I’ve been looking at an overview of the 5 books of Psalms this week. ‘Psalms’ comes from the Greek Septuagint translation of the Hebrew name for the book which means “praise.” Later it was changed to the “Book of Praise.”
Psalm 36 is in the last set of Psalms in Book 1, comprising Psalms 34 to the end, Psalm 41. Some label this set as the ‘Spiritual Warfare Psalms,’ because they deal with the conflict of the wicked against God and the righteous, and the protection and deliverance that God offers the righteous.
Psalm 36 is divided into 3 main sections with a conclusion:
1 Contemplating the wicked, verses 1 to 4.
2. Contemplating God:
a. His character, verses 5 to 7a.
b. His protection, verses 7b to 9.
3. Prayer for continuing protection against the wicked, verses 10 and 11.
4. Concluding comment on the fate of the wicked, verse 12.
The “meaningful center” of the psalm includes our theme verse for this week and the next one, Psalm 36:5,6.
Every time I read this psalm, I think of a great contemporary worship song based on it.
Your Love, Oh Lord (Psalm 36), by Third Day
I can’t think of anything better to do than to use this psalm for it’s intended purpose–to worship the Lord God, Yahweh, with its words and this song. For variety, I’ve included the lyrics in some other languages, as well.
SPANISH: Tu amor, O Señor, llega hasta los cielos.
GERMAN: Deine Liebe, O Herr, reicht bis an den Himmel.
LATIN: Amor tuus, O Domine, usque ad caelum pervenit.SPANISH: Tu fidelidad… llega hasta los cielos.
GERMAN: Deine Treue… reicht bis an den Himmel.
LATIN: Fides tua… usque ad caelum pervenit.
SPANISH: Tu justicia… es como los montes imponentes.
GERMAN: Deine Gerechtigkeit… ist wie die mächtigen Berge.
LATIN: Iustitia tua… sicut montes excellentes.
SPANISH: Tu justicia fluye… como la marea del océano.
GERMAN: Deine Gerechtigkeit strömt… wie die Flut des Ozeans.
LATIN: Iustitia tua fluit… sicut aestus oceani.SPANISH: Y alzaré mi voz… Para adorarte, mi Rey.
GERMAN: Und ich werde meine Stimme erheben.. Um dich, meinen König, anzubeten.
LATIN: Et vocem meam extollam… Ut te, Regem meum, adorem.SPANISH: Yo encontraré mi fuerza… Bajo la sombra de tus alas.
GERMAN: Ich werde meine Kraft finden… Im Schatten deiner Flügel.
LATIN: Inveniam vires meas… In umbra alarum tuarum.
(Repeat as desired)
Worshipping God in song in any language is just awesome. It is what we will be doing in heaven, according to Revelation, with people from “every tongue” singing in all languages at the same time. I hope singing worship songs to God is a regular part of your personal devotion, and using the Psalms, the original “Book of Praise”, is a good source to use.
ADDENDUM: The Incomparable God from Isaiah 40 to 46.
In Book 2 of Isaiah, (Chapters 40–55), written during the Babylonian exile, specifically in Chapters 40–48, God offers comfort and the promise of release from exile through revelations about His sovereignty as Yahweh, the Incomparable God.
Following are the complete set of 8 questions/ assertions in Isaiah chapters 40 to 46.
1. Isaiah 40:18-22,
“Do you not know? Have you not heard? Has it not been told you from the beginning? Have you not understood since the Earth was founded? …
2. Isaiah 40:25-26,
3.Isaiah 43:10-13, “You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, and My servant whom I have chosen, so that you may know and believe Me and understand that I am He. Before Me no god was formed, nor will there be one after Me.
“I, and not some foreign god among you. You are My witnesses,” declares the Lord, “that I am God. Yes, and from ancient days I am He.”
4. Isaiah 44:6-8, This is what the Lord says, Israel’s King and Redeemer, the Lord Almighty:
“Let him declare and lay out before Me, What has happened since I established My ancient people, and what is yet to come…Did I not proclaim this and foretell it long ago? You are My witnesses. Is there any God besides Me? No, there is no other Rock; I know not one.”
5. Isaiah 45:5-7,
“I will strengthen you though you have not acknowledged Me, So that from the rising of the sun to the place of its setting, People may know there is none besides Me. I am the Lord, and there is no other.”
6.Isaiah 45:21-22, “Who foretold this long ago? Who declared it from the distant past? Was it not I, the Lord? And there is no god apart from Me, A righteous God and a Savior; there is none but Me…
7. Isaiah 46:4-5,
“…I will sustain you and I will rescue you. With whom will you compare Me or count Me equal? To whom will you liken Me that we may be compared?”
8. Isaiah 46:9-10, “Remember the former things, those of long ago;
I make known the end from the beginning, from ancient times, what is still to come. I say, ‘My purpose will stand, and I will do all that I please.’”
CONCLUSION:
What is your reaction to these assertions of God about Himself?
After reading these awesome statements about the uniqueness of our God, I can only sit here in jaw-dropping awe and realize that my concept of God is much too small.
It seems, though, that the way we live our lives in America causes us to ignore God instead of glorifying Him. Our pastor, J.D. Greear, recently stated in a sermon that, in essence, many are “practicing atheists.”
