Comments for January 22

v.21,22 - Reuben was the only one apparently to have any feelings against this cold-blooded murder plan. Even though this was pre-Law-of-Moses, this issue of murder was one that they had direct commandment about Gen.9:5. Reuben reminded them of the incident later in Gen.42:22. He wanted it on record that he was not party to the plan. Is there a parallel here with Pilate? Matt.27:24.

v.5,9 - It seems that revelation by dream was a method God chose to use with chosen individuals at this time particularly. It also seems that Joseph was compelled to tell everyone his dream. From what we know of Joseph's character, it seems unlikely that he told them out of a sense of pride, but maybe, like the prophets (Amos 3:8) was compelled by the Spirit to speak them out. One would assume that, were this not the case [and clearly God's plan for him required him to tell these dreams to his brethren] he would have had the wisdom to keep this knowledge to himself.

:12 Jacob's sons had taken their flocks to Shechem to feed. It seems that at this time Jacob was in the area of Bethel. So why did they go so far, especially as Jacob's name 'stank' [Genesis 34:30] there? The answer clearly is that Jacob owned grazing ground there. It was the parcel of land bought by Abraham.

FUTURE REVEALED

"Surely the Sovereign LORD does nothing without revealing his plan to his servants the prophets." (Amos 3 v 7)

Joseph was 17 when God gave him dreams, first of the sheaves of corn in which his brothers sheaves stood up and bowed down to his sheaf, and then of the sun, moon and eleven stars bowing down to him. We find out later that when a dream is doubled in that way, it means that it is from God. So God revealed to Joseph what was to happen more than twenty years in the future.

As I read through this chapter, I wondered why God would reveal his plan to Joseph so long before it happened. But there were two reasons as far as I can see.

The first is that God reveals his plans to his servants the prophets. Joseph had proved himself to be an obedient God fearing man - even at the age of 17, and before Joseph was taken to Egypt, the message needed to be told to his family. So the plan was revealed to Joseph in order to do that..

The second reason is that while Joseph was away he needed a vision to cling to, something that would get him through those hard years.

God has also revealed the future to us through his word. It is our job to spread the message, and, as well as that, the vision he has given us will give us a hope to cling to and something to look forward to before it happens.

37:11 In saying his father 'observed the saying' we see one of the many ways in which Joseph is a type of Jesus - the language is used again (Luke 2:19) when Mary heard the words of the shepherds.

37:2 When we read ‘these are the generations of Jacob’ we might expect to read a family tree as we did for Esau. With the seed of promise we are given far more detail so we now learn some background to the line of Jacob. The scene is now being set for the fulfilment of the promise to Abram (Gen 15:13-16)

No matter how great God’s promises are, we must never lord it over those not so blessed. Joseph was rebuked even by his father (v10)

Gen 37:10 After Joseph told his family of his dream, Jacob asks him. "Shall I and thy mother and thy brethren indeed come to bow down ourselves to thee" We know that some 20 years later (with the exception of his mother) this did happen. Rachel had died at the birth of Benjamin Gen 35:19  Does this dream have a future fulfilment? 

Joseph is antitypical of Christ and we can see many parallels as we explore his life.
The Lord chose Joseph and revealed His plan and purpose to him in visions (Amos 3:7).  There would be a lot of time before the Lord's revelations would come to pass.  This demanded much faith on the part of Joseph.
Like Joseph, we have a vision of the Kingdom.  We must keep that vision firmly in our mind so that the passage of time does not diminish our faith (Prov 29:18).
 
The traders who took Joseph to Egypt are alternatively called Ishmaelites and Midianites (v.28).  Ishmael was the son of Abraham by Hagar and Midian was the son of Abraham by Keturah.  It was not unusual that different groups would travel together for protection against robbers.  And so, the Ishmaelites and Midianites were seen together, probably with other smaller groups of Arab traders.  The term Arab, by the way, means mingle, which is descriptive of the intermingling of the people of the Near East.

Potiphar means dedicated to Ra (the sun god).  He was a native Egyptian in the employ of the Hyksos kings who now ruled Egypt.  He was Pharaoh's chief guard.  While being part of the army, Potiphar took care of civil duties as chief of police, head executioner etc.

v.31 - It is an amazing thing the way that God uses all sorts of means to bring about His purpose.  Here he uses the poor parenting skills of Jacob and the consequent jealousy of his sons towards the spoilt son to bring Joseph, who seems to be without blame in this side of things, to be put through a whole series of character forming events to bring glory to God eventually - years down the line.  We really need to look carefully at how God treats those that are His in the short term so as to bring about a long term effect.  If God chastens us, we should should indeed rejoice, as this is a direct example of His love for us, and shows us we are chosen.

V.2 At seventeen years of age, we see Joseph as a shepherd over the flock. By feeding the flock it would appear that he was the chief shepherd, which position would have been given him because of his superior qualities of character, an example we can clearly see in this verse. It was not as a telltale, but as a "faithful steward" that he reported the scandalous conduct of his brethren to his father.

I agree with Michael Parry that Joseph, a good shepherd, was a type of Christ. 37:3 - Joseph's robe perhaps reminds us of the distinctive robe worn by Christ. 37:7-9 - we have the two dreams of Joseph being bowed down to. Rachel would be included in these 11 stars and thus it suggests she would have to be resurrected if she was to worship her son. 37:18 - the plot to kill. 37:23-25 - stripped of his robe and put him into a pit/cistern/well that had no water (was Joseph an echo of the living water?). Spices are involved with Joseph and Christ. 37:28 - Both Joseph and Christ were sold for silver. 37:33 - but not a bone of Joseph (or Jesus) was broken. 39:17-20 - both Joseph and Jesus falsely accused. 40:5 - cupbearer and baker are like the bread and wine by which we remember Christ's sacrifice. 40:8 - credit given to God who was greater than Joseph and Jesus. 40:12,18,19 - 3 days, hung on a tree. 40:13,19 - one body, the fleshly one, dies; another body, the spiritual one, lives and is rewarded. 40:15 - Joseph was innocent, like Jesus. 41:1,14 - after two full years in the pit/jail Joseph rises out which is not unlike Christ rising after the second day. Joseph had new clothes not unlike Christ's new clothes of righteousness. 41:40 - Joseph was made number two in the land just as Christ is number two to God. 41:46 - Joseph was 30 years old when he entered service as was Christ. 41:57 - for our bread we of all nations go to Jesus. 42:6 - every knee shall bow to Christ. 42:8 - Christ isn't recognized by all and even the apostles didn't recognize him after the resurrection initially. 45:5,8 - Joseph understood the bigger picture was to save lives and he did the will of him who sent him.

