Author: Charlie Garrett

Revelation 17:2

Charlie Garrett Revelation (Written)

Wednesday, 19 May 2021

with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.” Revelation 17:2

The words of this verse should be combined with verse 17:1 to get a full view of what is conveyed –

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, 2 with whom the kings of the earth committed fornication, and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk with the wine of her fornication.’”

Having the context, John begins verse 17:2 saying, “with whom the kings of the earth.” The kings of the earth speak of the world system of government. The nations have their own governmental structures, and they are not united with the Lord in any particular manner, even if some of their citizens are. They are simply the governments that exist and by which the people of the earth engage in their affairs.

Of these kings of the earth, John says that this great harlot has “committed fornication.” Of this thought, Vincent’s Word Studies notes –

“The figure of a harlot committing fornication with kings and peoples occurs frequently in the prophets, representing the defection of God’s Church and its attachment to others. See Isaiah 1:21; Jeremiah 2:20; Jeremiah 3:1, Jeremiah 3:6, Jeremiah 3:8; Ezekiel 16:15, Ezekiel 16:16, Ezekiel 16:28, Ezekiel 16:31, Ezekiel 16:35, Ezekiel 16:41; Ezekiel 23:5, Ezekiel 23:19, Ezekiel 23:44; Hosea 2:5; Hosea 3:3; Hosea 4:14. The word is applied to heathen cities in three places only: to Tyre, Isaiah 23:15, Isaiah 23:16, Isaiah 23:17; to Nineveh, Nahum 3:4; and here.”

Due to the nature of this concept, that of fornication referring to “God’s Church” an overwhelming number of times, this is an immediate indication that it is referring to a body claiming to be aligned with the Lord, but which has defected from what is right, sound, and proper.

But more directly, these instances cited by Vincent’s speak of people groups (such as Israel) and cities (such as Jerusalem, Tyre, and Nineveh). There is the merging of what is profane into what occurs in them – idolatry, turning from the Lord, and so on.

As will be seen, the final verse of the chapter identifies this harlot, Mystery Babylon, as “that great city which rules over the kings of the earth.” This is explicit, and there is no reason to assume that the word “city” means anything other than an actual city. Of this city, John next says, “and the inhabitants of the earth were made drunk.”

The inhabitants of the earth include, but are not limited to, the kings of the earth. This city, which is a great harlot, has influence around the world and among people within many governments. These people have participated in her adulteries, being led not to the Lord, but astray from the Lord. This, even though the city claims to be aligned with the Lord. This is evidenced in the words, “were made drunk.”

The idea of drunkenness is that of spiritual waywardness, pursuing idolatry, and the like, all of which is leading to punishment. The theme is seen especially in the prophets. A notable example is seen when speaking of Judah in Ezekiel –

“For thus says the Lord God: ‘Surely I will deliver you into the hand of those you hate, into the hand of those from whom you alienated yourself. 29 They will deal hatefully with you, take away all you have worked for, and leave you naked and bare. The nakedness of your harlotry shall be uncovered, both your lewdness and your harlotry. 30 I will do these things to you because you have gone as a harlot after the Gentiles, because you have become defiled by their idols. 31 You have walked in the way of your sister; therefore I will put her cup in your hand.’
32 “Thus says the Lord God:
‘You shall drink of your sister’s cup,
The deep and wide one;
You shall be laughed to scorn
And held in derision;
It contains much.
33 You will be filled with drunkenness and sorrow,
The cup of horror and desolation,
The cup of your sister Samaria.
34 You shall drink and drain it,
You shall break its shards,
And tear at your own breasts;
For I have spoken,’
Says the Lord God.” Ezekiel 23:28-34

This is what is now being portrayed by John. And so, he finishes with, “with the wine of her fornication. This city is responsible for leading the inhabitants of the earth astray from the Lord through her actions of idolatry and spiritual prostitution. Wine represents a cultural expression where the mingling of things occurs. In this case, there is the mingling of what is supposed to be true religion with that which is idolatrous. In giving this wine to the inhabitants of the world, they become drunk with the idolatry of the harlot.

So, the question to be put forth before continuing on in this chapter is, “Can you think of a spiritual body, supposedly aligned with the Lord, based in a single city, which is filled with idolatry, and which conducts its affairs on a global scale, including making alliances with the leaders of nations? If so, you can then see if the pattern in the verses ahead continues to describe that religious city that you have in mind.

Life application: There is one God and one way to approach Him. It is the Bible that reveals this one way. Therefore, any other religious system on earth, no matter whether it contains snippets of truth or not, is false. And, it is certain, even some religions which stem from the Bible are false because they manipulate it in ways that twist the truth it contains. Mormonism and the Jehovah’s Witnesses are two of the many cults which have sprung from the Bible, but which bear no resemblance to the truth contained in it.

Because the Bible is God’s revelation of Himself to the world, it is the source of how to have a loving and close relationship with Him. In it, we find that God desires this type of intimate relationship. However, this beautiful relationship is violated when we participate in religious or philosophical systems which pull us away from what He has ordained. And so, the metaphor of harlotry is used.

Just as a harlot seduces us and draws us away from our marriage partner, false religion pulls us away from our God. This type of spiritual fornication is unacceptable to God. Today we see the world heading towards a worldwide system of false religion. Indeed, the whole world is moving towards this system.

Add in a charismatic world leader, the antichrist, and there will be almost universal idolatry of him and the following of whatever religious system he espouses or aligns with. Add in the false prophet who will lend credence to this thought, and you can see how easily the world will be duped into its plunge into perdition. What is coming will be so far from the truth of the Bible that there will be no remedy. Instead, God will judge this great harlot and destruction will come upon her.

The way to avoid this is to have one’s mind aligned properly with God as He has revealed Himself. And the way to do that is to read and know the Bible – His inspired and breathed out word to us. What it says is coming is already in the works, and countless masses will be led astray – all because they failed to check the word. It is all there, and it is a message that tells us to fix our eyes on JESUS.

O God, You have held out Your hands to the people of the world and beckoned us to come and fellowship with You. You’ve given us everything we need to do so, and You alone have paved a spacious highway for us to follow. But we, like straying sheep, look for any other avenue other than the right one. Lead us, O great Shepherd, and keep us from straying. Amen.

 

 

Revelation 17:1

Charlie Garrett Revelation (Written)

Tuesday, 18 May 2021

Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, “Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters, Revelation 17:1

With the pouring out of the seven bowls of God’s wrath complete, the first verse of Chapter 17 now begins two chapters concerning the destruction of Babylon the Great, the mother of harlots. The fall of Babylon has already been mentioned twice already. The first time was in chapter 14 when the three angels made their proclamations. The second time was in the preceding chapter at the time of the great earthquake.

