Author: Charlie Garrett

1 Peter 2:24

Charlie Garrett 1 Peter (Written)

Wednesday, 6 November 2019

…who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness—by whose stripes you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24

In verse 2:22, Peter cited Isaiah 53:7. That came after having said that Christ suffered for us and in so doing He left an example for us. Isaiah’s words prophesied that Christ would commit no sin, nor would there be any deceit found in His mouth. Despite this, Peter relayed the fact that Christ did not turn and revile those who mistreated Him, but instead committed Himself to the One who judges righteously.

The key thought is that He had committed no sin, and yet he suffered. Now Peter explains why He allowed it to be so. In doing this he will cite Isaiah 53:5. Understanding this context is what will help us to avoid one of the greatest errors of the modern church. It is an error in doctrine which has actually led innumerable people into feelings of insecurity, or to the belief that they are not sound, faithful Christians.

Peter’s words of verse 2:24 begin with, “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree.” It has just been stressed that Christ had no sin of His own, and yet He “bore our sins.” The word “bore” means to “offer up,” as if on a high altar, and thus as a sacrifice which is offered up to God on high. It is reflected in Christ’s bearing of the cross both to the place where He would be crucified, and bearing the cross as He was crucified. The entire process is an offering up to God on high.

In this is found the doctrine of substitution. In Israel, a person would lay his hands on the head of an innocent sacrificial animal, confess his sin over that animal, and then the animal would be slaughtered. The symbolism is that of transferring the sin to the animal who then died in place of the sinner. Christ bore our sins in this manner.

However, Hebrews 10:4 notes that “it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats could take away sins.” Thus, what was done in Israel was only typological, and it was in anticipation of the coming Christ who would fulfill the typology. It is Christ alone – sinless, and thus qualified to be considered “innocent” before God (thus fulfilling the typology) – who bore our sin “on the tree.”

The word “tree” is literally “the wood.” It is the same term used by Peter in Acts 5:30 and 10:39. Paul also uses it in Acts 13:29 and Galatians 3:13. God chose wood from a tree to be the mode of execution by which Christ would bear the sin of the world. Just as death came from a tree in the Garden of Eden, and just as the tree of life was withheld from man at that same time, the wood of Calvary became both the instrument of death for Christ and the instrument of life for those who would then look to Him.

Thus, the wood Peter speaks of is the fulfillment of those types. The cross of Calvary is also the place of transfer. On the cross where He died, the substitution is made, just as it was when the innocent animal died. The transfer that was anticipated, in the types and shadows of the Levitical law, is actually accomplished when one accepts Jesus as his Substitute. This then allows “that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness.”

The verb Peter uses, translated as “having died,” is found only here in Scripture. Transferring it to English is a difficult task which will only form a somewhat awkward translation. It signifies “to become from.” As Vincent’s Word Studies states it, “…having become off unto sin; not becoming separate from sins, but having ceased to exist as regards them.”

Christ died for our sins, and thus we have died to sins. The transfer is made, and the sin is forgiven. Once forgiven, a person is no longer a slave to what he was forgiven of. If a person is in prison and he serves his time, he is set free from prison. But even more, if a person is in prison, and the President pardons him, it is as if he never committed the crime. It can never be held against him again. If he is no longer bound by that crime, he is freed unto freedom.

Likewise, a person who is dead to sin is then freed unto righteousness. This is exactly what Paul speaks of in Romans 6. Consider what Peter has just said, and think on it as you read Paul’s words –

“For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Likewise you also, reckon yourselves to be dead indeed to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body, that you should obey it in its lusts. 13 And do not present your members as instruments of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness to God. 14 For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace.” Romans 6:5-14

Paul then sums up this state of “become from” in regards to sins in Romans 6:18 by saying, “And having been set free from sin, you became slaves of righteousness.”

Paul and Peter proclaim exactly the same gospel which produces exactly the same effects. They further speak of exactly the same obligation once that effect has been produced. And the reason for this obligation, that of living for righteousness, is that it is because of the work of Christ “by whose stripes you were healed.” This is where Peter cites a portion of Isaiah 53:5 –

“But He was wounded for our transgressions,
He was bruised for our iniquities;
The chastisement for our peace was upon Him,
And by His stripes we are healed.”

The words, “by His stripes,” speak of the punishment of scourging that Christ suffered. Peter uses a singular noun, mólóps, found only here in Scripture. It signifies a body wound. In the case of Christ, it consisted of that which was received during His scourging.

He was punished for sins He did not commit, and then He was crucified in order to die, thus carrying away those sins for which He was punished. The verb Peter uses shows this as an accomplished fact. The healing is done, and it is imputed to the one who believes (the verb is also passive – the person simply believes, and the work of Christ is transferred to him). The write below understood the passion Peter must have felt as he wrote out his epistle to us –

“Such a sight we feel sure, as we read this descriptive passage, St. Peter’s eyes beheld on the body of his Master, and the flesh so dreadfully mangled made the disfigured form appear in his eyes like one single bruise” (Lumby).

The obvious question for all believers to consider is “healed of what?” What is it that Peter has spoken of? Is it healing from the sniffles? Is it healing from cancer? Is it healing from any body ailment at all? The answer is “No” to all of them. Peter has referred to sin, and only sin. The highly inappropriate nature of claiming physical healing based on the words of either Isaiah 53:5, or 1 Peter 2:24, is obvious.

The only healing that Peter speaks of is that of sin. Healing from the effects of sin, which is sickness, anxiety, trouble, and death itself, may come about through prayer and/or right living, or it may only come about when the believer is translated to glory. But claiming physical healing of any type based on the words here is not only poor doctrine, it is a false teaching which leads hopeful believers into sad paths of dejection and turmoil when they are not healed of the physical affliction they fervently desire to be healed of.

