith.

4Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious,5 you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.6Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture,

“ Behold, I lay in Zion
A chief cornerstone, elect, precious,
And he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.”

7Therefore, to you who believe,He is precious; but to those who are disobedient,

“ The stone which the builders rejected
Has become the chief cornerstone,”

8and

“ A stone of stumbling
And a rock of offense.”[e]

They stumble, being disobedient to the word, to which they also were appointed.
9But you area chosen generation, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, His own special people, that you may proclaim the praises of Him who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light;10who oncewere not a people but are now the people of God, who had not obtained mercy but now have obtained mercy.

 Just read and contemplate these verse for awhile.  

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Finally! We get through Rev 22! Don’t be Blue- There is much more to do!

As we study this and other prophetic books we need to heed the warning found in 2 Peter 1: 20-21. It is through misguided interpretations of scripture that false teachers are able to gain a foothold and thus corrupt the church with a false gospel and their false teachings and thus lead the babe in Christ astray and even some mature Christians are led down the wrong path by false teachers because of their devious and deceitful charm with words that please the mind but leave the heart and spirit in darkness. These false teachers are under the control of the father of lies and his demons. That is why it is so important for one to study the Bible for themselves so that they know when a false teacher is twisting the words of the gospel and then if one knows the TRUTH they will not be deceived and led astray down a path that leads to destruction. The devil loves to go to church and Bible Studies and prayer meetings, with the intent of perverting the gospel by infiltrating the congregations and influencing even the leaders of the church.

2 Peter 1:19-21

New King James Version (NKJV)

19 And so we have the prophetic word confirmed,which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;20knowing this first, that no prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation,21for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of Godspoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.

Once again we are in the final chapter of the final book of the Holy Scriptures. Again, for those who are in Christ and have their sins covered by His blood, this is a book of promise, a book, of hope, a book of reassurance. For the lost it is a book that describes the horrors of the wrath of the perfect justice of God. As we now come to verses 12-17 we see that these verses are from Jesus to the churches.

12“And behold, I am coming quickly, and My reward is with Me, to give to every one according to his work.13I am the Alpha and the Omega,the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last.”
14Blessed are those who do His commandments,that they may have the right to the tree of life, and may enter through the gates into the city.15Butoutside are dogs and sorcerers and sexually immoral and murderers and idolaters, and whoever loves and practices a lie.
16“I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you these things in the churches. I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and Morning Star.”
17And the Spirit and the bride say, “Come!” And let him who hears say, “Come!” And let him who thirsts come. Whoever desires, let him take the water of life freely.

 

V12 Jesus is coming quickly, His appearing will be sudden and unexpected. His appearing will mean reward for the believer, a very strong incentive to remain obedient.

 

V114,15 This is the last of the seven beatitudes of Revelation. The blessing is access to the tree of life and will have the privilege of entering into the New Jerusalem, this blessing and this privilige is only for those who have perseevered in obedience to Christ thus keeping that relationship viable and intimate. The word “dogs” here is likely a term used to describe false teachers. This was also a common expression that the Jews used to refer to Gentiles. “loves and practices a lie” indicates a life dominated by falsehoods.

 

V 16 This verse echoes the words of Isaiah 11:1,10. Jesus is greater than David and is the rightful heir to the throne of David. Jesus is our comforting light in a dark world until we see the glory of the dawning of His return.

 

V 17 This is an open invitation of the Spirit, to anyone and everyone that will come to Christ and accept His gift of grace by faith.

 

The next few verses contain a very strong warning from the Lord Himself, not to be adding to or detracting from this book. There are two thoughts on this, one is that this warning is specifically for the book of Revelation, the other is that it is a warning not to tamper with the content of the entire canon.

 

 

18ForI testify to everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: If anyone adds to these things, God will addto him the plagues that are written in this book;9and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God shall take awayhis part from the Bookof Life, from the holy city, and from the things which are written in this book.

 

 

We come now to the conclusion of not only the book of Revelation but the conclusion of the entire commonly accepted canon of the Holy Scriptures.

 

 

20He who testifies to these things says, “Surely I am coming quickly.”
Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus!
21 The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all Amen.

This is the hope and prayer of all believers that Jesus will come back and come back soon or quickly.

 

“Come, Lord Jesus” is the hope and prayer of all believers.

 

“The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ”- This books end as it began with this phrase.

 

This concludes our study of the book of Revelation. My prayer is that you have been blessed by this study and that your faith has been strengthened through this study.

As the new year begins, we will move on through out study of the Bible.

This study has shown us that the stage is set for the things ,prophesied in this book ,and that others such as Daniel and Ezekiel have spoken of to come to pass. One of the major warnings in all of prophesy is that the re will be false teachers and false messiahs appear on the scene. And that there will be an increase in the persecution of God’s people, and this includes both Jews and Christians. It is a reported fact that there were more Christians martyred during the twentieth century than in all the centuries before combined. Stay faithful and remain obedient and be aware of false teachers that promote the false doctrines of devils. With this in mind for the next study we will look at the books of 1 and 2 Peter and we will tackle the gospel of Mark also.

