Comments for September 11

v. 9 - The idea of 'doing secretly' is picked up from the language of Deut.13:6, 27:15. It is a trait of man that he thinks he can hide his lusts from God by going underground, as it were. This is clearly not true. Eze.8:12.

Hoshea began to reign in the 12 th year of Ahaz 2 Kings 17:1 Ahaz reigned 16 years 2 Kings 16:2 and Hoshea reigned 9 years 2 Kings 17:1 his reign ended in the 5 th year of Hezekiah. So when we read of the reign of Hezekiah spare a thought for the terrible things that were happening in Samaria as the Assyrians took them captive. It is against this background that Hezekiah was seeking those in the North to return to Yahweh.

v.2 - Although there is a clear distinction between those kings which were good and those which were evil, we do seem to have statements that refer to the quality of that good or evil, like here, where we are told that Hoshea, although evil, was not as bad as those before him. This qualification is for our human ears only, I suggest, as in God's sight we are simply good or evil.

The events of this chapter are contemporary with the prophecy of Hosea.

So Hosea was speaking of the events in Israel prior to it being taken by the Assyrian.

PRIESTS TO AN UNBELIEVING WORLD

In such a negative chapter I had to look hard for a positive lesson - but I found one.

Well done to the one priest who made such an impact on the settlers in Samaria. His success in teaching the Samaritans is most commendable. It must be admitted that he was not as successful as he could have been in thoroughly converting the people but with everything against him, the work he did had a powerful effect. In fact, the value of his work is borne out in the presence of belief in the LORD and in the coming Messiah hundreds of years later in the time of Jesus.

He was one lone priest, a man of Israel and a member of a nation whose people had turned away from God. This priest did not necessarily have the good influence of other godly men to follow and he was placed in the midst of a people for whom the LORD was a foreign god.

How would we do in the same situation? More to the point, how do we do in the same situation? Most of us work in an environment where we are a lone voice in an unbelieving world. Yet we have people to support us in our churches and our families. Will our influence be felt even when we are gone? Could we be more successful in our Samaria? Let us remember that we are priests to an unbelieving world. Let's change lives for good.

:9 One wonders whether Hoshea thought that God could not see what he was doing - from whom were his actions 'secret'? What do we think about our own sins?

17:10 Having done things 'secretly' (:9) they now come out into the open. Maybe having thought that no evil had befallen them because of their secret evil they decided that there was no point in hiding it. How do we feel? Maybe the things we do in secret embolden us to sin openly?

V.29 These Assyrians though instructed in the worship, and the acknowledging of the God of Israel, did not suppose Him to be the only God. Like other heathen nations, they combined His worship with that of their own gods; and as they formed a promiscuous society  from different nations, a variety of idols was acknowledged among them. 

The northern ten tribes were taken captive. And, it was only 250 years since Rehoboam and Jeroboam's split.  Today's chapter gives us the origins of the Samaritans, who, in the time of Jesus, had a good working knowledge of the Jews' religion (see John 4).  Many converted to Christ, (John 4:41,42), and later more joined the disciples after Philip's preaching (Acts 8:5-25).

V.14-16 They would not hear  they rejected his statutes  They left all the commandments of the LORD their God  As we read the history of the Israelites we must be at all times aware of the exhortation from the writer to the Hebrew believers which has been preserved for each one of today Heb 3:12-13

Vs.4-6 Tilgath-pileser (745-727 BC) first attacked Samaria in the time of Ahaz (2Chron 28:20); but it was Shalmaneser IV (726-722 BC) who later attacked Israel and Samaria. 

Hoshea had been obliged to render a yearly tribute to Assyria, but had now refused.  Thus, Shalmaneser put Hoshea in prison and laid siege to Samaria for three years.  However, it was Sargon who completed the job.  After this, the remnant of Israel which amounted to 27,290 persons was exiled. 

Vs.20,24 The Assyrians would scatter their conquered people to many different places, and bring in others to inhabit the conquered areas.  And thus, in 721 BC, the Northern Kingdom ceased to be, as Yahweh punished and rejected it for its sin.  

Vs.24,28,29,33 The poor Israelites who were left in the land intermarried with those of other nations, worshipping foreign gods while at the same time serving Yahweh.  This group became known as Samaritans.  These were the ones whom Ezra and Nehemiah later rejected (Ezra 4:1-3; Neh 4:7). 

Their violent opposition to the Jews became such that a Samaritan in the Jewish psyche was the lowest form of humanity imaginable.  This sentiment gave rise to the powerful lessons of Jesus through the woman of Samaria (John 4:7-30); and the parable of the Samaritan (Luke 10:30-37).  

V.41 - What "idols" potentially distract us from fully serving the Lord?

