Author: Charlie Garrett

Deuteronomy 10:12-22 (He Is Your Praise, and He Is Your God)

Charlie Garrett Deuteronomy (Written)

Deuteronomy 10:12-22
He Is Your Praise, and He Is Your God

Quite often in Genesis through Numbers, pictures of Christ Jesus flew off the pages. There was the surface story, and then there were reasons why the surface stories were given. The Lord would take a simple story about normal human life, and He would turn it into a picture of what was coming in the greater story of redemption, especially concerning the Person of Jesus Christ.

There has been a little of that in Deuteronomy, but much less so far. But this does not mean that Jesus isn’t in the details. Rather, we have seen many hints of Him, even through the speaking out of the law. In verses like today, there are implicit hints of Him and what He would be like as well.

In verse 17, it will say that the Lord is ha’el ha’gadol ha’gibor – the God, the great, the mighty. It is an expressive term that clues us into the nature of the coming Messiah. In Isaiah 9, using the same word, gibor, it says that His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.

The term “Mighty God” is el gibor. After writing that out, he must have looked at what he had written and said, “How can that be? Yehovah is the God, the Mighty!” And to further confound him, he wrote, using the exact same words (el gibor) in the next chapter of his book –

“And such as have escaped of the house of Jacob,
Will never again depend on him who defeated them,
But will depend on the Lord, the Holy One of Israel, in truth.
21 The remnant will return, the remnant of Jacob,
To the Mighty God.” Isaiah 10:20, 21

If one takes the Bible as a whole meal, and not just in little bite-sized nuggets, the deity of Jesus Christ comes flying off of the pages. Such is the case with our text verse today…

Text Verse: “ I urge you in the sight of God who gives life to all things, and before Christ Jesus who witnessed the good confession before Pontius Pilate, 14 that you keep this commandment without spot, blameless until our Lord Jesus Christ’s appearing, 15 which He will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 16 who alone has immortality, dwelling in unapproachable light, whom no man has seen or can see, to whom be honor and everlasting power. Amen.” 1 Timothy 6:13-16

Our sermon text says that Yehovah is the God of gods and Lord of lords. The psalmist (136:3) will say that Yehovah is the Lord of lords. Paul says that these titles belong to Jesus, and that is followed twice by the words of John in Revelation.

It is true that such terms, at times, can speak in various ways, but when the context demands that they refer to the same thing – as in these cases – it can only mean one thing: Jesus Christ is the incarnate Yehovah.

And so, while we read and study the book of Deuteronomy, let us continue to search for hints of the nature of God in Christ, pictures of Christ in the word, and also apply the proper context to our theology in matters of law verses grace. The law was given by the Lord for various reasons, and grace comes through the Lord for a completely different relationship with Him.

Let us hold fast to the grace and let us be thankful for the lessons of the law. These are things we just should do – to the glory of God who gave them to us. Such wonderful truths 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.With All Your Heart, and with All Your Soul (verses 12-15)

The last verses we looked at in the previous sermon said –

“As at the first time, I stayed in the mountain forty days and forty nights; the Lord also heard me at that time, and the Lord chose not to destroy you. 11 Then the Lord said to me, ‘Arise, begin your journey before the people, that they may go in and possess the land which I swore to their fathers to give them.’” Deuteronomy 10:10, 11

After the incident of the golden calf, the Lord was upset enough to destroy the people and to make a nation of Moses. But through Moses’ mediation, He relented and renewed the covenant and the promises. The journey to the land of promise would come to pass, and the people would enter and possess. It is with this thought in mind, that Moses now begins an appeal to the people, commencing with these eleven verses…

12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you,

The words are rhetorical. Moses already knows that Israel has no idea what the Lord God expects of them. If they did, he would not have had to reexplain every detail of what got them to the place where they now are.

They were told what the Lord required of them at Sinai. The words went into their ears, and they went right back out. The pattern repeated itself again and again over the many years in the wilderness.

Moses’ recounting of all of this detail is to, hopefully, get them to pay attention this time. Although, later in Deuteronomy, he will clearly indicate that he knows his words now are wasted breath. But he must speak them anyway. In order to be held accountable for one’s actions, one must first be told what is expected of him.

The word translated as “require” means to inquire or ask for. It is true that this is what is required, but it is stated almost as a treasure hunt – “What does the Lord seek of you?” He is looking for a result, but He is doing it with free-will in mind. And so, Moses’ opens his mouth and speaks out four principles, or precepts…

12 (con’t) but to fear the Lord your God,

Precept 1) The fear of the Lord isn’t merely being afraid of His ability to destroy them. It is understanding that because He could do so, and yet instead tends to them, they were to acknowledge His rightful place above them as such.

Children know that their father has complete power over them, but unless they do wrong, they don’t need to worry. If he is a good father, they will instead know that he has their best interest in mind. They don’t need to walk on eggshells, but rather in confidence – “My father is big and strong, but he loves me. And so, I will fear him in confidence, doing what is right in order to please him.” Paul says likewise to those of the church in 2 Corinthians 7:1–

“Therefore, having these promises, beloved, let us cleanse ourselves from all filthiness of the flesh and spirit, perfecting holiness in the fear of God.”

This reverential fear is then expressed in the next precept…

12 (con’t) to walk in all His ways

Precept 2) To walk signifies the conduct of a person’s life. It is how he acts in relation to his surroundings, interacts with those he encounters, and expresses himself in relation to the expectations placed upon him.

The Lord is placing Israel in a land promised to their fathers. Their fathers were promised it based on faith, and thus the people were to be people who walked in faith.

The people of the land would be their own kin, and any strangers who were not of the inhabitants who were to be removed. Their walk and interactions were to be based upon their status as kinfolk, and as people who were once strangers in a foreign land (as will be explained again in the verses ahead).

And the people were given the law of the Lord. They were not to just be obedient to it, but they were to have their hearts directed toward it, as he will explain in verse 16. Thus, their walk was to be mindful of the Lord in the conduct of their obedience. Paul says as much to us today –

“For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Ephesians 2:10

Obedience without a right heart attitude is as distasteful as willful disobedience. To have one’s heart properly directed to the law of the Lord demonstrates the next expectation of the people…

12 (con’t) and to love Him,

Precept 3) Moses refers to a volitional love, but it does not exclude an emotional love. Being obedient to the precepts of the Lord without a love of the Lord leads to rote obedience, and even a contempt, for what is required.