Life application: As noted, the context of what Peter is quoting – and what Isaiah was looking forward to – is spiritual healing, not physical healing. This is the healing provided by Jesus in these passages.

Because this verse is not at all implying physical healing, by quoting this over someone with a physical problem, and “claiming healing” because of it, can only lead to false expectations and weakened faith.

The amazing part of what is conveyed to us here is that God took our pain and our suffering, and placed it on His own precious Son. The precious healing we receive because of His cross is spiritual and it is eternal. We have new life because of the work of Jesus Christ. Praise God in the highest for what He has done for His wayward children.

Thank You, O Lord, for the wonderful blessing of Jesus and the healing He provides. Through Him and through His suffering, we are healed of our state of corruption and death, and we now have new life through Him. O, to be called a son of the Living God because of His terrible trials! May we never forget what transpired to restore us to You. Thank You for Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

1 Peter 2:23

Charlie Garrett 1 Peter (Written)

Tuesday, 5 November 2019

…who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously; 1 Peter 2:23

The words of Peter are a continuation of the thought of the previous two verses. He noted that as Christ suffered, so that act was an example for us to follow after Him. In this, Peter cited Isaiah 53 which said that Christ committed no sin, and that there was no deceit found in His mouth. Now Peter continues that thought with, “who, when He was reviled.”

The words continue to speak of Jesus. It is true that He was reviled throughout His ministry. It seems there was always someone there to speak ill of Him, such as ascribing His work of casting out demons to the power of Beelzebub. That is but one of many examples of how He was reviled. But Peter is surely being more specific and speaking of the reviling He faced just prior to His crucifixion. This is the context of Isaiah’s words.

In Matthew 26, this is recorded concerning His treatment –

“Then they spat in His face and beat Him; and others struck Him with the palms of their hands, 68 saying, ‘Prophesy to us, Christ! Who is the one who struck You?’”

To revile means to say harsh things and make verbal assaults against another. Such words are intended to demoralize another, which is exactly what occurred as Christ was being so mocked and accused. However, Peter then says that He “did not revile in return.” This is more fully revealed in the complete set of words found in Isaiah 53:7 –

“He was oppressed and He was afflicted,
Yet He opened not His mouth;
He was led as a lamb to the slaughter,
And as a sheep before its shearers is silent,
So He opened not His mouth.”

Jesus could have reviled His accusers during His ministry, but He rather rebuked them and spoke in a manner of how the prophets spoke. He warned that judgment was coming upon them, in an attempt to wake them up and turn them from their ways, but He did not revile. And when He was being purposely abused by those who came against Him just prior to His crucifixion, He could have reviled at them in return for their words towards Him. But He maintained His composure and remained silent.

Peter continues with, “when He suffered, He did not threaten.” When He was illegally struck and mocked by His accusers, He could have said, “You will be judged for this and punished by God.” But instead, He allowed them to have at Him without any such threatening statements. He had warned them throughout His ministry, and their hearts were hardened to His warnings. At the time of His trial and execution, He held His words and allowed them to fulfill the plan and purpose of God in Him. As it says, He instead “committed Himself to Him who judges righteously.”

In the Greek, there is no object for the verb. It essentially reads, “He gave Himself over to (?) judging justly.” Because of this, the object must be inferred. Some say, “His cause.” Others infer “His insults and injuries,” meaning His revilers and their actions against Him. The NKJV, in accord with others, says “to Him,” meaning God. This would certainly be in accord with what Peter has already said –

“And if you call on the Father, who without partiality judges according to each one’s work, conduct yourselves throughout the time of your stay here in fear.” 1 Peter 1:17

This seems the best choice here. It would not be speaking of the righteous judgment of Pilate or Caiaphas because their judgment, although ordained by God, was not a just judgment. Peter has just shown in verse 2:19 that one can suffer wrongly, and yet he should still be subject to the authority over him.

However, if this is speaking of God, the obvious question then should be, “If this is righteous judgment, and Jesus is being judged, then He must have done something wrong, yes?”

Judgment comes from wrongdoing, so how can it be that Jesus, who never sinned, is being judged? The answer is found throughout the Bible, and in both testaments. We have sinned, but God graciously allows our sin to be transferred to an innocent substitute. This substitute is then killed, thus removing the sin.

As it says in the book of Hebrews though, the blood of bulls and goats (Old Covenant sacrifices) can never take away sin. Instead, they were accepted by God until the time when Jesus’ more perfect sacrifice came. Jesus gave His life on the cross for the sins of all people who, by faith, accept what He has done. God righteously judges our sin in His own Son. Jesus’ death is what removes our guilt. This is exactly what Peter will next write about as he continues with his words to us.

Life application: The great news is that not only is our sin removed through the death of the Lord Jesus, but He came back to life because “it was impossible for death to hold Him.” He never sinned, so not only did He remove our sins, but they had no binding effect on Him as well.

Now, by the power of the resurrection, Jesus promises eternal life to all who have had their sins likewise removed. Think of what this means logically. Our sins are gone; death comes through sin; therefore, we can never truly die again. Though we die in our mortal flesh, our eternal souls have been made alive in Christ. Someday we will be given eternal bodies as well. In addition to conquering death, Jesus did it without reviling those who wrongly accused Him. Behold! The perfect Son of God who died to give us new life!

What a glorious Gift we have in our Lord Jesus! What an incomprehensible story of faithfulness, mercy, and grace! O God, how can it be that You have judged our sin in Your own precious Son? And even more, You have given eternal life to those who come to Him in faith because of His victory! Glory to You, O God! Amen.

