Comments for April 24

NOT YOUR RIGHTEOUSNESS

Moses left Israel in no doubt as to their worthiness to enter the promised land. He said, "After the LORD your God has driven them (your enemies) out before you, do not say to yourself, 'The LORD has brought me here to take possession of this land because of my righteousness.' No, it is on account of the wickedness of the nations that the LORD is going to drive them out before you. It is not because of your righteousness or integrity that you are going to take possession of the land ... understand, then, that it is not because of your righteousness that the LORD your God is giving you this good land to possess, for you are a stiff-necked people."

In the same way that God gave the land of Canaan to Israel even though they were stiff-necked sinners and could not earn it, so he has promised to take us into his kingdom when Jesus returns. But again, we all sin and fall short of the glory of God. Not one of us can earn our way into the kingdom by the things we do, because at the same time we sin, and the wages of sin is death. It is not our righteousness that will earn us the kingdom, but the grace of God, his forgiveness and love.

Let us give thanks to God that his love covers a multitude of sins. Hallelujah!

8 v.2 - 6 That the past had to be remembered by those who were to enter into the land shows that we can learn from the failings of others. This generation watched their parents die in the wilderness. They had to blend their own experiences - manna clothes etc.: - with what they had seen happen to their elders. This is how chastening worked for them. That they had to keep the commandments shows that the experiences of life have to be measured against the word. That it was to 'prove' them is an idea which Jesus uses when speaking to Phillip. [John 6:6] at the time of the feeding of the 5,000. Jesus knew what he would do [John 6:6] so the questions about bread was for Phillip's benefit. He needed to realise that he had to learn. Israel were in that position in the wilderness. It is also our position during our 'wilderness journey' now. We should see the book of Deuteronomy in this light - a reminder of our life's experience and God's involvement.

9 v.14 The seeming all embracing phrase 'under heaven' has a quite specific use in Scripture. The following references demonstrate the universality of Yahweh's judgement. Genesis 6:17 Exodus 17:14 Deuteronomy 7:24 here 25:19 29:20 2 Kings 14:27 Note that it always speaks of the whole world as a place but rather that the judgement that is to come is complete. Thus the use in Ecclesiastes 1:13 extends this principle to speak of those things which are happening in His domain. The two New Testament references Acts 4:12 Colossians 1:23 expand the theme to show that the Father is indeed concerned with salvation for those who will see that life without Christ is vanity.

8:3 We doubtless are familiar with the fact that Jesus quoted the latter part of this verse (Matt 4:4 Luke 4:4)  during his temptations. However the context of this passage matches Jesus'.

8:2 Forty   Matt 4:2
8:3 hunger Matt 4:2

9:1 In saying that the cities were 'fenced up to heaven' Moses is summarising how their fathers spoke of the land (Num 13:28) when they first spied it out.

THE MEANING OF LIFE
 
In the context of Israel's journey out of Egypt, through the wilderness and into the Promised Land, we can see parallels with our own lives as we have come out of the world and are being led by God through life toward his promised kingdom.
 
The wilderness part of our life, as we let God guide us from one crisis to another can be a bit of a mystery to us. What is he doing with us? What does he have planned for us? Why isn't life easier? Or why has he led us his way? Maybe as we consider the summary of Israel's journey through the wilderness, it will hep us understand the way he works in our own lives.
 
Moses said to Israel, "Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way through the desert these forty years to humble you and to test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you causing you to hunger and then feeding you with Manna ... Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you."   (Deut 8:2-3,5)
 
As God leads us through life it is with the same intentions. He leads us, humbles us, disciplines us and tests us to see what is in our hearts and whether we will keep his commandments. At the end of our journey, we, like Israel, will be ready to enter the Promised Land.

First Principles>Kingdom of God>Existed in the past
8. The Wilderness Journey from Egypt to Canaan was 40 years long. Exo 16:35 Num 14:33 Num 32:13 Deut 2:7 Deut 8:2,4 Deut 29:5 Josh 5:6 Neh 9:21 Psa 95:10 Acts 7:36 Acts 13:18 Heb 3:9,17. Go to Gen 12:1-5 for more about First Principles>Kingdom of God>Existed in the past

GOD'S GUIDING HAND

Forty years. Forty years is the length of my life so far.

Just before they entered the Promised Land, God wanted Israel to remember what had happened to them over the previous forty years. "Remember how the LORD your God led you all the way in the desert these forty years, to humble you and test you in order to know what was in your heart, whether or not you would keep his commands. He humbled you, causing you to hunger and then feeding you manna, which neither you nor your fathers had known, to teach you that man does not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD. Your clothes did not wear out and your feet did not swell during those forty years. Know then in your heart that as a man disciplines his son, so the LORD your God disciplines you." (Deut 8:2-5)

It is amazing how much can happen in forty years, and how many experiences, joys, testings and trials we notch up. Like Israel, if God is leading us, then we can be sure that everything he does is for our good - even if it means we go hungry or something really terrible happens. Through these experiences we learn more about God and are drawn closer to him.

Let us appreciate God's guiding hand in our lives.

8:2   That Israel were to be the head and not the tail Deut 28:13 as spoken of as one of the blessings that would come on faithful Israel is seen, in prospect, in the elevation of Mordecai –Est 8:2

8:2-3  The principle taught by the withholding of manna thus creating a famine that men would learn that life did not consist solely of living by natural food but rather required taking in the word of God is the basis for the repeated famines that God brought upon Israel when they turned away from Him.

The Israelites were to change from meagre circumstances in the wilderness (8:3,16) to prosperity in the land (8:9).  It is easier in many ways to be closer to God in humble circumstances compared to being surrounded with plenty.  Hence, this is a warning to the Israelites (and ourselves) not to let prosperity distance us from God (8:11-14).

Moses shows himself a type of Christ as he intercedes for his people (9:18-20, 24-26).

8:3 In telling Israel that God ‘suffered thee to hunger’ we realise that the absence of food was not an oversight on God’s part that had to be quickly resolved. Rather He planned it that way that Israel might learn to trust Him.

Deut 8:3

“... man doth not live by bread only, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the LORD (Yahweh) doth man live."

Jesus used this quote after he had fasted for 40 days to fight off temptation (Matt 4:4). If Jesus needed this quote to resist temptation, then you can be absolutely sure we need it too! The desire to do something or have something that we should avoid is in all of us, and Jesus by example is showing us how we can fight it and attain to spiritual fitness.

William Arnot, a nineteenth Century expositor wrote in Studies in Proverbs: “Those who hide the Word with them, feeding on it as daily bread, acquire a habitual bent of mind towards things spiritual.” A thin diet in the Word is devoid of life giving vitamins and nutrients needed for a healthy spiritual growth. Spiritual famine sets in, and we become lethargic, and flabby Christadelphians.

A healthy diet is absolutely essential for both our physical and spiritual well-being. “Blessed are they that hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled” (Matt 5:6). Where is our hunger and thirst? Only a small privileged remnant will inherit all things and never hunger, or thirst for righteousness again.

To resist temptation then, we must predetermine in our minds not to sin and rely on God's strength to help us overcome temptation. A casual reading of the Bible will not achieve this. It must be “eaten” – taken into the heart and mind, if we desire to be in that number when the "saints come marching in."

