Galatians, chapter 3, comments

 Galatians 3:1 ¶ O foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? 2 This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? 3 Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh? 4 Have ye suffered so many things in vain? if it be yet in vain. 5 He therefore that ministereth to you the Spirit, and worketh miracles among you, doeth he it by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?

This is a very important question for us all. If we are saved by Christ and indwelt by the Holy Spirit and we did not save ourselves but our salvation was predicated upon our belief and the faith we received why do we then regard our justification as not being the result of Christ’s rising from the dead but our slavish adherence to a set of rules that we are not required to follow? Baptism is not proof we are saved.

We begin in the Spirit. How can we think that we can be made perfect in the flesh? We will see in Galatians 5 what the fruit or the proof of our having the Holy Spirit indwelling us is. It is not something you can fake easily or for a long time.

Galatians 3:6 ¶ Even as Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness. 7 Know ye therefore that they which are of faith, the same are the children of Abraham. 8 And the scripture, foreseeing that God would justify the heathen through faith, preached before the gospel unto Abraham, saying, In thee shall all nations be blessed. 9 So then they which be of faith are blessed with faithful Abraham.

Notice what Jesus called the works of God.

John 6:29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

Here lies the essence of the blessing for the world that the messiah would come through Abraham and that salvation would be preached to the whole world. Please refer to my comments on this promise in Genesis for further development. I think that here the statement is sufficient for understanding.

For verse 6 see Genesis 15:6 and Romans 4:21-22.

For verse 8 see Genesis 12:3 and Genesis 26:4 as examples of cross-references.

See how the scripture is given an ability to see and to preach in verse 8.

Romans 9:17  For the scripture saith unto Pharaoh, Even for this same purpose have I raised thee up, that I might shew my power in thee, and that my name might be declared throughout all the earth.

Notice that in Romans 9:17 the Scripture is elevated to the status of God Himself. See the reference in Exodus. We know from Exodus 9:13-21 that it was God who said this through Moses. We know that Pharaoh refused to honestly hear God’s commands to let God’s people go free. God saith and the Scripture saith in this case are the same thing. Think of this in Hebrews.

 

Hebrews 4:12  For the word of God [lowercase w] is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.

 

Notice that gospel, good news or glad tidings, includes many different statements and declarations. Here the reference is made to the promise given to Abraham for the world that will be blessed through his faithfulness.

Galatians 3:10 ¶ For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. 11 But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. 12 And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. 13 Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree: 14 That the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.

We are not justified by the Law. Notice the allusion in verse 11 to Habbakuk 2:4.

Behold, his soul which is lifted up is not upright in him: but the just shall live by his faith.

 

Galatians 3:15 ¶ Brethren, I speak after the manner of men; Though it be but a man's covenant, yet if it be confirmed, no man disannulleth, or addeth thereto. 16 Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ. 17 And this I say, that the covenant, that was confirmed before of God in Christ, the law, which was four hundred and thirty years after, cannot disannul, that it should make the promise of none effect. 18 For if the inheritance be of the law, it is no more of promise: but God gave it to Abraham by promise.

Just as in Genesis where God made an agreement with Himself for Abram while Abram was asleep and unable to perform any part in the ritual, Paul here declares that God’s covenant was made with Himself, in His physical form, the Lord Jesus Christ. So, the Holy Spirit has shown us two sides to the covenant God made with Abram but God the Father and the Son of God acting out both parts.

See Genesis 15:17-21 and Genesis 17:7.

We’ve discussed the four hundred and some odd years of Israel’s persecution under Egypt previously in Genesis and elsewhere.

Galatians 3:19 ¶ Wherefore then serveth the law? It was added because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; and it was ordained by angels in the hand of a mediator. 20 Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one. 21 Is the law then against the promises of God? God forbid: for if there had been a law given which could have given life, verily righteousness should have been by the law. 22 But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe.

What was the purpose of the Law besides revealing God’s standard of righteousness? It was to show man how sinful his very nature is until the coming of Christ. Again, God has mediated between Himself and Himself to deliver mankind from the justice he and she deserves. This is accomplished if one believes on Christ.

1Timothy 2:5 For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

We typically don’t think of a mediator as working between someone and himself but someone and another person but God is one. Imagine a king who sends his own son with all of his authority vested in the son to negotiate an amnesty with a rebellious tribe, offering up his own person to pay the price for their treachery, negotiating with himself without their participation other than to accept the offer of amnesty. See the previous verses mentioned in Genesis for God performing the ritual of a covenant without Abram being able to even wake up to participate.

