Author: Charlie Garrett

Deuteronomy 28:62-68 (The Blessings and the Curses, Part VII)

Charlie Garrett Deuteronomy (Written)

Deuteronomy 28:62-68
(The Blessings and the Curses, Part VII)

In 2003, I went on a trip to Israel with mom. We went together with Zola Levitt ministries. Zola was a messianic Jew and had been on about 70 tour groups by the time we went with him. Because of this, he had things pretty tightened up as to how to make the trip enjoyable – what to see, what not to see, and so on.

We enjoyed everything from Dan to Beersheba, down to Eilat, and over to Petra in Jordan. While in Jerusalem, there were many nice sights to see. It was during the second Intifada, and people thought we were stupid for going. While in Jerusalem, we had lunch on a hill overlooking the city.

I fell asleep on the grass, and Zola took a photo of me napping with the city in the distance. That made the cover of his next month’s publication. It was a selling point for those who might have thought you could get shot while touring Israel. That just wasn’t likely.

While in Jerusalem, Zola took us to Yad Vashem, the Holocaust Memorial, on Mount Herzl (the Mount of Remembrance). It was certainly a moving place to be, and they made sure that all who went through it would feel that way. Israel wants the world to never forget what happened to them. But Israel has yet to acknowledge why those things happened to them…

Text Verse: “Now therefore, thus says the Lord, the God of Israel, concerning this city of which you say, ‘It shall be delivered into the hand of the king of Babylon by the sword, by the famine, and by the pestilence: 37 Behold, I will gather them out of all countries where I have driven them in My anger, in My fury, and in great wrath; I will bring them back to this place, and I will cause them to dwell safely. 38 They shall be My people, and I will be their God; 39 then I will give them one heart and one way, that they may fear Me forever, for the good of them and their children after them. 40 And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from doing them good; but I will put My fear in their hearts so that they will not depart from Me. 41 Yes, I will rejoice over them to do them good, and I will assuredly plant them in this land, with all My heart and with all My soul.” Jeremiah 32:36-41

A Jewish guy that a friend of mine knows watched some of the sermons I have done. Eventually, he told her, I will never watch one of his sermons again. He said that I blamed Israel for what happened to them in the Holocaust.

I have never directly said that, but I have implied it many times. They don’t need my opinion on this, all they need to do is read Leviticus 26 (the Lord in the first person), or Deuteronomy 28 (Moses speaking of the Lord in the third person), to know that if they had been obedient to the Lord, none of the woes of their past would have come upon them, including the Holocaust.

When mom and I walked out of Yad Vashem, I turned to her and said, “The only thing that is missing in this place is a copy of Deuteronomy 28 posted in every language that the Jews were driven to. As sad as the Holocaust was, it was a self-inflicted wound for having rejected the Lord their God.

It is true, that man certainly took things too far, just as the Babylonians did millennia earlier, but there would have been no first exile, nor a second exile, along with the resulting punishments, if Israel had done what the Lord expected of them.

And, sadly, what happened to them in the Holocaust will be overshadowed by what the word says is still to come upon them. If you want to know what I mean, your next reading assignment is Zechariah 13:8. But good news immediately follows that coming tragedy in Zechariah 13:9.

The blessings and the curses. Israel was given the choice. It was carefully laid out for them, in advance. And everything that Moses prophesied has come to pass. And it is all because they failed to know the time of their visitation.

The terrible woes to come upon Israel, as prophesied in Deuteronomy 28, will be completed in our sermon today. But the terrible woes to come upon Israel will continue into the future until that day when they – as a nation – finally call out to Jesus, “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Certain truths such as these are to be found in His superior word. And so, let us turn to that precious word once again and… May God speak to us through His word today and may His glorious name ever be praised.

I.To Destroy You and Bring You to Nothing (verses 62 & 63)

62 You shall be left few in number,

v’nishartem bimte meat – “And you (all: plural) shall remain in persons few.” With the exception of one instance in verse 14, Deuteronomy 28 has spoken to the people in the singular consistently until this point.

Now, and in the next clause of this verse, it goes to the plural – you all. As far as the content, the words are a close repeat of Deuteronomy 4:27 where Moses also uses the plural –

“And the Lord will scatter you among the peoples, and you will be left few in number among the nations where the Lord will drive you.”

In this verse, however, the NKJV omits the word “And” that begins it. The words are actually a continuation of what has been said and they speak of the result of those previous verses –

“If you do not carefully observe all the words of this law that are written in this book, that you may fear this glorious and awesome name, THE LORD YOUR GOD, 59 then the Lord will bring upon you and your descendants extraordinary plagues—great and prolonged plagues—and serious and prolonged sicknesses. 60 Moreover He will bring back on you all the diseases of Egypt, of which you were afraid, and they shall cling to you. 61 Also every sickness and every plague, which is not written in this Book of the Law, will the Lord bring upon you until you are destroyed. 62 [And] You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

It is the plagues, sicknesses, and diseases noted in the previous verses that will result in the diminution of their numbers. The use of the plural adds emphasis to the content. Instead of, “And you (Israel) shall be left few in number,” it says, “And you (all) shall be left few in number.” The plural continues with the words…

62 (con’t) whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude,

takhat asher heyitem ke’kokve ha’shemayim la’rov – “under which you (all: plural) were as stars the heavens to multitude.” Again, the plural adds emphasis. After the many, many verses of it being in the singular, Moses uses the plural to speak forth the magnitude of the resulting catastrophe that will come upon the people –

“And you (all) shall be left few in number.”
“Whereas you (all) were as the stars of heaven in multitude.”

With that noted, he again provides the exact reason that this will come about, saying…

62 (con’t) because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God.

ki lo shamata b’qol Yehovah elohekha – “for no you (singular) would hear (meaning hearken to) in voice Yehovah your (singular) God.” In essence, Moses is calling down the collective curse upon the people – both as individuals and as a nation. The two are essentially inseparable.

If America is to be judged for its wrongdoing, all of the people will suffer. It is not as if the Lord will separate the faithful from the unfaithful when the nuke detonates over New York City, or when the plague falls upon the land. Rather, all will participate in the tragedy of the events.

With this stated, we cannot go far from the truth that Jesus came to take Israel’s punishment upon Himself. The nation transgressed, and yet the punishment of the sins of Israel could – ostensibly – have been carried by Him.

This would include the sins of each person, and the sins of the nation collectively. In relation to Him, each person who accepts him – Peter or Paul for example – is forgiven. But the guilt of the nation remains. Hence, exile and punishment came upon all.

The idea of being few in number is probably twofold in significance. First, it is that there will be but a few left in the land at any time, but also that the whole will be reduced to a few as well. As far as the first premise during the Babylonian exile, that is recorded in Jeremiah –

“But Nebuzaradan the captain of the guard left in the land of Judah the poor people, who had nothing, and gave them vineyards and fields at the same time.” Jeremiah 39:10

It is also true of the number who were exiled. The total of Israel was reduced to a tiny number compared to those who were, as it said in 1 Kings 4, at the time of Solomon –

“Judah and Israel were as numerous as the sand by the sea in multitude, eating and drinking and rejoicing. 21 So Solomon reigned over all kingdoms from the River to the land of the Philistines, as far as the border of Egypt. They brought tribute and served Solomon all the days of his life.” 1 Kings 4:20, 21

Whether the term “stars of the heavens,” or the term “sand by the sea,” the number was immense. Eventually, through war, pestilence, and exile, the number was reduced to a paltry few souls.

The same is true at the time of the Roman exile. After the Babylonian exile, the people returned to the land and grew in number once again. However, John Gill notes the sad details of their reduction in number when the Romans came –

“…how much they were reduced by the Romans will appear by the accounts Josephus gives of those that were slain, and made prisoners by them: he says (i), ‘there were 1,100,000 slain at the siege of Jerusalem and by the war, and 97,000 made prisoners;’ and it is computed that 1,240,490 were destroyed in Jerusalem and other parts of the nation (k); and it is also said by their historian (l), that of those that were transported from Jerusalem and other parts of Palestine into Spain, scarce a thousandth part remained and that an infinite number were slain in France and Germany; and though their number equalled those that came out of Egypt, yet scarce five thousand of them were left.” John Gill

This is how it was, and this is how it continues to be, for Israel. The people belong to the whole, and the many will collectively be reduced within the nation. Until the nation collectively turns to Christ, this will remain unchanged. With that understood, Moses continues with the words of tragedy…

63 And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you

v’hayah ka’asher sas Yehovah alekhem – “And it shall be according to which has delighted over you (plural).” As you can see, the plural continues. Moses acknowledges that the Lord rejoices over each and every soul.

It is as if the Lord looks down from heaven and sees the masses and rejoices over them all together and individually at the same time. In this, Moses introduces a new word, sus. It means to be glad, rejoice, make mirth, and so on. There is the sense of gladness in the Lord that is being delightfully expressed, which is…

63 (con’t) to do you good and multiply you,

l’hetive etkhem u-l’harbot etkhem – “to do good you (all) and to multiply you (all).” In the obedience of the nation, the Lord rejoices to do good to all of the people individually.

One can almost see Moses raising his hands and sweeping them across the people, and then pointing at individuals in rapid succession. “This is what the Lord did for you all. You, you, you, you, annnnnnd you over there as well.” However, in their disobedience, another course will be set for them…

63 (con’t) so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing;

ken yasis Yehovah alekhem l’haabid etkhem u-l’hashmid etkhem – “Thus, will delight Yehovah over you (all) to cause to perish you (all) and to destroy you (all). The contrast is complete. “Yehovah delighted to do you good and to multiply you when you were faithful. Just so, Yehovah will delight over you to cause you to perish and to destroy you when you are faithless.” Of this verse, John Lange rightly says it… –

“…is a bold anthropomorphic figure, but spoken from the profoundest view of the truth, since righteousness on the basis of His holiness, as His mercy according to His love, is in full accordance with the nature of God. As He is glorious, so also He is fearful.” John Lange

This is now the seventh and final use of the word shamad, or destroy, in Deuteronomy 28. It will continue to be seen in Scripture, but repeating the word seven times brings its own sense of completeness and finality to the words.

As we have seen, and as is now repeated, this doesn’t mean to destroy utterly. Israel continued to exist, and they continue to exist. But the people have been destroyed along the way.

