Brief comments on 2Kings, chapter 17

 

2Kings 17:1 ¶  In the twelfth year of Ahaz king of Judah began Hoshea the son of Elah to reign in Samaria over Israel nine years. 2  And he did that which was evil in the sight of the LORD, but not as the kings of Israel that were before him. 3  Against him came up Shalmaneser king of Assyria; and Hoshea became his servant, and gave him presents. 4  And the king of Assyria found conspiracy in Hoshea: for he had sent messengers to So king of Egypt, and brought no present to the king of Assyria, as he had done year by year: therefore the king of Assyria shut him up, and bound him in prison. 5  Then the king of Assyria came up throughout all the land, and went up to Samaria, and besieged it three years. 6  In the ninth year of Hoshea the king of Assyria took Samaria, and carried Israel away into Assyria, and placed them in Halah and in Habor by the river of Gozan, and in the cities of the Medes.

 

Here is the end of ancient Israel as King Hoshea submits to the king of Assyria, Shalmaneser, then betrays that submission by going to Egypt for help, then is taken and imprisoned, with Israel being conquered and the Assyrian policy of transporting captured peoples to another part of their empire, thereby rendering their destruction as a nation complete.

 

2Kings 17:7 ¶  For so it was, that the children of Israel had sinned against the LORD their God, which had brought them up out of the land of Egypt, from under the hand of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and had feared other gods, 8  And walked in the statutes of the heathen, whom the LORD cast out from before the children of Israel, and of the kings of Israel, which they had made. 9  And the children of Israel did secretly those things that were not right against the LORD their God, and they built them high places in all their cities, from the tower of the watchmen to the fenced city. 10  And they set them up images and groves in every high hill, and under every green tree: 11  And there they burnt incense in all the high places, as did the heathen whom the LORD carried away before them; and wrought wicked things to provoke the LORD to anger: 12  For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing. 13  Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets. 14  Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God. 15  And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them. 16  And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal. 17  And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger. 18  Therefore the LORD was very angry with Israel, and removed them out of his sight: there was none left but the tribe of Judah only. 19  Also Judah kept not the commandments of the LORD their God, but walked in the statutes of Israel which they made. 20  And the LORD rejected all the seed of Israel, and afflicted them, and delivered them into the hand of spoilers, until he had cast them out of his sight. 21  For he rent Israel from the house of David; and they made Jeroboam the son of Nebat king: and Jeroboam drave Israel from following the LORD, and made them sin a great sin. 22  For the children of Israel walked in all the sins of Jeroboam which he did; they departed not from them; 23  Until the LORD removed Israel out of his sight, as he had said by all his servants the prophets. So was Israel carried away out of their own land to Assyria unto this day.

 

The religious history of Israel and the justification for God to remove them from the Promised Land is laid out here. These Jews were dispersed throughout Assyria’s empire. Their DNA will be evident in bloodlines over a large area. God will know who they are. Do we have Jewish DNA from the ten tribes that were lost to history? Are those who will eventually become Christian, not knowing it, be linked somehow to these lost tribes in some remote way?

 

Paul laid out the religious history of mankind in Romans. This idolatry resulted in mankind’s depraved moral state.

 

Romans 1:18  For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;

 

    19 ¶  Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them. 20  For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things  that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse: 21  Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. 22  Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools, 23  And changed the glory of the uncorruptible God into an image made like to corruptible man, and to birds, and fourfooted

beasts, and creeping things. 24  Wherefore God also gave them up to uncleanness through the lusts of their own hearts, to dishonour their own bodies between themselves: 25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. 26  For this cause God gave them up unto vile affections: for even their women did change the natural use into that which is against nature: 27  And likewise also the men, leaving the natural use of the woman, burned in their lust one toward another; men with men working that which is unseemly, and receiving in themselves that recompence of their error which was meet. 28  And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate mind, to do those things which are not convenient; 29  Being filled with all unrighteousness, fornication, wickedness, covetousness, maliciousness; full of envy, murder, debate, deceit, malignity; whisperers, 30  Backbiters, haters of God, despiteful, proud, boasters, inventors of evil things, disobedient to parents, 31  Without understanding, covenantbreakers, without natural affection, implacable, unmerciful: 32  Who knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.

