Unlearning Tradition, Relearning Scripture

Tag: Kingdom of heaven

  • Spliced Gospel

    According to vocabulary.com, the earliest records of the word “splice” date back to the early 16th century when it was borrowed from the Middle Dutch verb “splissen.” Sailors used this verb to join ropes end to end by interweaving their strands. In 1912, the infant motion-picture industry adopted the word “splice” to describe the cutting and joining of film during the editing process. Ironically, this is precisely what happens to the modern interpretation of the Gospel—it’s spliced and edited.

    In my previous blog post titled “The Gospel Heralds God’s Kingdom and the Time of the End,” I discussed how the Gospel relates to the conclusion of Old Covenant Israel and the establishment of God’s kingdom. Unfortunately, this message is no longer what is commonly preached and taught in conventional Christianity. As a result, many Christians feel it is acceptable to disregard the doctrine of the last days and instead focus solely on the grace of God. This has led to disagreements among Christians regarding the doctrine of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ.

    Watch all three videos in the intended sequence. I generally agree with most of the first two videos, so my criticism lies in his explanation of “the end of the age.”

    R.C. Sproul was on the right track until he reached Luke 21:24. Here’s an excerpt of the passage where he deviates from the correct interpretation: “Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled.” Although Sproul was able to connect this verse to Paul’s words in Romans 11:25, “A partial hardening has come upon Israel until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in,” his interpretation of both texts don’t align with their context. R.C. Sproul suggested that if there was a time for the Gentiles, there must also be a time for the Jews. However, he conveniently overlooked the fact that he had repeatedly asserted that the “last days” refer to the Jewish age. Therefore, if we follow his reasoning, it implies that the “last days” encompassed the Jewish age—the era of the apostles until the destruction of the temple—followed by the times of the Gentiles, and then returned to the Jewish age.

    Jesus Christ spoke of only two ages—“in this age and in the age to come,” as mentioned in Matthew 12:32. This concept was also expressed by Christ Jesus in various other passages, such as Mark 10:29-30 and Luke 18:29-30. However, the most profound statement about the two ages can be found in Luke 20:34-36.

    “And Jesus said to them [Sadducees], “The sons of this age marry and are given in marriage, but those who are considered worthy to attain to that age and to the resurrection from the dead neither marry nor are given in marriage, for they cannot die anymore, because they are equal to angels and are sons of God, being sons of the resurrection.”

    Jesus Christ made a clear distinction between the two ages: resurrection, therefore pointing to salvation, becomes a reality only at the age to come. Check and see, Hebrews 9:28 teaches the same truth. Now, to which age do the Sadducees belong? Obviously, it’s the Jewish age. The temple was still standing. Old Testament temple offerings and regulations were still in effect.

    Hebrews, written in 68 AD, according to Bible Hub Timeline. The temple was still standing before it was destroyed in 70 AD. Hebrews 8:13 says, “In speaking of a new covenant, He makes the first one obsolete. And what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away.” Hebrews was correct; the temple and its regulations were ready to vanish away. Hence, with the destruction of the Jewish temple, all temple regulations halted, and the Jewish age ended.

    But R.C. Sproul was suggesting a return of the Jews. He especially mentioned the Jews’ return to Jerusalem in 1948. Also, the Sixth Day War was fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states, primarily Egypt, Syria, and Jordan, from 5 to 10 June 1967. Yet, despite all these years, since 1948, that the Jews have returned to Jerusalem, the temple was never rebuilt. The Dome of Rock stands today on the exact spot where the former Jewish temple was built, stood, and then was destroyed. Besides, any suggestion of a re-establishment of another Jewish age contradicts Scripture’s clear declaration of God’s working for salvation. See Galatians 3:25-29.

    “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s offspring, heirs according to promise.”

    In other words, even with the return of the Jews in 1948, the train has passed them, and they’ve missed the ride. That’s exactly the point of the two passages. Actually, Paul was the authority behind both Luke 21:24 and Romans 11:25, which were connected rightly by R.C. Sproul but were interpreted wrongly.

    Let us take a look at both passages within its context.

    “They will fall by the edge of the sword and be led captive among all nations, and Jerusalem will be trampled underfoot by the Gentiles, until the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled. ‘And there will be signs in sun and moon and stars, and on the earth distress of nations in perplexity because of the roaring of the sea and the waves, people fainting with fear and with foreboding of what is coming on the world. For the powers of the heavens will be shaken. And then they will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory. Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads, because your redemption is drawing near.’” (Luke 21:24-28)

    How would the times of the Gentiles be fulfilled? What does Luke mean by “times of the Gentiles”?

    Daniel spoke of “times of the Gentiles ruling over Israel”. God revealed the meaning of Nebuchadnezzar’s dream. In the dream, there were four Gentile nations to rule over Israel, and it’s on the last or fourth Gentile kingdom when God’s kingdom would be manifested. See Daniel 2:40-46.