It can even draw one’s attention away from the Lord: The Lord gives the Sabbath. The people don’t love the Lord, but rather observe the Sabbath to themselves. Some don’t observe it at all. In this, those who observe the Sabbath, even though they don’t love the Lord, accuse and mock those who don’t.

The attitude becomes one of self-righteousness and of comparing oneself against others. Only when one observes the Sabbath because he loves the Lord is the Sabbath, then, properly observed.

Paul expresses this thought to the church as well, saying, “Grace be with all those who love our Lord Jesus Christ in sincerity. Amen” (Ephesians 6:24). Service without sincere love will create an atmosphere that is both unhealthy and arrogant. To avoid this, Moses next says…

12 (con’t) to serve the Lord your God

Precept 4) The word translated as serve, abad, signifies to work or serve. It can include slavery and bondage, or it can mean to till or cultivate. It is a general word that requires context to understand. The context here is that of faithful service with a right heart and certainly to include fear and love of the Lord God. Such is what Paul instructs us concerning the Lord Jesus –

“Be kindly affectionate to one another with brotherly love, in honor giving preference to one another; 11 not lagging in diligence, fervent in spirit, serving the Lord.” Romans 12:10, 11

Moses next expresses this in two subpoints, beginning with…

12 (con’t) with all your heart

Precept 4a) b’kal l’vavekha – “with all to your heart.” The heart is the seat of reason and understanding. Moses implores them to use all of their intellect, reasoning, and wisdom in the service of the Lord. They are to consider him in all they do, and He is to be fixed in the mind’s eye in their service. It is what New Testament believers are to do concerning Jesus –

“My friends, God has chosen you to be his holy people. So think about Jesus, the one we call our apostle and high priest!” Hebrews 3:1 (CEV)

“Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith.” Hebrews 12:2 (BSB)

Understanding this, Moses continues with…

12 (con’t) and with all your soul,

Precept 4b) The soul is what animates a person. It is the drive behind his actions and the strength he possesses. To serve the Lord with all of one’s soul is to expend himself in the service of the Lord. It is a precept likewise taught to those in the church –

“Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator.” 1 Peter 4:19

It is these things that Moses directs the people to be conscious of and to put forth in the conduct of their lives. Further…

13 and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good?

The commandments of the Lord are those things spoken directly from the Lord, starting with the Ten Commandments, but also all of what the Lord directly spoke to and through Moses.

The statutes include the word of the Lord to Moses and that which is spoken through Moses. They are those things that are prescribed or set forth as an ordinance and the like.

Understanding these things, Moses continues with an obvious reason why Israel should pay heed and do these things. He does it by first explaining the position and power of Yehovah…

14 Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, 

The words are spoken in the superlative: ha’shamayim u-sheme ha’shamayim – “the heavens and heavens the heavens.” It is a way of saying, “everything above and in all directions. No matter which way the earth turns, all of it belongs to the Lord.

But more, it certainly is intended to include the spiritual realm itself; the highest, or third, heavens of which man has no free access to, nor understanding of, what occurs there. And more…

14 (con’t) also the earth with all that is in it.

From man’s perspective, the earth is where it’s at. Before the age of planes and rockets, this was our domain. And even now, it is the center of our universe because it is where we live and move about.

But on this earth, there are animals and sea creatures of great power, ability, and beauty. There are lands far off, there are lands high in the mountains, and there are lands filled with wonder and delight. And there are many nations and peoples and tribes and tongues to fill them. Despite these things…

15 The Lord delighted only in your fathers, to love them;

There is an emphasis in the Hebrew: raq ba’avotekha khashaq Yehovah – “Only in your fathers delighted Yehovah.” The word is raq, which is identical to the adjective signifying thin or lean. Thus, it figuratively speaks of limitation – for example, a teeny portion among a great amount.

Out of all of the heavens and the heavens of the heavens, and out of all of the earth, only in this one line was this attachment formed. The fathers of Israel were selected by the Lord, apart from their own merit. They were given sure and great promises, and they were made to none other…

15 (con’t) and He chose their descendants after them,

In other words, at a specific time in their history, a selection was made. Several generations passed in Egypt, but at the time and generation determined by the Lord, the decision was rendered. This was without any input by those selected, and there was nothing in them that merited the call. And yet the call was made specifically for them…

15 (con’t) you above all peoples, as it is this day.

bakem mikal ha’amim kayom ha’zeh – “In you (all) from all the people’s as day the this.” From verses 12-15, Moses has been speaking in the singular to Israel (you). In this one word alone, he switches to the plural “in you (all).” He will then continue this plural until verse 20.

The Lord could have drawn Israel out of Egypt at any given time. But it was at this specific time, meaning that point at which this group of people was chosen. Thus, they cannot say they were better than their fathers who died in Egypt, nor than those who would come after them.

The selection of the people was at the sovereign will of the Lord alone. And it was this group out of all groups of peoples on the entire earth. One can see a tapestry being woven in these words. “I am doing a thing in the earth, and I am using you in the process.”

In this, if you think it through to its logical end, the coming incarnation (which we now look back on) is seen here. “I am doing this thing, I am making decisions which are for My own purposes, and those decisions are leading to a particular end and for a particular purpose.” It is what Paul refers to –

“But when the fullness of the time had come, God sent forth His Son, born of a woman, born under the law, 5 to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.” Galatians 4:4, 5

Israel thinks it is all about them. But the Lord is showing that the plan, which includes them, is formed for a purpose that they are only participants in. They are actually not the center of attention at all. He is. As this is so, they must pay heed…

He is your praise, and He is your God
Great and glorious and mighty is He
Perfect are His ways; of them we applaud
The One who was and who is and who yet shall be 

We shall serve Him with all our heart and with all our soul
We shall serve Him for all eternity
Those whose names are written in His scroll
The One who was and who is and who yet shall be 

To Him, we look with all delight and all hope
To the One who we shall forever see
In His hand is all of creation’s scope
The One who was and who is and who yet shall be   

II. He Is Your Praise (verses 16-22)

16 Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart,

This is a new thought introduced into Scripture. Israel bore the sign of circumcision that was passed down from the time of Abraham. And yet, the generation sitting before Moses did not possess it. That is recorded in Joshua 5 –