 

2Kings 17:24 ¶  And the king of Assyria brought men from Babylon, and from Cuthah, and from Ava, and from Hamath, and from Sepharvaim, and placed them in the cities of Samaria instead of the children of Israel: and they possessed Samaria, and dwelt in the cities thereof. 25  And so it was at the beginning of their dwelling there, that they feared not the LORD: therefore the LORD sent lions among them, which slew some of them. 26 Wherefore they spake to the king of Assyria, saying, The nations which thou hast removed, and placed in the cities of Samaria, know not the manner of the God of the land: therefore he hath sent lions among them, and, behold, they slay them, because they know not the manner of the God of the land. 27  Then the king of Assyria commanded, saying, Carry thither one of the priests whom ye brought from thence; and let them go and dwell there, and let him teach them the manner of the God of the land. 28  Then one of the priests whom they had carried away from Samaria came and dwelt in Bethel, and taught them how they should fear the LORD. 29  Howbeit every nation made gods of their own, and put them in the houses of the high places which the Samaritans had made, every nation in their cities wherein they dwelt. 30  And the men of Babylon made Succothbenoth, and the men of Cuth made Nergal, and the men of Hamath made Ashima, 31  And the Avites made Nibhaz and Tartak, and the Sepharvites burnt their children in fire to Adrammelech and Anammelech, the gods of Sepharvaim. 32  So they feared the LORD, and made unto themselves of the lowest of them priests of the high places, which sacrificed for them in the houses of the high places. 33  They feared the LORD, and served their own gods, after the manner of the nations whom they carried away from thence. 34  Unto this day they do after the former manners: they fear not the LORD, neither do they after their statutes, or after their ordinances, or after the law and commandment which the LORD commanded the children of Jacob, whom he named Israel; 35  With whom the LORD had made a covenant, and charged them, saying, Ye shall not fear other gods, nor bow yourselves to them, nor serve them, nor sacrifice to them: 36  But the LORD, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt with great power and a stretched out arm, him shall ye fear, and him shall ye worship, and to him shall ye do sacrifice. 37  And the statutes, and the ordinances, and the law, and the commandment, which he wrote for you, ye shall observe to do for evermore; and ye shall not fear other gods. 38  And the covenant that I have made with you ye shall not forget; neither shall ye fear other gods. 39  But the LORD your God ye shall fear; and he shall deliver you out of the hand of all your enemies. 40  Howbeit they did not hearken, but they did after their former manner. 41  So these nations feared the LORD, and served their graven images, both their children, and their children’s children: as did their fathers, so do they unto this day.

 

I think there is an interesting comparison to be made in the first few verses of this passage. The Assyrians practiced deportation and resettlement of conquered people to weaken them and prevent uprisings and any thought of restoring one’s homeland. Having replaced the inhabitants of Samaria and Israel with people from other locations it is said that God sent lions that did damage and the Assyrians acknowledge He did that. Today modern man would say that such things are random events caused by population pressures on the natural habitat of the lions. Perhaps our Discovery channel rationalizations for acts of God are nonsense.

 

So, they brought a Hebrew priest to appease the God of the land, they thought, and yet they continued to serve other gods and made their own priests. This is the beginning of the Samaritan religion, a sect of Judaism despised by ethnic Jews. They feared the God of creaton but worshipped, at the same time, their idols and their gods.

 

The Samaritan religion is called Samaritanism and is based on the Samaritan Torah. They believed they most closely followed the true religion of the Jews that existed before the Babylonian captivity. They worshipped at the ruins of their temple in Mount Gerizim. The mount is mentioned in Deuteronomy, Joshua, and Judges. The temple was destroyed by the Jews in around 100BC. The Jews did not regard the Samaritans very favorably.

