=========================================================== Scripture Studies: Vol. VII, No. 5 - June/July 2000 ==================================================== In this issue: Old Testament Study - Zechariah 6:1-8 A Classic Study - Navigation Spiritualized, pt. 25, by John Flavel New Testament Study - Matthew 9:1-8 A Topical Study - Loving God vs. Loving the World, pt. 9 A Study of Wisdom - Ecclesiastes 8:1-10 Masthead -------- "Scripture Studies" is edited by Scott Sperling and published ten times a year by Scripture Studies, Inc., a non-profit organization. It is distributed all over the world by postal mail and via the internet, free of charge. If you would like to financially support the publication and distribution of "Scripture Studies", send contributions to: Scripture Studies Inc. 20 Pastora Foothill Ranch, CA 92610 USA Contributions are tax deductible in the United States. 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Used by permission of Zondervan Bible Publishers =========================================================== Old Testament Study - Zechariah 6:1-8 ===================================== The Eighth Vision: The Four Chariots -------------------------------------- 1I looked up again-and there before me were four chariots coming out from between two mountains-mountains of bronze! 2The first chariot had red horses, the second black, 3the third white, and the fourth dappled-all of them powerful. 4I asked the angel who was speaking to me, "What are these, my lord?" 5The angel answered me, "These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world. 6The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south." 7When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And He said, "Go throughout the earth!" So they went throughout the earth. 8Then He called to me, "Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest in the land of the north." Now we come to the eighth and final vision of Zechariah. The first and eighth visions make appropriate bookends for the eight visions. The first and eighth visions both deal with the nations outside of Israel, whereas the six in-between visions deal specifically with Israel herself. Also, in the eighth vision, we find again the colored horses that we were introduced to in the first vision. "In the first vision, the horses patrol the earth and report peace. In the last, chariots patrol the earth and dispense judgment" [Laney, 69]. Moreover, "the mission of the horses and chariots supplies the central theme to all eight visions, for they acted as a pair of bookends at the front and back of the visions. Together, the eight visions say more than that the temple must be rebuilt and the leadership revived; they argue that God's kingdom in the whole world would be renewed and governments that had opposed His kingdom would be totally vanquished" [Kaiser, 343]. Zechariah relates his vision: "I looked up again-and there before me were four chariots coming out from between two mountains-mountains of bronze! The first chariot had red horses, the second black, the third white, and the fourth dappled-all of them powerful" (vss. 1-2). Zechariah again helps us in the interpretation of the vision by asking a question of the angel who is with him: "I asked the angel who was speaking to me, 'What are these, my lord?' The angel answered me, 'These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world. The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward the south.' When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And he said, 'Go throughout the earth!' So they went throughout the earth. Then he called to me, 'Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest in the land of the north'" (vss. 2-8). As in his first vision, Zechariah sees horses of different colors. But this time, the horses are pulling chariots. In the first vision, the horses were reconnoitering, going "throughout the earth" and reporting back to the Lord what they found (see Zech. 1:10-11). In this vision, the horses are ready for action, pulling "chariots". Chariots are implements of war, and so the horses are ready for war. The chariots are in a valley "between two mountains-mountains of bronze" (vs. 1). This is possibly the valley of Jehoshaphat, between an idealized Mount Moriah and Mount of Olives (the two mountains near the Temple). This would have been the nearest spot to the Temple that was accessible by chariots [Moore, 87]. The mountains are "bronze", likely signifying strength and immovability. There are "four" chariots, probably to correspond with the four directions: north, south, east and west. This would be in line with the significance of other "fours" in Biblical, prophetic literature: "The number four has the same significance here as in the four winds of Daniel, the four cherubs of Ezekiel, the four angels at the four corners of the earth in the Apocalypse, and the four horns and four artificers of the second vision. Alluding to the four points of the compass, it is the symbol of universality, a judgment that goes in every direction" [Moore, 87]. Each of the four chariots are drawn by different colored horses: red, black, white and dappled. The different colored horses are evocative of John's vision in Revelation 6. He saw four colored horses with riders being sent out. The first rider, on a white horse, went out "as a conqueror bent on conquest" (Rev. 6:1-2). The second rider, on a red horse, took peace from the earth and caused men to slay each other (Rev. 6:3-4). The third rider, on a black horse, brought food shortages, presumably through famine (Rev. 6:5-6). The fourth rider, on a pale