 

Is the End or the Beginning? Rev22!!

It has been a long while since we touched on the book of Revelation. As we approach the end of the year,, it is fitting that we finish this, the last book of the entire canon of the Holy Bible. We started this study several weeks ago and got side tracked with Christmas.And I was reading through Malachi in my own devotional time and though it would be appropriate and  and quick study since it is such a short book and addresses the same issues that the world and especially the Unites States is facing right now.   We approach the new year with hopes and dreams and high expectations that this next year will be much better than the one we bid farewell to, and  for some of us, a good riddance.  As I mentioned previously 2010 did end well for my family and I and once again 2011 we face another loss of a loved one. As I come to grips with those things I realize just how much promise and hope the book of Revelation offers the saved believer in Jesus Christ. For the lost, it is a book of horrors, but for the Christian it is a book of hope and assurance of that hope. As death for the believer is actually life eternal in paradise with the Lord and with  those that have passed onto glory , it  is not the end, but the beginning of something new and absolutely astounding, to be  present with the Lord.  And that is what the last chapter of the book is all about- it is about life and opens with John describing a river with the water of life- so lets get to it!

Revelation 22

 ¹ And he showed me a pure river of water of life, clear as crystal, proceeding from the throne of God and of the Lamb. ² In the middle of its street, and on either side of the river, was the tree of life, which bore twelve fruits, each tree yielding its fruit every month. The leaves of the tree were for the healing of the nations. ³ 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. ⁴ They shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. ⁵ There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever

The river with the water of life reminds us of the water coming from the temple in Ezekiel 47 and Jesus expression “rivers of living water” in John 7:38 which represents the New Testament ministry of the Holy Spirit.  The tree of life in the original creation ( remember this is after the all things being made new- a new heaven a new earth) was in the middle of the garden of Eden.  All of humanity was banned from the tree after sin entered into the world. This implies that a better and new everlasting Eden has come.  Now we come to verse 3 – NO MORE CURSE- the affliction of sin on humans and all of creation will be erased. PRAISE THE LORD!!  Once again we will fellowship with God as Adam and Eve did before the fall. The Lord will be with His people eternally and we will worshipfully serve Him. And this brings us to verse four – The hope of the Christian today is to see the Lord face to face. No one, not even Moses was allowed to do this before.  ”His name shall be on their foreheads” This is a fulfillment of the promise to the believers of the church of Philadelphia and also stands in stark contrast to the mark of the beast. Now we come to verse five, the final verse that we will look at tonight. “There shall be no night there” It is a fulfillment of Christ’s proclamation that He is “the Light of the world”  There is no need for a lamp- it is His glory that shines bright enough to overpower any and all darkness.  ”And they shall reign forever and ever” with the Lord- there is implication to this in Chapter 1 verse six of this book. Also this can be found in Daniel 7:18 and 27.  

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Psalm 51:10

 ¹⁰ Create in me a clean heart, O God,

         And renew a steadfast spirit within me.”

 

 

Onward with Malachi

Treachery of Infidelity

¹⁰ Have we not all one Father?
Has not one God created us?
Why do we deal treacherously with one another
By profaning the covenant of the fathers?
¹¹ Judah has dealt treacherously,
And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem,
For Judah has profaned
The LORD’s holy institution which He loves:
He has married the daughter of a foreign god.
¹² May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob
The man who does this, being awake and aware,^[b]
Yet who brings an offering to the LORD of hosts!
¹³ And this is the second thing you do:
You cover the altar of the LORD with tears,
With weeping and crying;
So He does not regard the offering anymore,
Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.
¹⁴ Yet you say, “For what reason?”
Because the LORD has been witness
Between you and the wife of your youth,
With whom you have dealt treacherously;
Yet she is your companion
And your wife by covenant.
¹⁵ But did He not make them one,
Having a remnant of the Spirit?
And why one?
He seeks godly offspring.
Therefore take heed to your spirit,
And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.
¹⁶ “ For the LORD God of Israel says
That He hates divorce,
For it covers one’s garment with violence,”
Says the LORD of hosts.

“ Therefore take heed to your spirit,
That you do not deal treacherously.”
¹⁷ You have wearied the LORD with your words;
Yet you say,

“ In what way have we wearied Him?”
In that you say,

“ Everyone who does evil
Is good in the sight of the LORD,
And He delights in them,”
Or, “Where is the God of justice?”

This section could be considered a dispute over the peoples unfaithfulness.

 ¹⁰ Have we not all one Father? 
      Has not one God created us? 
      Why do we deal treacherously with one another 
      By profaning the covenant of the fathers? 

Has not one God created us? – This brings to mind the creation text of Gen 1:26-28-

Genesis 1:26-28

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁶ Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all^[a] the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” ²⁷ So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them. ²⁸ Then God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply; fill the earth and subdue it; have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over every living thing that moves on the earth.” 

