Archives for October 2020

OVERVIEW:

The King’s trial (chapter 26:57-27:26); the King’s suffering and death (chapter 27:77-66); the King’s victory (chapter 28).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Based on Hebrews 9:16-17, we will actually enter the New Testament in our reading today: “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force after men are dead: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” Though that is foreign to our typical thinking about the Gospels, we have learned that applying this biblical principle is key to keeping our bearings in what we commonly refer to as the New Testament.

Today’s reading is rich and full and running over with many things worthy of commentary. Because most of those comments you could make yourself, perhaps the best investment of our time today would be in discussing the time factors involved in the last week of our Saviour’s life on the earth.

Traditionally, most have taught through the centuries, that Jesus died on what we call “Good Friday”. The tradition was handed down, however, through the Roman Catholic Church. That, in and of itself, does not necessarily make it wrong (because they also believe and teach concerning the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, His bodily resurrection, etc.) but anything handed down through that church should always raise about ten trillion red flags!

Note: May I go on record here by saying that I absolutely love Roman Catholics…but I absolutely hate their church! To date, a full one-sixth of the world’s population professes to be Roman Catholic. While this system refers to itself as “Christian” (the word Catholic actually means “universal Christianity”), they propagate what 2^nd Corinthians 11:4 calls, “another Jesus, another spirit and another gospel”! The Roman Catholic Church damns people’s souls to Hell, while its followers think they are following the Jesus of the Bible! This church is damnably deceptive, and that is the reason for such strong, and seemingly harsh sounding statements. (See how Jesus’ commends the church in Ephesus in Revelation 2:1-2 for their “harsh” stance against such false teaching!) Our hearts truly should break for people trapped in that system, and we must constantly be looking for and praying for opportunities to be able to love them past the blinders (2^nd Corinthians 4:4) the enemy is using to hold them captive in his snare (2^nd Timothy 2:26).

Now, back to the discussion at hand. The key problem with the death of Christ taking place on “Good Friday” is that Jesus said in Matthew 12:40, “For as Jonas (Jonah) was THREE DAYS and THREE NIGHTS in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” (See also, Matthew 16:21; 17:23; 20:19; 27:63; Mark 8:31; 9:31; 10:34; Luke 9:22; 13:32; 18:33; 24:46; John 2:19). Obviously, if Christ died on Friday afternoon at 3:00 p.m. and was in the grave before 6:00 p.m., there is not enough time for Him to have been in the grave for three days and three nights. The way that most well-meaning people who love God certainly as much as I do, (and to be quite honest, are much more intelligent than me!) get around this, is saying that in the Jewish mind of Jesus’ day, any portion of a day was considered the whole. That may well be the case, and may well have been what Jesus had in mind; I’ve just always had a hard time with how specific Jesus seemed to be about the whole “three days and three nights” thing!

Instead of “Good Friday,” however, let’s consider a “Bad Wednesday” scenario, which fits the biblical timeline far better. (Don’t worry, I’m not the kook that “invented” this line of reasoning, and there are many others who agree with this timeline that has been suggested by Warren Wiersbe and others.) Keep in mind as we walk through these final days of Jesus’ life, that the Jewish day began at sundown the previous day (i.e. “the evening and the morning we’re the first day” – Genesis 1:5).

• Friday: Jesus came to Bethany six days before Passover (John 12:1).

• Saturday: Triumphal Entry (John 12:12-19 – “on the next day”).

• Sunday: Temple cleansed, fig tree cursed (Mark 11:12-18).

• Monday: Parables, questions, Olivet discourse (Matthew 21:23-25:46).

• Tuesday: Preparation for Passover (Matthew 26:2 – “after two days”).

• Wednesday: Upper room events; Gethsemane; arrest; trials; crucifixion (Matthew 26:20-27:58).

• Thursday: The Passover Sabbath, “an high day” (John 19:31); in tomb.

• Friday: Women brought spices when Passover Sabbath was past (Mark 16:1).

• Saturday: The regular weekly Sabbath.

• Sunday: Christ arose sometime after sunset that evening (remember, “evening and the morning”), and the empty tomb is discovered early Sunday morning.

Certainly, the most important thing is not what we believe about WHEN Christ died, but THAT we believe Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose again the third day. It’s just that this question surfaces just about every Easter. Hopefully, this will help.

In light of the fact that the “Friday” timeline was passed down through Roman Catholic tradition, be careful, because the 7^th Day Adventists would like for you to believe that moving the day of worship from Saturday (the Sabbath, the 7^th day of the week) to Sunday (the 1^st day of the week) was also a tradition passed down through that false system, and that God never intended Christians to worship on Sunday, but on Saturday. That, too, is a false teaching! The “first day of the week” as the God-ordained day of worship for Christians, can be substantiated by the following biblical reasons:

1. Because we’re Christians and not Jews. (Exodus 31:13 – the Sabbath is a sign between God and Israel)
2. The Lord rose from the dead on “the first day of the week”. (Matthew 28:1)
3. The Holy Spirit came down on the first day of the week. (Acts 2)
4. The disciples met on the first day of the week. (Acts 20:7)
5. New Testament giving is to be brought on the first day of the week. (1^st Corinthians 16:1-2)

OVERVIEW:

The King’s return (chapter 24:1-25:46); the King’s preparation (chapter 26:1-56); the King’s trial (chapter 26:57-27:26).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The first verse in today’s reading is tremendously significant: “And Jesus went out, and departed from the temple: and his disciples came to him for to show him the buildings of the temple.” (24:1) We could say that once Jesus (the “glory of the Father”–John 1:16), “departed” out of the temple, He would not return again, and that the temple was doomed for destruction. Just as in 1^st Samuel 4:19–22, it’s as if Jesus had written “ICHABOD” over the door, which means “the glory is departed.” Jesus walks out and immediately begins to talk about the temple’s destruction. (24:2)

Verse 3 of chapter 24 is also tremendously significant. After leaving the temple, Jesus and His disciples make their way to the Mount of Olives, and there they ask Him a very important question. They say, “Tell us, when shall these things be? and what shall be the sign of thy coming, and of the end of the world?” What is so incredible, is that as they ask this question about the time of the second coming, Jesus is sitting in the exact place where His foot will first touch when He comes!!! (See Zechariah 14:4). Wow! Does God have a sense of humor, or what?!