37:18 In conspiring to kill Joseph we have a pattern set for the way that Israel would treat Jesus - Matt 21:38 Luke 20:14- Jesus and Joseph were faithful to their respective fathers hence the hatred of the other sons

GOD'S PLAN PROCEEDS
 
In Psalm 105 we see a different perspective to the story of Joseph. There we read that God "called down famine on the land ... and he sent a man before them - Joseph, sold as a slave." (Psa 105:16-17) The perspective we learn here is that God had planned the famine, and in order to save his people, he sent Joseph ahead of his family to Egypt in order to prepare to save them. At the time Joseph was sold into Egypt, no-one knew of God's plan other than through the hints Joseph was given in his dreams.
 
What I find amazing is that God's plans were worked out despite the intentions to both kill and rescue Joseph. Had Joseph been killed, then God's plan would have come to nothing. So when the plot to kill Joseph was conceived, Reuben moderated his brothers suggesting they threw him into a pit. So God's plan proceeded and Joseph remained alive.
 
For some reason Reuben was not there a little later and the brothers, perhaps led by Judah, sold Joseph as a slave - something that Reuben  would almost certainly not have allowed. So with Reuben out of the way at the right time, and Judah's bright idea to make a quick buck, Joseph was sold and God's plan proceeded.
 
Events that probably seemed almost random - and definitely not providential, were all being used by God to plan for the future. He works the same way in our lives. If we are called by God and love him, he will work for our good in every circumstance in our lives. Let's trust him even when things seem bad, knowing that God's plan will proceed in the best way possible.

37:15We might think it strange that the man said ‘what’ rather than ‘who’ when asking Joseph about the reason he was in the field. However Jacob had - - buried riches in that field – Gen 35:4

37:5,9  Joseph’s two dreams marked the certainty that the things he dreamed of would actually happen. Whilst that point is not made her Joseph was doubtless aware of it because he makes just this point to pharaoh. Gen 41:32

V.3 The coat of many colours (KJV) is translated differently in other versions. For example, the NRSV and NEB describe it as a long robe with sleeves, while the NIV says it was a richly ornamented robe. A favoured person, in the Near East, would be adorned with a garment made from patches of different colored cloth. This distinct garment would mark that person as special. Joseph was favoured above his brethren by Jacob, and he showed it publicly by wearing that brightly colored robe. Virgin daughters of kings were also adorned with such robes for distinction (2Sam 13:18). The phrase divers colours (KJV) comes from the Hebrew word pas. It is the same word that is translated colours here in v.3.

V.35; Gen 49:29-33 - Jacob, a faithful man, and heir to a reward Heb 11:9,13,19,39,40, went to sheol ["grave" in Gen 37:35 is translated from the Hebrew "sheol" (7585) which is rendered in the KJV as hell, grave, pit]. Sheol is where everyone goes when they die even animals Ecc 3:19-20; Psa 49:14 [the word "grave" here is translated from "sheol"]. Words translated from sheol such as hell or pit should also be thought of as the grave. There are no thoughts or sufferings or joys in death, it is like sleep Psa 146:4.

37:1 That Jacob dwelt in the land wherein his father was a stranger contrasts with Esau – Gen 36:8 – who left the land to go to Seir. So the son whose right was the birthright chose to leave his ‘inheritance’ and go outside the land. Thus we see a practical outworking of the fact that Esau ‘despised his birthright’ – Gen 25:34

v11 'but his father observed the saying', the word observed means lit to hedge about or attend to, the first occurrence of this word is found in Gen 2:15 'keep'.  Where God put Adam in the garden to 'dress it and to keep it' and shows it as attending to as a gardener would his garden and the protecting with careful diligence.  We also must as Jacob did 'observe', attend carefully to the dreams/visions (prophecies) recorded for us in the Bible 2Pet 1:19-21, also the Lord Jesus Christ's last message to his servants Rev 1:3, Rev 22:7,9 as we await the day of his return.  Psa 119:9,34 further emphasises the attending to in the use of the same word  v9 'heed' and v34 'keep'.

Gen 37:26,27 - There are numerous verses here today that point to Christ. Here we see Judah (Hebrew) showing similar characteristics that Judas (Greek). He communed how he might betray him. Luke 22:4 In a parallel we see Judas in Christ's time communing with the High Priests how he might betray him.

First Principles>Kingdom of God>Existed in the past
5. Israel, his sons and families went into Egypt Gen 37 Gen 42-46 Acts 7:1-18
Go to Gen 12:1-5 for more about First Principles>Kingdom of God>Existed in the past

37:4 The way in which  Joseph’s brothers ‘hated’ him we see a pattern of the hate that the Jewish leaders had for Jesus – John 15:25

The reaction of the brothers in v8 is seen in the parables of Jesus (Luke 19:14,27). What was Jesus trying to say by referring the listeners back to the history of Joseph?

37:3   We are reminded of Jacob’s partiality in this dysfunctional family. The way that he treated Joseph caused resentment amongst his other sons so when Joseph seemed precocious his brothers already had a poor view of him.  This should teach us powerfully how to treat our children.

Open rebuke better than concealed hatred

Was Joseph naive, or stupid? Because even though his brothers hated him, he still persisted in telling them about his dreams. I don't think he was either of those things. Instead, it was the brothers who were so good at concealing their hatred. Notice Jacob had no idea either, because he sent Joseph out into the middle of nowhere to find them, on his own (Gen 37:14). Jesus' lesson about concealed hatred is that it's as bad, or the beginning of, murder (Matt 5:21-22). It's like a seed which grows larger the more it is kept buried in the mind's fertile soil (James 1:14-15). This is what happened with the brothers and their envy of Joseph, and why Israel was later commanded "thou shalt not covet" (v11).

In contrast, their father displayed the correct attitude to Joseph's insult - he rebuked him (v10). As the Proverb says "Open rebuke is better than Love carefully concealed", and it is obvious from the context that the proverb is speaking of hatred, concealed by a pretence of love (see Prov 27:4-6). Notice how Jacob and his grandfather Abraham both used open rebuke (Gen 21:25, 31:36). The account of Joseph is not just a story. It is a vital lesson on which the law and gospel are built:

"You shall not hate your brother in your heart.

 You shall surely rebuke your neighbour,

 and not bear sin because of him.

 You shall not take vengeance

 nor bear any grudge against the children of your people

 but you shall love your neighbour as yourself"

 Lev 19:17-18

Gen 37:3

"Now Israel loved Joseph more than all his children, because he was the son of his old age: and he made him a coat of many colours.”

The Hebrew term for, “a coat of many colours” is “ketonet passim,” and literally translated means, “a tunic of palms.” This tunic was made of fine linen and reached to the palms of the hands to the soles of the feet. It was a symbol of worthiness on the part of those who received it (see Rev 19:8).