 8:4 What a miracle this was. It is possible that the Israelites brought more clothes than they had on their back when they left Egypt. Both on this occasion and in Deut 29:5 Moses points out the providential care of their loving God in preserving both their clothing and shoes amid the wear and tear of their nomadic life in the dessert.

8:4      The observation that their feet did not swell during the forty year wilderness journey should not surprise us at all. After all they clearly did not spend vast amounts of time walking through the wilderness. They spent most of their time encamped. They only travelled between the 42 stopping places. The reason for mentioning that their feet did not swell is to teach us a spiritual lesson. We are walking – Eph 2:10 – in God’s statutes and we should realise that His statutes are not designed to wear us out and cause pain and suffering.

8 v. 5,6 - The direct consequence of a recognition that God chastens us it that we obey him. God dealt here with his people as if he was a Father (v.5). How much more so then with us, as we are under the new covenant, which brings us through Christ so much nearer to Him. The people did not recognise God as their father (Isa.1:3). So often we must learn from their mistakes. 1Cor.11:32, Heb.12:5-11, Rev.3:19. Let us remember that it is God's love for us that causes Him to rebuke and chasten us.

8:5         In telling Israel to ‘consider in thine heart’ the people were being instructed that things to do with God and His purpose require more than a fleeting consideration. This is because the only ones who benefit from chastening are those who are ‘exercised thereby’ Heb 12:11.

9:4-6       So Israel were reminded that God had not given them the land because of any virtue inherent in themselves.  This is true of ourselves also. Our association with the promises is through the call of God – Rom 8:30  - of ourselves we have to acknowledge that we fall short of God’s glory – Rom 3:23

8:5 Chasteneth comes from the Hebrew word yasar which can mean instruct, reform, or punish.  Yahweh is prepared to do all those things to His people.

8:17 Pride can creep in and easily divert one from serving Yahweh. Today, riches and power make it difficult for one to accept Christ and follow His ways.  We should pray for just enough (Prov 30:8).

9:3,4 Remember that Yahweh does not accept us because of any righteousness we possess.  Even if we have been baptized into Christ, we are still sinners in need of forgiveness.  It is the righteousness of Jesus that covers our sins.  And, it is because of Him that Yahweh accepts us.

9:10 The tablets were engraved by the finger of God.  When a Category 5 hurricane (the most powerful kind) inscribes a pathway across the landscape, it is called the finger of God by the weather scientists.

8:5     The comment that their clothes did not wear out should have been remembered by those who would follow Jesus – Jesus makes the same point Matt 6:30, Luke 12:28. It is difficult for us to remember this in our own lives.

8:7  These features are mentioned first, as they would be most striking. Travellers describe how delightful and cheerful it is after passing through the barren and thirsty desert, to be among running brooks and swelling hills and valleys. Water is mentioned as the chief source of the land's fertility. Moses then describes the harvests that they would have.(V.8) Far different than they experienced in the wilderness. Num 11:4-6

8:8 The land is described in terms of the produce of the ground is described. This is what God was going to give them. This contrasts markedly with what Israel hankered after in Egypt (Numbers 11:5)
Whereas the 6 items of Numbers 11:5 are not sufficient for life the 7 listed in Deuteronomy 8:8 clearly are.

9:5 Yet another reminder of Joseph's words (Genesis 50:24)
9:25 We learn something new here. The historical account of the turning back into the wilderness (Numbers 13-14) does not indicate that Moses prayed for the people for 40 days. This gives a further insight into Moses' care for the people.

8:10 The command to ‘bless the Lord’ is a command which is echoed by the Psalmist – for example in Psa 103:2, 104:1 and in the time of the return – Neh 9:5

8:11-12 Israel are reminded time and again in the book of Deuteronomy that the should remember  / not forget God’s commandments when things are going well for them. Complacency is what is being warned against. We do well to take heed to that warning when we feel that our lives are easy and trouble free.

8:15 The reminder of the deliverance from Egypt through the wilderness of drought is used after – Hos 13:5 – as an exhortation to faithfulness against the background of God’s continuing care for His people.

8:16 And so we see again the experiences that Israel benefited from were for their good. Of course it would require them to think about what was happening if they were to benefit (Hebrews 12:11)

ch 9 - By the time that Moses spoke the words recorded in Deuteronomy Moses knew that he was not able to enter the land. So his warnings (:21, 25) take on greater significance. Moses, who had prayed for them in their sin, was not going to be able to pray for them when they were in the land.

8:18    Whilst the instruction in this verse was directed at Israel as they were about to enter the land of Canaan the exhortation is equally valid for us today. It is all too easy to think that we have achieved all that we have by our own skill.

In today's chapter Moses told the people that it was not through their own righteousness, but because of the wickedness of the Canaanites, God was giving Israel their land (Deut 9:1-6).  When they were IN their land, Moses said, you must never think these wicked thoughts.  Wasn't this wise advice?  He didn't wait until they had started to think like this, he warned them beforehand.  So we should equip
ourselves with God's words BEFORE we start thinking evil.

ch.9:2 - I fear I have dwelt on this theme a lot lately, but I find myself as I get older, overcome with a sense of the enormity of the problem that God has taken away for me. The enemy - human nature - both in its constant problem within myself and in its manifestation throughout everything I see around me makes me fearful that I can overcome. Verses like this give the answer. Of course we are afraid at a human level of the giants of the world that threaten us, but with God everything is possible.

9:2 Whilst indeed the Anakims who were giants were a formidable enemy those standing on the bank of Jordan with Moses had seen giants defeated already. Og, king od Bashan, was a giant – Deut 3:11

9:3     Israel were told to ‘understand’ that God would go before them. Understanding is more powerful than ‘knowing’. The one who understands has applied his knowledge of God to the information about what God has said He will do.

9:5,6  God reminded Israel that they had not been saved because of their righteousness. In his prayer – Dan 9:18–Daniel seems to be making allusion to what Moses said here.

NEVER FORGET

"Remember and never forget ... "(Deut 9:7) If we were in the position Israel were in, standing on the brink of the Promised Land, and looking over the last forty years from their their escape from Egypt until the present time, what sort of things do you think God would want us to remember? My thoughts would go to the mighty way in which God redeemed me from Egypt, the miracles and mighty acts he did on our behalf. But this was not what God instructed Israel to remember in this instance.

Let's finish the verse: "Remember this and never forget how you provoked the LORD your God to anger in the desert. From the day you left Egypt until the day you arrived here, you have been rebellious against the LORD." (v.7) Moses then went on to describe in detail their sin in worshipping the golden calf idol at Sinai.

So if God wanted Israel to remember their sin, what would he ask us to remember? No doubt it would be the same as Israel - our greatest sin. It might not be pleasant to remember our faults but it keeps us humble and in our right place before our God. It also encourages us not to repeat the same pattern and mistakes continually as they, and we, are all prone to do.

So let us, like Israel, "Remember and never forget..."

Deut 9:7

“Remember, and forget not, how thou provokedst the LORD (Yahweh) thy God to wrath in the wilderness: from the day that thou didst depart out of the land of Egypt, until ye came unto this place, ye have been rebellious against the LORD (Yahweh).”