Accusing Western Christians of being “practical atheists” is not new to this generation of Americans. It has been an accusation against those who call themselves “Christians” for over 200 years. Here are some quotes:
Ludwig Feuerbach was a German philosopher and anthropologist who was best known for his 1841 book, The Essence of Christianity, in which he argued that God is a projection of the quintessential attributes of humanity, and not a real being. His criticism of the Christianity of his day formed the basis for his advocacy of atheism, and a life of materialism and sensualism, instead of religion. His writings heavily influenced Karl Marx and his Communist Manifesto published in 1848.*This was the quote used by our pastor, J.D. Greear.* Charles H. Spurgeon is known as the “Prince of Preachers” among Christian admirers who still read his published sermons and quote from them in their own preaching. Spurgeon was a strong figure in the Baptist tradition, opposing the liberal and pragmatic theological tendencies in the British Church of the late 17th Century that were compromising traditional Biblical principles and practices.
M.L.K.Jr was a Baptist minister and an American civil rights activist who was a prominent leader of the civil rights movement for people of color from 1955 until his assassination in 1968. He advocated the use of nonviolent resistance and civil disobedience against Jim Crow laws and other forms of legalized discrimination, rather than violent rebellion or revolution as some others did. Many of the civil rights laws and advancements for African-Americans can be traced back to his advocacy.
“Many people may be theoretical theists, but our lives betray a practical kind of atheism in that we don’t live in order to please God.”
R.C. Sproul in What Is Faith? (Volume 8) (Crucial Questions), Ligonier Ministries, October 15, 2010. He was an American Reformed theologian, Christian apologist, and Presbyterian pastor. He also founded and chaired Ligonier Ministries, a platform for Reformed Christian Theology[1], which can be heard daily on the Renewing Your Mind radio broadcast.
NOTES:
[1] Reformed Christian theology is a historic branch of Protestantism rooted in the 16th-century Reformation (Martin Luther’s “Five Solas”[3]). It is defined by its insistence on the absolute sovereignty of God, the supreme authority of the Bible, salvation entirely by grace, and a deep reliance on historic confessions of faith such as the Westminster Confession[2]. Fundamental Reformed Christians are not limited to one Protestant denomination, but include such branches as Continental Reformed Presbyterians and Reformed Baptists.
[2] The Westminster Confession is a Reformed confession of faith drawn up by the 1646 Westminster Assembly as part of the Standards to be used as a confession of the Church of England. It consists of 33 comprehensive chapters covering all aspects of Christian faith and Church practice. It has been influential within Presbyterian churches worldwide.
[3] Martin Luther’s “Five Solas” – Although not spelled out in a single list by Martin Luther, they were later summarized from his writings to help distinguish Reformed theology from Roman Catholic Christianity.
1. The Bible is the only infallible, inerrant, and final authority for Christian faith and practice. No church tradition, church head, or council can or should override Scripture.2. We are justified and declared righteous by God solely through faith in Jesus Christ, not by performing good works or buying indulgences (a Catholic practice in Martin Luther’s day).3. Salvation is entirely a free gift of God’s unmerited favor. It is not initiated or sustained by human effort or inherent goodness.4. Jesus Christ is the only mediator between God and humanity. Redemption is accomplished exclusively through His sacrificial death and resurrection.5. Because salvation is entirely God’s work, from beginning to end, all glory, honor, and praise belong to God alone.
CONCLUSION:
And now we’re back to where we began this blog, glorifying the Incomparable God.
A walk through this brief slice of Western Christian history shows that there have been, and still are, many cultural pressures that can cause us to drift away from practicing our faith. If we’re not diligent in doing so, it is so, so easy to drift into a life of practical atheism, just like our non-believing neighbors, friends and coworkers.
One last question that only you and God can answer,
What can YOU do to keep yourself firmly in the category of a practicing Christian and daily glorifying our Incomparable God?
Remember God’s Faithfulness: #2. Psalm 89:5,6 – God’s faithfulness is like no other’s.
” I will sing of the mercies of the Lord forever: with my mouth will I make known Thy faithfulness to all generations.” Psalm 89:1
So begins the first verse of Psalm 89, also a familiar worship song, introducing two of the most important qualities of God in His relationship with Israel–His mercy and His faithfullness.
Treatment of these two qualities continue into the second, less familiar, verse, and a third theme is introduced–the heavens:
2 “For I have said, mercy shall be built up forever: Thy faithfulness shall Thou establish in the very heavens.“
Psalm 89 is the last psalm in Book III, beginning with Psalm 73. Most of the Psalms in Book III were written by Asaph, the head worship leader from King David through his grandson King Rehoboam’s reign. One is by David himself, and a few are by other worship leaders, as is Psalm 89.
Psalm 89 ends the set, many of which are dark, reflecting the decline of the kingdom from it’s most glorious point. This last psalm in the book starts off with a change of focus from troubles on Earth, to God in Heaven. It’s final verse is an appropriate short benediction to end Book III.
Here are our theme verses in direct word-for-word translation from the Interlinear. Note the Hebrew parallelism in both verses = stating the same thing in two slightly different ways.
5 And the heavens will praise Yourwonders, O Yahweh. Even Your faithfulness in the assembly of the holy ones. 6 For who in the heavens can be compared to Yahweh? Who can be likened to Yahwehamong the sons of might?
I. GOD’S MANIFOLD CHARACTER–Pick Two
If you were to pick what you think are the two most important aspects of God, which two would you choose?
At the beginning, the psalmist choses God’s mercy and faithfulness. By the time he gets to verses 8-9, our theme verses for the week, he has segued to faithfullness and His miraculouswonders. Next, the psalmist talks about God’s might. Then he turns dark and discusses how the might of God, shown in redeeming Israel and establishing the throne of David, has been turned against Israel in their disobedience. What I see as key in this lengthy psalm is this section from verses 30 to 34:
What an awesome picture of God’s faithfulness! This understanding of God’s faithfulness led Paul to exclaim:
The last part of this statement was never clear to me before, but after a recent message from Pastor J.D. Greear about God’s unilateral covenant with Abraham, how it was sworn by God alone, therefore could never be broken by the unfaithfulness of Abraham’s descendents, and then seeing the same idea in Psalm 89, I realize it means, since God swore by Himself, His faithfulness doesn’t depend on our performance, but entirely on who He is.