Such a tunic was usually a right given to the first-born, and though Joseph was the first-born son of Rachel, Jacob’s second wife, he was, nonetheless, the eleventh son of Jacob. Reuben forfeited his right of the first-born because of his sin with Bilhah, Jacob’s handmaiden (Gen 35:22; 1Chron 5:1), thus proving his unworthiness for such an honour.

By giving this gift to Joseph, Jacob, known as Israel (Gen 35:10), revealed Joseph's character to be above his brethren's, and as such had chosen Joseph as his successor to the headship of the tribe! This tunic was a priestly tunic showing his position was also one of an intercessor, saviour, and priest. Joseph’s tunic was prophetic of his own mission to be the saviour and intercessor for his own brethren (Gen 45:5-7), and points to the greater Saviour, Intercessor, and Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ.

We can image how Joseph’s ten older brothers must have felt that a 17 year old stripling (verse 2) should be bestowed such blessings, and the jealousy that raged within them, and it is not without significance that the very first thing they did to Joseph when they plotted to kill him was to strip him of his, “coat of many colours” (Gen 37:23)! What an amazing change in character we witness in these truly repentant men by the time Joseph revealed himself to them! Sin did have its consequences, though, as all of their descendants eventually became slaves themselves.

God works in the same way with us today. We are prepared through great hardships, and He will work for our good in every circumstance in our life. Rev 1:5-6 and Rev 5:9-10  are passages that dazzle the heart and mind of everyone who has received and comprehends the call to sonship! Let us, as Joseph, trust Him even when things seem dire, knowing that God’s plan will proceed in the best way possible for us in due time (Rom 8:28).

37:20  The way in which the brethren thought that killing Joseph would prevent his dreams coming to pass (dreams which clearly they believed) was replicated in the way in which the Jewish leaders killed Jesus.

37:8    The way the brothers talk of Joseph “shalt thou indeed have dominion over us” is the basis for Jesus’ comments – Luke 19:14 – in the parable Jesus spoke about the citizens who refused the ruler.

As Peter Forbes noted (Gen 37:3-4) in his 2010 comments, there was disfunction and hatred in Joseph's family, and David's family as well, which both echoed the disfunction and hatred of Christ by the Jews (Christ's brethren) and even some estrangement of Christ's immediate brethren (John 7:5;Matt 12:46-50).

As we read the record of the life of Joseph in our daily readings, we can see the spirit of Christ in his life. When Jesus read of God’s faithful servant Joseph he would have seen the path his Father had mapped out for him and the glory that was promised.

Joseph was one of those who – “…testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow” (1Pet 1:11).

Genesis chapter 37

Gen 37.

It has often been stated that of all the great Old Testament "types" of Jesus, Joseph may be the greatest. What are some details in this chapter in connection with Joseph that have strong allusions to our Lord Jesus Christ?

Here goes -

1. Was beloved of his father - v. 3

2. Testified against his brethren - v. 2 cp. John 15:22

3. Wore a garment indicating he was a priest - v. 3 (the normal word for the coat the Aaronic priests wore).

4. Rulership predicted for him - v. 5-11 cp. Luke 1:32; Luke 2:30-32

5. Prophecies about him pondered - v. 11 cp. Luke 2:51

6. Hated by his own people - v. 4,11 cp. John 1:10,11; John 15:25

7. Sent by father to lost sheep of house of Israel

8. "Come, let us kill him" v. 20 cp. Jesus' parable of the vineyard - Matt 21:38

9. "We'll see what comes of his dreams" v. 20 cp. words of those who mocked Jesus as he hung on the cross - Matt 27:39-42

10. Reuben's and Judah's attempts at deliverance echoed in Pilate's attempts

11. "Stripped" v. 23 - Septuagint version, same word as in Matt 27:28

12. The "pit" v. 22,24 same word is used for sepulchre

13. Removed to a far country - cp. Jesus' parable of the man of noble birth going to a far country and eventually returning to judge - Luke 19:12

37:9-10        Notice “sun, moon and eleven stars” – by now Rachel – Joseph’s mother – was dead Gen 35:19.  So here we have an indication that Jacob believed in the resurrection of the dead.

37:22 Reuben was concerned that Joseph was not killed. A point he would remind the others of – Gen 42:22– when they are in Egypt troubled by the events associated with the matter of the corn and the money they had brought to pay for the first corn being returned to them.

37:25   The callous feelings of the brothers towards Joseph is seen in the casual way in which they had no regard to his feelings but just sat down and ate a meal. Their attitude is mirrored many years later when the Jewish authorities took Jesus and crucified him.

37:24   There are only two places in Scripture where we find a pit in which there was no water. Here andZech 9:11. So we might find that there is a link if we look for it.

37:2   Whereas we are seemingly introduced to the generations of Jacob the focus is on one son – Joseph. This indicates that whilst Jacob had twelve sons the focus is going to be on Joseph.

37:4-17  Notice how often in this section we read the word “brethren”. The record is clearly showing that family connections did not guarantee friendship and companionship. Maybe this is something Jesus would learn from the life of Joseph.

Gen 37:2  We see the first reference to the animosity of Joseph’s brethren towards him.  At 17 years old Joseph (first born son of Rachel) was feeding the flock with his four half-brothers. They were Dan and Naphtali (sons of Bilhah) and Gad and Asher (sons of Zilpah).  These four brethren appear to have been the originators of the hatred of Joseph. Joseph told Jacob of “their evil report”(<1681> meaning slander, defaming, evil report). This evil report developed to hatred (Gen 37:5) and to envy (Gen 37:11).

“For I have heard the slanderof many: fear was on every side: while they took counsel together against me, they devised to take away my life.”(Psa 31:13). The experience of Joseph was also to be the experience of King David expressed in this messianic Psalm 31 which was wholly applicable to the suffering of the Lord Jesus Christ. 

In spite of the hostility of all his brothers Joseph was obedient to Jacob’s command “…Hear am I send me”(Gen 37:13)

“But I trusted in thee, O LORD: I said, Thou art my God.” Psa 31:14 Joseph’s example of obedience to Jacob’s command sets an example for us to emulate.  We must work to obey our heavenly Father’s will exemplified in the life of the Lord Jesus Christ.

37:29 Reuben, it seems, had a degree of compassion for Joseph. We might conclude he was hoping to rescue him form the pit. We see him again –  42:37 – making commitments about Benjamin.

37:24 the description here tells us nothing of Joseph’s feelings. We learn later –42:21 – of his feelings when the brothers comment on this event.