“At that time the Lord said to Joshua, ‘Make flint knives for yourself, and circumcise the sons of Israel again the second time.’ 3 So Joshua made flint knives for himself, and circumcised the sons of Israel at the hill of the foreskins. 4 And this is the reason why Joshua circumcised them: All the people who came out of Egypt who were males, all the men of war, had died in the wilderness on the way, after they had come out of Egypt. 5 For all the people who came out had been circumcised, but all the people born in the wilderness, on the way as they came out of Egypt, had not been circumcised.” Joshua 5:2-5

Despite their state of uncircumcision, which was contrary to the law and an obvious sign of judgment upon the people, Moses turns not to the flesh, but to the heart. In other words, without the heart, the flesh doesn’t matter at all. This is a precept that will be seen again in Deuteronomy 30 and Jeremiah 4 –

“Circumcise yourselves to the Lord,
And take away the foreskins of your hearts,
You men of Judah and inhabitants of Jerusalem,
Lest My fury come forth like fire,
And burn so that no one can quench it,
Because of the evil of your doings.” Jeremiah 4:4

It is used one final time in the New Testament, and it explains much to us concerning what Moses is saying right now –

“For circumcision is indeed profitable if you keep the law; but if you are a breaker of the law, your circumcision has become uncircumcision. 26 Therefore, if an uncircumcised man keeps the righteous requirements of the law, will not his uncircumcision be counted as circumcision? 27 And will not the physically uncircumcised, if he fulfills the law, judge you who, even with your written code and circumcision, are a transgressor of the law? 28 For he is not a Jew who is one outwardly, nor is circumcision that which is outward in the flesh; 29 but he is a Jew who is one inwardly; and circumcision is that of the heart, in the Spirit, not in the letter; whose praise is not from men but from God.” Romans 2:25-29

Moses is telling this generation that they are not right with the Lord at all. They are sitting on the banks of the Jordan because the Lord placed them there despite themselves.

As this generation pictures the generation brought back from exile who are in the land of Israel today, it shows us that they are – even now – as unclean as if they were not circumcised. Their boasting in their heritage is entirely misplaced. For now, Moses speaks on…

16 (con’t) and be stiff-necked no longer.

v’arepekhem lo taqshu od – “and your (plural) neck no stiffen longer.” There are lots of people, and they have one giant stiff neck. That must end. But how does that come about?

Of this verse, Charles Ellicott uniquely translates it as a cause and effect, “Circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and ye will harden your neck no more.” That would then be comparable to Galatians 5:16, “I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.”

His translation actually seems justified and appropriate. The cause-and-effect nature is seen in both the Old and the New Testaments –

“Nevertheless they would not hear, but stiffened their necks, like the necks of their fathers, who did not believe in the Lord their God.” 2 Kings 17:14

“You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you.” Acts 7:51 

One must first circumcise his heart. In this, the stiffed neck will end. And the reason for that is clearly seen in the next verse…

17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome,

Most English versions completely miss the abundant emphasis and poignant nature of the Hebrew: ki Yehovah elohekhem, hu, elohe ha’elohim, va’adonei ha’adonim, ha’el, ha’gadol, ha’gibor, v’ha’nora – “For Yehovah your God, HE, God of the gods and Lord of the lords, the God, the great, the mighty, and the terrifying.” Of the term, God of the gods, the Pulpit Commentary notes –

“Not only supreme over all that are called god, but the complex and sum of all that is Divine; the Great Reality, of which the ‘gods many’ of the nations were at the best but the symbols of particular attributes or qualities.”

This is certainly so, but it also includes anything of which the term Elohim comprises – angels, the departed souls of man, human judges, and so on. He is the God above all lesser “gods,” be they actual or invented. Nothing compares to Him.

Being Lord of the lords, means that all powers, sovereigns, masters, owners, and other such designations are all below Him. He is THE GOD, meaning the only true God. To Him alone is the greatness, to Him alone is the power, and to Him alone is the fear. All others receive their station and capability from Him.

Because of this, because all things stem from Him and all things belong to Him, it is He alone…

17 (con’t) who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe.

Asher lo yisa panim v’lo yiqah shokhad – “That no lifts faces and no takes bribe.” To lift the face means to regard or show partiality. All flesh stands before God on the same level and all will receive exactly the same treatment based on their conduct, not on their strength, wealth, intelligence, or for any other reason.

And, because this is so, nothing can be offered to Him to change His mind, as if He could accept a bribe. As He is the Possessor of all things, including time itself, there is nothing that can be given Him that He does not own – from eternity past, right now, and to the ages of ages. But despite all of His power and possession, He is not uncaring of His creation or of His creatures…

18 He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing.

The nature of the Lord is drawn out much more clearly here. The same Lord who has told Israel to go in and exterminate every person in the land of Canaan – regardless of age, sex, or any other category, is also the Lord who ensures that those who are not under the ban are cared for, regardless of their lowly station, and indeed especially because of their lowly station. What this means, however, is only next revealed…

19 Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.

Of the previous verse, John Gill (and others) says –

“…and loveth the stranger, in giving him food and raiment; one that is in a foreign country, at a distance from his native land, and destitute of friends; such God in his providence takes care of, and expresses his love and kindness to, by giving them the necessaries of life, food, and raiment.”

This is incorrect. Although all things are provided by God to tend to humans, He does not actively give these things to such people, nor should it be expected to be so. It would defeat the entire purpose of this verse now.

Moses says that Lord administers justice for them. He then, using the last category – that of the stranger – explains what Israel is to do. They are to love such, meaning “care for them.” He then explains the reason, “for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” As He tended to them in their time of loneliness, so they were to act towards the lonely.

What is implied, but unstated, is that as it was with the stranger, so it is to be with the fatherless and the widow. The word translated as “fatherless,” comes from a root signifying “to be lonely.” The word translated as “widow” is from a word signifying “forsaken.”

Israel was without the Lord until He came forth to Pharaoh and said, “Israel is my son, My firstborn” (Exodus 4:22). They were as a widow until He came and betrothed Himself to them. Thus, when the Lord says He administers justice for these people, it is that He places it in the conscience of man to naturally feel compassion. Thus, it is man’s job to care for his fellow man.

The man who hardens his heart to this state is the wrongdoer. In such a state, the Lord will then judge and punish him. For this reason, among others, Egypt was so judged. Canaan will be so judged. And when Israel fails, they too would be so judged. The Lord has stated His character, and Israel is expected to emulate it. Rather than hardening their hearts…

20 You shall fear the Lord your God;

Here, and until the end of the chapter, the words go back to the singular. Israel the collective is being addressed. In this verse, the words are emphatic: eth Yehovah eloheka tira – “Yehovah your God you shall fear.”