Though using different words to express the thought, what is stated here is certainly reflective of what is said about Christ in Isaiah 53. The Lord delighted to bring His destruction upon Israel. But it also pleased the Lord to do so in Christ in their stead –

“Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him;
He has put Him to grief.
When You make His soul an offering for sin,
He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,
And the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand.” Isaiah 53:10

God in Christ was willing to take what Israel rightly deserved upon Himself in order to redeem them from their transgressions committed under the law. However, as for Israel in their destruction, Moses next says…

63 (con’t) and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess.

The words now go from the plural back to the singular – “and you (all, plural) shall be plucked from off the land which you (Israel, singular) go to possess.” Here, it more appropriately reads, “the ground.” Those who would come to Canaan would go in to possess their own plot, but like a tree being pulled up, so would those who once went to sink down their roots.

In this is a new word, nasakh. It means to destroy, pluck, or uproot, coming from a root meaning to tear away. It will be used once by David in Psalm 52 and then only two more times by Solomon in the proverbs. So literally was this fulfilled that John Gill records these words as a part of the historical record of the Jews –

“The Emperor Adrian, to prevent their insurrections and rebellions, which had given him a great deal of trouble, ordered by an edict that no Jew should come into Jerusalem, nor into the land of Judea, or be seen in it, which is observed by several writers (m); by which means the country was cleared of them. In later times some of them did get thither again, but they were but few. Benjamin of Tudela, a Jew of the twelfth century, travelled into several parts of the world in quest of his countrymen, and particularly into Judea, and his view was to magnify his people; and yet owns he found at Jerusalem only two hundred persons, whose employment was dyeing wool, and dwelt in a corner of the town under the tower of David; and but twelve at Bethlehem, three at Maresha, at Shunem indeed three hundred, none at Gilead, two at Nob, who were dyers, three at Ramah, one at Joppa, none at Jafne, where had been a famous academy, none at Ashdod, and at Tiberias about fifty (n). And our countryman Sandys (o), who travelled into Judea in the seventeenth century, says, ‘here be some Jews, yet inherit they no part of the land, but in their own country do live as aliens.;” John Gill

So, at any given time there were from no Jews at all to less than a thousand in the entire land, and even while there, they were counted as foreigners. This lowly state continued right up until the Zionist Movement began and the Jews, once again, started to fill the land.

As for a parallel in Christ, again, though the Hebrew words used are different, the same sentiment is spoken of concerning Him in Isaiah 53 –

“He was taken from prison and from judgment,
And who will declare His generation?
For He was cut off from the land of the living;
For the transgressions of My people He was stricken.”

Israel was to be removed from their land due to disobedience, but Christ was to be removed from another type of land in their place. The trade was offered, and to this day it still stands. Only when the exchange is accepted will there be surety for them.

As for being uprooted, Moses next tells what the consequences of that will be for them, as we will see in a minute…

If only you will heed the voice of the Lord your God
If only you will do what that voice calls out to you
But like animals being conducted with a cattle prod
So, you will be treated for what you failed to do

The Lord has given the word in advance
And Moses has spoken the word out to you
This word will not fail, of this there is no chance
The Lord will set forth all He has promised to do

He will provide the blessing when you heed the word
And surely will come the curses when you fail to heed
So be diligent to do all that you have heard
Or the Lord will destroy you, and He will do so with speed

II. Your Life Shall Hang in Doubt Before You (verses 64-68)

64 “Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples,

The words of this verse are all in the singular, you Israel. In this clause, it is more specific – “all the peoples.” In other words, the distinction is being made between Israel and “all the peoples.” They are completely set apart from them, even if they are dwelling among them.

And how true has that been, and how true it remains even to this day. They dwell throughout the US, even as citizens, but they remain Jews. Such is true wherever they have gone. They have stubbornly held onto their identity not only among all the people, but throughout the millennia among all the peoples, even…

64 (con’t) from one end of the earth to the other,

miqtseh ha’arets v’ad qetseh ha’arets – “from end the earth and as far as end the earth.” This has been literally fulfilled as Jews have been spread to every possible place where man dwells.

Synagogues exist in remote China and in Budapest. They are found on remote islands of Tunisia and in India. They are found as far north as Fairbanks, Alaska and Trondheim, Norway, and they are found as far south as Dunedin, New Zealand.

Jews have been dispersed like the dust blown off of the Sahara Desert, encompassing the world and just as easily removed once again and scattered further still. It is without controversy that the prophecy of Moses as he sat in the plains of Moab, near the Jordan River has been literally fulfilled.

Looking at it in this light, and considering that it was spoken concerning Israel’s disobedience, it is actually a mark of shame upon them, rather than something to be boasted of.

Consider the parallel noted in the previous verse. Like Israel being removed from the land which typifies life, Christ was removed from the land of the living. The parallel continues in that Israel was prophesied to be returned to their land, just as it was prophesied that Christ would return from that place where no one could have imagined anyone would ever return from again.

Moses, in just two more chapters, shows us that it would be the same for Israel –

“Now it shall come to pass, when all these things come upon you, the blessing and the curse which I have set before you, and you call them to mind among all the nations where the Lord your God drives you, 2 and you return to the Lord your God and obey His voice, according to all that I command you today, you and your children, with all your heart and with all your soul, 3 that the Lord your God will bring you back from captivity, and have compassion on you, and gather you again from all the nations where the Lord your God has scattered you. 4 If any of you are driven out to the farthest parts under heaven, from there the Lord your God will gather you, and from there He will bring you. 5 Then the Lord your God will bring you to the land which your fathers possessed, and you shall possess it. He will prosper you and multiply you more than your fathers. 6 And the Lord your God will circumcise your heart and the heart of your descendants, to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, that you may live.” Deuteronomy 30:1-6

Likewise, Isaiah – in the same passage where he spoke of Christ’s death – also speaks of Christ’s return from death –

“After the anguish of His soul, He will see the light of life and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant will justify many, and He will bear their iniquities.” Isaiah 53:11 (BSB)

Even from the remotest parts of the world, the Lord has, and continues to, bring the people back to the land where they may live. And just so, Christ was brought back from the remotest place a human could imagine going, back to the land where He may live.

As for Israel in their land of exile, Moses tells them of their state in such places…

64 (con’t) and there you shall serve other gods,

Some scholars say this can’t be confirmed. They haven’t looked very closely. The words elohim akherim, or “gods other,” mean any god other than the Lord God. If they were serving the Lord God, they wouldn’t be in exile. Moses then further defines what he means by saying…

64 (con’t) which neither you nor your fathers have known—

This is obviously referring to serving the Lord God. Even though Israel in the land served innumerable gods other than the Lord, causing them to be exiled, this isn’t referring to them. It is referring to any gods out among the nations that the Jews have served.

Today, if you go into many Jewish homes, you’ll find statues of Buddha, Krishna, and other gods. Of these, and many others, they are…

64 (con’t) wood and stone.

Along with all of the other false gods the Jews have served around the world, John Gill tells of the false gods of Roman Catholicism that they have gone after –

“The author of the history of their calamities and sufferings owns this; “multitudes (he says (p)) in Spain and Portugal forsook the law of Moses, and joined the Papists, pretending at least to be of their religion.” He makes mention of sixteen thousand at one time (q), and some, he say (r), “that were driven out of Spain, came into Italy, where the young men pressed with famine could not bear it, and changed their religion, and began to worship images that they might have to satisfy their hunger; and the Papists used to go about with a crucifix in one hand, and a piece of bread in the other, promising the bread to those that would worship the crucifix; and so many famishing persons forsook the law of Moses, and mixed with them:” and to this day the convents of monks and nuns in Spain are full of them; and most of their canons, inquisitors, and bishops, are Jews (s).” John Gill

In this, there is a complete contrast to Jesus in His exile from the land of the living. The book of Jonah, while he was in the belly of the fish, prophetically refers to the time when Christ was in the tomb. In that state, it says –

“Out of the belly of Sheol I cried,
And You heard my voice.
3 For You cast me into the deep,
Into the heart of the seas,
And the floods surrounded me;
All Your billows and Your waves passed over me.
4 Then I said, ‘I have been cast out of Your sight;
Yet I will look again toward Your holy temple.’
5 The waters surrounded me, even to my soul;
The deep closed around me;
Weeds were wrapped around my head.
6 I went down to the moorings of the mountains;
The earth with its bars closed behind me forever;
Yet You have brought up my life from the pit,
O Lord, my God.
7 “When my soul fainted within me,
I remembered the Lord;
And my prayer went up to You,
Into Your holy temple.
8 “Those who regard worthless idols
Forsake their own Mercy.
9 But I will sacrifice to You
With the voice of thanksgiving;
I will pay what I have vowed.
Salvation is of the Lord.” Jonah 2:2-9

In death and through death, in exile from the land of the living, Christ remained faithful to the Lord God. The wood and stone the Jews have served have no life. They cannot sense anything. As such, they cannot hear prayer and they cannot deliver from the place of distress. But the Lord God, whom Christ remained faithful to, can hear and He did deliver. The contrast is complete.

For Israel in exile, Moses continues…

65 And among those nations you shall find no rest,

The words of this verse are all in the singular – “you Israel.” Despite this, it can just as easily refer to an individual who belongs to Israel. If he is the only “Israel” in the land, then he represents the nation to whom he belongs.

In this verse, Moses pulled out his lexicon in order to bestow upon us several new or rare words. The first is raga. It is a verb meaning to disturb. Thus, it is used figuratively to signify settling. Israel would remain unsettled anywhere they went. They would always be in a state of being upheaved and moved along.

When I was young, we used to go on vacation to a remote part of Massachusetts. There was a Jewish couple that lived there. When I was with my aunt one day, she said, “Twice, they had to get up and leave the food on the table and flee for their lives.” This is the idea of the words Moses now gives. It was literally fulfilled in that old couple on the mountain. Moses next says…

65 (con’t) nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place;

Here Moses uses a word, manoakh, seen only once so far, in Genesis 8:9, where it says, “But the dove found no resting place for the sole of her foot.” It is exactingly translated, resting place. Wherever Israel’s foot comes down, it will be as if there is a thorn or hot coals there, prodding it to move hurriedly on. Along with that, Moses says…

65 (con’t) but there the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul.