Galatians 3:23 ¶ But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. 24 Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith. 25 But after that faith is come, we are no longer under a schoolmaster.

We are not under the Law. We are not justified by the Law. The Law given to Moses, particularly the moral law, is still God’s standard of righteousness but we can only attain it through Jesus Christ. We have too many religious leaders trying to put us back under the Law and too many Christians denying that, at least, the moral law is God’s standard for all of His people. We should venerate the Ten Commandments and uplift them and any Law that Jesus and Paul underscore and repeat but we should not use them as a justification for self-righteousness or think we are somehow good because we attempt to honor those standards of God.

Galatians 3:26 ¶ For ye are all the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither bond nor free, there is neither male nor female: for ye are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if ye be Christ's, then are ye Abraham's seed, and heirs according to the promise.

Paul made a philosophical statement when arguing with the philosophers in Athens in Acts 17 that we are all God’s offspring in that He created us but this statement here in verse 26 is fundamentally different, theologically different. We become the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. Note a previous statement made to the religious elite of Judea by Christ.

John 8:41 Ye do the deeds of your father. Then said they to him, We be not born of fornication; we have one Father, even God. 42 Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me. 43 Why do ye not understand my speech? even because ye cannot hear my word. 44 Ye are of your father the devil, and the lusts of your father ye will do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and abode not in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaketh a lie, he speaketh of his own: for he is a liar, and the father of it.

We can only claim to be the child of God by our faith in Christ. Without Christ we are considered children of another god, little g, Satan, the Devil himself.

Human beings are only “all God’s children” from the perspective of issue as in He made man and permits him to procreate. But that is where the connection ends if you reject Christ.

John 14:6 Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

John 3:36 He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

Verse 28 is a great leveler that has disturbed a lot of men of European descent in that they think in history they are all that and a bag of chips because they conquered the world.

We are all one, with no difference between us in the Lord, if we are in Christ Jesus. God makes no distinctions of value based on ethnicity, social class, or gender in Christ. For the men in the congregation who want to feel smugly superior to others of a different sex, racial group, or social status this is quite the slap in the face. I love it for that among other things.

Joshua 1:1-9 comments: stay strong

 Joshua 1:1 ¶ Now after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD it came to pass, that the LORD spake unto Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' minister, saying, 2 Moses my servant is dead; now therefore arise, go over this Jordan, thou, and all this people, unto the land which I do give to them, even to the children of Israel. 3 Every place that the sole of your foot shall tread upon, that have I given unto you, as I said unto Moses. 4 From the wilderness and this Lebanon even unto the great river, the river Euphrates, all the land of the Hittites, and unto the great sea toward the going down of the sun, shall be your coast. 5 There shall not any man be able to stand before thee all the days of thy life: as I was with Moses, so I will be with thee: I will not fail thee, nor forsake thee. 6 Be strong and of a good courage: for unto this people shalt thou divide for an inheritance the land, which I sware unto their fathers to give them. 7 Only be thou strong and very courageous, that thou mayest observe to do according to all the law, which Moses my servant commanded thee: turn not from it to the right hand or to the left, that thou mayest prosper whithersoever thou goest. 8 This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success. 9 Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the LORD thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest.

 

Notice the further explanation of the land grant given to the people of Israel in verse 4. Repeating my comments on Genesis 15:17-21 here;

 

“Genesis 15:17 ¶  And it came to pass, that, when the sun went down, and it was dark, behold a smoking furnace, and a burning lamp that passed between those pieces. 18  In the same day the LORD made a covenant with Abram, saying, Unto thy seed have I given this land, from the river of Egypt unto the great river, the river Euphrates: 19  The Kenites, and the Kenizzites, and the Kadmonites, 20  And the Hittites, and the Perizzites, and the Rephaims, 21  And the Amorites, and the Canaanites, and the Girgashites, and the Jebusites.