It brings us right back to the thought of verse 12, Q: “What does the Lord your God require of you?” A: “To fear the Lord your God.” But this time, it is with the emphasis – “Yehovah your God you shall fear.”

With that understood, Moses again explains what that means with three principles, or precepts…

20 (con’t) you shall serve Him,

Precept 1) As explained above, and as further defined by Moses – “with all your heart and with all your soul.” In this, the service will be acceptable. Further…

20 (con’t) and to Him you shall hold fast,

Precept 2) The word is dabaq. It signifies “to cleave.” One can think of sticking like glue. When Naomi told Ruth to return to her people, it says that Ruth clung (dabaq) to her. She would not let go, and she promised to never let go, but to remain with her always. It is this closeness that is implied in the words now. Further…

20 (con’t) and take oaths in His name.

Precept 3) It follows after Deuteronomy 6:13 –

“You shall fear the Lord your God and serve Him, and shall take oaths in His name.”

The order of these three precepts is logical. Service is the basis for the relationship. But that service is to lead to holding fast – continuance. Only after that is established in the soul of the person should he venture to take oaths in His name. Otherwise, the oath is bound to be violated and the name of the Lord will be profaned. But such should never be, because…

21 He is your praise,

The words are emphatic: hu tehilatekha – “HE your praise.” Moses reaches back for a word only seen so far in Exodus 15, just after the crossing of the Red Sea, tehillah, or “praise” –

“Who is like You, O Lord, among the gods?
Who is like You, glorious in holiness,
Fearful in praises, doing wonders? Exodus 15:11

It is a word found mostly in the Psalms, but also quite a bit in Isaiah. It is where the book of Psalms, or tehillim, finds its Hebrew name. In saying, He is your praise, the entire verse needs to be considered. He is both the object of their praise –

“Great is the Lord, and greatly to be praised
In the city of our God,
In His holy mountain.” Psalm 48:1

But He is also the ground of their praise –

“‘For as the sash clings to the waist of a man, so I have caused the whole house of Israel and the whole house of Judah to cling to Me,’ says the Lord, ‘that they may become My people, for renown, for praise, and for glory; but they would not hear.’” Jeremiah 13:11

21 (con’t) and He is your God,

Again, it is emphatic: v’hu eloheka – “And HE your God.” It is not another, nor is there another. Though Israel had many gods, and though they still have many gods, it is only Yehovah who is their God. Any other is a lie, and to cling to any other is to profane His name. They are a people because of Him, they are a people named by Him, they are a people called out for Him. It is He alone…

21 (con’t) who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen.

Again, Moses has returned in his mind to Exodus 15:11, using now the same word as then – “fearful in praises” is now “awesome things,” or maybe more poignantly, “fearful things.” The Exodus is not the only such thing. Indeed, there had been many – all seen by the eyes of the people.

The Lord is to be feared because it is He who does fearful things. If He can do such for Israel, He will do such against Israel. The choice is up to Israel.

22 Your fathers went down to Egypt with seventy persons,

The word order provides emphasis: b’shivim nephesh yaredu avoteka mitsraiyemah – “in seventy souls went down your fathers to Egypt.” Moses provides a history lesson to close out our verses today. He notes the diminutive size of Israel speaking of them as in the collective “Your (singular) fathers,” highlighting their insignificant number.

But in this, he also tells them that what happened, and what has come about in Israel now sitting outside of Canaan, was prophesied in advance…

*22 (fin) and now the Lord your God has made you as the stars of heaven in multitude.

The Lord had made a promise to Abraham. Along with that promise were certain statements of fact concerning the future. Moses tells Israel that the promise has been fulfilled, and that the factual statements came true. From Genesis 15 –

“And behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, ‘This one shall not be your heir, but one who will come from your own body shall be your heir.’ 5 Then He brought him outside and said, ‘Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.’ And He said to him, ‘So shall your descendants be.’” Genesis 15:4, 5

And then just a few verses later –

“Then He said to Abram: ‘Know certainly that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, and will serve them, and they will afflict them four hundred years. 14 And also the nation whom they serve I will judge; afterward they shall come out with great possessions. 15 Now as for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you shall be buried at a good old age. 16 But in the fourth generation they shall return here, for the iniquity of the Amorites is not yet complete.’” Genesis 15:13-15

What the Lord had told to Abraham had come to pass. Thus, not only is He “the One who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen,” but He is the One who orchestrated them in the first place.

The divine plan was mapped out, spoken of before it came to pass, and was fulfilled as it was spoken of. Therefore, there is the absolute assurance that what Moses spoke out concerning His nature, was certainly the case. What Moses conveyed concerning their relationship with Him was inviolable, and what he would speak out concerning their future would certainly occur.

However, and this is what Israel needed to understand, the Lord did not determine these things – as if Judah was going to be the largest tribe because the Lord caused more children to be born to that tribe. Rather, the Lord knew that it would occur.

Likewise, the Lord didn’t force the brothers of Joseph to sell him off to Egypt, but the Lord used that for His greater purposes. In other words, Moses is not asking Israel to have a fatalistic view of the world, nor of the life they were to lead.

They were to understand that the Lord transcends the events of human history, and He uses them through His foreknowledge of them coming about to effect His purposes. If He intervenes in human history, as He did at the crossing of the Red Sea, He does so to continue that plan for His intended end.

But Israel was to know that they were accountable to the Lord for the choices they made, the allegiances they pursued, their treatment of His commands, and of others who were to be cared for according to His word.

Later in Deuteronomy, Moses will speak to Israel of their coming failures. Speaking of their future as if it is already past, he says –

“But Jeshurun grew fat and kicked;
You grew fat, you grew thick,
You are obese!
Then he forsook God who made him,
And scornfully esteemed the Rock of his salvation.
16 They provoked Him to jealousy with foreign gods;
With abominations they provoked Him to anger.
17 They sacrificed to demons, not to God,
To gods they did not know,
To new gods, new arrivals
That your fathers did not fear.
18 Of the Rock who begot you, you are unmindful,
And have forgotten the God who fathered you.” Deuteronomy 32:15-18

Knowing this in advance, Israel could not say, “The Lord knew it was coming and so it was predetermined and thus not our fault.” Rather, the Lord is letting them know that it is entirely their fault.