Rather than “but,” the word simply says, “and.” There will be no resting place for the soul of the foot, and along with that would come added calamities. Of them, Moses introduces three very rare words. The first is ragaz. It is an adjective occurring only this once.

It comes from the verb ragaz, meaning to quake or tremble. Thus, “trembling heart” is correct. There would never cease to be a time when the heart wouldn’t feel as if it might simply explode from the fear of the moment or from the constant motion of the foot.

Next, he uses the word kilayon. It is a noun signifying pining or failing. It is found only here and in Isaiah 10:22. The idea is probably that the eyes would become weak from looking for a spot to rest or looking for the salvation of a messiah, not realizing that the Messiah had already come, and they had rejected Him.

Along with that, Moses uses the word deavon. It is a noun, found only here, meaning faintness or languishing. Combined with the word nephesh, or soul, it means that the very force which impels the person would be so worn out that there would be no desire to even continue on. It is the weariness of the person that would choose death, if it would just come and end the misery.

The words here are not unlike those that the Lord spoke forth in Leviticus 26 –

“’As for those of you who are left, I will make their hearts so fearful in the lands of their enemies that the sound of a windblown leaf will put them to flight. They will run as though fleeing from the sword, and they will fall, even though no one is pursuing them.” Leviticus 26:36

Israel is the transgressor. It is he who failed to honor and serve the Lord, and his soul suffered because of his failings. But the Lord had come to take away their sin. While they were looking for a hero to exalt them among the nations, He came to restore them to the Father.

Instead of being exalted among the nations, they were abased among them, and they remain in their sin. But Christ came to refresh their souls through the pouring out of His own for them –

“He shall see the labor of His soul, and be satisfied.
By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many,
For He shall bear their iniquities.
12 Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great,
And He shall divide the spoil with the strong,
Because He poured out His soul unto death,
And He was numbered with the transgressors,
And He bore the sin of many,
And made intercession for the transgressors.” Isaiah 53:11, 12

66 Your life shall hang in doubt before you;

v’hayu khayekha teluim lekha mineged – “And will become your life hang to you from before.” Again, Moses introduces a new word, tala. It is a verb meaning “to hang.” It is found only here and in Hosea 11:7. Figuratively is signifies uncertainty.

The words are obvious when considered. It will be as if nothing can be trusted from moment to moment. Each moment is one of doubt and the next will be as well. No matter what one attempts in order to provide a state of constancy, there will always be nothing but fear of life. This state will then continue twenty-four hours a day…

66 (con’t) you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life.

u-pakhadta laylah v’yomam v’lo taamin b’khayekha – “and you shall fear night and day and no you have assurance in life.” Another new word is given, pakhad. It is a verb meaning “to dread.” These words further define the previous clause.

The life of Israel hangs before it in doubt. As such, there is dread at all times. Throughout the night, and throughout the day. There is never a time when life will seem secure.

It is as if the entire nation is a soldier on a battlefield with bombs falling nearby constantly. There is never a moment where the fear of the “next one maybe being it” is over. Life, its continuance, has no foothold of surety at all. The sword of Damocles is always present. Of this verse, Luther says –

“I have never seen a passage which describes more clearly the misery of a guilty conscience, in words and thoughts so fitting and appropriate. For this is just the way in which a man is affected, who knows that God is offended, i.e., who is harassed with the consciousness of sin.” Martin Luther

This is a right analogy, and it calls into focus the words of the first clause, “Your life shall hang in doubt before you.” Israel rejected Christ, the crucified Savior. The knowledge of this event is known to them, and somewhere in the back of their minds, they have pieced it together.

They understand the symbolism of their writings, and the thought of their sin before God lingers because their sin hung before them on the cross, if only they will acknowledge it. But in not believing Him, it is their life that hangs in doubt. And because of this…

67 In the morning you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’

Properly translated, it reads, “In the morning you will say, ‘Who will give me evening?’ and in the evening you will say, ‘Who will give me morning?’” (CG). It is as if a petition to God, but the Lord is left out of the conversation.

In other words, instead of appealing to the Lord, Israel stubbornly asks for anyone to help, but the Lord. It is reflective of the words of Amos 6:10 –

“Hold your tongue! For we dare not mention the name of the Lord.”

The Lord hangs before them. Their consciences intuitively know this, and yet they will call out in any direction except His. And their cry is…

67 (con’t) because of the fear which terrifies your heart, and because of the sight which your eyes see.

One can think of the most recent example set before the world, that of the holocaust. The Jews of Europe faced everything that has been presented in the verses today. They begged for day during the night, and they begged for night during the day.

The things they experienced brought them dread in their hearts, and what they saw brought terror to their eyes. Moses spoke out the words of terror and horror that would come upon the people. They are – meaning the law is – a mirror for them to behold. Its words direct their actions, and the resulting horrors, back upon themselves.

68 “And the Lord will take you back to Egypt in ships,

It is the highest disgrace of all. Not only is it exile from the land, but it is exile back to the very place from which they had been redeemed. They walked out of Egypt as a free people, led by the Lord. But the Lord Himself will take them back in ships, meaning as slaves, as a people cursed of the Lord. And this will be…

68 (con’t) by the way of which I said to you, ‘You shall never see it again.’

It says, ba’derek amarti lekha – “in the way I said to you.” One could assume that this is referring to not returning to Egypt as was seen in Deuteronomy 17. There, it said –

“But he shall not multiply horses for himself, nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses, for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’” Deuteronomy 17:16

However, I would argue that this is speaking of the state of slavery. Rather than, “You shall not return that way again,” meaning going back to Egypt. Moses now speaks of the way, saying, “You shall never see it again.” Israel is being returned to something by the Lord, and it is in ships. Thus, they are bound as slaves.

As real slaves, according to Josephus, this was fulfilled under Titus. But without the law and without Christ, this has also spiritually been fulfilled in Israel. The law gave them the Day of Atonement. Christ is the fulfillment of that. Outside of the land, and without Christ, there is no atonement, and thus the people are, literally, slaves to sin –

“Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, ‘If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. 32 And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.’
33 They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham’s descendants, and have never been in bondage to anyone. How can You say, “You will be made free’?’”
34 Jesus answered them, ‘Most assuredly, I say to you, whoever commits sin is a slave of sin. 35 And a slave does not abide in the house forever, but a son abides forever. 36 Therefore if the Son makes you free, you shall be free indeed.’” John 8:31-36

This is what is being conveyed. Egypt is only a type of the true bondage that man suffers under. As for the literal fulfillment of this, Moses next says…

*68 (fin) And there you shall be offered for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”

The translation is incorrect. It says, “And you shall sell yourselves there.” It is in the plural, and it is the action of the people themselves. In other words, it is a petition to be sold into bondage just so that they could have a master over them in order to eat and have a place to sleep.

But it says that for Israel, v’ein qoneh – “and no buying.” For their physical bodies, none would be interested. And for their spiritual selves, there is none to redeem. They had rejected the Lord and because of their sin, the devil is their owner.

With these words, one of the most mournful passages of all of Scripture comes to a close. What makes it so much the case is that it explains everything in advance. There is nothing that was hidden from them. The choice for obedience and blessing, or disobedience and cursing, rested solely with Israel.

The Lord set the two before them through Moses, and whatever resulted is solely the responsibility of Israel. But let none of us be smug in what has come upon them. They are simply a template of what will come upon each of us.

We can come to the Lord and be saved, or we will remain in the bonds of sin and death that He came to destroy. And just as the Lord has faithfully kept Israel, even through their destruction, so He will keep any whom He redeems.

Thank God for His faithfulness to unfaithful Israel. And thank God for His faithfulness to us. He is a great and wonderful God who has set us free from our bonds. Yes. Thank God for His tender mercies. Yes, thank God for JESUS!

I came to You with nothing,
Only buckets of my sins.
You stretched your arms
Around me
And you said, “welcome in.”
I cried for forgiveness.
You wiped my tears away.
You emptied all the buckets
When I called upon your name.

You told me that, “I’m loved,”
You told me, “this’s my home.”
You told me, “I’m forgiven!”
“No longer I’m alone”
You told me, “live in peace.”
You told me, “I’m the Christ.”
“I’m the price for your sins
and your everlasting life

I carried now the buckets
No longer full of sins.
But full of living water,
Of mercies flowing in.
I see other people
caring buckets of despair.
But mine are full of forgiveness,
And good news to be shared. Izabela Bednara

Closing Verse: “What then? Shall we sin because we are not under law but under grace? Certainly not! 16 Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness? 17 But God be thanked that though you were slaves of sin, yet you obeyed from the heart that form of doctrine to which you were delivered. 18 And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.” Romans 6:15-18

Next Week: Luke 1:26-38 A marvelous thing God will do… (The Power of the Highest Will Overshadow You) (2021 Christmas Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. But He also has expectations of you as He prepares you for entrance into His Land of Promise. So, follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

The Blessings and the Curses

You shall be left few in number
Whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude
Because you would not obey
The voice of the LORD your God, such was your attitude

And it shall be, that just as the LORD rejoiced over you
To do you good and multiply you, so to you I address
So the LORD will rejoice over you to destroy you
———-and bring you to nothing
And you shall be plucked from off the land
———-which you go to possess

“Then the LORD will scatter you among all peoples
From one end of the earth to the other, so you will dwell alone
And there you shall serve other gods
Which neither you nor your fathers have known—wood and stone

And among those nations you shall find no rest
Nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place
But there the LORD will give you a trembling heart
Failing eyes, and anguish of soul – there in your disgrace

Your life shall hang in doubt before you
You shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life
———-so I give you this warning
In the morning you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were evening!
And at evening you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!

Because of the fear which terrifies your heart, so shall it be
And because of the sight which your eyes see

And the LORD will take you back to Egypt in ships
By the way of which I said to you, ‘You shall never see it again
———-thus, it is true
And there you shall be offered for sale to your enemies
As male and female slaves, but no one will buy you

Lord God, turn our hearts to be obedient to Your word
Give us wisdom to be ever faithful to You
May we carefully heed each thing we have heard
Yes, Lord God may our hearts be faithful and true

And we shall be content and satisfied in You alone
We will follow You as we sing our songs of praise
Hallelujah to You; to us Your path You have shown
Hallelujah we shall sing to You for all of our days

Hallelujah and Amen…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

62 You shall be left few in number, whereas you were as the stars of heaven in multitude, because you would not obey the voice of the Lord your God. 63 And it shall be, that just as the Lord rejoiced over you to do you good and multiply you, so the Lord will rejoice over you to destroy you and bring you to nothing; and you shall be plucked from off the land which you go to possess.