Chapter 24 is one of those key places in Matthew where people allow themselves to get spiritually disoriented and doctrinally discombobulated. Notice, the context here has nothing whatsoever to do with the church! By the time the events Jesus is about to describe take place, the “parenthesis” of the church has already been raptured out (1^st Thessalonians 4:13-17), and Daniel’s 70^th week has kicked in. The events He describes in chapter 24 and 25 have nothing whatsoever to do with the Church Age, but will be fulfilled during the Tribulation Period, the time of Jacob’s Trouble (Daniel 12:1; Jeremiah 30:7). In fact, the very signs Jesus describes are listed in this exact order during the opening of the first six of the Seven Seals in Revelation 6:1-16, which also describes the Tribulation Period.

1^st Sign (Matthew 24:5) – FALSE CHRIST = 1^st Seal (Revelation 6:1-2).

2^nd Sign (Matthew 24:5) – WAR = 2^nd Seal (Revelation 6:3-4).

3^rd Sign (Matthew 24:7) – FAMINE = 3^rd Seal (Revelation 6:5-6).

4^th Sign (Matthew 24:7) – PESTILENCE = 4^th Seal (Revelation 6:7-8).

5^th Sign (Matthew 24:8-9) – MARTYRDOM = 5^th Seal (Revelation 6:9-11).

6^th Sign (Matthew 24:29) – CHANGES IN SUN, MOON & STARS = 6^th Seal (Revelation 6:12-16)

Once we identify the context of Matthew 24, some verses start making a whole lot more sense. For example:

• 24:13 – “But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved.” Remember, God will be dealing with “believers” differently in the Tribulation Period than He did in the Church Age. Those who call upon the name of the Lord during the Tribulation Period will not be sealed with the Holy Spirit as they are in this dispensation (see Ephesians 1:10-14). “Believers” in the Tribulation Period must endure to the end in order to be saved. That is, if they take the “mark of the beast” (Revelation 13:11-18), their destiny in the lake of fire will be forever sealed.
• 24:14 – “And this gospel of the kingdom shall be preached in all the world for a witness unto all nations; and then shall the end come.” Wow, we hear this one a lot! People will say things like, “The sooner we get the gospel to all of the nations of the world, we’ll bring the kingdom in!” Whoa, whoa, whoa! First, we don’t preach the “gospel of the kingdom” in this dispensation, and if we did, we would be asking for a curse according to Galatians 1:7-9! Second, the church has already been raptured by the time the 144,000 will fulfill this prophecy in the Tribulation Period!
• 24:31 – “And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other.” Recognize that this verse is most certainly referring to a rapture, but it is most certainly not the rapture of the church! (1^st Thessalonians 4:13-17) This is a rapture of Jewish saints (Psalm 50:2-5) at the end of the Tribulation (Revelation 11:11-12), just before the Battle of Armageddon. (Isaiah 26:20-21)
• 25:1-12 – This passage is another one people use to teach that a believer in the body of Christ can lose their salvation. A few simple observations can help. Notice that the context is clearly stated in verse 1 as “the kingdom of heaven”. By that statement alone, we already know that we are dealing with a strictly Jewish context. Those involved here are “virgins” (plural), not a “virgin” (singular). “Virgins” are found in the Tribulation Period, not the Church Age (Revelation 14:1-6). The Bride of Christ is a “virgin” (2^nd Corinthians 11:1-13) and is always referred to as one collective “virgin”, never “virgins”. The virgins in the passage do not “marry” anyone, they go to “meet” someone, and the someone they go to meet is already married! (Luke 12:36) Note in verse 13 that it is the “Son of man” coming as a married bridegroom, not the “Son of God” coming for His bride!

Most of chapter 26 is familiar and self-explanatory. As you read it, however, let it minister to you in a fresh, new way.

OVERVIEW:

The King’s judgments (chapter 21:1-22:14); the King’s defense (chapter 22:15-46); the King’s denunciation (chapter 23).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we move into today’s reading, chapter 21 begins with three signs given to the nation of Israel. (21:1-22) These three signs are then followed by three parables. (22:23-22:14)

Note: Between Matthew 13 and Matthew 25 there are 12 parables on the kingdom of heaven, corresponding to the 12 tribes of Israel. They all deal with Israel’s rejection of her Messiah, and from a doctrinal standpoint, have no application to a Christian in the church age.

The FIRST SIGN Matthew presents is the COMING of the KING. (21:1-11)

This is what we typically refer to as the “Triumphal Entry”, and is the fulfillment of the prophecy found in Zechariah 9:9, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; shout, O daughter of Jerusalem: behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.” In Matthew 21:9, the people quote Psalm 118:26, “Blessed be he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” Note that this passage is an exact fulfillment of what will take place at Christ’s Second Coming, keeping in mind that at this point, all of the Old Testament conditions and promises could have been fulfilled without the “parenthesis” of the church age. The “mystery of the church” was something that wasn’t revealed until Ephesians 3, and all Old Testament prophecies, as Peter indicated in 1^st Peter 1:10-11, saw no intervening period (i.e. Church Age) between the “sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow.”

Note: Through this sign, our Lord revealed Israel’s SPIRITUAL BLINDNESS.

The SECOND SIGN Matthew presents is the CLEANSING of the TEMPLE. (21:12-16)

The fact that the temple had become a place of merchandise will give you an idea of Israel’s inward spiritual condition. In God’s eyes, Israel had become a “den of thieves.” Note also that Jesus quotes Isaiah 56:7 in 21:13, calling the temple “My house”, which, of course, is a tremendous claim of His deity. You gotta love it, when the chief priests and scribes accuse Him of receiving the accolades intended for the Messiah, Jesus quotes Psalm 8:2, a Messianic Psalm!

Note: In this sign, our Lord revealed Israel’s inward SPIRITUAL CORRUPTION.

The THIRD SIGN Matthew presents is the CURSING of the FIG TREE. (21:17-22)

The fig tree, of course, is clearly a picture of Israel (see Matthew 24:32-33; Luke 13:6-10). Notice in this sign, that the fig tree had leaves, but no fruit. The parallel passage in Luke 13:6-10 reveals that the tree actually had three years to bear fruit, but didn’t. By this time in His ministry, Jesus had revealed Himself to Israel for a period of three years, but all they had was an outward show of religion (leaves), but no reality (no fruit).

Note: In this sign, our Lord revealed Israel’s OUTWARD FRUITLESSNESS.

In 21:23-29, Jesus comes into the temple to teach when, while He’s teaching, the chief priests and elders come and question His authority. He answers by pointing them to a question of John the Baptist’s authority. They understood that if they said John’s authority was from heaven, Jesus would ask them why they didn’t get baptized. If they said that John’s authority was from men, the people would have beat the devil out of them (which is exactly what they needed!) The people politely kept their mouths shut, and Jesus politely followed their lead.

Jesus then proceeds into three parables that have to do with the nation of Israel.