The big question regarding these references to Babylon for scholars of Revelation – almost as big as what the number of the beast signifies – is, “Who is this great harlot.” There are several views, and the debate is both heated and often bitter. One view is that it is a worldwide system of all the false religions on earth. Some who hold to this view include politics as a part of the system – a political/religious system that is in opposition to God.

A second view is that this is a religious system centered specifically in Rome. A subview of this is that it is the Roman Catholic Church, both in past history and leading up to and through the tribulation period. A third view is that the location is actually Babylon in Iraq which has been rebuilt and from which spiritual leadership is exercised. And a fourth suggestion is that it is a system centered in Jerusalem rather than Rome or physical Babylon.

Of course, there are many other views – it is America, it is the EU, it is this or that… It is hard to be dogmatic about much of what is presented, but each verse will be analyzed, and the most probable location and concept will be identified as we progress.

For now, it should be noted that it is one of the seven angels with the seven bowls who speaks to John. As this opening verse says, “Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me.”

Which of the seven angels this is remains unstated. Therefore, the angel’s identity in regard to the pouring out of the seven bowls is irrelevant to the narrative. In other words, it could be the sixth saying to John, “Here comes the seventh bowl. Watch what happens to Babylon with this!” Or, it could be the seventh, saying, “Watch what I will now do to Babylon!” This is intentionally left out, and so the speculation that many devolve into over the identity of the angel is pointless. What matters is what this angel presents to John. He says, “Come.”

The Greek word is deuro. It does not necessarily signify motion, although it could. Jesus used it when calling forth Lazarus from the tomb. But Paul uses it in the sense of “the present time” when he said in Romans 1:13, “but was hindered until now.” Being an adverb, the thought now might be, “Presently, I will show…”

With this call, the angel then says, “I will show you.” It indicates that everything to be presented is a description of what will occur during the bowl judgment. What is seen then explains more fully what was said in Chapter 16 with the words, “And great Babylon was remembered before God, to give her the cup of the wine of the fierceness of His wrath.”

This is the same in idea as that of the sixth day of Genesis 1 being explained more fully in Genesis 2. The Bible introduces a subject, and then details are later filled in. The book of Ruth is an insert into the time of the Judges, which is the book that precedes Ruth. John saw the bowl poured out, and now he will see that presented in a more detailed manner. The angel next says it is “the judgment.”

In other words, what follows is a careful explanation of the wrath of God being poured out upon the object of what the contents of the bowl are directed to, which is the judgment “of the great harlot.”

The symbolism here is taken from elsewhere in Scripture. A city is identified by its conduct. In this case, the conduct of the city is that of harlotry. This was stated of Jerusalem –

“How the faithful city has become a harlot!
It was full of justice;
Righteousness lodged in it,
But now murderers.” Isaiah 1:21

As a city is a representation of its people, the same thought is extended to the people of the city directly at times –

“Moreover he made high places in the mountains of Judah, and caused the inhabitants of Jerusalem to commit harlotry, and led Judah astray.” 2 Chronicles 21:11

Such terminology is not limited to Jerusalem, but is used to refer to Samaria as well in Ezekiel 23. It is further used when referring to Tyre in Isaiah 23. The idea is that of spiritual harlotry against the Lord. Of this harlot in Revelation 17, the angel identifies her as one “who sits on many waters.”

This is an Old Testament reference to Babylon –

“O you who dwell by many waters,
Abundant in treasures,
Your end has come,
The measure of your covetousness.” Jeremiah 51:13

However, what was presented of Babylon was only a physical location anticipating a spiritual Babylon. Ancient Babylon was by the Tigris and Euphrates rivers, and was surrounded by the various lakes and wetlands adjoined to them. This reference to “many waters” now in Revelation is explicitly defined in verse 17:15 –

“Then he said to me, ‘The waters which you saw, where the harlot sits, are peoples, multitudes, nations, and tongues.’”

What ancient Babylon was in a physical sense was only a type of what the Babylon of Revelation is in a spiritual sense.

With this description now provided, it should be noted and compared with the introduction of another female figure coming later in Revelation –

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls came and talked with me, saying to me, ‘Come, I will show you the judgment of the great harlot who sits on many waters.’” Revelation 17:1

“Then one of the seven angels who had the seven bowls filled with the seven last plagues came to me and talked with me, saying, ‘Come, I will show you the bride, the Lamb’s wife.’” Revelation 21:9

By noting the different introductions of these two, one can see that they are being set in opposition to one another. The theme is being developed for the reader to show the contrast between the two.

Life application: Throughout the Bible, a harlot is used to refer to religion that is defiled, or outright false religion. There is One Maker, and He deserves pure and undefiled religion. When worship of Him is mixed with falsities, or when it is rejected entirely, that worshiper, congregation, or people group is in a state of prostitution, and the mode of worship is considered harlotry.

The Lord expects His people to honor Him. Being called as His people, and then allowing false religion into their lives, brought great trouble and destruction upon the people of Israel. The seven letters to the seven churches show that those who identify with Him are not immune to this. Our worship of the Lord is to be pure and untainted. We follow a great God and a glorious Savior. We follow JESUS!

Lord God, You have shown us what pure and undefiled religion consists of. You have sent Your Son to cleanse us from our past religious failures and to lead us into true worship. And You have given us Your Holy Spirit to convict us of sin and lead us into all righteousness. Help us to properly worship You and never mix error into our fellowship with You. Amen.

 

 

Revelation 16:21

Charlie Garrett Revelation (Written)

Monday, 17 May 2021

And great hail from heaven fell upon men, each hailstone about the weight of a talent. Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail, since that plague was exceedingly great. Revelation 16:21

The previous verses referred to the great earthquake and its associated terrors. This final verse of Chapter 16 continues with that theme, saying, “And great hail from heaven fell upon men.” Hail was one of the plagues of Egypt as is described in Exodus 9:22-32. That account was hail that was mingled with fire that was “so very heavy that there was none like it in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation” (Exodus 9:24).

In this account, it is not so much the volume as in Egypt, but it is rather the weight of the hail. As John says, “each hailstone about the weight of a talent.” A talent is approximately 75 pounds. Because of this, the effect will be devastating.

If this is to be taken literally, one possibility to explain such great hail is that the great earthquake mentioned in the preceding verses will cause such great atmospheric changes that massive hailstones will result. Or it could be that along with the earthquake, other events occurred which caused great amounts of debris to be cast into the air, and which then falls back to earth as if hailstones.