64 “Then the Lord will scatter you among all peoples, from one end of the earth to the other, and there you shall serve other gods, which neither you nor your fathers have known—wood and stone. 65 And among those nations you shall find no rest, nor shall the sole of your foot have a resting place; but there the Lord will give you a trembling heart, failing eyes, and anguish of soul. 66 Your life shall hang in doubt before you; you shall fear day and night, and have no assurance of life. 67 In the morning you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were evening!’ And at evening you shall say, ‘Oh, that it were morning!’ because of the fear which terrifies your heart, and because of the sight which your eyes see.

68 “And the Lord will take you back to Egypt in ships, by the way of which I said to you, ‘You shall never see it again.’ And there you shall be offered for sale to your enemies as male and female slaves, but no one will buy you.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Acts 3:12

Charlie Garrett Acts (Written)

Sunday, 19 December 2021

So when Peter saw it, he responded to the people: “Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? Acts 3:12

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen)

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

It was just seen how the people ran together in amazement at what had taken place. Now, their attitude concerning this miracle becomes clear. They have misunderstood what the Source of the miracle actually is. It is something Peter will correct in his words ahead. As such, he begins with, “So when Peter saw it.”

This refers to the previous words, “all the people ran together to them.” The implication is that they think that what happened was because of the miraculous power of Peter and John. Running to them may have included words like, “Explain how you did it,” or “Let us see more of this.” Whatever it was, something clued Peter into the fact that the multitude thinks it was the apostles who are behind the healing. As such, it says, “he responded to the people.”

The Greek more literally reads, “he answered to the people.” However, saying this, the Bible’s use of “answering” someone is not the way we use the term today. It can mean to answer, as in a response, but it also means “to take up a conversation.”

It also can be an answer based on an inferred, but unstated question. This is probably the case here. Even if the questions speculated on a moment ago were not actually asked, the expression of the people alone would be sufficient to elicit such an answer. With that in mind, Peter begins his discourse with, “Men of Israel.”

The Greek reads, “men, Israelites.” This is their defining clan and culture. Today, the term “Jew” is applied in the same manner, coming from the predominant tribe of Judah. However, before that became the customary identification, being an Israelite was the first and most important designation. It is to this group of people, descended from Jacob – who is Israel – that the next words are spoken, “why do you marvel at this?”

This is the same word used to describe the state of the people in Acts 2:7 –

“Then they were all amazed and marveled, saying to one another, ‘Look, are not all these who speak Galileans?’”

Peter could look at the faces and tell what was on their minds. There was the same sense of confused wonder that he had seen among the people when the Holy Spirit came upon the disciples at Pentecost. At that time, Peter seized the opportunity to tell the people about the marvelous workings of God in Christ. Such will be the case again now. But to continue to settle their minds first, he asks again, “Or why look so intently at us.”

The verb is the same as in Acts 3:4. The beggar fixed his eyes on Peter and John when he thought he would receive alms from them. Now, the people have intently fixed their gaze upon them, looking for an answer to what now so greatly perplexed them. With these questions carefully directed to the multitude, Peter is able to begin to redirect their attention to the One who is the Healer of the crippled beggar. He does this by asking, “as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk?”

Peter implicitly denies their having performed the miracle under either their own “power” or “godliness.” The word translated as “power” signifies might, strength, ability, and so on. They lacked the medical skills to heal the man, they lacked the power to heal him, and so on. There was nothing in them that could account for the healing.

The word translated as “godliness” is introduced into Scripture, eusebeia. Other than this one use in Acts, it is seen only where it is used heavily by Paul in the pastoral epistles, and then four times by Peter in his second epistle. The word “godliness” is probably the best possible translation. It signifies piety or a right-hearted response towards God.

By asking in the manner he has, denying such power is their own, Peter is clearly indicating that the healing was not something connected to these traits in either he or John. Rather, an explanation of where the miracle stemmed from must be provided.

Life application: Peter and John could have immediately seized upon the moment and drawn attention to themselves. But before that is even hinted at, they rightly redirect the people’s attention away from themselves.

Who is it that deserves the attention, praise, and acclamation for the things that have been done through you? If you are a faithful follower of Christ, it is always right to redirect compliments given to you about your abilities and capabilities to the Lord. It is He who fashioned humanity, and you are a human being. It is He who knows you would be born when you were, what your DNA makeup would be, that you would receive His offer of Jesus, and so on.

As such, everything ultimately stems from Him, and He should be given the credit for all good things that stem from your life. It can be hard to not accept praise, especially when you put a lot of effort into the things you do. And you can be complimented at a time when it catches you off guard. At such a time, you may accept the compliment without even thinking about it.

But if we can be of the mind to continuously redirect praises and the like to the Lord, we do well. Let us endeavor to do this. And by doing so, it would be hoped that those who hear our words will truly want to know why we are so willing to give credit to Him. One never knows where the first opportunity to share the gospel will arise. And this attitude may be just the place.

Heavenly Father, help us to live our lives in a manner that will ultimately be pleasing to You and glorifying of You in the sight of others. This is good and right, so help our minds to be always tuned into this attitude. Amen.

 

 

 

Acts 3:11

Charlie Garrett Acts (Written)

Saturday, 18 December 2021

Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John, all the people ran together to them in the porch which is called Solomon’s, greatly amazed. Acts 3:11

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

Luke continues to describe the excitement of the healing of the beggar which took place, saying, “Now as the lame man who was healed held on to Peter and John.” The idea here is not of needing support from them. He has already been shown to walk around and even leap. Luke is saying that he, now being swarmed by the multitude, does not want to get separated from Peter and John. And so, in order for that to not occur, he literally seizes them and clings onto them. The verb is a present participle. He “is clinging” to them.

The need for this becomes more evident with the next words, which read, “all the people ran together to them.” There is an excited fever of awe and wonder, and as one draws nearer so does another and another. Everyone wanted to be able to participate in the event surrounding them.

The same thing was seen when Jesus was active in His ministry. In Luke 8, for example, it says twice that the multitudes thronged Him. He was so pressed in by them that when someone purposefully touched him for healing, He was unaware of who it was. Here, likewise, the crowds are thronging these three. The beggar did not want to be separated from them, and so he steadfastly clung to them. This was “in the porch which is called Solomon’s.”

The word translated as “porch” is stoa. It refers to a portico. It is a covered colonnade, normally open on one side, where people would gather. This particular portico is known as “Solomon’s.” Charles Ellicott describes it –

“The porch—or better, portico or cloister—was outside the Temple, on the eastern side. It consisted, in the Herodian Temple, of a double row of Corinthian columns, about thirty-seven feet high, and received its name as having been in part constructed, when the Temple was rebuilt by Zerubbabel, with the fragments of the older edifice. The people tried to persuade Herod Agrippa the First to pull it down and rebuild it, but he shrank from the risk and cost of such an undertaking (Jos. Ant. xx. 9, § 7). It was, like the porticos in all Greek cities, a favourite place of resort, especially as facing the morning sun in winter.”

There, in this gathering place, it says the people who thronged these three were “greatly amazed.” The words are translated from a single Greek word found only here in Scripture, ekthambos. It goes beyond astonishment to a sense of bewilderment. Most of them were fully aware of who the beggar was. All of them were now apprised of the matter, even if they were previously unaware of him.

The name Solomon is derived from the word shalom, or “peace,” “wholeness,” or “soundness.” The giving of the name is explained in 1 Chronicles 22 –

“Then he called for his son Solomon, and charged him to build a house for the Lord God of Israel. 7 And David said to Solomon: ‘My son, as for me, it was in my mind to build a house to the name of the Lord my God; 8 but the word of the Lord came to me, saying, ‘You have shed much blood and have made great wars; you shall not build a house for My name, because you have shed much blood on the earth in My sight. 9 Behold, a son shall be born to you, who shall be a man of rest; and I will give him rest from all his enemies all around. His name shall be Solomon, for I will give peace and quietness to Israel in his days.’” 1 Chronicles 22:6-9

In one way, there was anything but “peace,” meaning quietude, in the portico that day. And yet, for the beggar who is now healed, there is a sense of completeness and peace that had never existed before. His body was formed into a state of shalom that he had never previously known.

It is with the crowd, in the state of bewildered excitement because of the miracle performed on him, that Peter will seize the opportunity to address the crowd and explain the marvel of what God had done in Christ.

Life application: The physical healing of this man is actually nothing in comparison to the healing that occurs in a sinner who has been reconciled to God through Christ. The gulf between the two was an infinite one. But God can span the infinite in Christ – the God/Man. His humanity can remove the stain of sin from the soul worn down by it. And His deity can then reach out to His Father to span the gap and form a bridge between the two.

The same sense of astonishment that filled the people of Israel at the healing of the beggar should be experienced by all who know the miracle that has occurred in each of the redeemed of the Lord. But too often, we miss the spiritual, focusing too heavily on the physical. Let us consider the glory of what God has done in our lives, and let us never fail to wonder at the majesty of the cross of Christ. Through it, there is perfect healing and total restoration for the weary soul.

Lord God, thank You for what You have done in Christ to reconcile us back to Yourself. We were sinners in need of a Savior, and through His cross we are restored. Thank You for the great things You have done for us in our lives. Amen.

 

 

 

 

Genesis 7, 1-24 (Noahs Flut)

Charlie Garrett Deutsch/German

Genesis 7, 1-24 (Noahs Flut)

Einleitung:

Hier sind wir nun… 7. Kapitel der Bibel und eine weitere scheinbar unglaubliche Geschichte. Wir sind aber schon auf andere gestoßen. Die sechs Tage der Schöpfung stellten ein Problem dar, wenn man an die Evolution denkt und daran, dass die Dinge Milliarden von Jahren alt sind.