They were instructed, they were warned, and they did not heed. He just knew it would happen. His foreknowledge does not negate their free will. What is unfortunate, is that the same is true with the church today – both in doctrine (aka Calvinism) and in practice, such as in a fatalistic view concerning elections, saving for the future, or in a thousand other ways.

We – each and every person alive – are responsible for our actions, and we cannot blame God for those things that come about – even if He tells us in advance that they will happen. And so, let us take a right and reasonable approach to both our lives and our theology.

Let us live our lives before the Lord, honoring and serving Him as we are admonished to do, and let us look at the future with anticipation, not with a fatalistic view that the book is written, and we can’t change it anyway.

Our small part of the story is unknown to us from moment to moment, and our small effort may actually be the seed of something great and marvelous that happens along the pathway taking us to our final stop in the presence of the Lord.

Yes, the book is written, and yes, the end is already set. But we have a part to do until we get there. If giving flowers to someone will brighten their day, don’t withhold your hands from picking them. And if opening your mouth and speaking out the words of salvation will bring someone to the throne of grace, why would you refrain from speaking?

The only thing certain about our future is contained in a book containing 66 smaller books that total 1189 chapters. Outside of that, the possibilities for what lies ahead are absolutely unlimited. And each day that we live in the process is to be lived clinging to the One who gave us that broad and glorious outline of what lies ahead.

To be certain, if you want to share in the promises contained there, you will need to first be reconciled to the One who wrote out the lines of eternity. Make sure you are sure about that today.

Closing Verse:  Now out of His mouth goes a sharp sword, that with it He should strike the nations. And He Himself will rule them with a rod of iron. He Himself treads the winepress of the fierceness and wrath of Almighty God. 16 And He has on His robe and on His thigh a name written:

KING OF KINGS AND
LORD OF LORDS.
Revelation 19:15, 16

Next Week: Deuteronomy 11:1-12 You were led by the Lord; by His grace… (Until You Came to this Place) (36th 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.

 

He Is Your Praise, and He Is Your God

“And now, Israel, what does the LORD your God require of you
But to fear the LORD your God, not a bit but in whole
To walk in all His ways and to love Him
To serve the LORD your God with all your heart
———-and with all your soul

And to keep the commandments of the LORD, so it is understood
And His statutes which I command you today for your good?

Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong
———-to the LORD your God
Also the earth with all that is in it; everywhere you trod

The LORD delighted only in your fathers, to love them
And He chose their descendants after them, so He did say
You above all peoples
As it is this day

Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart
And be stiff-necked no longer; be sure to do your part

For the LORD your God is God of gods
And Lord of lords, these titles to Him we ascribe
The great God, mighty and awesome
Who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe

He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow also
And loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing
———-as you well know

Therefore love the stranger; his good from you shall not be skipped
For you were strangers in the land of Egypt

You shall fear the LORD your God
You shall serve Him, so I exclaim
And to Him you shall hold fast
And take oaths in His name

He is your praise
And He is your God, who has done for you
These great and awesome things
Which your eyes have seen; He is faithful and true

Your fathers went down to Egypt with seventy persons
A very small brood
And now the LORD your God has made you
As the stars of heaven in multitude

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…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

12 “And now, Israel, what does the Lord your God require of you, but to fear the Lord your God, to walk in all His ways and to love Him, to serve the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul, 13 and to keep the commandments of the Lord and His statutes which I command you today for your good? 14 Indeed heaven and the highest heavens belong to the Lord your God, also the earth with all that is in it. 15 The Lord delighted only in your fathers, to love them; and He chose their descendants after them, you above all peoples, as it is this day. 16 Therefore circumcise the foreskin of your heart, and be stiff-necked no longer. 17 For the Lord your God is God of gods and Lord of lords, the great God, mighty and awesome, who shows no partiality nor takes a bribe. 18 He administers justice for the fatherless and the widow, and loves the stranger, giving him food and clothing. 19 Therefore love the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt. 20 You shall fear the Lord your God; you shall serve Him, and to Him you shall hold fast, and take oaths in His name. 21 He is your praise, and He is your God, who has done for you these great and awesome things which your eyes have seen. 22 Your fathers went down to Egypt with seventy persons, and now the Lord your God has made you as the stars of heaven in multitude.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Revelation 9:1

Charlie Garrett Revelation (Written)

Sunday, 3 January 2021

Then the fifth angel sounded: And I saw a star fallen from heaven to the earth. To him was given the key to the bottomless pit. Revelation 9:1

Chapter nine begins with the continued sounding of the trumpets. John now says, “Then the fifth angel sounded.” The previous verse had called out, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” That process has now begun. With the sounding, John next says, “And I saw a star.”

As was noted in Chapter 6, stars point to leaders in high positions, religious or otherwise. This is certainly the case here as well. With this understanding, John next says, “fallen from heaven to the earth.” Some translations incorrectly make the words active – “I saw a star fall from heaven” (KJV). This is not the sense at all. The verb is a perfect participle. The Greek literally reads, “And I saw a star out of the heaven, fallen to the earth.” It had already fallen, and that is how John sees it. The words are reminiscent of Isaiah 14:12 –

“How you are fallen from heaven,
O Lucifer, son of the morning!
How you are cut down to the ground,
You who weakened the nations!”

Also, in Luke 10:18, where Jesus says, “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven.” Whether this is Satan, a fallen angel, or a person under Satan’s control is debated, but the connection is obvious either way. This is a being that is fallen and whose domain is not connected with heaven. To understand how this could be a human, Daniel 8 must be considered. There, and speaking of humans in relation to stars in this same way, it says –

“And it grew up to the host of heaven; and it cast down some of the host and some of the stars to the ground, and trampled them. 11 He even exalted himself as high as the Prince of the host; and by him the daily sacrifices were taken away, and the place of His sanctuary was cast down.” Daniel 8:10, 11

With this in mind, John next says, “To him was given the key to the bottomless pit.” The Greek rightly reads, “And was given to him the key of the pit of the abyss.”

Special note concerning right thinking: There is an odd group of people, who are actually and inexplicably increasing in number, that believe the earth is flat. One of their main points is that the idea of stars falling to earth is to be taken literally. They claim the proves the stars cannot be billions of miles away.

However, stars don’t fall to earth, get handed keys, and then go open pits. This one, however, is referred to in the masculine, him, and is given a key. Thus, like the other such uses in Scripture, verses like this are obviously to be taken metaphorically.