A reader asks: “… someone present suggested that once we have prayed for forgiveness we should then forget the sin. Is this a case of Laws of Moses vs Christ’s redeeming sacrifice? Or should we never forget?”

My reply: What someone suggested is true, but we do need to clarify in what sense we are to forget.

In the Hebrew, words for “remember” and “forget” have a wider meaning than in English.  Perhaps this is due to the fact that their vocabulary consists of approximately 8,000 words compared to the English with over 100,000 words.

In English, “remember” focuses entirely on the idea of recalling to memory, bringing ideas into our thoughts. Likewise, to “forget” in English is to fail to bring something to mind. They have to do entirely with mental activity. But, the Hebrew word to “remember,” zakar, Strong’s <2142>, conveys the idea of remembering and the actions to be taken because of the remembering. This distinction helps us to understand Deut 9:7 as it was intended to be understood (cf. Gen 8:1; 30:22).

In English, “forgetting” focuses entirely on the idea of not recalling to memory certain thoughts. But, in the Hebrew, “forget,” or shakach, <7911> and nashah, <5382>, are also broader in scope. To forget also means to ignore, neglect, forsake and disregard a person or covenant (cf. Deut 4:23). The idea is that the Israelites could intentionally ignore their covenant, and, therefore, not act in accordance with the covenant, not necessarily forget that they made it. When Israel lapsed back into idolatry, God said He would forget them and cast them away (Jer 23:39-40; Psa 13:1). When Moses admonished the Israelites to remember; he was also telling them to act on the remembrance by being faithful and obedient to God's Laws and Commandments.

Biblically speaking, the idea then of just remembering sins takes on a negative framework. It suggests that God is going to give us what we deserve for sin. He will punish sin, not just keep it on His mind (cf. Hos 9:9). The two phrases here in Hosea are synonymous. To remember iniquity is to punish sin. Likewise, for God not to remember sins is to decide against punishment (cf. Eze 33:15-16).

Because Hebrew also focuses on the action, forgetting does not necessarily imply that God loses the memory of sins in His infinite mind, but simply means that He forgoes it not imputing punishment on the repentant. A wife may not forget her husband’s indiscretion (or vice versa), but rather chooses not to act revengefully for the sin. The more we love one another, the easier it becomes to remove past sins from our minds. We refuse to focus on past sins and not “live in the past.” In this sense, we forget it.

Nothing hinders our present service quite like being mired in another time! The apostle Paul tells us to forget those things that are behind us (Phil 3:13-14). Past successes must not inflate our pride; past failure must not deflate who we are in Christ (2Cor 5:17). Paul here is not saying that we ought to forget everything in the past, which would be asking a human impossibility, but rather forgo the past and focus on remembering who we are now in Christ and act accordingly.  This kind of remembering glorifies God and is for our spiritual benefit. It is true that remembering certain past sins will lead us to repentance (Rev 2:5), and keep us humble (Deut 9:7), or ought to, and since God chooses to put aside our past sins (Heb 8:12), we are to set the past aside and embrace the future promised to those in Christ (cf. Rom 8:28; Eph 2:10).

The Israelites were about to take possession of God’s promised Land, but before doing so Moses reminded them (not that they necessarily forgot) that in the past they continuously provoked the LORD by their rebelliousness and idolatry, that they were not given the Land because of their righteousness, but because of  God’s mercy and His righteousness. There was, therefore, no reason for them to boast. God is a covenant-keeping God. Israel was to remember God’s love in order to remain humble and faithful as His chosen people (Deut 10); they were to love and obey God (Deut 11), and by their obedience in keeping the Law they showed their love to God. This was Moses' key message of "remembering" and "not forgetting" before entering the Land that it may be well with them - God's chosen nation. Nevertheless, we read in Joshua that no sooner they conquered the Land, most fell back into apostasy having failed to keep God's command in remembrance acting contrary to it in utterly exterminating the Canaanites being rebellious, covetous and idolatrous at heart.

9:8   The mention of the incident at ‘Horeb’ is a reminder that people do not have to have experienced an event for that event to be of benefit to them. The incident at Horeb was the making of the golden calf at the beginning of the wilderness journey. The vast majority of those listening to Moses this day were either not born or too young to have had any part in the activity. This is the value of the inspired record. God is teaching us now from the experiences of people in the past. There things were written for our learning’ Rom 15:4

9:9-11 - Moses fasted for 40 days and received the two stone tablets. This reminds us of how Christ fulfilled or made complete the law (Matt 5:17), was tempted and fasted for 40 days (Matt 4:1-2), how the law is to be written on our hearts 2Cor 3:3. When Christ returns as a rock he will enter in a new era of  peace and a new millennial Sabbath day of rest Dan 2:44-45.

9:26-27 - Moses by interceding demonstrates love for his enemies just as Christ did on the cross (Luke 23:34), as Stephen did when he was stoned (Acts 7:59-60) and as we are to do Matt 5:43-47. It is not sufficient to academically worship (1Cor 8:1) the Lord in truth, we are also to worship Him in the correct spirit John 4:24; 1Cor 13:2,3,4,5,6,7,8,12,13.

the washing away of sin - Deut. 9:15-21:

1Cor 3:10-11 - our foundation has to be built on Christ.  Matt 7:24-25 - our foundation has to be of rock not sand. 2Sam 22:2-3 - the "LORD"<3068> is my "rock"<5553>..."God"<430> of my "rock"<6697>. Exo 33:21-22 - v21 stand on "rock"<6697>, v22 in the cleft of the "rock"<6697> (perhaps symbolically this refers to Moses being in Christ and covered by Christ). Exo 34:2,5 - Moses was on Mount Sinai and the "LORD"<3068> descended in the "cloud"<6051> [Exo 40:34 - "cloud"<6051> covered the tent. 1Cor 10:2 - baptized unto Moses in the "cloud"<3507>. Acts 1:9-11 - Christ went up in a "cloud"<3507> and will return in like manner. Luke 21:27 - Christ is coming in a "cloud"<3507>]. Exo 33:9 - "cloudy"<6051> pillar descended to the "door" of the tabernacle [John 10:7,9 - Christ is the "door". Exo 40:33 - "hanging"<4539>(means "hanging, covering, curtain, veil") of the court "gate"<8179>(means "opening, door, gate")..."finished". John 19:30 - "It is finished"]. Exo 17:1-6 - With the people thirsty at Rephidim, Moses smote the "rock"<6697> in Horeb and a river of water came out so the people could drink [the rock Christ was also smote. John 7:37-38 - come unto Jesus and drink living water. John 4:7-14 - well of water springing up to everlasting life]. Gen 3:19 - man comes from "dust"<6083> and as a result of sin returns to "dust"<6083>. Deut 9:15-21 - the golden calf, which was representative of sin, was ground as "dust"<6083> and cast it into the brook - perhaps this suggests sin being washed away through living water.

Some of the above was gleaned from a talk given by S. Cheetham Feb./20/2011.

Deut 9:19;Heb 12:21.

The secret of Moses revealed

It's always been a mystery to me why Aaron came off so lightly after he made a golden calf for the children of Israel. In the record, Moses merely says to him "what did this people do to you that you have brought so great a sin upon them?" (Exo 32:21). The mystery is solved in these chapters (Deut 9:20), where right at the end of the life of Moses he reveals that God had in fact been so angry with Aaron that he was about to lose his life, but it was Moses' pleading on his behalf that saved him. What a wonderful insight into the power of intercession, which Jesus now carries out on our behalf. Intercession saves the guilty because of God's love for the one interceding, so what greater intercessor can we have than Jesus, of whom God said "you are my beloved son"?