A third possibility is that a major meteor hits the earth which would cause:

1) a change in the earth’s rotation
2) a massive earthquake
3) breakaway meteorite chunks flying everywhere (hail)
4) Lots of debris once it hits

Whatever the cause of them, in the Bible they are considered their own form of judgment. This is seen elsewhere besides the exodus account, such as –

“The Lord will cause His glorious voice to be heard,
And show the descent of His arm,
With the indignation of His anger
And the flame of a devouring fire,
With scattering, tempest, and hailstones.” Isaiah 30:30

Hail as judgment is also seen in the Psalms, other passages in Isaiah, in Ezekiel, and in Haggai –

“I struck you with blight and mildew and hail in all the labors of your hands; yet you did not turn to Me,’ says the Lord.” Haggai 2:17

An event of hailstones falling on Israel’s enemies during battle is seen in Joshua 10:11 as well. The terror of hail is that there is no way to know where or when it will land. Like being in an artillery barrage, there is no certainty of life from moment to moment. Because of such terror, John says, “Men blasphemed God because of the plague of the hail.”

It is the same reaction as that of the pouring out of the fourth bowl. Instead of appealing to God, the people will blaspheme Him. The minds of the people will be so twisted and corrupt that they curse the Creator, as if it could have any effect on Him. The hail was prophesied in advance, showing that even if it is a result of the earthquake or some other natural event, it was known to – and allowed by – God to occur. And yet they still blaspheme Him “since that plague was exceedingly great.”

The judgment of hail is great because the sin of the people is great. The judgment is just and right. It is not unlike that which will occur during the battle of Gog and Magog as is recorded in Ezekiel 38 –

“And I will bring him to judgment with pestilence and bloodshed; I will rain down on him, on his troops, and on the many peoples who are with him, flooding rain, great hailstones, fire, and brimstone. 23 Thus I will magnify Myself and sanctify Myself, and I will be known in the eyes of many nations. Then they shall know that I am the Lord.” Ezekiel 38:22, 23

Life application: These occurrences have come about ,and will come about, because of the sins of the people and a rejection of God.

This is the state of depravity in the human heart. We ignore God, claim He doesn’t exist, and we fight against Him. But when tragedy strikes, we blame Him and curse His name. Our words and actions toward God are usually contradictory. Instead of acknowledging His sovereign greatness, we exalt ourselves above Him by judging His actions.

But humanity is a part of creation, and God has every right to dispense with His creatures in whatever way He deems is appropriate. The amazing thing isn’t that God doesn’t keep us from harm. The amazing thing is that He lets us live at all. We have sinned, we have failed to recognize His glory, we find other avenues to pursue from day to day without having Him as our greatest joy.

Despite these things, He took the initiative in order to reconcile us to Himself. He accomplished the work, He sent His Son, and He allowed us to crucify Him. All that is needed to bring us back to Himself was accomplished by Him. And all He asks for is that we will just believe. Let us turn to Him through this marvelous message of reconciliation. Let us praise Him forevermore for the giving of His Son, JESUS.

It is hard to imagine how unclear our thoughts are toward You, O God. We try to hide from You and we speak ill of You – as if You couldn’t hear. We even curse You when we receive Your stern hand of discipline and correction. Were it not for Jesus, we certainly would be utterly swept away. Thank You for Jesus! Thank You for peace and hope through Him. Amen.

 

 

Deuteronomy 17:14-20 (A King Over Israel)

Charlie Garrett Deuteronomy (Written)

Deuteronomy 17:14-20
A King Over Israel

There is an irony in the verses today which is played out many hundreds of years later in Israel. Moses anticipated, even before the people entered Canaan, that they would want a king over them, just like all of the nations who were around them.

As we will see, that is exactly what occurred. Israel had a system that worked, it was developed by the Lord, and there was no need to change things. But we will look for change even when things are going along just fine, and even when we are aware of how the changes will negatively affect us. The idea is, “This time, it will be different.”

It is a hopeless condition in us that says, “We can do it better. Just get out of the way and we will handle it.” If that sounds familiar in today’s world, it’s because the exact same type of scenario is unfolding in the United States, right before our eyes. John Adams, our second president and one of the founding fathers, said –

“Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other.” John Adams

Contrast that to what we read from Jerry Nadler in last week’s sermon, “What any religious tradition describes as God’s will is no concern of this Congress.” While much of the world has pursued a secular agenda where God has no part in their governments, the US has resisted this.

Instead, we have held to a moral and religious foundation to direct our affairs. But the cry has been raised more and more with each succeeding year until today the United States, which has been unlike most other nations, wants to be just like all of the nations.

What worked for Israel wasn’t enough. And what has worked for the US isn’t enough. ‘God, get out of our way. We want to be like everyone else.”

Text Verse: (For the Lord is our Judge,
The Lord is our Lawgiver,
The Lord is our King;
He will save us). Isaiah 33:22

Isaiah was a prophet during the time of the kings. And yet, while serving under various kings, he wrote these words acknowledging that while Israel has kings, Israel has a King. Today, thousands of years later, they still have not seen this. They have a government that is formed which is at odds with this notion.

They are a secular people and their idea of having a biblical morality is, like the United States today, only an idea displayed through lip service. The laws they enact are detestable, the conduct they allow is perverse, and the only time the name of the Lord is invoked is when they need to feel self-righteous or when there is a calamity looming. Other than that, He is far from their minds. Just like it is with the Jerry Nadler’s of this nation.

Unfortunately, they are in power, and therefore, they determine the nations’ direction. It will not go well for Israel, and it cannot go well for us. And it all could be avoided if people just accepted the will of the Lord. But that cannot happen unless the will of the Lord is known.

And that cannot come about unless the word of the Lord is available, read, meditated upon, and then applied to the conduct of the individual or group in question. This is a certain truth that is revealed today in this passage from 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. The Wisest Man Who Ever Lived (verses 14-17)

14 “When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you,

Similar words have already been seen several times, and they will continue to be repeated. They clearly indicate either Mosaic authorship or total fabrication. One cannot claim partial authenticity when an entire passage is anchored on a verse such as this.

And as each passage is logically placed within the main content of the book, a meticulously designed structure evolves that reveals a single, unified whole that bears the stamp of one Source as it is then conveyed through the chosen instrument of writing the words out, meaning Moses.

Moses is speaking of an event – coming into the land – that is, literally, days away. And yet, the words are referring to a possibility that may be years away, or that – ostensibly – may never come to pass. However, the fact that they are being conveyed to Israel now indicates that the Lord knows they will occur.

He is their Ruler, and He is giving them the land. Thus, this situation speaks of a theocracy. In this situation, entering the land with the Lord as their ultimate Leader…

14 (con’t) and possess it and dwell in it, and say,

The use of the prepositions one after another provides its own emphasis: v’rishtah v’yasavtah bah v’amarta – “and have possessed it, and have dwelt in it, and you have said.” It is to be a reflection before the proposed action is taken.

Who promised you the land? Who delivered you into the land? Who gave it to you to possess? Who made that possession possible? You now dwell there. How did that come about?