Parable #1 – The Parable of the Two Sons. (21:28-32)

The point is, Israel rejected GOD the FATHER!

Parable #2 – The Parable of the Vineyard and the Husbandman. (21:33-46)

The point is, Israel rejected GOD the SON!

Note: Do recognize, however, the future reality of 21:37, “They WILL reverence my Son!” Philippians 2:10-11 says, “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow…and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of God the Father.”

Parable #3 – The Marriage Feast. (22:1-14)

The point is, Israel rejected GOD the HOLY SPIRIT! (Acts 7:51)

The remainder of chapter 22 (22:15-46) can be broken down by four key questions that are asked:

• A POLITICAL question about TAXES. (22:15-22)
• A DOCTRINAL question about the RESURRECTION. (22:23-33)
• An ETHICAL question about the LAW. (22:34-40)
• A PERSONAL question about the MESSIAH. (22:41-46)

As we then come into chapter 23, Jesus takes the first 12 verses to explain some things to His disciples and the multitude about the scribes and Pharisees who are sitting right there in the temple with all of the folks he is addressing! Then in verses 14-33, He speaks directly to the scribes and Pharisees. As you read what He says to them, brace for impact! He delivers a series of eight “woes”, or judgments. These “woes” are best seen in comparison and contrast with the eight “Beatitudes” Christ laid down, in chapter 5, in the Sermon on the Mount.

Woe #1 (23:13) – The proud “shut up” the kingdom.

Beatitude #1 (5:3) – The “poor in spirit” inherit the kingdom.

Woe #2 (23:14) – “Devourers” receive “damnation”.

Beatitude #2 (5:4) – “Mourners” receive “comfort”.

Woe #3 (23:15) – The proud send people to “hell”.

Beatitude #3 (5:5) – The meek inherit the “earth”.

Woe #4 (23:16-22) – Those who hunger and thirst for material gain are found empty.

Beatitude #4 (5:6) – Those who hunger and thirst for righteousness are filled.

Woe #5 (23:23-24) – The proud reject mercy because of insignificant details and are judged (i.e. woe!)

Beatitude #5 (5:7) – The merciful shall obtain mercy.

Woe #6 (23:25-28) – The outwardly pure but inwardly rotten will be judged.

Beatitude #6 (5:8) – The inwardly pure (i.e. “pure in heart”) “shall see God.”

Woe #7 and #8 (23:29-33) – Murderers and persecutors of the righteous are “children of them which killed the prophets.” (i.e. the “devil!”)

Beatitude #7 and #8 (5:9-12) – Peacemakers and those who are persecuted for righteousness are called “children of God.”

Chapter 23 closes with Jesus’ heartfelt lamentation over Jerusalem. Notice the last verse! “For I say unto you, Ye shall not see me hence forth, till ye shall say, Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (23:39) In other words, as a nation, they won’t see Him again until the time of Jacob’s trouble (Daniel 21:1; Jeremiah 30:7), when in one day (Hosea 6:1-3; Isaiah 26:12-21), the nation of Israel will be converted and healed (Romans 11:26-27; Hebrews 8:8-12) as they recognize that He is, in fact, the Messiah (Acts 2:36), and will cry out for His return. (Psalm 44, 68, 74, 79, 83)

OVERVIEW:

The King’s glory (chapter 17); the King’s rebuke (chapter 18); the King’s instructions (chapter 19 verses 1-15); the King’s demands (chapters 19:16-20:34).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In this week’s reading, we have discussed, in great detail, the importance of keeping your eye on the Jew when dealing with the New Testament. This often confuses people, because they have assumed that since “all scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness,” that it all applies directly to them. We could say it this way, however, “Though all of the Bible is written FOR us, not all of the Bible is written TO us.” I like the illustration Jeff Adams uses to make this point:

Suppose I let you read a letter my grandfather wrote to me in which he offered the wisdom and insight he had gleaned through his life on the earth. As you’re making your way through the letter, you come to a part where my grandfather talks about leaving me $100,000 in his will. You immediately stop reading, look over at me, and ask, “When do WE collect OUR money?” I would be very quick to tell you that the letter was addressed to me and intended for me, and that I was simply allowing you to glean from the things my grandfather was seeking to teach me! I think you get the point.

When dealing with the Old Testament and some New Testament books, we as Gentiles, living in the “parenthesis” we call the “Church Age”, must be very careful to keep in mind that we are reading someone else’s mail! We are the church, so we go to the Bible to get our doctrine from the books that are addressed specifically to the church (church epistles), or those that are addressed to men who hold positions of leadership in the church (pastoral epistles).

Now, that doesn’t mean that we can’t glean many things from books like Matthew (written to the Jews to present a Jewish king over a kingdom promised to Jews), or Hebrews (and just take a wild stab at who you think the book of Hebrews is addressed to), or James (you can’t even get past the first verse without being faced with the fact that you’re reading someone else’s mail; it is specifically addressed “to the twelve tribes”!) Again, that’s not to say that we can’t get anything out of these books; it simply means we must make certain that we have “rightly divided the word of truth.” It doesn’t mean that there are not things that apply spiritually to our lives in a devotional sense; it just means we have to be extremely careful! We must keep in mind that Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Acts (at least up to chapter 7) provide us an historical perspective of the first coming of Christ from the standpoint of the nation of Israel. Once the nation of Israel makes their final rejection of their King and His kingdom in Acts 7, a transition takes place in the book of Acts:

By the time these transitions are made and we get to the end of the book of Acts, the church is firmly established, and we move right into the letters written by Paul, to the church. In those books, we are safe. They are written specifically to us, and lay out for us doctrine intended specifically for those of us living in this dispensation. Because of who Paul is (the Apostle to the Gentiles), and because of who the recipients of his letters actually are (churches and pastors of churches), we always need to make certain that anything we are applying to us is something that lines up with what God penned through him (Paul). It was this very principle that caused our brothers and sisters, at times in church history, to be referred to as “Paulicians”. They understood the importance of “rightly dividing the word of truth” and not applying to us something God promised or intended for the Jews or the nation of Israel.

So, how do we know what to apply and what not to apply from the New Testament books written to Jews? A simple rule of thumb is that the things God wants us to apply from these books will be repeated in the writings of Paul. Keeping these things in mind in today’s reading will be helpful. See if you can make the distinction between those things that are specifically related to the Jews and the nation of Israel, and those that also apply directly to us because they are repeated in the Pauline epistles.

Allow me to just mention a few things about the “Transfiguration” in 17:1-8:

• 17:1 – Note that Peter, James, and John are the fulfillment of the strange statement the Lord made at the end of chapter 16, that there were some of the people that were listening to Him there who would be eyewitnesses of the second coming.