horse, brought death through famine, plagues, and beasts of the earth (Rev. 6:7-8). Because of the similarities between the colors of the horses in Zechariah's vision, and the ones in John's vision, we may reasonably conclude that the colors of the horses symbolize the same things in both visions, namely: white for conquest, or victory; red for the blood of carnage and war; black for the sorrow of affliction; dappled for a combination of plagues and pestilence. In fact, I have little doubt that Zechariah and John were viewing visions that prophesied the same event: the unleashing of God's wrath upon the rebellious world. In Zechariah, we are told that the chariots are sent out by God: "I asked the angel who was speaking to me, 'What are these, my lord?' The angel answered me, 'These are the four spirits of heaven, going out from standing in the presence of the Lord of the whole world'" (vss. 4-5). We are also told that the chariots go in different directions: "The one with the black horses is going toward the north country, the one with the white horses toward the west, and the one with the dappled horses toward south" (vs. 6). Interestingly, we are not told where the chariot with "red" horses goes. We may infer that it goes towards the east, since that direction is not mentioned. Or possibly, that chariot is being held back in reserve. Zechariah notes: "When the powerful horses went out, they were straining to go throughout the earth. And He said, 'Go throughout the earth!' So they went throughout the earth" (vs. 7). This is a picture of God's mercy. Before He sent them, the horses "were straining to go", implying that the earth was ripe for judgment before God unleashed the chariots. The earth, even now, is ripe for God's judgment. Man, in his rebellion, deserves God's judgment. But God, in His mercy, has not yet unleashed the full power of His wrath. The horses remain reined back, giving us an opportunity to repent from our rebellion against God, and seek forgiveness through His grace, which He freely offers to all of us. The Lord points out especially for Zechariah's notice: "Then He called to me, 'Look, those going toward the north country have given my Spirit rest in the land of the north'" (vs. 8). To Zechariah, the "north country" would denote Babylon. The judgment upon Babylon would be of special interest to Zechariah and the Israelites, given the recent suffering the Israelites experienced in that land. The Lord states that the chariots He sent there have given His "Spirit rest." They have given His Spirit rest through the satisfaction of His justice. In Zechariah's first vision, recall that it was the nations who were at rest, in their rebellion against God (see Zech. 1:11). This displeased God and made Him angry (see Zech. 1:15). In this vision, the Lord sends out His judgment upon the nations who were secure in their rebellion. Their spirits are no longer at rest; the Lord's Spirit is at rest. =========================================================== A Classic Study - Navigation Spiritualized, pt. 25, by John Flavel ================================================================== A Classic Study by John Flavel (1628-1691) ------------------------------------------ [Here, we continue our reprint of excerpts from John Flavel's book Navigation Spiritualized. John Flavel was a 17th century minister in the seaside town of Dartmouth, England. A good many of his parishioners made their living on the sea, and so Mr. Flavel wrote Navigation Spiritualized, a book which draws parallels between things of the sea and spiritual things.]-Ed. - God's Wisdom in Affliction Storms make discovery of the pilot's skill: God's wisdom in affliction triumphs still. OBSERVATION. ------------ In fair weather, when there is sea-room enough, then every common person can guide the ship: the pilot may then lie down and take his rest. But in great storms and stress of weather, or when near the dangerous shore, then the most skillful pilot is put to it. Then he shows the utmost of his art and skill, and yet sometimes all is too little. They are (as the scripture speaks) at their wit's end, know not what to do more, but are forced to commit all to the mercy of God and the seas. - APPLICATION. ------------ In the storms and tempests of affliction and trouble, there are the most evident and full discoveries of the wisdom and power of our God. He is indeed continually active for His people in all conditions: "Lest any hurt it, I will keep it night and day" (Isa. 27:3). "He that keepeth Israel neither slumbereth nor sleepeth" (Ps. 121:4). His people's dangers are without intermission, therefore His preservations are so too. But now, when they come into the strait of affliction and deadly dangers, which threatens like rocks on every side, now the wisdom of their God rides triumphantly and visibly upon the waves of that stormy sea. And this infinite wisdom is then especially discovered in these particulars: 1. In leaving them still somewhat in the lieu and room of those comforts that they are deprived of, so that they see God doth exchange their comforts, and that for the better, and this supports them. See John 14:1-3. Christ's bodily presence is removed, but the Spirit was sent in the room of it, which was better. 