Intercession:

Romans 8:34

Hebrews 7:25

9:20       Here we are given additional information about God’s view of Aaron when he made the golden calf as recorded in Exo 32:5. The record in Exodus gives no indication of God’s intention to kill Aaron.

9:22  Here, at the border of the land Moses was inspired to remind , in this verse three separate occasions when the people provoked God. The incidents are recorded in Num 11:3, Exo 17:7 and , Num 11:4 respectively.  These events were not brought up again by God to condemn them. Rather they were spoken of as a reminder in order that the people would avoid such behaviour in the future.

9:27   In requesting God to remember Abraham, Isaac and Jacob Moses’ appeal is similar to the one he made – Exo 32:13 – when the nation made the golden calf. Reminding God of His promises seems to be a powerful way in which He can be spoken to in prayer.

9:29 Moses’ words here form the basis for what Solomon prays – 1Kin 8:51

v. 1-7 The cyclical nature of events in life may seem pointless. However they are ordained of God in the lives of His servants that they make be 'exercised' [3:10]. If we do not see the hand of God in the events of our life then our life is truly vanity.

There’s a time and place for everything, says the preacher (Ecc 3:1-9). But then he writes a very real truth, (Ecc 3:13). He says that daily food, and the reward of honest work, are both a gift from God.  When we, in our modern 21st century see the thousands of people who haven’t daily food, or shelter, and in fact “having no hope, and without God in the world” (Eph 2:12), we should highly prize such “gifts”, and thank the Lord for them.

TIME FOR IMPORTANT THINGS

"There is a time for everything, and a season for every activity under heaven." (Ecc 3:1) The teacher then goes on to describe the sorts of activities we all end up involved in at some time or another. Our lives and our days all show that what the teacher said is still true. We all have a time to be born and a time to die, to weep and laugh, to keep and throw away, to love and to hate. But in all our doing and in all the events life dishes out to us, there are some things that are much more important to make time for than others.

Time for our families is one of those important things that needs to be found in our busy lives. Without the appropriate time invested in our families, we may well wake up one morning to discover our children have grown up without us, or that our relationship with our partner has deteriorated to such an extent that everything has fallen apart.

Time for God is the other important aspect. We need to make time to build our relationship with God so that we will be the sort of person he wants to spend eternity with, and that we are sure we want to spend eternity with him.

Time for both family and God is easy to overlook, but we only have a certain amount of time to spend. So let's make sure we don't short change either God or our families so that their time is taken up with something else.

:10 We saw in Chapter 1 that the events of this life are for our benefit. Solomon returns to this point here.

Giving up

Note that in verse 1 planting is not contrasted against harvesting, as we would assume. The phrase is "pluck up", and plucking up a field of growing plants is quite a desperate thing to do, akin to closing down a business before seeing any profit, or putting a product line in the skip rather than sending it to the shops. Likewise, v3, breaking down a building, v5, throwing away good bricks or stone, and most of all v3, a time to kill. Normally we would take issue with each one of these, saying this is a waste or just wrong, yet in Solomon's own life he had to put all of these into practice. Can you find any examples?

The message coming across strongly here is that giving up is not the terrible thing that our society makes it out to be. Abraham several times had to give up and move somewhere else, and do we think he had nothing invested in the places he left behind? Whenever we exercise wisdom and choose to give up, we do so in faith that God will provide more in another way.

Summary of Ecclesiastes 3

3:1-15     Life’s events are cyclical. They are recurring

3:16-22   Man’s judgment is flawed so I  acknowledge that God will judge

              As man cannot prevent his own death he is unable to give sound judgment

              [by implication because he shares Adam’s nature]

3:1-10 There are two extremes. Idleness that tends to poverty and avarice which never satisfies.

However it is not that there is a “middle course” that is right. There is God’s way which is right. God’s way is to accept the circumstances of life and grow in grace before God through the “travail” that God has given to us that we might grow, forsaking the Adam thinking and developing the Christ thinking.

V.2 A man can no more reverse the times and order of "planting" and of "digging up", and transplanting, than he can alter the times fixed for his "birth" and "death." To try to "plant"  out of season is vanity, however good in season; so to make earthly things the chief end is vanity, however good they be in order and season.

3:7      If only we could appreciate the truth of this statement.  Wise counsel often is to refrain from speaking. Prov 13:3 and Prov 21:22 speak similarly of this.

3:4  If we reflect on the time to weep and time to laugh we are reminded that we should respond appropriately to those we meet. We do not, for example, rejoice when we see someone sad due to some circumstance. We try to respond accordingly.

1. Ecc 3:5 - perhaps the casting away of stones and gathering of stones has an application to judgment when Christ returns (Psa 118:22;Mark 12:10;Eph 2:19-22;1Pet 2:6;Matt 3:9).

2. Ecc 3:8 - "...a time of war, and a time of peace" (purity and righteousness precede peace - James 3:17;Heb 7:2).

3. Ecc 3:12-14 - these verses can have natural and spiritual applications - v12 enjoy the opportunity we have in this life to do good works as it isn't meaningless; v13 we are reminded when we partake of the memorial feast that our opportunity to work in the Lord's vineyard is a gift/opportunity; v14 spiritual workings involving God aren't meaningless, or temporary, they endure forever.

4. Ecc 3:15 - (NIV) - "...and God will call the past to account" (a suggestion of judgment).

5. Ecc 3:16 - the temporal abuse of justice and judgment...but there will be a day of divine judgment for the wicked and righteous (Ecc 3:17).

6. Ecc 3:19  animals and man have the same "breath"<7307> - Ecc 3:21 "the spirit"<7307> of man..."and the spirit"<7307> of the beast.

3:7      The principle of deciding whether to speak or not was seen in Jesus during his trial. He did not respond to the majority of things said to him by the Jewish leaders. We should learn from this.

3:8       We might, against the background of Jesus’ teaching, struggle to understand that there is a time to “hate”. However Jesus taught that there is. In Luke 14:26 he taught that we are to “hate our own lives” – that is the life that we led before accepting Jesus Christ as our saviour. 

3:8     We should both “hate” and “love” at the same time. Psa 45:7 shows that both of these qualities should be manifest at the same time. We should have iniquity but love righteousness.

V.9  The earthy pursuits recorded in V.1-8 , while lawful in there season, are "unprofitable"  when made by man, what God never intended them to be. Solomon in his experiment tried to create an artificial joy. The result therefore, of his labour to be happy, was disappointment.