    “And there shall be a fourth kingdom, strong as iron, because iron breaks to pieces and shatters all things. And like iron that crushes, it shall break and crush all these. And as you saw the feet and toes, partly of potter’s clay and partly of iron, it shall be a divided kingdom, but some of the firmness of iron shall be in it, just as you saw iron mixed with the soft clay. And as the toes of the feet were partly iron and partly clay, so the kingdom shall be partly strong and partly brittle. As you saw the iron mixed with soft clay, so they will mix with one another in marriage, but they will not hold together, just as iron does not mix with clay. And in the days of those kings the God of heaven will set up a kingdom that shall never be destroyed, nor shall the kingdom be left to another people. It shall break in pieces all these kingdoms and bring them to an end, and it shall stand forever, just as you saw that a stone was cut from a mountain by no human hand, and that it broke in pieces the iron, the bronze, the clay, the silver, and the gold. A great God has made known to the king what shall be after this. The dream is certain, and its interpretation sure.” Then King Nebuchadnezzar fell upon his face and paid homage to Daniel, and commanded that an offering and incense be offered up to him.”

    We have the advantage of history guiding us in understanding fulfilled prophecies, but that does not mean it cannot be explained internally by Scripture itself. Rome, the fourth Gentile empire after Babylon, succeeded in ruling over Israel. The Stone has repeatedly been interpreted as a reference to Jesus Christ. In Luke 20, Jesus Christ delivered a parable. At the conclusion of his parable, the Bible states, “But He [Jesus Christ] looked directly at them [Jewish religious leaders] and said, ‘What then is this that is written: “The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone’? Everyone who falls on that stone will be broken to pieces, and when it falls on anyone, it will crush him.’ The scribes and the chief priests attempted to seize Him at that very moment, for they recognized that He had uttered this parable in opposition to them, but they were afraid of the people.” (Luke 20:17-19)

    In Acts 4, Peter preaching before the Jews said, “This Jesus is the stone that was rejected by you, the builders, which has become the cornerstone.” (Act 4:11)

    The “times of the Gentiles” in Luke 21:24 then refer to the end of the Jewish age and the arrival of God’s kingdom. Isn’t that the time when the “resurrection of the last days” should occur? Look at the context. Luke went on to say, “Now when these things begin to take place, straighten up and raise your heads because your redemption is drawing near (Luke 21:28).” Then, again, Luke added, saying, “So also, when you see these things taking place, you know that the kingdom of God is near (Luke 21:31).”

    God’s complete redemption of His people would occur only when God’s kingdom has been fully consummated. See 1 Corinthians 15:23-27.

    “But each in his own order: Christ the firstfruits, then at His coming those who belong to Christ. Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For “God has put all things in subjection under His feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that He is excepted who put all things in subjection under Him.”

    Now let see Romans 11:25 together with its context.

    “Lest you be wise in your own sight, I do not want you to be unaware of this mystery, brothers: a partial hardening has come upon Israel, until the fullness of the Gentiles has come in. And in this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, “The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob”; “and this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins.” As regards the gospel, they are enemies for your sake. But as regards election, they are beloved for the sake of their forefathers.” (Rom 11:25-28)

    Let’s examine Paul’s statement: “I don’t want you to be unaware about this mystery.” What mystery? That’s the Jew and Gentile are both under God’s New Covenant. Check out Ephesians 2:11-3:6.

    Now, from the context of Romans 11, Paul clearly was now addressing the Gentile Christians, Paul said, “Now I’m speaking to you Gentiles. Inasmuch then as I am an apostle to the Gentiles, I magnify my ministry (Rom 11:13).”

    In his letter to the believers in Rome, Paul addressed both Jewish and Gentile Christians. However, at this point, he was specifically speaking to Gentile Christians. What was the issue? The Gentile Christians seemed to have misunderstood, thinking that God was done with Israel. They believed they were destined for destruction. To clarify this, Paul explained, “No, not yet. Not until Christ Jesus returns with the fullness of God’s kingdom, they still have a chance.” To support his point, he quoted Scripture, specifically Psalm 14:7 and Isaiah 59:20-22, saying, “In this way all Israel will be saved, as it is written, ‘The Deliverer will come from Zion, He will banish ungodliness from Jacob’, “and this will be My covenant with them when I take away their sins.” (Romans 11:26-27)

    Who would be saved according to Paul, in Romans 11? It’s the remnant of Israel saved by grace (Romans 11:5-7). That’s also the elect of Paul’s era (Romans 11:25-32), properly applied—“It’s the Jews who responded to the Gospel of Christ Jesus (1 Thess 1:4-5) before the fullness of the Gentiles has come in”, the fulfillment of Daniel’s prophecy (Daniel 2:40-46), and the consumation of God’s kingdom (1Co 15:23-26).