2. In doubling their strength, as He doubles their burdens. It is observed that the saints have many times very strong and sweet consolation a little before their greatest trials. This is so ordinary, that commonly when they have had their extraordinary consolations from God, they have then looked for some eminent trial. The Lord appeared to Abraham, and sealed the covenant to him, and then put him upon that great trial of his faith. So the disciples: it was commanded them that they should "tarry in Jerusalem till they were endowed with power from on high" (Luke 24:49). The Lord knew what a hard providence they were like to have, and what great oppositions and difficulties they must encounter in publishing the everlasting gospel to the world, and therefore first prepares and endows them with power from on high, viz. with eminent measures of the gifts and graces of the Spirit, such as faith, patience, self-denial, etc. So Paul had first his revelations, then his buffetings. 3. In coming in so opportunely in the time of their great distress, with relief and comfort: "Then the Spirit of glory and of God resteth on them" (I Pet. 4:14). As that martyr cried out to his friend Austin, at the very stake, He is come, He is come. 4. In appointing and ordering the several kinds of afflictions to several saints; and allotting to every one that very affliction, and no other, which is most suitable to his condition: which afflictions, like so many potions of physic, are prepared for that very malignant humour that predominates most in them. Peter's sin was self-confidence, therefore God permits him to fall by denying Christ, which doubtless was sanctified to his good in that particular. Hezekiah's sin was vain-glory, therefore spoilers are sent to take away his treasures 5. In the duration of their troubles, they shall not lie always upon them (see Ps. 125:3). Our God is a God of judgment (see Isa. 30:18). He knows the due time of removing it, and is therein punctual to a day (see Rev. 2:10). REFLECTION. ----------- If the wisdom of God do thus triumph, and glorify itself in the distresses of the saints, then why should I fear in the day of evil? (see Ps. 49:4). Why doth my heart faint at the foresight and apprehension of approaching trouble? Fear none of those things that thou shalt suffer, O my soul: if thy God will thus be with thee in the fire and water, thou canst not perish. Though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, yet let me fear no evil, whilst my God is thus with me. Creatures cannot do what they please; His wisdom limits and overrules them all to gracious and sweet ends. If my God cast me into the furnace to melt and try me, yet I shall not be consumed there; for He will sit by the furnace Himself all the while I am in it, and curiously pry into it, observing when it hath done its work, and then will presently withdraw the fire. O my soul, bless and adore this God of wisdom, who Himself will see the ordering of all thine afflictions, and not trust it in the hands of men or angels. =========================================================== New Testament Study - Matthew 9:1-8 =================================== Healing of the Paralytic ------------------------ 1Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to His own town. 2Some men brought to Him a paralytic, lying on a mat. When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, "Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven." 3At this, some of the teachers of the law said to themselves, "This fellow is blaspheming!" 4Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, "Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? 5Which is easier: to say, 'Your sins are forgiven,' or to say, 'Get up and walk'? 6But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...." Then he said to the paralytic, "Get up, take your mat and go home." 7And the man got up and went home. 8When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men. As Matthew continues to recount some of the miracles that Jesus performed, he now also begins to recount some of the opposition that Jesus faced as He went about doing His good works of preaching, teaching and healing. At the end of the previous chapter, we saw some of this opposition. After Jesus drove the demons out of the men who were terrorizing the town, the people of the town "pleaded with [Jesus] to leave their region" (Matt. 8:34). Here in this chapter we find that Jesus answered that misguided prayer of the people of that town: "Jesus stepped into a boat, crossed over and came to His own town" (vs. 1). "Christ will not force Himself on anyone's attention and so, when besought to depart, He immediately complied" [Thomas, 116]. Jesus' "own town" was Capernaum. This is where He came to live after leaving Nazareth (see Matt. 4:13). Matthew's account of this episode is rather abbreviated. We learn in Mark and Luke that Jesus was teaching the Word at someone's house. It was very crowded. "Some men came carrying a paralytic on a mat and tried to take him into the house to lay him before Jesus. When they could not find a way to do this because of the crowd, they went up on the roof and lowered him on his mat through the tiles into the middle of the crown, right in front of Jesus" (Luke 5:18-19). Now that's determination! The friends of the paralytic would let no obstacle get in their way as they sought to bring the paralytic to Jesus to be healed. For those in the house, the scene must have been quite humorous. Jesus was seriously teaching the Word of God, when rumblings and footsteps were heard on the roof. Then one by one the tiles were removed until daylight could be seen streaming through a hole in the roof. And next, the man was lowered into the house on a mat, right in front of Jesus, who, despite the commotion, was still teaching the Word. Those in the house must surely have wondered how Jesus would react. Would He be mad that His sermon was interrupted? Not at all, for the men who brought the paralytic gave, in effect, a