1 Peter 2:22

Charlie Garrett 1 Peter (Written)

Monday, 4 November 2019

“Who committed no sin,
Nor was deceit found in His mouth”; 1 Peter 2:22

Peter now reveals the character of Christ during His ministry to support the two thoughts which he has just put forth to be considered. In doing so, he cites the second half of Isaiah 53:9 –

“Because He had done no violence,
Nor was any deceit in His mouth.”

The quote here is given to support the second of the two premises that he is conveying. The first that of doing good, and the second is suffering for it. Peter presents those in verse 2:20, and then said that is what believers are also called to emulate in verse 2:21 –

“But when you do good and suffer, if you take it patiently, this is commendable before God. 21 For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps.”

The quote from Isaiah shows that Christ, in fact, did what was good. First, He “committed no sin.” Peter uses an aorist active verb, thus indicating that there was not a single occurrence where He sinned. In all He did, He never failed to hit the target of perfection. Peter then continues with Isaiah’s words by saying, “Nor was deceit found in His mouth.”

The idea here is that exactly as He presented Himself, so He was. He spoke clearly, unambiguously, and without cunning or hypocrisy. And in His conduct, His words were validated. Such a person should be both held in respect, and He should also be treated with exceptional honor and praise. However, the opposite was the case, as will be seen in Peter’s coming words. That will then explain the second premise noted above.

Life application: To understand the context of Isaiah’s words, which are cited by Peter here, take time to read Isaiah 52:13 – 53:12 today. This is the “Suffering Servant” passage which details the ministry of Jesus – including His death and resurrection. All of this was prophesied 700 years before it occurred.

In His earthly ministry, Jesus remained perfect and without sin, and there was no deceit in His words. Despite this, He was treated treacherously and condemned to die. If the Lord of Creation was willing to undergo such treatment after His perfect life, shouldn’t we – who are sinners by nature – be willing to suffer shame and reproach as He did?

Peter leaves us with no other possible answer than, “Yes Lord, I will follow Your example.” Let us always endeavor to remember His way when we are facing trials, even when we have done no wrong. As Peter said, “…for to this you were called.”

Heavenly Father, You have called us to be as Your Son – faithful, patient, and willing to suffer even when we have done no wrong. Give us that supernatural ability, and may our lives be a testimony to Your great faithfulness. We love You and desire to be pleasing children in Your glorious family. Amen.

Numbers 32:20-42 (A Possession East of Canaan)

Charlie Garrett Numbers (Written)

Numbers 32:20-42
A Possession East of Canaan

Of the first five verses of Chapter 32, Matthew Henry draws a parallel to the things of the world and the life which is found in Christ. He says –

“Here is a proposal made by the Reubenites and Gadites, that the land lately conquered might be allotted to them. Two things common in the world might lead these tribes to make this choice; the lust of the eye, and the pride of life. There was much amiss in the principle they went upon; they consulted their own private convenience more than the public good. Thus to the present time, many seek their own things more than the things of Jesus Christ; and are led by worldly interests and advantages to take up short of the heavenly Canaan.” Matthew Henry

This comparison is not unfounded, but to be fully understood, there has to be a parallel to the men who are noted in today’s verses who do, in fact, go over Jordan to help the rest of the tribes secure their inheritance in Canaan.

It’s not good to arbitrarily make comparisons in the Bible unless other parts of the narrative fit as well. And so, if these tribes who are making a claim east of the Jordan compare to people who reject what God offers in Christ, then who do the men armed for war who must go in to help subdue Canaan represent?

Text Verse:  “So the children of Reuben, the children of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh returned, and departed from the children of Israel at Shiloh, which is in the land of Canaan, to go to the country of Gilead, to the land of their possession, which they had obtained according to the word of the Lord by the hand of Moses.” Joshua 22:9

Once the land of Canaan was subdued, the men of war who fought the battles along with the inheritors of Canaan went back to their possession outside of the land of promise. They were happy to walk away from what God had promised and get about the earthly life they had hoped for.

The only reasonable parallel that I can think of for such people are those who filled the synagogues of the past until Christ’s coming, and those who fill the church today. They are of the same caliber because they fail to simply have faith in God and receive His inheritance.

Jesus said in Matthew 23:15, “Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.”

These were people supposedly set to fight the Lord’s battles, and yet they had only this world as their inheritance. Paul was one of them until he was called out of that and into the light of Christ. But those types of people didn’t go away.

There are innumerable pastors, priests, and preachers who have led many to Christ, bringing them to their allotted inheritance, and yet they have already secured their inheritance in this earthly life. They do not believe, and indeed, they desire what this world offers far more than what God promises. What a sad, hollow existence.

John Wesley went as a missionary to Georgia in 1735. He was an ordained priest in the Anglican Church, and yet he knew nothing of the salvation found in Christ. In his journal he wrote, “I went to America, to convert the Indians; but oh! who shall convert me?”

Until he finally came to know Christ, his lot was in this world. He fought battles for the people to come to Christ, and yet he remained an earthly man, outside of the promise himself. Eventually, that changed. He crossed the Jordan and received his place in God’s promised inheritance, but countless others failed to do so.

Think on such people as we go through our verses today. Think on your own state as well. Have you truly entered into the promise that God offers in Christ? Or are your efforts simply helping others to get there while you remain apart from Him altogether? Only you and the Lord know. May your efforts be for others because you already have your inheritance, not despite lacking one yourself.

Such things need to be evaluated, and the place to do that is found in His superior word. And so, let’s 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. If… (verses 20-30)

20 Then Moses said to them: “If you do this thing,

The excited anger of Moses from the previous verses begins to abate by the words of the children of Gad and the children of Reuben. This is apparent because he changes his tone from direct assault to a more subdued proclamation – “If you do this thing.”