3:9      In speaking of “profit” the inspired writer is writing to the question he asks in  1:3

v. 10 - which reflects ch.1:13, is the very purpose of the book - that we might be exercised in it, to circumvent the need for us to experience it first hand. These words, although to us they seem over simplified and blatantly obvious do nevertheless cut to the very heart of our human problem of sin and selfishness. It is good that we should be exercised in these words, and the sooner we can realise that in our short lives, the more life we have left to dedicate to our Lord, instead of to ourselves. Ch.2:26, Gen.3:19, Heb.12:11

3:10,19 The fact that creation is in ‘travail’ and dies – ‘that which befalleth ...’ highlights, says Paul, - Rom 8:19-22 – that all of the events of this life are to point to the need for Christ who actually did overcome – made subject – the things of this world.

v.11 reminds us of the finite nature of our thinking. We are not able to find out all of God's purpose from beginning to end. But it goes further than this, I feel. This verse infers that naturally we would find nothing. It is God, we are told, that gives the increase (1Cor.3:6,7). We should be daily grateful to Him that he has chosen us to reveal these secrets to.

Man's pompous scientific postulates try to explain how things came into being.  They are ridiculed by the Creator (v.11; Rom 11:33).

All creatures are animated by God's spirit (breath).  All suffer the same fate at death as God removes His spirit (breath) which is returned to Him (vs.19-21; 12:7).

3:11  In telling us that because the ‘world’ is set in mans heart he cannot ‘find out’ the work of God we are being taught a fundamental lesson. Our humanity precludes us being able to work out how God does things. His ways are not our ways – Isa 55:8.

V.11 Yahweh has allowed man to understand nature to the point that it witnesses about Him (Rom 1:19,20).  However, man is limited in understanding the totality of Yahweh (Isa 55:9).

V.15 Everything in life is revolutionary: birth, maturity, death; spring, summer, fall, winter etc.  What goes around comes around as the saying goes. What is important to remember is that Eden will come around again in the Kingdom.

3:11 in telling us that God made everything “beautiful” we see an echo of Gen 1:31 where we learn that everything that God made was “very good”.

V.12  A time to rejoice; Man cannot fully relate to the works of God or fully understand them, but he must joyfully receive gifts from God, he must do good with them, not only to himself, but to others. We are reminded of the second greatest commandment. (Matt 22:39) This is never out of season. (Gal 6:9-10) 

3:12    In saying that ‘there is no good thing’ Solomon is speaking about a life without God. He has in the previous two chapters highlighted that the cyclical nature of life is ‘vanity’ except that it provides the environment for developing a Godly character.

3:13      The book of Ecclesiastes could be taken as presenting life as quite a depressing environment. However there are five times Ecc 2:24, 3:13, 5:18, 8:15, 9:7 – where the inspired preacher advises that God has given, amongst other things, food and drink to be enjoyed in the labour of our lives.

3:14 God does things ‘forever’ because what he is doing in our transient lives is for the benefit of eternity - ‘forever’.

WOW MOMENTS

"I know that everything God does will endure for ever; nothing can be added to it and nothing taken from it. God does it so that men will revere him."(Ecc 3:14).

Whether it is God directing the way of my life, whether it is his creation around me, or his control of world events and governments, or the beauties of his love letter to us, all of these can give us real wow moments. Whether we help him or whether we stand against him, God's plan will still happen. He is still in charge. He is in control. What He has planned will certainly come to pass.

It is easy to get so tied up in the things that are happening in life - work, family, church, and home life - that we easily miss the wow moments that God sets in front of us. They are wow moments that He has prepared for us to see so that we can revere Him. "God does it so that men will revere him."

So let's step back from the busyness of life and make time to appreciate what God has done and what he is doing. Savour some wow moments with Him today.

3:16-17   Out of all the things that Solomon saw the one thing that is so soul destroying, but yet is a consequence of the human condition, was that even those who were appointed to uphold the law were themselves corrupt. The only comfort is that God would eventually, as the righteous judge, Judge the world. This he will do through Jesus – Acts 17:31

3:17,18  'I said in my heart' is a recurring phrase up to this point Ecc 2:1,15, 3:17,18. Solomon's conclusions were not just academic. They were born out of experience. How often we discard advice thinking it is just words. I suppose we are more willing to listen to the one who has made the same mistake because such an one is speaking from the heart.

Jesus, 'for the joy that was set before him Heb 12:2 was willing to suffer. His attitude is not theory - but how willing are we to accept his experience and make it real in our minds?

Ecc 3:18-22 - helps clear up the erroneous concept that there is an immortal soul that lives on after death (see also Psa 49:12-20). Also of interest is Ecc 3:17 which indicates there will be a time of judgment for some who are good or evil. This time or day of judgment for some will occur after some are resurrected from the sleep of death Dan 12:2. 

3:17-18 Because God will judge man it is essential that man sees that in reality he has no hope – is like the beasts – if he does not have a relationship with God.

3:19-22 Whilst we often use this passage to prove that man does not have an immortal soul the main focus of Solomon's words is to advise us that without God man is no better than the beasts. It is the very fact that God is willing to work with men and women that means that they can be better than beasts - but is they are not interested in His offer of salvation they are no better than beasts.

3:20    ‘all turn to dust again’ echoes God’s punishment upon Adam and Eve – Gen 3:19. So Solomon is highlighting that the vanity of and cyclical nature of life is part of the consequences of dam’s transgression.

3:20  The truth of the statement in Gen 3:19 is re-presented here and again in the conclusion of Solomon’s pondering – Ecc 12:7

Ecc 3:21

"Who knoweth the spirit of man that goeth upward, and the spirit of the beast that goeth downward to the earth?"

Brother John Thomas translates this verse as follows: "Who knoweth the spirit of the sons of Adam, ruach beni headam, which exalts itself to the highest, and the spirit of a beast which inclines to the earth?" We may answer, 'None, but God only'." - Elpis Israel, page 38.

v 11: 153 fish. The number 153 has reference to the people who are called out by God because the Gematria (value of the Hebrew or Greek letters) of "Sons of God" in Gen 6:2 is exactly 153. Notice that these people who were called out by God were mixing with the rest of the population and this was one of the contributory factors for the flood taking place. (These words "Sons of God" appear in exactly the same form in Gen 6:4; Job 1:6; Job 2:1). Again, "Joint-heirs" in Rom 8:17 has a gematria of 1071 = 153 x 7. These are Joint heirs with Christ, in other words called out by God to be His. No wonder Peter was called to be a fisher of men (Mark 1:17) so he should not be catching fish but upon Christ's foundation he should be building the ecclesia (Matt 16:18).

New Testimony Book – From Bethany To Gethsemane (Brother Peter Forbes)

The Gospel records cover the three and a half years of Jesus’ ministry, but about a third of the text focuses on just one week.

Jesus arrived in Bethany six days before the fateful Passover of his crucifixion, and from the moment he arrives there is an abrupt change of pace in the records. All four Gospel writers now provide a great amount of detail for each day’s events, and by carefully piecing together those details we see the intensity of the opposition Jesus faced, the contrasting characters of his disciples, and how in his darkest hours the Father provided comfort.

This book- 240 pages with charts and tables, a full scripture index, three appendices including a calendar of the week - provides an easy-to-see calendar of events of the final week of the Lord Jesus, and affords insights into those events. Through it we can marvel again at the determination of our Lord to do his Father’s bidding.