A similar thought process is conveyed between conservative and liberal ideologies at any given moment in our world today. Where did what you have come from? To whom do you want to be accountable? Be careful what you ask for…

Unfortunately, it seems people always inevitably incline toward the wrong thing. Moses knows this because the Lord is working through him as he writes out the law. The people will reject the good. In this, they will say…

14 (con’t) ‘I will set a king over me

The words have consistently been in the singular. It is Israel, the nation, who is being addressed, and it is Israel the nation who will – as a whole – take this path. “Who has led me all along? Look at all the good I have around me! The abundant blessings and productive land. All is marvelous! It’s time for a change for something better.”

For an extended period of time, the land was led by Judges. The Lord raised them up, they served, and then they were replaced as the Lord saw fit. Israel was guided by them, but the Lord was their Head. However, it wasn’t enough. Israel, instead of looking upwards to the Lord, focused their eyes outward – to the nations.

They saw how things worked, and they felt out of place. The sufficiency of the Lord was – to them – insufficient. Moses knew that Israel would want to be…

14 (con’t) like all the nations that are around me,’

The thinking is perverse, in the extreme. Israel had circumcision on the eighth day. Israel had the Passover. Israel had the Sabbath. Israel had the tabernacle, the Day of Atonement, and the Feast of Sukkoth. Their garments had tassels, and their diet was set apart from all others.

All of this was based on their relationship with the Lord. And yet, they wanted to (well, otherwise) be just like the nations around them in calling for a king. Moses knew it was coming, and it came…

“Now it came to pass when Samuel was old that he made his sons judges over Israel. 2 The name of his firstborn was Joel, and the name of his second, Abijah; they were judges in Beersheba. 3 But his sons did not walk in his ways; they turned aside after dishonest gain, took bribes, and perverted justice.
4 Then all the elders of Israel gathered together and came to Samuel at Ramah, 5 and said to him, ‘Look, you are old, and your sons do not walk in your ways. Now make us a king to judge us like all the nations.’” 1 Samuel 8:1-5

With this petition, the people – who were like none of the nations – decided that in this particular case, they would be like all of the nations. Everything else the Lord had done for them worked fine, but they needed to tweak things to make them better. It’s just a little tweak after all, at least from their perspective –

“But the thing displeased Samuel when they said, ‘Give us a king to judge us.’ So Samuel prayed to the Lord. 7 And the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you; for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.’” 1 Samuel 8:6, 7

When (not if!) this were to come about, Moses says…

15 you shall surely set a king over you 

The words are emphatic: som tasum alekha melek – “setting you shall set over you king.” What will be said about such a king now becomes a point of law.

In the exchange between the Lord and Samuel, the Lord said, “Now therefore, heed their voice. However, you shall solemnly forewarn them, and show them the behavior of the king who will reign over them” (1 Samuel 8:9).

This is what Samuel did, carefully explaining and warning what the consequences of their request would be. That is found in 1 Samuel 8:10-18.

Despite the warnings, the people who are completely unlike any other people decided they wanted to be just like all the other people, well… at least in this one way –

“Nevertheless the people refused to obey the voice of Samuel; and they said, ‘No, but we will have a king over us, 20 that we also may be like all the nations, and that our king may judge us and go out before us and fight our battles.’
21 And Samuel heard all the words of the people, and he repeated them in the hearing of the Lord. 22 So the Lord said to Samuel, ‘Heed their voice, and make them a king.’” 1 Samuel 8:19-22

The people would ask, and the people did ask. However, there were to be conditions laid out by Moses now that must be heeded…

15 (con’t) whom the Lord your God chooses;

With the people adamant that they wanted a king, 1 Samuel 8 closes out with, “And Samuel said to the men of Israel, ‘Every man go to his city.’” The next chapter then immediately details the account of the selection of Saul as the first king of Israel.

His name means, “Asked For.” It is an appropriate name for what occurred. The people asked for a king, having rejected the Lord in this capacity. When a king is chosen by the Lord, he will be…

15 (con’t) one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you;

In the previous chapter, the appointment of judges and officers was commanded. Further, the line of the high priest had already been established and codified into law. However, the appointment of a king has not been commanded because the Lord is – ostensibly – their King.

But the precept is not forbidden. Rather, it is an allowance. And yet, in the approval of such an allowance, more commands then logically follow. This one says that only an Israelite was to be set as king over the nation.

The obvious implication is that if the Lord is to be their King, then any king set above the people is to emulate the true coming King, the Messiah. Such will be seen as the prophetic writings later come. This may not have even been on the minds of the people, but it is was – with all certainty – on the mind of the Lord.

When Christ came, it is this verse that the people challenged Him with concerning a matter of law –

“Then the Pharisees went and plotted how they might entangle Him in His talk. 16 And they sent to Him their disciples with the Herodians, saying, ‘Teacher, we know that You are true, and teach the way of God in truth; nor do You care about anyone, for You do not regard the person of men. 17 Tell us, therefore, what do You think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?’” Matthew 22:15-17

Their question was duplicitous. If the Lord had answered, “Yes,” He would have become a lawbreaker of the Mosaic law and worthy to be condemned by Israel. If He had said, “No,” He would have become a lawbreaker to Rome, and would be condemned by the Romans (of course after being ratted out by the Pharisees).

However, they never considered the third option, an option that implied that even though they could not violate the Mosaic code in the selection of their rulers, they were – by default – set under the authority of Rome by the Lord, and thus they were responsible to Rome while still being responsible to Moses.

Jesus knew this because it is He who gave them the Law of Moses, and it is He who set them under Rome. He anticipated their question, and He shamed them with His response – “Render therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s” (Matthew 22:21).

As an Israelite, He could not show partiality to the law, nor could He show partiality to Caesar, because it is the Lord who placed Israel under both. As the Lord, He expected compliance for both. For Israel however…

15 (con’t) you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother.

The word is nokri. It signifies a stranger or something out of place. At times, the term is used for an adulteress. It is something that does not belong because the nature of the thing is foreign. This is then restated in apposition by saying “who is not your brother.” In other words, only a brother Israelite could be king, and when he was installed as the king, a king he would be.

Before going on, a point must be made. The leaders of Israel tried to trap Jesus into violating this law in order to obtain justification to have him destroyed. And yet, while they were having Him destroyed unjustly, they violated this very law that we are looking at right now with their own words –

“But they cried out, ‘Away with Him, away with Him! Crucify Him!’
Pilate said to them, ‘Shall I crucify your King?’
The chief priests answered, ‘We have no king but Caesar!’” John 19:15

They had rejected the Law of Moses, they had rejected the words of Isaiah that the Lord is their King, and therefore, the penalty of the law stood heavily upon them. For those who later failed to acknowledge Christ, their destiny will be a mournful one.