Here, he is speaking directly to the leaders. He expects that what he will next say will apply to them personally. They will not be exempt from the overall directive given to the tribe as a whole. This is apparent from the words of verse 21.

Here, it is seen that he is willing to consider the request and grant these tribes what they desire, but his approval is conditional, and so he continues with…

20 (con’t) if you arm yourselves

He uses the same word they used in verse 17, khalats, translated here as “armed.” It is the same word used in 31:3 and 31:5 when speaking of arming men for the battle against Midian. The word comes from a primitive root signifying “to pull off.” And so, it gives the sense of being pulled off or separated. One could paraphrase Moses’ words as, “If you separate yourselves.” And this separation is to be…

20 (con’t) before the Lord for the war,

Again, this is the same preposition they used in verse 17 where it said, “before the children of Israel.” One can see that their term, “the children of Israel” is being equated by Moses to the Lord’s instrument for milkhama, or war.

The obvious meaning is to leave their homes and families and join the forces for battle, thus “arming” themselves. One concept directly leads to the next.

This term, “before the Lord,” is seen by some as meaning according to the order of the tribes as they marched in the wilderness. Numbers 2 showed that Reuben and Gad were under one banner, and that as they marched, it was in front of the most holy objects. Thus, they were literally “before the Lord.”

However, this is probably not what is being referred to. There is no reason to assume that the entire sanctuary was carried into battle. The term “before the Lord,” has two references. The first is that of verse 22 of this chapter where Moses spoke of the land being subdued “before the Lord.” It is a general expression.

The second reference is in Joshua 4, which says that the priests stood in the midst of the Jordan with the ark as the children of Israel crossed over. At that time, it says –

“And the men of Reuben, the men of Gad, and half the tribe of Manasseh crossed over armed before the children of Israel, as Moses had spoken to them. 13 About forty thousand prepared for war crossed over before the Lord for battle, to the plains of Jericho.” Joshua 4:12, 13  

This is what Moses is referring to. The leaders of these tribes would cross over first before the children of Israel, which means that they crossed over first before the Lord, because Israel is the Lord’s instrument of war. With it understood that he is not exempting the leaders from the directive, he next continues with…

21 and all your armed men cross over the Jordan before the Lord 

Though most translations have the word “all” qualify the word “men,” it only qualifies those men who do go. The Hebrew reads, “And cross over your men, every-armed.”

The Hebrew is even hyphenated to ensure that this mistake is not made, and yet most translations fail in this. This is important because it takes us back to what we saw last week, and what we just saw in the quote from Joshua.

Actually, only a portion of the men crossed over, about forty thousand out of almost one hundred and eleven thousand. Thus, one can see the importance of proper translation. A small change from “all men” to “all armed” makes a large difference in intent.

As you can see, the words of this verse were literally fulfilled in Joshua 4. However, it can still be debated whether the men of these tribes actually went first across the Jordan, or whether the term liphne Yehovah, or “before the Lord,” is being used, even there, in a general sense.

It is best to not get overly dogmatic because even though Israel let slip the dogs of war on Canaan, it is only a poetic term, and real dogs were not employed in their battles. No matter what, we have a sure record of the fulfillment of Moses’ words in Joshua. These tribes would go into battle, and that would last…

21 (con’t) until He has driven out His enemies from before Him,

Here, Moses uses the common word yarash, or dispossess. The idea is that Israel’s inheritance, meaning Canaan, involves the disinheritance of the Canaanites. Further, he makes this statement in the third person, singular – “until He (meaning the Lord) has dispossessed His (meaning the Lord’s) enemies from before Him (meaning the Lord).

The land is the Lord’s, and He has given it to Israel. The significance of this is not to be missed. Their inheritance, and their continuance in their inheritance, is completely conditional. The Lord is giving the land to Israel. They may dwell in it when they are obedient, and they may not when they are disobedient.

That this is certain is because here the inhabitants of the land are called oyevav, or “His enemies.” But Jeremiah, using the same word, oyev, says this in Lamentations –

“Standing like an enemy, He has bent His bow;
With His right hand, like an adversary,
He has slain all who were pleasing to His eye;
On the tent of the daughter of Zion,
He has poured out His fury like fire.
 5 The Lord was like an enemy.
He has swallowed up Israel,
He has swallowed up all her palaces;
He has destroyed her strongholds,
And has increased mourning and lamentation
In the daughter of Judah.” Lamentations 2:4, 5

The Lord dispossessed His enemies, meaning Israel, sending them into captivity, some by the Assyrians, some by the Babylonians, and some by the Romans. But unlike the Canaanites, the Lord made a covenant with Israel.

Were it not for His faithfulness to that covenant, there would not be a single Hebrew left. Moses’ words concerning the Lord’s conquest, rather than Israel’s, is actually a stern warning to Israel. This continues to be seen next…

22 and the land is subdued before the Lord,

This is the first time since Genesis 1 that the word kabash, or subdue, has been seen. It is a possible choice for the root of kibosh, as in “putting the kibosh on something.” It signifies to bring into bondage or subdue. The Lord told man to subdue the earth and fill it. Now, Moses speaks of the land of Canaan being subdued before the Lord.

Here, it is apparent that Israel is the Lord’s instrument of warfare. It is to these tribes of Israel that the word from Moses is given. And yet, what they will do is ascribed to the presence of the Lord. When the land is subdued before the Lord…

22 (con’t) then afterward you may return and be blameless before the Lord and before Israel;

Moses has said that the land is to be subdued before the men of war from these tribes can return. Once that is accomplished, then they will be neqiyim m’Yehovah u-mi’Yisrael, or “innocent from Yehovah and innocent from Israel.” It is only upon completion of the conquest of Canaan that their innocence will be established. Technically only once that occurs will the next words be true…

22 (con’t) and this land shall be your possession before the Lord.