£8.00 plus postage

Please order from

Peterlforbes@tiscali.co.uk

Summary Of John

20:1-18      The resurrection morning

20:19-25    The evening of the resurrection day

20:26-29    8 days later – Thomas present

20:30-31    Miracles (signs) given that ‘ye might believe Jesus is Christ, Son of God

21:1-24      Jesus revealed himself to the disciples at sea of Tiberias

21:25         This record does not contain all that Jesus said and did

20:3   In saying ‘Peter therefore went …’ we conclude that even though Peter had denied his lord three times he had not lost his love and concerned for Jesus, even though he was now, in Peter’s mind, dead and buried.  Peter had not allowed his great failing to shut him off from the rest of the disciples. We do well to take notice of that when we maybe think we have done something so bad that we cannot face our brethren and sisters.

21:21-22          So often we are concerned about others, not out of compassion but possibly envy. We do well to realise, as Peter was being told, that God has work for each of us and we do well to just do the work that has been allocated to us.

Making a great song and dance

James and John, the sons of Zebedee, had been at odds with Peter. They vied with him for the  position to be nearest to Jesus. This can be seen in Mark 10:35-45 and other scriptures. But how uncouth that the subject of their own greatness was uppermost in their minds at the last supper (Luke 22:14-24)  so that Jesus had to take the opportunity to teach them humility by washing their feet, on the same night in which he would suffer so much! Here again, at his resurrection, how out of keeping it is with his example of meekness that Peter and John made a competition of the race to be first at the tomb (20:3-8). And can you imagine being in a small boat, struggling to keep it afloat and to pull in to shore a catch far too great, with all hands straining under the effort, suddenly to have your fishing partner leap overboard and abandon you in favour of being first to greet Jesus? (21:6-8) And how would you feel when, inches from the shore, with all the hard work done, he claims the credit by strolling over and pulling in the catch himself (21:11)?

Jesus patiently looked on as these incongruous events unfolded. And so he once again tackled Peter's misplaced zeal. "Peter, do you love me more than these?" in other words "Peter, why did you leave your brethren in the lurch when they needed you most, just to be the first to get to shore and be with me?" and "Why, when I personally asked them to bring some fish to shore, did you suddenly remember your duty, and make a great song and dance about serving me?"

Jesus was teaching Peter, and the others, the lesson that to serve one another was the same as serving him. He would rather see them look after one another than abandon each other in a race to serve him. And so for all of us. We can't impress Jesus by long prayers or being the first to run to him when he appears, but we can gain a place in his heart by serving his followers. Many who make themselves first shall be last, and those who appear to be last, first.

20:5-6 The way in which John arrived at the tomb and did not go in but Peter ran up and went straight in is a little detail which fits with the way that Peter is seen as the impetuous disciple. A little ‘undesigned coincidence’ which lends credibility to the Bible narrative.

20:6-7 The cloth from around the head of Jesus, lying separately to those which bound his body, may signify the physical separation which the believers (Christ's body) still experience from their Lord (the head). See Eph 1:22-23. It's just a suggestion and I don't know if there's any further evidence to back this up.

Where Jesus said to Mary "do not cling to me, for I have not yet ascended to my Father", he was probably just meaning "don't worry, Mary. I'm not going anywhere yet! I'll be with you a little longer, so you've really no need to cling to me like that". They were words of reassurance rather than rebuke. Mary's example was from the heart love for her Lord, and gladness that he had risen. We should cling to him like this too without fear of rebuke.

Jesus' words to Peter are telling. "Do you love me more than these?". Maybe this shows us how it had always been Peter's delusion that he loved Jesus most of all, and had most claim to him. On the contrary, it seems to have been the women and John that had remained with him until the end (19:25-26). It is natural that we feel special to Jesus, because we have benefited in so great a way, personally, from his love. Jesus himself said this was the case (Luke 7:41-42).

20:7 Would anyone who stole a body from a tomb neatly wrap the linen head cloth and put it in a separate place? (See Matt 28:12,13).  The Lord had anticipated the elders and had made nonsense of their claim by placing the cloth so.

20:27 Jesus could show the marks of His crucifixion to prove to doubters like Thomas that he was the risen Christ. Perhaps Jesus will also display the marks to the Jews when he returns (Zech 12:10).

20:10-11        It is difficult to image that when Mary arrived and Peter and John had seen the empty tomb that the disciples just wandered off home. One can imagine that there must have been intense discussions before Peter and John said that they were leaving as there was nothing that they could do at that time about the empty tomb. Doubtless they were still perplexed even though we read – John 20:8– John saw and believed.         

20:19 There is a powerful contrast between the 'evening' here and 'the cool of the day' (Genesis 3:8) which was doubtless the evening On that occasion Adam and Eve hid because they were afraid of God. Here the disciples are hiding for fear of the Jews but God is manifest in their midst in the person of Jesus. Whereas Adam and Eve were afraid of the voice of God the disciples were 'glad'.

21:7 What do we think actually happened when Peter realised the stranger was Jesus. His fisher's coat would have been heavy to keep out the cold night winds. Would you put on a heavy overcoat before swimming? There was another occasion when Peter was in a boat and he saw Jesus. On that occasion he climbed out of the boat and walked on the water.

20:9 In saying that they ‘knew not the scripture’ we have to conclude that what we are being told is that they were ignorant of the significance of the Scripture which spoke of Jesus’ resurrection. Jesus had already told them, more than once, that he would rise from the dead the third day. So we need to be careful that we not only ‘know’ what Scripture says but that we also understand the Scriptures that we know. This only comes from regular reading and thinking about Scripture.

20:9    In saying that they “knew not” we see the beginning of three occasions – here John 20:14, John 21:4 – where the disciples are said not to know matters relating to the resurrection of Jesus. Rather than castigate them for their blindness (which is exactly how we would have been) we should appreciate that the record is making it clear that despite the expectations of the disciples Jesus did rise from the dead. That is a more powerful testimony than would have been if they had expected him to rise from the dead all along

20:14    Mary “knew not” that Jesus was speaking to her. Later – John 21:4 – by the sea of Galilee the disciples “knew not” that it was Jesus. By now, of course, they knew that he was alive from the dead. That the “knew not” is highlighting that they still did not fully grasp the consequences of the resurrection of Jesus.

20:15 In questioning “whom sleekest thou?” Jesus echoes words similar to those he said at the beginning of his ministry – 1:38 – to those who came after him. It is a question asked of all of us. Who are we looking for? 

20 v.17 - It seems strange that Jesus denies Mary the chance to touch him when in v. 27 Thomas is invited to touch him, although he didn't, and I suppose Jesus knew he wouldn't. I wonder why this was - does it relate to the rule regarding the Tree of Life in the Garden of Eden? Gen3:22-24.

20:17 seems to suggest an injunction to Mary not to touch Jesus.  He rose and was immortalised - what harm could that do?  Rather, I think He is anxious to go to His Father and wished not to be delayed.  Thus, touch = hold on to = delay.  Notice, also, that Jesus wanted to go to His God. This negates any idea of the Trinity that He was God, which some claim v.28 to indicate.

21:15-17 answers to Peter's three-time denial of Jesus (Matt 26:34).

John 20:17 He checked her: "Touch me not," said he, "for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren and say to them, I ascend unto my Father and your Father, and to my God and your God." In the evening of that same day, the Lord suffered himself to be freely handled by the disciples. Consequently, there must have been a removal of the cause which led him to prevent Mary from touching him. He said to Mary he had not ascended to the Father. He must have made this ascent in the interim: but in what did the ascent consist? 