 

In fact, the Samaritans were hated. They worshipped in a different place. They had a different history than the Jews and the Jews of Jesus’ time regarded them as inferiors, spiritually, politically, and every other way.

 

 

Bible Study on Romans 3, verses 19 to 31, forgiveness and remission

 

Romans 3:19 ¶  Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God. 20  Therefore by the deeds of the law there shall no flesh be justified in his sight: for by the law is the knowledge of sin. 21  But now the righteousness of God without the law is manifested, being witnessed by the law and the prophets; 22  Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: 23  For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God; 24  Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus: 25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus. 27  Where is boasting then? It is excluded. By what law? of works? Nay: but by the law of faith. 28  Therefore we conclude that a man is justified by faith without the deeds of the law. 29  Is he the God of the Jews only? is he not also of the Gentiles? Yes, of the Gentiles also: 30  Seeing it is one God, which shall justify the circumcision by faith, and uncircumcision through faith. 31  Do we then make void the law through faith? God forbid: yea, we establish the law.

 

Paul makes an incredible statement here that no one can be justified by the Law because the Law of God reveals that every person on earth is guilty before God. The Law makes our sin obvious and our failure to please God apparent. So, here is a great division, a great gulf if you will. The Law convicts all of us of sin while faith in Christ justifies us in God. We are convicted of sin and then we are forgiven by receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Saviour. Every person in the world, whether they have the Law or are accused by their own conscience for even one sin, is standing in the dock guilty and is only legally justified by faith in Christ. It is remarkable isn’t it?!

 

So, the Law plays its function in our justification by convicting us and declaring all mankind guilty before God. Remember how verse 23 is going to ring a bell in the Jew’s head as they will remember the words of Solomon.

 

2Chronicles 6:36  If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near;

 

Ecclesiastes 7:20  For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

 

But, we are made righteous, declared to be so, in Christ by our faith in His righteousness and not our own. It is the sign of God’s ultimate mercy.

 

The Law is not made void by this. It is not erased from being in force. In fact, it is necessary to show us our status without Christ before God. The Law is our prosecutor, and, in a manner of speaking, Christ is our defense attorney. God is our judge.

 

25  Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God; 26  To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that he might be just, and the justifier of him which believeth in Jesus.

 

In the ancient world it was a well-known practice to try to propitiate a god through a sacrifice or a ritual. The idea was to appease the god’s anger and to try to obtain his or her favor and avoid their anger and the consequence of their wrath. Christ is the only propitiation for God’s righteous anger against the rebelliousness of mankind. By trusting in His righteousness and by faith in His blood we obtain remission or forgiveness of sins, based totally on God’s patience, restraint, and tolerance. It is Christ who justifies us, renders us legally unblameable for past sins against God before God our judge.

 

In English remission is the cancellation of a debt and remission is linked as a synonym with forgiveness in the Bible with both words several times translated from the same Greek word. Remission is important to understand God’s forgiveness for the debt we owed to God is cancelled by the remissions of sins because of His forgiveness. Remission goes along here with justifying the believer due to the legal aspects of both words.

 

Modern definitions of remission include, “the cancellation of a debt, charge, or penalty,” or, “a temporary recovery from a disease or the pain associated with it,” and, “forgiveness of sins.”

  

In the era the King James Bible was translated there was a thesaurus called Thesaurus Linguae Romanae et Britannicae. This was compiled by Thomas Cooper in 1584. In it, remit, meant, “to acquit one of his debt; to forgive…”, and, “to pardon and remit the punishment one has deserved.” 

 

In 1587 Thomas Thomas’ Dictionarium Linguae Latinae et Anglicanae had, “to remit, or forgive, to pardon.” Remission in those early dictionaries and thesaurus in Early Modern English is listed as synonymous with forgiveness or pardon.[1] 

 

What does the Bible say? Clearly, in the verse in Romans we know that Christ’s shed blood is required for the forgiveness of our sins. 

