John 11:54-57 - Before the Final Passover

John 11:54-57

54 Therefore Jesus no longer continued to walk publicly among the Jews, but went away from there to the country near the wilderness, into a city called Ephraim; and there He stayed with the disciples.

55 Now the Passover of the Jews was near, and many went up to Jerusalem out of the country before the Passover to purify themselves. 56 So they were seeking for Jesus, and were saying to one another as they stood in the temple, “What do you think; that He will not come to the feast at all?” 57 Now the chief priests and the Pharisees had given orders that if anyone knew where He was, he was to report it, so that they might seize Him.

Message: Before the Final Passover

Time: John most likely wrote between A.D. 85 and 90. John's purpose in writing was, "that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name (John 20:31)." 

What the Lord is Saying: So with the plot now on for those to kill Jesus, which is what the disciples concern was earlier when he went to Bethany near Jerusalem (verse 8), John mentions in verse 54 that Jesus will no longer continue to walk with the Jews. He will get away from walking with the Jews as Has more to accomplish, though He knows His death is inevitable. But this lets us know that He will decide the time and not let others decide it for him. 

Verse 55 mentions the Passover was near. I remember in John 2 the Passover was near, so time is passing along, at least a year between those two passages. Based upon what I have read Jesus is probably about 31 if he began his ministry at age 30, but that is just my guess. Later, when Jesus was crucified, that would be during the feast of the Passover. 

In verse 55 it mentions the Jews left Jerusalem "to purify themselves." I looked this up in commentaries and Charles, a theologian in the 1800s states, "The Law ordained no special purifications before the Passover, but on the general principle of ceremonial cleanness, a large number of pilgrims would necessarily go up before the feast to observe the legal rites and offer the required sacrifices." Numbers 9:6 remarks that some are unclean, but Lord to Moses says those individuals (unclean because of a dead person) can still observe the Passover. And yet there is also mention in Leviticus 22:3 about approaching the holy (whatever that is at the time) unclean that person is cut off. As such, possibly there is an approach to 'better be safe than sorry.' 

And people wonder, possibly Jews whether Jesus will be present at the Passover. He is not with them. He was at the last one it seems in John 2, but for this one, at this time, possibly it is not known. It is clear that some Jews want to seize Him. 

Summary: Jesus goes to the wilderness, but back in Jerusalem, many are preparing for the Passover, wondering if Jesus will be present at it. 

Promise: We are not to seek suffering or harm, but as it occurs, we are to faithful and endure it. 

Prayer: Lord, you are holy and as I even come before you at various times to celebrate communion or a baptism or even an event like Christmas or Easter, I am not sure if I have taken the time consistently to prepare myself. You want me to observe these events, to remember, and in that be thankful the Your gift to me, but I think it can be important to first confess sin and see if there is any wicked in me and to think about how my life at that moment can be defiled by other things, by other priorities, by other thoughts. Help me to focus on You. Even as I attend church and walk into a fellowship, too many things are often on my mind. Even as take a moment to study Your word each day and pray, often there are thoughts at war within me of other responsibilities. So help me God to be serious about those times of service and worship and study, as I approach You - to cleanse me. I don't even pray God prior to getting into your Word and yet this pattern is done at Church. I know I'm not requited, but help me make those times more focused so that I am hearing You when You speak. 

Note: If you are interested in other studies/devotions, check out my index of Bible Study's. 

My Utmost for His Highest - March 26th - Vision by Personal Purity

Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse those with leprosy, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. - Matthew 10:8

Purity is not innocence, it is much more. Purity is the outcome of sustained spiritual sympathy with God. We have to grow in purity. The life with God may be right and the inner purity remain unsullied, and yet every now and again the bloom on the outside may be sullied. God does not shield us from this possibility, because in this way we realize the necessity of maintaining the vision by personal purity. If the spiritual bloom of our life with God is getting impaired, in the tiniest degree, we must leave off everything and get it put right. Remember that vision depends on character--the pure in heart see God.