sermon of their own by their demonstrated faith: "When Jesus saw their faith, He said to the paralytic, 'Take heart, son; your sins are forgiven'" (vs. 2). Now, when Jesus said, "Take heart...", there must have been great expectation that Jesus would heal the man right away. Instead, Jesus first addressed the deeper need. He said first: "Your sins are forgiven." Upon hearing this, the crowd must have felt a let down. Certainly, the men who toiled to lower the paralytic through the roof felt let down. They expected a physical healing, not a spiritual healing! What about the paralytic? Did he feel let down that Jesus forgave his sins rather than heal him? Perhaps Jesus discerned that the paralytic felt heavily burdened by his sins. And if so, the paralytic would have felt relieved to have the burden of sin removed. Perhaps the paralytic thought that his physical malady was caused in some way by his sins. In that case, for him, the more basic need would have been the forgiveness of sins. Indeed, in general, for all of us, the forgiveness of sins is much more important than any physical healing we may require. We have heard it often said that good physical health in this life is the greatest blessing. This is not correct. Good spiritual health is much more important. Many people with crippling physical maladies lead a joyful life in Jesus Christ because of their healthy standing before God. Likewise, many physically healthy people lead miserable lives because they are not spiritually healthy: they live under the burden of their sins. So, the crowd may have felt let down at first because they thought that they had missed out on seeing a miracle of healing. But, in actuality, Jesus' ability to forgive sin represented a much greater miracle than any physical healing He did. First, Jesus was God incarnate, so He had the authority to forgive sin. The coming to earth of God, in the body of a man, is an astounding miracle, one that we humans cannot fully understand. We can comprehend how Jesus, the Creator of the Universe, can heal a man. But how can the Creator of the Universe limit Himself and live in a human body for thirty-three years? Second, the fact that the plan of God left room for the forgiveness of men of their sin through the death and resurrection of His Son is not only a great mercy, but also a great miracle: a demonstration of God's great love for men, despite their sin. May the Lord be praised! Jesus' statement, "Your sins are forgiven", was essentially a claim that He is God. Note that Jesus did not say, "Your sins will someday be forgiven." Rather, He said, "Your sins are forgiven." Jesus forgave the man's sins right then and there. The teachers of the law realized that Jesus was claiming to be God. They said, as Luke tells us, "Who can forgive sins but God alone?" (see Luke 5:21). God Himself told the Israelites, through Isaiah: "I, even I, am He who blots out your transgressions, for my own sake, and remembers your sins no more" (Isa. 43:25). Matthew reports that the teachers of the law said to themselves: "This fellow is blaspheming!" (vs. 3). And if Jesus were a mere man, the teachers of the law would have been 100% correct! However, Jesus was not just a mere man. The teachers of the law immediately jumped to the conclusion that Jesus was blaspheming, without considering the possibility that Jesus, indeed, had the authority to forgive sins. Jesus answers the teachers of the law with a marvelous, doubly ironic question: "Knowing their thoughts, Jesus said, 'Why do you entertain evil thoughts in your hearts? Which is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven," or to say, "Get up and walk"?'" (vss. 4-5). At first thought, the answer to this last question is that it is easier to say, "Your sins are forgiven" than "Get up and walk", because if you say "Get up and walk" then your authority to say it will be immediately verifiable. If the paralytic does get up and walk away, it will be demonstrated that you have special healing powers. However, if the paralytic does not get up and walk, you will look like a fool. Now, if you say, "Your sins are forgiven", who can prove that they aren't? In fact, all false religions make the erroneous claim that "your sins are forgiven." False religions make a claim that you can have peace with God apart from Christ. This is the same as saying "your sins are forgiven", without having the authority to say such a thing. But who can prove them wrong? They get away with saying such a thing, because the statement, in itself, is not verifiable in this life. So, from the point of view of us in the world, the statement "your sins are forgiven" is easier to say. However, in actuality, the statement "get up and walk" is easier to say. There is no moral reason why God should not give someone special healing power to heal paralytics. In fact, the twelve apostles, and many prophets, of the Bible were given special healing powers at times. Paul even raised someone from the dead. However, no one except God has the authority to forgive sins. Such a power is not transferable. We sin against God, and so only God can forgive sins. In God's truth, the statement "your sins are forgiven" is the more difficult statement to say, because it could only be said by God Himself. Moreover, God's plan of atonement for sin entailed that sins could only be forgiven through blood sacrifice. Ultimately, for Jesus to be able to forgive our sins, He had to come into the world as a man, and then die on the cross for our sins. Certainly, when this is taken into consideration, the cost, for Jesus, of being able to say, "Your sins are forgiven", was