It would be unfair for Gad and Reuben to have the final granting of their possession proclaimed before the land of the other tribes was subdued. They are given it now, they are allowed to build on it now, but it only becomes a true possession at the end of the matter.

23 But if you do not do so, then take note, you have sinned against the Lord; and be sure your sin will find you out.

The idea here is of the personification of sin. Their promise is that they would go before the children of Israel until every one of them had received his inheritance. To not keep this promise would be sin, and it would overtake them and come upon them in the form of guilt. And with the guilt of sin will come punishment. With this understanding, Moses concedes to their request…

24 Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep, and do what has proceeded out of your mouth.”

Moses substantially repeats the words of Numbers 30:2 –

“If a man makes a vow to the Lord, or swears an oath to bind himself by some agreement, he shall not break his word; he shall do according to all that proceeds out of his mouth.” Numbers 30:2

Their words in verses 16 & 17 were, “We will build sheepfolds here for our livestock, and cities for our little ones, 17 but we ourselves will be armed, ready to go before the children of Israel until we have brought them to their place.”

Moses reprioritizes their words, placing the people above the animals, but he otherwise leaves them unchanged. And then he reminds them that the words of a vow are binding. They must be fulfilled.

25 And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben spoke to Moses, saying: “Your servants will do as my lord commands.

Here, their voices are united as one. It says, “Your servants (plural noun), will do (3rd person plural) as my (singular noun) lord commands.” One is probably speaking for the group, and so he affirms the vow for all.

26 Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock will be there in the cities of Gilead;

Here both “wives” and “flocks” are mentioned for the only time in the chapter. Before, they were lumped into the general thought of “little ones” and “livestock,” but now they are separated.

The only thing I can think concerning this is that until this point some betrothals or anticipated marriages may have been at stake. Without the approval of Moses, other tribes may not have wanted to allow their daughters to marry into these tribes. But now, that will no longer be the case.

Also, the Hebrew doesn’t say Gilead, but rather, “the Gilead.” The term is being used to express the entire area where the tribes have been allowed to settle. The term then is synonymous with what was said in verse 1 – “the land of Gilead.” This land, the Gilead, has been granted as their future possession.

27 but your servants will cross over, every man armed for war, before the Lord to battle, just as my lord says.”

As in verse 21, the Hebrew specifically says, “every-armed.” It is only referring to those men who are separated for war. And again, as in verse 26, the voices are united. One person speaks for the whole. Here, he again finishes with “my lord” in the singular.

Also, in verse 17, these men said they were ready to go “before the children of Israel.” Since then, Moses has said, “before the Lord,” or “before Him,” meaning the Lord, six times. He also noted one time that they would sin against the Lord if they did not comply.

Now, these men acknowledge that they will go before the Lord. Their thinking has been corrected, their priorities have been corrected, and also their theology has been corrected.

28 So Moses gave command concerning them to Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun, and to the chief fathers of the tribes of the children of Israel.

The decision is made by the Lord. This is certain based on verse 32. However, it is Moses who then passes the command on to the leaders who would be affected by it.

This is because he already knows he is not to enter Canaan. And so, the verse is given to show that there would be no confusion after that time. Israel was to allow these tribes the land, but these tribes were expected to fulfill their obligation first, as is next seen…

29 And Moses said to them: “If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben cross over the Jordan with you, every man armed for battle before the Lord, and the land is subdued before you, then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession.

Again, as has been seen twice already, Moses uses the same term, “every-armed.” The precise wording is needed to show that not all men will go, but every man that goes will be armed. Otherwise, after Moses died, a dispute could arise that Moses intended for every man to go, thus leaving the women and children to build and defend the cities. It would immediately force these tribes to give up this grant.

However, it is now a given that some will stay while others will go to battle. After the faithful service of these men, drawn off from the whole, they would then have earned their right to return and possess, with their brothers, the homes and lands which had been tended to during their time of war.

30 But if they do not cross over armed with you,

Here, the verb “armed” is plural, khalutsim. The plural is speaking of the very separation that we have been noting. As the word signifies “to draw off,” we could paraphrase these words as, “But if they do not cross over, drawings off, with you.” Those “drawings off” imply those that will be armed for war.

30 (con’t) they shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan.”

The words here are passive. If they don’t actively go out to battle with the other tribes, they will be settled among the tribes in Canaan. John Lange argues that this means they would be settled among the inheritances of the other tribes, meaning that they would not be settled “as two separate and independent tribes.”

Whether that is correct or not is debatable. But if it was so, it would mean they would eventually be swallowed up and lose their identity. If that is a correct assumption, it would be a huge motivating factor for them to uphold their part of this vow.

31 Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben answered, saying: “As the Lord has said to your servants, so we will do.

This shows that it is the Lord who gave the command, unless it is implying that Moses made the decision because he speaks for the Lord. But it seems unlikely that Moses would decide this without the Lord’s approval. Canaan was the land of promise and the goal to be obtained. For Moses to decide such a matter without the Lord seems quite out of place, but it is also not out of the question.

32 We will cross over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan, but the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us on this side of the Jordan.”

The agreement is made, but the inheritance is conditional based on fulfillment of the promise. The land is theirs, if. And again, the word “armed,” is plural like in the previous verse. A group of the whole will be drawn off to cross over before the Lord.

Take note if you sin against the Lord
If you speak out a vow and do not follow through
The sin that you commit, for it wrath is stored
And He will repay trouble back to you

When you sin, your sin will find you out
And what you deserve will be catching up with you
Be sure of this; you need have no doubt
The Lord will require it, and He will follow through

But there is also grace with the Lord
And so, when you come to Christ, mercy is waiting there for you
The wrath will abate, every bit that was stored
When you heard the word of truth, you also followed though

Peace with God is found in Christ, so it is true
Come to God through Christ; yes, in this please follow through

II. Request Granted (verses 33-42)

33 So Moses gave to the children of Gad, to the children of Reuben, and to half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph,

With the approval of the agreement, Moses at this time gives the land as it was requested. However, it is a conditional grant. Along with the request of Gad and Reuben, something new is introduced.