For now, and with Moses’ words concerning a brother Israelite ruling over Israel, that still would not mean that he was an absolute sovereign. As is seen in the next words…

16 But he shall not multiply horses for himself,

In a kingdom, and depending on the structure of that kingdom, a king could ostensibly wield unlimited power. His right to rule was absolute. However, limitations were set upon any future king of Israel.

This is seen immediately after the authorization for the appointment of a king in the words raq lo yarbeh lo susim – Only! No shall he multiply to himself horses.” There are numerous reasons for this prohibition, but the main one is that of personal pride or exaltation.

A king with many horses would elevate himself above those under his rule. And more, he would immediately begin to trust in a cavalry above the hosts of Israel that were given by the Lord for them to trust in Him. The thought is expressed in the Psalms –

“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses;
But we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 40:7

And again –

No king is saved by the multitude of an army;
A “mighty man is not delivered by great strength.
17 A horse is a vain hope for safety;
Neither shall it deliver any by its great strength.” Psalm 33:16, 17

Despite this, Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, failed to apply the wisdom he was given, notably disobeying this precept –

“And Solomon gathered chariots and horsemen; he had one thousand four hundred chariots and twelve thousand horsemen, whom he stationed in the chariot cities and with the king at Jerusalem.” 1 Kings 10:26

Along with this, Moses next says…

16 (con’t) nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses,

l’maan harboth sus – “to end purpose multiply horse.” In other words, the people might say, “We are not returning to Egypt to live. Nor are we returning there for some other ignoble cause. Rather, We are going there with the set purpose of building up Israel. Thus, it is ok for us to do this.” Moses says otherwise.

Israel had left Egypt. They were not to return there. This was not a temporary prohibition. One might think, “Moses meant this as a short-term expedient until we are established in the land. After that, returning to Egypt would not involve a national departure as it might have back then.”

This thinking would be incorrect. First, it is spoken into the same law that all other commands are placed, and it is done so without any qualifiers. It is a matter of law, and to disobey it is to disobey the law.

Secondly, the issue had nothing to do with the possible desire for a national return to Egypt, thus abandoning the land of Canaan. This is evidenced, perfectly and clearly, by the prophet Isaiah –

“Woe to those who go down to Egypt for help,
And rely on horses,
Who trust in chariots because they are many,
And in horsemen because they are very strong,
But who do not look to the Holy One of Israel,
Nor seek the Lord!” Isaiah 31:1

Many hundreds of years after Israel was in the land, at a time when they were deeply rooted there, with no chance of the people packing up and moving back to Egypt, Isaiah repeated the sentiment found in this verse now.

For all intents and purposes, Egypt represents defeat. For Israel to go back and seek assistance for their kingdom, from a kingdom the Lord had defeated, was to implicitly reject the Lord who had gained them the victory in the first place!

In type, Egypt pictures bondage to sin. Who delivered us from that? The Lord. To go back to where we were in our sin in order to find a remedy to our plight is to reject the One who delivered us from sin in the first place: “I have this addiction, and to get myself through, I will return to where the addiction came from.”

The path back to Egypt was to be cut. There was (and there is) to be only a reliance on the Lord. Throughout the prophets, horses are mentioned in relation to war or foreign assistance. In this, the people were trusting in something other than the Lord for their continuance.

What is it we need? Another drink? Another shot of dope? Another click on a porn site? Rather, it is the Lord to whom we are to look, and in Him we are to place our trust.

“Take words with you,
And return to the Lord.
Say to Him,
‘Take away all iniquity;
Receive us graciously,
For we will offer the sacrifices of our lips.
3 Assyria shall not save us,
We will not ride on horses,
Nor will we say anymore to the work of our hands, “You are our gods.”
For in You the fatherless finds mercy.’” Hosea 14:2, 3

Despite this, Solomon – who according to 1 Kings 3:12 is the wisest man who ever lived – failed to apply the wisdom he was given, notably disobeying this precept –

“Also Solomon had horses imported from Egypt and Keveh; the king’s merchants bought them in Keveh at the current price. 29 Now a chariot that was imported from Egypt cost six hundred shekels of silver, and a horse one hundred and fifty; and thus, through their agents, they exported them to all the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Syria.” 1 Kings 10:28, 29

16 (con’t) for the Lord has said to you, ‘You shall not return that way again.’

This was not a minor, temporary prohibition. Nor was it a suggestion. It is a word of law. The way back to Egypt was not to be traveled again. The king was so warned. And more…

17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself,

This was, and remains today in some places, the practice of many kings. The multiplication of wives has a variety of purposes including increasing one’s offspring. Some purposes may be valid while others are not.

However, this cannot be taken as a verse forbidding polygamy. If that were so, we would have a contradiction in Scripture. When the Lord spoke through Nathan the prophet to David, He said –

“I gave you your master’s house and your master’s wives into your keeping, and gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if that had been too little, I also would have given you much more!” 2 Samuel 12:8

Not only did David have his own wives, but the Lord gave him more, and avows that He would have even given him more. At what point having multiple wives becomes multiplying wives is not stated, but us to judge as to one, ten, or twenty falls under the fallacy of the beard. If the Lord provides, it cannot be considered wrong.

However, any good purpose and point of having a variety of wives was exceeded by David’s son, Solomon. Despite being the wisest man who ever lived, he failed to live out the wisdom he was given, notably disobeying this precept –

“But King Solomon loved many foreign women, as well as the daughter of Pharaoh: women of the Moabites, Ammonites, Edomites, Sidonians, and Hittites— 2 from the nations of whom the Lord had said to the children of Israel, “You shall not intermarry with them, nor they with you. Surely they will turn away your hearts after their gods.” Solomon clung to these in love. 3 And he had seven hundred wives, princesses, and three hundred concubines.” 1 Kings 11:1-3

There was a specific reason Moses now provides this law…

17 (con’t) lest his heart turn away;

The issue is not because more than one wife was wrong. It is because a multitude of wives would lead the king down the wrong path, away from the Lord – exactly as happened to Solomon –

“…and his wives turned away his heart. 4 For it was so, when Solomon was old, that his wives turned his heart after other gods; and his heart was not loyal to the Lord his God, as was the heart of his father David. 5 For Solomon went after Ashtoreth the goddess of the Sidonians, and after Milcom the abomination of the Ammonites. 6 Solomon did evil in the sight of the Lord, and did not fully follow the Lord, as did his father David. 7 Then Solomon built a high place for Chemosh the abomination of Moab, on the hill that is east of Jerusalem, and for Molech the abomination of the people of Ammon. 8 And he did likewise for all his foreign wives, who burned incense and sacrificed to their gods.” 1 Kings 11:3-8

17 (con’t) nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.

v’keseph v’zahav lo yarbeh lo meod – “and silver and gold no shall he multiply to himself greatly.” Based on the words here, David could be accused of violating this precept. He had in his possession one hundred thousand talents of gold, one million talents of silver, and bronze beyond measure.