much greater than any physical toll from healing the paralytic. The bottom line is, then, that both statements are exceedingly difficult to say. None of the two by any means is "easy" to say. Both works-healing the paralytic, and forgiving his sins-were recognized by the witnesses as the work of God. Both were impossible for men, in and of themselves. And so, since the healing of the paralytic would be so clearly a work of God, Jesus used it as a proof that He had the authority to forgive sins. For, why would God give Jesus the ability to heal the paralytic if He preceded the healing by blaspheming God by erroneously stating that the paralytic's sins were forgiven? As Jesus put it: "'But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins...' Then He said to the paralytic, 'Get up, take your mat and go home.' And the man got up and went home" (vss. 6-7). The witnesses to the healing realized the significance of it: "When the crowd saw this, they were filled with awe; and they praised God, who had given such authority to men" (vs. 8). It was clear to the witnesses of the healing that it was a miraculous event. They were "filled with awe". They had witnessed a great work of God, and so "they praised God." One test for true works of God is whether they result in the praising of the True and Living God. Far from "blashpheming", this work of Jesus resulted in praise for God. The crowd was not only awestruck by the act of healing, but also by what it signified: Jesus had the authority to forgive sins. The implications of this are astounding, earth-shaking. With each miraculous work of Jesus, culminating with His resurrection from the dead, the witnesses were given another proof that Jesus indeed was who He claimed to be. Each miracle that Jesus performed provided proof that He had authority to say what He said, and provided proof that what He said was true. So, when Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in me will live, even though he dies; and whoever lives and believes in me will never die" (John 11:25), and then followed this by raising Lazarus from the dead, who could deny that "whoever believes in [Him] will live"? The healing of the paralytic gave proof that Jesus could forgive sins. And so, when Jesus later said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6), who could deny this? The One who is able to "forgive sins" would also certainly know under what conditions those sins could be forgiven. Jesus stated, "No one comes to the Father except through me." This statement testifies that they are lying who say that you can come to God apart from Jesus. This statement testifies that they are lying who say that there are many paths to God. There is one way to God, only one way to forgiveness from sin. This way is through Jesus. Again, He stated, "I am the way..." =========================================================== A Topical Study - Loving God vs. Loving the World, pt. 9 ======================================================== [Here we continue our series that has the goal of increasing our love for God and the things of God, while decreasing our love for the world and the things of the world. This resumes a multi-part study by Samuel Annesley, in which he examines, in detail, the greatest commandment. In this study, Mr. Annesley analyzes what it means to carry out each of the parts of the commandment: to love God with the heart, with the soul and with the mind.]-Ed. How May We Attain to Love God by Samuel Annesley (1620 -1696) ------------------------------- "Jesus said unto him, 'Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind. This is the first and great commandment'" (Matt. 22:37-38, AV). WHAT IT IS TO LOVE GOD WITH THE HEART ------------------------------------- 3. (1.) Now then let us resume the inquiry, "What it is to love the Lord our God with all our heart."-Some refer this to the thoughts, some to the vegetative soul, some to the understanding, that it may be free from error, others as if He had said, "Lay up all these things in your hearts." But the other injunctions will take in most of these. Therefore, according to scripture, we must understand the heart to signify the will and affections; and so the word is taken: "Moses the servant of the Lord charged you, to love the Lord your God with all your heart" (Josh. 22:5). As out of the heart proceeds life, so from the will proceed all operations. The will ought to be carried towards God with its whole force: All the affections of a pure and holy heart are directed to the only love of God. Love riseth from the will. Now, there is a two-fold act of the will: that which is immediately drawn forth of the will itself, the will's own act, and such an act the will exerts in loving God; and then there is the commanded act of the will, which is the act of some other power moved to that act by the will. Where the will is filled with the love of God, it moves the understanding to meditate of God whom we love, and to inquire after the excellency of the object loved. WHAT IT IS TO LOVE GOD WITH THE WHOLE HEART ------------------------------------------- We must not love God only with the heart, but with the whole heart. Pray mark this: perfect hatred and perfect love know no such thing as the world calls prudence. If you perfectly hate any one, all things about him displease you; whatever he says or does, though it be never so good, it seems to you to be evil. So also if you perfectly love anyone, all things about him please you. Some expound this totality by this distinction: We are to love God with the whole heart positively and negatively: positively, where all powers of the