In the 6th verse we see the end of the northern kingdom. We marvel at the longsuffering of our Heavenly Father in permitting them to remain so long. Throughout there shines out the mercy of our Heavenly Father towards His wayward children. V.13 & 14 are a commentary on their back sliding. The only thing that can be added to this is written by the writer to the Hebrews. Take heed, brethren, lest there be any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, lest any of you should be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin

17:6 One wonders what the men in Judah thought when Samaria was taken by the |Assyrians. Maybe there was fear that they would go the same way or maybe there was a self righteous attitude – they deserved that because they were sinful. Whilst they were sinful the latter would not be an acceptable way to think of the situation. We must take care that we do not emulate that sort of attitude when we see brethren and sisters fall into trouble when we have judged them to be behaving in an unscriptural way.

V.1 Hoshea means salvation (or deliverer). It is the same name as that of the prophet Hosea. Often, names in the Bible fit the personality or the function of the holder.  In this case, Hoshea is misplaced as he did not deliver his people.

Vs.26,27  People of the Near-East were superstitious about gods.  They were sensitive about not offending foreign gods while being in their respective territory.  Hence, the attempt by the king of Assyria to appease the God of Israel.  This was not recognition of Yahweh as being the only true God, but an effort to pacify the perceived anger of a strange god.

17:5 we are now entering the death throes of the Northern kingdom. We should have this in mind especially when we are considering actions in Judah for they would have been well aware of the Assyrian activities in the North.

17:13 At this time there were a number of prophets speaking both against Israel and Judah – in fact it was a time, as far as recorded prophets are concerned, when there were probably more prophets speaking than at any other time in the history of Israel and Judah. A review of the first few verses of the prophets will enable you to produce your own list of active prophets at this time.

v 15-19 First Principles>Kingdom of God>Was overturned>History of fulfilment
Go to Deut 28:49 to see more details of the history of Israel and its overturning.

2Kin 17:5,22,23.
4. The Northern Kingdom ended in BC 720 during the reign of Hoshea. The ten tribes went into captivity after Samaria was besieged by Assyria for three years. (Prophesied 1Kin 14:15) 2Kin 17:5,22,23.
Go to Deut 28:49 to see more details of the history of Israel and its overturning.

V.1 Hoshea was the nineteenth and last king of Israel.  He never reigned freely but was subject to the Assyrian king.  Hoshea was evil in the sight of Yahweh, and rebellious to his Assyrian master.

Vs.3,4 At first, Hoshea gave tribute to Assyria, but later rebelled. The Assyrians put him in prison and we do not hear from him again. Hoshea came and went without much consequence (Hos 10:7; 13:11).

Vs.7-12 Israel was punished because of its idolatry.  Samaria was destroyed and Israel was scattered in captivity throughout the provinces of Assyria.

V.13 Yahweh had taken pains to warn His people to turn from their wicked ways.  Prophets had given this warning over many years. 

Yahweh gives plenty of notice about His requirements and intentions.  He allows a lot of time for His message to be broadcast so that people have no excuse. 

Noah spent 120 years preaching while the ark was being built.  We live in the end times, and they are like the days of Noah (Luke 17:26).  The warning to people to change has gone out for many years.  And as surely as Yahweh called time in Noah’s day, he will shortly call time on this dispensation.

That leaves the follower of Jesus with a couple of responsibilities: to preach to friends and neighbours, and to the local public as never before (2Tim 4:2); and to put one's own house in order (Luke 6:47-49).

17:9,23 There is an irony in this. Israel did ‘secretly’ as if God could not see, so He did take them out of His sight’

V.4 - "messengers" [Heb. "malak" (4397) means "angel, messenger, representative, ambassador, envoy" - "malak" is the Heb. word used for "angels"] can refer to heavenly immortal beings who are messengers representing God (Gen 16:7-13) or earthly human beings as we find here.

17:23    Israel tried to hide their actions from God – 2Kin 17:9 – so God stops watching them.  In the words of the Psalm God gave them up to their own desires –Psa 81:12

17:24    So the Assyrians repopulated Samaria with non Jews who had no regard for Israel’s God. It is not surprising, therefore, that later – Neh 4:2 – that descendants of those placed in the land by the Assyrians opposed the work of Nehemiah.

17:15     The context here shows the waywardness of the nation. They “became vain” – that is they were on a downhill journey. Paul – Rom 1:21 – picks this behaviour of Israel to speak of the Jews in his day.

17:11 That Ahaz did evil is clear from the record of his life. However Ahaz is shown as having more in common with unbelievers than with God when we read “as did the heathen”. Do we have more in common with unbelievers than with our fellow believers? 

Hezekiah's background

This chapter is instructive in setting the scene for Hezekiah, who appears in chapter 18. Three years into Hoshea's reign in Samaria, Hezekiah began his reign in Jerusalem. In the ninth year of Hoshea's reign Israel was taken away captive, which would be the 6th year of Hezekiah's reign (aged 31). Three years before that was the beginning of the siege against Samaria, which means:

17:17 In saying that Israel had sold themselves we see the same phrase twice in the contemporary prophet – Isa 50:1, Isa 52:3. Possibly an indication, in the prophet, of the time in Israel’s history that the prophet is speaking of.      