I heard a snippet of a song today by Matthew West that contains some of the same idea,
“He doesn’t love me because I’m worthy, He loves me because He’s good.”
Wow! What an awesome statement about God and His love! If you’d like to listen to it, I looked it up on YouTube.
The number one quality of God that I choose is His unfailing love. But no matter which two qualities one chooses from the many-faceted character of God, one of the most important will always be His faithfulness.
II. THE INCOMPARABLE GOD
Psalm 73 begins Book III with this awesome statement by Asaph:
…and the theme of God in heaven in Psalm 89 ends Book III by pointing out there is no one among the heavenly beings or beings of supernatural power who is like the Supreme One, Yahweh, the God of Israel.
Have you ever thought about the question, “What does God want?“ There are a lot of answers given by different people and different religions. Some common ones from an online search are:
• God wants to be worshipped. • God wants us to obey Him and do right. • God wants us to know Him. • God wants us to honor Him by doing good to others.
There are many more ideas as to what God might want, but notice how quickly the answers change from being focused on God to being focused on us.
We as Christians believe God has revealed Himself to Israel (Old Testament) and through Jesus Christ (New Testament), and that much of these revelations are documented in the Bible. So, shouldn’t the Bible contain some insight into what God wants? It does!
We looked a little bit at God’s revelation of His character from Exodus 34 in the last blog and I mentioned it is one of the most quoted verses in the Old Testament.
However, there is another revelation that God repeats many, many times that reveals what He wants most of all.
A. The first time is when Moses is speaking to the new generation of Israelite adults and reviewing the Law and the Covenant before they leave the wilderness to start their conquest of Cana.
Yahweh’s wondrous acts on behalf of Israel were intended to convince the Israelites, and the peoples around them, starting with the Egyptians, that He, and He alone was the supreme being we call “God”.
B. To keep this important point at the front of Israel’s awareness for each generation, it was part of a song that God taught Moses to teach the Israelites to remind them who God is, what He did for the nation, and what He expects from them in His covenant with them.
C. In Book 2 of Isaiah, (Chapters 40–55), written during the Babylonian exile, specifically in Chapters 40–48, God offers comfort and the promise of release from exile through revelations about the sovereignty of God–especially verses about Yahweh, the Incomparable God.
In the first chapter of the set, God starts the topic by asking this question:
God’s first point is, He was the One who created the Universe. In additional revelations through Isaiah 46, God shows how there is no one like Him a total of eight different times, ending with this assertion:
Therefore, we see that what God wants is for everyone to know that He, Yahweh, and He alone is God, the Supreme Being, and that there is no other god besides Him.
CONCLUSION: Our God is incomparable, and so is His faithfulness. He alone is God, yet He reaches out to us and offers us salvation from the sins that disgust Him, and that cause us to be separated from Him. Spend some time this week considering Psalm 89:5-6 and worshipping God for who He is, and for what He has done in His faithfulness toward us.
NOTE: For the complete set of eight ‘Incomparable God’ passages in Isaiah, see the next blog, G24b.
#1. Lamentations 3:22-23 – Great is God’s Faithfulness!
We are down to the last 4 of the 26 verses for 2026 and “Remember God’s Faithfulness” is the theme for June. We’re starting off with one of the greatest verses from the Old Testament about God’s faithfulness.
The Book of Lamentations was written by the prophet Jeremiah during the Babylonian destruction of Jerusalem and exile of its people —a time of immense national tragedy and despair.
Jeremiah lamenting in the ruins of Jerusalem, by Eduard Bendemann, 1837
Right in the middle of this dark, grieving book, Jeremiah pauses to reflect on God’s character.
(Interlinear) It is through the mercies of Yahweh That we are not consumed, Because His compassions never fail, they are new every morning. Great is Your faithfulness!
Let’s look a little more closely at the key words that Jeremiah used to describe God.
1. The mercies of Yahweh… (H2617, ḥas·ḏê), from the Hebrew word for kindness = favor, a good deed, goodliness, goodness, kindly, kindness, lovingkindness, merciful, mercy, pity.
That we are not consumed = Completed, finished, cease.
Put these together and we see that despite hardships, human mistakes, or consequences, God’s lovingkindness is never ending.
God WILL NOT end His relationship with those He has covenanted with. He did not end it with Abraham or his descendents when they erred. God didn’t end His covenant with Israel through Moses when the people erred. And God will not end His covenant with us who have believed through Jesus Christ. That doesn’t mean there won’t be discipline for sinning, but what it DID mean is He would not continue to discipline Israel until they were ended, nor will He end His relationship with us when we stray. There is always a limit to His discipline–that is when His mercy kicks in.
2. His compassions (H7356, ra·cḥăm.) = tender love, tender mercy, pity, “bowels of compassion”.
…never fail, they are new every morning… God does not hold onto grudges or run out of patience. Each day is a clean slate; His forgiveness and grace are fresh and ready to be dispensed again with every new day.
3. …great is Your faithfulness! (H530, ’ĕ·mū·nā.) God’s reliability doesn’t depend on human perfection, but entirely on His own unchanging character.
Jeremiah’s subject was Israel, the people of God. His perspective of who God is, even in the middle of the losing war, defeat, and exile was that God would not allow Israel, His chosen people, to be totally destroyed by Babylon. Jeremiah’s trust was in the innate mercifulness of God.