 

Ephesians 1:7  In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace; 

 

Colossians 1:14  In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins: 

 

John the Baptist preached the baptism of repentance to the Jews for the remission of sins to prepare them for the Messiah. 

 

Mark 1:4  John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins. 

 

And when Peter faced the proselyte Jews after the Resurrection he told them that they must receive this baptism of repentance to receive the Holy Ghost. 

 

Acts 2:38  Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. 

 

But, what about the Christian? Does remission mean forgiveness and was this a special authority given to the Apostles only or was it for all Christians? 

 

The use of the word remission has to do with a debt that is cancelled. Many would say that remission and forgiveness are distinct and that if sins are remitted they not completely removed. But it is clear that remission and forgiveness are synonyms.  Remission is used by the Holy Spirit’s guidance after Christ’s resurrection so the bond of forgiveness and remission is completed. So, it is incorrect to say that remission only applies to the yearly setting aside of sin and does not apply to the believer as the word is used very clearly here in Romans and elsewhere where it is a reference to what results as a consequence of forgiveness.

 

This teaches us another very important point about forgiveness. Forgiveness, remission, involves the cancellation of a debt and the forgoing of a punishment that is rightly due but in and of itself does not imply restoration. Not punishing mankind to eternal misery is not quite the same thing as giving him fellowship with His Creator for eternity, our eternal inheritance. That is the gift of God as we will see. He does not forbear our punishment by non-existence. That isn’t the alternative. The alternative to eternal suffering is eternal fellowship with Him, eternal life.

 

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[1] Ian Lancashire, editor, Lexicons of Early Modern English, University of Toronto,   https://leme.library.utoronto.ca/search/quick (accessed 1.21.2021)

Bible Study on Exodus 32, verses 15 to 29, Moses breaks the tables of stone

 

Exodus 32:15 ¶  And Moses turned, and went down from the mount, and the two tables of the testimony were in his hand: the tables were written on both their sides; on the one side and on the other were they written. 16  And the tables were the work of God, and the writing was the writing of God, graven upon the tables. 17  And when Joshua heard the noise of the people as they shouted, he said unto Moses, There is a noise of war in the camp. 18  And he said, It is not the voice of them that shout for mastery, neither is it the voice of them that cry for being overcome: but the noise of them that sing do I hear. 19  And it came to pass, as soon as he came nigh unto the camp, that he saw the calf, and the dancing: and Moses’ anger waxed hot, and he cast the tables out of his hands, and brake them beneath the mount. 20  And he took the calf which they had made, and burnt it in the fire, and ground it to powder, and strawed it upon the water, and made the children of Israel drink of it. 

 

Moses is carrying two tablets of stone, each written on both sides by the very hand of God who created him. This is amazing if you think about it. It is even more astounding that he threw them down in his temper. In the next verse is something else written on both sides.

Revelation 5:1 ¶  And I saw in the right hand of him that sat on the throne a book written within and on the backside, sealed with seven seals.

Joshua thinks there is fighting going on in the camp, perhaps a rebellion.

Moses enacts a rather tough punishment for the Israelites, being made to drink of the residue of what they were worshipping.

Exodus 32:21 ¶  And Moses said unto Aaron, What did this people unto thee, that thou hast brought so great a sin upon them? 22  And Aaron said, Let not the anger of my lord wax hot: thou knowest the people, that they are set on mischief. 23  For they said unto me, Make us gods, which shall go before us: for as for this Moses, the man that brought us up out of the land of Egypt, we wot not what is become of him. 24  And I said unto them, Whosoever hath any gold, let them break it off. So they gave it me: then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf. 25  And when Moses saw that the people were naked; (for Aaron had made them naked unto their shame among their enemies:) 26  Then Moses stood in the gate of the camp, and said, Who is on the LORD’S side? let him come unto me. And all the sons of Levi gathered themselves together unto him. 27  And he said unto them, Thus saith the LORD God of Israel, Put every man his sword by his side, and go in and out from gate to gate throughout the camp, and slay every man his brother, and every man his companion, and every man his neighbour. 28  And the children of Levi did according to the word of Moses: and there fell of the people that day about three thousand men. 29  For Moses had said, Consecrate yourselves to day to the LORD, even every man upon his son, and upon his brother; that he may bestow upon you a blessing this day.