    Furthermore, R.C. Sproul proposed the possibility of two comings after the incarnate coming of Christ Jesus—one in judgment of Israel (70 AD), and the latter in fulfillment of all Scripture, especially that of National Israel coming to faith. That’s exactly what Paul has been arguing from Romans 9-11. All is not lost for Israel. See Romans 11:1-6, Paul explained, “I ask, then, has God rejected His people? By no means! For I myself am an Israelite, a descendant of Abraham, a member of the tribe of Benjamin. God has not rejected His people whom He foreknew. Do you not know what the Scripture says of Elijah, how he appeals to God against Israel? “Lord, they have killed your prophets, they have demolished your altars, and I alone am left, and they seek my life.” But what is God’s reply to him? “I have kept for Myself seven thousand men who have not bowed the knee to Baal. So too at the present time there is a remnant, chosen by grace. But if it is by grace, it is no longer on the basis of works; otherwise grace would no longer be grace.”

    So here is where Paul and Sproul differed. Paul said “at the present time there is a remnant chosen by grace.” Obviously Paul didn’t mean sometime in his distant future, but at the present time. That’s Paul’s era, so it was Israel’s last days before judgment comes. Sproul on the other hand, suggested the exact opposite, that there is another round of grace for Israel—a second act of grace from God. That has always been the achilles heel of futurism. (Click highlight to see explanation on futurism. I agree with most of the explanation of GotQuestions.Org on futurism except for the last paragraph.)

    See Romans 13:11, Paul promises the church, saying, “Besides this you know the time, that the hour has come for you to wake from sleep. For salvation is nearer to us now than when we first believed.” By “you and us”, Paul refers to him and the Christians in Rome of his era, not us today. Romans was written in 57 AD. Paul came to faith in 34 AD. So it has been more than two decades since Paul became a Christian. The destruction of Jerusalem and the temple came in 70 AD, the end of the Jewish age. Isn’t Paul indeed closer to salvation, because after the end of the Jewish age—that’s AD 70—comes the time for eternal life? See again Christ’s words regarding the two ages.

    Scripture said, “And He [Jesus Christ] said to them [the apostles], “Truly, I say to you, there is no one who has left house or wife or brothers or parents or children, for the sake of the kingdom of God, who will not receive many times more in this time [Jewish age], and in the age to come eternal life [New Covenant Age].”” (Luke 18:29-30. Also Mark 10:29-30, and etc)

    Respecting context, audience and time revelance is key in understanding the Bible. R.C. Sproul was a prominent figure from the Reformed traditions and yet, he did not argue from the confessions or creeds, only by Scripture. I guess, as in the case of many, like me before, his preexisting ideas from the traditional teachings of the Bible may have hindered his understanding on some Scriptural passages. But he will always have my respect, even though I have to disagree with some points he raised in his video teaching “End of the Age”.

    I do not claim to be more knowledgeable than R.C. Sproul. I followed his teachings once but had to step away when the doctrines became paradoxical. Perhaps being out of conventional Christianity also has its advantages. You are not pressured to submit to preexisting teachings but can freely exegete Scripture. Conform only to Scripture.

    “So Jesus said to the Jews who had believed Him, “If you abide in My word, you are truly My disciples, and you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”” (Jhn 8:31-32)

    Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share freely, for you freely receive. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessing!

  • True Riches

    The Gospels contain parables. Jesus spoke a lot of parables, not to conceal but to speak the truth. Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary defined “Parable” as “a short, simple story designed to communicate a spiritual truth, religious principle, or moral lesson; a figure of speech in which truth is illustrated by a comparison or example drawn from everyday experiences.”

    One of the most obscure, misunderstood, and diversely interpreted parables of Jesus may be found in Luke 16:1-9.

    He also said to the disciples, “There was a rich man who had a manager, and charges were brought to him that this man was wasting his possessions. And he called him and said to him, ‘What is this that I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.’ And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world [age] are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.”

    Let us first establish the context or background of the parable. It was uttered by Jesus against the Pharisees. See Luke 15:1-3.

    Now the tax collectors and sinners were all drawing near to hear Him [Jesus]. And the Pharisees and the scribes grumbled, saying, “This man receives sinners and eats with them.” So He told them this parable:

    The Pharisees had unjustly accused Jesus of wrongdoings because He welcomed tax collectors and sinners, which had been a repeated contention raised against Jesus Christ. See Luke 5:30.

    And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, “Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?”

    Also, Luke 7:39.

    Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him (Jesus Christ) saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what sort of woman this is who is touching him, for she is a sinner.”

    And many other instances.

    The Pharisees were an influential religious sect within Judaism in the time of Christ and the early church. They were known for their emphasis on personal piety (the word Pharisee comes from a Hebrew word meaning “separated”), their acceptance of oral tradition in addition to the written Law, and their teaching that all Jews should observe all 600-plus laws in the Torah, including the rituals concerning ceremonial purification.