But his wealth must be considered an exception to this precept, for one particular reason. He had acquired it with the set purpose of building the house of the Lord (see 1 Chronicles 22:14). On the other hand, along came his son, Solomon. Despite being the wisest man who ever lived, he failed to apply the wisdom he was given, notably disobeying this precept –

“All King Solomon’s drinking vessels were gold, and all the vessels of the House of the Forest of Lebanon were pure gold. Not one was silver, for this was accounted as nothing in the days of Solomon.” 1 Kings 10:21

It is as if Moses had Solomon in mind when he looked into the future, and it is as if the chronicler of the life of Solomon had Moses’ words in mind as he wrote out his words. The case is that the Lord purposefully included these words in both to show us the tragedy of relying solely on one’s personal wisdom without relying on the Lord for its application.

The often-repeated thought in Scripture says –

“The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom,
And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” Proverbs 9:10

In other words, true wisdom only begins with the fear of the Lord. If it begins with it, then it must continue with it, and it must end with it. If one were to say, “The best gas is the beginning of the race,” it is a statement that only the best gas is what can win the race.

Hence, it logically follows that the continuance of the race and the finishing of the race are dependent on that same gas. All of the wisdom in the world is pointless if the Lord is not the center of focus in the application of the wisdom.

The record of the wisdom, the wealth, and the power of Solomon is permanently tarnished because he failed to remember the precept of his own proverb. In his rush to find enlightenment apart from the Lord, he ultimately found that only in the Lord is found true enlightenment –

“Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter:
Fear God and keep His commandments,
For this is man’s all.
14 For God will bring every work into judgment,
Including every secret thing,
Whether good or evil.” Ecclesiastes 12:13, 14

In order to ensure that the king of Israel, whoever he may be, would comply with these precepts, Moses next gives another command to the would-be king…

A book to study, seeking out its veins of gold
A king’s adventure as he seeks the Lord’s face
The Torah of God, daily to unfold
Lessons for the throne in every generation; in the king’s place

What will speak out to him on today’s trek?
This law seems so vast and complicated some of the time
Will the day’s meditation be a burden on his neck?
Or will what he reads seem glorious and sublime?

“Open my eyes, O Lord, to what lies ahead
Direct my understanding and also guide my heart”
This is what the king petitions; looking to be fed
This is what he asks for, each day upon his start

Show the king the riches of Christ in his reading of the book
Be with him as he opens it, and for life’s direction he does look

II. A Copy of This Law (verses 18-20)

18 “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom,

v’hayah kesivto al kise mamlakto – “And according to the sitting upon throne his kingdom.” In other words, when he begins to reign.” This would, ostensibly, be the first true duty of his kingship. That duty is…

18 (con’t) that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book,

v’katav lo eth mishneh ha’torah ha’zot al sepher – “and write to himself copy the Torah the this upon book.” Whether the king wrote out the law himself or had a scribe do it is debated.

To me, it seems to ignore the obvious to say a scribe could write it out. Otherwise, one would think Moses would say, “He shall be provided a copy of this law.” Rather, the words seem personal and directive in nature: “The king shall write it out.”

However, in 2 Chronicles 23, a boy king, Joash, was installed at the age of seven. He would have been too young to make such a copy. Because of this, it explicitly says –

“And they brought out the king’s son, put the crown on him, gave him the Testimony, and made him king. Then Jehoiada and his sons anointed him, and said, ‘Long live the king!’” 2 Chronicles 23:11

As a side note, the words translated as “copy the law,” as found in the Greek translation, form the basis of the word Deuteronomy. The words are deuteros and nomos, or literally, “second law.”

Together, in Greek, they read to deuteronomion touto, In other words, one could say, “He shall write for himself the Deuteronomy.” It is from this that both the Latin and the English derive the name we now use. The words are found again in Joshua 8:32 when Joshua wrote a second copy on the stones of the altar Israel built on Mount Ebal.

However, it seems apparent that the phrase as it is given here for the king certainly does not mean only the book of Deuteronomy, but rather the entire Torah – meaning the five books of Moses.

The king was to be versed in the creation, the history of sin, the anticipation of the Messiah, the call of the patriarchs, the bondage of his people, their redemption from Egypt, the giving of the law, the turning of their hearts away from the Lord, of His faithfulness to them in punishment, the anticipated establishment of them in the land, and even of the prophecy of the Song of Moses that calls to attention both heaven and earth of the future apostasy of Israel.

All of this was to be copied by the king. Just as the law copied by Joshua on the altar stood as a guide, a warning, and a witness to Israel, so the copy the king made was to have the same purpose. That book copied by the king was to be…

18 (con’t) from the one before the priests, the Levites.

This is referred to in Deuteronomy 31 –

“So it was, when Moses had completed writing the words of this law in a book, when they were finished, 25 that Moses commanded the Levites, who bore the ark of the covenant of the Lord, saying: 26 ‘Take this Book of the Law, and put it beside the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, that it may be there as a witness against you; 27 for I know your rebellion and your stiff neck. If today, while I am yet alive with you, you have been rebellious against the Lord, then how much more after my death?’” Deuteronomy 31:24-27

The original was kept in the sanctuary. Any copy of it was to be directly from it, and it was probably carefully checked by someone qualified to verify it as an authentic rendering. As far as the king’s copy…

19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life,

This is a command. To not read it would be a violation of the law. Thus, the burden of being a king actually bears more weight of judgment than that of others, at least in this regard. The thought is reminiscent of the words of James 3:1 –

“My brethren, let not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive a stricter judgment.” James 3:1

One who is expected to lead, or instruct, from the law must know the law. This is what makes Solomon’s violations of it so perplexing. It seems as if he read the first words Moses penned that we have already looked at, and then he decided to see how merciful the Lord could actually be by violating them all.

The king of Israel was given a command to read the law every single day of his life. This was so that he was aware of the law. Though no such explicit requirement is made under the New Covenant, the intent behind the precept is still there.

A person cannot teach what he does not know. And one cannot know that which he is not familiar with. And familiarity with something such as biblical precepts will not be remembered if they are not read and meditated on constantly.