Gen 37:3 Coat of many colours (as already been mentionend is better translated covers the palms and souls of feet) but 2Sam 13:18 we see Tamar also wore a garment of divers colours. So this coat/covering spoke of Royalty, priesthood and Firstborn. No wonder his brethren were jealous. It was a pity they did not see the spiritual aspect of it, but an immense responsblity for a 17 yr old, such was Josephs faith.

The dream Gen 37:7

Binding is ALAM which means to bound the tongue so as you cannot speak. Its is associated with being in the presence of God so we cannot speak. Rom 3:19 the prophecy was fulfilled in Gen 44:16

"arose and stood upright" gives the idea to become powerful and rise in authority.

Gen 37:22 pit in wilderness is a pit with no water see Zech 9:11

37:3-4Jacob may well have found it easier to love Joseph more than his other sons. It would appear that the other sons were not averse to doing evil things. It is clear also that Joseph was loyal to Jacob and would speak of dishonesty amongst his brothers. Whilst there are clear reasons which would predispose Jacob toward favouritism towards Joseph that favouritism sowed the seeds of conflict which would alienate Joseph from his brothers. A warning to all of us who have children.

37:2 the age of Joseph is presented here but the implications of this will become clear as we read through the record, especially when Joseph is about to die. It is evident that he was familiar with the promises God made to Abraham in Gen 15. – see Gen 50:24-25

37:6,9 From a human perspective Joseph would have been better served if he had not told his dreams to his older brothers. Maybe it was the naivety of a young lad that prompted him to speak with his brothers as he did. Whatever the reason God was using Joseph. By alienating himself from his brothers the scene is set for his journey into slavery. We might even conclude that the scene began to be set when we read the sordid details of Simeon and Levi killing all the makes in Shechem – 34:25 – which prompted Jacob to be concerned for the welfare of his sons feeding their lock in Shechem –:12.

As we read about Joseph in the next few chapters maybe we should be looking for the providential way that God worked to bring  about His plan.

37:3-4  Those of us with children will relate to Jacob’s feelings, feeling a closeness to one child mother than any others. This is quite natural. However it should never show in a way which breeds resentment in the other children. The way in which Jacob’s favouritism was seen impacted on the attitude of the other boys towards Joseph.

39 v.2 - We continue the Pilate theme here - but this time from Jesus' perspective. This idea seems to be just around this Psalm and the previous one 38:13-14 and it surely refers forward to the time of Jesus' trial. Isa. 53:7, Matt.27:12-14. In v. 13 Pilate actually asks him whether he hears.

40 v.7,8 - picked up in Heb.10:7-9, together show us that the sacrifice that God really requires is that of the heart.

Psalm 39  Gives us an insight into Jesus thoughts during  his trial before the Priests.
:1        'Bridle'            see James1:26
:1        'The Wicked'        The Priests
:2        'I was dumb'        Matthew 26:62   Mark 14:61
:3        'Then I spake'      Matthew26:64   Mark 14:62
:4        'How frail I am'    'Spirit willing' Matthew 26:41 Mark 14:38
:5        'Days as an handbreadth'   at 33 years old
:6        'Heapeth up riches'           Judas
:7        'What wait I for?'            Jesus thinks about what is coming next
:8        'Reproach of fools' Psalm 22:6  Psalm 55:12  Psalm 69:9, 20
:9        'Thou didst it'     Isaiah 53:6 'Lord laid on him'
:10       'Blow of thy hand'  Isaiah 53:5 'bruised ...'
:11       'Beauty to consume' Isaiah 53:2 'no comeliness'
:12       'I am a stranger'   Psalm 69:8
:13       'Recover strength'  for the subsequent events.

The idea of using a 'bridle' to control the tongue is seen in a number of places in Scripture. Psalm 32:9  (39:1) James  3:2. There are other occasions when men speak of bridles, but the concept is not quite the same.
Ps.40:6 A recurring theme in the Scriptures is the fact that Yahweh does not want animal sacrifices.  This is not to be taken to indicate that he did not institute sacrifices.  He did, but they were added to remind Israel of their sinfulness, and not primarily as a means of pleasing Yahweh. He desired obedience. The principle is relevant in our walk in Christ as we are to be living sacrifices Rom.12:1 to the end of the letter. Our obedience is to the constraints of the gospel, some of which are laid out in the remainder of the letter to the Romans.

39:10 The ‘stroke’ of God was God’s chastening and is seen repeatedly in Scriptures which speak of Jesus sacrifice.

40:2 The ‘horrible pit’ and the ‘miry clay’ represent the depths David was in when he realised his sin. Is this how we view our unforgiven sins?

Psalm 40  This is a Messianic Psalm. The Apostle when writing to the Hebrews quotes it (Heb 10:6-8)

40:1 - Patient waiting for the Lord is required of us too - James 5:7-8

When David had decided not to speak, the fire burned in his heart (Psa 39:1-3). But he felt a compulsion to pray to God, and to beg for forgiveness. He couldn't keep silence for long, and this Psa 39 seems to be the process of thought he went through.

39:9     The silence of the one who was rebuked because the rebuke was of God was, ultimately, Jesus – Isa 53:7. However he is the example we should follow – 1Pet 2:21-24 – when we are rebuked or suffer wrongfully

40:5      The wonderful works which cannot be reckoned up were all designed to show that God has a plan. That plan is centred in His son Jesus. John 21:25 shows that when Jesus did those works they were to show that Jesus was Messiah – the pivot in God’s plans.

39:11That the beauty was consumed is echoed in Isa 53:2 where Jesus ‘hath no form nor comeliness'

40:6 That David’s ear was opened to what was written about him in ‘the volume of the book’ Psa 40:7 draws on David’s comments - 2Sam 7:27 where God had ‘revealed’ Hebrew ‘opened the ear’ of David to His plans about the temple. Psalm 40 was written as a consequence of David’s sin with Bathsheba. He is now back on track with his God and His purpose.

How the Psalms explain the Parables and sayings of Jesus

Many of the Lord's parables are derived from these Psalms. For example, the parable of the talents, in part, is seen in 40v10

"I have not hidden Your righteousness within my heart; I have declared Your faithfulness and Your salvation; I have not concealed Your lovingkindness and Your truth from the great assembly."

We can see here the opposite of the man who witheld the gift of God (Matt 25:24-28). So in this context we can see that the Lord probably meant the talents to refer to the forgiveness of God, in receipt of which we ought to gratefully proclaim his mercy to others (40v3,5,16). Here we also see that the greater conscience of our sins we have, the greater our gratefulness can be (corresponding to the number of talents in the parable; Matt 25:14-15).

Another example is in v12

"My iniquities have overtaken me... they are more than the hairs of my head" and in v17 "yet the LORD thinks upon me"

So here we can see the teaching of Jesus "every hair of your head is numbered" (Mat 10:30) in a new light. Firstly Jesus was saying God sees and knows all your sins. And secondly yet He is willing to forgive each and every one. Examples of how we can use the rest of scripture, particularly the old testament, to interpret Jesus' teachings.

