Date: Tue, 25 Apr 1995 15:52:27 +0100
Reply-To: t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
From: Teus Benschop
Subject: The Scriptures opened, 28
Contents
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1. Weekly reading, Leviticus 18:3,4
2. Psalm 95:10,11
3. New Testament, Matthew 18:1-4
1. Weekly reading, Leviticus 18:3,4
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After the doings of the land of Egypt, wherein ye dwelt, shall ye not do:
and after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither I bring you, shall ye
not do: neither shall ye walk in their ordinances. Ye shall do my
judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I [am] the LORD
your God.
You shall not do after the doing of the land of Egypt, whence you came.
Also, you shall not do after the doings of the land of Canaan, whither
you go. So, you shall not do after the doing of the place whence you
came, nor of the place whither you go. You are, in fact, between two
fires. The place which you left was wicked, but also the place whereunto
God brings you, is corrupted. Behind, and before you, the sin lies in
wait to deceive you; look out! Fire before you, and behind you. Remember
the exodus out of Egypt: Pharaoh and his heir behind you, and the Red Sea
with its waters before you. At that time, only a miracle of God saved
you. Likewise now, when you have danger of sin before and behind you,
only a miracle of God can save you. Likewise you cried, when you stood
between Pharaoh and his heir, and the Red Sea, so, cry also now, when you
are between sins; cry unto God. Let we listen now. Do we hear the people
cry? No, we hear nothing. When Israel stood before the Red Sea, they
cried. But when they stand between the sins of the two countries, which
threaten them, they cry not. Why not? Because they see no danger.
Likewise we, often. When we are in danger in our natural, daily life, we
cry. But when we are in danger of being seduced by the sins of our
country, we are silent; we see no danger, and therefore, we cry not. May
God open our eyes, to see the truth.
You shall not do after the wicked customs of the Egyptians, nor after
those of the Canaanites. When you ask: When we may not do thus, what else
must we do then? The answer follows: Ye shall do My judgements, says God,
and keep Mine ordinances, to walk therein. Walk not in the ordinances of
the Canaanites, nor in those of the Egyptians, but in Mine. Why must we
walk in God's commandments? Because "I am the LORD your God". That is the
reason. God is our Master, and we are His servants. Therefore, obedience
is asked.
According to our text, the laws of Israel of old were different of
those of Egypt, and of Canaan. And in the book of Esther, we read, that
the Israeli laws were even different of those of all the other people:
"And Haman said unto king Ahasuerus, There is a certain people scattered
abroad and dispersed among the people in all the provinces of thy
kingdom; and their laws are diverse from all people; neither keep they
the king's laws: therefore it is not for the king's profit to suffer
them." (Esther 3:8) Also Moses, the holy servant of God, when he is
exhorting the people to keep God's commandments, he recommends the very
righteous laws of God: "And what nation [is there so] great, that hath
statutes and judgments [so] righteous as all this law, which I set before
you this day?" (Deuteronomy 4:8) None of the surrounding nations, and of
those far off, have such righteous statutes, as the Israelites have.
Therefore, we are amazed that those laws are trodden by their feet, later
on. This shows the great wickedness of the Israelites, that they despise
those righteous laws. How was it possible! A more clear sign of the
depravity of our nature, you will nearly not find. And, because we are of
the same race, we are as wicked. Whether we see it, or not, the fact
remains the same. And when you a thousand times say, that you are not so
bad as those people of old--the facts do not change. Such a great
wickedness, as that of our forefathers, and as that of us now, is
incurable. God's supernatural grace, renewing our hearts, is necessary.
But you may ask: how do you know that our forefathers were so bad? Hereon
I answer: I know that from Scripture. Did they, according to Scripture,
keep God's commandments? No, they kept several statutes, but not those of
God. "For the statutes of Omri are kept, and all the works of the house
of Ahab, and ye walk in their counsels; that I should make thee a
desolation, and the inhabitants thereof an hissing: therefore ye shall
bear the reproach of my people." (Micah 6:16) They kept the wicked
statutes of Omri, and of Ahab. But the statutes of the LORD? Those were
rejected. That have our fathers done, and we are of the same race.