Detail of Jeremiah, by Michaelangelo, painted between 1508 and 1512 on the Sistine Chapel ceiling.
Despite the nation being punished for their transgressions of the covenant, despite the penalty clause being invoked, despite Jeremiah’s abject grief leading to the writing of these Lamentations, still, STILL he cannot forget who God is, who He had revealed Himself to be.
How does Jeremiah know these things about God? In Exodus 34, we have a direct, personal revelation of God to Moses about Himself. This revelation is the most quoted one in the Old Testament.
(Interlinear) And Yahweh passed before (Moses’) face and proclaimed, ‘Yahweh, Yahweh, a merciful (H7349, ra·ḥūm) and gracious, (H2587, ḥan·nūn;) God; slow to anger, and abounding in lovingkindness (H2617 ḥe·seḏ) and faithfulness.’ (H571, ’ĕ·meṯ.)
Note that the three qualities of God in Lamentations 3:22,23–merciful, compassionate and faithful–are also three of the five qualities God revealed about Himself to Moses. THIS is where Jeremiah learned who God is–a God of mercy and compassion.
Reading about how God interacted with Israel in their extended journey to the Promised Land, Jeremiah could see, as we can also read and see, how often God balanced His judgment and discipline of Israel with compassion and mercy.
That Jeremiah could pause in the middle of his Lamentations and bring this comforting truth to mind is, in my opinion, what we also need to be able to do in the middle of our own personal difficulties and tragedies.
Therefore, it would be helpful to spend time this week reflecting on Lamentations 3:22-23 and REMEMBER HOW GREAT IS GOD’S FAITHFULNESS.
___________________
PRAISE and WORSHIP:
I heard on the radio while I was writing some of this blog a snippet of one of my favorite praise songs, Great Are You Lord. After reading these verses on God’s great faithfulness, using that song to help praise God feels like an appropriate response.
___________________ ADDENDUM:
Some other places where Exodus 34:6 is quoted in the Old Testament:
1. Moses quoted God’s revelation of Himself several times:
Moses refers to God’s revelation of His character when interceding for the rebellious Israelites–kind of talking God into living up to His declaration of being merciful.Moses quoted the second half of God’s revelation, Exodus 34:7, when reviewing the 10 Commandments with the next generation as a reminder that God WILL punish them if they disobey.
2. Other prophets besides Jeremiah quoted God’s revelation from Exodus 34:6:
The prophet Joel exhorted Israel to repent because they could depend on God’s forgiving nature.Jonah complained to God and said that was why he didn’t want to go to Nineveh in the first place, because he knew God would end up forgiving them anyway.
3. There are quotes of Exodus 34:6 scattered throughout David’s Psalms:
In Psalm 86:5 & 15: David quotes this revelation twice as the basis of his prayers,
“…save your servant who trusts in You. You are my God; have mercy on me, Lord, for I call to You all day long….”
In Psalm 103, David quotes Exodus 34:6…
…and uses it as the basis for his understanding of God’s awesome forgiveness:
“As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Psalm 103:12
In Psalm 145, an awe-inspiring psalm of praise to his God, Yahweh, David includes the quote of Exodus 34:6…
…and then concludes, “The Lord is good to all…”
________________________ CONCLUSION:
God’s revelation of who He is in Exodus 34 forms much of the foundation for understanding God’s interaction with the nation of Israel in the Old Testament.
It also forms the foundation for understanding God’s ultimate act of mercy and compassion, when He sent His Only Begotten Son, Jesus Christ, into the world to die in payment for the sins of all humankind.That is the God Jesus brings us to when we believe in the gospel and respond to it in humility, repentance and obedience. Do that today if you’ve never responded before.Do that every day if you already have the first time, because God’s grace, His mercy, His forgiveness and His love are as necessary to receive every day for our spiritual life as air, food, and water are for our physical life. Amen!
May: Focus on the Good #4. Job 8:7 – God will bless you.
This verse is part of one of the ‘friends’ of Job’s response to the disasters that have fallen upon Job and his complaint about them.
The friends’ responses reflect the different conventional viewpoints about who God is and how He rewards and punishes people for doing right or doing wrong. The friends operate on the assumption that all suffering is a direct punishment for sin and therefore, Job must be guilty of some secret sin. Because the friends constantly mix partial truths with flawed conclusions, it is sometimes difficult to separate accurate theology from incorrect accusations.
Here are some excerpts from the context and my annotations that might help to understand Job 8:7 better.
8:1 Then Bildad the Shuhite answered and said: (BTW, who was the shortest person in the Bible…?)
2 “How long will you say such things, And the words of your mouth be like a storm wind?” (Criticism of Job’ complaining)
3 “Does God subvert judgment? Or does the Almighty pervert justice?” (Accurate theology, He does not.) … 5 If you would earnestly seek God And make your supplication to the Almighty, 6 If you were pure and upright, Surely He would rouse Himself for you, and justly restore your household? (Incorrect assumption of Job’s guilt.)
7 Though your beginning was small, Yet your latter end would increase abundantly.(Accurate theology.)
Even though the friends’ accusations of Job’s sin was off track, their theology was accurate and that is exactly what happened to Job! After learning a little more humility before God…
42:11 “When Job prayed for his friends, the LORD restored his fortunes. In fact, the LORD gave him twice as much as before!” … 13 “So the LORD blessed Job in the second half of his life even more than in the beginning.” (NLT)
This verse written in ancient Hebrew is sometimes translated differently. The Hebrew Interlinear translates it by the word as:
“Though your beginning was small, And yet your latter end would increase abundantly.”