• 17:2 – Note the word “transfigured”. In other words, Christ’s “figure” was “transformed”. When He came to this earth, He couldn’t be anything other than what He was, the very glory of the Father. (John 1:16) That glory, however, was veiled in a body of flesh. At the “transfiguration”, Christ rolled back His flesh revealing the “glory of His Father” (16:27) that will be His when He returns to the earth at His second coming. (See Peter’s comments about this in his incredible statement in 2^nd Peter 1:16-18.)

• 17:3 – This is actually the first time Moses stepped foot in the land that was promised to Israel! What a thrill that must have been for him!

• 17:1 – Back to verse one. Notice when this “second coming” pre-fulfillment actually took place! Matthew tells us that is was “after six days”! If we take those “six days” and plug them into the equation God laid out in 2^nd Peter 3:8, it lets us know that the second coming (which this passage is foreshadowing) will be after 6000 years of human history (6 days X 1000). The really astute folk will balk at such reasoning, citing that Luke’s account of the transfiguration says that it was “about eight days” (Luke 9:28). Just consider that the number that is “after six” and “about eight” just might be seven!!! (Just as it is laid out in Genesis 2:1-3!)

• 17:1-5 – Notice also that in this “perfect” and “complete” picture of the second coming, there just happen to be “seven” that are in attendance: Jesus, Peter, James, John, Moses, Elijah, and God the Father.

OVERVIEW:

The feeding of the five thousand (chapter 14); the condemnation of false prophets (chapter 15); the great confession (chapter 16).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Because of the specific peculiarities of Matthew’s Gospel, each of the past four days we have sought to lay down some foundational understandings to keep us “in bounds” doctrinally. Most of our discussion has focused on the importance of identifying the Jew and the Jewish nature of this gospel, as well as distinguishing between the kingdom of heaven and the kingdom of God. Because the information has been coming in pieces, let’s take a few moments to make sure we see how all of the pieces fit together to form the big picture.

The theme of the Bible revolves around a kingdom. The Bible begins with a struggle over a throne (Isaiah 14:13) and it ends with someone sitting on a throne (Revelation 11:15). Everything in between is really nothing more than God moving to put His Son on that throne, and the devil doing everything within his power, not only to stop Him, but to put himself on that throne. (2^nd Thessalonians 2:4) The kingdom, as it is described and defined in Scripture, has two distinct dimensions. These two dimensions are delineated in the word of God through the descriptive phrases, the “kingdom of God” and the “kingdom of heaven”. Understanding what and where these kingdoms are as history unfolds through the Bible is, quite simply, the difference between sound doctrine and false doctrine.

The “kingdom of heaven”, sometimes referred to as the “kingdom of Israel” (Hosea 1:4; Acts 1:6), is a literal, physical kingdom on the earth, where a literal king is sitting on a literal throne in literal Jerusalem, ruling and reigning governmentally over the entire literal earth. This is the kingdom Isaiah prophesied would be established by the promised Messiah, the Lord Jesus Christ. (Isaiah 9:6-7) It is interesting to note that the only time the “kingdom of heaven” is mentioned by name in the entire New Testament is in the gospel written specifically to the Jews, the Gospel of Matthew, where it appears 33 times! The fact that this phrase is found exclusively in the Gospel of Matthew certainly must arrest our attention to the Jewish scope of its fulfillment! (Note: This literal earthly kingdom is referred to as the kingdom of heaven because from heaven’s vantage point, God chose the EARTH, which is in the midst of the HEAVENS, as the capital of the universe.)

The kingdom of God, on the other hand, is not a PHYSICAL kingdom. As we seek to allow the Bible to define and describe this kingdom for us, we find that “it is not meat and drink” (Romans 14:17), it is not “flesh and blood” (1^st Corinthians 15:50), it does not come “with observation” (Luke 17:20), we cannot say “here it is” or “there it is” (Luke 17:21), and it is not even something that is expressed with “words”, but with “power” (1^st Corinthians 4:20). Rather, this kingdom is a SPIRITUAL kingdom that is entered by a spiritual birth (John 3:3-5), and is placed within us (Luke 17:21).

As we have continuously talked about, distinguishing between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of heaven is paramount, because as Jesus sent forth the Apostles in Matthew 10, He sent them to “preach that the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” (Matthew 10:7) They were, therefore, sent to preach a “kingdom of heaven” message intended specifically for the Jews! (i.e., the nation of Israel) In fact, they were specifically instructed NOT to carry this message to the Samaritans (half Jew/half Gentile), nor to the Gentiles. (Matthew 10:5)

Interestingly, after the nation of Israel received their final offer of the kingdom of heaven, through Stephen’s incredible discourse to the ruling council of Israel in Acts 7, in the very next chapter, Philip is led by the Spirit to preach to the Samaritans! It is important to note, that this is where the transition in the book of Acts actually begins. You will also notice, that at this point in the New Testament, the message switched from the “kingdom of heaven” to the “kingdom of God”. (Acts 8:5, 12)

What this reveals to us, is that we must be very careful concerning the message we preach today! We must not proclaim a kingdom of heaven message in this dispensation, lest we commit the blasphemy Jesus warned about in Revelation 2:9 (functioning like Jews when we aren’t Jews). Likewise, we must be careful not to pattern our methods in this dispensation as we proclaim the kingdom of God, after those who went proclaiming the kingdom of heaven. In this dispensation, we do not follow the model of the Twelve, the Seventy, or even the church in Jerusalem (Acts 2), but rather, we follow the model of the church at Antioch! (Acts 13)

The church at Antioch proclaimed the kingdom of God (the spiritual kingdom), sent out missionaries, and established local churches, because the local church is the vehicle in this dispensation through which our Lord is carrying out His plan to bring worshippers into His spiritual kingdom, and ultimately, into the physical one!