Wir haben darüber gesprochen, dass der Mensch aus dem Staub erschaffen wurde, anstatt sich aus Schleim zu entwickeln, und dass die Frau aus einer Rippe des Mannes geschaffen wurde. Wir haben einen Blick in die Berichte von Männern geworfen, die fast tausend Jahre alt wurden, und wir haben gesehen, wie Menschen zu immenser Größe heranwuchsen.

All diese Dinge sind im Buch der Anfänge so schnell auf uns zugekommen. Und jetzt werden wir uns mit der Sintflut von Noah beschäftigen. Es ist eine Geschichte, die die meisten Menschen kennen, und doch fällt es uns so schwer, sie zu akzeptieren. Ist die Geschichte wahr?

Die Bibel ist die Grundlage unseres Lebens, und die Genesis ist die Grundlage der Bibel. Es wäre unglaubwürdig, wenn Gottes Wort mit einem Haufen von Mythen, Übertreibungen oder Lügen beginnen würde.

Letzte Woche haben wir uns Verse angesehen, die bestätigen, dass die Verfasser des Neuen Testaments diese Geschichte für 100% wahr hielten. Und das gilt auch für Jesus, unseren Herrn. Er sprach von Noah als einer realen Person und vom Bericht als wörtlich zu nehmend. Es gibt also nur 2 Möglichkeiten: Entweder Er wollte seinen Zuhörern schmeicheln, oder Er sagte uns, dass der Bericht wahr ist.

Wenn du wie ich glaubst, dass Jesus der menschgewordene Gott und die Grundlage unseres Glaubens ist, dann kannst du nicht sagen, dass Er Seinem Publikum nur schmeicheln wollte; der Herr lügt nicht. Für uns, die wir an das Wort Gottes glauben, gibt es nur eine mögliche Antwort auf die Frage, ob die Flut wirklich stattgefunden hat oder nicht. Sie hat stattgefunden.

Und es ist eine Geschichte von unermesslicher Liebe und Treue inmitten des Gerichts – Liebe für das Werk der Hände des Schöpfers und Treue zu denen, die ebenfalls gerecht, rechtschaffen und vor allem treu waren.

Textvers:

Einen kleinen Augenblick habe ich dich verlassen; aber mit großer Barmherzigkeit werde ich dich sammeln. In überwallendem Zorn habe ich einen Augenblick mein Angesicht vor dir verborgen; aber mit ewiger Gnade will ich mich über dich erbarmen, spricht der Herr, dein Erlöser. Und das soll mir sein wie die Wasser Noahs: Denn wie ich geschworen habe, dass die Wasser Noahs nie mehr die Erde überfluten sollen, so habe ich geschworen, dass ich nie mehr über dich zornig werden noch dich schelten werde.

Jesaja 54,7-9

Möge Gott heute durch Sein Wort zu uns sprechen, und möge Sein glorreicher Name immer gepriesen werden.

I. Noah war ein rechtschaffener Mann

1 Und der Herr sprach zu Noah: „Geh in die Arche, du und dein ganzes Haus! Denn dich allein habe ich vor mir gerecht erfunden unter diesem Geschlecht.
2 Nimm von allem reinen Vieh je sieben und sieben mit dir, das Männchen und sein Weibchen; von dem unreinen Vieh aber je ein Paar, das Männchen und sein Weibchen;
3 auch von den Vögeln des Himmels je sieben und sieben, Männchen und Weibchen, um auf dem ganzen Erdboden Nachkommen am Leben zu erhalten.
4 Denn es sind nur noch sieben Tage, dann will ich es regnen lassen auf der Erde, 40 Tage und 40 Nächte lang, und ich will alles Bestehende, das ich gemacht habe, vom Erdboden vertilgen.“
5 Und Noah tat alles ganz wie der Herr es ihm geboten hatte.
6 Und Noah war 600 Jahre alt, als die Wasser der Sintflut auf die Erde kamen. 

Noah war in seinen Generationen gerecht vor Gott. Was bedeutet das im Kontext der Bibel und was können wir daraus lernen?

Das kostenlose Online-Wörterbuch, für das ich keinen Pfennig bezahlen musste, definiert “gerecht” folgendermaßen: “moralisch. befasst sich mit den Grundsätzen von richtig und falsch oder mit der Einhaltung von Verhaltens- und Charakternormen, die auf diesen Grundsätzen beruhen; “moralischer Sinn”; “eine moralische Prüfung”; “eine moralische Lektion”; “eine moralische Zwickmühle”; “moralische Überzeugungen”; “ein moralisches Leben”.

Es gibt viele andere Definitionen, die ausreichen würden, aber diese hier ist besonders gut, weil sie das Wort “moralisch” ständig wiederholt. Wenn Noah in seiner Generation vor Gott gerecht war, dann hat diese Gerechtigkeit damit zu tun, dass Noahs Moral mit Gottes Moral übereinstimmt. Wie kann man das wissen?

Moral muss irgendwo herkommen. Wenn ich meine Frau liebe, dann ist das nicht aus einem Apfelbaum entstanden. Stattdessen kam diese Liebe von irgendwoher und wurde auf der Grundlage eines perfekten Standards definiert. Die Liebe entsteht nicht einfach zufällig. Und das gilt auch für alle anderen moralischen Tugenden.

Wenn jemand aus Fahrlässigkeit mit seinem Auto gegen mein Auto stößt, werde ich ärgerlich. Und warum? Weil es in mir einen Sinn für Gerechtigkeit und Rechtschaffenheit gibt. Und das beruht auf einem perfekten Maßstab für diese Dinge. Wenn das nicht der Fall wäre, würden wir wie Autoscooter aneinander abprallen und es wäre egal… aber es ist so.

Ich spreche mich gegen die Abtreibung aus, jemand anderes ist dafür. Die Tatsache, dass wir uns überhaupt mit diesem Thema beschäftigen, liegt daran, dass es einen Standard gibt, über den wir streiten. Der eine ist näher an dieser Norm, der andere weiter davon entfernt, aber es gibt sie ganz sicher.

Wenn ein objektives Gesetz wie die Wahrheit, die Gerechtigkeit oder die Rechtschaffenheit Noahs unabhängig von unserem individuellen Verstand existiert – und das tut es -, dann muss es von einem vollkommenen Geist stammen.

Jemand könnte sagen: “Ich bin anderer Meinung, alles ist bedeutungslos”. Was ist das Problem dabei? Es ist selbstzerstörerisch, weil man davon ausgeht, dass die Aussage sinnvoll ist. Selbst wenn wir versuchen, von der Bedeutung wegzukommen, demonstrieren wir nur noch mehr Bedeutung.

Dies soll keine philosophische Übung sein, sondern eine Erklärung, warum Noah in seiner Generation rechtschaffen war. Das lag daran, dass sein Moralkodex und sein moralischer Standard mit dem des Schöpfers übereinstimmten. Das ist es, was wir über den Bericht wissen müssen, um ihn in dem Kontext zu verstehen, in dem er gegeben wird.

Erinnere dich an Genesis 6, wo es drei wichtige Verse gab –

Da sah der HERR, dass die Bosheit des Menschen auf Erden groß war und dass alle Gedanken seines Herzens nur böse waren, immerzu.

Noah war ein gerechter Mann, vollkommen in seinem Geschlecht.

Aber Noah fand Gnade in den Augen des HERRN.

Das ist es, was Gott uns an diesem Punkt der Geschichte wissen lassen will. Aber vielleicht gibt es noch mehr, was Gott uns sagen will, wenn wir die Dinge mit offenen Augen betrachten.

Was brauchte Adam, um nach dem Sündenfall von Gott bekleidet zu werden? Was machte Abels Opfergabe annehmbarer als die von Kain? Was führte dazu, dass die Menschen am Ende von Kapitel 4 den Herrn anriefen? Was veranlasste Methusalahs Eltern, ihm einen prophetischen Namen über die kommende Flut zu geben?

All dies beruhte auf dem Glauben. Aus den drei Versen, die wir gerade in Kapitel 6 gelesen haben, können wir also schließen, dass die Bosheit der Menschen auf der Erde auf einem Mangel an Glauben beruhte. Wir können auch ableiten, dass Noah durch den Glauben als gerecht angesehen wurde. Und wir können daraus schließen, dass die Gnade, die er erhielt, auf diesen Glauben zurückzuführen ist.

Noahs Moral entsprang dem Glauben, und deshalb war sie eine richtig ausgerichtete Moral. Nicht jeder, der sich gegen die Abtreibung ausspricht, tut dies, weil er glaubt, dass dies Gottes Maßstab ist. Sie basiert auf Gottes Maßstab, das haben wir bereits gesehen, aber es ist der Glaube an die Tatsache, dass es Gottes Maßstab ist, der die Entscheidung vor Gott gerechtfertigt erscheinen lässt. Nicht die Tatsache, dass der Standard gehalten wird.

Wenn ein Atheist nicht für die Abtreibung ist, bedeutet das für Gott nichts. Er könnte genauso gut Kinder zum Frühstück essen. Nur wenn der Glaube und die Taten zusammenwirken, sind sie für Gott annehmbar. Mit anderen Worten: Die Taten sind – per Definition – Taten des Glaubens. Paulus sagt: “Denn darin wird die Gerechtigkeit Gottes geoffenbart von Glaube zu Glaube, wie geschrieben steht: ‘Der Gerechte wird aus Glauben leben.'” Von allen Menschen, die zu seiner Zeit auf der Erde lebten, war Noah dieser Mann.

Letzte Woche hat Noah eine Arche gebaut. Beruhte das auf Glauben oder auf Sehen? Es war Glaube. Gott sagte, die Flut würde kommen, und Noah hätte sagen können: “Flut, Flut, welche Flut? Geh mir aus dem Kopf, du Stimme über die Flut”. Stattdessen begann er, ohne jemals eine solche Flut gesehen zu haben, mit dem Bau einer Arche.

Erinnere dich an Hebräer 11,7 –

Durch Glauben baute Noah, als er eine göttliche Weisung empfangen hatte über die Dinge, die man noch nicht sah, von Gottesfurcht bewegt eine Arche zur Rettung seines Hauses; durch ihn verurteilte er die Welt und wurde ein Erbe der Gerechtigkeit aufgrund des Glaubens.