The NKJV translation used in the picture at the beginning is very close to the word-for-word translation. Some other versions:
This is the version of the Bible I use and it also is a close match to the original Hebrew, it just uses different synonyms for some of the words.The Berean Study Bible, not as well known, but with a good reputation for accuracy, communicates the same meaning, but in more modern diction and trys less to interpret word-for-word.
The NIV, on the other hand, along with some other translations, go a different direction with their interpretation–translating the comparison as words of comfort.
This interpretation reminds me of the “gap” or “gain” perspectives mentioned in a recent sermon by Pastor J.D. Greear. It is from “The Gap and the Gain,” a book by Dan Sullivan and Benjamin Hardy, “A guide for high achievers that teaches a mindset shift from focusing on the ‘Gap’ (the distance between your current self and an ideal) to focusing on the ‘Gain’ (the progress made from your past self) in order to increase happiness, confidence, and motivation.”
They argue that constantly measuring oneself against an unattainable ideal leads to dissatisfaction, while celebrating past progress leads to a sense of accomplishment and fuels future success.
This interpretation of Job 8:7 where looking back after being blessed and seeing how much you’ve prospered sounds very much the same.
However, here in the midst of the suffering, it seems like this idea is reversed. Instead of focusing on the ‘gap’ of everything Job has lost in the recent past, the verse suggests focusing on the ‘gain’ he could expect from God’s blessings in the future.
That idea is very much a part of our Christian teachings. Paul said in Romans 8:18,
A lot of critics of Christianity say this is just “pie in the sky, by and by.”
This idea is based on Jesus’ call to discipleship in Matthew 16:24 being one of self denial in this world.Other verses indicate Jesus meant denying things like our families, marriage, our business, and inheritance. (Matthew 19, Luke 14)
The “pie in the sky” part comes from Jesus’ promise to His disciples, (Matthew and Mark 10:29-30)
What it comes down to is faith. Do we believe Jesus’ claims to be sent from God according to the prophecies about the Messiah? Do we believe His promises for the future when He’ll return and establish the Kingdom of God on Earth? If we believe, then we have to respond in faith and do as He commands. So, it all boils down to believing and then obeying. That is why the writer of Hebrews says,
“For He (God) who promised is faithful.” That is, in essence, the foundation of our Christian faith, and part of that faith is God has said that He WILL bless us. That is a good reason this week to focus on Job 8:7 and remember, God will bless us!
May theme: Focus on the Good 3. Hebrews 13:5 – God is always with us:
Within our theme verse this week is a quote from Deuteronomy 31:6, 8 and Joshua 1:5, where God said this to Israel three times.
One commentator notedGod said it three times because He knew how easy it would be for Israel to forget and give up when things got difficult for them in claiming the Promised Land.
But then another commentator pointed out there was a triple negative in the Hebrews 13:5 quote. We heard on a sermon this past Christmas about how the Wise Men “rejoiced with exceedingly great joy” was a triple construction. I decided, therefore, to look at the different original texts to see what was going on with that.
Original Hebrew text – word-for-word translation
…the Lord your God goes with you; He will never leave you nor forsake you.”
= two single negatives
In the Septuagint (LXX) Greek text, the official translation from the Hebrew, the translators felt it took a double negative in Greek to communicate the same meaning in Hebrew, which by the way does not mean a positive, it’s a way of adding emphasis.
Not never will I leave you; Nor never will I forsake you.
= two double negatives.
In the New Testament Greek quote in Hebrews 13:5 it says:
I will not never leave you, nor not never forsake you.
= a double negative plus a triple negative.
In other words, there is a LOT of emphasis being made here about God not forsaking us. Paraphrasing the OT commentator, we could say the writer of Hebrews uses the triple negative, “no not never” because we as Christians also need that kind of emphasis to keep from forgetting and give up, especially when things become difficult. So what exactly is it we can be triple sure God WILL NOT do?
Forsake = Greek verb egkataleipó. From en-and -kataleipo; to leave behind in some place or let remain over (in a good sense), or (in a bad sense) to abandon, to desert, to forsake, to leave behind.
In the Septuagint, this Greek verb is used to translate the Hebrew terms for “abandon” especially about the covenant faithfulness of God to Israel. That concept is carried into the New Testament to describe God’s irrevocable loyalty to us as His people.
There are ten occurrences of this Greek word for abandonment in the NT. Here are some of the key verses:
1. Matthew 27:46 and Mark 15:34 where God abandons/forsakes Jesus on the cross while He bears the sins of the whole world.
2. Peter uses the word twice in his sermon in Acts 2 where he cites Psalm 16:10 as a prophecy about Jesus NOT being abandoned by God after the crucifixion.
To summarize these verses about Jesus and abandonment:
A. God abandoned Jesus on the cross, So that we could be saved at the cross. His death was not a defeat, it was a victory!B. God did NOTabandon Jesus to death and the grave, but resurrected Him, so we know that He will notabandon us to death and the grave either, but will resurrect us in the last days.3. In John 14:18, the same idea is linked with being abandoned as orphans. This is the beginning of Jesus explaining the coming of the Holy Spirit to take His place in His disciples’ lives–the same as has been done for every Christian since Pentecost. The Holy Presence of God in our lives reminds us that WE HAVE NOT BEEN ABANDONED.4. In 2 Corinthians 4:9, Paul makes the point that just because we suffer in this world doesn’t mean God has abandoned us. In fact, Pastor J.D. has made the point that persecution is a sign of God’s presence in our lives.5. In another passage in Hebrews, the writer uses the same Greek word to command the readers not to forsake getting together on a regular basis. After all, that is what “church” means, which in Greek is “ekklesia”. It refers to an “assembly” or “gathering of called-out ones”. That means regularly getting together around the elements of our being called out of the world by God in Jesus Christ is a defining characteristic of being a Christian.6. And then in our theme verse for the week, it is used in the triple negative of what God will “no not never” do as motivation for us not to always want more and more things, but be satisfied with what we have. The writer of Hebrews offers us the same promise of God given to Israel to always be with them, with the understanding that He is always with us and we can always ask Him to provide what we need, when we need it, even if we can’t see a visible “pillar of cloud by day and fire by night” like they did.