Having noted this, one reason to believe this could be Satan or a demon is that the star is “fallen.” This indicates that it is not an angel who held its position in heaven, but, like Adam, fell in a spiritual sense. Another such interpretation can be found in Jude 1:6 –

“And the angels who did not keep their proper domain, but left their own abode, He has reserved in everlasting chains under darkness for the judgment of the great day…”

As this star was given the key, it means that it doesn’t have authority over it except as it is granted to him, meaning at the direction of the Creator. A similar situation where the Lord is shown to have authority even over fallen angels can be found in Job 1 where He directs Satan’s movements. This pit is alluded to throughout the Bible, such as in Psalm 55:23 –

“But You, O God, shall bring them down to the pit of destruction…”

This place of destruction is where sinners and fallen angels go to be held in custody until the final judgment. However, because God controls all things, it can be opened at His direction. Such is the case here.

Life application: One point of doctrine that is made absolutely certain in Scripture is that the Lord is sovereign over all things. Satan cannot operate without the permission of the Lord, and his minions cannot afflict us without it being allowed. And yet, we open ourselves up to these allowances. The unsaved who do not come to Christ have the devil as their head (see John 8:44 and 1 John 3:8, for example).

Saved believers in Christ have moved to the authority of Jesus, but we can still allow ourselves to be afflicted by demons. This is certain based on the words of Paul found in Ephesians 6 –

“Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord and in the power of His might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand.” Ephesians 6:10-13

We remain in a spiritual battle, and we are told to actively participate in both offensive and defensive measures in order to stand against such things. The only way to do this is to take the advice Paul lays out in that chapter, along with applying the many other admonitions of Scripture concerning such things. And the only way to do those things is to read and know your Bible.

This precious word is God’s gift to us concerning such things. His intent for man is found there, if we will but listen. And the first thing we must do is to come to Him as He has shown is right. That is through the offering of His Son, our Lord JESUS.

Lord God, we can tell from Scripture that there is a great unseen world around us where the forces of wickedness operate. Thank You for giving us insights into this. By seeing that You control even this unseen world, we need not fear these things, but we can know for certain that You are in complete control of them. Thank you for these insights. Help us to apply the tools You have given us to stand in this great battle. Amen.

 

 

Revelation 8:13

Charlie Garrett Revelation (Written)

Saturday, 2 January 2021

And I looked, and I heard an angel flying through the midst of heaven, saying with a loud voice, “Woe, woe, woe to the inhabitants of the earth, because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!” Revelation 8:13

John has just reported what he saw in the sounding of the fourth trumpet and the judgments associated with it. Now, his eyes are redirected, and he says, “And I looked, and I heard an angel.”

Manuscripts vary here in saying either, “an angel,” or “one eagle.” For those who believe it properly reads “angel,” their support for it comes from Revelation 14:6 –

“Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth—to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people.”

The claim for this view is that the words “another angel” mean that what is presented here in verse 8:13 must obviously be speaking of a first angel. It sounds logical at first, but is the term “another” referring to this angel in Revelation 8:13, or another angel in the succession of angels that are presented in the book?

The term “another angel” (or a close variation such as “another mighty angel”) is used nine times in Revelation (7:2, 8:3, 10:1, 14:6, 14:8, 14:15, 14:17, 14:18, & 18:1) when speaking of a general succession of angels without regard to any other particular angel. Further, with “another angel” presented between verse 8:3 and verse 14:6, the defense does not hold up. Whether the term “another angel” or “one eagle” is correct is debatable, but the defense of tying verse 8:3 to verse 14:6 is unsound.

If this is an angel, it signifies a messenger of any sort. If it is an eagle, it is still a messenger, but the symbolism can be derived from other passages of the Old Testament where the nesher, or “eagle,” is found –

“The Lord will bring a nation against you from afar, from the end of the earth, as swift as the eagle flies, a nation whose language you will not understand, 50 a nation of fierce countenance, which does not respect the elderly nor show favor to the young. 51 And they shall eat the increase of your livestock and the produce of your land, until you are destroyed; they shall not leave you grain or new wine or oil, or the increase of your cattle or the offspring of your flocks, until they have destroyed you.” Deuteronomy 28:49-51

“Set the trumpet to your mouth!
He shall come like an eagle against the house of the Lord,
Because they have transgressed My covenant
And rebelled against My law.” Hosea 8:1

“Their horses also are swifter than leopards,
And more fierce than evening wolves.
Their chargers charge ahead;
Their cavalry comes from afar;
They fly as the eagle that hastens to eat.” Habakkuk 1:8

The Hebrew word nesher comes from an unused root meaning “to lacerate.” Thus, this is an eagle or other large bird of prey. From these and other verses, it is apparent that the eagle represents a quick, decisive creature that strikes at its enemies in vengeance. Such aligns well with what is seen in the coming judgments.

The angel or eagle now being presented is very likely another manifestation of Jesus. This is not without precedent as the Lord of the Old Testament is likened to an eagle several times –

“As an eagle stirs up its nest,
Hovers over its young,
Spreading out its wings, taking them up,
Carrying them on its wings,
12 So the Lord alone led him,
And there was no foreign god with him.” Deuteronomy 32:11, 12

“Behold, He shall come up and fly like the eagle,
And spread His wings over Bozrah;
The heart of the mighty men of Edom in that day shall be
Like the heart of a woman in birth pangs.” Jeremiah 49:22

These and other verses, and the symbolism of the eagle representing the fourth gospel (the book of John), allow for this to then be another part of the unfolding revelation of Jesus Christ, heralding the events that are to follow upon the earth. And so, whether angel or eagle, it next says it is “flying through the midst of heaven.”

Here is introduced a word that is seen just three times in Revelation, mesouranéma. It signifies the meridian, or the highest point in the heavens (the zenith) that the sun occupies in the middle of the day. It is not speaking of the space between heaven and earth. This divine messenger (whether angel or eagle) is “saying with a loud voice, ‘Woe, woe, woe.’”

The Greek word is an interjection commonly used by Jesus in the synoptic gospels, ouai. It signifies grief, and thus one could also say, “alas.” Repeating this three times is a means of providing strong emphasis, and thus doom is being proclaimed because the denunciation is directed “to the inhabitants of the earth.”

As is common, the Greek word used for “earth” could be speaking of the land of Israel, the Mideast, or even the entire earth. The sounding of the sixth trumpet specifically mentions the area of the Euphrates, and so the word here certainly extends to those coming from that direction and area, but it does not mean that those troops are not destroyed in the land of Israel during the battle described in those verses.