A few comments about some of the verses in today’s reading:

• 14:1 – Herod, like many in positions of power and authority today, fears everything he SHOULDN’T and nothing he SHOULD. He fears John (14:4), the multitude (14:5), and embarrassment (14:9). One thing he DOESN’T fear, is GOD!
• 14:14 – As we behold the sin-sick multitudes all around us, may we, likewise, be moved with compassion!
• 14:24-25 – The storms of life that threaten to overwhelm us, consume us, and destroy us are no problem for Jesus. In the context of the story, maybe we could say, “What threatens to be over our head, is under Jesus’ feet!”
• 16:15-19 – This is a highly controversial passage, and historically, has been a breeding ground for much false doctrine. Keep in mind that “the church” to which Jesus is referring in this passage is built upon “THE” Rock! Not Peter, but the Lord Jesus Christ Himself!
• Notice what “keys” it was that Peter, the Apostle to the Jews (!!!), actually received in this passage. It was the “keys of the kingdom of heaven”! (16:19) Notice also, that when we move into the early chapters of the book of Acts, that it is still the “kingdom of heaven” message that is being preached, so Peter, with the “keys” to the kingdom, is the predominant voice. Once the final offer of the kingdom was made to the Jewish ruling council through Stephen in Acts 7, however, God immediately makes the transition to the “half Jew/half Gentile” Samaritans in Acts 8. Then, in chapter 9, God calls out the Apostle to the Gentiles (Saul, who would become Paul), and in chapter 10, Saul (Paul) preaches a “kingdom of God” message to Gentiles, like you and me. From this point forward in the book of Acts, Paul, the Apostle to the Gentiles, is the predominant voice.

OVERVIEW:

The refusal of the King and the “kingdom of heaven” (chapter 11); the official rejection of the King by the leaders of the nation of Israel (chapter 12); the kingdom is hidden in the form of parables (chapter 13).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we continue to pursue getting our doctrinal bearings in the New Testament, and particularly the gospel of Matthew, as has already been stated, keeping our eye on the Jew and the Jewish audience in this book is of utmost importance. Regardless of popular Laodicean teaching, the church has not replaced Israel, and the book of Revelation has some pretty strong things to say about “them which say they are Jews, and are not”! (see Revelation 2:9b and 3:9a) Remember, we are the parenthesis!

Daniel had a prophecy, you’ll remember, of 70 weeks of years (70×7=490 years). The way the prophecy has unfolded historically, is that the Jews “cut off” (i.e. crucified) their Messiah who had come to bring in the kingdom that had been promised to them after 69 of those weeks of years (483 years) had been completed. What that means, though, is that there is still one more week of years (7 years) remaining in Daniel’s prophecy! We now refer to that “week of years” as the “Tribulation Period”. Keep in mind that the parenthesis that we are presently living in (the Church Age) began after the stoning of Stephen, which was the nation of Israel’s final rejection of the kingdom, and will close at the rapture of the church. Once the parenthesis has been removed, the final “week of years” remaining in Daniel’s prophecy will kick back in, and God will, in fact, fulfill all of His promises to the Jews and the nation of Israel in the Old Testament regarding the “kingdom of heaven”. Again, we are the “PARENTHESIS” in God’s plan, certainly not the REPLACEMENT of Israel!

Now, let’s talk further about this thing of the “kingdom of heaven” that is strictly found in the gospel written to the Jews (Matthew). Note, as we talked about yesterday, that by in large, almost every commentator will say that the “kingdom of heaven” is the same as the “kingdom of God”. Nothing, however, could be further from the truth! This is where it is important not to leave the Bible in forming our definitions. Running to the Greek for our definition of these “kingdoms” is a key way of insuring that we will never really understand them biblically. If we just let the Bible be the Bible and provide its own definitions, there is a kingdom that was promised to the nation of Israel. It is a literal, physical, governmental, Davidic, Messianic kingdom on the EARTH. It is this kingdom to which Matthew is emphasizing and to which he specifically identifies as the “kingdom of heaven”. Many people get confused by the title, “kingdom of HEAVEN” when it is referring to a literal, physical kingdom on the EARTH, until they recognize that from God’s vantage point, the earth is actually the capitol of His heavens, and the place from which He has chosen His plan for the universe to be enacted. On the other hand, by biblical definition, the “kingdom of God” is something all-together different. Observe the biblical composite of this kingdom:

• Luke 17:20-21 – It doesn’t come “with observation”. You can’t necessarily “observe” it, or say, “here it is” or “there it is,” because it is “within you”.
• Romans 14:17 – It “…is not meat and drink, but righteousness, peace, and joy…” So, though we can’t actually “observe” the “kingdom of God”, we can “observe” its affects in the lives of people (i.e. righteousness, peace, and joy).
• 1^st Corinthians 4:20 – It “…is not in word, but in power.”
• 1^st Corinthians 15:50 – “…flesh and blood cannot inherit” it…” (because it is not a PHYSICAL kingdom!)
• John 3:3 – You enter it by a spiritual birth (because it is a SPIRITUAL Kingdom!)

So, get planted in your mind, the “kingdom of God” is a SPIRITUAL kingdom, and the “kingdom of heaven” is a PHYSICAL kingdom.

Now, much of the confusion concerning these two kingdoms is because in the places where Matthew uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven”, the parallel accounts in the other Gospels many times contain the phrase “kingdom of God”. Rather than presumptuously concluding that they are the same thing, however, simply recognize the fact that Jesus Christ is actually the embodiment of both kingdoms, and so while He was on the earth, both kingdoms were present at the same time.

One of the reasons making this distinction between these kingdoms is so vital is because it affects the actual message that we preach! Today, we preach the “kingdom of God”. (Acts 8:12) The “Jewish message” of the kingdom of heaven was put on hold after Stephen’s final offer to the nation of Israel in Acts 7. It is a different message with different ramifications and promises that will be preached, once again, on this earth during Daniel’s 70^th week (the Tribulation Period), once we have been removed.

A few pithy comments about some of the verses in today’s reading:

• 11:5 – This lets us know why Matthew recorded the healing ministry of Jesus in chapters 8 and 9. These things were how God told Israel in the Old Testament they would be able to recognize their Messiah-King (see Isaiah 53:5-6; 61:1).
• 11:14 – Malachi 4:5 prophesied that Elijah would come before the establishment of the day of the Lord (i.e. the “kingdom of heaven”). Recognize, that had Israel received her King, the parenthesis (the Church Age) would have been non-existent. That is why the church was in a “mystery” form in the Old Testament. Jesus lets us know that, had the nation of Israel received her Messiah, John the Baptist would have been the fulfillment of the prophecy concerning Elijah’s coming. (Note, all of the other Old Testament prophecies concerning the day of the Lord could have, and would have, been fulfilled.) As it stands, Elijah himself will return during the Tribulation Period along with Moses (Moses = the Law, Elijah = the Prophets).
• 12:23 – The people recognize Jesus is the Messiah! (i.e. “the son of David”)
• 12:24 – The Pharisees (religious leaders) don’t recognize Jesus as the Messiah! They attribute the power through which He performed His miracles to Satan!
• 12:31-32 – Note some things about the so-called “unpardonable sin”. There are four criteria to committing it:

1. You must be a Jew.
2. Jesus Christ must be publicly manifest in bodily form, performing signs and wonders.
3. You, as a Jew, are an eyewitness of the events in #2.
4. Your mind becomes so spiritually disoriented and perverted, and your heart becomes so hardened, that you attribute the power through which Christ worked to Satan.