What a tremendous promise to think about this week!
May theme: Focus on the Good Verse 2. Ephesians 1:3 – Think about how God has blessed us in Christ:
“Blessings’ times three.Who doesn’t like to be blessed? When newly crowned King Solomon was asked by God for ANYTHING he wanted, the young king asked for the WISDOM to rule God’s people he had just been appointed king over.
God was so pleased by his answer, that He pointed out how Solomon could have asked for riches, but because Solomon didn’t selfishly ask for that blessing, instead asking for one that would help him fulfill his God-given role as king, God blessed him with riches also.
Now THAT’S being blessed!However, Ephesians 1:3 doesn’t say that we have every MATERIAL blessing in Jesus Christ, but every SPIRITUAL blessing in heaven. Just what in the world…uh, out of this world…did Paul mean?The heavenly blessings Paul is referring to are detailed in the verses that follow in Ephesians 1.1. For he chose us in Him before the creation of the world to be holy and blameless in His sight.2. In love He predestined us for adoption to sonship through Jesus Christ, in accordance with His pleasure and will.— to the praise of His glorious grace, which He has freely given us in the Beloved.3. In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God’s grace that He lavished on us.4. …with all wisdom and understanding, He made known to us the mystery of His will according to his good pleasure, which He purposed in Christ, … to be put into effect when the times reach their fulfillment—to unite all things in heaven and on earth under Christ.5. In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will,… in order that we, who were the first to put our hope in Christ, might be for the praise of His glory. 6. And you also were included in Christ when you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation. When you believed, you were marked in Him with a seal, the promised Holy Spirit……Who is a deposit guaranteeing our inheritance until the redemption of those who are God’s possession—to the praise of His glory.
📋 SUMMARY:
FOUR PAST COMPLETED BLESSINGS:
1. He chose us (2×)
2. He redeemed (2×) us.
3. He forgave us.
4. He made us holy and blameless in his sight.
FOUR PRESENT CONTINUING BLESSINGS:
1. He freely bestows His grace (2×) on us.
–He gives us:
2. wisdom and
3. understanding; and
4. knowledge of His mystery, the gospel.
FOUR FUTURE-ORIENTED BLESSINGS:
1. We are predestined (2×) for adoption.
2. We are sealedwith His Holy Spirit as a guarantee of our future redemption.
3. God will unite all things in Christ, including us.
4. All the saved, both Gentiles and Jews, will be testimonies of praise to God’s glory.
🤔 CONCLUSION:
These are the things that Paul meant by “every spiritual blessing in the heavenlies.” Does thinking about these things excite you? Do you feel especially blessed after reading through Paul’s list?
…Yeah, me neither. But I think we should be. That’s probably why it’s a good idea to spend some time this week reading about and thinking about how God has blessed us in our Lord Jesus Christ.
🍎 APPLICATION: While researching for this blog, I ran across the following list of ten affirmations from this Ephesians passage that I share as something that might be helpful to do as part of your personal devotion on a regular basis:
Ephesians 1:3 Ephesians 1:4 Ephesians 1:4c-6 Ephesians 1:7-8a Ephesians 1:8-9a and 1:10-11 Ephesians 1:13-14a and 1:14b
May theme = Focus on the Good #1e. Philippians 4:8e – Think about Whatever isLovely
Paul’s list of qualities seemingly moves from objective reality (“true,” “right”) to qualities that relate to how we feel about something (“lovely,” “admirable”). However, Biblical loveliness is not just subjective fondness; it is a relational necessity that underpins true Christian fellowship and effective Body ministry.
‘Lovely’ is the Greek adjective prosphilés: translated pleasing, agreeable or lovely. It is from pro– toward, and the verb –phileo, to have affection for; the noun form of which is philos = friend. Properly, prosphilés means “inclubed toward personal affection and friendship.”
It’s use in Philippians 4:8 is a singular occurrence, so here we go again, a rare or unique adjective in the Greek New Testament, used only by Paul and only here.
In order to get some traction on what Paul might mean, let’s check some of the verses with the noun and verb forms such as the brotherly love (phil-adelphia) verses.
Romans 12:10 Being devoted (philo-storge) in brotherly love (philadelphia) means being friendly toward each other like they’re family.Hebrews 13:1 Brotherly love (philadelphia) should be continuous, no vacations!1 Peter 1:22 Purifying our heart by obedience to God’s truth prepares us for having a sincere love of the brethren (philadelphia).
There are several words in Greek that mean different kinds of love. The other one used frequently in the Greek New Testament is agape’ love. This is a kind of enduring love made by a choice rather than based on how you feel, like phileo.
There is a verse that contains both pf these Greek words that hints at the relationship between the two for Christians.