 

Aaron acts like Adam did when confronted by God. He blames others.

 

Genesis 3:12  And the man said, The woman whom thou gavest to be with me, she gave me of the tree, and I did eat.

 

Aaron’s lie is so outrageous, then I cast it into the fire, and there came out this calf, you wonder why he was not struck dead at that moment. But, apparently, as David was not terminated for his murder of Uriah by proxy, if God has a plan for someone to carry out they will be allowed to live even if they have to drag the consequences of their sin along with them like a piece of heavy concrete on a chain.

Verse 25 shows us that the people are naked. Naked is a word we have that means not having any clothing on.

1Samuel 19:24  And he stripped off his clothes also, and prophesied before Samuel in like manner, and lay down naked all that day and all that night. Wherefore they say, Is Saul also among the prophets?

 

Job 1:21  And said, Naked came I out of my mother’s womb, and naked shall I return thither: the LORD gave, and the LORD hath taken away; blessed be the name of the LORD.

 

So, it is interesting how many preachers insist that in the following verse it is not possible that Peter was working naked around a bunch of other fishermen.

John 21:7  Therefore that disciple whom Jesus loved saith unto Peter, It is the Lord. Now when Simon Peter heard that it was the Lord, he girt his fisher’s coat unto him, (for he was naked,) and did cast himself into the sea.

 

Conservative Christians tend to read back 20^th century sensibilities into history. However, as has been said before, in this case in Exodus there is another implication that is disturbing but in keeping with ancient religion, revealed in verse 6 of this chapter.

In verse 26 Moses divides those who would remain faithful to the God who created them and led them out of Egypt from those who would continue in the heathen practices of ancient religion. Three thousand paid with their lives for the pagan, carnal practices they enjoyed while Moses was away.

If you read 27, 28, & 29 in context it appears that Moses made his call to the tribe from which the priests, the Levites who were to ensure the worship of God, came and this call was made regardless of familial relationship. Father went against son, and brother against brother, neighbor against neighbor and friend against friend. This may have, based on this context, been a way to cleanse the priesthood of idolaters. It also indicates that perhaps not all of the children of Israel participated in the pagan worship and the leadership was held accountable.

Bible Study on Romans 3, verses 1 to 18, There is no fear of God before their eyes

 

Romans 3:1 ¶  What advantage then hath the Jew? or what profit is there of circumcision? 2  Much every way: chiefly, because that unto them were committed the oracles of God. 3  For what if some did not  believe? shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect? 4  God forbid: yea, let God be true, but every man a liar; as it is written, That thou mightest be justified in thy sayings, and mightest overcome when thou art judged. 5  But if our unrighteousness commend the righteousness of God, what shall we say? Is God unrighteous who taketh vengeance? (I speak as a man) 6  God forbid: for then how shall God judge the world? 7  For if the truth of God hath more abounded through my lie unto his glory; why yet am I also judged as a sinner? 8  And not rather, (as we be slanderously reported, and as some affirm that we say,) Let us do evil, that good may come? whose damnation is just. 9  What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin; 10  As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one: 11  There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God. 12  They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one. 13  Their throat is an open sepulchre; with their tongues they have used deceit; the poison of asps is under their lips: 14  Whose mouth is full of cursing and bitterness: 15  Their feet are swift to shed blood: 16  Destruction and misery are in their ways: 17  And the way of peace have they not known: 18  There is no fear of God before their eyes.