God makes us pure by His sovereign grace, but we have something to look after, this bodily life by which we come in contact with other people and with other points of view, it is those that are apt to sully. Not only must the inner sanctuary be kept right with God, but the outer courts as well are to be brought into perfect accord with the purity God gives us by His grace. The spiritual understanding is blurred immediately the outer court is sullied. If we are going to retain personal contact with the Lord Jesus Christ, it will mean there are some things we must scorn to do or to think, some legitimate things we must scorn to touch.

A practical way of keeping personal purity unsullied, in relation to other people is to say to yourself--That man, that woman, perfect in Christ Jesus! That friend, that relative, perfect in Christ Jesus!

Oswald Chambers - From My Utmost for His Highest Classic Edition

- Underlines and highlights are courtesy of Mom from her Print Edition

- Sullied - to soil, tarnish, especially by disgracing

Malachi 3:6 - The God Who Never Changes

Malachi 3:6
For I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed.

Message: The God Who Never Changes

Time: Malachi delivers a message to the Judean people who worship at the temple, but our turning away from the true worship of the Lord. This is after the completion of the second temple. Late 5th Century BC, possibly during Nehemiah's return to Persia, around 433-424 BC.

What the Lord is Saying:

The message here is simple: God does not change. These are the words spoken by Malachi, a prophet of the Lord. His book is the final book of the Old Testament, about 450 years before Christ. This idea only should bring comfort to us - that God does not change. Malachi was speaking a message to his people here in chapter 3 of purification by a messenger. As we study and look back at this message, knowing Jesus came, we naturally want to see this as a prophecy of Jesus and His coming to cleanse the temple, cleans the people. However, the text is not completely clear that this is about Jesus. What it is clear in addressing is the need for the people of Judah to be cleansed, to be purified. In verse 7, they have turned aside from My statutes and have not kept them. He speaks of the kinds of people that are present: the sorcerers and against the adulterers and against those who swear falsely, and against those who oppress the wage earner in his wages, the widow and the orphan, and those who turn aside the alien and do not fear Me. 

And in between these words is the proclamation that I, the Lord, do not change; therefore you, O sons of Jacob, are not consumed. By not changing, to me, this means that the Lord's expectations on His people does not change. He still remains a selfish God that wants His people to honor Him and worship Him. He gives them statutes for them to be kept. He expects his people to honor him and not seek their own way. When they do this they become human idol factories, thinking that their own way is the better way. 

What is clear is that the Lord will purify His people. This is a message from God that has remained throughout history. God is our redeemer. And yet this call to purification still requires a response. God may choose us, but there still is a response that is required from man. In verse 7 he says, "Return to Me." 

We think at times that the message of the New Testament, of repentance and love is so very clear, but it is the same message, but simply has a more clear presenter: Jesus Christ. But the message remains: God redeems. Man returns to Him. Our God does not change. 

That's His message and we can accept it or reject it, but that is His message. God will not change. He sits outside of time. One of my brothers in the Lord begins our prayer time weekly with, "Thank you for a new day." It is a reminder that we change. We celebrate with jubilation the turning of time, the beginning of a new year recently. It is 2019. Time is growing. Life is changing. We are growing daily, aging. We are changing. But, our God does not change. We look forward to a day of no change when things will remain the same and when our true relationship as true worshipers will be present. 

Promise: Each day I can rely on the One who is incapable of changing and will never allow His promises to fail. My security remains in Him. He promises to always keep me safe, safe in Him. 

Prayer: Lord, you do not change. You remain the same and your Ways remain the same. Thank you for being that anchor, the rock, the fortress, the horn of our salvation, our stronghold. I love You Lord. You are great. I need this reminder in my life daily that though I live in a day of improvement and wanting each day to be better than the next, I can rest in the idea that You never change. You desire me and desire people to know you and listen to You. You are a selfish God and you always know what is best for me. Lord, I want to return to You. Each day Lord I want to return to You. I want to listen to these words you have spoken through your prophet Malachi 2500+ years ago that remain true to this day: Return to You. As I live and move and change, keep pulling me back to your message, reminding me that you are still there. You still want me. I can still return to You. Lord, I admit my ideals are often the ideals of this world - for daily happiness and enjoyment and peace and security and comfort -- and even as those things are okay, help me have a stronger love for You and seeking you and desiring to never disappoint You. I know you will always take me back, but still I want my life to honor You. You deserve it. And I need it. It is the only way to live.