Because of the sheer number of those mentioned in that trumpet judgment, the “inhabitants of the earth,” here, surely speaks of many peoples from many places, if not the entire planet. With that understood, the call of woe continues with the words, “because of the remaining blasts of the trumpet of the three angels who are about to sound!”

That is specifically speaking of the three final trumpet judgments. There is much destruction and there will be innumerable deaths associated with them.

Life application: The repetition of a word in the Bible is meant to call stress to that word, such as when we use boldface, italics, or when we put an exclamation point at the end of a sentence or word. Only a very few times in the Bible is a word repeated three times. When these occur, they are not just stressing a point, but they are stressing it to the highest degree.

Some other instances of a triple repetition are in Isaiah 6:3, Jeremiah 7:4, Jeremiah 22:29, Ezekiel 21:27, and Revelation 4:8. The above verse is conveying to the world that what has happened so far with the first four trumpet judgments will be nothing compared to what is coming in the next three. The world is headed for immense trouble from these three trumpet judgments, and it will only continue to get worse because another series of judgments will follow the trumpets. What is coming will be targeted and decisive in nature.

In understanding this, one purpose of the book of Revelation is that it serves as a warning to the people of the world of what lies ahead. One could dismiss its contents if it was a stand-alone book. But the terminology used in it is derived from all of the rest of the Bible, a book which has carefully and exactingly produced numerous fulfilled prophecies already. As this is so, and with this impeccable track record, the contents of the book are to be taken seriously. They are to be accepted as true and reliable prophecies of what is coming upon the world. And that is to be based on the world’s rejection of God’s offer of His Son. Man is given the choice to accept or reject what God has done. Be wise. Call out today for God’s saving offer of JESUS!

O Lord, when Isaiah looked up and saw you in the temple, he cried out Holy, Holy, Holy. Your glory overwhelmed him. However, the world today simply shrugs a shoulder and turns its back on You. How can we be held guiltless when we reject our Creator? Surely You are righteous in bringing judgment upon the world. Give us hearts now to understand our state and turn to You through Your offer of grace and mercy – Jesus. Amen.

 

 

Revelation 8:12

Charlie Garrett Revelation (Written)

Friday, 1 January 2021

Then the fourth angel sounded: And a third of the sun was struck, a third of the moon, and a third of the stars, so that a third of them were darkened. A third of the day did not shine, and likewise the night. Revelation 8:12

The trumpet judgments continue on now with John saying, “Then the fourth angel sounded.” As will be seen in the next verse, this is the first of the three triple-woe judgments. For now, however, John continues with, “And a third of the sun was struck.”

The previous judgments were directed against the earth (literally or figuratively) in the trees and grass, in the sea, and in the springs of water. This one, at first, appears different as it is directed toward the sun. However, may not be the case. It might be something that occurs on the earth that causes the sun to become obscured. This also includes “a third of the moon, and a third of the stars.”

This is similar to the events of the sixth seal as previously recorded in verse 6:12 –

“I looked when He opened the sixth seal, and behold, there was a great earthquake; and the sun became black as sackcloth of hair, and the moon became like blood.”

The first question is whether this is symbolic of something else or is it literal. Either way, obscuring of the heavenly bodies is something that almost universally portends evil. When there are eclipses, the nations tend to see them as bad omens. To have light obscured means darkness. Whether it is literal or figurative, darkness carries the same general thought – that of being oppressed and afflicted.

Another question that remains unanswered is, “Is this only over the land of Israel, or is this global in its effects?” The next verse will use the same general word found throughout Revelation that speaks of a particular land, the earth, the ground, the soil, and so on. Therefore, the answer remains open to interpretation.

A third of these heavenly bodies being struck would mean that the light of them is diminished by one third. The sun that is normally seen would be darkened by one third. The same is true with the moon and stars. Thus, many dim stars would be completely obscured.

Considering this as a literal occurrence, it could still have figurative meaning. The sense of judgment, oppression, confusion, and so on, from the darkening of the heavens could translate directly to the same thing occurring in the people of the world. In other words, when Christ was born, there was the star in the east that indicated His coming. The real event in the heavens directed the people to the fulfillment of what it was calling out to be seen. Likewise, the literal event in the heavens (here in Revelation 8) could be calling out to direct the people to the fulfillment on earth – human confusion, oppression, and so on.

Therefore, the scope of the event – it being over Israel or over the whole world – would then have less importance than the event itself. The effects of the star being seen above Bethlehem were realized in the coming of Messiah for the whole world.

Although there are differences, this trumpet judgment is not entirely unlike the ninth plague against Egypt. There, the sun was totally obscured for three days. Here, it is only partially obscured. That was shown to be a judgment against Egypt’s sun god, Ra. Here, the event is showing that the world and how it operates under the heavens is at the control of the Lord. This is certain because the event is prophesied in advance. Thus, it demonstrates His sovereignty over time and over the physical universe.

Assuming this is a literal obscuring of the heavenly bodies, whether it is global or localized, it is a heavenly sign of God’s disapproval of the actions of man and they are being judged for them. That literal sign of judgment is then to be worked out against man in confusion and chaos.

What is certain is that the events of the fifth and sixth trumpets involve real events that will actually happen in and among men dwelling on the earth. This will be seen when we get to those verses.

Life application: During the Gulf War, the oil fields of Kuwait were set on fire. In this, a great parallel is seen between here and the coming trumpet judgments. It may even be that those events were precursors to what will come again – probably against the land of Israel in particular.

There was so much smoke from those fields that it literally obscured the sun, moon, and stars in a large swath of the earth for an extended period of time. The actual event corresponded to the confusion, war, and mayhem that was occurring on the ground as nations gathered in battle against Saddam Hussein and his forces.

We may have been given an advanced demonstration of how these events will be played out during the tribulation. In fact, some of the events to be described in the coming fifth and sixth trumpets amazingly parallel what happened in Iraq.

For now, let us consider that the book is written, the events are going to come to pass, and they will be known as the fulfillment of prophesy after they occur. We don’t need to fret about the cataclysmic things that occur around us as if God is out of control. Rather, prophecy is given to show us that He is in complete control. Let us hold fast to this and not be in fear. Instead, let us direct our hearts to the Lord who is our Peace. Let us direct our hearts to JESUS!