For the first time, the half tribe of Manasseh is suddenly brought into the narrative. Their inclusion, though, is based on what has already occurred, but which is not recorded until verse 39 where it notes that some from Manasseh were instrumental in subduing Gilead.

Going back to the second census in Chapter 26, we noted that Manasseh bore Machir to a concubine from Aram. From there, Machir named his son Gilead. It is this same area which is now under discussion, and which they had valiantly subdued, probably because of their heritage.

When the request was granted by Moses, this half tribe of Manasseh either came forward hoping to obtain what they had won in battle, or Moses simply gave it to them before they even asked about it. Either way, the ironic element is that the same place from which Machir’s son was named based on his mother being from this location – Gilead – has become their possession.

33 (con’t) the kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan, the land with its cities within the borders, the cities of the surrounding country.

The land of these two kings was subdued by Israel as is recorded in Numbers 21. That area, which Gad and Reuben so desired, and which Manasseh so valiantly strived to subdue, is now their grant. The inheritance of areas within this larger area are now described in order. First Gad, then Reuben, then the half tribe of Manasseh…

34 And the children of Gad built Dibon and Ataroth and Aroer,

Dibon probably means “Pining.” Ataroth means “Crowns.” Aroer means “Stripped,” “Bare,” or “Naked.”

35 Atroth and Shophan and Jazer and Jogbehah,

There is no “and” between Atroth and Shophan. It is more likely one location called Atroth-Shophan. It means something like “Surrounded by the Rock Badger,” or maybe “Crowns of the Rock Badger,” or something entirely different. Jazer means “Helpful,” or “He Shall Help.” Jogbehah means “Lofty,” or “Exalted.”

36 Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran, fortified cities, and folds for sheep.

Beth Nimrah means “House of the Leopard,” or “House of Clean Water.” Beth Haran means “House of the Lofty,” or maybe “Mountain House.” These cities are all said to be fortified cites. Along with them gidrot, or folds for the sheep, were constructed.

Much of the building, or rebuilding, of these cities probably occurred while the men of war were fighting the campaign. The other two-thirds of the men remained behind and built.

37 And the children of Reuben built Heshbon and Elealeh and Kirjathaim,

Heshbon means something like “Intelligence.” Elealeh means “God has ascended.” Kirjathaim means “Twin Cities,” or “Double Cities.”

38 Nebo and Baal Meon (their names being changed) and Shibmah;

Nebo means Interpreter or Foreteller (?). Baal Meon means Master of the House (?). The name Shibmah should read Sibmah, and it may mean “Spice.”

38 (con’t) and they gave other names to the cities which they built.

The Hebrew more closely reads, “and they called in names, names of the cities.” It means they renamed the cities. A reason for this is because the conqueror or builder of a city has the right to name it what he wishes. And secondly, some of the city names are of pagan gods. And so, to adhere to the law of not invoking the names of other gods (Ex 23:13), the names of the cities would be changed.

39 And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh went to Gilead and took it, and dispossessed the Amorites who were in it.

This verse speaks of what occurred in the battles against Sihon and Og in Numbers 21, and which was explained earlier. It is the reason that the half tribe of Manasseh has been granted this land…

40 So Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh, and he dwelt in it.

The meaning of this is that the land was given to the family of Machir, not specifically to Machir. Machir was Manasseh’s son, and was long since gone. But being the head of the family, he is remembered in this way. The Gilead is granted by Moses to this family, and so this is where they settled.

41 Also Jair the son of Manasseh

Here, Jair is introduced as a “son of Manasseh.” This means that he is a descendant of Manasseh. 1 Chronicles 2:21, 22 shows that he is a descendant of Manasseh, Machir, Machir’s daughter, her son Segub, and then came Jair. Thus, Manasseh is his great, great, grandfather. Yair, means “He enlightens.”

The surprising part of his genealogy is that he is reckoned as a son of Manasseh, rather than a son of Judah, despite Machir’s daughter having married Hezron, a grandson of Judah. This could be because Hezron was old when he married her and already had other children. He may not have wanted this son to interfere with the inheritance rights of his other children, so their son was reckoned through Manasseh.

41 (con’t) went and took its small towns, and called them Havoth Jair.

This person, Jair, is said to have taken these small towns, and renamed them after himself. The word Khavoth is the plural of the name Khavah, or “Life.” It is the same name as Khavah, or Eve, Adam’s wife. It is often translated as “the towns of Jair,” probably because a town or city is where the bustle of life occurs.

In 1 Chronicles 2, Jair is said to have twenty-three cites. However, in Deuteronomy 3, Moses says there are sixty. People look to this as a contradiction, but that is because they don’t see that the term Khavoth Jair is being used in both a wider and a narrower sense. That is next seen with our final verse of the day…

*42 (fin) Then Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages, and he called it Nobah, after his own name.

Novakh means “To Bark.” He is said to have gone and taken Kenath and its surrounding villages. Kenath means “Acquisition.” In 1 Chronicles 2, it says –

“(Geshur and Syria took from them the towns of Jair, with Kenath and its towns—sixty towns.) All these belonged to the sons of Machir the father of Gilead.” 1 Chronicles 2:23

What this means is that when Moses speaks of the sixty towns of Jair in Deuteronomy 3, he is referring to everything taken by both Jair and Nobah. Here in Numbers, it is used in its stricter sense, meaning only the cities captured by Jair. But the wider sense used in Deuteronomy is inclusive of what Nobah has taken here in Kenath and its daughter villages.