39:1 The way the Psalmist kept silence before his enemies is similar to Psa 38:14. He is saying that he did not respond to the accusations and criticisms of his adversaries. If only we could respond in the same way rather than feeling the need to defend ourselves against the jibes of others.

Vs.6,7 These verses are quoted by the writer to the Hebrews (Heb 10:5-7).  Psalm 40, first expresses the sufferings and the feelings of David.  They also reflect the sufferings and feelings of Jesus.  They show the susceptibility of the Lord's human nature to emotional distress.   

Psa 39:7 This verse brings everything together. Similar to the verses in Ecclesiastes, in the previous verses David here speaks about the vanity as his son Solomon did, showing how man and his motives for living are so temporal and unproductive. We can get caught away with being unproductive. Waiting for the wrong things, and seeking to build riches. We need to be in the position of David himself. Ready to utter the words to our God "My hope IS in Thee".

Psa 40:2 - Notice the places in which David describes he is in (Whether in depression or sin). Here he is in a horrible pit and miry clay. Places that you cannot escape without help. Without the help of God that is, so the point here is to turn to God He is the only source of help. He will bring us up out of the horrible pit and miry clay and though our sins might feel too great as falling into a dark pit, He will forgive us if we approach Him with a true heart and in the right manner.

Others have noted the messianic application of Psa 40. Christ came to do his Father's will and fulfil the law with it's symbolism, sacrifices and burdens which pointed to Christ and his law of love which was written on his heart - Psa 40:6-8;Heb 10:5-9;Matt 5:17;Matt 26:39.

40:9-10 Notice the words ‘preached’ ‘not refrained’ ‘not hid’ ‘declared’. David, who has sinned grievously still spoke about God’s goodness – he preached. So it is clearly an example of how we should assess the message rather than be deflected by the problems of the messenger.

v9  David preached righteousness. We read that Noah was a preacher of righteousness 2Pet 2:5.  Today we preach the good news concerning God's Kingdom, not righteousness specifically, but as the world moves ever further away from righteousness, perhaps it's time for us to follow their example.  Noah's preaching went on as he was building the ark (what a powerful preaching aid!), but where do we find any record of David's preaching righteousness?  Psa 22:25, Psa 119:13 talk about his preaching without giving us details.

39:10   David realised his chastening was at the hand of God in that he asked God to remove his ‘stroke’ Rather like the way that Isa 53:4 speaks of Jesus’ suffering being ‘of God’.

40:11    The “tender mercies” refer to the promise of the son that God made in 2Sam 7:12-17 and is echoed in Isa 55:3

Psa 39:5 - Jesus was "man at his best state" yet even he needed the benefit of a sacrificial offering (Heb 7:27;9:7,12).

Psa 39:12 - "my tears" (Heb 5:7)..."a stranger...a sojourner, as all my fathers were" (Rom 15:8;Heb 11:8,9,13;Luke 9:58).

Psa 40:2 - "He brought me up also out of an horrible pit" - perhaps this has application to David and the resurrection of Christ.

Psa 40:3 - "a new song" - perhaps this suggests resurrection for the first born of the dead (Psa 33:3-5;96:1-2;98:1;144:9;Isa 42:10-12;Rev 5:9-10;14:3-5;15:3-4).

Psa 40:7 - "...it is written of me" (Luke 24:44).

Psa 40:9 - "preached righteousness to the great congregation" - righteousness preached to the great multitude of the redeemed (Psa 40:10;22:25-26;35:18;Isa 2:3).

Psa 40:12 - "mine iniquities have taken hold upon me" - iniquities relate directly to David but perhaps indirectly to Christ who bore the sin of many (Isa 53:12,4-6) and inherited human nature (2Cor 5:21;Rom 8:3;Heb 2:14).

Psa 40:12 - "...I am not able to look up..." - David is echoing the humility of the publican (Luke 18:13) and perhaps it connects to Jesus with the weight of sacrifice in bearing the iniquity of us all who bowed his head (Isa 53:4,6;John 20:30).

40:14 Those that devised evil against Jesus and came to capture him in the garden of Gethsemane fell backwards – John 18:6 – as David prayed his enemies would do.

39:6    In this messianic Psalm which speaks of the suffering of Jesus the one who “Heapeth up riches” speaks of Judas 

Psa 39:10 the word stroke is the word plague in Psa 38:11 and connects with leprosy in Lev 13:3 when God judges man he removes his any beauty to reveal man to be vanity, it is like a moth that destroys Godly raiment, if we do not destroy  the flesh then he will!

40:11-12           How easy it is for us to share David’s feelings of abject failure. It is only through the tender mercies of God, in particular His forgiveness, that can enable us to hold up our head. This was also Saul’s experience Rom 7:22-25

Psalm 39

In v10-11 it is clear that David is suffering some illness as a result of his sin. Though David knows it is God that has brought this upon him (v9), he is humble enough to see that it is only God who can save him:

"And now, Lord, what do I wait for?
My hope is in You." (v7)

God is our Father and He will chasten us where necessary, for "what son is there whom a father does not chasten?" (Heb 12:7). Rather it is that chastening confirms our sonship.

40:6   The way that David both speaks of himself and Jesus is the pattern of all faithful servants of God. We see this also in the way in which Deborah spoke, in poetry, of the commitment of the people in her day – Judg 5:2

39:5    Previous posts on this Psalm have related it to Jesus’ trials. So this verse would reflect his feelings about his human state. If we could have such an attitude we might feel a lot more confidence about the resurrection and its benefits.

TRUST ME

Psalm 40:4 Blessed is that man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud, nor such as turn aside to lies.

They say you should never trust someone that says "trust me". Trust means having a confident expectation of something to come; a hope. It means having reliance on the integrity of the individual who asked us to trust them. This world has become a very untrusting world - but we are promised by God that if we trust in Him - He will never let us down. Trusting God to be our rock and defence changes our whole outlook on life. Trusting God with every fibre of our being takes a lot of faith on our part and this is where we fail quite often. When we are in the midst of a crisis, we often can lose focus of God working in our lives. As well the opposite can happen - when life is smoothly flowing along, we can forget God and get lulled into a sense of self-sufficiency. 

God cares for us though thick & thin - through our ups and our downs. We may think that no one notices, but God is always right there beside us. We have a God "that changeth not", and in this we can take great comfort. Consistently trusting God is vital in our walk with God. Let us "Let go and let God lead the way."

39:1     It is not always wise to speak even if one has something to say. Ecc 3:7 teaches this principle.