will are set to love God, and this we cannot perfectly do while we are travellers, till we come to our heavenly country; but, negatively, thou shalt so love God, that nothing contrary to the love of God shall be entertained in thy heart, and this we may attain to a pretty tolerable perfection of in this life. The whole heart is opposed either to a divided and dispersed heart, or to a remiss and a sluggish heart: God doth as much abominate a partnership in our love, as a husband or wife abhors any such thing in their conjugal relation. We must love nothing but God, or that which may please God. He that loves God with his heart, and not with his whole heart, loves something else, and not God. As the whole heart is opposed to a remiss and sluggish heart, the meaning is this: The care of our heart should be set upon nothing so much as upon the loving and pleasing of God. We must prefer God alone before all other objects of our love, and there must be an ardency of affection: whatever we do, it must be for His sake, and according to His will. WHAT IT IS TO LOVE GOD WITH THE SOUL ------------------------------------ (2.) "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy soul."-I forbear to mention the different conjectures of those that try the acuteness of their parts to produce some peculiar interpretation which others have not. By comparing scripture with scripture, the sensitive life, or the sensitive appetite, is here meant. Thus: "His soul clave unto Dinah, and he loved the damsel" (Gen. 34:3). Again: "Thy soul" (thy sensual affections) "longeth to eat flesh" (Deut. 12:20). And because "the soul" is in many places taken for "life", as Exod. 4:19: "All the men are dead that sought thy life" (in Hebrew, "thy soul"); so Exod. 21:23: "Thou shalt give life for life" (in Hebrew, "soul for soul"); and so we may take it here intensively for the sensitive appetite, and extensively for the life. The soul is here taken for the animal life, which comprehends both the vegetative and sensitive part. To love God with the soul is to subject all those works that pertain to an animal life unto the love of God. Plainly, and in short: it is not enough to love God in our will, but we must not admit anything contrary to the love of God in our sensual delights. Whatsoever sensualists do for the gratifying of their lusts and desires, let those things be drained from the dregs of sin, and consecrate them all unto God. Whatever use wicked men make of their souls in a way of hatred of God, we must make the contrary use in a way of loving of God. WHAT IT IS TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL THE SOUL ---------------------------------------- "Thou must love God with all thy soul."-We must be ready to lay down our lives for God. If anyone should be asked what in all the world was most dear unto him, he would answer, his life. For life-sake, tender mothers have cast off the sense of nature, and fed upon their own children. It is life that affords us being, sense, motion, understanding, riches, dominions. If a man had the empire of the world, he could enjoy it no longer than he hath his soul in his body: when that is gone, he presently becomes a horrid carcass, or rather a loathsome dunghill. Now then, if a man love his life so much, why should he not love God more, by whom he lives, and from whom he expects greater things than this life? God is the soul of our soul, and the life of our life; He is nearer to us than our very souls: "In Him we live, and move, and have our being" (Acts 17:28). He that doth but indifferently weigh these things, will acknowledge that it is no rashness to call that man a monster that loves not God: how, then, can we think of it without grief, that the whole world is full of these monsters? Almost all men prefer their money, or pleasures, or their honours, or their lusts, before God. So oft as you willingly break any law of God to raise your credit or estate, you prefer the dirt and dust of the world before God. Alas! What use does a wicked man make of his soul, but to serve his body? Whereas both soul and body should be wholly taken up with, not only the service, but the love, of God. Then may you be said to love God with all your souls: when your whole life is filled with the love of God; when your worldly business truckles under the love of God; when the love of the dearest relations should be but hatred when compared with your love to God; when you eat and drink to the glory of God; when you sleep no more than may make you serviceable unto God; when your solitary musings are about the engaging your souls to God; when your social conference is about the things of God; when all acts of worship endear God to you; when all your duties bring you nearer to God; when the love of God is the sweetness of your mercies, and your cordial under afflictions; when you can love God under amazing providences, as well as under refreshing deliverances: then you may be said to love God with all your souls. WHAT IT IS TO LOVE GOD WITH THE MIND ------------------------------------ (3.) "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy mind."