And, for the Christian in the pew, there is – likewise – no excuse for you to be misled through incorrect instruction. This is especially so in today’s world. The word is available, it can be accessed at any time and almost during any activity we pursue. If it is to be the rule and guide of your life, it can only be so if you know it. For the king of Israel, it was so…

19 (con’t) that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes,

Moses uses the same word he so often does, l’maan, or “to end purpose.” The daily reading was to be the king’s vital connection between himself and his relationship with the Lord. If he failed to do as instructed, that could not exist. And if he failed to do so, he could not comply. And, fellow follower of Christ, neither can you. Of this, Adam Clarke rightly states –

“This was essentially necessary, as these laws of God were all permanent, and no Israelitish king could make any new law, the kings of this people being ever considered as only the vice-gerents of Jehovah.”

But does not this apply to us as well? We have the authoritative word of God. We cannot add to it, and we cannot take from it. Therefore, our conduct in relation to it, our training concerning it, and even the reception of someone’s training from it, must be in accord with what is presented in the word. Nothing else can or will suffice. Again, Joseph Benson rightly states –

“It is not enough to have Bibles, but we must use them, yea, use them daily. Our souls must have constant meals of that manna, which, if well digested, will afford them true nourishment and strength.” Joseph Benson

The instruction for the king is instruction for you because the precept remains true for both. If Joseph Smith took to heart the words of Scripture, his heart would not have been lifted up against the Lord to start Mormonism. And if the followers of Joseph Smith were acquainted with the word, they would not face the certain prospect of an eternal swim in the Lake of Fire.

But this is exactly what they will face because they simply failed to abide by the precept. As for the king, in fearing the Lord and knowing his law and statutes, it was so…

20 that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren,

The king was a king because the Lord chose him to be so. Saul obviously failed to observe the precept before us now. When he was first called as the king, he said to Samuel –

“Am I not a Benjamite, of the smallest of the tribes of Israel, and my family the least of all the families of the tribe of Benjamin? Why then do you speak like this to me?” 1 Samuel 9:21

However, because he failed to heed the word of law, his kingship was removed from him –

“But Samuel said to Saul, ‘I will not return with you, for you have rejected the word of the Lord, and the Lord has rejected you from being king over Israel.’
27 And as Samuel turned around to go away, Saul seized the edge of his robe, and it tore. 28 So Samuel said to him, ‘The Lord has torn the kingdom of Israel from you today, and has given it to a neighbor of yours, who is better than you. 29 And also the Strength of Israel will not lie nor relent. For He is not a man, that He should relent.’” 1 Samuel 15:26-29

The word was to protect the king from such error, and it is intended to do so for us today as well. In the case of the king…

20 (con’t) that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left,

The king cannot stay on the right path unless the requirements of how to do so are known. Without the law, he is like a blind man in the dark. With the law –

“Your word is a lamp to my feet
And a light to my path.” Psalm 119:105

It is that simple. In the dark, we don’t know if we are turning right, turning left, or going straight. And the fact is, that we will not go straight for very long. The natural inclination in the dark is to veer, and it happens very quickly. But with the light of the word, we will continue on the path without turning aside.

*As I sat typing these words on 8 March of 2021, I was thinking in my head, “How many people who hear them (or read them) will actually take what I am typing to heart?” All I can do is convey. In conveying, the words will hopefully convict. And in conviction, may there be willful and wholehearted compliance. The path is set, and the word is the lamp to illuminate it. What will you do?

And there is a good reason for what is conveyed…

*20 (fin) and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.

There is no “and” in the Hebrew. The addition is unfortunate because the previous clause also began with “that.” But the word here, l’maan, is not in the previous clause. Here it says, “to end purpose.” In other words, there is a goal to be attained through the reading and meditation of the word.

Not turning aside is the action, but in not turning aside, the king would prolong his days. For Saul, this did not occur. For other kings, it did not occur. When the king departed from the word, even the most disastrous of calamities came upon him –

“Because you have not walked in the ways of Jehoshaphat your father, or in the ways of Asa king of Judah, 13 but have walked in the way of the kings of Israel, and have made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to play the harlot like the harlotry of the house of Ahab, and also have killed your brothers, those of your father’s household, who were better than yourself, 14 behold, the Lord will strike your people with a serious affliction—your children, your wives, and all your possessions; 15 and you will become very sick with a disease of your intestines, until your intestines come out by reason of the sickness, day by day.” 2 Chronicles 21:12-15

…

“After all this the Lord struck him in his intestines with an incurable disease. 19 Then it happened in the course of time, after the end of two years, that his intestines came out because of his sickness; so he died in severe pain. And his people made no burning for him, like the burning for his fathers.” 2 Chronicles 21:18, 19

As far as the words, “he and his children in the midst of Israel,” that was literally true on occasion as well –

“So they took the king and brought him up to the king of Babylon at Riblah, and they pronounced judgment on him. 7 Then they killed the sons of Zedekiah before his eyes, put out the eyes of Zedekiah, bound him with bronze fetters, and took him to Babylon.” 2 Chronicles 25:6, 7

These, and countless other such terrible events, could have been avoided if the kings of Israel had simply taken the word to heart –

“Blessed is the man
Who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly,
Nor stands in the path of sinners,
Nor sits in the seat of the scornful;
2 But his delight is in the law of the Lord,
And in His law he meditates day and night.
3 He shall be like a tree
Planted by the rivers of water,
That brings forth its fruit in its season,
Whose leaf also shall not wither;
And whatever he does shall prosper.” Psalm 1:1-3

But such was not to be. And the reason for this is that these men, like each of us, is fallen and fallible. To have a copy of the word, and to even hold it as close as meditation on the mind, is still insufficient to keep us from death.

This is proven in good kings as well as bad kings. And the reason for this is that our minds are pre-infected with the sin of our first father. The law could only be a guard for the king, not a ticket to restoration and life.

The king was to write out, read, meditate upon, and know this word to guard him until the time when the embodiment of this word, meaning Christ Jesus would come and fulfill it –

“Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come—
In the volume of the book it is written of Me—
To do Your will, O God.’” Psalm 40:7

David, a king of Israel, knowing full well that he had turned from the path in his life, prophesied of One who would come and not do so. Instead, He would not only walk on the straight path, He would be that straight path – the way, the truth, and the life.

As the embodiment of the law, we find our restoration with God through Him because He lived out this impossible body of law for us. This is the lesson of the law, and it is a lesson of the King who sits on the throne of His kingdom.

It is a kingdom that will be prolonged for eternal days, and it is one to be enjoyed by His children forever. The final words of the verse and the chapter are summed up in the words of Hebrews 2 –

“Here am I and the children whom God has given Me.” Hebrews 2:13

Thank God for Jesus Christ. And all of God’s people say. “Amen.”

Closing Verse: “He does not delight in the strength of the horse;
He takes no pleasure in the legs of a man.
11 The Lord takes pleasure in those who fear Him,
In those who hope in His mercy.” Psalm 147:10, 11

Next Week: Deuteronomy 18:1-8 This didn’t come about by chance… (The Lord is His Inheritance) (54th Deuteronomy 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.

