Comments for January 3

In ch. 6:8 we are told that Noah found grace. He was recognised as a special called out one. There were, of course, many others down the ages, but each had their own understanding. Lot knew he had it - he was greatly confident - Gen.19:18-19. Maybe we feel more like Moses, who was less sure and had to be told Exo. 33:12-17. Grace is given, not earned Ps.84:11. It is the unmerited favour of God on mankind. It is by grace that we labour - like Paul - 1Cor. 15:10 and it is grace that brings salvation Tit.2:11-14, 3:4-8)

5:24 - Enoch, clearly a special person in Gods purpose, being chosen to be taken (as was Elijah) that he should not see death does not appear to feature as much in scripture as we might expect - only two other references, both in the New Testament. He makes it to the list of special men of faith in Hebrews 11:5, telling us that it was his faith that brought about this amazing happening, and he is also reported as having made a prophecy in Jude v.14,15

5:3 That Adam had a son in his own image after his likeness contrasts starkly with the creation of Adam [1:26]. Adams descendants are shown to be in his, and not Gods image and likeness. This is the simple explanation for death which comes to those who have not sinned after the similitude of Adams transgression [Romans 5:14]

6:5 The way that man thought about evil things all the day is contrasted by David, in his prayer [1 Chronicles 29:18] requesting blessing on Solomon with the way that man should always have God in the imagination of their heart.

ch 5 - The recurring phrase in this chapter is and he died :5, 8, 11, 14,17, 20, 31 really marking the point that those in Adam's likeness were mortal.

6:9 That Noah walked with God demonstrates agreement between Noah and God - they must have had fellowship and communicated for God to know that he shared His views (Amos 3:3)

WHOSE INFLUENCE?

Mankind was in a very sad state. God saw how wicked the people on earth had become. It was so bad that "the LORD was grieved that he had made man on the earth, and his heart was filled with pain." (6:6) We also find that "every inclination of the thoughts of his (mans) heart was only evil all the time." (6:5) The world became so bad that God had no other option than to destroy it.

To make a world as evil and corrupt as the world became in Noahs day, meant that every individual person contributed to the wicked state of the world. In todays society that would include all the people that we would normally trust - your family, police, judges, pastors, doctors, councillors and teachers - just to name a few. It would mean that the pressure to be wicked would be intense, since it would be the "normal" thing to do.

Noah was the only one who was different. I believe the reason he was so different was because Noah "walked with God" rather than walking with the people of his world. He was influenced by God to righteousness and blamelessness.

The world will be in a similar state to Noahs time before Jesus returns. Are we going to be some of those influenced by the world and adding to its wickedness, or will we be Gods people, walking with him, influenced by him and saved on the day of judgement?

The Generations of Adam - After such a promising start in Genesis 1, the divine record now brings us face to face with the consequence of rebellion and sin. The recurring theme through Genesis 5 is the phrase... "and he died", which occurs 8 times. It should be 9 (the number of judgement) times, but Enoch was translated that he should not see death. Why? Because he walked with God, indicating that he had developed a dynamic, rather than a passive, relationship with his Heavenly Father. Did Enoch die? The Bible tells us that death passed on ALL MEN, even on those who did not rebel like Adam - Romans 5:14. So though he did die, as far as the record is concerned, Enoch stands as a parable of all those who are alive and remain at the coming of the Lord - 1 Thessalonians 4:17 - who escape death, but who pass through the judgment to emerge triumphant in Glory through the Grace of God, because of the power of the dynamic relationship that has been established with heaven - Hebrews 7:16.

ch 6 - Noah "found Grace in the eyes of the Lord". Unlike most of Noahs contemporaries, Noah was searching for the Grace of God. Which is why he found it.

Have you found the Grace of God yet? Do you know what it looks like?

Mercy is when we do not receive what we do deserve - [like David who found mercy even though he deserved death under the law], and Grace is when we do receive what we do not deserve - [like Noah who received salvation, not because he deserved it, but because he had also built a dynamic relationship with the provider of Grace in heaven].

Giants in the Earth - does not refer to physically large men, but rather to bullies, men of great reputation, who threw their weight around, just as the evil servant described by Jesus in Matthew 24:48-51.

As it was in the Days of Noah - There are many who believe that by these words, Jesus was warning about a relative few who will be saved when He returns. But the warning of Noah is not so much about the number who escaped the flood, but the means whereby they did escape.

Peter describes Noah as "the eighth", - 2Peter 2:5 - meaning that Noah was a representative man, just as Jesus was. To paraphrase Paul, "there was therefore now no condemnation to them who were in the ark with Noah", - Romans 8:1. The fact that there were 7 others with Noah in the Ark, tells us that the salvation Jesus offers is sufficient for all mankind. But it will only be those who belong to His family, who will be with Him on the other side of the next flood of judgment - Matthew 7
:23.

6:14 The word translated "pitch" in 6:14"thou shalt pitch it within and without", can also mean
"atonement" (make atonement x70, reconcile x3, pitchx1). So our sins are covered by our Saviour.

5:29 One wonders what Lamech expected when he said of Noah ‘this same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil’ because of the curse. He certainly did bring comfort – but not to those who were like Lamech who simply saw the curse as  punishment.

6:8 This is the first mention of ‘grace’ in Scripture

5:24 God took Enoch. Heb 11:5 describes it as: By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: The word translated means transferred or transported. There is no sense from the text as to where he was transported. He was not found. Other notable people that Yahweh took away and were not found were Moses (Deut 34:6); and Elijah (2Kin 2:16,17). All these three died because they were mortal men. All mortal men (sons of Adam) die (1Cor 15:22). Even those faithful to Yahweh die - but they have the promise of being resurrected to life (1Cor 15:52).

Some say that both Elijah and Enoch were taken into heaven (meaning divine paradise in those people's minds). But, scripture clearly tells us that no man, except Jesus, can be in the presence of the divine (

John 3:13). Elijah was taken up into by a whirlwind into heaven (2Kin 2:11). The chariot of fire took Elijah into the sky and deposited him somewhere on land where he would not be found. The word heaven is translated from the Hebrew word shamayim which means lofty, and indicates the sky. In Enoch's case we are told that he should not see death. Whose death? The assumption is his death. But, consider that Enoch only lived 365 years. Everyone else around him was living to, at least, twice as old as he. Could it be that, at the time he was taken away, he had not actually seen anyone die around him?

Gen 6:18  This is the first time that a covenant is mentioned in scripture. Interesting that it is a covenant made with water. Peter likens it to our baptism. 1Pet 3:20-21

In chapter 6 onwards we see the love of God - giving mankind, even though they have turned away completely, another final chance to turn around - even though He knew none but Noah and his family would take it.  Even in the moments of greatest severity, God shows nothing but love for mankind.  In our own lives we must be sure to recognise the love of God when it comes in this form - giving us another chance to be forgiven, counted righteous, and carried by His grace to that kingdom for which we long.  Even though we do so badly, God has determined that man will be part of His ultimate glorification, and we must express our gratitude to Him at all times for this.

5:3 Contrasting with what we saw yesterday these sons are all Adam’s son – ‘he begat’ – and they all died – thus we see that the deliverer will not come through the work of Adam – that is man.

ONE IN A MILLION
 
Of the multitudes of people on the earth at the time of Noah, all of them were wicked. You can imagine God looking down from heaven on all the teeming mass of humanity, his heart grieved that he had made man at all, and in pain because of all the wickedness that had come about.  Out of all those people, the only one who was acceptable to God was Noah. But what is one person out of so many?
 
If we had an ant colony swarming through our kitchen and getting into all our precious food supplies, we would not be looking to save the one or two good ants that had purposely decided not to invade our territory. Our aim would be to wipe out the whole colony, good and bad, because of the evil effect of the majority. But God is not like that. He sees far beyond the general trends to the lives of every single one of us. That is why, of all the people in the days of Noah, he decided to save that one good man and his family.
 
Even in today's society with its teeming millions, God is still able to look down and see our individual lives. In the same way he cared for Noah, he cares for us and has singled us out of the crowd to receive his grace and to show his glory. So let us live, not as one of the crowd, but like Noah, righteous and blameless, walking with God.

Seth was the replacement son for the righteous Abel (Gen 4:25, Matt 23:35).

He and his progeny, listed in Gen. 5, represented the seed of the woman. As such, they were the sons of God.

Unfortunately, these sons of God did not keep to themselves but inter-married with the daughters of men (Gen 6:2-4).

The daughters of men represented the seed of the serpent and, unfortunately the latter influenced the former.

Gen 6:5 tells us that civilisation had sunk to a disastrous low. Only one man, Noah, as a faithful son of God, kept himself apart from the surrounding evil.
Scripture is replete in examples of the sons of God mingling with and being influenced by the daughters of men.

Israel's joining with Moabite and Midianite women (Num 25:1-6); Israel's taking strange (foreign) wives in the time of Ezra (Ezra 10:1-3); Solomon's inclusion of foreign wives (1Kin 11:1-8) will suffice by way of example.

Those baptised into Christ, after a confession of the true Gospel, are the seed of the woman and the sons of God.

Like all sons of God in scripture, the commandment to these saints (sanctified ones) is to separate and not to mingle with the seed of the serpent (world). For the present world, like the evil world of Noah's day, is doomed for destruction. However, the faithful sons of God are on a journey to eternal life in God's Kingdom (Matt 24:37-39, 2Cor 6:14-17).

6:2     That the sons of God ‘saw’ the women were ‘fair’ and so ‘took’ them echoes Eve’s response to the fruit of the tree of life – Gen 3:6. So Eve’s behaviour is seen to be manifest in the sons born to Adam and his descendants.

Humankind had become so wicked that the LORD vowed to cleanse the earth and start again (6:5-7). Even the sons of God (household of faith) had given in to the flesh and abandoned their faith. Only faithful Noah and his family would be saved. Another cleansing will occur soon when Jesus returns to rule the world. That experience will parallel the events of Noah's time (Matt 24:37-39). Today's conditions are mirroring those of Noah's time (6:11,12). The return of the Lord Jesus will be preceded by a defection from the Truth, just like that of the sons of God in Noah's day (2Thess 2:3). And like Noah, only a comparative few faithful will be saved (Matt 7:14). Jesus said:...he who stands firm to the end will be saved (Matt 10:22). Time to check one's standing (1Cor 10:12).

6:9     We should not read lightly that ‘Noah walked with God’  he was in a minority but was doing what Abraham will later be called to do - Gen 17:1 and what Jesus calls us to do  Matt 5:48

Gen 5:1-2 First Principles>The Nature of Man
A creature of dust, man is mortal: that is, subject to death or dissolution of being, in consequence of the disobedience of Adam which brought death as the penalty of sin. In the death state a man is a body deprived of life, and is utterly unconscious as if be had never existed. His dead body corruption will presently destroy.
1. The origin of man - God created man - go to Gen 5:1-2. This is a sufficient statement, never mind how.
2. The fall of man. God gave man a commandment Gen 2:17 and man was beguiled by the serpent - go to Gen 3:4-5 for more details. The consequence is that death was passed upon the human race Gen 3:17. Adam represented the human race.
3. The effects of Adam's transgression on the Human race. We cannot be responsible for Adam's transgression, but we still suffer its consequences. Go to 1Cor 15:21-22.
4. The death state - Man is mortal - go to Ecc 9:5.
5. Bible Teaching on the Soul. The serpent was the first being to teach the immortality of the soul. Soul in the Bible means, primarily, creature; but it is also used of the various aspects in which a living creature - man or beast - can be contemplated, such as person, body, life, breath, mind. It never expresses the idea of immortality.
An Official Church of England Publication in 1945, page 23 states:
The idea of the indestructibility of the human soul or consciousness owes its origin to Greek and not to Bible sources.
    1. Nephesh (Hebrew word for Soul) - go to Eze 18:4
    2. Properties of the Soul - go to Isa 29:8
    3. Psuche (Greek word for Soul) - go to Matt 10:28
    4. Bible teaching on the Spirit - go to Gen 41:8
6. An end to the mortal state:
    1. Redemption from death Hos 13:14
    2. Death to be swallowed up in victory Isa 25:8
    3. No more death, sorrow or crying Rev 21:4
    4. Last enemy to be destroyed 1Cor 15:26
First Principles> For more First Principle topics, go to Acts 8:12.