17:16   The comment about making two calves is an historic comment on the way that Jeroboam behaved when Israel split from Judah.  So here, whilst talking about the end of the kingdom of Israel, the origins of the demise is stated.

2Kin 17:6      There is a certain irony in the fact that it was Joshua – whose name had been changed from Oshea <1954> Num 13:16 who took Israel into the land whereas The northern kingdom was removed in the reign of Hoshea <1954>

17:25  When God sent lions amongst the people they should have seen that as a fulfilment of God’s promise – Lev 26:22 – and as a consequence changed their way of living. The chastening hand of God had no effect on them.

17:7 The way this verse reads indicates that Israel sinned despite what God had done for them in delivering them from Egypt under the hand of Moses. Does what God has done for us make us resist temptation, or does our deliverance from death have little impact on our behaviour?

17:26 We might suppose that the king of Assyria thought that he was now in control of the land of Israel. However he learnt that he was not. He had to send a priest from the captivity to try and restore some sort of godly behaviour in the land. His officials were unable to do so because in fact Yahweh was still in control even though His people were in captivity.

17:9 the statement that Hoshea did things “secretly” is telling. He thought his acts were not seen but Him that sees all tings saw and took notice. Adam and Eve his – Gen 3:8 – but their deeds were not hidden. If we could remember that God sees and hears everything maybe it would help us to order our lives better.

17:7 As the deliverance from Egypt was such a massive event which Israel was to remember it is amazing that they soon forgot. The Passover every year was to remind them of the deliverance form Egypt. It would seem that the feast of Passover became a ritual rather than a powerful reminder of what Yahweh had done for them. We must be equally careful that our remembrance of what Jesus did for us when we break bread does not just become a ritual. It is reminds us of our deliverance from sin and death

17:3 It seems as if none of the kings in Samaria were ever God’s servants. So, true to form, Hoshea sought assistance from a foreign power rather than Yahweh. Consequently he became servant to the Assyrians with the consequences that followed- captivity and the end of the kingdom in the north.

To whom are we servants?  - Rom 6:16

RIGHTEOUS OR SELF RIGHTEOUS?

The demise of the kingdom of Israel makes very sad reading. Their idolatry and wickedness became so bad that God couldn't stand it any more. "Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel and removed them out of his sight. None was left but the tribe of Judah only." (2Kin 17:18).

I can imagine the people of Judah looking over the fence at their neighbours, sad and afraid, telling each other that all these bad things happened because they turned away from the LORD. There could have been quite a bit of righteous satisfaction. After all, Judah still had the temple, the offerings to the LORD, the priests and Levites. And Hezekiah had made many religious reforms.

But despite the fact that Hezekiah was the most godly king since David, the record says this about Judah: "Judah also did not keep the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the customs that Israel had introduced." (v.19)

Let's not start to feel self justified by looking at the ungodliness of the people around us. Instead we should measure ourselves by God's standard to become the people he wants us to be - no matter what people are doing around us.

17:6 So Hoshea was taken captive by the Assyrians in about the 5/6^th year of Hezekiah. So right throughout the early reign of Hezekiah he would be well aware of the power of Assyria as they besieged then took captive Samaria and its king Hoshea. This provides an insight into he difficult times that Hezekiah reigned in. It is against this background that Hezekiah sought to reintroduce faithful worship of Yahweh.

v.9 - The people were beyond any sort of discipline, be it gentle or cruel. They were responding to nothing. Isa.9:13.

v.4 & 9 That Yahweh will 'not ... pity' Israel forces them to see the reason why the captivity is to come upon them. Deuteronomy 19:8 and the context there shows that this language is used to speak of how Israel were to view those who served other gods.

v.15 The sword bringing punishment is lamented by Jeremiah in Lamentations 1:20.
We appreciate that Jeremiah saw that what Ezekiel predicted came to pass.

v.24 Let us remember that God can and will bring the proud man to his destruction. Let us therefore on the one hand not fear those who are proud and confident in their own strength, and on the other, strive to keep from this type of behaviour, and find our confidence instead in the things of God.

7:19 The casting of silver and gold away in times of God's judgement occurs on other occasions - (Isaiah 2:20) Given this description we do well to reflect on how much we value the things that the world seems to offer us. Those things will be of no value when the Lord returns. Rather we should lay up treasures in heaven (Matthew 6:20)

7:10 The use of 'rod' 'blossomed' 'budded' is only found in one other place in Scripture (Numbers 17:8) so we can safely conclude that the problem in the days of Ezekiel was that there were those in Israel who were as arrogant as those who opposed Moses' authority in the wilderness.

7:4,9 Again we see that God's eye will not spare as we saw in Eze 5:4. So terrible were the abominations of Judah at this time. There was, in the words of the chronicler  'no remedy' 2Chron 36:16

V.:22 Just retribution for Israel's pollution of the temple. "Robbers shall enter and defile" the most holy place, the place of God's manifested presence, entrance into which was denied even to the Levites and priests, and was permitted to the high priest only once a year on the day of atonement.