Note the phrases in verse 32, “in this world” and “in the world to come”. There are only two times that all four criteria can be fulfilled. The first was during the earthly ministry of Jesus from 30 to 33 A.D. The second is during the millennium (“the kingdom of heaven”). Don’t worry, you haven’t, won’t, and can’t commit the “unpardonable sin”!

• 13:1 – This is identifying a major shift in Jesus’ ministry. Recognize that the “house” is a term used to refer to Israel. The “sea” is a term used to refer to Gentiles. The “kingdom of heaven” now goes into a parable form. Contrary to popular Laodicean teaching, a parable is NOT an earthly story that REVEALS a heavenly truth. A parable is actually a heavenly truth wrapped in an earthly story for the purpose of HIDING the truth from those who don’t really want it anyway. (see 13:11-17)
• 13:55-56 – So much for Mary’s perpetual virginity!

OVERVIEW:

Christ presents Himself as Israel’s King by fulfilling the signs and wonders prophesied of the Messiah in the Old Testament (chapters 8 and 9); the twelve are “sent forth” to preach the “Gospel of the Kingdom” (chapter 10).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

There are several overarching errors Christians tend to make that just about insure that their biblical interpretation and application will not be correct. One of the most critical (and often made!) mistakes is thinking that the Bible is a “Christian” book that has primarily to do with us (“us,” as in “Christians”). You say, “How in the world could you say that? Do you mean to tell me that the Bible ISN’T a Christian book and that it DOESN’T primarily have to do with Christians?” Exactly!

The fact is, if we’re ever really going to “get it”, in terms of understanding the Bible, we must face the fact that the Bible is a JEWISH BOOK that has to do with a JEWISH KING, and a KINGDOM that has been promised to JEWS! How very stereotypical of Laodiceans (i.e. believers in the last days – Revelation 3:14-22, whose chief characteristic is that they are “lovers of their own selves” – 2^nd Timothy 3:1-2) to think that the Bible is all about us! We tend to get the idea that the theme of the Bible is really all about our salvation (Gentiles) and, “how nice, thoughtful, and unbelievably gracious it will be of God to allow the poor Jews in the last days to have a part in it all!” No, no, no! A thousand times, no! No wonder we get messed up!

The fact is, the Bible is predominantly about a 7000-year period of time in which those of us who comprise His church are merely a 2000-year parenthesis! Now, I must say, it is certainly a glorious parenthesis, a parenthesis that most definitely includes us and benefits us; one that is obviously part of a plan that God ordained before the foundation of the world; but to view the “parenthesis” of the church age as the theme or main subject of the Bible, or to interpret the Old Testament, and even more specifically, the Gospel of Matthew, through “Christian” glasses, is a grave error that will take the most sincere student of the Bible down a zillion rabbit trails, and ultimately down the path to false doctrine!

Always keep in mind that at least 95% of false doctrine is really nothing more than true Bible doctrine being applied to the wrong group of people and/or to the wrong period of time (i.e. dispensation). Thus, yesterday’s comments about the Jew, in a devotional sense, being the “ancient landmark” in the Bible, and how that when that distinction is moved or removed, it causes us to make a doctrinal beeline right into “the fields of the fatherless”. (Proverbs 22:28; 23:10)

Let me reiterate the fact that much of the problem, particularly in Matthew’s Gospel, is that Christians fail to recognize that this Gospel is written to the JEWS, to present Christ, as THEIR Messiah-King, over the kingdom promised to THEM in the Old Testament. Just about every commentator in Christianity will talk about the Jewish nature of this Gospel, but will immediately begin to apply the teaching of Matthew’s Gospel to Christians living in the Church Age! The reality is, the Gospel of Matthew wasn’t written to teach us about the Church Age, so we must be very careful about making application of it to us, at least until the death of the Testator (after Matthew 27). Again, we must keep in the forefront of our thinking that this Gospel is all about the “kingdom of heaven”.

As we have previously talked about, it is a kingdom promised to the Jews, and that is why Matthew’s Gospel is the only Gospel that uses the phrase (33 times). Contrary to what most commentators say, the “kingdom of heaven” is not the same as the “kingdom of God” (a phrase found repeatedly in the other three Gospels), and the two phrases are not used interchangeably in the New Testament! To say that the “kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of God” are the same thing, or that the two phrases are used interchangeably in the New Testament, would be as absurd as saying that “God” and “Heaven” are the same thing, and that those two terms are used interchangeably in the Bible. (More will be said about the distinction between the “kingdom of heaven” and the “kingdom of God” in tomorrow’s comments.)

Be sure, as we make our way through Matthew, that you understand that the things contained in this Gospel have to do specifically with God’s intention to establish a LITERAL kingdom in Israel over which His Son will preside, and over which He will rule the whole world from a LITERAL throne in the LITERAL rebuilt temple in the LITERAL earthly Jerusalem. To apply the vast majority of the teaching found in Matthew to the parenthesis we call the Church Age is not only poor hermeneutics, it is an invitation to false doctrine!

A great case in point in today’s reading is in chapter 8 and verse 12. If we lose sight of the fact that the subject is the “kingdom of heaven”, we might end up believing something as biblically ludicrous and ridiculous as someone who has been born again, winding up in Hell!

A few pithy comments about some of the verses in today’s reading:

• 8:14 – How interesting that the so-called “first Pope” had a wife!
• 8:16 – Notice that nobody in Jesus’ healing line went away “unhealed” because of their “lack of faith”.
• 8:21 – Circle the word “Lord” and “me first” in this verse, and notice that the two concepts represented are actually mutually exclusive! Calling Jesus “Lord,” and yet, telling Him “me first,” however, does characterize the church in the last days! (2^nd Timothy 2:1-2)
• 8:26 -27 –The wind and the sea recognize the voice of the One who spoke them into existence, and obey! Oh, that humans would have that kind of discernment.
• 8:29 – Demons make an identification that the religious leaders of Jesus’ day (the Scribes and Pharisees) were never able to make: Jesus is the Son of God!
• 8:32 – The pigs do a “swine dive” off the cliff and commit “sooey–cide.” (Sorry!)
• 8:34 – The people were more freaked out by Jesus in their midst than by those who were demon possessed in their midst!
• 9:2 – There is a great practical lesson in this verse about doing whatever we can to bring the lost to Jesus!
• 9:11 – Hallelujah! Jesus has time for sinful people like me!
• 9:27 – Even blind people could “see” what the Pharisees couldn’t: that Jesus is the promised Messiah!
• 9:35 – The “gospel of the kingdom” is not the same gospel Paul preached or that he identified in 1^st Corinthians 15:3-4!
• 9:37-38 – Though we are in a different dispensation, these verses are extremely true!
• 10:1 – To this point, the “twelve” are referred to as “disciples”. As they are “sent forth” in this passage (10:5), they receive the title “apostles” (see 10:2). The word “apostle” means “sent one”. The word “apostle” in Latin is the word “missio” from which we get our word “missionary” to refer to ones who are “sent forth”.
• 10:5-6 – How about these verses to prove the Jewish nature of this gospel?!
• 10:22 – This verse is a doctrinal back-breaker unless you keep it in the context of the “kingdom of heaven”!