39:1 James draws on the idea of controlling our tongue in James 1:26

40:2-3 whilst we might think that David had been delivered and so would praise God we should realise that David’s experience is ours. We will realise this if we truly appreciate the consequences of sin. Once realised we will – or should – want to praise God understanding that we have been delivered from “an horrible pit”.

40 There was no animal sacrifice that David could have offered after committing adultery and murder. But God forgave him (2Sam 12:13). Hence “sacrifice and offering thou didst not desire (40:6) So did David just accept forgiveness at no cost to himself? Clearly not! “I come … to do thy will” (40:6-8) David became the sacrifice – he gave himself to God in obedience to His will.

We can offer nothing but ourselves for His mercy toward us. Hence “I beseech you by the mercies of God that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice” (Rom 12:1)

The rest of Romans gives us examples of how we can be a “living sacrifice”

39:11 The challenge in life is to appreciate that all things work together for our good – Rom 8:28 – when life is not going as smoothly as we would like. But we must have the confidence in our heavenly Father to really believe that what Paul wrote is true.

39:12  In what was did David see himself as a “sojourner”. He was, as the time of which the Psalm speaks, king in Jerusalem with great wealth.

The clue as to what David was thinking is seen in the next words he says. He likens his position to “all my fathers”. Men like Abraham, Isaac and Jacob saw their earthly life and a journey towards the permanence of the inheritance in the kingdom when they would possess eternal life.

39:4 We doubtless think of Jesus as a man who was in total control of his emotions. However, in spirit, here Jesus says that he needs to remember how frail he is. Jesus suffered temptations like us, real temptations that would take him away from his God. Maybe we see the sentiments of Jesus in Mathew 26:41 – when he was struggling in the Garden of Gethsemane.

v.3 - Remember that to understand this passage is a privilege only afforded the few - Mark 13:10,11. Here in Matt.24 there is just Jesus and his disciples - special words for the chosen few. They were not the first to ask these things. In Daniel 12, a man in a vision and then Daniel himself ask just the same question (v.6-8) and get an answer that Daniel doesn't understand, which isn't surprising as he was not to know anyway - Acts 1:7, 1Thes.5:1-11.

24:16 In telling the disciples to 'flee to the mountains' Jesus is reminding them of the call to Lot [Genesis 19:17]. The situation in Jerusalem at the time of Jesus is being likened to the state in Sodom. Rather like the way in which Isaiah [1:10] speaks of the leaders in Jerusalem in his day.

The main focus of this prophecy for the disciples was their need for preparedness lest they be fearful and deceived :4, 6, 39, 42 , 44. We must be careful that we do not get so concerned to know exactly what is going to happen before Christ returns that we forget the need to be watchful lest we be led astray and deceived and therefore will not be ready for Jesus' return. As if we might know exactly when Jesus will return but we are not ready for him!

But the Lord's heart was not in the present. His mind, as always, was far away in the future. Having come to His own, and about to be rejected by them in a few days, He was in great heaviness of spirit. His rebuke, ever gentle, searches out the heart of His followers, even now.... nearly 2,000 years later. "Why do you look at the Temple that way? Don't look at all this and wonder. Look at all this and lament. Do you appreciate that this present scene is all futility and vanity? Why focus on the here and now? It is all going! And sooner than you think!" "Truly, I'm telling you, there shall not be left here one stone on another, that shall not be thrown down." Half a century of steady construction, yet in less than 40 years the Roman armies would be doing God's work and would be bringing all these major monuments of men's pride crashing to the ground. How wicked was this generation? In Abraham's day it took over 400 years for the "iniquity of the Amorites to fill up" … and they were people who knew not the God of Heaven. But this generation of Jews would overflow the wickedness of their fathers in a tenth that time! And as He sat on the Mount of Olives, Peter, James, John and Andrew (the original four), with wonder in their hearts, came to Him quietly with three solemn questions. If we had been there, perhaps we would have asked the same questions. They are the questions that in one form or another have burned in the hearts of most disciples for 6,000 years.  Lord, how long? When will all this that you have spoken happen? How will we know the end of the Age is here?

Bro. Cliff's comment for Matthew 24 was so long I have placed the rest on a separate page.
Click here to read it.

24:30 The focus of the warning of Jesus is ‘you’ speaking to the disciples  (:2,4,9,23,25,26,34) so the use of ‘they’ in this verse is instructive. It highlights that the Olivet prophecy has elements applying to two different groups of individuals.

v.13 - To endure to the end is the ultimate requirement.  In our recognition of God's love to us, we should persevere in that love until death.  Rom 2:7, 1Cor 1:8, Heb 3:6,14,39, Rev 2:10

Matt 24:29  It is a very interesting comparison when we look at the warning spoken by Ezekiel. (Eze 33)

Matt 24:36  An excellent verse to destroy the theory of a triune God-head.

The so-called Olivet Prophecy contained in this chapter is essentially a warning of the coming disaster of 70 AD.  A 143-day siege led by Titus killed approximately 1,000,000 Jews while thousands of others were taken captive. 

After a rebellion in 135 AD led by a false messiah Bar Kochba (see Matt 24:24) was crushed, Jerusalem was levelled.  However, the faithful who heeded the words of Jesus as he referred to the prophet Daniel, would escape the atrocities of the Roman onslaught.

Members of the ecclesia at Jerusalem moved to Pella, east of the River Jordan before the destruction began.  Although Matt. 24 deals mainly with the destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD, it does give glimpses of the Lord's second coming.  One must be careful, though, to understand which details fit which event.

v.7 - The 'earthquakes in diverse places' seem very much a feature of our modern times.  Let us lift up our heads.

In accord with Peter Cresswell's comments on v.7 we note in v.8 the suggestion that like birth pangs the signs of the times will occur with increasing frequency as the return of Christ draws near.

24:2    In saying that there would not be one stone that would not be 'thrown down' Jesus is describing the destruction of Jerusalem in the same way that the leprous house was to be destroyed Lev 14:45

V.48 As we read this verse our thoughts go back to the words of the wise man Solomon; that a man is that which he thinketh in his heart (Prov 23:7). Also, the warning written by Peter towards the end of his life (2Pet 3:1-4).

The two parables at the end of today’s chapter (Matt 24:45-51) speak of us occupying until He come (as He said elsewhere, in Luke 19:13.)  The first servant is part-way through his work; the curtains are at the cleaners’; the chairs are stacked on the tables; and the servants have stopped for a tea break. And in walks the Master.  He is delighted. They haven’t completed their work – but who does? Can we say “It is finished”? No, so we get on with Christ’s work, and do our best.  But in the second part of this parable the servants are having a drunken brawl, and there is no evidence of any work having been done. When Christ returns, He will not be satisfied at all with such a situation. Which picture is of us?