God is fair.  He emphasises in today’s chapter that He is punishing Israel as they deserve, (see Eze 7:3,4).

7:16-18  There are some who would appear to escape God’s judgment. However they would be caused to realise their error and lament.

7:24  Israel have already been accused of being impudent – hard faced (2:4). Now they are seen as proud. It is only through pride that anyone would try to stand against God.

V.2 The expression four corners of the land is interesting. It is meant to convey the complete coverage of the territory. Four corners in Hebrew is arbeh kanaphot. The singular form of kanaphot is kanaph which means wing or edge, particularly as it pertains to a garment or blanket.

Thus, Yahweh is saying that the whole territory will be blanketed (covered) for destruction. A similar figure is used to show Peter that the Gentile world, as well as the Jews, would also be covered by the salvation of Christ (Acts 10:11 - read to end of chapter for appreciation).

7:15 The ‘sword’ ‘pestilence’ and ‘famine’ seen here and in Eze 5:12, 6:11, 12:16, 14:21 is a re presentation in Babylon of what Jeremiah had spoken of to these same individuals when they were in the land of Israel – Jer 14:12, 21:9, 27:13, 32:36 and other places in Jeremiah

7:19 That ‘their bowels’ would not be filled echoes the promised punishment –Lev 26:26 - spoken of as a warning by Moses.

Vs.7,10 It was in the morning that judgment was rendered (Jer 21:12; Zeph 3:5).

Vs.10,11 Ezekiel uses the metaphor of a blossoming rod to show that pride and violence had budded.

V.16 See Isa 38:14.

V.19 Riches cannot save in the day of adversity.  Only obedience to Yahweh will save (Prov 11:26).

V.23 Make a chain (KJV) is symbolic of the captivity that would come upon Judah.

Creating God in our image, after our likeness

v20 is immensely enlightening. Not only had Israel put idols on every hill and under every tree (6:13), not only had Judah set their idols in God's temple (Jer 7:30), but their idols were based on the image of God's glory shown in the golden items in the temple (v20). So in v19 "their silver and their gold will not be able to deliver them" is directly referring to the idols they had made in God's image, or so they liked to think.

This is a shocking discovery, but only natural when you think about it. We want to have a god we can see. So rather than making up a completely new, visible god, we take the true God and give Him shape and form. I'm not talking about gold and silver, but the way in which we denigrate God's true likeness just to bring Him down to our level: Do we read a precise version of scripture, or a loose version? Do we seek the answer to Bible questions, or just an answer? Do we minimise the meaning of some scripture and maximise other parts, rather than being even handed? All of these don't seem much of a problem, but they can be symptoms of a bigger danger. Namely, that we want to make God what we want Him to be, rather than what He is.

7:2  The ‘end’ which was to come ‘upon the four corners of the land’ was an announcement, in Babylon, that Jerusalem was finally going to be overthrown.

7:4,9    The warning that God’s eye would not spare takes up the punishment promised in Deut 29:20

7:20-22           We often say ‘all that glitters is not gold’. Israel should have taken this saying to hearts. They were led astray by the ‘beauty’ of the things that they made for worshipping false gods. How often do we revere the things we have made as if they were something very special?

1. Eze 7:1-15 - the end is near upon all the land - famine and death upon its inhabitants:

2. Eze 7:3,9 - payback for abominations.

3. Eze 7:5 - "an only evil, behold, is come" - the impending invasion would be the last of Nebuchadnezzar's attacks.

4. Eze 7:13 - even if the seller were to be alive at the year of Jubilee he would not be able to return to his possession (Lev 25:27) since he would be in exile and away from his homeland.

5. Eze 7:13,26 "vision"<2377>; Eze 8:4 "vision"<4758>; Eze 1:1 "visions"<4759>.

6. Eze 7:16-20 - those who escape to be in weakness and despair:

7. Eze 7:20 - (KJV) "therefore I have set it far from them", (NET) "Therefore I will render it filthy to them", (NIV) "Therefore I will turn these into an unclean thing for them".

8. Eze 7:21-27 - what is left others shall possess; all shall mourn - king, princes, priests, other people:

9. Eze 7:20-22 - the temple will be further defiled by foreigners - similarly, Jesus was further defiled by foreigners (John 2:19-21;Mark 15:9-31).

10. Eze 7:23 - making a chain to show those in the land of Judah would be led away in chains.

11. Eze 7:24 - "holy places" as used here probably refers to idolatrous places of worship.

12. Eze 7:9,27 - "shall know that I am the Lord".

7:6-10  God had suffered the rebellion of the nation, as he had in the wilderness. As Korah – Num 16 – had risen against Moses the nation in Ezekiel’s day, had risen against God. They challenged His word. But, just as in the morning when Aaron’s budding rod –Num 17:8 - witnessed against Korah, the figure of judgment in the morning is used again here. 