 

The Jews are a very important people in the history of God’s ministry of reconciling mankind to Himself. It was to them that the Law was given through Moses and God’s standard of righteousness was revealed and God’s plans. Everything from the Law, to Christ’s suffering and resurrection, and even the events of Revelation at the end of human history are foretold in the Old Testament as we have seen over and over again in the study you and I have completed in the Bible. The Law and the Prophets contain all of God’s ministry and His plans in pretty clear form if not laid out as straightly as in the New Testament. But, you and I have seen this in all of our studies.

 

As examples, the Law is given in the writings of Moses, Christ’s suffering and resurrection and even the indwelling of the Holy Spirit is told in Psalms and Isaiah, and Isaiah and Daniel are among those who speak of the end times with resurrection being the subject of verses in Job, Isaiah, and Daniel. The oracles of God were given to the Jews and 95% of the Bible is written directly to them. Bits of doctrine are also scattered throughout the minor prophets.

 

Paul goes on to point out that just because some did not believe God and many did not follow or obey Him that does not make God’s words of none effect or irrelevant. This indicates that God does not require robots but willing hearts.

 

We must remember that the wrongdoing of God’s men and women, the faithlessness of His chosen people, and even the failure of each and every one of us to follow Him do not mean that He is weak or flawed. Just because many Christians are hypocrites doesn’t mean that Christ is not Lord.

 

Isaiah 55:11  So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it.

 

All, both Jew and Gentile, have sinned. The Jew who had the Law and the Gentile who was a law unto themselves by unconsciously following a conscience influenced by God’s standards both are sinners. And it gets worse. Consider those who hold the truth in unrighteousness, who reject what they should know to be true.

 

Psalm 14:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David.» The fool hath said in his heart, There is no God. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works, there is none that doeth good.    2  The LORD looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that did understand, and seek God. 3  They are all gone aside, they are all together become filthy: there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

 

Verse 13 cross-references to Psalm 5:9  For there is no faithfulness in their mouth; their inward part is very wickedness; their throat is an open sepulchre; they flatter with their tongue.

 

Psalm 140:3  They have sharpened their tongues like a serpent; adders’ poison is under their lips. Selah.

 

The rejectors, atheists and the like, as well as the self-righteous hypocrites have tongues filled with the venom of poisonous serpents, as Paul says.

 

He alludes to other Old Testament references to underscore his point, as in verse 14 and onward.

 

Psalms 10:7  His mouth is full of cursing and deceit and fraud: under his tongue is mischief and vanity.

 

Proverbs  1:16  For their feet run to evil, and make haste to shed blood.

 

Proverbs 6:18  An heart that deviseth wicked imaginations, feet that be swift in running to mischief,

 

Isaiah 59:7  Their feet run to evil, and they make haste to shed innocent blood: their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity; wasting and destruction are in their paths. 8  The way of peace they know not; and there is no judgment in their goings: they have made them crooked paths: whosoever goeth therein shall not know peace.

 

Psalm 36:1 ¶  «To the chief Musician, A Psalm of David the servant of the LORD.» The transgression of the wicked saith within my heart, that there is no fear of God before his eyes.

 

All through the Old Testament, particularly in Psalms, we get not only a picture of the Lord Jesus Christ but of Satan and the Beast of Revelation. Consider these in type as you read these verses.