    The Pharisees were mostly middle-class businessmen and leaders of the synagogues. Though they were a minority in the Sanhedrin and held a minority number of positions as priests, they seemed to control the decision-making of the Sanhedrin because they had popular support among the people.

    Source: GotQuestions.Org

    Doubtless, the influence and teachings of the Pharisees had much effect on the minds of the Jews; hence, they acted similarly here in Luke 19:5-7.

    And when Jesus came to the place, He looked up and said to him, “Zacchaeus, hurry and come down, for I must stay at your house today.” So he hurried and came down and received Him joyfully. And when they [the Jews] saw it, they all grumbled, “He has gone in to be the guest of a man who is a sinner.”

    Jesus spoke a series of parables in response to the Pharisees’ accusation (Luke 15:1-2), one after the other – “the parable of one lost sheep” (Luke 15:4-7); “the parable of the lost coin” (Luke 15:8-10); “the parable of the prodigal son” (Luke 15:11-32); “the parable of the shrewd manager” (Luke 16:1-9); and lastly, “the parable of the rich man and Lazarus” (Luke 16:19-31).

    Jesus through each parable was setting up His argument and rebuke against the Pharisees – the Pharisees who were teachers of the Law, God’s Word, so they should be concerned with the flock of God, even if only for one lost sheep (Luke 15:4-7), for God desires to redeem even one lost soul, figuratively represented by the “lost coin” (Luke 15:8-10).

    Next, Judah was the son who never left his father yet had no heart to embrace back Israel (the Northern Kingdom of Israel), but having repented from his wrongdoings, the father willingly restored him as a son – the parable of the prodigal son (Luke 15:11-32). Likewise, the Pharisees, like the eldest son in the parable, refuse to accept the tax collectors. They grumbled against Jesus for welcoming them to hear Him.

    Now continuing on Jesus’ second to last parable spoken against the Pharisees, Luke 16:1-9, Jesus told a story of a rich man who was told his manager was wasting his possessions (16:1). In 16:2, the rich man called the manager and said to him, “What is this I hear about you? Turn in the account of your management, for you can no longer be manager.” Without first investigating to ascertain the veracity of what he was told, the rich man fired the manager based on what he heard (16:2). The rich man therefore was unjust. The manager likewise was unjust. Jesus Christ referred to him as DISHONEST or UNJUST, depending on the translation of the parable (Luke 16:8) but definitely of negative connotation.

    Now look closely at Luke 16:3-8.

    And the manager said to himself, ‘What shall I do, since my master is taking the management away from me? I am not strong enough to dig, and I am ashamed to beg. I have decided what to do, so that when I am removed from management, people may receive me into their houses.’ So, summoning his master’s debtors [G5533] one by one, he said to the first, ‘How much do you owe my master?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of oil.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and sit down quickly and write fifty.’ Then he said to another, ‘And how much do you owe?’ He said, ‘A hundred measures of wheat.’ He said to him, ‘Take your bill, and write eighty.’ The master commended the dishonest manager for his shrewdness. For the sons of this world are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light.

    The master did not appear to have been surprised by the huge discount given out by the dishonest manager. No businessman would be happy for such huge a discount if it would amount to losses. The master and the dishonest manager have conspired to overcharge the clients, causing them to be close to bankruptcy, and unable to pay their debt. So again, the master truly is unjust. So is the dishonest manager, he continued to work behind the back of his master though already fired – once again, for his gain.

    Next, see “debtors,” in verse 5. A quick check with a Lexicon, a dictionary of Greek and Hebrews – in our case Greek words – “debtors” was used only twice by Jesus in the entire narrative across all four Gospels of the New Testament Scripture. The other occurrence may be seen in Luke 7:41, but I will include the context for proper understanding. See Luke 7:40-43.

    And Jesus answering said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he answered, “Say it, Teacher.” “A certain moneylender had two debtors. One owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he cancelled the debt of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon answered, “The one, I suppose, for whom he cancelled the larger debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged rightly.”

    Did you notice how Jesus had used “debtors” in His storytelling or teachings? “Debtors” refer to those who have bad debts, people who can no longer pay their debts – people who have gone bankrupt, in other words.

    So having understood Jesus’ use of the word “debtors,” indeed the manager had acted shrewdly. With the huge discount, the dishonest manager was able to collect both the capital and the master’s profit margin. On the other hand, the debtor having no way out of his debt, seeing the huge discount, sought a way to pay back so that they may be free and possibly reengage in business. It’s a win-win, for both the master and his clients. To the master, the bad debts, uncollectible or NPL (non-performing debts) in our modern terms, have been recovered. More so, for the dishonest manager, ‘cause he has extended favor to the master’s clients giving them the chance to be back in business, thereby possibly making himself indispensable to the master and a man of goodwill to the clients.