7:8    When Ezekiel, speaking God’s words, says Israel will be judged according to their ways we see a principle which Jesus repeats – Matt 16:27 – in his ministry.

7:2-6 When Ezekiel heard God pronouncing an “end” upon those in captivity we might wonder what he thought given that God had already – Jer 25:10 - said that they would return from Babylon after a 70 year captivity.

7:27     God’s judgments on Israel are not random and pointless. The whole object of His chastening of them was that they might recognise Him. When they do then they will be delivered form their afflictions.

7:15  Looking at the situation in Jerusalem Ezekiel is telling those whoa rein Babylon that there is no safety in Jerusalem or in the fields surrounding the city. This is a comment on the way in which the Babylonians were surrounding Jerusalem.

7:3         Those already in captivity would doubtless see their captivity as a consequence of the might of the Chaldean army. However Ezekiel makes it clear that their captivity is of God saying, on God’s behalf, “I will send mine anger upon thee …”

7:2-3 in saying “the end has come” we see Ezekiel re-presenting the lament of Jeremiah – Lam 4:18. A prophet who spoke right up to the taking of Judah into captivity – those to whom Ezekiel was speaking. 

7:18 the prophecy that they would gird themselves with sackcloth is seen to have been fulfilled when Jeremiah lamented over the fall of Jerusalem – Lam 2:10

7:2-9 Four times in these verses God says ”the end is come”. Doubtless Israel never expected God to finally punish them with the captivity in Babylon. Life just seemed to continue with its problems. Yahweh was not seen as being at work in their lives.  But a time did come. A time when chastening the nation was ineffective. As the record indicates – 2Chron 36:17 – there was no remedy. Yahweh had tried all the options. So He left them to their own devices – Psa 81:12

Our Heavenly Father has great patience with us. However any who do not respond to His instruction, eventually, will be left to their own devices. Hopefully our attention to His word will mean we never fall into that category .

7:3-4  God is just and faithful. So He would judge Israel “according to thy ways” and “I will recompense thy ways”. Our Father always judges faithfully. Our response to that knowledge should be that we always strive to think and consequently behave as if we truly believe that God will judge according to our ways.  

7:25-26 Calamity had already come upon the nation who were I captivity. Now Ezekiel seems to be painting a picture of recurring and escalating problems fuelled by rumours.

Hearsay and speculation of problems greatly undermines an individual and robs him of a settled mind.

v. 11 - One wonders how much we have the desire to adhere to this type of teaching in our present materialistic age. Most of us are so used to having more than we need and yet half the world goes hungry and unclothed. It seems that there is something wrong here. Isa.58:7-11, Luke 18:22.

3:2 The word of God came unto Ezekiel 1:3
3:4 The voice ... of God Isaiah 40:3
3:22 In thee I am well pleased Isaiah 42:1

v.1 - 2 This is another occasion when God passes by the mighty to reveal Himself to one who was lowly - though called of God. Notice also that John was 'in the wilderness' not in some majestic palace.
The use of the language from Ezekiel 1 highlights the import of what was happening through John.

v. 23 The beginning of Jesus' ministry at the age of thirty matches Ezekiel - the 'son of man' Ezekiel

3:19 John had said that he would decrease but he doubtless did not think it would be a consequence of him being taken out of the way and imprisoned. It is good that we do not know the details of the future.

:2 John was a priest and it would appear he began his work at the age of 30 - six months before Jesus' ministry began. As a fore runner to the 'son of man' the text likens the beginning of his work to the beginning of the work of Ezekiel, who was a priest, who started his prophetical work at 30 and is himself addressed as 'son of man' (Eze 1:1-3, 2:1)

What did John come to do? I know that he came to prepare the way for the Messiah, but in what way? Verse 5 tells us that he would make the crooked places straight, and the heights of the land equal. What does this mean?

In Luke we find over and over again two types of people. There were the "righteous", consisting of the Scribes, Pharisees, Herodians, Lawyers, and such like. There were also the "sinners", consisting mostly of the publicans, tax collectors, harlots, adulterers, and the sick and demon possessed. When we come to the teaching of Jesus, we find that it was only to be received by the latter group (see Luke 4v18, 15v1, Matthew). So what did John do to make this second group of people receptive to Christ's message?

In this chapter we find that John preaches a single message.... "repent!!". In v7 he couldn't be more clear: "brood of vipers...bring forth fruits worthy of repentance...every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire". Note that this message is universal, and not just to the "righteous", as it was later when Jesus spoke the same words. So something happened in between time to the people to separate them into these two groups. In vs 10-14 we find those who humbled themselves under this message. What John was doing was to "convict all under sin" (see Romans 3 v 9,19), so that the message of forgiveness that Jesus would preach, would be effective. This message of reconciliation by faith would never make an impact unless the people realised they were sinful! This, I believe, was the lowering of the mountains, and the making straight of the crooked places.

"But the Scripture has confined all under sin, that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe.....Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith." (Gal 3v22-24)

John was the representative of that law, which was why he had the genealogy he had (1v5-6), and why Jesus called him "born of woman" (Matt 11v11, cp. Gal 4v4).