6:11 Contrast the description here – the earth filled with violence with Num 14:21, Isa 11:9, Hab 2:14 where the earth will be filled with God’s glory. We must realise that the world in which we live is a far cry from what God is looking for.

5:29   The name Noah means rest.  In Gen 7:7 we learn that Noah entered the ark ahead of he animals, which begs the question, how did the animals then get into the ark? Perhaps the answer is found in Matt 11:28-29, where we are told that coming to Jesus will give us rest. The play on the English word "rest" is obvious.  We came to Jesus, we were not driven to him.  The animals came to Noah, they weren't driven to him.

In the UK, a shepherd drives sheep before him, in the Middle East, the shepherd leads the sheep. John 10:4,5,27  We need to be sure that we know the voice of our shepherd.

WALK WITH GOD

The most discussed points about Enoch's life are the questions about how God took him, where and when, and did he really die or not? These may be the most discussed questions, but perhaps some more important questions are: How did Enoch walk with God? and How can we walk with God in the same way as Enoch?

About Enoch's life we read this: "When Enoch had lived sixty five years, he became the father of Methuselah. And after he became the father of Methuselah, Enoch walked with God 300 years and had other sons and daughters. Altogether Enoch lived 365 years. Enoch walked with God, then he was no more, because God took him away." (Gen 5:21-24)

The man characteristic of Enoch's life was that he walked with God. What does that mean?

When I go walking with Sharon, we walk together. We hold hands, and as we walk we share intimate conversation together. There is nothing selfish about walking side by side. It is a fellowship thing. Walking together means keeping in step with one another, agreeing together, listening to each other and becoming closer friends for the experience. To do this we need to have time together, time free of other distractions.

So let us make time, as Enoch did, to walk with God. And as we spend time with him let's not only talk, but listen. Allow intimacy to happen, keeping in step with God our Father.

5:9-29 In Gen 4:26 we learnt that men began to call on the name of the Lord in the days of Enos.  If we count the named sons from Enos, including him, we find that Noah is the 8^th. This is the basis for Peter’s comment 2Pet 2:5 where Noah is introduced as the eight person preacher of righteousness. Noah was the 8^th preacher of righteousness. The word ‘person’ in 2 Peter is not actually in the original. The translators added it to make sense, as they thought, of the text.

Gen 6:1-5

“And it came to pass, when men began to multiply on the face of the earth, and daughters were born unto them, that the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose…There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men (el gibbor) which were of old, men of renown. And GOD (Yahweh) saw that the wickedness of man was great…”

This passage is one of those oft-debated passages gendering a lot of controversy. These “giants” are identified as, either fallen angels, literal giants, aliens from another planet, or demons! “Giants” is Strong’s # <5303>, nephyl, from which we get the word “Nephilim,” and is translated as a “bully or tyrant.” These offspring of mixed marriages were not giant monstrosities, but fierce warriors. “Mighty “ # <1368>, gibbor, “powerful, by impl. warrior, tyrant.” It refers to their war-like abilities. “Renown” # <8034>, shem, is being in a position of authority. These mixed marriages produced a progeny of powerful warriors, wicked, unbelieving, and sinful men by which the whole world was filled with violence (Gen 6:9).

Three warning signs are brought to light here: 1) The sons of God (descendants of Seth) married the daughters of men (descendants of Cain), i.e. marriage between believers and unbelievers. The result is, more often than not, decay in moral standards. 2) Their offspring were ungodly and wicked.  3) As the population increased, so did its wickedness. Our population is reaching 7 billion! What does this tell us? It is not surprising that the earth is filled with violence! As the days of Noah were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be" (Matt 24:37).

In the days of Noah, believers had become so involved in the lust of the flesh, lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, that they could not extricate themselves from it. They perished with the world they loved, and so will we if we don’t heed the warning signs.

6:12   Even though ‘God looked’ He was well aware of man’s corruption before He ‘looked’ Such is His mercy that He does not intervene as soon as He sees evil. He is long suffering. Always hopeful, despite His knowledge of man’s tendencies, that He will see repentance so that He can forgive. 2Pet 3:9

6:22   Noah, the just man, did everything according to what God commanded him. We see the same commendation in Gen 7:5,16. Is this something that could be said of us?

 Gen 5:24.

What does the writer mean when he says that "Enoch was not, for God took him" (K.J.V.)?

What happened to Enoch is one of those popular discussion topics that Bible students like to throw around when they get together. Usually it's coupled with the corollary question about what happened to Elijah - though I think the one about Elijah is a little easier to answer. But getting back to Enoch, here are some foundation principles that need to be agreed upon before considering an answer to the question. First, Jesus is the first and only one to this point in time to have received the gift of immortality. Second, all others from Adam to the present who will receive it will do so at the judgment seat of Christ at his second coming. Now if there is no getting around those 2 statements, then either Enoch is in some kind of suspended animation state or he is dead and his death is simply not recorded in Scripture (which is the case with a whole lot of people whose names are found in the Bible). Now since the Bible has absolutely nothing to say about any possibility of what could be called a state of suspended animation, then we are left with the fact that Enoch died at some point beyond his 365th year (Gen 5:21-23). But then what are we to make of this verse and the very similar passage in Heb. 11:5? Here's how it reads -

"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." (K.J.V.)

The verb "translated" in Heb. 11 is translated in Heb 7:12 as "change" in the context of a change of law and priesthood. This then leads to the possibility that Enoch was translated in the sense in which a modern bishop might be - i.e. to a special office of priest in a different place than he originally lived. Also the name itself - Enoch - means "dedicated". And when it's recorded that he pleased God, that word "pleased" is a word used regularly of acceptable priesthood and/or sacrifice.

But we're still left with what is stated in Hebrews that he should not see death. The idea probably is this - that he was removed so that he didn't die at that time - i.e. taken from outward danger to a place of safety. A longstanding rabbinic interpretation is that he was taken away from persecution for righteousness' sake.

A couple of additional points in connection with the Hebrews passage - in v. 13 the writer says that "all these people were still living by faith when they died..." And among those listed in that section leading up to that verse are only 7 - Abel, Enoch, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Sarah. So Enoch really has to be among the "all". And then there's Paul's unequivocal words in Rom. 5:14 about death reigning from Adam to Moses even over those who did not sin by breaking a command as did Adam. And Enoch is in that time frame.

One final point - in Heb. 11:4,5 it's significant that the writer places Abel and Enoch side by side in this gallery of faithful ones. Abel died by the hand of an assassin; Enoch was translated that he should not see death (probably a violent one at that time). Both experienced God's overshadowing care, yet one suffered and the other was delivered. This should teach us an important lesson - that God's providential care does take various forms.

Gen 5:22

“And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years…”

A person who walks with God is a person who knows which way God is going and goes the same way. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed” (Amos 3:3)? Enoch walked in the ways of the Lord.  It was a walk of faith - an exercise of the mind that made unseen things real.

We may talk a great deal about God, but how many of us are actually walking with God?  The New Testament uses walking as a metaphor to describe how we are to live daily. The apostle Paul exhorts us, “to walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God” (Col 1:10).

After the birth of Methuselah, we have this testimony that Enoch walked with God for 300 years! Imagine for three centuries Enoch and God were inseparable! In every aspect of Enoch’s life, he included God. How did he accomplish this? He prayed to God about everything that happened in his life. Prayer reveals the true intent of the heart, and the first great commandment is to love the Lord with all our heart, soul, and mind. In other words, we are to love God with every fiber of our being (Matt 22:36-38). We may be absolutely sure that we will be evaluated most thoroughly on this first great commandment!

We need to walk with God; we need to train ourselves to have more communion with God; we need to be more alone with God because grace only comes directly from Him. None of us can give the grace of God to another as taught by the parable of the wise and foolish virgins. So let us walk with God, and while the way may not always be easy, we know that if we walk with God, He will lead us and keep us in the right way.

Luke 17: 26-28
“And as it was in the days of Noe, so shall it be also in the days of the Son of man.
They did eat, they drank, they married wives, they were given in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, and the flood came, and destroyed them all.
Likewise also as it was in the days of Lot; they did eat, they drank, they bought, they sold, they planted, they builded…”

It is interesting to consider  how Noah and his family were actually all involved with 'Marrying and giving in Marriage, 'Planting/Building', eating/Drinking etc......

And yet, this is exactly what Christ said to avoid! So what lesson can we learn from this example?
There are 2 ways you can live your life. You can build/plant for the world or build/plant for the Truth. It is how you do things that are important. If God is in our lives, we will use our talents to do everything for him. If we follow Sin, we will do it for Self. We can Marry in the Truth after the pattern of Christ and Bride, we can build ecclesias, we can plant(sow) seed for Christ....
Looking at the following calculations... It can be shown that the building of the ark was most likely started some 50-75 years only before the flood, which is interesting.
It was during the last, say, 50 years, that Noah's 3 sons Got married, when they were building the ark and also when they were planting collecting food for the ark (last 7 days). 
In Gen 6:3, the 120 years is in reference to what God thought and declared about how long the earth would last before the flood. Noah may or may not have known this timeframe...until later in chapter where we read "God said to Noah..."  before vs 13, it was perhaps the elohim planning.

Noah may not have been told to build the ark until after all three sons were born. This is indicated by vs 18: "...and thou shalt come into the ark, thou, and thy sons, and thy wife, and thy sons' wives with thee.

So it appears the countdown to the flood may have already begun, and like the text says "Noah found grace...", else he and his family would have perished. May we also find Grace!!!

Gen 6:14 - as David Simpson noted in his 2003 comments, the words "pitch"<3722> or <3724> can mean "atonement" or "redemption price" etc. and perhaps remind us of the shed blood of Christ on the wooden cross.

Gen 6:9

“… Noah was a just man and perfect in his generations, and Noah walked with God.”

We, likewise, read in Gen 5:22,24, “And Enoch walked with God…”  It is worth noting that Noah was the great-grandson of Enoch, who was the seventh in the line from Adam through Seth and perhaps contrasted with Lamech the seventh in line from Cain. We read in Gen 24:40; 48:14-16 that our founding fathers also walked with God who were descendants of Noah through Shem, Noah’s son.

From the very beginning, God created man for the enjoyment of having a walking relationship that involved companionship, dialogue, intimacy, mutual delight, and shared dominion (Gen 3:8). Jesus went on these kinds of walks with his disciples. But, walking was also designed to establish us in an intimate relationship with God.

There is something very expressive in the phrase, "walked with God." Our life in the Truth is frequently called a “walk,” (cf. 3John 1:4) and believers are exhorted to "walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise" (Eph 5:15). The crucial question is: Are we walking with God?

To walk with God takes faith, commitment, consistency and obedience. What set all these men apart was their Godly walk in an ungodly world. The prophet Amos revealed an important truth about what it means to walk with God. “Can two walk together, except they be agreed” (Amos 3:3)? Together is the Hebrew word, yachad, and means to be “alike,” Strong’s # <3162>. When two friends walk together, their wills and governing feelings are the same; they keep the same course, advance towards the same objective.

Walking with God means we are walking in rhythm with God, and not getting God in rhythm with us. To walk with God, we must please Him and be a witness to Him (cf. Rom 8:14-16; Phil 4; Col 3; Heb 11; 1Pet 2; 1John 5:9-10). We are to walk in all the ways that God commanded us (cf. Gen 17:1-2; Deut 5:33; Mic 6:8; Zech 3:7; Rom 6:4; 13:13; Eph 2:10; Col 2:6; 1Thess 4:1-2; Heb 11:1-40).  