    Now, going back to the context of Jesus’ parable, He was unjustly accused by the Pharisees, Jews may have also been confused by His actions simply because He welcomed tax collectors and sinners. The Pharisees understood when Jesus Christ spoke the parable against them. See Luke 16:14, Scripture said, “The Pharisees, who were lovers of money, heard all these things, and they ridiculed Him (Jesus Christ).”

    Without a doubt then, the parable of the dishonest manager was spoken against the Pharisees. They have made friends for themselves using unrighteous wealth or shrewdness, like today, as the saying goes, “Money talks.” Yet money means nothing or would have no value in their final and eternal dwellings – the Lake of Fire. Yes, that’s the eternal dwelling in Luke 16:9, not heaven. That truth was communicated clearly by Jesus Christ through His second parable, go see Luke 16:19-31 – the parable of the rich man and Lazarus, which spoke of the rich man’s punishment. The rich man was in hades, judged already awaiting his final dwelling; yes, the Lake of Fire or the second death (Revelation 20:14). Once again, the rich man represented the Pharisees, who were lovers of money. They didn’t care to lift a finger in aid of the needy but were concerned only about themselves, similar to the dishonest manager of Luke 16:1-9.

    The Bible revealed the true condition of the Pharisees’ heart – they were lovers of money. They put much importance on temporal wealth (unrighteous wealth) over true riches; hence, they failed to see – the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets (see Luke 24:44) had been unveiled before them. The Gospel of the kingdom has been preached.

    The tax collectors and sinners represent every one of us. We owe God a huge debt, which cannot be repaid by us but by Christ Jesus alone. But be careful not to fall into an understanding that we Christians ought to be shrewd in our dealings. That was never the intent or teaching of Jesus Christ in this parable (Luke 16:1-9). Now to expound on this further, Jesus Christ in verses 8b-9 said:

    “For the sons of this world [age] are more shrewd in dealing with their own generation than the sons of light. And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings.”

    Let me first point out that “sons of this world“ should properly be translated “sons of this age“, “aiōn, G165” in Greek, which was rightly translated by the New American Standard Bible translation. The Strong’s Greek Dictionary explained that it is “by implication the world; specifically (Jewish) a Messianic period”.

    The coming of Jesus Christ, the Son of Man, then was the beginning of the Messianic Age (Luke 17:20-21). The sons of this age, in Luke 16:8, then refer to the sons of the Jewish Age or Old Covenant Age, distinguishing them from the sons of light, the followers of Jesus Christ, and those who truly believe in His Word. See John 12:34-36.

    So the crowd answered Him [Jesus], “We have heard from the Law that the Christ remains forever. How can you say that the Son of Man must be lifted up? Who is this Son of Man?” So Jesus said to them, “The light is among you for a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, lest darkness overtake you. The one who walks in the darkness does not know where he is going. While you have the light, believe in the light, that you may become sons of light.” When Jesus had said these things, he departed and hid himself from them.

    An important insight in Scripture. The interval between the end of the Jewish Age (Old Covenant Age) and the beginning of the Christian Age (New Covenant Age) was the Messianic Age (Period). The Messianic Age encompassed the seemingly two comings of Jesus Christ, which was one in the Old Testament prophecies. Examples may be seen through Malachi 3:1-5 and Matthew 3:11-12.

    The New Covenant (or New Testament) is the promise that God makes with humanity that He will forgive sin and restore fellowship with those whose hearts are turned toward Him. Jesus Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant, and His death on the cross is the basis of the promise (Luke 22:20). The New Covenant was predicted while the Old Covenant was still in effect—the prophets Moses, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel all allude to the New Covenant.

    Source: GotQuestions.Org

    So Scripture in Matthew 26:26-29 said: “Now as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and after blessing it broke it and gave it to the disciples, and said, ‘Take, eat; this is My body.’ And He took a cup, and when He had given thanks He gave it to them, saying, ‘Drink of it, all of you, for this is My blood of the [new] covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you I will not drink again of this fruit of the vine until that day when I drink it new with you in My Father’s kingdom.’”

    Jesus Christ died, resurrected, and ascended to reign over His kingdom. It’s a spiritual kingdom, not an earthly or physical kingdom which was offered to Him by the Jews in John 6:15, but Jesus Christ rejected it.

    Without a doubt, Jesus Christ came as He had promised His then-living apostles, saying “Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom (Matthew 16:28).” The same promised was reiterated by Mark and Luke, testifying on the Word and promise of Christ Jesus (see Mark 9:1; Luke 9:27).

    If Jesus Christ’s Word isn’t true, if His return has been delayed as suggested by most Christians, then He isn’t trustworthy. But He indeed is trustworthy, true, and has returned according to His Word. We just have been told and taught otherwise. The error is with tradition, definitely not the Word of God. Else, His redemptive work isn’t complete. Salvation remains a hope, not yet a true reality (see Hebrews 9:28; Romans 13:11 & 1Peter 1:3-5). Yes, that’s the implication of any suggestion that He has yet to return.