3:23 In saying that Jesus 'began to be about thirty years of age' Luke is drawing attention to the age at which the Levites began their service (1Chron 23:3) in Solomon's temple. Whilst Jesus was of Judah he also was a priest after the order of Melchisedec - like David his father. So it is fitting that he started work at the same age as Levites in Solomon's temple.

V.21 Luke emphasizes the fact that Jesus not only urged his disciples to pray, even taught them to pray, but lived a life of prayer. When the teacher is himself seen doing the very things he tells others to do, his teaching is bound to be far more effective

Vs.4,5 John, the Nazarite, came to pave the way for Jesus according to prophecy.  He was well respected as a prophet (Luke 7:26; 20:6).  He came in the spirit of Elijah (Matt 17:10-12).  Before Jesus returns to earth, someone coming in the spirit of Elijah will appear to prepare the Jews who are waiting for the Messiah (Luke 1:17). 

3:38  Jesus was the 'second Adam' (1Cor 15:45) in speaking of Adam as 'the son of God' we see the family likeness. But of course there were major differences

3:8 The challenge that John makes to those who would rest their confidence in Abraham as their father is seen fulfilled – John 8:39.

3:1 These words indicate the precise time ordained by God for John to appear in and about the country of Jordon. How precise is God in all his ways. As we review those names recorded here, we see what a black period of time this was, evil men ruling in high places.

We all know that the darkest hour of the night quite often comes just before dawn. When all may seem black and hopeless, the God of all comfort and mercy intervenes to bring light and life and immortality to light through the gospel of His beloved Son. The news of his imminent appearing is the message from God to John in the wilderness. 

V.1 At aged 54, Tiberius Caesar succeeded Octavian (the Caesar Augustus of Luke 2:1). Tiberius ruled 14-37 AD and was the emperor in place during Jesus' mission period and His death. And so, the events of this chapter occurred in 29 AD.

Vs.23-38 The genealogy of Jesus presented here is considered to be through Mary. The genealogy shown in Matt 1:1-17 is generally accepted as being through Joseph.

3:1-3 As the gospel was sent to a noble Roman (see comment on Luke 1:3 this year) we can conclude that the list would help the official to understand precisely, in a roman context, when these things took place.

V.4 John came to prepare the way of Jesus.  Therefore, he was preparing the Jews, because it was to these people that Jesus, initially, came (Matt 15:24).

The types of people John addressed in the Jewish Community consisted of:

-a multitude (of ordinary folk) v.7

-publicans v.12

-soldiers (those belonging to either Herod or Philip) v.14

3:7 ‘vipers’ echoes the teaching about the serpent in Gen 3:1-4

V.2 Annas (or Ananias) was the father-in-law of Caiaphas.  They took turns in operating as high priest, although it seems that Caiaphas was the more prominent (John 18:13).

V.7 The phrase generation of vipers is meant to show those who have given, or are affected by, corrupt (poisonous) doctrines and teachings (Deut 32:33).

V.14 These soldiers were those belonging to Herod or Philip.  John told them to do three things: do no violence; neither accuse any falsely; and be content with your wages (KJV). John did not tell them to resign their posts.

The injunction to do no violence is meant in the context of not taking goods and money from people by force. These soldiers were particularly notorious for doing this.  The Roman soldiers were also guilty of this kind of behaviour.

3:20  Herod clearly had a catalogue of sins to his ‘credit’ however jailing John was the worst. Considering his sexually infidelity and the way that the law of Moses condemns that the jailing of John has to be seen as a terrible sin.

The phrase "what then shall we do?" repeated in v10, 12, and 14 echoes the state of mind in our hearts when we're ready for baptism, as can also be seen in Acts 2:37. It comes after we've realised our sin, and that there is no way to rectify the situation. It is at this stage that we are able to accept the gospel of forgiveness. Both John and Peter said "repent and be baptised". Is this always our emphasis when we talk about baptism?

3:4   Whilst the quotation is from Isa 40:3 the idea of preparing a way is found in Deut 19:3 when speaking of the need to make access to the city of refuge easy. Jesus is the High Priest whose death will free the man slayer.

3:18   So John’s ‘many words’ were an exhortation. That is a warning to the people to do something. They were not just simply words. They were a call to action – repentance.

Luke 3:23-38; Matt 1:1-16

While Matthew begins his genealogy with Abraham and ends with Joseph and the birth of Jesus Christ, born of Mary (not begat by Joseph), Luke reverses his genealogy and begins with Christ at age 30, “as was supposed the son of Joseph…” and ends in Adam, the son of God (Luke 3:23,28). Clearly, Matt 1 and Luke 3 offer different genealogies for Jesus. Matthew gives the genealogy of Joseph, who was descended from the line of David, but the line he came from was banned from any further kings reigning over Judah after King Jechoniah. Jeremiah declares: “Thus saith the LORD, (Yahweh), Write ye this man childless, a man that shall not prosper in his days: for no man of his seed shall prosper, sitting upon the throne of David, and ruling any more in Judah” (Jer 22:30; Eze 21:27). Jechoniah was the last king of Judah before the Babylonians destroyed Jerusalem in 586 B.C. All the recorded names after Jechoniah reveal the truth of this. No descendant of David after Jechoniah occupied David’s throne, and no one ever occupied the throne that was not a descendant of David.