A simple example would be that Tom Thumb has 15 McDonald’s franchises in Sarasota. Those are Tom’s McDonald’s. However, there are 25 McDonald’s in Sarasota. One might say, I’m going to Tom’s McDonald’s for lunch, while actually going to one that isn’t Tom’s. The term is simply used for the whole. This is the case here. And to throw in a monkey wrench, in Judges 10, it says –

“After him arose Jair, a Gileadite; and he judged Israel twenty-two years. 4 Now he had thirty sons who rode on thirty donkeys; they also had thirty towns, which are called “Havoth Jair” to this day, which are in the land of Gilead. 5 And Jair died and was buried in Camon.” Judges 10:3-5

There is no contradiction in this. The sons of Jair were given thirty of the sixty towns in this area to rule, and they were called by the name of their father within the wider sense of the term mentioned above. And so, once again, the Bible passage ends with no contradictions. It just takes research to find this out.

What we have recorded here is the first granting of land to any people found in Israel. It seems as if it is a notable thing, and that their decision to stay to the east of Canaan was a good one. They were set in their towns and villages, and did not have to wait any time at all to get started with the work of settling the land.

But what starts well outside of the land of promise is also destined to end badly in the same way. In 1 Chronicles 5, this is recorded –

“And they were unfaithful to the God of their fathers, and played the harlot after the gods of the peoples of the land, whom God had destroyed before them. 26 So the God of Israel stirred up the spirit of Pul king of Assyria, that is, Tiglath-Pileser king of Assyria. He carried the Reubenites, the Gadites, and the half-tribe of Manasseh into captivity. He took them to Halah, Habor, Hara, and the river of Gozan to this day.” 1 Chronicles 5:25-26

The first to settle in their granted land were also the first to be dispossessed from it. The majority of the people of these tribes disappeared into obscurity. Any that were left were assimilated into the last remaining named tribe of Israel, that of Judah.

The people had rejected the promised land of the Lord at the beginning, and they had rejected the Lord, the God of their fathers, after that. The land they thought was fair and nice was only a temporary possession, and without keeping their faith and trust in the Lord, it was taken from them.

The scene is played out in the countless human souls that have heard the message of Christ and determined that life outside of His promise is better than life in it. We might look to the abundance of the fields, the possibilities for wealth and possessions, but we don’t stop to consider how temporary and fleeting it all is.

In the passing of a breath, our lives are done, and there is nothing left but death and separation from God, who we have already separated ourselves from. Is this to be your sad lot, or are you looking to the better, eternal inheritance that comes by faith in God and in His provision found in Christ?

The same God who created the land east of the Jordan also created the land west of it. And the same God who offered rest to Israel offers rest to us today. We just have to be wise enough to accept what He has already set apart for us.

In the short term, the hills and pasture lands of the world are certainly enticing, but they require work. However, what God offers requires faith. One seems harder at the outset, and yet it is so much easier in the end. The other seems so rewarding at first, but it leads to a life which can never satisfy. We can work the fields for a thousand years, and yet the fields still need work. But faith in Christ leads us to the restful fields which lay by still waters.

Choose what you will do with Christ, but choose wisely. The work He worked is one-time and for all time. The land of promise is just ahead if you will reach out by faith and receive it.

Closing Verse: “And for this reason He is the Mediator of the new covenant, by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions under the first covenant, that those who are called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance.” Hebrews 9:15

Next Week: Numbers 33:1-15 Israel trekked and trekked, but eventually the trekking was done… (The Journeys of Israel, Part I – From Egypt to Sinai) (64th Numbers Sermon)

The Lord has you exactly where He wants you. He has a good plan and purpose for you. It may seem at times as if you are lost in a desert, wandering aimlessly. But the Lord is there, carefully leading you to the Land of Promise. So, follow Him and trust Him and He will do marvelous things for you and through you.

A Possession East of Canaan

Then Moses said to them:
“If you do this thing; if you arm yourselves
———-before the Lord for the war
And all your armed men cross over the Jordan
Before the Lord until He has driven out His enemies
———-from Him before

And the land is subdued before the Lord, as to you I now tell
Then afterward you may return and be blameless
———-it shall be as a reward
Before the Lord and before Israel
And this land shall be your possession before the Lord

But if you do not do so, then take note
You have sinned against the Lord
And be sure your sin will find you out
Pay close heed now to my word

Build cities for your little ones and folds for your sheep too
And do what has proceeded out of your mouth, so you shall do

And the children of Gad and the children of Reuben
Spoke to Moses, saying:
“Your servants will do as my lord commands
Just as you have been conveying

Our little ones, our wives, our flocks, and all our livestock
Will be there in the cities of Gilead, according to your word
But your servants will cross over, every man armed for war
Before the Lord to battle, just as says my lord

So Moses gave command concerning them
To Eleazar the priest, to Joshua the son of Nun as well
And to the chief fathers of the tribes
Of the children of Israel

And Moses said to them:
“If the children of Gad and the children of Reuben
———-cross over the Jordan with you in your procession
Every man armed for battle before the Lord
———-and the land is subdued before you
Then you shall give them the land of Gilead as a possession

But if they do not cross over armed with you
They shall have possessions among you in the land of Canaan too

Then the children of Gad and the children of Reuben
———-answered, saying
“As the Lord has said to your servants, so we will do
We will cross over armed before the Lord into the land of Canaan
But the possession of our inheritance shall remain with us
———-on this side of the Jordan, our word shall be true

So Moses gave to the children of Gad, to the children of Reuben
———-and to half the tribe of Manasseh the son of Joseph
The kingdom of Sihon king of the Amorites
———-and the kingdom of Og king of Bashan
The land with its cities within the borders
The cities of the surrounding country
———-which they had set their hopes on