It cannot have been ascent in space, because in less than half-an-hour, it had been performed, for he was embraced by the feet within that time by the group of women to whom the angels had appeared during Mary's absence. What other ascent could he have made? The Father is everywhere present. To rise from the low nature of the earthy to the high nature of the divine, is to ascend to the Father. 

This ascent he must have performed after seeing Mary. The need for it will appear if we realise that he had emerged from the tomb a natural man, or body of life, according to the nature of Abraham and David. This had to be "changed in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye," from the natural to the spiritual, as in the case of his brethren, who are to be developed after the pattern of his example. Until this change had taken place, he was in the defilement which contact with death imparted to everything for those under the law of Moses. Mary was under this law; and therefore until the Lord was cleansed by change, there was a reason why she should not touch him.

Nazareth Revisisted

MY GOD AND YOUR GOD

As Jesus spoke to Mary after his resurrection, as well as giving hope to her, he also told her to give a message to his disciples. This is what he said,"Do not hold on to me, for I am not yet returned to my Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, 'I am returning to my Father and to your Father, to my God and to your God.'" (John 20:17).

To Mary, his message not to cling to him was encouraging, because it meant there would be other opportunities to see him.

For his disciples, the people whose last memory with him was when they ran away or denied him, he called them brothers. Not only did he call them brothers, but in his words he showed that God had accepted and forgiven them as well. He was going to his Father and to their Father, to his God and their God. Their fellowship with the Son of God had been restored.

Yes, we all sin. We all struggle with faith once in a while. But listen to Jesus: His Father is our father; His God is our God. You are his brother or sister. What a blessing!

Praise God for the resurrection and the way made open for us to have peace with God!
 

20:18-19 There is a significant time gap between these two verses into which we must fit the rest of the events of the day, including the meeting of Jesus with Peter – Luke 24:34 - and the between Jesus and Cleopas and another on the road to Emmaus – Luke 24:13-33

20 v.28 My Lord and my God. Thomas, on this appearance of Jesus to the disciples when Thomas was present, appreciates that the others were correct when they had claimed that they had seen the risen Lord. Therefore he exclaims 'my Lord and my God.' How are we to understand that phrase? The context is that of the risen Lord. The other disciples had not just said that they had seen Jesus alive but doubtless they would also have explained the significance of the resurrection to Thomas also. Against this background the following passage is helpful. Isaiah 25:8 He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it. Paul in 1 Corinthians 15:54 shows us that this passage speaks of the resurrection of Jesus and the victory that he achieved through it. The passage in Isaiah continues:- Isaiah 25:9 And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation. Notice 'this is our GOD' 'he will SAVE US' 'this is the LORD' Thomas, in his exclamation, 'My Lord and my God' is expressing the sentiments and teaching of the passage in Isaiah and attaching the fulfilment to the risen Jesus. The phrase 'He will save us' catches the meaning of the work of Jesus as it is explained in:- Matthew 1:21 And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. The passage in Isaiah 25:9 continues 'we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation'. We notice that on the first occasion when Jesus appeared to the disciples and they knew who he was:- John 20:20 And when he had so said, he shewed unto them his hands and his side. Then were the disciples glad, when they saw the Lord. Whereas we might think that 'glad' is a rather inadequate word to describe the feelings of the disciples on that occasion John is, by the spirit, drawing our attention to Isaiah 25:9 'glad'. Thus we see that on these two occasions when Jesus appeared to the disciples, the second time with Thomas present, Isaiah 25 is seen to be fulfilled. Thomas' exclamation is a demonstration that he understood this.

21 v.3 We should not assume apathy on the part of Peter when he says he is going fishing. The disciples had been told to go to Galilee and Jesus would appear to them there [Matt 26:32] so whilst they were waiting for him to appear they did not sit about idle. Remember by this time they had spent a lot of time with Jesus in Jerusalem for they remained there for almost two weeks.

20:24-25         Thomas  is often called “doubting Thomas”. However maybe we should call him Thomas who always wants evidence. We should test what we hear rather than just take the word of others.

Further to the links between this chapter and Isaiah  25 notice the 'doors being shut'(20:26) answers to Isa 26:20 where the people of God are called to 'shut thy doors'.

21:8 On learning that whilst some of the disciples were fishing and others were on the shore we have to conclude that this fishing trip was not some trivial time passing event. Rather it was serious fishing with all the disciples present.

John 20:28.

20:29 Peter, later, - 1Pet 1:8– uses the concept of believing though not having seen Jesus to encourage believers suffering persecution

20:30-31 Shows us that the details of at least John's gospel were written for a very specific reason. Me must read the gospel with this reason in mind.

21:8, 11 Whilst it required two boats to bring the fish to shore Peter was able, on his own, to drag the net out of the water. Now the nets full of fishes would have been lighter when in the water than when on dry land. What is happening here?

21:1     ‘after these things’ indicates that the meeting in Galilee took place at least a week after the resurrection. So this helps us to understand that the disciples did not go to Galilee immediately after the first appearance of Jesus – Matt 28:7

21:2 Nathanael (meaning God given) is only mentioned in John’s gospel. He is believed to be Bartholomew. He came from Cana, and some suppose that he was the bridegroom at whose wedding Jesus performed his first miracle (John 2:1,11).

21:2   So, it seems, that at least seven of the remaining 11 had gone back to Galilee. We might conjecture that all of those that went back to Galilee were Galileans – the two not being named being Galileans also – maybe also they were fishermen as they readily joined Peter on the fishing expedition.

21:4 of the seven times in the gospels where we read that people “knew not” four of them are in John’s gospel record. It is as if John is inspired to emphasise that Jesus was not recognised as the Messiah despite all the evidence.

21:4 The disciples were in Galilee at Jesus’ command. They knew that he had been raised from the dead. But they did not recognise him on the sea shore in the early morning light. But as soon as they recognised him everything changed. They wanted to be near him and learn from him. Whilst we do not expect to see Jesus in person in our day to day activities we can certainly “see” him in the scriptures. But are we always looking for him in all the scriptures?

21:5 the word translated “children” <3813> is the word used very frequently in the gospels to speak of a baby or little child.  So maybe the disciples were puzzled by Jesus’ use of the word, though the record gives no indication that they were.

21:7 the disciples were not expecting to see Jesus. They were going about their normal daily activities. However on recognising Jesus Peter- and we presume the rest in the boat – dropped everything to go and meet Jesus. Does this reflect our feelings now? If Jesus was to return today would we readily drop everything to be with him? Or are there things we feel we need to do before meeting him?

21:7the disciples were not expecting to see Jesus. They were going about their normal daily activities. However on recognising Jesus Peter- and we presume the rest in the boat – dropped everything to go and meet Jesus. Does this reflect our feelings now? If Jesus was to return today would we readily drop everything to be with him? Or are there things we feel we need to do before meeting him?

Jesus had made, or “miracled” a fire of coals and fish cooking on it. But he hadn't made enough fish! He asked the disciples to bring some of their newly caught fish. Of-course this was all a part of his plan, John 21:9-13.  He wanted the disciples to feel that their contribution was equally welcome. Jesus could manage without us – but he doesn't.