-Though Anselm take this for the memory, that we should remember nothing whereby we are hindered in our thinking of God, yet generally this is taken for the understanding. And so the evangelist Mark expressly interprets it, when he renders this command in these words: "With all the understanding" (Mark 12:33). To love God with our minds is to have the understanding moved and commanded by the love of God, to assent unto those things that are to be believed, and to admit nothing into the understanding which is contrary to the love of God. The mind should let nothing go in or out but what pays tribute of love to God. There is one who interprets the word by the etymology of the word "mind", from "measuring." The mind must be so full of love to God that love must measure all our works. When we eat, we should think how hateful it is to God should we overly indulge our palate, and thence shun gluttony; when we drink, we should think how abominable drunkenness is in the sight of God, and thence drink temperately (see I Cor. 10:31), so that "whether we live, we live unto the Lord; and whether we die, we die unto the Lord: whether we live therefore, or die, we are the Lord's" (Rom. 14:8). Our life and our death must be measured by our love to God. WHAT IT IS TO LOVE GOD WITH ALL OUR MIND ---------------------------------------- "We must love God with all our mind."-We must always converse with God in our minds and thoughts; our thoughts must kindle our affections of love. Love to God makes the hardest commands easy: while our thoughts are immersed in love to God, love to enemies will be an easy command; the keeping under of our bodies by mortification will be an easy work; persecution for righteousness will be a welcome trial. Love will change death itself into life. There is another word added by Mark, which, indeed, is in Deut. 6:5; whence this is taken: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy strength."-Now, because this word doth not express any other species or power of the soul, but only notes the highest and most intense degree of love that flows from all the faculties of the soul, I will close this inquiry with a word of this. We are to love God with all the powers of our soul, with all the members of our bodies. Our understandings, wills, inward and outward senses, appetite, speech, whatever we have, whatever we are, must be all directed into the love of God, and into obedience flowing from love. You commonly hear that of Bernard, "The cause of loving God is God Himself, and the only measure is to love Him without measure." We must love God strongly, because with all our strength. Our love to God must get above interruptions; no threatenings, calamities, or discommidities whatsoever, must pull us away from God, but that all the powers of soul and body must be taken up into His service; that our eyes, beholding the wonderful works of God, the sun, moon, and stars, the clear evidences of His Divinity, we may be in love with Him; that our ears, piously hearkening to his instructions, may be in love with him; that our mouth may love to praise Him, our hands to act for Him; that our feet may be swift to run the way of His commandments; that our affections may be withdrawn from earthly things, and delivered over to the love of God; that whatever is within us, it may be bound over to the service of God. He that thus loves God, need not trouble himself how to order and dispose the several words here used,-his heart, soul, mind, will; whatever he is, hath, knows, understands, obtains, is all due to God; neither is there anything in the whole world to be valued before God. And thus I have given you a lame account, what it is to love God. =========================================================== A Study of Wisdom - Ecclesiastes 8:1-10 ======================================= Obedience to Authority ---------------------- 1Who is like the wise man? Who knows the explanation of things? Wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance. 2Obey the king's command, I say, because you took an oath before God. 3Do not be in a hurry to leave the king's presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. 4Since a king's word is supreme, who can say to him, "What are you doing?" 5Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. 6For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him. 7Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come? 8No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death. As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it. 9All this I saw, as I applied my mind to everything done under the sun. There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt. 10Then too, I saw the wicked buried-those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless. This chapter begins with Solomon again pointing out a benefit of wisdom: "Who is like the wise man? Who knows the explanation of things? Wisdom brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance" (vs. 1). True wisdom, godly wisdom, can even benefit physical appearance. Sin often hardens the face as well as the heart, bringing lines of sadness, despair, guilt and worry. But wisdom "brightens a man's face and changes its hard appearance." Look into the eyes of one who is wise in Christ, and see the joy and peace. Solomon goes on with his proverbial teachings by giving wise advice concerning obedience to authority: "Obey the king's command, I say, because you took an oath before God" (vs. 2). Solomon advises us to "obey the king's command", and then he gives us a reason to do so: "...because you took an oath before God." We all here in America pledge allegiance to our country daily in grade school, and, no doubt, I imagine that such oaths are performed in most countries. We are commanded over and over in the Bible to fulfill our oaths. In this instance, Solomon tells us to fulfill our oaths by obeying the king's command. Moreover, one of our Christian duties is to obey the laws of the land. Paul told us: "Everyone must submit himself to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established" (Rom. 13:1; see also Titus 3:1; I Pet. 2:13-18). Governments are instruments of God, instruments that He uses to keep peace in a sinful world. Solomon goes on to give practical advice concerning obedience to authority: "Do not be in a hurry to leave the king's presence. Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases. Since a king's word is supreme, who can say to him, 'What are you doing?' Whoever obeys his command will come to no harm, and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him" (vss. 3-6). Solomon's comments, taken literally, are directed to those who have personal dealings with "the king". Few of us live in countries that have kings; even fewer (if any) have personal access to the king. We may, however, apply these words of advice of Solomon to our dealings with any authority figures: whether it be our parents, our bosses, our local government officials, etc. With this in mind, let's look at Solomon's advice, taking special notice of how his advice applies to the boss/employee relationship. First Solomon says: "Do not be in a hurry to leave the king's presence." In other words, when in the presence of those in authority, listen to what they have to say, hear them out, and do not be anxious to leave their presence for fear of being given marching orders. Don't avoid the boss for fear that you will be given work to do! On the contrary, do your part to enlist yourself to help solve the boss's problems. Solomon also advises: "Do not stand up for a bad cause, for he will do whatever he pleases." Though it is not improper to voice to the boss your opinion concerning the way that you think things should be done, there comes a time when, once the boss has decided on a plan, it is wise to support that plan, "for he will do whatever he pleases." Any opposition to the boss should be voiced tactfully and respectfully, for "who can say to him, 'What are you doing?'" To continue persistently in rebellion against the wishes of the boss is foolish, and can lead to dire consequences. On the other hand, "whoever obeys his command will come to no harm." We would do well to follow this advice of Solomon, provided that the commands of the authorities are not in contradiction to the commands of the highest authority, that is, God. As Peter said: "We must obey God rather than men!" (Acts 5:29). I believe that Solomon is speaking of times of disobedience in his next, enigmatic words: "...and the wise heart will know the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every matter, though a man's misery weighs heavily upon him" (vs. 5-6). Yes, on rare occasions, "there is a proper time and procedure" to disobey the command of authority, but any such disobedience must be done with serious thought, and only at the "proper time", and with full acceptance of the result of such actions. If you disobey your boss, be willing to accept the consequences of getting fired. If you disobey governmental authority, be willing to accept the consequences of getting thrown in jail. In the Bible, the godly people who disobeyed governing authorities-such as Daniel, Peter and Paul-did so with an attitude of respectful opposition. When they were arrested for their disobedience, they accepted their punishment, even prayed for their captors, trusting their ultimate fate to the hands of God. Though, in general, we are to "obey the king's command", and though the king has authority to "do whatever he pleases", yet his powers are limited: "Since no man knows the future, who can tell him what is to come?" (vs. 7). The king is limited in his foresight. He cannot be certain what the consequences of his actions will be. Because of this limitation placed upon the king and, indeed, everyone, we can safely say that nobody is perfect. The king is also limited by his mortality: "No man has power over the wind to contain it; so no one has power over the day of his death" (vs. 8). For Solomon, the fact that "no one has power over the day of his death" also implies that a higher being does have power over the day of death. This, in turn, implies that everyone will be held accountable for their actions on earth. As Solomon put it: "As no one is discharged in time of war, so wickedness will not release those who practice it" (vs. 8). Death is not an escape from judgment for evil done in this life. On the other side of death's door, you won't be able to say: "Whew! I got away with that!" On the contrary, after death comes the judgment. As Paul stated: "For we all must appear before the judgment seat of Christ, that each one may receive what is due him for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad" (II Cor. 5:10). Which is not to say that in this life there will be no dire consequences for a king's wickedness. Solomon notes: "There is a time when a man lords it over others to his own hurt" (vs. 9). Power is dangerous. It can lead to so many sins. And while, as noted, these sins have eternal consequences, a life of sin can also make life on earth miserable. Sadly, many in the world revere those who live a life of sin. Solomon saw this, and did not understand it: "Then too, I saw the wicked buried-those who used to come and go from the holy place and receive praise in the city where they did this. This too is meaningless." (vs. 10). These men were not only wicked but hypocritical. Though they practiced wickedness, they pretended to worship of God, as they would "come and go from the holy place." Nevertheless, they still were revered in the place where they practiced their wickedness, as they "received praise in the city where they did this." This is a backward world, a world that reveres wickedness, and derides goodness and truth. Oh Lord, come quickly!