A King Over Israel

“When you come to the land
Which the LORD your God is giving you, when it shall be
And possess it and dwell in it, and say
‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me

You shall surely set a king over you
Whom the LORD your God chooses, him and not another
One from among your brethren you shall set as king over you
You may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother

But he shall not multiply horses for himself
Nor cause the people to return to Egypt to multiply horses
———-as I now say
For the LORD has said to you
‘You shall not return again that way

Neither shall he multiply wives for himself
Lest his heart turn away
Nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself
It shall not be this way

“Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom
That he shall write for himself a copy; yes, be sure he writes
Of this law in a book
From the one before the priests, the Levites

And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life
That he may learn to fear the LORD his God
And be careful to observe all the words of this law
And these statutes in the land which he shall trod

That his heart may not be lifted above his brethren
That he may not turn aside from the commandment
———-to the right hand or to the left, as to you I tell
And that he may prolong his days in his kingdom
He and his children in the midst of Israel

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

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

14 “When you come to the land which the Lord your God is giving you, and possess it and dwell in it, and say, ‘I will set a king over me like all the nations that are around me,’ 15 you shall surely set a king over you whom the Lord your God chooses; one from among your brethren you shall set as king over you; you may not set a foreigner over you, who is not your brother. 16 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.’ 17 Neither shall he multiply wives for himself, lest his heart turn away; nor shall he greatly multiply silver and gold for himself.

18 “Also it shall be, when he sits on the throne of his kingdom, that he shall write for himself a copy of this law in a book, from the one before the priests, the Levites. 19 And it shall be with him, and he shall read it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God and be careful to observe all the words of this law and these statutes, 20 that his heart may not be lifted above his brethren, that he may not turn aside from the commandment to the right hand or to the left, and that he may prolong his days in his kingdom, he and his children in the midst of Israel.

 

Revelation 16:20

Charlie Garrett Revelation (Written)

Sunday, 16 May 2021

Then every island fled away, and the mountains were not found. Revelation 16:20

The previous verses referred to the mightiest earthquake that ever occurred since men were on earth, and that the great city (Jerusalem or Babylon) was divided in three parts. Further, the cities of the nations fell, and Babylon was remembered before God as being ripe for judgment. It is possible that what is referred to is symbolic. However, it is (as previously noted) more likely to be taken literally.

It must be remembered that at the time of the flood of Noah, a real event in human history, there would have been immense cataclysms and upheavals of the land. And yet, what was stated in those previous two verses is said to be greater than even that. The importance of this will be analyzed now in this verse. In it, John begins with, “Then every island fled away.” The thought here has already been seen in verse 6:14 –

“Then the sky receded as a scroll when it is rolled up, and every mountain and island was moved out of its place.”

Various suggestions were proposed as to whether what was said there was literal, symbolic, and so on. The same may be applied to this verse, or it could be that one is symbolic, and one is literal. These events are future and what occurs will be understood at that time to be the fulfillment of the event.

If the events now are literal, it does not mean that there will be no more islands after the event. It probably means that the islands are actually rocked on their very foundations and probably inundated with giant waves that would accompany such an earthquake. The islands of the world would appear to be swimming in the movement of the oceans, seas, and lakes.

John next says, “and the mountains were not found.” Mountains arise through geologic movement, and mountains will be leveled by them as well. These things are, of course, assuming that the events are to be taken literally. Rereading the commentary on verse 6:14 will explain both possibilities as a reminder.

However, as this is at the end of the tribulation period, the direct question is more relevant than before, “Is this literal or symbolic?” Based on the fact that it occurs in conjunction with “a great earthquake, such a mighty and great earthquake as had not occurred since men were on the earth,” it probably should be taken as literal. The entire topography of the earth will be changed.

What would be the importance of this then? It is because the earth was in a different state before the flood than after it. People lived longer, meat was not given to them for food yet, and so on. These things were surely because of the physical makeup of the earth at that time. What is likely is that the size of the earth and the timing of the earth’s rotation will also be affected by this earthquake.

The Bible is consistently based on a 360-day year, regardless of how our calendars line up with events. This 360-day year is known as the “prophetic calendar” and was more than probably the way the world’s rotation was originally designed. It is likely that at the time of the flood, this was changed, but the Bible continues to use this pattern for its dating – even through the book of Revelation. Recent earthquakes have moderately affected the earth’s rotation (by milliseconds), but this one will be so large, it may return things to what was originally intended.

Of course, this is all speculation, but the restoration of that which has been lost is a major theme of the Bible and so this may be true with the planet’s timing as well. Along with this is the prospect of mountains being leveled and islands being removed. This is hard to imagine, but so was flying to the moon just a few short decades ago. Just because we can’t mentally grasp what is depicted doesn’t mean that it can’t happen.

There will certainly be an entirely different ecosystem on the earth when this occurs. The changes will be so pronounced that Isaiah says –

“The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb,
The leopard shall lie down with the young goat,
The calf and the young lion and the fatling together;
And a little child shall lead them.
7 The cow and the bear shall graze;
Their young ones shall lie down together;
And the lion shall eat straw like the ox.
8 The nursing child shall play by the cobra’s hole,
And the weaned child shall put his hand in the viper’s 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.” Isaiah 11:6-9

Further, the age of man will again be able to attain hundreds of years –

“No more shall an infant from there live but a few days,
Nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days;
For the child shall die one hundred years old,
But the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed.
21 They shall build houses and inhabit them;
They shall plant vineyards and eat their fruit.
22 They shall not build and another inhabit;
They shall not plant and another eat;
For as the days of a tree, so shall be the days of My people,
And My elect shall long enjoy the work of their hands.”

Certainly, big changes are coming in the time ahead. What will bring about these changes so that what was lost will be restored during the millennium? It appears that just as a great set of cataclysmic events took place before the flood and brought the world out of the original design, it may be that another set of cataclysmic events will bring it back into a harmonious design that will positively affect the very nature of life on earth.

Life application: Whatever is coming in the future, it will be glorious. A time of great peace on earth will occur, and the people of the world will receive the wonder and marvel that is prophesied for that time to come. However, before that occurs, there will be such great destruction on the planet that the vast majority of humanity will be annihilated.

Because these things are certain, it is important that people wake up to the truth of God in Christ now. Without Him, there is only anticipated death and separation from God. But through faith in Him, there is life and restoration. Let us put our hope and confidence in God’s provision today. Let us set our hearts, minds, and affections on God’s Messiah, our Lord JESUS!

Lord, we look forward to the time when the world shall be full of the knowledge of who You are and the great deeds You have accomplished. Until then, let us work diligently to bring many to a saving knowledge of You, so that they too can share in the wondrous day ahead when You rule and reign on Your glorious throne. Amen.