The geography of the grant of land given by God to the Hebrews is very interesting and has an impact today on international events. God, in the symbols of a smoking furnace and a burning lamp (see Deuteronomy 4:24; 9:3; and Hebrews 12:29 among many other passages) passed between the pieces of animals establishing the covenant with Himself to grant this land to Abram’s descendants so it was not dependent upon any action of Abram other than believing and receiving. This is not unlike salvation from an eternity of agony in a place described as a lake of fire. God provides this to anyone who receives His visible image, Christ, as Himself, believing the gospel.

From the river of Egypt, bordering the southern extreme of Canaan (see Numbers 34:5; Joshua 15:4; 47; 1Kings 8:65; 2Kings 24:7; & 2Chronicles 7:8), to the Euphrates river north of Canaan, the land boundary of the territory promised to Israel, to be realized in the millennial reign of Christ, is pretty extensive if you look at a map. It is the seat of Christ’s rule from Jerusalem in the millennium, during which He will reign for a thousand years because, for one reason, Paul said;

Galatians 3:16  Now to Abraham and his seed were the promises made. He saith not, And to seeds, as of many; but as of one, And to thy seed, which is Christ.

We know Christ will physically rule on earth for a thousand years as John said.

Revelation 20:4  And I saw thrones, and they sat upon them, and judgment was given unto them: and I saw the souls of them that were beheaded for the witness of Jesus, and for the word of God, and which had not worshipped the beast, neither his image, neither had received his mark upon their foreheads, or in their hands; and they lived and reigned with Christ a thousand years. …6  Blessed and holy is he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power, but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.

During His reign the Jewish people will occupy the earth and the promise of this land grant will be fully realized.

Zechariah 8:20  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; It shall yet come to pass, that there shall come people, and the inhabitants of many cities: 21  And the inhabitants of one city shall go to another, saying, Let us go speedily to pray before the LORD, and to seek the LORD of hosts: I will go also. 22  Yea, many people and strong nations shall come to seek the LORD of hosts in Jerusalem, and to pray before the LORD. 23  Thus saith the LORD of hosts; In those days it shall come to pass, that ten men shall take hold out of all languages of the nations, even shall take hold of the skirt of him that is a Jew, saying, We will go with you: for we have heard that God is with you.

In a prophecy of a time after Christ God said He will bring the remnant of Israel home. See this great prophecy in Isaiah, chapter 11.

Isaiah 11:1 ¶  And there shall come forth a rod out of the stem of Jesse, and a Branch shall grow out of his roots: 2  And the spirit of the LORD shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of the fear of the LORD; 3  And shall make him of quick understanding in the fear of the LORD: and he shall not judge after the sight of his eyes, neither reprove after the hearing of his ears: 4  But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. 5  And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. 6  The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. 7  And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. 8  And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice’ den. 9  They shall not hurt nor destroy in all my holy mountain: for the earth shall be full of the knowledge of the LORD, as the waters cover the sea.10 ¶  And in that day there shall be a root of Jesse, which shall stand for an ensign of the people; to it shall the Gentiles seek: and his rest shall be glorious. [see Romans 15:12; Revelation 22:16] 11  And it shall come to pass in that day, that the Lord shall set his hand again the second time to recover the remnant of his people, which shall be left, from Assyria, and from Egypt, and from Pathros, and from Cush, and from Elam, and from Shinar, and from Hamath, and from the islands of the sea. 12  And he shall set up an ensign for the nations, and shall assemble the outcasts of Israel, and gather together the dispersed of Judah from the four corners of the earth.

The nation of Israel, created by human political action and struggle, will always face adversity, even near extinction under the persecution of the Beast of Revelation, until Christ returns. But, when He returns to rule the promise will be realized.

Revelation 11:15  And the seventh angel sounded; and there were great voices in heaven, saying, The kingdoms of this world are become the kingdoms of our Lord, and of his Christ; and he shall reign for ever and ever.”

See Exodus 23:31  And I will set thy bounds from the Red sea even unto the sea of the Philistines, and from the desert unto the river:

And Numbers 34:1 ¶  And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, 2  Command the children of Israel, and say unto them, When ye come into the land of Canaan; (this is the land that shall fall unto you for an inheritance, even the land of Canaan with the coasts thereof:) 3  Then your south quarter shall be from the wilderness of Zin along by the coast of Edom, and your south border shall be the outmost coast of the salt sea eastward: 4  And your border shall turn from the south to the ascent of Akrabbim, and pass on to Zin: and the going forth thereof shall be from the south to Kadeshbarnea, and shall go on to Hazaraddar, and pass on to Azmon: 5  And the border shall fetch a compass from Azmon unto the river of Egypt, and the goings out of it shall be at the sea. 6  And as for the western border, ye shall even have the great sea for a border: this shall be your west border. 7  And this shall be your north border: from the great sea ye shall point out for you mount Hor: 8  From mount Hor ye shall point out your border unto the entrance of Hamath; and the goings forth of the border shall be to Zedad: 9  And the border shall go on to Ziphron, and the goings out of it shall be at Hazarenan: this shall be your north border. 10  And ye shall point out your east border from Hazarenan to Shepham: 11  And the coast shall go down from Shepham to Riblah, on the east side of Ain; and the border shall descend, and shall reach unto the side of the sea of Chinnereth eastward: 12  And the border shall go down to Jordan, and the goings out of it shall be at the salt sea: this shall be your land with the coasts thereof round about.

Also, see; Deuteronomy 11:24  Every place whereon the soles of your feet shall tread shall be yours: from the wilderness and Lebanon, from the river, the river Euphrates, even unto the uttermost sea shall your coast be.

 

Verse 8 is an incredibly powerful memory verse. Although we are not promised the kind of temporal success necessarily the Israelites were this verse applies to every aspect of our lives. Keeping God’s word in our heads and in our hearts is vital.

 

 Psalm 119:11 Thy word have I hid in mine heart, that I might not sin against thee.

Verse 9 is a good one to keep in mind when facing life’s difficulties along with;

 

Hebrews 13:5 Let your conversation be without covetousness; and be content with such things as ye have: for he hath said, I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee.

Deuteronomy, chapter 34 comments

 Deuteronomy 34: 1 ¶ And Moses went up from the plains of Moab unto the mountain of Nebo, to the top of Pisgah, that is over against Jericho. And the LORD shewed him all the land of Gilead, unto Dan, 2 And all Naphtali, and the land of Ephraim, and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah, unto the utmost sea, 3 And the south, and the plain of the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, unto Zoar. 4 And the LORD said unto him, This is the land which I sware unto Abraham, unto Isaac, and unto Jacob, saying, I will give it unto thy seed: I have caused thee to see it with thine eyes, but thou shalt not go over thither. 

Deuteronomy 34:5 ¶ So Moses the servant of the LORD died there in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. 6 And he buried him in a valley in the land of Moab, over against Bethpeor: but no man knoweth of his sepulchre unto this day. 

Jude 9 Yet Michael the archangel, when contending with the devil he disputed about the body of Moses, durst not bring against him a railing accusation, but said, The Lord rebuke thee.

Clearly no team of archaeologists are going to uncover the burial place of Moses.

Deuteronomy 34:7 ¶ And Moses was an hundred and twenty years old when he died: his eye was not dim, nor his natural force abated.

 Deuteronomy 34:8 ¶ And the children of Israel wept for Moses in the plains of Moab thirty days: so the days of weeping and mourning for Moses were ended.

Deuteronomy 34:9 ¶And Joshua the son of Nun was full of the spirit of wisdom; for Moses had laid his hands upon him: and the children of Israel hearkened unto him, and did as the LORD commanded Moses. 

Deuteronomy 34:10 ¶ And there arose not a prophet since in Israel like unto Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, 11 In all the signs and the wonders, which the LORD sent him to do in the land of Egypt to Pharaoh, and to all his servants, and to all his land, 12 And in all that mighty hand, and in all the great terror which Moses shewed in the sight of all Israel.

So ends the first five books of Moses. Now we begin the historical record of the Israelite invasion of Canaan and the history of early Israel.

Deuteronomy, chapter 33, comments

 Deuteronomy 33:1 ¶ And this is the blessing, wherewith Moses the man of God blessed the children of Israel before his death. 2 And he said, The LORD came from Sinai, and rose up from Seir unto them; he shined forth from mount Paran, and he came with ten thousands of saints: from his right hand went a fiery law for them. 3 Yea, he loved the people; all his saints are in thy hand: and they sat down at thy feet; every one shall receive of thy words. 4 Moses commanded us a law, even the inheritance of the congregation of Jacob. 5 And he was king in Jeshurun, when the heads of the people and the tribes of Israel were gathered together.