 Noah war also in seinem Leben treu, und er reagierte auf die göttliche Warnung mit mehr Glauben. Nachdem er eine Arche gebaut hatte, sahen wir in den Versen 2-6, dass Noah angewiesen wurde, die Arche mit den Tieren zu füllen, die Gott ihm geschickt hatte, und dass er zu diesem Zeitpunkt 600 Jahre alt war. Das war 1656 morgens und die Flut kam in nur 7 Tagen.

II. Noah war ein gehorsamer Mann

7 Da ging Noah samt seinen Söhnen, seiner Frau und den Frauen seiner Söhne in die Arche vor dem Wasser der Sintflut.
8 Von dem reinen Vieh und von dem Vieh, das nicht rein war, und von den Vögeln und von allem, was auf dem Erdboden kriecht,
9 gingen Männchen und Weibchen paarweise zu Noah in die Arche, wie Gott es dem Noah geboten hatte.

Noah gehorchte dem göttlichen Befehl und betrat die Arche. Und mit ihm gingen die Tiere und Vögel und alles, was auf der Erde kriecht. Alles, was auf der Erde kreucht und fleucht, bedeutet nicht, dass Politiker mitgenommen wurden. Vielmehr ist hier von Reptilien die Rede.

10 Und es geschah nach den sieben Tagen, dass die Wasser der Sintflut auf die Erde kamen.
11 Im sechshundertsten Lebensjahr Noahs, am siebzehnten Tag des zweiten Monats, an diesem Tag brachen alle Quellen der großen Tiefe auf, und die Fenster des Himmels öffneten sich.
12 Und es regnete auf der Erde 40 Tage und 40 Nächte lang.
13 An eben diesem Tag war Noah in die Arche gegangen mit Sem, Ham und Japhet, seinen Söhnen, und mit seiner Frau und den drei Frauen seiner Söhne;
14 sie und alle Wildtiere nach ihrer Art und alles Vieh nach seiner Art und alles Gewürm, das auf der Erde kriecht, nach seiner Art, auch alle Vögel nach ihrer Art, jeder gefiederte Vogel.
15 Und sie gingen zu Noah in die Arche, je zwei und zwei, von allem Fleisch, das Lebensodem in sich hatte.
16 Die aber hineingingen, Männchen und Weibchen von allem Fleisch, kamen herbei, wie Gott ihm geboten hatte. Und der Herr schloss hinter ihm zu.

Immer wieder wird in diesen 9 Versen auf Noahs Gehorsam hingewiesen. Noah war ein gehorsamer Mann. Ihm wurde gesagt, er solle die Arche bauen, und er baute sie. Es hatte lange gedauert, viel Mühe gekostet und wahrscheinlich auch viele Beschimpfungen. Ich kann mir die Gespräche am morgendlichen Kaffeetisch gut vorstellen. Aber trotz alledem hat Noah gehorcht.

“Noah, du verrückte Nuss, mit dem ganzen Holz, das du für diese Kiste benutzt hast, hättest du einen Turm zum Himmel bauen können. Jetzt, wo ich es erwähne, wäre das vielleicht mal ein gutes Projekt. Eine Flut!? Noah, du bist ein außergewöhnlicher Verrückter…”

Noah, du bist verrückt, all diese Bäume zu verschwenden.
Und deine Zeit mit diesen verrückten Umständen
Es gibt nicht so etwas wie eine Fahrt auf hoher See
Alles Wasser der Welt wäre nicht genug geschmolzener Schnee

Diese große Kiste auch nur einen Zentimeter zu erheben
Hmmm, was ist das für ein Rumpeln, Noah, was ist das für ein Beben?

Wie ich schon sagte, deine Arbeit ist umsonst
Und diese Tiere werden dich arm fressen bevor du ankommst
Das, was du “Regen” nennst, gibt es nicht.
Aber diese Wolken sehen seltsam aus vor der Tür, komische Sicht

Wie auch immer, Noah, hör auf so ein Narr zu sein
Ich liebe dich, aber du bist eine alte Nuss, alt wie Wein

Von welchem Gericht und welcher Strafe redest du da?
Was ist das für ein “heiliges Leben”, das du mir setzt in Ohr gar?
Nur eine Minute, ich gehe zur Tür, um das Wetter auszuschließen
Die großen alten Wolken kommen langsam näher, solche Riesen.

Wohin gehst du, Noah? Zu der Arche da drüben?
Na, dann viel Spaß und wir sehen uns, später beim Pflügen
Was ist das für ein nasses Zeug, das da aus der Luft kommt?
Das kann nicht das sein, was Noah “Regen” genannt hat – am ganzen Horizont.

Hooo Noah, lass mich in dein Boot
Ich fühle mich hier draußen ganz bedroht
Das Wasser steht mir schon bis zu den Socken
Und ich fürchte, es steigt schnell noch höher zu meinen Locken

Ich kann dir gar nicht sagen, wie wichtig das Konzept des Gehorsams für Gott ist. Gehorsam ist das, was zu Leben, Glück und einer engen und persönlichen Beziehung zu Gott führt. Auf der anderen Seite gibt es den Ungehorsam. Er führt zu Verlust, Traurigkeit, Bestrafung, Tod und Verurteilung.

Das ist die Realität. Wenn wir nicht gehorsam sind, ziehen wir uns das Unglück nur selbst zu. Wenn wir gehorsam sind, dann werden die Dinge, abgesehen von Zeit und Zufall, immer besser laufen.

Wie wichtig ist es, dem Wort Gottes zu gehorchen? Die Bibel ist voll von den Folgen des Ungehorsams. Saul, der erste König Israels, verlor dadurch das Recht auf das Königtum. Und er, seine Söhne und seine Nachkommen starben deswegen. Samuel legte es Saul nach seinem Ungehorsam offen:

Samuel sagte zu Saul: “Freut Jahwe sich mehr über Opfer, die man schlachtet und verbrennt, als daran, dass man ihm gehorcht? Merk dir: Gehorsam ist ihm wichtiger als Opfer, auf ihn zu hören, ist ihm mehr wert als das Fett vieler Schafböcke. Ungehorsam ist für ihn eine Sünde wie die Zauberei, Auflehnung gegen ihn so schlimm wie Götzendienst. Weil du das Wort Jahwes verworfen hast, verwirft er auch dich als König.”
Samuel 15,22+23

Ungehorsam ist Ungerechtigkeit, weil er einen Mangel an Glauben zeigt. Da ist es wieder, dieses Wort. Egal, welche Bibelstelle oder welches Thema wir betrachten, das Wort “Glaube” taucht unweigerlich auf.

Sogar bei den Tieren, die auf die Arche gebracht werden, sehen wir den Glauben. Noah wurde gesagt, er solle von jedem Tier zwei auf die Arche bringen, aber sieben von jedem reinen Tier. Aber die Bibel hat bis zu diesem Punkt nicht gesagt, welche Tiere rein waren und welche nicht.

Dies hat moderne Gelehrte zu der Behauptung veranlasst, dass diese Verse später von den Priestern Israels eingefügt wurden. Aber es gibt überhaupt keinen Grund, zu dieser Schlussfolgerung zu kommen. Hier ist, was ein Kommentar zu sagen hat –

“Denn die Unterscheidung zwischen reinen und unreinen Tieren stammt nicht von Mose, sondern wurde von ihm als eine seit langem bestehende Sitte bestätigt, die mit dem Gesetz in Einklang steht. Sie reichte bis in die frühesten Zeiten zurück und entsprang einem bestimmten angeborenen Gefühl des menschlichen Geistes…”

Da es noch kein göttliches Gebot darüber gab, welche Tiere rein waren, stellt der Kommentar richtig fest, dass der Mensch von Natur aus wusste, was für ein Opfer geeignet war und was nicht. Das mosaische Gesetz war ein direktes Gebot Gottes und baute auf bereits bestehenden Bräuchen auf. Mehr können wir nicht hineininterpretieren.

Es war nun das sechshundertste Jahr von Noahs Leben, und es heißt, dass die Flut im zweiten Monat am siebzehnten Tag des Monats kam. Das wäre im Oktober/November um die Herbsttagundnachtgleiche gewesen.

Während die Welt ihre nächste Ernte einbrachte, bereitete sich Noah auf etwas anderes vor. Während die Welt wahrscheinlich die Ausrichtung der Himmelskörper anbetete, betete Noah den Herrn an. Während die Welt ihre nächste Ernte erwartete, rechnete Noah mit einer Flut.

An jenem Tag brachen alle Quellen der großen Tiefe auf, und die Fenster des Himmels wurden geöffnet. Und es heißt, dass der Regen vierzig Tage und vierzig Nächte auf der Erde war.

Die Welt war wahrscheinlich ein bisschen kleiner als heute. Und die Bibel sagt, dass sie ursprünglich eine große Menge an Wasser in unterirdischen Hohlräumen hatte und auch ein gefrorenes Gewölbe über ihr war. Als diese Dinge aufbrachen, war eine globale Flut die Folge.

Wenn du dir einmal eine geologische Karte der Erde ansiehst, sieht sie aus wie ein Baseball. Früher war das nicht der Fall, aber als die Erde aus den Nähten platzte, zerbrachen die Platten an den Stellen, an denen sich der Wasserdruck aufgebaut hatte. Seitdem haben sich diese Platten weiter bewegt, und der Umfang der Erde hat sich vergrößert.

Das gefrorene Gewölbe wäre ebenfalls unter diesen Druck geraten, und zusammen mit dem Wasser, das in die Atmosphäre geschleudert wurde, ist der vierzig Tage andauernde Regen durchaus plausibel. Die größere Erde und das Fehlen eines Gewölbes über der Erde würden sicherlich viele der Veränderungen erklären, die nach der Flut eingetreten sind.

Noah brach zum größten Seeabenteuer der Welt auf, weil Noah ein gehorsamer Mann war.