When we walk with God, we are not walking ahead of God, we are not lagging behind God, but we are in step with God, making the right turns and heading in the right direction with Him. When we walk with God, we are in fellowship with God. The man who walks with God is conformed to God in moral character. His objective is the glory of His Father, the prosperity of Zion, and there is no controversy between wills, but a humble submission in faith, even in the face of difficulties, and fruitful in every good works.

5:3-29 This list of dying sons of Adam is actually the line through which Christ came So even so early in the Biblical record we learn that the saviour must be of Adam’s seed. 

5:24    Enoch, who “walked with God” shows a way of behaving that please God – Micah 6:8. Of course walking with God requires agreement with His laws Amos 3:3

Gen 6:1 "The sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were beautiful" The weakness of Eve continued, the lust of the eyes is remained then as it does now one of the main sins that draw us away from being children of God. 

6:3       When Adam begat a son ‘in his own likeness after his image’ we are being asked to reflect on Gen 1:26-28 where Adam had been made in God’s image and likeness.  This provides the most powerful explanation as to why men die. They are like Adam and not like God.

6:3 God told Noah the time remaining to corrupt humanity before God’s judgements would fall on them was 120years. Noah was 600 years old when he and his family entered the Ark (Gen 7:6-7). 

Therefore, Noah was 480years old (i.e. 600-120) when God spoke to him.  Noah’s sons began to be born to him when he was 500years old (Gen 5:32).  Therefore, God’s instruction to build an Ark to save Noah, his wife and their sons and their wives was revealed 20 years before any of his children were born!  This heightens the significance of the example of Noah for us, as a man of faith.  He was to begin building an Ark for his, as yet, unborn family!

For his faith, he was credited with righteousness.  We can have confidence that our heavenly Father is able to deliver us, as He did Noah, from a wicked and violent generation, if we live in faith (Heb 11:7).

6:4     These men of “renown” were the product  of unsuitable relationships/ They were Godless. In Num 16:2 we come across more men of “renown”. They all died in the wilderness because they did not place their confidence in God either.

Gen 6:2

"That the sons of God saw the daughters of men that they were fair; and they took them wives of all which they chose."

Who were the “sons of God” who married the “daughters of men” producing children who were “giants?” This has puzzled and perplexed a great number of scholars and Bible students for centuries. Many assume the “sons of God” were fallen angels.

This belief began with the record of Gen 6:1-8, with fallen angels having its roots in antiquity. “Sons of God” in the language of the Ancient Near East revealed that there were rulers identified as the sons of a particular god. In Egypt, the king was called the son of Ra, the sun god. The Hittite king was called the “son of the storm god, Hattic. Using this approach, it is believed the sons of god were aristocrats, kings, and nobles who married commoners.

Another belief is that fallen angels married human beings, whose offspring were the Nephilim, sons of Anak, men of superiority and renown (cf. Num 13:33). 2Pet 2:4; Jude 6 are cited as proof of this. These "half humans" were wiped out with the rest of humanity during Noah’s flood, but existed again after the flood. How then did this practice continue if not through fallen angels? Even ancient Hebrew interpreters were unanimous in upholding this view!

A third and correct interpretation is the sons of God, a Godly race from the line of Seth, intermarried with the surrounding ungodly pagan nations from the line of Cain. Judgment was pronounced against “man” – not half human half divine (Gen 6:1-5; cf. 2Cor 6:14-18).

Christ taught not only do angels not marry (Matt 22:29,30), but reveals also in Luke 20:34-36, that it is not possible for angels to reproduce. They are holy beings not subject to gender – they are not sexual beings.

Throughout the history of this world, we find Yahweh’s people erred mixing with the “daughters of men,” and we observe its outcome through the Bible and in present day real life too.

6:5     In describing the imagination of man at this point we see how far man has fallen from the wonderful situation at the end of creation – Gen 1:31. What God had made was very good. It was man who spoiled that goodness. That is still so today. We do well to remember that. God’s assessment of man and his behaviour has not changed even though society no longer has much regard for God’s morality.

5:29    In speaking about the ground that had been cursed Lamech clearly understood what had happened in the garden of Eden.

Genesis chapter 5– When reading scripture we may be tempted to skip over reading genealogies.  However, they are recorded for a purpose and give us information which may not be immediately apparent to us. 

This chronology lists 10 generations from Adam to Noah. In each case the lifespan of the father and his age at the birth of his first son are recorded. With the exception of Seth the children named for each succeeding generation until the birth of Noah were firstborn sons. See, Gen.5: verses 6, 9, 12, 15, 18, 21, 25, 28-29,  

When constructed this family tree enables us to see who was contemporary with who.  

Noah was contemporary with Methuselah - who died in the year of the flood.

Noah was contemporary with Enos (Gen 4:26 ; Gen 5:7-11). An 84yr overlap with Enos because this was a time when men began to identify with and worship the LORD (Yahweh).

So Noah had family connections with God fearing men from the time of Enos, Adam's grandson.

Enoch was a prophet, the 7^thgeneration from Adam (Jude v14). However, it is from Genesis 5 we learn Enoch was the firstborn son.

As we progress through scripture we will see first born sons frequently feature and have significant roles and responsibilities.

Gen 6:3,5 - God shortens man's life-span to 120 years. Perhaps this change was instituted in part so there would be a more frequent reminder to man of the wages of sin (Rom 6:23) and thus might encourage repentance.

Gen 6:18;1Pet 3:20 - out of an estimated 1 billion, 30 million people at the time of the flood only 8 were saved, through water. The number 8 is thought to refer to a new day, a new beginning, and it reminds me of the Sunday resurrection of Christ, and the 8th millennial day when sin and death will finally be done away with. We should expect these last days, just as in the days of Noah (Luke 17:26-27), to be a very challenging time.  

6:4-5 The “sons of God” are children of men and women faithful to God. The “daughters of men” are the children of godless people. Inevitably their offspring are godless. Hence wickedness increased. Herein is a lesson. A warning gainst getting involved with godless people. They will only corrupt – they will not edify.

A TIME LIKE THIS

The newly created world was heading into the last days. The paradise that Adam was created into had degenerated into a world full of people whose minds were bent on sin. In many ways it sounds a lot like the world we live in. I constantly hear the question, "What is the world coming to?" But in the last days people still need to hear the gospel message, and those who believe need to be given the comfort of knowing that God is in control even in times like these that seem to be out of control.

Lamech was living in the time just before the time of the flood. He had a son. "He named him Noah and said, 'He will comfort us in the labour and painful toil of our hands caused by the ground the LORD has cursed.'" (Gen 5:29). Noah was the man God provided to preach the gospel and comfort God's people in the last days before the flood. His name means Comfort.

So here we are in a parallel with the days of Noah. People in our days need to hear the gospel and be filled with the comfort that comes from God. Let us be people like Noah who are the voice and hands of God in these last troublesome days. Maybe, like Noah, God has prepared you for just this time.
 

Gen 6:4

“There were giants in the earth in those days; and also after that, when the sons of God came in unto the daughters of men, and they bare children to them, the same became mighty men which were of old, men of renown.”

“Giants” is the Hebrew word, nephiyl, # <5303>from the root # <5307>, naphal. It has a variety of applications, but none indicate that this word is related to the height of an individual. In reading the descriptions, it becomes obvious that the word, “giant” in # <5303> had been added on account of its passage here in Gen 6! Likewise, in Num 13:33 x2, which is referenced to Anak who fathered the Anakim, a supposed race of giants descended from the Nephilim! The word, Nephiyl is only used three times in the OT Bible, and only used here, as opposed to # <7497>, rapha, which is a study in and of itself.

The Nephilim, it is claimed, were a race of giants, a powerful race, with a formidable warlike appearance, mighty men of renown, who dominated the world during the pre-flood era, and further resulted when the sons of God, the supposed fallen angels, crossbred in marrying mortal women, the daughters of men. We are told they were demi-gods, or hybrids, and this passage of Scripture is so interpreted by the vast majority of Christendom and as verification cite Jude 1:6,7, in that angelic beings can sin!

What is really being said here? Well, when we examine that nephiyl, comes from the Hebrew word, naphal, this has the meaning, “to fall.” The Godly Hebrew Sethite-line, the sons of God, fell from God and intermarried with the Pagan Cainite-line, and the history of Israel shows to what extent they fell when they became a mixed multitude and intermarried. (What a lesson for us!). This interpretation of naphal fits most appropriately with the context of Gen 6, which does not speak of giants as a race, but of the wickedness mankind had fallen to and, thus, precipitated the Flood!

Furthermore, “men” in Gen 6:4 is # <120>, “a human being,” and # <582>, “mortal.” They were fully mortal men, princes, conquerors, and heroes of their day! Fallen angels, as Christianity defines them, is nothing short of a myth straight out of the Book of Enoch, Josephus, Greek and Roman Mythology! “And hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on the face of the earth…” Acts 17:26. Thus, just this one passage of Scripture that debunks the “giant race theory” begun here in Gen 6 right to the Anakim, of whom it is claimed descended from the Nephilim (Num 13:33), but the Nephilim all perished in the flood!

Also, the Nephilim, the fallen away ones, whom Christianity claims to be a race of giants resulting from supernatural fallen angels copulating with humans, existed before their intermarrying!

The following translations are accurate:

“The Nephilim were in the earth in those days, and also afterward when the sons of God came in to the daughters of men, and they bore children to them. Those were the mighty men who were of old, men of renown.” NASB
“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days-and also afterward-when the sons of God went to the daughters of men and had children by them. They were the heroes of old, men of renown.” NIV

“The fallen ones were in the earth in those days, and even afterwards when sons of God come in unto daughters of men, and they have borne to them—they are the heroes, who, from of old, are the men of name.” YLT

“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days, and also afterward…” ESV

“The Nephilim were on the earth in those days (and also after this)… They were the mighty heroes of old, the famous men.” NET

5:24 We learn something of God’s care for those who walk with Him. Whatever persecution or threat that Enoch was under – possibly Lamech’s threat - Gen 4:23-24 – God cared for Enoch. It is a case of –Isa 57:1 – a righteous man being taken away from upcoming wrath.

5:24Enoch walking with God is a basis for Paul’s words to the Thessalonians – 1Thess 4:1

5:22 walking with God is not just a matter of assenting to the fact that he exists and has given laws. Clearly agreement between the two is required – Amos 3:3. But that agreement is not simply agreeing that what God has said is true. It requires putting that agreement with the principles into action in our own loves. So walking passes into the New Testament to speak of how we put the doctrines we believe in to practice for example Galatians 5:16 etc.

6:1-2 in saying that “men began to multiply” is describing what God told Adam and Eve –  1:28 – but the way that man multiplied was not what God was looking for. We see the development of the faithful seed of the woman and the seed of the serpent beginning to appear.

Psa.8 - What amazing insight God gave through David here about the son of man (v.4). In v.5 we have a reference back to creation, but more importantly forward to Jesus - as picked up in Heb.2:9 and explained for us. This gives double meaning to v.6 of this Psalm too. Not only does man have dominion over creation (Gen.1:20) but also THE man (Jesus) has ultimate eternal dominion 1Cor.15:24-27 - dominion over everything, except God.

Psa 7:4 and 25:3 use the Hebrew word reyqam and translate it without cause. Elsewhere this word is translated empty or vain, so without cause here means either without substance, or without God. This makes Psa.25:3 especially make a lot more sense.

6:5 Whilst we might be tempted to use this verse to prove that the soul does not go to heaven n death this is not why the Psalmist says it. Rather, anticipating his own death, he is praying for an extension of his life so that he can continue to praise God now.

Psa 7 - This Psalm was written because of the words of Shimei - 2 Samuel 16:7. So the use of if v3,4 and the call for God to allow the enemy to persecute him - v6 - are not general comments, nor is David making some claim to have done nothing wrong. Rather, on listening to the accusations of Shimei, his is pleading for God to judge, on the basis that he is not guilty of the specific accusations of Shimei. This is why he would not allow Abishai to go and kill Shimei. 2 Samuel 16:9

Psa 8 - Hebrews 2 shows that this Psalm speaks of the supremacy of Jesus over creation consequent upon his resurrection.