 Why do we deal treacherously with one another – God requires that we, humans treat each other equitably as He is the creator of all humanity and we are all made in His image. 

¹¹ Judah has dealt treacherously,
And an abomination has been committed in Israel and in Jerusalem,
For Judah has profaned
The LORD’s holy institution which He loves:
He has married the daughter of a foreign god.

The term abomination is a strong word indicating that the people had done something awful as to make one  sick to the stomach. The text here presents the ideas of affection and revulsion which we usually think of in terms of the verbs to love and to hate.  Marriage is something God loves, divorce is something that God hates.  The Lord’s people had polluted something in which God takes great pleasure. The question of intermarriage in ancient Israel was not ethnic nor racial but spiritual.  A lack of faithfulness in God Himself.  We can see in Joshua 6:25 that Rahab the Canaanite prostitute became part of the Israelite community and Matthew 1:5 shows that she was a part of the genealogy of Jesus. The problem was not the intermarrying of foreign women but that the foreign women worshiped idols and led their husbands away from the worship of the Lord, the the only true and living God. 

 

¹² May the LORD cut off from the tents of Jacob 
      The man who does this, being awake and aware,^[b]
      Yet who brings an offering to the LORD of hosts! 

cut off-This phrase may may refer to either banishment or even death. 

being awake and aware- This is a difficult phrase but may mean a deliberate offense against the Lord. (see Lev 10:1-3).

 Many men of Israel has married foreign wives and tolerated their idolatry, yet they continued to bring offerings to the Lord, as if there was nothing wrong in their families. But God said their hypocritical offerings did not make them holy in His sight.  Do we have areas in our lives where we are ignoring God’s clear command?  Do we suppose the going to church, giving an offering, and saying a prayer will smooth over our actions? God calls us to give ourselves completely over to Him, to make Him the Lord over our entire lives and not to hold back in any area. 

 

¹³ And this is the second thing you do:
You cover the altar of the LORD with tears,
With weeping and crying;
So He does not regard the offering anymore,
Nor receive it with goodwill from your hands.

the second thing – Prophets often spoke of the compounding of the people’s sins. 

tears-here seem to be judged as hypocritical acts of insincere repentance.  Crocodile tears do not fool God. 

So He does not regard the offering anymore- When the right things are done for the wrong reasons or with the wrong attitudes God does not accept them.

 

 goodwill -The Hebrew suggests God’s pleasure is in sacrifices offered with humility, faithfulness, and joy. 

¹⁴ Yet you say, “For what reason?” 
      Because the LORD has been witness 
      Between you and the wife of your youth, 
      With whom you have dealt treacherously; 
      Yet she is your companion 
      And your wife by covenant. 

For what reason?- The feigned surprise of the people fooled no one, certainly not the Lord!  

witness – There are some whose witness can be challenged but not the Lord’s!

wife of your youth- These men had not only married pagan wives but had divorced their first wives to make room for their new ones.  

companion- this describes a permanent partnership.

by covenant- The union of a marriage is formal,public,legal, and sacred, a binding contract. 

 

¹⁵ But did He not make them one,
Having a remnant of the Spirit?
And why one?
He seeks godly offspring.
Therefore take heed to your spirit,
And let none deal treacherously with the wife of his youth.

 

make them one- Here the prophet recalls the words of from Gen 2:24- “one flesh”.  

a remnant of the Spirit- This somewhat difficult phrase likely indicates the work of God’s Holy Spirit in the life of a married couple. God has joined them, and by His spirit He has worked on their behalf to strengthen them.

 godly offspring- God seeks godly children as He seeks true worshipers.  

Therefore take heed to your spirit- We must control our attitudes so that they will be in line with those of  God’s Spirit.

treacherously- To the Lord, attitudes of indifference to marriage vows and duties are the actions of a traitor. 

The above verses are God reaffirming what marriage is- a man and a woman becoming one.  God hates divorce. When we marry, we are to remain faithful to our spouse and are only released from our covenant in cases of sexual immorality( Matt 19:9) or abandonment (1 Cor 7:15).

¹⁶ “ For the LORD God of Israel says
That He hates divorce,
For it covers one’s garment with violence,”
Says the LORD of hosts.

Disobedience to God leads to broken relationships. For the Israelites, it lead to broken relationships with each other( marital divorce) and with God (spiritual divorce).  Ephesians 5:21-23 indicates that marriage is a picture of our relationship with God.  Good relationships must be guarded and nurtured with time, effort, and most of all, love.  

 

¹⁷ You have wearied the LORD with your words;
Yet you say,

“ In what way have we wearied Him?”
In that you say,

“ Everyone who does evil
Is good in the sight of the LORD,
And He delights in them,”
Or, “Where is the God of justice?”

 

God is wearied by people who do not submit to Him but who argue their points against His revelations.  When justice comes they will be sorry.