Note: I follow the readings from the Tabletalk Magazine devotional, though I am a little behind and working through 2017 devotionals. 2017 is a study of key biblical doctrines with January being about the doctrine of God.

Psalm 12:6 - Inspiration, Infallibility, Inerrancy

Psalm 12:6 - The words of the Lord are pure words, like silver refined in a furnace on the ground, purified seven times.

Message: The words of the Lord are the highest and greatest words we can read

Time: The psalms were written by many different people across a period of a thousand years in Israel's history. They are thought to have been compiled and put together in their present form by some unknown editor shortly after the captivity ended about 537 B.C.

What the Lord is Saying:

Psalm 12 is a Psalm that is said to have definitely been written by David. 

Man's Words
The predominant theme of the Psalm is the calling out of man as being fallible and a man of iniquity. There is almost a sense of surprise that not even the Godly man cannot remain without sin. Psalm 12:1 says, "the godly man ceaseth; for the faithful fail from among the children of men." 

Their isn't specific wickedness that is mentioned and it isn't saying that their is no good in man and that Godly man does not ever do good, but throughout life not even man can be counted on in all circumstances, in all ways. 

Verse 2 remarks, "They speak vanity every one with his neighbor: with flattering lips and with a double heart, do they speak." Verse 1 is a general statement and verse 2, then is an example of that failing. It is not the only failing, but simply one that is mentioned here as an example. Man's speaking words were often in vain and couldn't be relied upon. And man's words could convey a double meaning, they could have selfish motives, they could be deceptive. And man can have a double heart meaning they say one thing and then do another. Man's talk will often not be backed up with his walk. Overall, man if fallible.  

God's Words
Then God's words are spoken. "The words of the Lord are pure words." In contrast to man, the Lord's words are pure. God's words can always be relied upon. All His words are true and faithful. It needs to be clearly stated and clearly received and revered and known that the Lord's words are pure. 

The Psalmist describes how pure those words are. The commodity silver is used and the commodity is is taken to a place where it is tried and purified, not once or twice, but very often, seven times through the fire. The word seven in the Scriptures denotes a complete or perfect number. So, the process of it going through fire was repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated and repeated, seven times. It was complete and His words are pure. 

While men, and even those who professed to be good men failed and no complete reliance could be placed on their statements, the most perfect trust could be reposed on all the statements of God. 

Application
This is a reminder to me that God's words needs to always be my chief source of guidance and wisdom. How quickly do I often go to man's words instead for guidance and wisdom. But, I need to be trained by God. 

I live in a culture that doesn't uphold God's words or even his name in a great manner. Even in the church, God's words are being spliced and diced so that the ways of the culture will not be compromised. It is a tough time because being a Christian is getting to be more and more unpopular and people who hold up the word of God are being laughed at more and more. 

But, I just need that reminder to my life that God's words are in fact the most complete and greatest words I could ever hope to read and know. I don't believe this says that I only read the "red letters" in the Bible or only the words that are said to only come from God for the Word says that "All scripture is inspired by God." And so I am to uphold all of its words, but my reliance on the words of God are indeed the greatest. And from that standpoint, I must be very careful to uphold those words. 

This is a process that grates against man and his ways. Just looking at the words of the 10 commandments is a chore to us and goes against our thinking. But, I must be careful. As I have seen from passages, like in Ecclesiastes, life is to be enjoyed. God has provided an abundance and goodness in life to eat, enjoy each others company and live life to the fullest. But, still I must be careful throughout that enjoyment that my enjoyment is based on God's providence and his words are always upheld in my life, for they are the pure words. 

It is not that man can never be relied upon. It is not to say that there aren't good words found in man. But, I must remember that man's words can be fallible while God's words are never fallible. So, I don't think this means I never listen to man, but I always must think about what I'm hearing and not always take it as complete.


Promise: While men, and even those who professed to be good men failed and no complete reliance could be placed on their statements, the most perfect trust could be reposed on all the statements of God.