Psalm 6 - LIFE IS THE TIME FOR GOD
Seconds, minutes, hours, days weeks and years all follow each other relentlessly, never stopping to allow us to relive even one second of our time. Once that time has gone it can never be retrieved and we are another moment closer to the end of our life. And we do not even know when the end of our life will be - it could be only minutes away, or it could be decades. So the important action that follows on from this knowledge is that we must make the most of every moment of life that God gives us. The very best we can ever do with our time is to give it to God - in service, meditation, praise, reading his Word, prayer, building Godly relationships and Godly families. The Psalmist says, "No-one remembers you when he is dead. Who praises you from his grave?" Life is the time to serve the Lord. So let us use our lives wisely. Make every second count. Use the time you have been given for the important things in your life because you will never have the same opportunity again.

Psalm 7, Psalm 8 - OUR MAJESTIC GOD
Yes, the LORD God is majestic and glorious. His wonderful creation tells of his power. The sun, moon and stars hang in the heavens showing to us how small we are in comparison to the extent of the universes that God has so perfectly set in order. We live on one small planet on the edge of a galaxy. Our solar system is only nine planets and a sun set in a vast array of other stars and planets in our galaxy. The universe is made up of thousands more galaxies like ours, so large and with so many millions of stars that they are impossible to measure or count.
But God has created us too, and he has given us a very special place in his creation. He cares for us and loves us even though we are such a small part of his creation. He gave us the ability to think, reason and make choices, he gave us rile over the earth and all that is on it and he has offered us salvation.
Yes, the LORD God is a majestic God. But the best part of all is that he is our God - our personal God who hears, sees, and loves us with a love that is greater than we could ever begin to imagine.

6:8 Jesus quotes Depart … iniquity (Matthew 7:23 Luke 13:27). On both occasions he is speaking to his disciples warning them how he will deal with those who reject him at his return.

7:8 In saying The Lord shall judge the people David is quoting Deuteronomy 32:36 demonstrating that he was willing to leave judgement in Gods hand because He had promised that he would intervene on behalf of His people.

8:3 It is a consideration of the greatness of creation which caused David to think about the position of man in the great scheme of things. We should do likewise and realise that despite our insignificance - the nations are but as a drop in a bucket (Isaiah 40:15) - the creator of all that we can see is concerned for our well being!

Psalm 6:10 - "Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly." - May they as deeply deplore their transgressions as I have done mine! May they return; may they be suddenly converted! The original will bear this meaning, and it is the most congenial to Christs life principles.

Psalm 7:1 Cush the Benjamite - As to Cush the Benjamite, he is a person unknown by that appellation in Jewish history; the name is probably a name of disguise; and by it David may covertly be referring to Saul himself, the son of Kish, who was of the tribe of Benjamin. The subject of the Psalm will better answer to Sauls unjust persecution and Davids innocence, than to any other subject in the history of David.

Psalm 8:4 - The Son of Man - Psalm 8 is one of the most often quoted Psalms in the New Testament writings. The title "Son of Man", in the very many places it subsequently appears, almost always relates to the delegated authority that Jesus has received from His Father to faithfully judge His Brethren - John 5:27. Why? Because this one had total dominion over Himself, therefore His Father has given Him dominion over all things - Genesis 1:26-28.

Which of us could pray the words of Psalm 7 to God with an honest heart?:

"If there is iniquity in my hands... Let the enemy pursue me and... trample my life to the earth. (v.3-5)."

Or:

"Judge me O LORD according to my righteousness."

Would we be able to utter such a prayer? Wouldn't we remember the things we had done which weren't right in His sight? Wouldn't we be afraid to be judged by our righteousness, because of our lack of it? Maybe this prayer could only be made by Jesus himself. As for the rest of us, Psalm 6 might be more advisable:

"Have mercy on me, O LORD, for I am weak.... Save me for your mercies sake." (2-4)

God remembers that He made us from dust in the first place. He knows that if He were to judge us by our righteousness we would fail miserably. God will always accept us if in the humility of our hearts we cry to him, having realised that our own righteousness is as dirty rags.

"the LORD has heard the voice of my weeping. The LORD has heard my supplication; The LORD will receive my prayer." (v.8-9)

6:1 Whilst it may seem that David is asking God to overlook his need for chastening he is not. Rather he is asking that God rebukes and chastens him in love.

7:12-13 David twice quotes Deuteronomy 32

whet his sword … bent his bow Deut 32:41
ordaineth … persecutors  Deut 32:23

Moses, speaking the words of God, is saying that this is how God will deal with His enemies. David, therefore, sees Shimei as God’s enemy – which he is as he is cursing the Lord’s anointed.

8:6 ‘thou has put all things under his feet’ speaks of the supremacy of the risen Christ (1Cor 15:25, Eph 1:22)

Psa 8:4  Son of man This is the title of the Messiah  Luke 9:26         David foresaw the need of a specific man, son of Adam ,made a little lower than the angels. One who would be used to free fallen man, from his position of disgrace, to where he could stand in hope of the Divine promise of being given dominion over all of creation. 

Psa 8 - CHILD'S POINT OF VIEW
 
Life can be so complicated.  After Jesus had cleansed the temple, the people were confused.  This was especially the case when it came to the chief priests and teachers of the law.  They saw in Jesus someone who appeared to have some sort of power and charisma they could not explain, yet at the same time he seemed to have it in for them.  They were looking for the Messiah but had their minds clouded by what they expected to see but didn't.
 
However, there were others present at that time who could see exactly what was going on.  The children saw Jesus for who he was.  They were not filled with the same preconceived ideas that their parents were, so they shouted in praise of him, "Hosanna to the Son of David!" (Matt 21:15)
 
We need to be more like the children.  We need to clear our minds from the complications and trivial matters of life to be able to see what is real and eternal.
 
Maybe one of the reasons this Psalm points us towards children is because they can see God's creation, his love and his wonders much more clearly than we often can as adults.  With their praises ringing in our ears they show up the petty arguments of God's enemies.
 
"From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise." (Psa 8:2)  Let's not miss the wood for the trees, but appreciate and love the LORD and Jesus his Son for who they really are.

6:1,2 - Like David, we all fear the chastening of the Lord, and desire instead that somehow we might find the required humility without having to bear the hardship that God might put us through to reach that end.  We can take comfort that the man after God's own heart harboured similar fears.  Let us, like him, recognise our weakness and throw ourselves daily on the mercy of God, for our souls are sore vexed, as his was. Jeremiah's prayer in this context is both interesting and comforting - Jer 10:24

Few of us will have felt the real hatred that David had to face. But Ps6:6,7,9 encourages us with the fact that although David had real troubles which kept him in tears all night long, still he knew his prayer had been heard, and that God was awake during those terrible nights.. I'm sure we have all tried to tell somebody our problems, but realised that they were not listening to us. But God's ears are always open.

7:7 We see David here as a shepherd, not of the flock of the field, but of the nation, or the ecclesia. His concern is for the nation or peoples. What a lesson for all of us in these last days, as we wait for the return of our promised King. We must remember that there are both lambs and sheep in our midst who need shepherding. 

Psalm 6 is the first penitential Psalm, others are 25 (some do not include this Psalm), 32, 38, 51, 102, 130, 143

6:2-3    The ‘vexed bones’ is like the ‘roaring bones’ - Psa 38:8 -  maybe indicating that this Psalm was written, as was Psalm 38, consequent upon David’s sin with Bathsheba.

7:3-4   Notice the repeated ‘if’. David is saying to God that He can punish him if Shimei’s curses are true – but of course they were not. David had behaved in an exemplary way towards Saul. Can we always say that accusations made against us are false?

8:9       How is God’s name excellent in all the earth? It is certainly not because mankind generally recognises Him as creator. Surely it is excellent because of the forgiveness that he is willing to extend to us that we might be ‘crowned with glory and honour’ as Christ has been.   Heb 2:7-8

7:6‘Arise O Lord’ is what was said when the ark moved – Num 10:35 – As we have noticed there are other quotations from the time of the wilderness journey we may conclude that this Psalm looks to God for His deliverance as he delivered Israel in the wilderness.

6:5 When a person is dead he/she has ceased to exist.  There is no ethereal part of the organism that floats off to heaven (see also Ecc 9:5).

7:15,16 Doing nasty things to people will ultimately blow up in the perpetrator's face.  Wisdom dictates being peaceable with all people (Heb 12:14).  Leave any settling of accounts to Yahweh (Rom 12:19).

8:5 This is descriptive of the human nature of Jesus (see also Heb 2:9). It is strange, then, that some claim Jesus as originally being the archangel Michael.  The worship of angels is forbidden in scripture (Col 2:18).

8:5     The Glory and honour that the Psalmist ascribes to the one spoken of - Jesus - is akin to the garments of the high priest - Exo 28:2

6:5 - When you are dead, you have no thoughts, you go to the grave, and your entirety returns to dust from which you were created Gen 3:19.

6:1 Neginoth upon Sheminith means instrumental musical played on an eight-stringed lyre.

7:1 Shiggaion means rambling poem.  in Modern Hebrew, the expression means farcical when applied to a situation.

8:1 Gittith means a harp.

6:6     David here talks about his feelings of remorse after some terrible sin – possibly his sin with Bathsheba – and his repentance.

Son of man (i.e. Jesus Christ) was lower than the angels prior to being exalted by God to sit at his right hand: Psa 8:4-6;Heb 2:6-9;Col 3:1.

6:9 So having repented – see verse :2 – David is confident of forgiveness. Is this how we feel about our Father’s response to our repentance? Or do we still think that God will hold us guilty of the sin we have repented of?

Dr Matthew Maury was in charge of the Depot of Charts and Instruments in the Hydrographic Office of the United States Navy from 1841-1861.  He was aware of Psa 8:8 - “the paths of the seas" and Ecc 1:6 -  “The wind goeth toward the south, and turneth about unto the north; it whirleth about continually, and the wind returneth again according to his circuits.”

Maury reasoned that if these wind and ocean currents could be located and plotted, this information would be of great value to marine navigators. Utilising this information, the sailing vessels could be directed along routes that would take advantage of these sea and air currents, significantly reducing time required to traverse the seas.  Maury found and plotted the wind and ocean currents. The great Gulf Current - 40 miles wide and 2000 feet deep flowing from the Gulf of Mexico up through the Atlantic has a significant influence on the climate of England, Ireland, Europe, and the Scandinavian countries. 

8:6         man sees himself at the top of the evolutionary tree and thus displays his arrogance. We, by contrast, recognise our position is because this is what God did. Consequently great responsibilities follow.

Psa 6:1-10 - Vs.1-4 - section one = prayer for Divine help and deliverance; Vs. 5-8 - section two = tears, grief, utter exhaustion; Vs. 9-10 - section three = confidence in an assured victory; V.6 - perhaps this refers to the bed of his sickness (Psa 41:3,8), an elaboration of his sickness (Psa 38:1-22); V.7 - "Mine eye"<5869>.

Psa 7:1-17 - V.1 - "persecute"<7291>; V.2 - a "soul"<5315> can be torn apart as by wild animals because it is a living breathing mortal creature (Eze 18:4); V.3 - "iniquity"<5766> (note "iniquity"<205> in verse 14); Vs. - 3-5,8 - protest of innocence is echoed by Christ (John 8:46); V.4 - an enemy without cause is echoed in the words of Christ (John 15:25); V.6 - though referring to the LORD<3068>, perhaps this reminds us of how Christ was lifted up, awakened by his Father, arose and will judge at the second coming; V.7 - "compass thee about"<5437>; Vs. - 7-9 - could this be an echo of the second coming and the day of judgment? V.8 - "the LORD<3068> shall judge the people"; V.10 - "My defence<4043> (small shield) is of God<430>"; V.11 - "God<430> judgeth the righteous", "God<410> is angry"; V.13 - "persecutors"<1814> (see verse 1); V.14-16 - perhaps this reminds us of the fate of "Haman" (Est 7:10), "Judas" (Matt 27:3-10;Acts 1:15-20), and the "wicked" (Num 32:14-23;Psa 9:15-17;Prov 26:24-28).