    Now back to our discussion in Luke. In effect with verse 8, Jesus pointed out the shrewdness of the Pharisees – the sons of this age – who were unjust but had accused Him of being unrighteous, as I have mentioned earlier. Then comes verses 9-13, where Jesus continued, saying:

    And I tell you, make friends for yourselves by means of unrighteous wealth, so that when it fails they may receive you into the eternal dwellings. “One who is faithful in a very little is also faithful in much, and one who is dishonest in a very little is also dishonest in much. If then you have not been faithful in the unrighteous wealth, who will entrust to you the true riches? And if you have not been faithful in that which is another’s, who will give you that which is your own? No servant can serve two masters, for either he will hate the one and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve God and money.”

    Albert Barnes’ Notes on the Bible has wonderfully explained the meaning of “unrighteous wealth”:

    These words are an Hebrew expression for “unrighteous mammon,” the noun being used for an adjective, as is common in the New Testament. The word “unrighteous,” here, stands opposed to “the true riches” in Luk 16:11, and means “deceitful, false, not to be trusted.” It has this meaning often. See 1Ti 6:17; Luk 12:33; Mat 6:19; Mat 19:21. It does not signify, therefore, that they had acquired the property “unjustly,” but that property was “deceitful” and not to be trusted. The wealth of the steward was deceitful; he could not rely on its continuance; it was liable to be taken away at any moment. So the wealth of the world is deceitful. We cannot “calculate” on its continuance. It may give us support or comfort now, but it may be soon removed, or we taken from “it,” and we should, therefore, so use it as to derive benefit from it hereafter.

    In other words, Christians should always trust Jesus Christ in everything, for salvation and our daily needs as well. We should not be too preoccupied by the desire to get rich and things of this temporal world. Rather, we should seek to be rich with God. Remember Jesus’ words on another parabolic teaching. See Luke 12:20-26.

    “But God said to him (rich man), ‘Fool! This night your soul is required of you, and the things you have prepared, whose will they be?’ So is the one who lays up treasure for himself and is not rich toward God.” And He (Jesus Christ) said to his disciples, “Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat, nor about your body, what you will put on. For life is more than food, and the body more than clothing. Consider the ravens: they neither sow nor reap, they have neither storehouse nor barn, and yet God feeds them. Of how much more value are you than the birds! And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life? If then you are not able to do as small a thing as that, why are you anxious about the rest?”

    Similarly, like Luke 16:9-13, Jesus Christ was simply reiterating His teachings in Luke 12:32-34.

    Fear not, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom. Sell your possessions, and give to the needy. Provide yourselves with moneybags that do not grow old, with a treasure in the heavens that does not fail, where no thief approaches and no moth destroys. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also.

    According to Jesus’ own teaching, “unrighteous wealth or temporal wealth (v.9)” is of less value, unrealiable, temporal and cannot be compared to the “true riches (v.11)”. True riches is with Christ Jesus our Lord; it’s about the kingdom of heaven. As I have said earlier, the Pharisees have repeatedly rebuked Jesus for welcoming tax collectors and sinners. Likewise, do not allow false religiosity misdirect you to missed entrance to God’s kingdom. Jesus Christ said:

    ““Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. “Beware of false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing but inwardly are ravenous wolves.”” (Matthew 7:13-15)

    Look at Jesus’ last words to the church. Let it resonate in your mind and heart that you may find the strength to live your lives holding on to true riches. See Revelation 3:18-22.

    I counsel you to buy from Me [Jesus Christ] gold refined by fire, so that you may be rich, and white garments so that you may clothe yourself and the shame of your nakedness may not be seen, and salve to anoint your eyes, so that you may see. Those whom I love, I reprove and discipline, so be zealous and repent. Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with Me. The one who conquers, I will grant him to sit with Me on My throne, as I also conquered and sat down with my Father on His throne. He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.

    Let me remind everyone that these words of Jesus Christ were spoken a millennia ago. Thanks be to God, Jesus Christ was faithful to all His promises. He is not a liar, as alleged by some. I firmly believe and understand that Jesus came and fulfilled all His promises. So let me encourage everyone: seek Christ, His righteousness, and His kingdom, for only then may anyone find true riches – entrance to the kingdom of heaven.

    Blessing!

    P.S. This is an edited version of my original posting. The edits concern aspects on the parable of Jesus Christ, the story of the dishonest manager. All major points remain the same. I have removed a lot of insights to the true teaching of the Scripture for it may have digressed from our original study. Jesus Christ has been teaching repeatedly against lusting for earthly wealth at the expense of the true wealth that Christians should seek – entrance to God’s kingdom.