Verse 2 may be a reference to a verse found in a book that was not included in the canon of the Bible. See Jude 1:14;

Jude 1:14 And Enoch also, the seventh from Adam, prophesied of these, saying, Behold, the Lord cometh with ten thousands of his saints,

The Book of Enoch which most people are referring to was written much later than Deuteronomy and was the product of several authors. This reference in Jude to Enoch refers to either a written prophecy in a lost work, possibly the Book of Enoch that was not regarded as given by inspiration and failed the test in the early church, or simply something that Enoch said that was passed down through Noah and his sons.

The wilderness of Paran is mentioned in relationship the time after leaving Sinai.

Numbers 10:12 And the children of Israel took their journeys out of the wilderness of Sinai; and the cloud rested in the wilderness of Paran.

Here follows blessings and prophecy.

Jeshurun is a reference to Israel. See Isaiah 44:2.

Isaiah 44:2 Thus saith the LORD that made thee, and formed thee from the womb, which will help thee; Fear not, O Jacob, my servant; and thou, Jesurun, whom I have chosen.

Deuteronomy 33:6 ¶ Let Reuben live, and not die; and let not his men be few.

Deuteronomy 33:7¶ And this is the blessing of Judah: and he said, Hear, LORD, the voice of Judah, and bring him unto his people: let his hands be sufficient for him; and be thou an help to him from his enemies.

Deuteronomy 33:8 ¶And of Levi he said, Let thy Thummim and thy Urim be with thy holy one, whom thou didst prove at Massah, and with whom thou didst strive at the waters of Meribah; 9 Who said unto his father and to his mother, I have not seen him; neither did he acknowledge his brethren, nor knew his own children: for they have observed thy word, and kept thy covenant. 10 They shall teach Jacob thy judgments, and Israel thy law: they shall put incense before thee, and whole burnt sacrifice upon thine altar. 11 Bless, LORD, his substance, and accept the work of his hands: smite through the loins of them that rise against him, and of them that hate him, that they rise not again.

Verse 9 refers to following God without any respect to persons even ones close in relation.

Deuteronomy 33:12 ¶ And of Benjamin he said, The beloved of the LORD shall dwell in safety by him; and the LORD shall cover him all the day long, and he shall dwell between his shoulders.

Deuteronomy 33:13 ¶ And of Joseph he said, Blessed of the LORD be his land, for the precious things of heaven, for the dew, and for the deep that coucheth beneath, 14 And for the precious fruits brought forth by the sun, and for the precious things put forth by the moon, 15 And for the chief things of the ancient mountains, and for the precious things of the lasting hills,16 And for the precious things of the earth and fulness thereof, and for the good will of him that dwelt in the bush: let the blessing come upon the head of Joseph, and upon the top of the head of him that was separated from his brethren. 17 His glory is like the firstling of his bullock, and his horns are like the horns of unicorns: with them he shall push the people together to the ends of the earth: and they are the ten thousands of Ephraim, and they are the thousands of Manasseh.

The word unicorn has been very confusing to some who link it with a mythical horse with a horn on its head. Many skeptics have made hay over this word found in several places in the Bible such as here and in Job, the word,” unicorn.” A review of over 200 lexicons from the Early Modern English Database reveals that a unicorn was understood to be an animal with one horn.[1] Sounds understandable. The technical name for the Indian Rhinoceros is Rhinoceros Unicornis. Marco Polo, the famed Venetian traveler of the Medieval Period of Western European history, referred to the Javan Rhinoceros as a unicorn among other one-horned animals.[2]

The ancient Greeks referred to unicorns, not in their mythologies, but in their natural histories, and although Ctesias made the earliest mention of unicorns in his book, Indika it was obvious he was just going on legend and had not seen them with his own eyes. He described a wild ass colored white, red, and black. Such a fanciful description was carried on by Aristotle and Strabo, and it was not until Pliny the Elder in his On the Nature of Animals that he describes something realistic, an Indian ox, a monoceros, which in all likelihood was the Indian Rhino.

It is generally understood by the existence of them in the Lascaux cave paintings in France that the Rhinoceros once had a much larger range of living than it does today, the mythological horse with a horn being a totally separate concept from the reality spoken of here in the Bible, evidenced in later Greek writings, or found in nature and cave paintings.

The Rhinoceros is a wild animal, a wild beast. He’s not going to pull your plow, plant your fields, or submit to your will. Go ahead, and try to harness him up, if you think you can.