Psa 8:4 - "man"<582>, "man"<120>, "mindful"<2142> - could this suggest an echoed hope of being remembered for the resurrection as Christ was? 

7:3-4    In his repeated “if” statements David is a little like Job – Job 31:5-11.

7:15       The way in which this Psalm speaks of the behaviour of Shimei provides the spiritual lesson that is behind Ecc 10:8

7:11 When David speaks of God judging the righteous and contrasts this with the way in which He judges the wicked we conclude that the judgment of the righteous grants blessings from God. It is not a matter of God deciding whether the righteous should be blessed. The judgment is one is righteous the other is wicked. 

7:6      The concept of punishment returning on the head of the one instigating the sin is seen often in Scripture1Sam 25:29, 1Kin 2:32, 2Chron 6:23, Neh 4:4, Eze 17:13, 33:4

Psalm 6

David had always been the example of virtue and Godliness, but David had now sinned by committing adultery with another man's wife. This sin had become known openly in the palace. Over the years this had led to growing disenchantment within his own close group of advisers and friends, as some of them now despised the one they had looked up to so much. It is probably at the time just before Absalom's uprising, when trouble was simmering, that David penned these words:

"O Lord, rebuke me not in thine anger, neither chasten me in thy hot displeasure... Let all mine enemies be ashamed and sore vexed: let them return and be ashamed suddenly." Psa 6:1,10

David appears to have known that the danger was acute:

"For in death there is no remembrance of thee: in the grave who shall give thee thanks?" Psa 6:5
 

The title of the Psalm mentions Sheminith, a musical instrument, and the only other Psalm that does likewise is Psalm 12. By linking the two Psalms in this way, God means us to read them together and draw conclusions. What other details can you find in Psalm 12 that give us a fuller view of what went on at this time?

Psalm 8

Who are the babes in Psa 8:2? The heading of the Psalm says "upon Gittith", and a Gittite is someone from Gath, a Philistine city. Is it possible that this is written after the 600 Gittites followed David and swore loyalty to him (see 2Sam 15:18)? The reason I'm reasonably convinced about this is that another Psalm using the same heading "Gittith" speaks like this:

"Behold, O God our shield, and look upon the face of thine anointed. For a day in thy courts is better than a thousand. I had rather be a doorkeeper in the house of my God, than to dwell in the tents of wickedness." Psa 84:9-10

David was the anointed, and while he was living with Achish the King of Gath these men must have formed a respect both for him and for his God. The Psalm looks forward to Jesus who, like David, was able to inspire such respect in his followers that many of them left their Gentile roots to serve the God of Israel.
 

7:15    The way in which David spoke here of Cush is highlighted as a principle – Prov 26:27

Psa 8:8

“The fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passeth through the paths of the seas.”

Matthew Fontaine Maury (1806-1873), American Naval Officer and Oceanographer,” was dedicated to reading the Bible. This Psalm and verse struck him and he thought if God’s Word says there were paths in the seas, then there must be paths, and he set out to find them, and he did. This earned him the titles: “Pathfinder of the Seas” and the “Father of Modern Oceanography.”

His book on oceanography, The Physical Geography of the Sea and Its Meteorology, is still used in universities. In it, Matthew F. Maury refers to several Scriptural passages like Ecc 1:6; Job 28:25.

It is often claimed that the Bible and Science are not compatible, yet the Bible’s accuracy on scientific subjects has led many great scientists, like Maury, to some outstanding scientific discoveries.

6:1,5  This Psalm reads as if the “rebuke” that David was anticipating was the he would be killed. Hence he observes that if he was dead he would not be able to praise God.

6:3       Despite his sore distress David still has confidence in God. “How long?” presumes that David realised that the tribulation would come to an end. Do we have the same confidence in our God?

7:8       David is appealing to his integrity in a specific matter. That matter is the accusations of Shimei against him as recorded in2Sam 16:5-8

Psa 6:6,9 - perhaps these two verses are connected so that they represent David weeping in his nightly prayer to God.

Psa 7:5 (NIV) - "then let my enemy pursue and overtake me; let him trample my life to the ground and make me sleep in the dust." -- This indicates that when we are dead in the grave it is like sleep as opposed to being conscious.

Psa 7:7-8 - are these the words of David, Christ, or both?

Psa 7:9 (KJV) - "...for the righteous God trieth the hearts and 'reigns<3629>'."

8:8       the dominion over all of the animal creation draws on what God said to Adam and contrasts with what Goliath said – 1Sam 17:46 – when he was, by implication, saying that the animals would have dominion over David

6:4 David could appeal to God’s mercy as the basis for being saved. We should not underestimate the mercy of our Father. It is because of His mercy that we have a hope of eternal salvation.

6:3-7 David’s life is full of stress. However he does not see the solution to his problems as death. Rather he asks God to deliver him (:4). He does not prefer the option of death as that would prevent him remembering God (:5). A lesson for us.

CHILD-LIKE FAITH

"From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise because of your enemies, to silence the foe and the avenger." (Psa 8:2).

When the chief priests and teachers of the Law complained to Jesus about the children shouting in the temple area, 'Hosanna to the Son of David,' Jesus quoted this psalm back at them. "'Do you hear what these children are saying?' they asked him. 'Yes,' replied Jesus, 'Have you never read, "From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise"?'" (Matt 25:15-16).

Psalm 8 was being fulfilled in a very literal way. The chief priests and teachers of the Law were having a complain about Jesus, but no one was taking any notice. Why? Because at exactly the same time and in the same place all the children were singing the praises of Jesus.

It was a bit like the Emperor's New Clothes. Everyone could see the truth about the naked emperor, but it took the simple honesty of a child to voice it. Simple, honest, down to earth truth. That's what came from the mouths of the children and silenced the adult critics.

Let's get back to a child-like faith that is not scared to tell out the praises of God like we should.
 

7:1-2 There is no doubt that avid had confidence in God’s care for him. However this did not stop him praying for deliverance when in difficulty.

That is exactly the thinking that our Father is looking for. A trust in Him the results in asking for his care.

7:12  In saying “if he turn not …” David is working on the assumption that there was the possibility that Shimei might repent and then God would forgive him for his abuse of His anointed (David). Such was David’s mercy. It reflected that of God. He was not wanting Shimei dead, just to repent.

v.22 What is going on here? The word Raca is a word of Aramaic origin that means a senseless, empty-headed man It was used at the time of Christ as a term of reproach. So it was rather like saying Thou fool - so what of the third example (which carries the worst condemnation) that is actually rendered Thou fool? The word here is moros and implies impiety or godlessness. Food for thought. How do we speak of each other? To help with this word moros, here are some more occurrences of it: Matt.7:26, 23:17, 25:2-8. Consider also the use in 1Cor.1:27, 3:18, 4:10.

5:25-26 is re-presented again by Jesus in Luke 12:58-59. On this later occasion Jesus is preparing his disciples for the future. As you read the sermon on the mount in Matthew 5-7 look at your marginal references and see how often Jesus uses the same words later in the gospels to teach the disciples. Luke 10-15 is a particularly profitable area to investigate.

Whilst we might think that the sermon on the mount was spoken to a great multitude - see :1 - a careful reading shows us that Jesus separated the disciples from this multitude to speak the words of Chapter 5-7 to them. He was beginning their preparation for the work that they would have to do when he had been taken from them.

Matthew 5,6,7 are commonly known as the "Sermon on the Mount", but more accurately it ought to be called the "Kings Policy Speech for The Kingdom."

In contrast to when the Law was given to Moses, the multitudes here follow Jesus up the mountain - cp Exodus 19:12.

The eight Blessings He proceeds to pronounce upon the people in what has become known as the Beatitudes, contrast particularly with the curses that issued forth from Mt Ebal when the Children of Israel came into the Land under Joshua - cp Deut 27:13.

The Beatitudes also contrast exactly with the 8 Woes which came thundering from our Lords lips at the end of His ministry in Matthew 23.

Matthew 5:16 - Your Father which is in Heaven - up until now in the Old Testament Scriptures, the Fatherhood of God has only been hinted at obliquely less than half a dozen times. Now that the Son is manifest, the New Testament uses this appellation for God at least 269 times (perhaps you might count the exact number for yourself). Not only is God the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, but by Grace He is our Father also, and we are His children - Matthew 5:45-48.

5:4 The mourning that Jesus speaks of is not a general mourning. Rather it is a mourning for the desolation of Zion – Isa 61:2.

v. 19 and 20 would have caused a great deal of consternation amongst the listeners unless they had a full grasp of the grace of God and the way that Jesus was teaching to salvation - in contrast to the teaching of the scribes and Pharisees with which they were familiar.  How were they going to reconcile the idea that on the one hand (v.19) Jesus is saying that people who sin and teach others so may even so be in the kingdom but on the other (v.20) that those who appear righteous as did the scribes and Pharisees by their laws and rituals would not be there at all.  Although this all makes sense to us now with our understanding that God looks on the heart - it must have presented the most awful problems to the philosophers of the day and to the majority of his listeners, who would doubtless share the Pharisees' teaching that righteousness is by the law - by works.

Matt 5:36  This is the only place, other than that dealing with the law of leprosy, that the two colours of hair are referred to. What Christ is saying, is that like leprosy, it is impossible to change one's nature on their own. It is only through Christ that one can be cleansed.

BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS
 
"Blessed are the peacemakers, for they will be called the sons of God." (Matt 5:9)
 
This is a wonderful blessing for those who choose to become peacemakers.  But firstly, what is a peacemaker?  A peacemaker is someone who makes peace.  When arguments or fights arise, the peacemaker will be the one that steps in to mediate and diffuse the situation.  The story of Abigail in 1 Samuel 25 is a great example of this.  A peacemaker could be one who prays for peace or sees the potential for unrest and moves to put things right.  And a peacemaker could also be one who spreads the gospel of peace, giving people peace in their hearts through the forgiveness and love that comes from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ.
 
Peacemakers are blessed because they will be called sons of God.  As parents we provide everything our children need to grow and develop into the best they can be.  We provide food, shelter, love, encouragement, discipline and all we can to give our children the best start they can have in life.  In the same way, as sons of God, we can be sure that he will provide for our needs to become the people he wants us to be.  More than that,  our natural parents leave us an inheritance.  God has also promised an inheritance for his children - the kingdom of God. 
 
What an awesome blessing it is to be called a son or daughter of God.  Let's be peacemakers today.

5:5- Let us strive to be meek.  Jesus was meek - 11:29, 21:5.  Moses, we are told was the meekest man of his day - Num 12:3.  The meek, we are told, Psa 22:26, shall eat and be satisfied.

V.33-37 We see here in these few verses that our conversation with those around us must be so truthful, and so dependable, that our words are believed. When we come to affirm some thing it is simply a "yes", and when we deny anything it should be a plain "no". Anything expressed in a stronger manner is wrong. 

Mercy and judging - Matt 5:7 blessed are the merciful James 2:13. Matt 6:14-15 we will be forgiven as we forgive. Matt 7:1-2 we will be judged as we judge. Matt 13:24-30 let us not be too quick or harsh to judge, uproot, or disfellowship/shun lest we make a mistake and discourage potential.