1 Thessalonians 4:9: brotherly love = philadelphia taught by God to love = agapan.
Paul’s language suggests friendship toward each other is driven by the greater commands from God and Jesus Christ to love agape’ style
The command to love each other, agape’ love, was a new commandment by our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
The new commandment to love by Jesus Christ in John 13:34–35 all are forms of agape’ = love times four. • Love (agapate) one another. • As I have loved (agapesa) you, • so you must love (agapate) one another. • if you love (agapen) one another…
But Jesus wasn’t the first to place an emphasis on love in the Bible. Buried within the Law were two key verses that Jesus said summarized all the Law and the Prophets–
1) Love God and 2) Love your neighbor.
The second one falls within the meaning of our Philippians 4:8 theme word for today, so let’s take a closer look at it.
The second greatest commandment of God is quoted in Mark 12:30-31, “You shall love (agapaseis) your neighbor as yourself.’ (Also Matthew 22:39).
Jesus, by labeling and agreeing that this command was the second most important command given by God in the Law, suggests that we should also make “loving our neighbors” our second priority in everything we think, say and do.
The FIRST priority should always be to love God Himself.
This Biblical priority order was put like this by the ill-fated football player, Gale Sayers:
The “second greatest command” is from Leviticus 19:18 and the context sums up some commands about interacting with your neighbors–the Old Testament equivalent of the New Testament ‘brothers.’
1. Leviticus 19:15 • NEGATIVE: DO NOT be partial against the poor or for the wealthy. • POSITIVE: Treat everyone fairly and without prejudice.2. Leviticus 19:16 • NEGATIVE: DO NOT gossip and criticize. • POSITIVE: Stand up for others, instead.3. Leviticus 19:17 • NEGATIVE: DO NOT secretly hate others. • POSITIVE: Be open and honest, instead.4. And in Leviticus 19:18 • NEGATIVE: DO NOT hold a grudge or seek revenge. • POSITIVE: Love others like yourself.The opposite of the two negatives in verse Leviticus 19:18 is FORGIVING each other. So, putting these two ideas together, we can infer that loving those around us (our neighbors) also means being forgiving of them.
There are also many similar qualities associated with forgiveness in the New Testament that we are commanded and/or exhorted to be toward each other.
“Loving our neighbors as ourselves” also reminds me of something else Paul wrote:
I wouldn’t be surprised if Paul borrowed this idea for husband-wife relationships from Leviticus 19.
Expanding Paul’s contribution to the idea of “loving our neighbor,” we get the idea that we should help build them up. This idea parallels Paul’s commands in Thessalonians:
All of these positive qualities add up to how we should be friends with each other within the Body of Christ. I believe that is the ‘loveliness’ to which Paul is referring in Philippians 4:8.
To summarize:
NOTE: “Good and pleasant” is a definition for “lovely” in English.
Be friendly toward EVERYONE without prejudice or partiality: 1. Be supportive. 2. Be open and honest. 3. Be forgiving. 4. Be encouraging. 5. Build them up.
🍎 APPLICATION Here are some nonBiblical synonyms for today’s theme word’s meaning, “leaning toward friendship,” and which offer suggestions for how to develop friendly relations:
• Show friendly interest.
• Look for ways to grow closer.
• Identify and develop affinities.
• Foster connections: Seek to actively build bonds.
• Build rapport. Means a harmonious relationship characterized by mutual trust, understanding, and empathy, allowing for easy communication between people.
• Be companionable. Someone who is friendly, pleasant, and sociable to be around, often acting as a pleasant, easy-going companion
• Cultivate camaraderie – A spirit of familiarity, trust, and friendship that develops among people who spend a lot of time together or work toward a common goal.
To summarize–‘loveliness’ is being intentional about becoming friends with your Christian ‘neighbors.’ Pick one of the techniques above that you feel you need to improve in and work on it this week. I know there are MANY that I need to work on!
So, even though the exact Greek adjective form for ‘lovely,’ only appears once in the New Testament, it is closely related to some very important Scriptures and might be why Paul says…
May theme = Focus on the Good#1d.Philippians 4:8d – Think about Whatever is Pure
4. Whatever is Pure = the Greek adjective h’agnos. Literally meaning a- , without, and –hagos, something awful, gross or nasty.
H’agnos is a form of the more familiar Greek adjective h’agios, which is most often translated as ‘holy’.
I find it very interesting that there is not a positive word for purity and holiness, but they use the negation of a negative word, the old “two negatives make a positive” rule. The implication is “not pure” is the common state and I guess we can more easily recognize when something is an exception to the ordinary?
In the Old Testament, the same principle is expressed in the translation “unblemished” (Hebrew: tamim) refering to sacrificial animals and priests needing to be physically perfect, “without defect, spot, or blemish.” This requirement symbolized holiness and purity, in other words, God demands our best.
This requirement prefigured the righteous perfection of Jesus Christ as the ultimate sacrifice for the sins of humankind. Some related verses:
Exodus 12:5 – The Passover Lamb must be “without blemish,” as should any animal offered for an atoning sacrifice.Leviticus 21:17-23 Priests must be withoutdefect to serve in the tabernacle (or later the temple).And the same language is used in Hebrews to describe Jesus. In Hebrews 9:14, Jesus is described as an ‘unblemished‘ sacrifice.
Getting back to the New Testament and Philippians… Whereas h’agios (holy) is used 235 times in the Greek New Testament, h’agnos (pure) joins the first two adjectives used by Paul in Philippians 4:8 as being rarely used, in this case, only 8 times. Let’s look at some of those verses and see what food for thought they provide about purity.