Deuteronomy 33:18 ¶ And of Zebulun he said, Rejoice, Zebulun, in thy going out; and, Issachar, in thy tents. 19 They shall call the people unto the mountain; there they shall offer sacrifices of righteousness: for they shall suck of the abundance of the seas, and of treasures hid in the sand.

Compare verse 19 to Genesis 49:13 and Jacob’s blessing of Zebulun.

Genesis 49:13 ¶  Zebulun shall dwell at the haven of the sea; and he shall be for an haven of ships; and his border shall be unto Zidon.

Could the famed Phoenicians, Baal worshippers, merchants, and explorers have had a connection with Zebulun? Controversial authors say so but we have no evidence to confirm that.

Deuteronomy 33:20 ¶ And of Gad he said, Blessed be he that enlargeth Gad: he dwelleth as a lion, and teareth the arm with the crown of the head. 21 And he provided the first part for himself, because there, in a portion of the lawgiver, was he seated; and he came with the heads of the people, he executed the justice of the LORD, and his judgments with Israel.

We will see Gad in the van, the foremost front, of Joshua’s military expeditions in Joshua 4:12-13 and in Joshua 22:1-4 their efforts are acknowledged.

Deuteronomy 33:22 ¶ And of Dan he said, Dan is a lion's whelp: he shall leap from Bashan.

We’ll see Dan’s treachery in Judges 18:27-28. The bulls of Bashan represent the enemies of Christ. See Psalm 22:12. The hill of Bashan is contrasted with God’s hill. See Psalm 68:15. Bashan is criticized in Amos 4:1.

Deuteronomy 33:23 ¶ And of Naphtali he said, O Naphtali, satisfied with favour, and full with the blessing of the LORD: possess thou the west and the south.

Deuteronomy 33:24 ¶ And of Asher he said, Let Asher be blessed with children; let him be acceptable to his brethren, and let him dip his foot in oil. 25 Thy shoes shall be iron and brass; and as thy days, so shall thy strength be.

Deuteronomy 33:26 ¶ There is none like unto the God of Jeshurun, who rideth upon the heaven in thy help, and in his excellency on the sky. 27 The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlasting arms: and he shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them. 28 Israel then shall dwell in safety alone: the fountain of Jacob shall be upon a land of corn and wine; also his heavens shall drop down dew. 29 Happy art thou, O Israel: who is like unto thee, O people saved by the LORD, the shield of thy help, and who is the sword of thy excellency! and thine enemies shall be found liars unto thee; and thou shalt tread upon their high places.

Jeshurun is a reference to Israel as per Isaiah 44:2. I AM THAT I AM, the LORD, Jehovah, is the God of Jeshurun aka Jesurun.

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[1] “Lexicons of Early Modern English,” (Toronto, Canada: University of Toronto Press, 2015), http://leme.library.utoronto.ca/search/results.cfm, (accessed 1.13.2015).

 

[2] Henry Yule, ed. & transl. The Book of Ser Marco Polo (London: John Murray Publishers, 1903), 285. https://archive.org/stream/bookofsermarcopo002polo#page/n9/mode/2up (accessed 1.13.2015).

 

Galatians, chapter 2, comments

 Galatians 2:1 ¶ Then fourteen years after I went up again to Jerusalem with Barnabas, and took Titus with me also. 2 And I went up by revelation, and communicated unto them that gospel which I preach among the Gentiles, but privately to them which were of reputation, lest by any means I should run, or had run, in vain. 3 But neither Titus, who was with me, being a Greek, was compelled to be circumcised: 4 And that because of false brethren unawares brought in, who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage: 5 To whom we gave place by subjection, no, not for an hour; that the truth of the gospel might continue with you. 6 But of these who seemed to be somewhat, (whatsoever they were, it maketh no matter to me: God accepteth no man's person:) for they who seemed to be somewhat in conference added nothing to me: 7 But contrariwise, when they saw that the gospel of the uncircumcision was committed unto me, as the gospel of the circumcision was unto Peter; 8 (For he that wrought effectually in Peter to the apostleship of the circumcision, the same was mighty in me toward the Gentiles:) 9 And when James, Cephas, and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given unto me, they gave to me and Barnabas the right hands of fellowship; that we should go unto the heathen, and they unto the circumcision.  10 Only they would that we should remember the poor; the same which I also was forward to do.