As our text says, we shall not do after the doings of the Egyptians
and the Canaanites. We are too much inclined to do after the customs of
our days. When everybody does something, our eyes are blinded, and we do
not examine whether it is lawful. We say: Everybody does it, so it must
be good. When our father or mother has the habit to sleep long on the
Sabbath, and they do not go to the church, their children nearly always
follow that wicked example. They walk in the ordinances of their father
and mother, but despise God's statutes. He commanded: "Remember the
sabbath day, to keep it holy." (Exodus 20:8) He said not: Sleep late on
the sabbath day, to defile it. When our family has the habit to eat much
and nice on the sabbathday, so that they are sleeping in the church,
often we follow their wicked example. We keep the ordinances of our
family, and despise that of God. He said: "Remember the sabbath day, to
keep it holy." (Exodus 20:8) He said not: Eat yourself full, like the
swines, on My sabbathday, to fatten yourself up for the day of slaughter.
When we are grown up amidst of people who lie half naked on the beach, we
often follow their example, forgetting that "unto Adam and to his wife
did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them" (Genesis 3:21),
namely to cover their nakedness.
You shall not follow after the fabrications of your own heart, but "Ye
shall do my judgments, and keep mine ordinances, to walk therein: I am
the LORD your God." The LORD is not God in general, but especially our
God. He says not: I am the LORD God, but: I am the LORD *your* God.
Therefore, it is fitting that we obey Him. Those, who not obey Him, show
that they do not longer want to have God as their God. As a result, God
also will reject them as His people.
2. Psalm 95:10,11
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Forty years long was I grieved with [this] generation, and said,
It is a people that do err in their heart,
and they have not known my ways:
Unto whom I sware in my wrath that they should not enter into my rest.
The LORD here says that He was grieved with this generation, forty years
long, in the desert. Moses has recorded some instances, whereby the
people grieved the LORD exceedingly. One of the worst examples is the
golden calf, which they made. While Moses was on the mountain, to receive
the two tables of the covenant, they deviated from the Lord. Another
example is the rebellion of Korah, Dathan and Abiram. They rebelled
against Moses and Aaron, and therefore the earth opened her mouth and
devoured these wicked people. And there are other example enough,
recorded by Moses, which show us the stiffneckedness of that people. But
now, when we look at our text, it said that the LORD was grieved, not
only now and then, but forty years long. Moses has not written that the
Israelites were disobedient and rebelled each day, during forty days.
They rebelled in the beginning, and also in the end of that period. The
question can therefore arise, why the psalm-writer has said this? Is it
not somewhat excessive to say that the people grieved the LORD during
forty days? Had it not been better, that the Psalm spoke about, let's
say, sometimes? The answer is easy. No, the Psalm speaks the truth. They
grieved the LORD during forty years, each day. "Forty years long was I
grieved with this generation". God was so grieved, because they "do err
in their heart". Moses recorded the deeds of the people, which were
grievous for the LORD, but the LORD looks deeper. He saw, each day, their
erring heart. Maybe, that their external worship was after the rules, but
their heart was erring. That was it, what was so grievous for the LORD.
He sees "not as man seeth; for man looketh on the outward appearance, but
the LORD looketh on the heart." (1 Samuel 16:7) When our outward
behaviour is right (as it ought to be), nevertheless, the LORD can be
very grieved with us, namely when our heart is erring. When we walk in
the outward ordinances of the LORD (which is our duty), but we do not
understand them, and we love not the LORD, He will be grieved with us.
Therefore, the Psalm speaks about the forty years long. "They have not
known My ways". During forty years, they have seen the works of the LORD.