24:2 The throwing down of the stones also echoes the language of Zech 5:4

36-44 We have in these few verses the lesson of always being ready for the return of Christ. At the time of the flood people did not expect sudden disaster. So they continued to live as if nothing would ever happen. Then suddenly the flood came and swept them away. At Christ's return, we are told one shall be taken, and the other left. We must always be prepared, just as a home owner would be prepared if he knew that a burglar was going to try to break into his house, but did know exactly when. We know Christ is returning, but we do not know when.

 24:11   The warning about ‘false prophets’ was made right at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry in the Sermon on the Mount – Matt 7:15

The last days before the return of Christ - V.3,31,36-44; Luke 17:20-35; 2Pet 3:3,4,9; 2Tim 3:1-5 (seemingly refers to a most unfortunate situation among many "believers" in the last days)

24:17-18 There doubtless was enough time to do both of the things mentioned in these verses before fleeing Jerusalem when the Romans retreated for a while so the warning is not based upon the need for speed. Rather it is a warning about laying any confidence in the things in the city – rather like Lot’s wife. Remember the warning to ‘flee to the mountains’ is what Lot was told – Gen 19:17

We cannot know precisely when the Lord will return (vs.42-44). We should watch current events as they unfold in the geo-political heavens. This will bolster our faith and spur us on, especially if we talk it up amongst ourselves (Heb 10:25). What is not helpful are brethren who, given to numerological precision, conclude points of prophecy and adamantly promote and defend their time frames. Even some of our founding brethren, to whom we owe much, have foundered upon these shoals to the chagrin of many. This practice can be divisive, denying the greater reason for our sojourning together (Col 3:15).

Let us, therefore, just watch and pray and stand firm (1Cor 16:13).

Owning the world later if we speak the word now

Jesus owns the world and everything in it. That makes this parable compelling - because we can rule over his property (v47) if Jesus finds us feeding his people when he returns (v45-47). In other words, we can inherit the whole world! By "feeding" Jesus doesn't refer to physical food, because we know his concern was not for such temporary things. In Matt 4:4 Jesus says:

"man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God".

So we can see that our primary mission is to feed one another with the word of God. We can do this simply (and most effectively) by making it part of our conversation whenever we're together. As we can see from the previous chapter, trying to becoming a full time spiritual teacher is ill advised (23:8-12).

AS LOVE GROWS COLD

Some people leave the church because they feel it is not loving enough. With their leaving, often faith also dwindles away over time converting yet another Christian to a godless existence.

It is a lack of love that Jesus cites as one of the characteristics of the church in the last days. We may be seeing only the beginning of it now. He says, "Because of the increase of wickedness, the love of most will grow cold, but he who stands form to the end will be saved." (Matt 24:12-13)

It is not the love of some or even many that will grow cold, but the love of most. As the days go on, our churches are going to lose the love they once had - love for one another and love for God. If it is all caused by an increase of wickedness, perhaps part of the reason is that people are not so lovable any more.

How will that affect us? Are we going to be one of the ones that throw our toys out of the cot and give up on religion because of the way people are acting? We need to be bigger people than that. We need to be those who set the example and lead others to the love of God. We need to be those who stand firm to the end. By doing so we will be saved, and who knows whether we will also have saved others in the process?

As love dies, let's not give up but stand firm to the end.

24:40  This verse is one of a number of times in the Olivet Prophecy that Jesus repeats what he has already said in Luke 17:36. Maybe this is what Jesus is referring to when he says ‘I have told you before’ – Matt 24:25

24:35 The import of this verse is that Jesus, at this time , did not know when he would be coming back to the earth. Maybe this is why he passed over an explanation of Daniel – Matt 24:15

ALMOST FULFILLED

Almost every visitor to the Holy Land goes to visit the Western Wall. The Western wall (or Wailing Wall) is a stone wall that was apparently part of the temple that Herod built. It is the only remaining wall of any of that original temple - and even some of the wall today is a more recent construction than the parts that Herod had made.

When the disciples asked Jesus about the temple, he replied to them, "Do you see all these things? ... I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." (Matt 24:2) This prophecy had its initial fulfilment in AD70 when the Romans conquered Jerusalem. At that time they destroyed the temple and burned it. The fire from the burning became so hot that the gold in the temple melted and ran between the cracks in the stones. In order to get at the gold, the soldiers pulled apart every stone in the temple, not leaving one on top of another - except for the Western Wall. It still partially stands.

In order for the prophecy of Jesus to be completely fulfilled, the time needs to come when not one stone will be left on another, every one will be thrown down. When that happens we will know that we are on the very brink of the return of Jesus. May he come soon!

24:48 The idea that the ‘lord’ would ‘delay’ his coming echoes what the people said about Moses – Exo 32:1 – when he was up the mountain receiving the law of God. However at that time there were signs in the mountain – thundering and lightnings. So the people could not really be in any doubt that something special was happening.  Isn’t it appalling that some might doubt the return of Jesus whilst he is in heaven? We likewise have signs in the world around us showing that God is still at work.

24:9  The disciples doubtless expected to hear about things that would happen to Jerusalem and the temple. Instead they are hearing about what will happen to them personally. Jesus has already made the point that they will be persecuted inLuke 12:11-12 where his emphasis was that they should not worry in those circumstances.

24:10  Discipleship is not intended to be an “easy ride”. Sadly persecution and stress highlights tensions between individuals. Jesus’ words should encourage us to trust him and place our confidence in him rather than to trust in fellow disciples.

Matt 24:15

“…. I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.”

It was fitting that Christ direct his preaching first to the Jews because he “was a minister of the circumcision for the truth of God to confirm the promises made unto the fathers (Rom 15:8). This was the proper order since the Jews (of the circumcision) worshipped the one true God and fitting that they should in turn declare God’s glory to the Gentiles (of the uncircumcision) (Isa 66:19; Gal 2:11).

Christ told his disciples not to go “into the way of the Gentiles” (Matt 10:5). Why, when it was prophesied that they would declare God to the Gentiles? If the apostles had first gone to preach to the surrounding Gentile nations, it would have given the Jews a valid excuse to reject the Christ. The Jews despised the Gentiles and Samaritans (Acts 13:46; cf. Acts 22:21-22).

Christ preached in Judea and Galilee where he performed the majority of his miracles and delivered his teachings. The scattered instances of Gentiles receiving his goodness were forerunners of the Spirit being poured out on the Jew and Gentile alike (Acts 10:1-31; Rom 11:11). It was a preparation for the gospel to be spread to all nations, but it was not until Christ fulfilled God’s plan of salvation that all the nations would be blessed in him (Psa 72:11; Luke 2:32; Rom 15:9-12). It was not till after his resurrection that Christ commanded his disciples “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost” (Matt 28:19).