OVERVIEW:

The Constitution of the King and His Kingdom (chapters 5-7).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we make our way through the Gospel of Matthew, there are several things we must keep in the forefront of our thinking that will help to keep us from going out of bounds. First of all, understand that Matthew is not written from a chronological standpoint, as are the Gospels of Mark and Luke. I like the way John Phillips explains Matthew’s approach: “He tends to group his material in order to produce a cumulative effect for the point he is making that Jesus is the Messiah of the Jews. For example, beginning in chapter 5 (today’s reading), we have the Sermon on the Mount – what Jesus TAUGHT. This is followed by a series of miracles in chapters 8 to 9, by no means in the order of occurrence, but which show what Jesus WROUGHT. These miracles are followed in turn by a series of reactions to Jesus, illustrating what people THOUGHT. It seems clear that Matthew’s material is arranged so that it can be easily remembered and certainly the contents of his gospel are more easily remembered than the contents of the other synoptics.”

Secondly, keep in mind the specific Jewish nature of this Gospel. The book of Proverbs talks about the importance of identifying landmarks. Proverbs 22:28 says, “Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set.” Proverbs 23:10 adds, “Remove not the old landmark; and enter not into the fields of the fatherless.” Obviously, from an historical standpoint, this has to do with the importance of identifying the land boundaries, and the importance of allowing them to remain in place. To apply the principle to the Bible itself, however, from a devotional standpoint, we could say that the “ancient landmark” of the Bible that we must never lose sight of, or remove, is the Jew! Once we lose sight of the Jew in terms of interpreting the Bible, we will find ourselves in “the fields of the fatherless”.

For example, there are four books of the Bible where people allow themselves to get doctrinally discombobulated: Matthew, Acts, Hebrews, and James. Almost every doctrinal controversy and division in the body of Christ is going to come out of a verse, passage, or chapter in one of those four books. Coincidentally enough, all four of them have something in common: they are all specifically related to the Jew! Once we lose the “ancient landmark” of the Jew in these books, we might well end up in “the fields of the fatherless” — believing in works for salvation; or that baptism is a requirement for salvation; or that you can lose your salvation; or that tongues and healing are for today; and on, and on, and on. All of those false doctrines are propagated today because somebody lost sight of the Jew in these books!

So, recognizing the place of the Jew is very important as we come to Matthew’s record of the first sermon Jesus ever preached, what we have come to call, “The Sermon on the Mount.” Keep in mind that all the way through the Old Testament, God had been promising a kingdom to the Jews. They understood that kingdom to be a literal, earthly kingdom where God’s ruler (God’s “anointed” – Hebrew; God’s “Messiah” – Greek) would sit on the throne of David. That kingdom is what the book of Matthew is all about. It is referred to as the “kingdom of heaven,” and Matthew’s Gospel is the only Gospel in which the phrase appears; and where it is found some 32 times! Matthew’s Gospel presents Christ as King of the “kingdom of heaven.” It is also referred to as the “kingdom of Israel” in Acts 1:6.

In Friday’s reading, the King appears (chapter 2), in chapter 3 He is heralded, and in today’s reading (chapter 5 and verse 1), He sits, and delivers the constitution for the kingdom! Recognize that the subject of His sermon isn’t “heaven” but the “kingdom of heaven”! (Note 5:3, 10, 19, 20; 7:21) Recognize also, that the sermon isn’t directed to the Gentiles, or to the church of God, but to Jews! (1^st Corinthians 10:32) Someone might say, “But it’s in the New Testament!” Sure, it is, but the context of the book, just like this sermon in chapters 5-7, is strictly Jewish!

One of the biblical realities many people seem to overlook, when reading the Gospels, is the fact that we don’t officially enter into the New Testament, according to the Bible’s definition, until the death of Christ, which in Matthew’s Gospel isn’t until chapter 27! Hebrews 9:16-17 says, “For where a testament is, there must also of necessity be the death of the testator. For a testament is of force (is only enforced) AFTER MEN ARE DEAD: otherwise it is of no strength at all while the testator liveth.” In the strictest sense of the word, what that means is that we don’t actually enter the New Testament until the very end of each of the Gospels, at the death of Christ. More will be said about this tomorrow.

As we read the “Sermon on the Mount” today, recognize that our Lord’s audience is Old Testament Hebrews who, at that time, were still under the law. His sermon is designed to present the real intent of the law, and to present the principles of the millennial kingdom (i.e. the “kingdom of heaven”). Yes, there are truths that we as Gentiles in the Church of God can apply devotionally to our lives, but it has no application whatsoever to how people are saved in the church age.

OVERVIEW:

The Genealogy of the King (chapter 1); the Birth of the King (chapter 2); the Announcement of the King (chapter 3); the Testing of the King (chapter 4).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

When you turn the page in your Bible, after reading the Old Testament book of Malachi, and you come into the New Testament book of Matthew, recognize that there has been a 400-year gap between these two books. Sometimes when we’re talking in terms of history, 400 years doesn’t seem like an extremely long period of time. To help to put it in perspective, however, realize that 400 years ago, most English-speaking people didn’t even own their own copy of the Bible! Four hundred years is a long time! Keep in mind that in that 400-year period of time between the Testaments, God had remained completely silent in terms of new revelation. God hadn’t spoken to a single soul by direct revelation (Genesis 3:8), through the Angel of the Lord (Judges 6:12), out of a cloud (Exodus 34:5-7), from a burning bush (Exodus 3:4), with the mouth of a donkey (Numbers 22:28), the mouth of a prophet (Deuteronomy 18:18), or any other means. But recognize, that though He had been silent in the world, He certainly hadn’t been absent! During those 400 years, God was busy orchestrating the events of history to prepare the world for the coming of His only begotten Son. Remember, Galatians 4:4 says, “But when the FULNESS OF TIME WAS COME, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law.” But also understand that the world had changed in that 400-year period.