John 21:11 John's precise detail, exactly 153 fishes, has to be significant. The only other place the number occurs is 2Ch 2:17. Here, the thousands of those 'strangers that were in the land of Israel' (1Ch 22:19) who David gathered to help prepare for the building of the temple. The number is huge, and has an added 600, but Michael Ashton (C/1996/p256) suggests the Heb. text may in fact be just 153 as in John. Apart from being a more probable figure for those strangers David employed doesn't it make the allusion in John exciting. There the fishes represent the Gentiles the disciples as 'fishers of men' (Mat 4:19) gather and who. with them, will prepare the future building fitly framed together for God (Eph 2:22). Attention being drawn by Jesus to the precise number of fish would make the link Chronicles unmistakable, especially if one of the daily readings recently in the synagogue! Note John later in a vision saw an evil woman sitting on great waters which later are shown as representing peoples, and multitudes, and nations, and tongues (Rev 17:1,15).

21:11 The 153 fishes contrasts with the 153 men, (3 captains and three groups of 50), (2 Kgs. 1:9,11,13), sent to Elijah by Ahaziah, two thirds of whom perished. Their deaths were an indirect consequence of the lattice giving way which Ahaziah “fell down through” (2 Kgs. 1:2). By contrast, “yet was not the net broken” (Jno. 21:11). Note the recurrence of “third” in both records: “of the third fifty … the third captain” (2 Kgs. 1:13); “the third time …” (Jno. 21:14); “the third time ... the third time” (Jno. 21:17). The account in 2 Kings begins: “Then Moab rebelled against Israel after the death of Ahab” (2 Kgs. 1:1). This rebellion involved the refusal to send lambs and rams to Israel: “And Mesha king of Moab was a sheepmaster, and rendered unto the king of Israel an hundred thousand lambs, and an hundred thousand rams, with the wool.  But it came to pass, when Ahab was dead, that the king of Moab rebelled against the king of Israel” (2 Kgs. 3:4,5). In contrast to this rebellious sheepmaster, Christ said: “Feed my lambs” (Jno. 21:15).

21:15-17 "Feed my sheep" It is an interesting study to follow the progression of Christ's direction to Peter. V.15 The Greek for "feed" is "Bosko" (1006) which means to feed. "Feed my lambs" Food is the chief thought. In V.16 the Greek is "Poimaino" (4165) which means to tend as a shepherd. "Feed my sheep" Guidance as well as the provision of food. In V.17 the Greek is again "Bosko" (1006) is "Feed my sheep" Peter is given the responsibility of looking after all the flock, both sheep and lambs.

John 21:15-17

“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest (agape) thou me more than these? ... Feed my lambs… Feed my sheep… Feed my sheep.”

Peter had been restored after his denials of Christ, but Christ needed to teach Peter a further lesson. He began by showing him that Divine service requires agape love - the strongest type of love. Phileo (fondness) type of love is not adequate to sustain us during our trials and tribulations.

When Christ asked Peter if he agaped him, Peter replied three times using the word, phileo. This type of love caused Peter to fail (vv. 15,16,17), and it will fail us too. When Christ asked Peter the third time, he used the word, phileo for love. Peter now recognized why he had failed because his love was just phileo, and then he grieved! Earlier Peter proclaimed he would follow Jesus even to death and would never forsake him (John 13:37; cp. John 18:25), but forgot that before Christ’s trial, Christ gave his disciples a new command: “… That ye love (agape) one another; as I have loved (agape) you…” (John 13:34)!

When Peter was called to follow Christ, he was fishing, and when he was called to repentance, he was fishing. Peter denied Christ beside a fire of coal, and it was beside a fire of coal that he repented. But, it was not enough that Peter know he was restored. Christ further instructed Peter on how to guard against neglect. By feeding, or teaching Christ’s lambs/sheep (perhaps indicative of the young and the old), Peter had to be well “fed” himself (cf. Heb 5:12-14)!

If we feed ourselves just one day a week on the Word, we will be malnourished because we haven’t fed ourselves the remainder of the week! While it is the shepherd’s job to feed the sheep, the sheep’s job is to eat nutritionally every day!

John 21:15-17

Christ’s suffering, death, and resurrection did not alter his character. He remained kind, compassionate, and caring both for his disciples spiritual and physical needs. He tenderly addressed them as his, “children” and “friends.” His love is deep and profound! He died to save us! Halleluyah, halleluyah, Hal le lu yah! https://youtu.be/j-L4fQqcLwo/

We now come to Simon Peter who denied his Lord three times. In the moment, he lost his courage and strength and became fearful. Number 3 has a meaning and goes deep - beyond the three denials. It isn’t always good (1John 2:16; Rev 8:13), as in Peter’s case. In countering this, Christ asked the same question three times to bring Peter back to him, who is the Resurrection and the Life.

In NUMBER IN SCRIPTURE, E.W. Bullinger, pp. 107-122, shows Scripturally, that # 3 carries a variety of meanings. On p. 111, he states it is also the number of resurrection (Gen 1:9-13): “The third day was the day on which the earth was caused to rise up out of the water, symbolical of that resurrection of life … the third day that Jesus rose again from the dead.” When Peter’s resurrected Master faced him and twice asked him solemnly if he agape loved him, it would have seemed unrealistic for Peter to reply under the circumstances that he did, and, thus, replied, “thou knowest I phileo love thee.” Jesus specifically dealt with agape love. He did not specifically address Peter’s denials.

Self examination ought always to follow sin, and Peter wept bitterly as a result of his failure, and may well have thought he was doomed. He did not love Jesus as much as he thought he did. Peter could no longer boast that he was stronger than the other disciples – even to prison and to the death (Mark 14:29-31). His confidence and strength wasn’t really there, after all! The problem was he had trusted in his feelings. Agape love for our Saviour and for one another is the best evidence of who we really are in Christ. It is the sign that we are the children of God (1John 3:10; 5:2)! When the resurrected Christ asked Peter if he loved him, he brought his whole heart into question. Thus, Peter answered very honestly and discreetly. He could not reply in all truthfulness that he agape loved his Master, and Jesus understood this, and in his third questioning, he asked Peter if he phileo loved him. This change was the turning point for Peter! It was like Christ saying to him, “Really Peter?” Their relationship needed to be repaired.

The whole beauty of this discourse reflects the Saviour’s agape love toward a fallen Peter, which brought about his change. To be loved so much and be forgiven so much restored the repentant Peter’s trust, confidence, strength, and courage. He became a fearless follower of Christ, which ultimately took him to prison and to his death.

Our love can change like shifting sands, but God and Jesus’ love never change.

Some of us messed up, even backslid, but the way to get right with God and Christ is to return in abject repentance (Jer 3:22). When we think it’s over, it’s not, no more than it was for Peter. When we truly grasp this kind of profound love and mercy, it will change us, encourage us, strengthen us, increase our kindness toward one another, our confidence, trust, faith, hope, and love in God and Jesus. Peter is our great example. As with Peter, we ought not to over estimate our standing with the Lord, and as with Peter, repent and face the challenges life brings, and not to ever deny our resurrected Saviour.

21:23  The ‘saying’ must have started with either John, or more likely, Peter. With such a pedigree it is not surprising the rumour took on such momentum.  However it was not true. Just because someone credible says something that is guarantee that it is true. The facts must be verified – always.