The law pointed to Christ - Matt 5:17 "fulfil" Grk. "pleroo" (4137) means "fulfil, complete, perfect, accomplish, supply, fully preach", etc. ; Rom 3:19-25; Heb 10:1-12

Non-violence and compassion - Matt 5:38-39; 9:36

How much love for our enemies does God expect us to have? - Matt 5:43,44,46,47  all references to "love" in these verses be they for neighbour or enemy are the Grk "agapao" (25) meaning "love, to love (in a social or moral sense)" and is the deep form of love going beyond a mere friendship love Grk. phileo (5368)

5:6 Hungering and thirsting after righteousness is like realising that man does not live by bread alone - the disciple must learn what Jesus learnt. (Matt 4:4)

a) I imagine that Jesus started His ministry with these 3 chapters of “The Sermon on the Mount”, to correspond with Moses being given the law on the mountain. Like Moses, the message was repeated and expanded throughout the rest of his life.
b) There is a great correlation between Christ’s teaching and the summary of Moses’ Law, which we call the 10 Commandments.
Matt 5:21 not kill
Matt 5:27 Do not commit adultery
Matt 5:33 Do not bear false witness
Matt 5:38 Do not steal
Matt 5:43 Do not covet

Jesus does not pronounce these people blessed because they are poor in material goods, though for the most part they were. They are blessed because they realize their helplessness (Rom 7:24), expecting nothing of themselves, but everything from their Heavenly Father. The Greek word for "poor" ptochos (4434) does not mean poor in that one must work for a living, but a beggar, one who is dependent on others for support. Paul in the above quote points this out in that he recognized his helpless state without Christ. 

5:34 In counselling his followers not to swear – make oaths – Jesus extends the teaching of Ecc 5:5.

What Jesus is trying to teach in this & the subsequent chapters, is that it is the attitude of mind & heart of the believer that is important, & not primarily works, as the Pharisees thought. We should not see those of v3-10 as being different people in each example, but like the fruit of the Spirit, Gal 5:22,23 they are all aspects/parts of the whole. The same person should also be the salt & the light, should not hate his brother, etc.

This chapter is commonly known as the Sermon on the Mount.  Well known are the eight so-called Beatitudes (beatitude means blessedness).  The word blessed (Gr. makarios) means happy.  And so, the person who conforms to these eight behaviours will be happy in knowing that they have followed in the footsteps of the Lord.  Following the Lord is a requirement for salvation.  This occurs after an understanding of the Gospel and baptism, both of which are also requirements for salvation.

5:48  The perfection required of us will mean that eventually, if we do grow, that we will be presented ‘without blemish’ – Eph 5:27– to Christ.

Salt is a preservative which has the quality of being hygroscopic (ability to absorb water from the air).  Being the salt of the earth (v.13) implies absorbing the water of the Word.  Jesus was the Word made flesh (John 1:14) and following His commandments ensures hydration (John 7:38).  Failing to absorb water makes salt a useless commodity.  Failing to absorb the water of the Word renders one useless in the sight of the Lord.

V.5  The word meek comes from the Greek praus which implies humble.  We are told that Moses was a very meek man (Num 11:3).  The word meek used here is from the Hebrew anav which implies to depress (one’s ego).  Peter exhorts us to be humble (1Pet 5:6). The Greek word for humble, here, is tapinoo, which also implies to depress (one’s ego).  And so, we can see that meekness really implies humility.

However, one does not have to skulk around apologetically to be meek, as some suppose.  One can be bold and vigorous and still be humble.  Think of some of the Biblical characters who had boldness and vigour and yet were humble (otherwise they would have been rejected by Yahweh) - such characters as Phinehas, Caleb etc. 

5:3 ‘Blessed are the poor in spirit’ draws on Psa 34:18 so we see that Jesus’ message was not new. It was based upon the Old Testament – but not the letter of the law of Moses, rather it was based upon the principles behind the law of Moses.

Immoral conduct - Matt 5:27-28;1Cor 6:9-10,13-20;Gal 5:19-20;Eph 5:3-5;1Cor 10:8;1Thess 4:3-5;Jude 1:7;Mark 7:15,Mark 7:20-23;2Pet 2:7-10;Col 3:2-16;Rom 1:27;Lev 20:13;Deut 22:5;Exo 22:19.

Divorce - Matt 5:31-32;Matt 19:3-9;1Cor 7:10-15;Luke 16:18;Gen 2:24.

v35 First Principles>Sure mercies of David>King
The City of the Great King is Jerusalem, and the King is Jesus. For more about the King, go to 2Sam 7:12-16.

Matt 5:34-35 First Principles>Sure Mercies of David>Capital City>Jerusalem Glorified
Jerusalem, rebuilt and glorified, will become the metropolis of God's Kingdom which will embrace all nations. Psa 48:2, Isa 52:1, Isa 60:14, Jer 3:17, Zech 14:16, Matt 5:34-35
First Principles>Sure Mercies of David> For more details go to Isa 55:1-3.

5:12 Persecution and ridicule is the lot of the servant of God. Today ‘Christianity’ is presented as a pleasant experience’ by many who purport to bear the name of Christ. Clearly they are mistaken and this appeal to encourage people to join the church is false and has no basis in Scripture. Rather the reverse is presented as the lot of the Christian. We must take care not to be deceived by this way of thinking so that if persecution comes we fall away – Jesus later will warn about this – Matt 13:21 - in the parable of the sower.

A significant element to the Beatitudes, as with the latter part of chapter 5, seems to be an appeal to step aside from a false system of religion which had no power.  The selection of qualities extolled in the Beatitudes form a marked contrast to what an Israelite would have come to understand as religion under Judaism as it was then.  

To illustrate by reference to the specific qualities mentioned:
1. The poor in spirit – the picture shown in the gospels of the Jewish religion was of a system that had scarcely a vestige of humility rather religion had been orchestrated into a system whereby the so called "religiously devout" could show themselves to be better than "publicans and sinners".
2. Those that morn – Jewish religion was divided over the concept of suffering – the prevailing view however, held that to be blessed, even in the most physical sense, was seen to be a reward from God for righteousness, whereas suffering or disadvantage were a mark of spiritual failure. Jn 9:2-3,34 
3. Meekness – although the overriding characteristic of the man who gave them their law, there remained no teachableness in the people who claimed to be his followers, God himself declared them to be stiffnecked and hardhearted.  Their sense of inherited entitlement to be the children of God made them self confident and impervious to God’s attempts to change their character. Mk 3:5
4. Hunger & Thirsting after righteousness – Righteousness under Judaism was not something to be sought but a present possession, by adherence to the law in it’s detail and by a legalistic defining of how much they did and how much they didn’t have to do they “trusted in themselves that they were righteous” Lk 18:9
5. Merciful – the legalistic approach to religion bred a mindset that was far more focused on judgement than showing mercy.  Their confidence in their own righteousness led them to be utterly unaware of their own need for mercy and hence this had an inevitable effect on their dealings with others. Mt 9:13
6. Pure – hypocrisy was a fundamental flaw of the Judaisist religion, in their attempts to create their own righteousness there was a focus on the external at the expense of the internal, the heart and mind was often a place of “all uncleanness” Mt 23:27
7. Peacemakers – in their so called religious zeal often anger and strife would arise and factions were ever present amongst the religious Jews and so often they found their religion isolated them from each other when it fundamental intention is to reconcile to both God & man.
8. Persecution – it is little wonder then that Christ concludes with a warning against persecution.  This was wise advice given the nature of that the religion he taught was so different from that which was perceived to be religion in His era. It was also justified warning on account of the character of a false professors of religion who being neither peacemakers, merciful, meek or poor in spirit would oppose a true disciples with all full force of their ignorance.

THREE STEPS TO A GOD FILLED LIFE

The sermon on the mount leads us into a whole-of-life experience of developing a life that shines for God like a light on a hill. It takes us in three steps to grow from a life controlled by our sinful nature to a life filled with God.

Step 1: Control yourself.

    Take control of your thoughts and emotions (Matt 5:21-26)

    Take control of your eyes and body (v.27-32)

    Take control of your words (v.33-37)

    Take control of your pride (v.38-42)

Step 2: Choose to live purposefully.

    Choose to do good (Matt 5:43-48)

    Choose to give of what you have (Matt 6:1-4)

    Choose to use your words well - use them to pray (v:5-15)

    Choose to set your affections on things above, store your treasure in heaven. (v.19-24)

Step 3: Fill all your life with God

    Fill your mind with God - don't worry about anything because God will take care of your needs (Matt 6:23-34)

    Fill your desires with God by seeking first his kingdom and his righteousness (v.33)

    Fill your eyes with God - look to him instead of your neighbour ( Matt 7:1-7)

    Be filled with God's strength - ask, seek and knock, get your strength from him in prayer (v.7-12)

These three steps take us from controlling ourselves, to choosing to do good, to having a completely God filled life. But the last point of the sermon on the mount is the most important.

Put It Into Practice. Like a traveller we need to choose the right way, like a tree we need to bear good fruit, and like a builder we need to build on the right foundation and follow the instructions. It's no use learning the words or the steps - we need to put them into practice and grow closer to God.

5:7       Blessed are the merciful ... is echoed later in the teaching of Jesus – Matt 7:2

TURN THE OTHER CHEEK

The Lost Message of Jesus" has a great interpretation of ‘turning the other cheek’.  I expect many of us have been uncomfortable with the interpretation that if someone hits or abuses us, then we just offer them more of ourselves to hurt - putting ourselves in victim mode. In fact, this interpretation has actually been used to keep people in the “mind set” that abuse is OK, and that we should receive it as some form of our "offering" to God.

“The Lost Message of Jesus,” puts forward the following explanation: “While we do not offer violence for violence, neither do we lie down and invite people to hurt and humiliate us. Back in the days when Jesus was speaking, it was a cultural norm to backhand lowly undesirables on their right cheek with the back of the right hand of the person doing the striking.  Left hands weren't used to touch other people - for cultural reasons – (the left hand performs all the necessary ablution actions that take place from the belly button down - Ed) - a cultural observance that still exists in many parts of the world today.

To receive a backhanded blow is humiliation in itself.  That kind of a blow was reserved for the flotsam of society, and was generally administered by someone socially higher.  If however, the person who has been struck offers their other (left) cheek, then the striker, who can only use their right hand, has to slap the victim with the palm of their hand, or worse... land a punch to the face.  Both those blows given with the right hand signified “man to man” type conflict - not “master to servant.” Note in the Gospel records, the writers are at pains to point out that they struck Jesus with “the palm of their hand.” So, it would appear that Jesus did literally “turn the other cheek”.... forcing His abusers to openly (publically) declare their "issue" with Him.

What Jesus was teaching was non-retaliation, whilst at the same time not accepting being demeaned or being used as a doormat by the other person. Jesus taught us to have “self respect” - for without self respect, one can take on the shame and the guilt of perpetrator, rendering us “the victim” and thus perpetuating the cycle.

Offer Him Your Cloak Also

The Lord’s high value of persons is reflected in how He taught His followers to not resist evil, that is... “to not retaliate in kind so as to escalate the incident.”

A poor man in Jesus day would only own two garments - an outer one, and an inner one (Dt. 24:10-13). Underneath that, he was naked. Yet the Lord taught that if you had your outer garment unjustly taken from you, then offer your abuser your undergarment - (in our language today - "your underpants"). Offer him, in all seriousness, to take off all your clothing, so that you would then be standing next to him in the “altogether”. This would have the effect of turning the tables. The abuser would be the one left ashamed, and by doing this, the dignity of the abused person was left intact at the end. The Lord never taught that we must submit to abusers for the sake of peace. If we do submit for the sake of peace, we simply empower the abuser to continue to get “their own way” by means of abuse.

Likewise, Roman soldiers were allowed to press a Jew to carry their pack for a mile, but the soldiers were liable to punishment if they made a Jew carry his pack two miles. To offer to carry the soldier's pack a second mile would almost always be turned down by an abusive soldier, for he risked being disciplined by his superiors if the incident were to be reported. So again, by offering to continue to carry the soldiers pack a second mile, the abuser is the one humiliated, and the Lord’s follower, even though abused by the system, would remain with his head up and dignity intact.