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  • Immanuel, Our Confidence

    I went into a writing hiatus due to a circumstance my sibling was facing. I was greatly affected by it ’cause he is thousands of miles away from me, and his wife is going through a health condition. If you have read my blog posting entitled “Regarding Wilmer,” he was the one who offered and asked me about the Christian service for my departed son.

    I’m not going to divulge private details concerning the health status, but the doctor categorized it as a critical condition. My brother has been with me each time I was in trouble. Now that he is in a difficult situation, I can’t even be with him, all because of this pandemic. I believe a lot of people can relate to the same predicament nowadays. I wanted to be comforted by the Lord, so that I can comfort my brother, so – as I always do – I turned to the Scripture. And Psalm 34 came to me, and I hope my reflection on this psalm would also be a comfort to anyone reading this blog who perhaps are in a similar circumstance.

    The 150 Psalms of the Old Testament Bible must first be recognized as Jewish in nature. It’s a Jewish literature of songs and hymns written from the time of Moses to those of Ezra and Nehemiah. Beginning at Mount Sinai with Moses receiving God’s Covenant with Israel to the time of Ezra and Nehemiah, the rebuilding of the Second Temple which ultimately was renovated by King Herod during the Roman time. Psalms therefore impart prophecies of God in relation to His Covenant with Israel, reflection of the psalmist, and truths about the nature of God. Psalm 34 is one of the psalms written by David.

    In order for us to truthfully understand the meaning and beauty of Psalm 34, we ought to first identify the occasion of this psalm. See Psalm 34:1.

    Of David, when he changed his behavior before Abimelech, so that he drove him out, and he went away. I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul makes its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together!

    The title of this psalm provided a hint, only one narrative would fit the description of Psalm 34:1 – the story of David in 1 Samuel 21:10-15.

    And David rose and fled that day from Saul and went to Achish the king of Gath. And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David the king of the land? Did they not sing to one another of him in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and David his ten thousands?’”

    And David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath. So he changed his behavior before them and pretended to be insane in their hands and made marks on the doors of the gate and let his spittle run down his beard. Then Achish said to his servants, “Behold, you see the man is mad. Why then have you brought him to me? Do I lack madmen, that you have brought this fellow to behave as a madman in my presence? Shall this fellow come into my house?”

    From the English translation, it might appear to be two different occasions, ’cause Psalm 34 referred to a person named “Abimelech,” while in 1 Samuel 21:10, “Achish king of Gath” was the one confronting David. The Lexicon Brown-Driver-Briggs’ Hebrew Definitions however, among other things, defined Abimelech, as “the king of Gath in David’s time; maybe title of Philistine kings.” Therefore, Psalm 34:1 and the narrative of 1 Samuel 21:12-13 are linked together, referring to one and the same incident in David’s life.

    Now, having settled the issue of relevance; between Psalm 34 and 1 Samuel 21:10, let us move on to other details of both writings. In 1 Samuel 21:12, the Bible said, “David took these words to heart and was much afraid of Achish the king of Gath.” Perhaps David was afraid that Achish now having recognized him might turned him over to Saul, who obviously was deviously jealous of David’s more prominent status. See 1 Samuel 21:11.

    And the servants of Achish said to him, “Is not this David king of the land? Did they not sing to one another in dances, ‘Saul has struck down his thousands, and david his ten thousands?’”

    In reality Saul still reigns as king over Israel not David, but obviously the Jews have considered David as the standby king waiting to be enthroned. This was the reason for Saul’s envy and insecurity, hence he pursued David and wanted him dead. More importantly, because Saul had broken the commandment of the LORD, the prophet Samuel told him that:

    The LORD has torn the kingdom of Israel from you this day and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. And also the Glory of Israel will not lie or have regret, for He is not a man, that he should have regret. (1 Samuel 15:28-29)

    One of the highlights of David’s stories without a doubt should be that of his battle with Goliath. David was a lad when all Israel was challenged by Goliath to a man-to-man fight (1 Samuel 17:10). Not one person from the mighty army of Saul dared to fight with Goliath (1 Samuel 17:11). Nobody would venture to do so ’cause Goliath was a giant champion warrior from the Philistines. In this context, it was well understood that the inability of Israel to stand before Goliath’s challenge was an insult to the name of YHWH, the LORD God of Israel. Such an understanding may be seen clearly through the words of the lad David as he sought the approval of Saul to face Goliath in the battle. See 1 Samuel 17:36-37.

    Your servant has struck down both lion and bears, and this uncircumcised Philistine shall be like one of them, for he has defiled the armies of the Living God.” And David said, “The LORD who delivered me from the paw of the lion and from the paw of the bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.” And Saul said to David, “Go, and the LORD be with you!

    I guess we all knew the conclusion of that encounter. Goliath was defeated by the lad David in the name of the LORD of hosts with a sling and a stone in his hand (1 Samuel 17:45,49). Fast forward now to 1 Samuel 21:10-15, David was no longer the young lad but was now an experienced commander of Israel’s armies. When he encountered Achish king of Gath, out of fear, he acted insane. Surely it was a decline from being a brave young lad who faced and defeated Goliath but now humiliated.