Joseph's ancestry did not disqualify Jesus' claim to the throne, not being his biological son, and thus Matthew concludes his genealogy as Jesus who was born of Mary. Iraeneus, a Biblical scholar of the 2nd century wrote: "But besides, if indeed He had been the son of Joseph, He could not, according to Jeremiah, be either king or heir…” Since Jechoniah's descendants were forbidden to fulfill their heir-ship to the throne, it is not surprising Matthew stated upfront that Joseph was not the father of Jesus (Matt 1:18-19,25).

Luke 3:23-38 gives us the genealogy of Jesus through his biological mother, Mary who also was a descendent from the royal line of David - not through the banned line of Jechoniah, but through David’s son, Nathan. Joseph was the son-in-law of Heli, not son of Heli. Joseph’s father’s name was Jacob (Matt 1:16). Heli is, therefore, Mary’s father’s name, and is Jesus' grandfather. Luke shows us Jesus could claim direct ancestry back to King David and is a rightful heir through his mother. But, there is more…

We read in v. 24 that Heli was the son of Matthat, who was the son of Levi. This identifies him with the priestly tribe of Levi and descended from Aaron (Num 18). Luke by recording his genealogy right down to Adam reveals Christ’s both kingly and priestly line. Mary’s genealogy merged the priestly line of Levi with the Davidic royal line of Judah! According to Jewish custom, though, the actual genealogy of Joseph was the legal pedigree of Jesus, but Mary’s was really the actual bloodline of Jesus as recorded in Luke 3.  

Luke 3:14 -

3:7 In calling the religious leaders a “generation of vipers” we see that John is describing them as the seed of the serpent – Gen 3:15 describing them in the terms of Psa 140:3

3:10,12,14    In contrast to the Jewish leaders who came to John there were many who did want to know what was required of them.  At this time of great expectation of Messiah coming we see a contrast between the Jewish leaders who were complacent and the common people who were excited.

3:1-2  The detailed relationship between the different rulers that Luke lists means that at the time of the writing of his gospel the accuracy of his comments could have been questioned. In being so specific we see a guarantee of the accuracy of Luke’s inspired record.

3:9      Whilst here John is speaking of the removal of the ones who should have been teaching the people Elijah (who was John’s forerunner) was involved in building a school for those who would teach. Some words and ideas from the time of Elijah are used by John to highlight the contrast “axe” “tree” “cut down” 2Kin 6:6

3:1-2     Critics question the reliability of gospel narratives. If Luke was not inspired and certainly accurate Luke would not have included the specific names and their relationships as in so doing he lays himself open to the charge that he is inaccurate. Whilst, as yet, archaeology has not confirmed all the details some are confirmed.

Luke 3:22-38 (v. 36)

“… which was the son of Sem (Shem)…”

Shem’s descendants were known as the Shemites (semites) and he was the ancestor of all the sons of Eber (Gen 10:21). Eber in Hebrew is Ever, the source of the word Hebrew. Shem is the father of the Hebrews. He is also called Melchizedek AFTER the flood.

Shem had five sons, Elam, Asshur, Arphaxad, Lud and Aram (Gen 10:22). The third son, Arphaxad is the line through which Yahshua came according to the Historian Josephus.

Arphaxad’s son was Cainan, who was the father of Shelah and Arphaxad’s grandson (Luke 3:35,36). Shelah was the father of Eber, Shem’s great grand-son (Gen 10:24). Eber’s descendents settled in Ur of the Chaldees (Gen 11:31), Haran (Gen 10:27) and Paddan Aram (Gen 25:20).

Shem’s great great grandsons born to Eber were Peleg and Joktan, who lived in South Arabia (Gen 10:25). Peleg was the father of Reu, Joktan had 13 sons, and they lived in the areas of South Arabia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen.

There were 26 nations that covered six generation through the line of Shem, 14 from Japheth, and 30 from Ham for a total of 70 nations (cf. Gen 46:26; Exo 1:5)! These 70 nations are summarized in 1Chron 1:5-23.

Abraham descended from Shem, Noah’s son, and was his great (x7) grandson.

Abram was a native of Ur of the Chaldees, a major city of Mesopotamia (means between the rivers - i.e. Tigris and Euphrates River). It was the center of rich Sumerian culture and a hub of economic activity. Today, it is Iraq, and had Abram lived today, he would be considered a natural-born Iraqi. Josh 24:2 mentions that Abram at one time worshiped other gods. It was common for the people in that area to worship a moon god, and it is likely that Abram worshipped that same moon god.