III. Noah war ein geduldiger Mann

17 Und die Sintflut war 40 Tage auf der Erde, und die Wasser schwollen an und hoben die Arche hoch, sodass sie über der Erde schwebte.
18 Und die Wasser wurden so gewaltig und nahmen so sehr zu auf der Erde, dass die Arche auf den Wassern dahinfuhr.
19 Ja, die Wasser nahmen so sehr überhand auf der Erde, dass alle hohen Berge unter dem ganzen Himmel bedeckt wurden;
20 die Wasser stiegen noch 15 Ellen höher, nachdem die Berge schon bedeckt waren.
21 Da ging alles Fleisch zugrunde, das sich regte auf der Erde: Vögel, Vieh und wilde Tiere und alles, was wimmelte auf der Erde, samt allen Menschen;
22 und es starb alles, was Lebensodem hatte auf dem trockenen Land.
23 Er vertilgte alles Bestehende auf dem Erdboden, vom Menschen bis zum Vieh, bis zum Gewürm und zu den Vögeln des Himmels — alles wurde von der Erde vertilgt; nur Noah blieb übrig und was mit ihm in der Arche war.
24 Und die Wasser blieben hoch über der Erde, 150 Tage lang.

Ich habe diese Verse bestimmt 50 oder mehr Mal gelesen, und bis ich sie vor dem Tippen dieser Worte erneut las, hatte ich nie über die Menschen nachgedacht, wie sie waren. Es war immer weit weg.

Die Flut kam, um Noah zu retten und die Bösen zu vernichten. Aber es wurde persönlich, als ich über diese Menschen aus der Perspektive der Menschen um mich herum und der Menschen, die ich liebe und die nicht gläubig sind, nachdachte.

Das waren echte Menschen – wahrscheinlich Milliarden von ihnen, genau wie die Menschen, denen wir jeden Tag auf der Straße begegnen. Sie waren wie der alte Freund oder die alte Freundin, mit denen wir früher zusammen waren und an die wir immer noch denken, wenn unsere Gemüter still sind.

Sie waren genau wie die Menschen, die uns bei der Arbeit so lieb sind und die wir in unserer Nachbarschaft sehen. Ich habe Freunde auf der ganzen Welt, die ich auf meinen Reisen kennengelernt habe, und seit dem elektronischen Zeitalter habe ich so viele neue hinzugewonnen. Sie alle sind Menschen, mit echten, schlagenden Herzen, echten Hoffnungen, Wünschen und Bestrebungen. Und jeder Einzelne von ihnen ist entweder in Adam oder in Christus. Das sind die beiden einzigen Möglichkeiten.

Noah war ein geduldiger Mann. Er predigte den Menschen, die er liebte, bis zur Flut. Er tat es durch Worte und er tat es durch sein Handeln. Und auch heute predigt er durch diese Taten den Menschen, die ihm zuhören wollen. Er wartete geduldig auf das Timing des Herrn, und seine Geduld muss mit großer Traurigkeit verbunden gewesen sein.

Wenn ich die Welt ins Verderben stürzen würde, während ich aus diesem Verderben gerettet werde, würde mein Herz für diese Menschen brechen. Ich würde ihnen von Gott erzählen, von Seiner Liebe zur Welt, von einem gerechten Leben und von Seinem Sohn, Jesus Christus. Das ist es, was ich tun würde, wenn die, die ich so sehr liebe, auf dem Weg in die ewige Trennung von Gott und in die Hölle wären.

Moment mal… die Welt ist dem Untergang geweiht, und einige Menschen werden daraus gerettet werden. Und ich bin einer von ihnen. Ich muss anfangen, den Menschen von Gott zu erzählen, von Seiner Liebe für die Welt, von einem gerechten Leben und von Seinem Sohn, Jesus Christus.

Das ist es, was ich tun muss, wenn ich diese Menschen wirklich liebe. Oh Gott, gib mir wieder ein Herz für die Verlorenen. Gib mir den Wunsch zu erzählen, was Du getan hast, indem Du uns durch das Blut Jesu von unseren Sünden befreit hast. Brich mir noch einmal das Herz, o Gott.

Als die Flut kam, musste Noah wieder geduldig sein. Unabhängig davon, ob er die Menschen außerhalb des Bootes hörte oder nicht, wusste er, was geschah, und er musste geduldig den Verlust aller Menschen ertragen, die er kannte – sicherlich viele aus seiner unmittelbaren Familie, Brüder und Schwestern, Onkel und Tanten und Cousins.

Menschen, mit denen er als Kind gespielt hat und Menschen, mit denen er aufgewachsen ist. Wahrscheinlich hat er geduldig gewartet, durch viele schmerzhafte Erinnerungen hindurch. Stell dir unser eigenes Leben und die Menschen vor, die wir geliebt und verloren haben. Wie niedergeschmettert wir damals waren.

Die Schmerzen verblassen, aber die Erinnerungen nicht. Noah dachte wahrscheinlich an die vielen tausend Menschen, die in sein Leben getreten waren – eine Erinnerung nach der anderen, als das Wasser stieg.

Und auch auf dem Meer musste er geduldig sein. Es regnete 40 Tage lang und die Fluten hielten 150 Tage lang an. Die ganze Zeit über mussten er und seine sieben Familienmitglieder in der stillen Einsamkeit inmitten der tobenden Fluten ausharren.

Wir lesen, dass die Wasser sehr groß waren auf der Erde, und alle hohen Berge unter dem ganzen Himmel wurden bedeckt. (20 …die Wasser stiegen noch 15 Ellen höher, nachdem die Berge schon bedeckt waren.)

Es handelte sich nicht um eine lokal begrenzte Flut, wie Skeptiker zu behaupten versuchen. Es handelte sich um eine globale Flut, bei der jeder hohe Hügel und jeder höhere Berg bedeckt und sogar überflutet wurde. Fünfzehn Ellen sind fast 25 Fuß (7,5 m). Selbst der größte der Nephilim, der auf dem Gipfel des höchsten Berges stand, konnte die Wasser, die die Erde überfluteten, nicht überwinden.

Und so starb alles. Hör dir noch einmal die Terminologie der Bibel an:
„Da ging alles zugrunde, was auf der Erde lebte und sich regte: Vögel, Herdenvieh und wilde Tiere und alle Menschen. Alles, was einen Lebenshauch in sich trug und auf dem Festland lebte, ging zugrunde.“

Die Bibel sagt es so, um uns an den Schöpfungsbericht zu erinnern: “Vögel und Vieh und Tiere und alles Gewürm, das auf Erden kriecht, und alle Menschen.” Mit anderen Worten, in Genesis 1 wurden sie alle von Gott geschaffen, und das bedeutet, dass Er jedes Recht hat, mit ihnen zu tun, was Er will. Die Luft in ihren Nasenlöchern, die der Atem des Lebensgeistes ist, wurde von Gott gegeben, und nun wurde sie ihnen weggenommen.

Nur ein perverses und abgetrenntes Herz würde den Schöpfer dafür kritisieren, wie Er mit Seiner eigenen Schöpfung umgeht. Ja, aber wir tun es. Jeder von uns tut das auf die eine oder andere Weise. Unser Freund stirbt, und wir suchen die Schuld bei Ihm. Unser Mann, unsere Frau oder unser Kind erkrankt an einer Krankheit oder hat einen Unfall und wird zum Invaliden, und wir suchen die Schuld bei Ihm. Unser Lieblingstier stirbt, und wir suchen nach Schuld.

Alle Dinge haben ein Ende, und mit der Freude mischen sich auch Trauer und Verlust. Das ist die Welt, in der wir leben, und wir sind aufgefordert, unsere Augen in solchen Momenten zu öffnen und so zu reagieren, dass wir Gottes Souveränität anerkennen.

Nachdem er alles verloren hat, außer seiner nörgelnden Frau, sagt die Bibel,

Da stand Hiob auf, riss sein Obergewand ein und schor sich den Kopf. Dann ließ er sich zur Erde sinken und beugte sich nieder. „Nackt bin ich aus dem Leib meiner Mutter gekommen, / nackt gehe ich wieder dahin. / Jahwe hat gegeben und hat es wieder genommen. / Gelobt sei der Name Jahwes.”
Hiob 1,20-21

Wie Hiob war auch Noah ein geduldiger Mann. Noah wartete, und er wurde mit dem Erbe einer neuen Welt und einem Neuanfang belohnt.

Und das Warten auf den Herrn ist kein Konzept, das es nur bei Noah gibt. Vielmehr ist es etwas, das in der Bibel Dutzende Male und in vielen Zusammenhängen erwähnt wird. Es gibt Beispiele von Menschen, die auf den Herrn warten, und von solchen, die nicht auf den Herrn warten. Du weißt aber, wo die Belohnung liegt.

Vor allem die Psalmen sind voll von Menschen, die auf den Herrn warten – Menschen in Not, Menschen, die Prüfungen durchmachen, Menschen, die von allen Seiten bedrängt werden. Aber das Ende des Wartens liegt immer in den sicheren und liebenden Armen des Herrn. Im 27. Psalm sagt David, dass es keinen anderen Ort wie diese Arme gibt –

Ich hätte den Mut verloren, wenn ich nicht geglaubt hätte
dass ich die Güte des HERRN sehen würde
im Land der Lebenden.
Warte auf den HERRN;
Sei guten Mutes!
und er wird dein Herz stärken;
Warte auf den HERRN, sage ich!
Psalm 27:13, 14

Und der Prophet Jeremia wartet nicht einfach auf den Herrn, als sei er eine Art kosmischer Süßigkeitenspender, wie so viele erwarten. Stattdessen verweist er darauf, dass er der Schöpfer und Erhalter ist. Es ist dieser liebende Gott, zu dem Jeremia aufruft –

Gibt es unter den Götzen der Völker welche, die Regen verursachen können?
Oder kann der Himmel selbst Schauer geben?
Bist du es nicht, HERR, unser Gott?
Darum wollen wir auf Dich warten,
denn du hast sie alle gemacht.
Jeremia 14:22

Und im Neuen Testament gibt es die ruhige Gewissheit, dass Jesus kommen wird, um die Dinge in Ordnung zu bringen, und zwar in einem der wenigen wirklich prophetischen Verse des Neuen Testaments außerhalb der Evangelien und der Offenbarung –

Haltet also geduldig aus, liebe Geschwister. Wartet auf das Wiederkommen des Herrn. Seht, wie der Bauer auf die köstliche Frucht der Erde wartet und sich ihretwegen geduldet, bis sie den Herbst- und Frühjahrsregen bekommt! So habt auch ihr Geduld und fasst Mut, denn das Kommen des Herrn steht bevor.
Jakobus 5,7-8

Jakobus fordert uns auf, geduldig zu sein und auf das Kommen des Herrn zu warten, und dann zitiert er den Bauern, der geduldig auf den ersten und letzten Regen wartet. Israel hat in den letzten 2000 Jahren den Spätregen vermisst. Als die Römer in das Land eindrangen, es zerstörten und das Volk vertrieben, fällten sie alle Bäume für ihre Belagerungswerke.