Lord God, how thankful we are to You that, in a world of seeming chaos and confusion, we know that You are in complete control. Events of the future are prophesied to show us that You are in complete control. Whatever happens in the temporary will be overshadowed by the eternal wonder we will experience in Your presence. Thank You that we can live without fear because of the great hope we possess in Jesus Christ. Amen.

 

 

 

Revelation 8:11

Charlie Garrett Revelation (Written)

Thursday, 31 December 2020

The name of the star is Wormwood. A third of the waters became wormwood, and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter. Revelation 8:11

The words now being seen are the result of the sounding of the third trumpet. As has been seen, the results of this sounding could be literal, or they could be figurative. This commentary leans heavily in the direction of a figurative interpretation, but still provides a second analysis of what could be an actual set of literal events as well.

These could be literal events that are actually symbolic of other things than those described. As an example, the next trumpet says the sun, moon, and stars will be struck. Though that can be taken as a literal darkening of the heavenly bodies, when such occurs, it is the earth’s atmosphere and not actually the sun, moon, or stars that darken.

For now, the verse begins with, “The name of the star is Wormwood.” The Greek reads, apsinthos. It is a bitter plant and so it signifies that which is intensely bitter. It is that which produces extremely sad results. Of this, Vincent’s Word Studies notes –

“Used metaphorically in the Old Testament of the idolatry of Israel (Deuteronomy 29:18); of calamity and sorrow (Jeremiah 9:15; Jeremiah 23:15; Lamentations 3:15, Lamentations 3:19); of false judgment (Amos 5:7).”

What Vincent’s is referring to is the Hebrew word laanah – hemlock, or wormwood. It is from an unused root signifying to curse. Thus, it is that which is poisonous or accursed. As can be seen from the Old Testament references, they are metaphorical. Therefore, there is no reason to assume that the New Testament references here in Revelation must be taken literally. That is an option, but it does not necessarily follow that it must be so.

With that understood, John next says, “A third of the waters became wormwood.” If a literal interpretation is correct, it would mean that the great star that fell from heaven onto one-third of the rivers and springs of water has poisoned them. This could happen from a nuclear, chemical, or biological attack. The water becomes contaminated and deadly.

If the words are to be taken in a symbolic or figurative sense, this very well could be referring to the false prophet (or the antichrist) who will later be described in Revelation. The analysis of the previous verse again showed that stars can (and often do) speak of human leaders. This then would be a great deceiver who seduces those who have missed the rapture to believe the strong delusion that is coming.

As is obvious, many will not believe him because there is a great multitude in white that have already been seen as coming to a saving faith in Christ. However, one-third of those under this apostatized leader will believe the lie. In their following him (or, if taken literally, the results of the poisoning of the waters), it next says, “and many men died from the water, because it was made bitter.”

The water is either literally to be taken as poisonous, or it is to be the exact opposite of what Christ spoke of in John 7 –

“On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, ‘If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink. 38 He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”  John 7:37, 38

From Christ come rivers of living water. From such a false and apostatized leader comes poisoned waters of wormwood. In such an interpretation, and one which is highly likely, looking at some of those Old Testament references mentioned above will open the meaning. This wormwood represents contamination by sin.

In Proverbs 5, it is equated with following the advice of an immoral woman. The parallel then is clear – the world has followed the advice of the immoral woman of apostasy and false religion led by this vile leader. This is symbolized by the great harlot coming in Chapter 17. The world will listen to the lies of this false religion and will drink the cup of her bitterness. In Jeremiah 9:15, we also read the effects of wormwood –

“Behold, I will feed them, this people, with wormwood, and give them water of gall to drink.”

As you see, the wormwood is connected here with gall that is mentioned in Deuteronomy and Lamentations. Gall is what was offered to Jesus at the cross as well, which He rejected. The rich symbolism shows us the painful effects of sin. The wormwood of this cataclysm is much stronger than ordinary wormwood that normally doesn’t cause death. The wormwood here noted infects the waters, and “many men” will die because of its effects.

Life application: Regardless as to whether the future events are literal or spiritual, the Old Testament clearly shows that the wormwood there is to be taken metaphorically. As this is so, and if these events of the future are also to be taken figuratively, it is evident that even after having the clear evidence of the rapture presented to the people of the world, they will still rather believe the lie they are told than the truth that can save them.

As this is so, and it is clearly true from 2 Thessalonians 2:11, it shows the complete unwillingness of man to accept truth when it is clearly presented to him. This is perfectly evident by following politics. Truth is suppressed in the minds of people because of their dislike of a particular candidate. They will actually believe anything they are told, no matter how ridiculous, rather than believing what is true about the candidate.

The same is true with events in the world around us. Despite all the evidence in the world for the earth being a globe, something that even a junior high school student could prove with a single conference call to friends around the world. People will rather believe the lie of a flat earth, because of their political alliances or allegiances. Blind hatred and constant conspiracy theories can corrupt one’s objective thinking.

How much more willingly do people believe the lies from the religion their families and churches have been teaching them for all their lives! The plain and obvious truth of Jesus Christ’s deity and humanity are expressly stated in Scripture, and yet cults deny one or more of those tenets as if the words printed in black and white have no meaning.

A pretribulation rapture is clearly taught by Paul, and yet those who have been instructed otherwise deny the literal rendering of the words. Some even deny any such doctrine as a rapture at all. Eternal salvation is highlighted as a principal tenet of proper theology. And yet, this fact is denied, argued against, and belittled by countless people who are unschooled in theology and/or biased against that doctrine.

In other words, each of us must come to the pages of Scripture acknowledging that we may be wrong in what we believe. Then, we should determine to put the truth of Scripture ahead of our presuppositions and preconceived notions. Unless we are willing to do this, we could be as wrong about a particular doctrine as a person is wrong who thinks that he could fall off of the edge of a flat earth into the abyss of space.

Such is the nature of sin (of which bad doctrine is) and of our need to stay away from heresies and false religion, even now. The time is coming when these things will lead to great cataclysms and destruction. Hold fast to the truth of the word. Hold fast to JESUS!

Oh God, the effects of our sin, and our willingness to reject the truth and follow after lies and deceit, will lead us away from You and from what is right, moral, and proper. In the end, these things will only lead to troubled lives, and even to bitterness and death. If we will just be willing to take the moral and spiritual truths found in Your word and rightly apply them to our lives, we will be on the right path in ourselves, in our homes, in our politics, and in our relationship with You. Help us to do this, to Your glory alone. Amen.