Abram’s brother, Haran died in his native land in Ur of the Chaldees (Gen 11:28), after which Terah, Abram’s father (Gen 11:26) headed out with Abram, his son, Sarai, his daughter-in-law, and his grandson, Lot for the land of Canaan (Gen 11:31). They tarried at Haran (Syria) for a substantial amount of time and there Terah died (Gen 11:31,32).

Yahweh commanded Abram while in Haran to get out of his country and from his kindred and from his father’s house unto a land He would show him (Gen 12:1 Abram left Haran with his family and they journeyed south to the land of Canaan, which today is Israel. Israel and Judah (accurately, Yahudah) did not exist as a nation nor as a people. Abraham never knew of “Israel,” as a people, or as a place.

It was in Haran (Syria, a Gentile nation) that the promise was made to Abram (a Gentile Iraqi) that “I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed” (Gen 12:1-3). This land was at that time occupied by the Canaanites, a war-like tribe, and Abram moved further south pitching his tent between Bethel to his west, and Hai to his east (Gen 12:6-9 Gen 13:1-4).

Abram dwelt in the plain of Mamre, which is in Hebron (Gen 13:14-18). Here Abram stayed, with the exception of a brief time when he went to Egypt because of the famine (Gen 12:10). Like the Israelites centuries later, Abram came out a lot richer (Gen 13:1).

Abram was chosen to carry the elect line of the Messiah.

3:7-8   From the way that John speaks to the leaders who have come to listen to his words it is clear that they have not come to be baptised. Rather they had come to “check him out”.

3:3 John’s message – baptism for the remission of sins – was the message that Jesus gave his disciples to preach – Luke 24:47

3:5 Whilst all four gospels speak of Jesus preparing the way it is only Luke who continues the quotation with “every valley … made smooth”

3:4-5 John was not, literally, a road builder. It was a matter of preparing the way for the coming “king”.  When the cities of refuge were appointed a “way” had to be prepared –Deut 19:3 though this, clearly, was not a single road to the city. It was a preparation of a principle. Thus the preparation for the Jesu’ ministry and the cities of refuge was similar. Just as the death of the high priest signalled the freedom of the man who had fled to the city of refuge the death of Jesus signalled the freedom from the curse of sin and death.

3:15 that the people thought that John Baptist might be Christ is evidence that there was already an expectation at that time that’s Messiah was to show himself to Israel. Though, clearly at the time, the people did not have a clear understanding of what Messiah / Christ would do.

3:7-8 Was John able to read the minds of those who had come from Jerusalem? Or was their antagonism so clear? However this must be tempered by the way that the Jewish leaders in the early days of John’s ministry, had some regard to what he had to say – John 5:35.

3:3 a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins

Repentance and forgiveness are the basis of baptism. Since babies cannot be repentant, it follows that infant sprinkling cannot constitute baptism. 

3:7 The way John spoke of the Jewish leaders and their systems is a foretaste of the way that Jesus would condemn the same men for their selfish and godless behaviour. John’s words were the first warning of impending judgment. Sadly very few of them heeded what John said though for a time they seem to have had some regard for John  - John 5:35

Luke 3:19,20

JOHN-SHUT UP IN PRISON

“FROM a certain point of view, it is saddening to think of such a man as John the Baptist in the hands of such creatures as Herod and his paramour; and sadder to think that his life should be sacrificed to the feminine malice created by John’s upright attitude as a preacher of righteousness. But the sadness is only for a moment. It is the lot of divine things and divine men to be under the heel of wickedness in the day of sin’s ascendancy. We can comfort ourselves with the thought that they do not come under the heel by chance, or before the appointed time. It is part of the process by which they are prepared for, and ultimately introduced to ‘an eternal weight of glory.’ And there is the further consolation that to the victims of the oppression, the triumph of the enemy is ‘but for a moment.’ Death is the best thing that can happen to them.* Their trials and distresses are annihilated at a stroke: and in a moment, they are face to face with the glory for which their distresses prepare them, for the simple reason that in death there is no knowledge of time, and therefore no conscious interval to the resurrection.”

Robert Roberts, Nazareth Re-visited, pp. 25,26

*cf. Ecc 4:1,2

Without doubt, we are living in the very epoch of the perilous times spoken of in 2Tim 3:1,12. We are beginning to see and feel the import of these dangerous times, which will get worse and worse, and the year 2025 is proving to be a very ominous year. indeed! Nevertheless, Paul warned us that all those that will live Godly in Christ shall suffer persecution and this should not come as a surprise or seem strange, nor should it be something feared. What God has decreed, He has decreed, and we need to accept it. The choice of whether we will remain faithful under trying situations or not has eternal ramifications (cf. Josh 24:15). A disciple is not about his Master (Matt 10:23,24).

“Consider mine enemies; for they are many; and they hate me with cruel hatred. O keep my soul, and deliver me; I put my trust in thee. Let integrity and uprightness preserve me; for I wait on thee.” (Psa 25:19-21).