Bible Study on Exodus 32, verses 7 to 14, it is a stiffnecked people

 

Exodus 32:7 ¶  And the LORD said unto Moses, Go, get thee down; for thy people, which thou broughtest out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves: 8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them: they have made them a molten calf, and have worshipped it, and have sacrificed thereunto, and said, These be thy gods, O Israel, which have brought thee up out of the land of Egypt. 9  And the LORD said unto Moses, I have seen this people, and, behold, it is a stiffnecked people: 10  Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, and that I may consume them: and I will make of thee a great nation. 11  And Moses besought the LORD his God, and said, LORD, why doth thy wrath wax hot against thy people, which thou hast brought forth out of the land of Egypt with great power, and with a mighty hand? 12  Wherefore should the Egyptians speak, and say, For mischief did he bring them out, to slay them in the mountains, and to consume them from the face of the earth? Turn from thy fierce wrath, and repent of this evil against thy people. 13  Remember Abraham, Isaac, and Israel, thy servants, to whom thou swarest by thine own self, and saidst unto them, I will multiply your seed as the stars of heaven, and all this land that I have spoken of will I give unto your seed, and they shall inherit it for ever. 14  And the LORD repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people.

 

God tells Moses to stand back while He destroys the Hebrews for their idolatry. This gives Moses the chance to argue that to do such a thing would go against God’s glory. It would not glorify Him in the sight of the Egyptians. It would even appear that this destruction was the very reason He led them out of Egypt and would justify the Egyptians rather than Himself. After all, no one would think what the Hebrews were doing was amiss, now would they, in the religious conditions of that world?

 

In verse 12 there is the definition of repent used here. It is to turn from something. This, then, in context is the definition of repented of the evil which he thought to do unto his people in verse 14. He turned from this. This is in keeping with a doctrine found in the Bible that God does not repent as in ‘change His mind.’ As God’s foreknowledge covers every event as if it has already happened we must look to the context for understanding. In the next two verses repent is linked with lie, the point being that God can be trusted for the promises He made, and will not turn from them.

 

Numbers 23:19  God is not a man, that he should lie; neither the son of man, that he should repent: hath he said, and shall he not do it? or hath he spoken, and shall he not make it good?

 

1Samuel 15:29  And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor repent: for he is not a man, that he should repent.

 

Here are other verses where repent means to turn from something as in the passage studied, to stop doing it or not do it, by comparing the contrast in the verse in which the words repent and turn are used.

 

Jeremiah 4:28  For this shall the earth mourn, and the heavens above be black: because I have spoken it, I have purposed it, and will not repent, neither will I turn back from it.

 

Jeremiah 18:8  If that nation, against whom I have pronounced, turn from their evil, I will repent of the evil that I thought to do unto them.

 

Jeremiah 26:3  If so be they will hearken, and turn every man from his evil way, that I may repent me of the evil, which I purpose to do unto them because of the evil of their doings.

 

Ezekiel 14:6  Therefore say unto the house of Israel, Thus saith the Lord GOD; Repent, and turn yourselves from your idols; and turn away your faces from all your abominations.

 

Ezekiel 18:30  Therefore I will judge you, O house of Israel, every one according to his ways, saith the Lord GOD. Repent, and turn yourselves from all your transgressions; so iniquity shall not be your ruin.

 

Jonah 3:9  Who can tell if God will turn and repent, and turn away from his fierce anger, that we perish not?

 

Acts 26:20  But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

 

Sometimes, someone’s behavior can compel you to turn from what you are permitting or doing. For instance, a child you have given a privilege to disobeys in a way that compels you to punish them or to revoke the privilege. In that case their behavior repenteth you. And, in Genesis 6:6,7 that behavior that compelled Him in something He already knew was going to happen grieved Him.

Clearly then, to repent of your sins is to turn from them. For the Christian repentance also suggests being sorry for your sins and for who you are, a sinner. As Paul noted;

 

2Corinthians 7:9  Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. 10  For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.

 

It has been said that when Jesus preached the following verses He was stating first that those who realized they were spiritually bankrupt and mourned for sin were blessed, as are those who humble themselves before God and hunger for His righteousness, as are those who extend God’s mercy to others, keep themselves from sin as best as they can with the right attitude, preach God’s peace with mankind, and are persecuted for it;

Matthew 5:3 ¶  Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 4  Blessed are they that mourn: for they shall be comforted. 5  Blessed are the meek: for they shall inherit the earth. 6  Blessed are they which do hunger and thirst after righteousness: for they shall be filled. 7  Blessed are the merciful: for they shall obtain mercy. 8  Blessed are the pure in heart: for they shall see God. 9  Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God. 10  Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness’ sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 

It is doubtful many modern Christians literally mourn for their sin against God and others. Repentance is not a casual thing or just a change of mind.