Here is presented an issue regarding those who insisted that Christian males had to undergo circumcision as God had commanded the Jews to do. Paul, even though he himself circumcised Timothy to satisfy the Jews here insists that the Gentile Christians should not be compelled to be circumcised.

Acts 15:1 ¶  And certain men which came down from Judaea taught the brethren, and said, Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved. 2  When therefore Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and disputation with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas, and certain other of them, should go up to Jerusalem unto the apostles and elders about this question. 3  And being brought on their way by the church, they passed through Phenice and Samaria, declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren. 4  And when they were come to Jerusalem, they were received of the church, and of the apostles and elders, and they declared all things that God had done with them. 5  But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That it was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.

 

Acts 15:6 ¶  And the apostles and elders came together for to consider of this matter. 7  And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe. 8  And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; 9  And

put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. 10  Now therefore why tempt ye God, to put a yoke upon the neck of the disciples, which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear? 11  But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved, even as they. 12  Then all the multitude kept silence, and gave audience to Barnabas and Paul, declaring what miracles and wonders God had

wrought among the Gentiles by them. 13  And after they had held their peace, James answered, saying, Men and brethren, hearken unto me: 14  Simeon hath declared how God at the first did visit the Gentiles, to take out of them a people for his name. 15  And to this agree the words of the prophets; as it is written, 16  After this I will return, and will build again the tabernacle of David, which is fallen down; and I will build again the ruins

thereof, and I will set it up: 17  That the residue of men might seek after the Lord, and all the Gentiles, upon whom my name is called, saith the Lord, who doeth all these things. 18  Known unto God are all his works from the beginning of the world. 19  Wherefore my sentence is, that we trouble not them, which from among the Gentiles are turned to God: 20  But that we write unto them, that they abstain from pollutions of idols, and from

fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood. 21  For Moses of old time hath in every city them that preach him, being read in the synagogues every sabbath day.

 

And yet note Paul’s inconsistency in trying to satisfy Jewish requirements.

Acts 16:1 ¶  Then came he to Derbe and Lystra: and, behold, a certain disciple was there, named Timotheus, the son of a certain woman, which was a Jewess, and believed; but his father was a Greek: 2  Which was well reported of by the brethren that were at Lystra and Iconium. 3  Him would Paul have to go forth with him; and took and circumcised him because of the Jews which were in those quarters: for they knew all that his father was a Greek.

It appears Paul has had a change of heart.

Verse 7 says that Peter is given the apostleship to the Jews. And indeed he does go to Babylon, where there was a large Jewish population.

1 Peter 5:13 The church that is at Babylon, elected together with you, saluteth you; and so doth Marcus my son.

However, Peter himself had thought he was the minister to the Gentiles first.

Acts 15:7 And when there had been much disputing, Peter rose up, and said unto them, Men and brethren, ye know how that a good while ago God made choice among us, that the Gentiles by my mouth should hear the word of the gospel, and believe.

Verse 9 shows the mission given to Paul and Barnabas, detailed in Acts.

Galatians 2:11 ¶ But when Peter was come to Antioch, I withstood him to the face, because he was to be blamed. 12 For before that certain came from James, he did eat with the Gentiles: but when they were come, he withdrew and separated himself, fearing them which were of the circumcision. 13 And the other Jews dissembled likewise with him; insomuch that Barnabas also was carried away with their dissimulation. 14 But when I saw that they walked not uprightly according to the truth of the gospel, I said unto Peter before them all, If thou, being a Jew, livest after the manner of Gentiles, and not as do the Jews, why compellest thou the Gentiles to live as do the Jews?

Paul’s claim that Peter was accommodating to the Judaizers is interesting in the light of his circumcising Timothy. Here, Paul is critical of Barnabas as well. Regardless of Paul’s intention or past failing he uses this opportunity to make a point to the Galatians that we would well bear in mind.

Galatians 2:15 ¶ We who are Jews by nature, and not sinners of the Gentiles, 16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. 17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid. 18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor. 19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God. 20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. 21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

We must be wary of reckoning our following of a specific set of guidelines that are not specifically outlined in the New Testament as judging ourselves and others by our self-made standard. We are not justified by the Law but only by Christ and saved by God’s response to our faith in Him. We are justified by faith.