During that time, they have seen His ways. And the result? "They have not
known My ways". You must be utterly blind, when you are instructed in the
Lord's ways during forty years, and when you even then not know His ways.
So was it with the people in the desert.
It is important for us to keep in mind that we are of the same race.
Many, nowadays, say that we are better then the Israelites in the desert.
According to their saying, the Israelites were a young nation, but we are
now old and adults. Therefore, they sinned in their youth, but we have
now learned more, and commit those sins no more. People who say this,
show clearly that they also belong to the "people that do err in their
heart", (Ps.95:10) Their first error is that they reject Scripture who
says that we are not better then our fathers: "Since the days of our
fathers have we been in a great trespass unto this day; and for our
iniquities have we, our kings, and our priests, been delivered into the
hand of the kings of the lands, to the sword, to captivity, and to a
spoil, and to confusion of face, as it is this day." (Ezra 9:7) Even the
holy prophet Elijah, who knew his heart, prayed to God, saying: "It is
enough; now, O LORD, take away my life; for I am not better than my
fathers." (1 Kings 19:4) When even Elijah, a very holy prophet, said that
he was not better then his fathers, how much the more must we say it
Therefore, who erring think that we are better now, show no more then
their blindness. They also make a second error. When they say that we are
now adults but the Israelites in the desert were still youths, they
compare the age of nations. From that comparison of nations, they jump to
a comparison of persons. When the present nation is old, that does not
mean that the members thereof, the individual persons, are also adults.
We are persons, and we must learn the same things as the people in the
desert learned. We also, therefore, make the same errors and commit the
same sins. Saying: "we are adults now, but they were young", is boasting
in the age of nations. This boasting blinds our eyes for the truth, that
we are sinning each day.
When we are sinning, we have no idea how grievous this is for the
LORD. He, Who is righteous; for Him it is very grievous to see injustice.
He, Who is undefiled; for Him it is smarting to see our filth. He, Who is
without sin; for Him it is bitter to see His creation sinning each day.
Are you, reader, forty years old? How was your behaviour during that
time? How was your heart? When you are of the same race as the Israelites
were, then you were erring in your heart, not knowing the LORD's ways.
Maybe your outward behaviour was acceptable, but your heart grieved the
LORD exceedingly. He looks through your mask of outward rites, and knows
your heart--that pool of darkness. God, the Father of all light, will
shrink from your darkness. Unless He cleanses it through the blood of the
Lord Jesus Christ, He cannot have contact with you.
Reading on in our text, we see the result of the erring of their
heart. Forty years long, the LORD was grieved with that generation, and
said: "It is a people that do err in their heart, and they have not known
My ways". Unto whom He sware in His wrath that they should not enter into
His rest. The result of erring in our heart is therefore, that we will
not enter into God's rest. Maybe, we will enter earthly Canaan, the
present state of Israel. But we will, when we are erring in our heart,
not enter in God's rest. I mean, maybe your are living in the earthly
Israel, that is still something else then the heavenly Israel. Like the
sinners in the desert were destroyed before they entered Canaan, likewise
the present sinners will be destroyed before they enter heaven.
Having read the threats of our texts, what have we to do? We have to
listen to the preaching of the gospel of the kingdom of God. Listen to
the preacher: "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand:
repent ye, and believe the gospel." (Mark 1:15) The gospel says two
things: Repent ye, and: believe the gospel. These two things are required
of you. I pray you, therefore, repent ye, and believe the gospel, lest
God swears in His wrath that you shall not enter into His heavenly rest.
When you reject the gospel, the one means for salvation, there remains no
other means. When you not accept this one possibility of salvation, but
seeks for another, you deceive yourself. Repent, and believe in Jesus,
the promised Messiah. Listen to Him: "Jesus stood and cried, saying, If
any man thirst, let him come unto me, and drink. He that believeth on me,
as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living
water. (John 7:37,38) When He speaks about the rivers of living water, He
in fact speaks of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should
receive.