In Rom 12:20, Paul said “Therefore if your enemy hunger, feed him; if he thirst, give him drink: for in so doing thou shall heap coals of fire on his head.” In ancient times, if your fire went out, you would take a brass pan over to your neighbours house and “borrow” some new live coals, which you would then carry back to your home in the brass pan balanced on your head, in order to restart your own fire. To “heap coals fire on your enemies’ head,” then, is not a bad or painful thing… it was actually a very gracious act… designed to demonstrate God’s love in a practical way... very akin to "turning the other cheek".

Matt 5:44

“But I say unto you, Love your enemies, bless them that curse you, do good to them that hate you, and pray for them which despitefully use you, and persecute you.”

This passage is often cited as proof of the partial inspiration of Scripture because what is commanded here is humanly impossible! Following Jesus is not always easy. In fact, it can be downright difficult, but we are here taught the proper attitude toward those who use, abuse, persecute, and take advantage of us. What seems humanly impossible, becomes Him-possible if we follow the steps Jesus outlined for us in this verse.

Jesus says: 1) “Do good to them” – find a way to do something good, seize the opportunity when it comes our way. 2) “Bless them” – instead of complaining about our unjust treatment, let us go out of our way to speak well of our enemies. There is always something good we can find if we just look hard enough. 3) “Pray for them” – ask God to heal the hurts in their lives that may be some of the motivators of their evil conduct. Note that all these are positive actions of love! Emotions may follow later.

The way of love is long-suffering, kind and merciful. "And as ye would that men should do to you, do ye also to them likewise" (Luke 6:31-36). This rule is not conditional upon others observing this rule. It is not a rule of justice, but of love. This law was not meant to be praised, but to be implemented, and such behaviour separates us as the children of God. Jesus states in Matt 7:12 that this sums up the "law and the prophets." This adds extra weight to his command, and ought to give us extra incentive to pay special attention in carrying it out.

Matt 5:18

“For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

A jot in the Hebrew alphabet is the smallest letter. A tittle is a tiny mark, which enables us to distinguish between two Hebrew letters that look very similar. This is very important to keep in mind when interpreting Scripture. Failing to recognize this leads to a different reading of a word and interpretation. For instance, consider: “fast” and “past.” Every jot and tittle was obviously very important to Jesus and reveals that even the smallest detail is part of the inspired Word (see also Luke 16:17).

5:8   Jesus highlights the truth that David voiced – Psa 18:25– is something that the believer today can experience also.

Matt 5:8

“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”

This Beatitude is one of the most striking for who can claim to be pure in heart? “Pure” is an absolute term; if we are pure, we cannot get purer.

But, Jesus was not setting before us an unreachable goal. The word, “pure” that Jesus used is the Greek word, katharos, # <2513>, “clean (lit. or fig),” and we read in John 15:1-5; 1Pet 1:22 that we are clean by abiding in the Word Jesus spoke to us.

The heart, kardia, # <2588>, is regarded as the seat of intellect and emotion. It is where sin either controls us, or where we control it! We read a lot about the heart of fallen human nature in Scripture (Jer 17:1-11), so there is deep spiritual import to what Jesus said.

The “pure in heart” represents the state of mind of a person who strives to serve God with every fiber of his/her being (Matt 22:37). It is an ongoing process that comes only by reading and studying the Word daily, by praying daily, by walking daily according to the Word, and being confident, “that he which hath begun a good work in (us) will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ” (Phil 1:6).

If we submit to the new birth process, we shall enter the kingdom of God (John 3:3). A spiritual re-birth is absolutely necessary as verse 5 goes on to say, “Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God” (see Psa 24:3-4; Psa 51:10; Psa 119:9-11; 1Tim 1:5). This purifying process we are undergoing now, will then be perfected when we are glorified in Christ Jesus (Rom 8:30), for mortal man cannot see God (Exo 33:20; 1Tim 6:16; John 1:18; Col 1:15; 1John 4:12).

Matt 5:32

Another reader writes: "You say - comment on Matt 5:32 - 'We are not at liberty to pick & choose which word suits best our belief."  I agree, & I see clearly you are doing just that. The word used must agree with the positive commands as the word of Yahweh cannot contradict.  They must agree as to context, time or an ion.”

Word definition is vital in any study and regarding any issue. There seems to be a lot of attention given to the word, put away as found in the KJV translation. Put away is derived from the Greek apoluo. Apoluo is translated "put away" in Matt 5:32 (clause A) and "divorced" in clause B. Apoluo means to, "let go or let loose" and Thayer says apoluo involves repudiation in the case of divorcement (Vine's Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words and Thayer's Greek-English Lexicon, pg. 66). Apoluo appears about 69 times in the Greek New Testament, always with the same basic action of letting go. The Concordance here is misleading and incorrect in adding the word, “divorce.”  Apoluo is rendered "send away," "loosed," and "forgive" (Matt 14:15; 18:27; Luke 6:37). In every instance, there is an implied authority, someone who is empowered to release. Since Jesus used both the words apoluo and apostasion and ONE was in reference to "divorce" – apostasion, it logically follows that the OTHER word apoluo was used to mean something else (Matt 5:31). This, in fact, proves Jesus did not come preaching a new doctrine that differed from the Law of Deut 24:1-4!

When it comes to matters of marriage and divorce how can we sit by idly while many continue to teach that apoluo means divorce, and claim that Jesus taught that the divorced could never re-marry anyone other than their spouse? It is nowhere in the Bible. It is a doctrine of men. Apoluo does not mean divorce! It means to put away, repudiate, or send away from the house. Denominationally influenced scholars say apoluo here means divorce to which you agree, but this is incorrect. Apoluo (send away) is a part of the divorce process set up by Moses in Deut 24 - "When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, then it shall be, if she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and send her out of his house."
Notice that in order for a man to obtain a legal divorce he had to do three things: 1) Write a bill of divorcement; 2) Give it to his wife; and 3) Send her out of his house. If all a man did was apoluo his wife (put away, or send her out of his house), then he was still legally married to that woman. With these facts in mind, Jesus' teaching in Matt 5:32; Matt 19:9 is not hard to understand or to accept.
Moses wrote the reason why a man was to follow these procedures: It was so that the woman would be free to marry another man. "And when she is departed out of his house, she may go and be another man's wife" (Deut 24:2). The traditionalists would have us believe that Jesus changed this part of the Law of Moses, when he did not.
If apoluo means divorce, as you claim, then its Hebrew equivalent must also mean divorce. The Hebrew equivalent of the Greek apoluo is shalach. Therefore, Deut 24:1 would have to be translated thus: "When a man taketh a wife, and marrieth her, then it shall be, if she find no favor in his eyes, because he hath found some unseemly thing in her, that he shall write her a bill of divorcement, and give it in her hand, and divorce her." This sloppy translation would have the man divorcing his wife twice! Unfortunately for those wishing to perpetuate the man-made doctrine that forbids those who are legally divorced from getting re-married, there will be a day of reckoning when it will be understood that their doctrine was NOT what Moses wrote, nor what Jesus said! Apostasion in the Greek (the writing of the bill of divorcement) is the same as kriythuwth in the Hebrew. One was not considered divorced simply by separating (sending from the house (shalach) in the Hebrew, anymore than one was considered divorced simply by separating (putting away, or sending from the house (apoluo) in the Greek.  Even today we would not consider one divorced simply because one has separated!

It is also quite telling that the traditionalists tell us that the divorced must stay single, or if a man and woman who are divorced and married to another spouse must divorce in order to please God! Then and only then can they marry each other again!
Some also conclude that Jesus declared that one who divorces his spouse and remarries is guilty of the sin of continual adultery. Is this statement in agreement with what the Law of Moses said? Would Jesus have been rightly referred to as keeping the Law of Moses perfectly IF he had taught contrary to the Law? Jesus and Paul said some people do not have the gift of celibacy (Matt 19:10-12; 1Cor 7:9). Those who have it probably do not understand why everybody cannot be like them, but I am sure Jesus and Paul understood human nature enough to know what they were talking about.

Matt 5:20-44

A reader writes: “I nor anyone shall convince you of error as long as you believe what was allowed at the time of Moses, still existing for our time & base everything accordingly. Matt. 5: 21, 27, 31, 33, 35, 43 - All say 'It hath been said' (past tense) Matt. 5:22,28, 32, 34, 44 - All say 'but I say' (present tense).”

My reply: Please read the context. When Jesus said, “It hath been said,” he was referring to what the Pharisees said, not Moses! When Jesus said, “but I say,” he was correcting the Pharisees false teachings and their lackadaisical interpretation of the Law. For example, The Law did not say to hate their enemies, the Pharisees did (Matt 5:43-44; cf. Exo 23:4-5; Lev 19:17-18)! The Old Testament Law taught people to love. Some interpret, “but I say unto you,” that Christ changed the Old Testament Law, but nothing could be further from the truth (Matt 5:18). Only the ceremonial Laws changed because Christ became our Passover Lamb. The blood of bulls and goats could not cleanse us from sin (cf. Heb 9:13; Heb 10:4). When Christ made a direct reference to the Law, he said, "It is written" (Matt 4:4,7,10; cf. John 10:34).

Furthermore, when Korah, Dathan, and Abiram rebelled against Moses, Moses considered it a rebellion not just against him, but also against God (Num 16:11). When Israel rejected Samuel as judge and asked for a king, God revealed to Samuel that the people were really rejecting Him to rule over them (1Sam 8:7). I bring this up to show you that the Old Testament Law, or the Law of Moses, was the Law of God as given to Moses! God is the supreme Ruler, and what He allows, He allows and His Son would never have put himself in a position to correct, change or disagree with his Heavenly Father, but rather proclaimed that they are “one”  (John 10:30).

5:8     The ‘pure in heart’ echoes Prov 22:11 (RV margin) where we see that one needs to ‘love’ the pure hearted way of living. It is not an ‘optional extra’ in life. It is a perquisite.

Matt 5:1-12 The teaching of Jesus here, draws extensively on the words of the prophet Isaiah.  The Lord is with His people in whatever circumstance and wherever they are.  This is a great comfort to us as we await the coming of the Lord Jesus to establish the kingdom.  Jesus came to fulfil the law and the prophets (Matt 5:17).  Jesus shows us in the Sermon on the Mount a distillation of the words of the prophets and their relevance to for us today.

Matt 5:5

“Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth.”

The world’s perspective of meekness is much different than the Scriptural perspective wherein we are called to be meek (cf. Num 12:3; Psa 22:26; 25:9; 76:9; Isa 29:19; Eph 4:1-4; Titus 3:2). The world sees meekness as a sign of weakness; people who walk around with a Bible in hand and a face as long as the Missouri mule, making a drunk man glad he’s drunk! 

“Meek” is the Greek word, praus, Strong’s <4239>, and means, “mild, i.e. (by impl.) humble:-meek.”  This really does not tell us all that much. The Greeks understood meekness to mean mild, gentle, soft, or a controlled power.

Meekness is about controlling our mind, keeping it in subjection to Christ (cf. 2Cor 10:5). It is about controlling our thoughts, our words, and our actions. The meek practice control in every aspect of their lives daily and do it consistently, not sporadically.

Are we allowing the Word to control us (Gal 5:22-24; 2Tim 2:24-25)? Are we double-minded, i.e. wishy washy with what we believe (James 4:8)? We must allow the Spirit Word to dominate our mind. If we do not stand firm on something, we will fall for anything (cf. John 6:63-64).

All our fears, doubts, anxieties and the like come through our mind. This is why we must renew it (Rom 12:2; Psa 1:2-3). But, we cannot do it by our own power, by our own strength, or by our own intellect. This is an impossible mission. Our flesh cannot fight the spiritual war (2Cor 10:4-5; 1Pet 2:11). Of course, there are always consequences for living the spiritual life in the flesh. Some become fanatical thinkers, spiritual dropouts, others floaters - moving from one ecclesia or fellowship to another. Still others, despite all, fight the good fight of faith to the end (1Tim 6:11-12).

Spiritual mindedness is not allowing the circumstances around us to sway us, influence us, and draw us away from the Word. Spiritual mindedness takes a lot of strength - strength that we can only get by having a spiritual mind and not a carnal one (Rom 8:5-8).