 

But, in this context repent is simply to turn from what was stated to be done.

 

In verse 13 the promise that God made to the patriarchs is restated. An immense number of physical descendants is to come through the Hebrews, a physical promise for physical descendants that has not yet been completely fulfilled.

Genesis 24:60  And they blessed Rebekah, and said unto her, Thou art our sister, be thou the mother of thousands of millions, and let thy seed possess the gate of those which hate them.

Bible Study on Romans 2, verses 17 to 29, hypocrisy

 

Romans 2:17 ¶  Behold, thou art called a Jew, and restest in the law, and makest thy boast of God, 18  And knowest his will, and approvest the things that are more excellent, being instructed out of the law; 19  And art confident that thou thyself art a guide of the blind, a light of them which are in darkness, 20  An instructor of the foolish, a teacher of babes, which hast the form of knowledge and of the truth in the law. 21  Thou therefore which teachest another, teachest thou not thyself? thou that preachest a man should not steal, dost thou steal? 22  Thou that sayest a man should not commit adultery, dost thou commit adultery? thou that abhorrest idols, dost thou commit sacrilege? 23  Thou that makest thy boast of the law, through breaking the law dishonourest thou God? 24  For the name of God is blasphemed among the Gentiles through you, as it is written. 25  For circumcision verily profiteth, if thou keep the law: but if thou be a breaker of the law, thy circumcision is made uncircumcision. 26  Therefore if the uncircumcision keep the righteousness of the law, shall not his uncircumcision be counted for circumcision? 27  And shall not uncircumcision which is by nature, if it fulfil the law, judge thee, who by the letter and circumcision dost transgress the law? 28  For he is not a Jew, which is one outwardly; neither is that circumcision, which is outward in the flesh: 29  But he is a Jew, which is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the spirit, and not in the letter; whose praise is not of men, but of God.

 

Here, Paul shows that he is talking specifically to what we would call an unsaved Jew. First, he lays out how a Jew of that day would feel about themselves and their standing before God. They know His will. They have His law. They are confident that they can teach the rest of us beknighted savages a thing or two. They were just like a lot of Fundamental Baptists or theologically liberal high church folks today believing they are the proverbial ‘all that and a bag of chips.’

 

Verse 21 brings us back to an accusation of self-deception, though. The most righteous Jew or works-salvation Christian believes that he or she is holy and righteous but the fact remains;

 

Ecclesiastes 7:20  For there is not a just man upon earth, that doeth good, and sinneth not.

 

Paul will reinforce this soon. The Jews of Paul’s day claimed to be righteous but were just as wicked as the Gentiles. In the same way, Fundamentalist Baptists make a mockery of our faith in front of the world with hundreds of pastors, youth pastors, and other workers charged criminally with sexual abuse in the United States. Many Baptists show nothing to the world but fear and/or hypocrisy regarding their walk with God. These very things that Paul writes can be forwarded in time and although I’ve heard a Baptist actually say he knew someone was a Christian by the fact that he kept his lawn nice and his car cleaned as part of the speaker’s standard of righteousness. I’ve heard far more ridiculous things.

 

It is foolish to say we are justified by our righteousness when we violate God’s standard of righteousness in thought and deed so often in a day’s time. Paul relates how the Jew without Christ is a pure phony and would be better off not being circumcised than to violate God’s Law based on the testimony the Jew often expresses before the Gentiles. If you believe you are justified before God by your good nature and your good deeds and your good intent you are of all people a sorry fool. As Paul next explains though he is not saying that being a Jew is meaningless or worthless.