3. New Testament, Matthew 18:1-4
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At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?
And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of
them, and said,
Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little
children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same
is greatest in the kingdom of heaven.
"At the same time came the disciples unto Jesus, saying, Who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven?" The disciples here do like we all do:
they wanted to be the greatest. Who is the greatest in the kingdom of
heaven? They were not satisfied with the entrance in the kingdom of
heaven, but they also, being proud, wanted to be the greatest. Herein, we
see what we all do, or try to do. Who does not like to be better than the
others? Women often get dressed more beautiful then the others. When I
say beautiful, I mean, beautiful in their own eyes--not in the eyes of
God. For, in His eyes, we are only beautiful when we humble ourselves.
Men, who have some power, often like to have more. It is never enough.
Our car must be better, newer, faster, then that of our neighbour. Our
children must look better then the other children. Our wife must look
younger then the other women. Our husband must have a manly appearance.
All these things are signs of pride. Who is the greatest? That is our
question, wherein we engage. We expend much labour to reach our goals of
pride. Also, our soul, we sell therefore. For, what else do we, when we
spend our time in vain things, leaving the most important question
unanswered: How an I reconciled with God? Yes, we are even worse then the
disciples. They were still concerned about the kingdom of heaven, but we
do not pursue anything else then our temporal good. Know, however, that
these visible things vanish. Leave these things, therefore, and pursue
the eternal things. Concerning the pride, reader, "be clothed with
humility: for God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble."
(1 Peter 5:5) Be not clothed with a beautiful dressing, but with
humility.
When the disciples have betrayed their pride, by asking who is the
greatest in the kingdom of heaven, Jesus answers them. He calls a little
child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, in order that they can
see him well. They Jesus opens His mouth, and gives one of His always
valuable lessons. Listen to Him: "Verily I say unto you, Except ye be
converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the
kingdom of heaven." Except ye be converted from your pride, you will not
enter into the kingdom of heaven. Become as little children. Little
children are not proud. Also you, be not proud. Little children do not
seek own honour. Do you likewise. Little children always trust their
father and mother. Do you the same in trusting God with your whole power.
A little child expects all things from his elders. Likewise you, reader,
expect nothing from any person, but from God. The little child says: "Dad
can all". Likewise we, let we have an unlimited confidence in the power
of God. The need cannot go so high, or God can help us out. Maybe the
waters come to our lips, but then it is God's time to help us out.
Of course, Jesus Christ is here speaking, not about children in
general, but about little children. For we know, that when the children
grow up, their sinful nature comes public. Soon, they show their own
will. Therefore, we daily need to become again like little children. We
daily need to be converted, and to deny our own will. We daily need God's
Spirit, in order that we become and keep on being like little children.
"Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the
same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven." Who is the greatest in the
heavenly kingdom? He, who will humble himself as a little child. "Humble
yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you
in due time." (1 Peter 5:6) David, that holy king, has also written about
this. His teachings were, as always, the same as those of Jesus. Jesus
taught us humility; also David did so. He said: "LORD, my heart is not
haughty, nor mine eyes lofty: neither do I exercise myself in great
matters, or in things too high for me. Surely I have behaved and quieted
myself, as a child that is weaned of his mother: my soul is even as a
weaned child. Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth and for ever.
(Psalms 131) He is like a child by his mother. Like a child, he expects
all things of God. This unlimited faith, he recommends also the whole
nation of Israel: Let Israel hope in the LORD from henceforth, and
forever. Who hopes on the LORD will never be ashamed. Trust ye in the
LORD for ever: for in the LORD JEHOVAH is everlasting strength. Blessed
is the man that trusts in the LORD, and whose hope the LORD is.
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Chr-Exp, a Christian explanation of the Tanach and the New Testament
Editor: Teus Benschop - t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl
No copyrights on this publication
Institution Practical Bible-education, the Netherlands
End of The Scriptures opened, 28
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