Dadurch veränderte sich das jahreszeitliche Klima, so dass der Regenzyklus zum Stillstand kam. Aber seit der Rückkehr Israels in sein Land haben sie Millionen von Bäumen gepflanzt und sowohl den Früh- als auch den Spätregen zurückgebracht. Jakobus sagt, dass dies die Zeit ist, unsere Herzen zu festigen, denn die Ankunft des Herrn ist nahe.

Noah war ein gerechter Mann, ein gehorsamer Mann und ein geduldiger Mann, aber die Bibel sagt, dass er die Verheißung, auf die er wartete, noch nicht erhalten hat. Der Hebräerbrief sagt uns das. Dort sehen wir, dass er und die anderen Heiligen der alten Zeit…

All diese Menschen haben Gott bis zu ihrem Tod vertraut, obwohl sie noch nicht erhielten, was er ihnen zugesagt hatte. Doch sie sahen es von fern und freuten sich darauf und gaben zu, hier auf der Erde nur Gäste und Fremde zu sein. So machten sie klar, dass sie noch auf der Suche nach einer Heimat waren. Hätten sie dabei an das Land gedacht, aus dem sie gekommen waren, hätten sie genügend Zeit gehabt, dorthin zurückzukehren. Aber sie suchten nach etwas Besserem, einer Heimat im Himmel. Deshalb schämt Gott sich auch nicht, ihr Gott genannt zu werden, denn er hat ihnen eine Stadt im Himmel gebaut.
Hebräer 11, 13-16

Für das Volk Gottes ist eine Stadt vorbereitet worden. Schau dir die Welt mit all ihrer Schönheit an. Sieh dir die Pracht des Universums an und die Herrlichkeit dessen, was Gott getan hat. Sechs Tage. Er hat das alles in nur sechs Tagen getan. Als Jesus uns vor 2000 Jahren verließ, sagte er dies zu den Aposteln.

Im Haus meines Vaters gibt es viele Wohnungen. Wenn es nicht so wäre, dann hätte ich es euch gesagt. Ich gehe jetzt voraus, um einen Platz für euch vorzubereiten. Und wenn ich dann alles vorbereitet habe, komme ich zurück und werde euch zu mir holen, damit auch ihr da seid, wo ich bin.
Johannes 14,2-3

Gott hat das alles in sechs Tagen gemacht. Jesus hat 2000 Jahre lang ein Haus mit vielen Wohnungen vorbereitet. Stell dir nur vor, was er für uns aufgebaut hat.

Und wie erhalten wir unsere Wohnung. Er sagt uns im selben Buch, dem Johannesevangelium, im selben Kapitel –

Den Weg dorthin kennt ihr ja.” “Herr”, sagte Thomas, “wir wissen nicht einmal, wo du hingehst. Wie sollen wir da den Weg kennen?” “Ich bin der Weg!”, antwortete Jesus. “Ich bin die Wahrheit und das Leben! Zum Vater kommt man nur durch mich.“
Johannes 14,4-6

Noahs Flut

Noah, geh in die Arche, du und dein ganzes Haus hier
Denn ich habe gesehen, dass ihr rechtschaffen seid vor mir
Die Wasser kommen und die Arche wird euch beschützen
Und ich werde an euch denken, auf den großen Pfützen

Du bist rechtschaffen in dieser bösen Generation
Von allen Menschen auf der Erde bist du der Einzige wert den Lohn
Aber du, Noah, bist keine Anomalie, kein Hohn
Du und die Arche verkörpern sogar meinen eigenen Sohn

Bringt die Tiere, bringt sie zu zweit herein
Außer den reinen Tieren, von denen es sieben sollen sein
Ich werden die Arten am Leben erhalten, auf dem Boot darinnen
Mit dem Inhalt der Arche wird eine ganz neue Zeit beginnen

Noch sieben Tage, und die Flut wird über die Erde kommen
Und allem, was draußen lebt, wird das Leben genommen
Im Moment lachen sie und machen fröhliche Laute
Aber in nur einer Woche ihr Stolz ergraute

Noah war 600 Jahre alt, als der Regen schließlich kam
Seine Frau, seine Söhne und Schwiegertöchter er mit sich nahm
Und seit 4000 Jahren erinnern wir uns an seinen Namen
Denn Gott sah in Noah Rechtschaffenheit, rettete ihn und seinen Samen

Am 17. des zweiten Monats waren die Wasser auf der Erde
Die Quellen der großen Tiefe brachen auseinander wie eine Herde
Die Fenster des Himmels öffneten sich und beendeten alle Freude dann
Das ist der Tag, an dem Gottes großes Gericht seinen Anfang nahm

40 Tage und 40 Nächte lang regnete es weiter, voll satte,
aber nicht, bis der Herr die Tür der Arche geschlossen hatte.
Nur weil Noah den Namen des Herrn anrief zu seiner Zeit,
waren er und seine Sippe vor dem sintflutartigen Regen in Sicherheit

Alles, was Atem in den Nasenlöchern hatte, starb – kein Entrinnen
Und der kostbare Funke des Lebens erlosch aus ihnen
Ich bin sicher, dass Noah in der Arche oft traurig seufzte
Als er mit seinen Kindern und seiner Frau das Stroh aufhäufte

150 Tage lang das Wasser über die Erde schleckt
Und selbst die höchsten Berge wurden vom Wasser bedeckt
Bis zu 15 Ellen waren sie versteckt und verborgen
Wenn man Seinem Gericht keine Beachtung schenkt und keine Sorgen

Es gibt eine wahre Arche, nach dem Bild von Noahs Boot
Es ist die Sicherheit von Jesus, unserem wundervollen Herrn, in jeder Not
Vertraue auf Ihn, Seine Sicherheit wird niemals schwinden
Er wird dich beschützen und alles mit dir überwinden.

Oh, ich liebe Dich, Herr Jesus, Du rettest einen wie mich
Mit gedemütigtem Herzen und auf Knien komme ich vor Dich
Benutze mich, bitte, als ein Werkzeug in Deinem sich entfaltenden Plan
Die Liebe Gottes der Erlösung des Menschen bricht Bahn

Halleluja und Amen.

Nächste Woche lesen wir Genesis 8,1-19 – Dann erinnerte sich Gott an Noah.
Nehmt euch Zeit, diese Verse zu lesen, bevor wir uns wieder treffen.

Acts 3:10

Charlie Garrett Acts (Written)

Friday, 17 December 2021

Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Acts 3:10

Note: You can listen to today’s commentary courtesy of our friends at “Bible in Ten” podcast. (Click Here to listen).

You can also read this commentary, with music, courtesy of our friends at “Discern the Bible” on YouTube. (Click Here to listen), or at Rumble (Click Here to listen).

When the people saw the man joyously walking and praising God, Luke says, “Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms.” The word translated as “knew” signifies to recognize. Jesus used the word when saying, “you will know them by their fruits.” One sees, he recognizes, and an understanding is realized. So it is with this man.

But the verb is in the imperfect tense – “they “were knowing,” or “they were recognizing.” The use of the imperfect brings life to what is said. It wasn’t as if everyone knew, but that one realized it and then another and then another. Thus, the bewildering nature of the event becomes evident.

At times, it is hard to place someone that we see, “I am sure I know that guy.” But because of the context of where he is regularly seen has changed, his identity is just out of grasp. Once the mind remembers the context, then the understanding is realized – “Oh! That is John who works at the grocery store!”

This is how it was for the people. They each saw the man, the identity seemed familiar, but the context was missing. But all of a sudden, one after another began to realize that he…. this man! was the beggar “at the Beautiful Gate of the temple.”

One can sense the knowledge suddenly being realized and the overwhelming sense of bewilderment flooding over the crowd. “How can this be?” Luke masterfully brings us into the narrative to feel the experience. One can sense what may have been said. “That guy has been sitting at the temple gate for years and years. His legs were twisted and emaciated. In fact, I just saw him there as I passed fifteen minutes ago… and now this? What does this mean?” As such, Luke records, “and they were filled with wonder and amazement.”

The word translated as “wonder” is unique to Luke’s writings, being seen now for the last of three times. It signifies astonishment that is allied with terror or awe. One could think of being stunned or dumbfounded. What is witnessed is just beyond the ability of the mind to grasp. The word translated as “amazement,” ekstasis, is obviously the root to our modern word “ecstasy.” Its direct meaning is “to completely remove.” As such, it means to confuse the mind so that it reaches out beyond ordinary perception. In this case, the minds of the people verge on a sense of overwhelming delight that something incomprehensible has taken place “at what had happened to him.”

The miracle that occurred wasn’t something that was far off. It was something in their midst. And it wasn’t something that occurred to someone they didn’t know, as if it could be the word of a charlatan. Rather, it happened to someone almost every single person would have seen at one time or another. Nothing could be more striking to imagine. The effects of seeing the man could not have made a greater impact upon those who now stood beholding him.

Life application: There are many people with great afflictions of the body around us. We know of blind people, crippled people, and people with various chronic diseases or maladies. This is a part of the human condition. We will pray for those we know, and there are times where it is heard that a true miracle occurs, and they are healed. But for many, the malady continues throughout the person’s entire life, and then he or she dies.

If such people are believers in Christ, it will only make what is coming next for them even more wonderful. They spent a lifetime in pain, being incapacitated, being shunned, or whatever. But when they are called forth from the grave at the rapture, there will be an instantaneous change. The body they will possess will be incorruptible, and it will be perfectly suited for an eternity in the presence of God.

For those who were pretty healthy when they died (or are raptured), the change will be no less incredible. Our bodies, even when in pretty great shape, have times of sickness, overwhelming tiredness, sadness, and so on. Such things will be forever behind us when we are off to meet the Lord. Hold fast to this truth. The life we live now is temporary and it is passing away. Fix your eyes on what lies ahead and be ready for glory that you cannot even imagine when Christ comes for His people. The day will be like none other!

Lord God, we are hoping Jesus will be back soon to deliver us from this body of corruption into our eternal home. Amen.