By this time, Hebrew had become a dead language, with Greek and Aramaic now the languages of common communication and commerce. There were also at least five different sects and parties that were now on the scene that were influencing the world religiously, socially, and politically.

1. The Scribes – These were men regarded with great reverence by the Jews as the interpreters and teachers of the Scriptures. Ezra was perhaps the first of this sect, but by the time of Christ, they had degenerated greatly from Ezra’s character and godliness. They were constantly in opposition to Christ, and some of Christ’s most harsh words were directed to the Scribes, and to the next key sect…
2. The Pharisees – These men were also highly regarded by the Jews. They saw themselves as holy and zealous guardians of the law, and were ultra-conservative in all aspects of their beliefs and external behavior. They, too, brought the Lord Jesus Christ tremendous opposition, and were denounced by Him quite frequently.
3. The Sadducees – If the Pharisees were the religious “right”, the Sadducees were the religious “left”. For the most part, they were a part of the wealthy, influential, priestly parties, and were rationalistic and liberal in their beliefs, denying the immortality of the soul, as well as the resurrection.
4. The Herodians – This was not a religious group, but a political party who took their name from Herod. Because of their zealousness for the Roman government, they viewed Christ as a threat to Rome’s authority, viewing Christ as nothing more than a political revolutionary.
5. The Zealots – These were extreme and radical defenders of a theocratic form of government (God rules), and were involved in acts of violence against the Roman government to champion their cause. We will run into these sects repeatedly throughout Matthew, and the other gospels, and it is important to understand who they are to really understand the social, political, and religious world of the New Testament.

As we move into the book of Matthew today, because the events are easily understood, perhaps the best use of our time will be in providing an analysis of the book as a whole:

1. Information About the Author

• His name: Matthew.
• His name means: Gift of the Lord (or Jehovah).
• He is also called Levi. (Mark 2:13-14; Luke 5:27-29)
• He was a Publican. (Matthew 10:3; 17:24-27; Romans 13:1-7)
• He was born a Jew. (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27)
• He is the son of Alphaeus. (Mark 2:14)
• He has two brothers, James and Judas. (Mark 3:18; Luke 6:16)
• He was chosen to be one of the 12 disciples. (Luke 6:12-16; Matthew 10:1-4; Mark 3:13-19)

2. Facts About Matthew’s Gospel

• Approximate date of writing: 64-66 A.D.
• Written from: Jerusalem.
• Dates of the recorded events: 4 B.C. – 33 A.D.
• Theme: Christ, the King of the Jews.
• Christ is seen as The Promised King.
• Key Verse: Matthew 27:37.
• Key Word: Kingdom (56 times).
• Chapters: 28; Verses: 1,071; Words: 24,755.

3. Features of Matthew’s Gospel

• This is the only gospel that uses the phrase “kingdom of heaven” (32 times).
• This is the only gospel that uses the phrase “that it might be fulfilled which was spoken” (9 times)
• This gospel contains 60 references to the Old Testament.
• This gospel contains 25 fulfilled prophecies.

4. A Simple Outline of Matthew’s Gospel; Two Rejections:

Rejection #1 – The rejection of the Kingdom. (Chapters 1-12)

Rejection #2 – The rejection of the King. (Chapters 13-28)

OVERVIEW:

Introduction (1:1); Israel questions God’s love (1:2–5); the priests dishonor God (1:6–2:9); God’s people dealing treacherously with one another (2:10–16); Israel’s perversion of good and evil (2:17); the promise of “the messenger of the covenant” (3:1–7); Israel robs God (3:8–12); Israel’s arrogant words against God (3:13–15); God’s message of reassurance (3:16–4:3); exhortation to remember the law of Moses (4:4); the promise of Elijah’s return before the day of the Lord (4:5–6).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Upon completing today’s reading, we will have read the last of the 929 chapters, 23,214 verses, 592,439 words, and approximately 2,728,100 letters that comprise the Old Testament. Perhaps this is a good time for us to be reminded that the goal of the 365 Days of Pursuit, though, isn’t simply to get through the word of God but for the Word of God to get through us!

Note at least five things that make the little book of Malachi unique. First, it’s unique in that the exact date of the book is not known. It is generally accepted that Malachi lived approximately 100 years after Haggai and Zechariah, and is associated with the reforms of Ezra and Nehemiah. To help place his ministry, though, keep in mind that a remnant returned from captivity in 536 B.C. Under Haggai and Zechariah’s leadership, the temple had been rebuilt in approximately 520–516 B.C. After another 60 years, Ezra came on the scene to re-establish the nation spiritually (457 B.C.), and after another 13 years (444 B.C.), Nehemiah was used of God to rebuild the wall. Malachi is most likely a contemporary of Nehemiah, because they faced the same exact spiritual problems:

• A profane priesthood. (Malachi 2:1–9 c.f. Nehemiah 13:27–30)
• Mixed marriages with the heathen. (Malachi 2:10–16 c.f. Nehemiah 13:23–29)
• The withholding of tithes from God’s house. (Malachi 3:8-12 c.f. Nehemiah 13:10-13)
• An overall spiritual apathy in the hearts of God’s people.

The date of the book is placed approximately at 450–400 B.C.

Secondly, the Book of Malachi is unique in the style in which it its written. Malachi uses a question–and–answer format to reveal the absolute spiritual cluelessness of the people due to their arrogance and apathy. There are at least 25 questions recorded in these four brief chapters!

Thirdly, this book is unique in that 47 of the 55 verses in this book are actually spoken by God. That is certainly the highest percentage of any of the books of the prophets.

Fourthly, the book of Malachi is the only one of the prophets whose book ends on a note of condemnation and judgment, rather than restoration and hope. The word God chose to use to conclude the entire Old Testament is quite interesting and revealing. (If you don’t know what it is, take a second now to look it up.) That word points us to the reality of man’s sinful condition, and makes us long for a remedy that is satisfying to God’s justice and holiness. Can you think of one? (See 1^st John 2:2!)

Then, fifthly, this book is unique because when Malachi penned the final word in 4:6, there was no more new revelation from God for a period of approximately 400 years! We often refer to them as “the 400 years of silence”. We might could say the last book of the Old Testament foreshadows the first book of the New Testament, as John the Baptist breaks the silence by declaring, “Prepare ye the way of the Lord.” (Read Malachi 3:1, and then turn over a few pages into the New Testament and read Matthew 3:1–2!)

CHRIST IS REVEALED:

• As the LORD, WHOM YE SEEK, (WHO) SHALL SUDDENLY COME TO HIS TEMPLE — Malachi 3:1 (Mark 11:15–17)

• As the SUN OF RIGHTEOUSNESS — Malachi 4:2 (John 9:5)