    Many of us are like that. I also fell to the same temptation. If you have read my blogpost entitled “Regarding Wilmer,” you would see how boldly I embraced and sought the Gospel of Jesus Christ right at the wake of my only son and after. The fears and questions that I faced then may be considered my Goliath which I had encountered and overcame by the grace of God. As we walk the journey of faith, sometimes we become too trusting of ourselves, our achievements, our status, our resources, or people around us. So we begin to live our lives, perhaps unconsciously forgetting God’s moment-by-moment’s divine providence. Then when moments of difficulty or trials are upon us, our faith would be challenged.

    I may say my brother’s predicament became a challenge to me. No, I never doubted God. I felt burdened and sorrowed by my inability to be with my brother, forgetting that although I am thousands of miles away from him, the Lord is forever present. That may have been the experience of David. He forgot that God has already anointed him to be King over Israel so there was no way that Achish king of Gath could have him killed without being King of Israel first. See 1 Samuel 16:1, 7, 11-13.

    The LORD said to Samuel, “How long will you grieve over Saul, since I have rejected him from being king over Israel? Fill your horn with oil, and go. I will send you to Jesse the Bethlehemite, for I have provided for Myself a King among his sons.”

    But the LORD said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the LORD sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the LORD look on the heart.”

    Then Samuel said to Jesse, “Are all your sons here?” And he said, “There remains yet the youngest, but behold, he is keeping the sheep.” Samuel said to Jesse, “Send and get him, for we will not sit down till he comes here.” And he sent and brought him in. Now he was ruddy and had beautiful eyes and was handsome. And the LORD said, “Arise, anoint him, for this is he. Then Samuel took the horn of oil and anointed him in the midst of his brothers. And the Spirit of the LORD rushed upon David from that day forward. And Samuel rose up and went to Ramah.

    Take note then that David was God’s anointed King over Israel before he fought Goliath. The victory of David over Goliath therefore occurred in accordance with God’s divine providence making him King of Israel. In essence, David was sent by God, not Saul, to fight Goliath. Many times in our journey with the Lord we fail to remember that we are a child of God, precious in His sight. Therefore, there is no coincidence or chance encounter but only divine appointment or providence. There should be no fear whatever comes before us ’cause Jesus is Immanuel – God with us.

    True enough, God’s mysterious working in David’s life came to light in 1 Samuel 22:1-2,5.

    David departed from there and escaped to the cave of Adullam. And when his brothers and all his father’s house heard it, they went down there to him. And everyone who was in distress, and everyone who was in debt, and everyone who was bitter in soul, gathered to him. And he became commander over them. And there were with him about four hundred men.

    Then the prophet of God said to David, “Do not remain in the stronghold; depart, and go into the land of Judah.” So David departed and went into the forest of Hereth.

    After these twin divine workings of God, David, no longer alone, now has an army of four hundred men. Also David was timely aided by the prophet of God, thereby avoiding a massacre by Saul’s men (1 Samuel 22:18-19). Henceforth, David began to seek God’s guidance and was spiritually restored. That I believe was the background for David’s utterance in Psalm 34.

    Our walk with Jesus is not a guarantee that we will always be shielded from life’s challenges. Life’s troubles would always be part of our daily living ’cause man was formed from dust so to dust our mortal body will return. Therefore, mankind is not immune to decay. The apostle Paul, in 1 Corinthians 15:45,47-49, said,

    Thus it is written, “The first man Adam became a living being”; the Last Adam became a life-giving spirit … The first man was from the earth, a man of dust; the Second Man is from heaven. As was the man of dust, so also are those who are of the dust, and as is the Man of heaven, so also are those who are of heaven. Just as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the Man of heaven.

    But the Good News was, Jesus Christ came. He fulfilled all the prophecies and requirements of the Mosaic Law. Subsequently, the promised salvation of God is now a reality. Our present existence, therefore, should make no difference – for Christ Jesus reigns then and forevermore. We then should live with full conviction that “neither death nor life, nor things present nor things to come, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Romans 8:38-39)

    In normal times we are quick to fall into complacency, disregarding God’s daily presence and guidance. We tend to make decision as if we are masters of our life. The Bible said “You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6:19b-20). As Christians purchased by the blood of our Lord Christ Jesus who now reigns, so He alone is the Master of our lives, not us.

    The proclamation of the Gospel should be done through our daily living. We live by the truths and promises of the Word of God everyday. We need not be sent out, as missionaries, that the Eternal Gospel of Jesus Christ be make known to the rest of mankind. Rather, the true Christian living should resonate the veracity of the Gospel.

    I will ponder more on the thoughts, thanksgiving and confidence of David as expressed in Psalm 34 in my next blog posting.

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