This is the condition for discipleship and it is these who will inherit the earth. We can be a believer without being a disciple, or “disciplined one.” The very first disciples were willing to be disciplined, taught, corrected, and changed by Jesus by their association with him. While there are many believers, the disciples are few (cf. Matt 22:14). So, where has our mind taken us today?

5:6 Those that “hunger” will be filled. Psa 107:9 that the “hungry” will be filled with “goodness”

Matt 5:31 I wonder why Jesus links Divorce and adultery with the lust of the eyes? The Jews were obviuosly looking for other women after divorcing.

Matt 5:29 The word Heart is better rendered desires, the word heart in strongs gives the idea of maltreatment. Surely then it is to treat a woman badly to simply look on her lustfully? Adam set the example with Eve where he saw her as a companion, were the Jews here simply looking at other woman for sex? Similar ideas are picked up in Gen 6:5 todays modern society is no different men leaving their wives for other women.

The right eye gives the idea of the Mind, the thinking part of the brain. The right hand is part of the "members"therefore the flesh, where propensites come from. Jesus is telling us the mind should have control over the fleshly lusts, the mind should cut the fleshly thoughts out. The word lust is epithermo meaning intense heat, these were not simply looking at a beautiful woman and admiring her these were intense lusts.

Its what we have been reading of in Gen1-2 overcoming the serpant (carnal) thinking! 

Gal 5:17-19

Paul also warns us of the battle of flesh against mind, and warns us to overcome it notice how adultery and fornication is the first he lists!

Rom 7:23 Paul had the same problem!

Meek! Taken from Psa 37:11 notes taken from my bible, Be MEEK but NOT WEAK, have the ability to stand on the right path. Meekness is the ability to be taught and ameneable to the the word of God and yet stand up for the truth in a bold but humble way. I think of Jude, a fiery apostle when it came to the truth but loving to his brethren and sisters.

5:10   It is important to appreciate that it those who are persecuted for well doing who will be blessed. This is not some blanket promise that problems in this life will bring blessings in the kingdom. 1Pet 4:12-16

Matt 5:8
“Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God.”
The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart. To be pure in heart is to have a singleness of heart (cf. Matt 6:22). It is to have a heart free of hypocrisy and guile. It speaks of more than just external behaviour; it is having internal purity. It is an uncompromising heart, a heart that desires to please God in all things (cf. Psa 51:10). A pure heart means keeping God’s moral laws and by the grace of God, we can be pure in heart - we can have a single heart (Jer 31:33; Jer 32:39 cf. Psa 119:9,11).
Having a pure heart must be our goal. It is about knowing God and experiencing His presence in our daily living. The apostle Paul made this his goal (Phil 3:7-10). We cannot be pure in spirit if we are not pure in heart; we cannot mourn for the things that displease God; we cannot be meek, hungry and thirsty for righteousness, be merciful, be a peacemaker, nor able to be persecuted for Christ, if we do not have a pure heart. We must live by God’s rules; live a life that is pleasing to Him, live for God’s purpose, and have a single-minded devotion toward Him.
A pure heart has a clear vision (Luke 11:34-36). It is evidenced by how we live (1Pet 4:2). Can we see the hand of God even amid our sorrows, pain, suffering, and disappointments? If our heart is pure, we will see God in the everyday happenings of life, as He helps us, guides us, leads us, and delivers us through it all. We may not understand it, but we will know that it all works out in the end. We see God in our past experiences, the present, and the future, accepting when He says, “No,” or “Not now.” We see God be they in the little things or big things. The pure in heart are filled with the Word, fully devoted to God, not full of themselves.
A pure heart means we trust God with all our heart. It is a complete, trusting confidence in Him, not leaning unto our own understanding of the situations we face no matter how dark they may be (cf. Prov 3:5,6. To be able to trust God, we must know Him; we must agape love Him. This was the lesson the apostle Peter needed to learn (cf. John 21:15-17). Phileo love is not good enough! It is truly about a deep relationship with God through Christ. It is about loving with all our heart, all our soul, our entire mind, and all our might (Matt 22:37; Mark 12:30).
Jesus reserved the harshest and most scathing rebuke for the Scribes and Pharisees who thought they were the purest of all the people. They were extremely careful to keep their outward appearance clean, and did not worry about their inner cleanness and relationship with God. They were so convinced of their purity even as Jesus denounced them as being filled with dead men’s bones and everything unclean (Matt 23:25-28; cf. v. 34)!

The blessing to those pure in heart is by far the most comprehensive of all the blessings. We just need to stay focused on Christ.

5:11    John –3John 1:10  – draws on the idea of people speaking evil against believers

5-7        records the Sermon on the Mount.Luke 6:17-39 records a similar “sermon”. Clearly the record in Luke is at a different time and location from the Matthew record. This doubling of a similar message is rather like the giving of the law at Sinai and then that same law being repeated at the end of the wilderness journey in the book of Deuteronomy. Sinai is a mountain and the book of Deuteronomy was spoken when Israel were in a “plain” Deut 1:1

Matt 5:32

“… saving for the cause of fornication…”

Christ stated specifically that if fornication (porneia) occurred, the marriage bond may be broken. However, adultery (moichao) is committed subsequently should the separated spouse remarry without a legal writ of divorce.

Fornication here is in reference to a married couple; not limited to sexual relations outside of a marriage. Christ’s using porneia instead of moichao is an important distinction often over-looked. To say then that “only adultery [moichao] breaks the marriage bond,” is totally contrary to Scriptural teaching (Matt 19:9)!

Fornication (porneia) covers a variety of sexual sins not specifically just adultery, though, included. It covers incest, homosexuality, prostitution, etc. Please read further comments on this in my 2017 notes on Deut 24. Lev 18 covers the law of sexual sins and it still applies. To “uncover the nakedness” of someone is a euphemism about sexual relations. While we are under grace and not immediately put to death, unless these sins are repented of, we will receive the death sentence at the appointed time.

Robert Roberts erred here in limiting fornication (porneia) strictly to mean adultery (moichao). Still, he did recognize that just being separated and so remarry would be adultery. He writes: “There seems nothing difficult about Matt. v. 31, 32. The words of Christ amount to this, that his law recognizes no cause of separation between husband and wife except conjugal infidelity. Human law in his day recognized many other causes, even allowed a man to put away his wife if he lost taste of her. By the law of Christ, a wife put away from any cause, ‘saving for the cause of fornication,’ is the man’s wife still, and anyone marrying her is guilty of adultery. He does not mean that if divorced from a proper cause, a woman may not marry again. His words must be taken in their connection” – Christadelphian, 1892, p. 422 (emphasis added).

The common belief on this subject has put many people into bondage (cf. Matt 23:4; ), either by forcing divorced people to remain single when they are unsuited to such a life (Matt 19:10-12; 1Cor 7:8,9), or else by placing on their shoulders a load of guilt for remarrying and then cast out. Not only is this all unscriptural, it is contrary to the will of God and Christ for us (cf. Matt 28:20).

Matt 5:34

“But I say unto you, Swear not at all; neither by heaven; for it is God’s throne.”

“If ever you are called upon to give evidence in a court of law (great or small) you can demand to affirm instead of taking the oath, and the clerk of the court is bound to supply the form of affirmation. It is something like this: ‘I do solemnly and sincerely affirm that in the evidence I shall give touching the matter in question I will speak the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.’” Robert Roberts

5:8      The relationship that flows from being a “peacemaker” is a wonderful prospect which the inspired wise man taught also – Prov 22:11

Matt 5:31,32; Matt 19:3

To accurately interpret these verses, it would be as follows:

“It has been said (in Deut 24:1-4), whosoever shall put away (# <630>, apoluo) his wife, let him give her a writing of divorcement [# <647>, apostasion]. But I say unto you (in reply to Pharisees put away only), That whosoever shall put away (apoluo) his wife (without a writing of divorcement, apostasion), saving for the cause of fornication (and not for every reason); (fornication, # <4202>, porneia, unlawful lust, immorality, adultery, incest) causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is [not divorced but only] separated (apoluo), committeth adultery (# <3429>, moichao;  (because she is still married).” Divorce is not limited to just adultery - moichao, but is part of porneia, the word Christ used. It is uncleanness. “But fornication (# <4202>, porneia) and all uncleanness…” (Eph 5:3). Only we put a limit on the word, fornication, porneia, as well as limit it to the unmarried, not Scripture.

Christ responded to the Pharisees claiming Moses commanded to “put away” (apoluo, send away only) their wives for “every cause” (Matt 19:3). This is not what Deut 24:1-4 taught at all, and so Christ corrected them in pointing out that sending away required, as the law stipulated, the necessity of a writing of divorcement when certain conditions exist, and not just for any and every reason, so she may marry again and not be an adulteress, which she would be, otherwise!  To understand Matt 5:32 properly, we must compare Scripture with Scripture, as to what the Pharisees believed and taught. They didn't want correcting by Christ; they just wanted to trap him.

Christ does not contradict Deut 24, nor did he change it (Matt 5:18).  The law allowed a lawfully divorced woman the right to remarry (Deut 24:2). It was not lawful to just send the wives away and not give them a writ of divorce as the Pharisees were doing, and justify it as lawful! 

Deut 24:1-4 - “… then let him give her a bill of divorcement (# <3748>, keriythuwth - apostasion), and give it in her hand, and send her out (# <7971>, shalach - apoluo) of his house.” She may then go and “be another man’s wife” and not be charged as an adulteress.

 “… because he had found some uncleanness in her…” “saving for the cause of fornication…” Both are “exceptive” clauses laying out the Scriptural grounds for divorce, the only exception for it, and none other. “Uncleanness,” # <6172>, ervah, “… nudity (disgrace, blemish): nakedness, shame, unclean” (Deut 24:1; cf. Eph 4:19). The husband could divorce for reasons other than adultery, which carried the death penalty under the Mosaic constitution.  To have no favour or delight in the wife (cf. Deut 21:10-14) is related to some uncleanness found out, and has nothing to do with not wanting her anymore, as the Pharisees would have it.

Both the Old and New Testaments’ teaching on divorce and remarriage blend beautifully. Christ did not change anything; he corrected the false teachings of the Pharisees in unjustifiably sending away their wives for any reason without a divorce, making the wives guilty of adultery. Divorce is a concession, not a license, God gave because of fallen human nature.

Both the Hebrew and Greek have specific words related to separation and divorce, and apoluo, as shalach, relates to separation, as apostasion and keriythuwth both relate to divorce. James Strong in his Concordance erred in interpreting apoluo as keriythuwth, divorce. One may be separated without a divorce, but with a divorce, they are also separated.

“Christ’s words (Matt 5:32, and Luke 16:18) relate to divorce for insufficient cause (as was at that time common among the Jews). He recognizes no divorce as lawful ‘save for the cause of fornication.’ This severs the bond.” Robert Roberts, 1891

Matt 5

Sermon on the Mount

“‘We cannot live,’ say some, ‘if we do fully as we are told in that sermon.’ ‘Those commands were for Israelites,’ say others, ‘not for Gentile believers’—an assertion demolished by Matt 28:20.”

Robert Roberts, Christadelphian, 1887, p. 135

From, EXTRACTS FROM VALUED LETTERS, The Christadelphian Family Journal, March 1931, a brother wrote to the editor, A.T. Jannaway the following: “Have you noticed how differently Christ employs the word ‘whatsoever’ from the use made of it in the Avondale Hall resolution? Christ says, ‘Go ye, therefore, and teach all nations … teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you’ (Matt 28:20). Christ’s ‘whatsoever’ brings us under his teaching concerning divorce (Matt 5:32). The Avondale Hall ‘whatsoever’ resolution excludes us from observing Christ’s teaching concerning divorce!”

Matt 5:39

“But I say unto you, That ye resist not evil: but whosoever shall smite thee on the right cheek, turn to him the other also.”