Matt 24:31 Elect

Col 3:11-12 qualifications for being elect.

1Pet 1:2 we need knowledge to be the elect.

Matt 24:51 those who give up waiting for our lords return and drink again with the world will be cut asunder as a sacrifice when we were baptised we entered into a covenant, we dont get away so easily!! Jer 34:18

Let us therefore speak continually with each other about Gods word encouraging each other and shepherding each other and point out events in the world that warn us of that coming kingdom!

Matt 24:15

“Woe unto you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For ye compass sea and land to make one proselyte, and when he is made, ye make him twofold more the child of hell than yourselves.”

The hottest spiritual trend during the 70’s, 80’s, and 90’s was the New Age movement, which teaches man is divine and reject the gospel of Jesus Christ. More than a third of the entire gospel narratives in the New Testament are taken up with Jesus' personal struggle against just such a religious community dedicated to the practices and ideals of the scribes and Pharisees.

It was during these years that another remarkable shift took place - the emergence of the New Kabbalah, a revival of Kabbalistic doctrines and practices. The New Age movement is actually an extension of Jewish mystical magical practices of Kabbalah or Cabala that has been around for many centuries. The Kabbalah is an occult system of Jewish religious philosophy based on oral tradition, dealing with the speculative, philosophical, and theosophical doctrine of Judaism (cf. Mark 7:13). Neither one rest on Biblical facts and actually contradict the Bible.

Today’s Pharisees are commonly referred to as Zionist Jews and are of the “synagogue of Satan” who say they are Jews, but are not (Rev 2:9,10). Technically, only the kingdom of Judah was Jewish, and all the other tribes had no claim to the name. This distinction was understood in the Old Testament (cf. 2Kin 16:5,6) wherein we read that the people and king of Israel fought with the Rezin, king of Syria against the Jewish people! The synagogue of Satan did not fit the definition of a Jew, but are as defined in the New Testament (Rom 2:29) those who are so inwardly; and circumcision being that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter, whose praise is not of men, but of God. All those who call themselves Jews/Jewesses are not necessarily the physical descendants of Abraham, or from the tribe of Judah (cf. Rom 9:6-8; Gal 3:6-9).

From the Kabbalah emerged the New Kabbalah, which seeks to further uncover and develop the philosophical and psychological significance of Kabbalistic symbols and ideas. It is comprised of comparative studies between Jewish mysticism and other religious and philosophical traditions, including Hinduism, Buddhism, Platonism, and Gnosticism. The New Kabbalah was born out of the Kabbalistic visionary, Isaac Luria (1534-1572), and rooted in the classical Kabbalah of the Zohar, the foundation of Kabbalah, based on a collection of commentaries from the Talmud for those who strive to achieve high spiritual degrees as their souls evolve in order to discover deeper, higher states of perception and sensation until they reach the highest level of spiritual attainment as also taught within the New Age movement.

The Kabbalah as practiced in Christ’s day has become the New Kabbalah in our day. The children of hell were the religious teachers, the Pharisees, and after 2,000 years, guess what? The Zionist religionist teachers throughout the Ages have become worse, which in this Age has culminated in the incorporation of satanic mysticism of other denominations called the New Kabbalah and, of course, include their followers (1John 3:8-10), making them two-fold more the children of hell.

24:42 We might ask what is the point in watching if we do not know when what we are looking for will happen. However the point Jesus is making is that one has to be always prepared.  The watching is not specifically for his return. Rather it is that we should watch our own lives. Our behaviour and our words.

Matt 24:37-39

“But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be…”

Jesus placed paramount importance on understanding the account of the pre-Flood world that led to the Flood. Before the Flood, the overwhelming majority ignored the verbal warnings from Noah and ignored the warning signs all around them as to what was to occur. Christ gave us a clear warning as to what the world would be like near the time of his second coming. So, what were the days of Noah and Lot like?

In Noah’s day, the “wickedness of man was great… every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually… the earth also was corrupt before God, and the earth was filled with violence… all flesh had corrupted his way…" (Gen 6:5,11,12). Their wickedness also had to do with their accepting and tolerating practices of allowing unholy alliances (alien marriages) of the sons of God (descendants of Seth) with the daughters of men (descendants of Cain, Gen 6:1-4).

“Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot…" (Luke 17:28). In Lot’s day, they were given over to fornication and going after strange flesh (Jude 1:7).  Sexual immorality and homosexuality took control of the people of Sodom. Ezekiel also describes them as being proud, having fullness of bread, abundance of idleness, they did not care for the poor and needy, were haughty,committed abominations and justified their abominations (Eze 16:49-52). The events of Noah and Lot would be combined in the last days before Christ returns. This is what we witness today! In 2Pet 2:4-6 we read the punishment for their ungodly behaviour were examples for us should we live ungodly. Historians and Commentators say there were millions of people alive in those, yet, only eight were saved. Jesus confirmed that only few will be saved when he returns (Matt 7:14; Matt 22:14). What a sobering fact!

According to Historians, the global trends before the Flood were: population explosion, widespread violence and warfare, incredible technological advancement, knowledge increased, false religions, disease and famine, and the people were unaware of God’s intentions despite the warnings from the preachers of righteousness. All these signs have been further magnified in our Age. 

We face major upheavals across the globe, as we witness society unraveling because of the spirit to liberalize, rationalize, and compromise. Sin today is fashionable. Noah preached righteousness - obedience to God's commands, but they didn’t care. They laughed, ridiculed, mocked, and hurled insults at him. The Word did not penetrate their hearts. Imagine the political cartoons in our Age of this narrow-minded, bigoted Noah! They would have looked at Noah as several saddle bags short of a camel load. The Bibles are being tossed away, the world is saturated with evil and indifference; people selfishly go about life as usual, eating, drinking and giving in marriage while ignoring God in face of impending doom and judgment.

Our generation has been warned; the days of Noah and Lot are upon us. When everything seems to be going just fine, sudden cataclysmic events and panic will arrest us (cf. Matt 24:39). History is coming to a climax and the laughers, mockers, scoffers, and unbelievers will be shut out of the Christ-Ark, and once the door is shut it will not be opened despite all the cries for mercy (Luke 13:25-30).

24:7   We know of one famine that affected Jerusalem because Agabus prophesied of it – Acts 11:28 – and it happened in the days of Claudius Caesar.

24:3    Jesus spoke about his “coming” but even a few years later – 2Pet 3:4 – there were doubters questioning why God’s judgements had not been poured out. It is most encouraging that God is “longsuffering” in that he waits for men and women to repent rather than bring His judgements immediately.

Matt 24:1-13

“… And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.”