And the children of Gad built Dibon and Ataroth and Aroer
Atroth and Shophan and Jazer and Jogbehah too
Beth Nimrah and Beth Haran
Fortified cities, and folds for sheep, so they did do

And the children of Reuben built Heshbon and Elealeh
And Kirjathaim, Nebo and Baal Meon also
(Their names being changed) and Shibmah
And they gave other names to the cities which they built
———-as we now know

And the children of Machir the son of Manasseh
Went to Gilead and took it, he kept going and didn’t quit
And dispossessed the Amorites who were in it
So Moses gave Gilead to Machir the son of Manasseh
———-and he dwelt in it 

Also Jair the son of Manasseh went and took its small towns
And called them Havoth Jair, that name he did claim
Then Nobah went and took Kenath and its villages
And he called it Nobah, after his own name

Lord God, we are even now in a wilderness
And we are wanting to be led by You
Without You to direct, our lives would be a mess
And so be our guide, O God; You who are faithful and true

We long for the water in this barren land
May it flow forth from the Rock, our souls to satisfy
Give us this refreshing, spiritual hand
And may we take it, and to our lives daily it apply

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…

1 Peter 2:21

Charlie Garrett 1 Peter (Written)

Sunday, 3 November 2019

For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: 1 Peter 2:21

Peter has just shown that patient suffering, especially when it is suffering unjustly, is commendable before God. He now says something not often taught in the modern church, “For to this you were called.” Believers are called to numerous things – holiness, righteousness, being examples to non-believers, and etc. But believers are also called to suffering wrongly for their faith. The expectation is that, in this suffering, they are to bear up under it and patiently endure it.

As a reminder, Peter is writing to Jews. However, this is not a message unique to Jews. Paul says the same to Gentile believers in Romans 8:17 and elsewhere. In fact, Paul uses the same word as Peter now when writing this to the Gentiles at Philippi –

“For to you it has been granted on behalf of Christ, not only to believe in Him, but also to suffer for His sake.” Philippians 1:29

This is not a concept unique to Jewish believers who were expected to suffer while Gentiles could expect wealth, prosperity, and ease. Such a message is contrary to Scripture. Peter says this is so, “because Christ also suffered for us.” A few key points are seen here. First, believers are expected to suffer because Christ suffered. The word because will be further explained in the next clause.

Secondly, it is Christ who suffered. It doesn’t simply say that Jesus suffered. The name Yeshua, or “Jesus,” was a common name at the time. But more, even if speaking of the correct Jesus, it wasn’t just that He was a person who suffered, but He is the Christ – the Messiah – who is the Anointed One of God who suffered. His suffering was prophesied in advance so that it would be known without a doubt that this was a part of God’s plan, and that His suffering was not an accident, but a predetermined part of what God was doing.

Thirdly, it says that Christ “also suffered for us.” The word “us” is possible, but it is more rightly translated as “you.” Peter is directing His words to believers who need to be trained in what he already knows. This then follows with his earlier words, stating “you” and “your” when conveying such truths.

Christ’s suffering was not for Himself, but for others. And His suffering was not just a vicarious act, as if believers are exempt from suffering because He suffered in their place. Instead, He suffered so that they could become believers and follow Him in the suffering which the gospel, at times, necessitates. This becomes fully evident with the words, “leaving us an example.”

Peter uses two words unique to Scripture here. The first, translated as “leaving,” signifies “to leave behind.” The notion of His suffering was left behind for us to see and fully understand. The second word, translated as “example,” is a compound word which would literally be rendered “underwriting.” It is as if a written copy of what He did is left as a print for believers to follow. As Vincent’s Word Studies describes the word, it is “a copy set by writing-masters for their pupils. Some explain it as a copy of characters over which the student is to trace the lines.” We as believers have what Christ left behind to carefully emulate so “that you should follow His steps.”

The word translated as “follow” means to “follow upon.” We are not simply to follow Christ, but to step in the footprints which He has walked. He is the Guide, the writings have been left to carefully follow, and the footprints have been set in the ground which has now solidified to stone so that our steps are completely in accord with His.

Life application: The evidence for the Christian to expect and accept suffering in this life is overwhelming. The modern prosperity gospel is a false teaching brought about by a misunderstanding, misapplication, or misuse of the message of the Bible.

This is not to say that we should not hope for blessing, work for prosperity, or be born into wealth, but these things are not to be expected. Christianity is not an entitlement society of wealth and ease. Instead, it is a commitment to following one Lord and to be willing to set aside our own personal gain, our earthly desires, and even our family relationships when they interfere with our responsibilities to Jesus.

If you have been told to claim a blessing in Jesus’ name, you have been counseled incorrectly on what you should anticipate.

The gospel message is the central theme of the Bible, and Jesus is the center of that message. He lived faithfully, bore pain and suffering quietly, and prevailed over this temporary life of earthly passions and lusts. This then has become our example to follow.

What is commendable? Missionaries who give their lives away for Jesus’ sake; people who preach on Sunday and are willing to work a second job, if necessary, during the week; congregants who praise Jesus on Sunday and continue to praise Him morning and night throughout the week – even if they face trials, poverty, cursing, or abuse. For most of the world, following Jesus is a life-threatening commitment, and yet one which they gladly accept.

Let us never lose sight of Jesus’ example; let us never fail to follow it when called to do so.

Lord, many times we have been promised ease, abundance, prosperity, and wealth by preachers, but Your word proclaims a different reality. Help us to accept blessing and ease, or hardship and trial, as You choose for us. No matter what, though, give us the desire and ability to follow Jesus through thick and thin. Amen.