James portrays heavenly wisdom as “first of all pure,” declaring purity as the source from which all the other virtues flow.In Titus 2:5, Paul encourages young women to be “pure” so that the word of God will not be “dishonored,” highlighting the importance of personal integrity in being a witness to the gospel–that is, our purity is a testimony to God’s holiness.Peter recommends “pure… demeanor” for believing wives, showing that a testimony of purity carries persuasive power, even toward an unbelieving spouse.In 2 Corinthians 11:2, Paul pictures the Corinthian church as “a pure virgin presented to Christ.” Using bridal imagery from Jewish betrothal customs, he emphasizes the exclusiveness of the covenant relationship with God.John links purity to our future hope. Our focus on the second coming of Jesus Christ should motivate us to live a life of unparalleled purity.
In 2 Corinthians 7:11, Paul describes the Corinthian church as having proved itself “innocent” (pure) after Paul had called them to account for public sin in his first letter.
The Corinthian church’s response to this revealed sin was a deep godly sorrow that Paul greatly commended. Following is a closer look at the 7 qualities Paul associated with their repentance to the point of bring able to regain their purity as a church.1. Diligence. First, they moved quickly to deal with the sinful situation after receiving Paul’s letter.2. Pleas (apologia). Then there was much discussion and argument about it with all involved.3. Indignation. A single-use noun from a more common Greek word. The uniqueness of this word emphasizes the church’s response was not a generalized anger, but a focused, moral outrage.4. Fear. Although it doesn’t specify fear of God, the implication is there. Their fear might well have been that God’s grace, mercy and blessing would be taken away from the church. If you don’t think Jesus does that, read the letters to the 7 churches at the beginning of the Revelation of John.5. Earnest desire. An intense yearning that is more than simple emotion, but leads to fulfilling action. In the New Testament, it appears only in 2 Corinthians. Once they realized the sin needed to be dealt with, they knew they had to go beyond their feelings and take decisive, God-honoring action.6. Zeal. Greek = a ‘burning’ emotion; often translated ‘fervor.’ When the church had decided to deal with the sin, they “had their ire up,” to use another expression, and charged ahead in thorough, dedicated and complete implementation.7. Punishment of wrong. Greek ek-dikésis: A combination of ek- = out of and -dikeo = justice, one of the Philippians 4:8 qualities, it is used to refer to what comes out of the execution of justice. Here it means an appropriate punishment was applied to the sinner–not to condemn or totally expel, but rather appropriate for the wrong that was done that will also give the sinner a chance to repent and return to full fellowship with God and with the Church.
As you can see, there is a lot to the Biblical concept of purity. That is probably why Paul urges us…
May theme = Focus on the Good #1c. Philippians 4:8c – Think about right(eous) things.
3. Whatever is RIGHT = Greek adjective dikaios =Righteous, just, upright. From the noun dikē. Properly means”judicial approval.” Biblically it means keeping the commands of God.
The Philippians 4:8 adjective form of this Greek word is used 80 times in the New Testament. These 80 times do not count the noun construction, “righteousness.” This is in contrast to the words for the first two qualities where the adjective form is used only a few times. Let’s look at some of those verses that use “right(eous)” to provide some food for thought.
1. We are not righteous in and of ouselves–quite the opposite.
Paul makes the point clear that no one, absolutely no one, is righteous in and of themselves. Other qualities associated with lack of righteousness are:
• Lack of understanding of God, • Lack of desire to seek God, • Turning aside from obeying God, • Engaging in frivolous, unprofitable activities, • No desire to do good.
It’s interesting to turn those around and see what those of us who DO have righteousness as a gift from God have as the opposites:
• We have an understanding of who God is. • We have a desire to seek God and the things of God. • We may struggle with obeying God, but we keep working at it because we know it’s right. • We are trying to make our time count for eternity. • We try to choose the best options that lead to the most good as defined by God.
2. So, how do we get this gift of righteousness?
A. The “Great Exchange;” God exchanges our sin for His Son’s righteousness by laying the sins of everyone in the world–‘past, present and future–on Him at the cross.B. That righteousness is then credited to us by God when we choose to believe (have faith) in the truth of this information–which is the gospel.Three of the “solas” of Martin Luther that form the foundation of Protestant Christian faith.
3. What is the result of God’s gift of righteousness?
A. Our justification by faith in the Lord Jesus Christ brings us to a place of peace with God. You know how the unsaved are often afraid to come to God because innately they know God wants to punish them for their sins? They’re not wrong. Apart from faith in Jesus Christ, WE DO NOT HAVE peace with God!We can achieve that place of peace only by approaching God via faith in the “Lamb of God” who has paid the penalty for our sins, and not for ours only, but for those of the entire World–past, present and future.Righteous also means “Justified” = declared righteous in the eyes of God, by God and for God’s purposes.
B. The mechanism of salvation changes us–not only in the sight of God, that is our imputed righteousness, but on a practical level. We are cleansed within by the Holy Spirit when we are born again. And that same Holy Spirit, who will stay within us until we see Jesus face-to-face, that same Holy Spirit renews us on a day-by-day basis as we submit to His authority, and walk by the same faith with which we first believed.
C. This right-standing with God, plus the cleansing from sin within, then should result in us actively making changes in our lives. We must leave behind those things that displease God, that are not consistent with His Holy nature–that is ungodliness and the passions of the world–and live a righteous life.
4. This righteous walk with God requires a daily reboot.
1 John 1:9 summarizes this whole chain that I’ve just described, but as a regular practice:
A. It’s God who was faithful to His promise to make a way of salvation for humankind.
B. God is justified in forgiving our sins because the penalty was paid by Jesus Christ.
C. We have to confess–agree with God–about what is sin in our thoughts, words and actions; then make a choice to turn away from them and turn towards God and the things of God.
D. God will then, on a personal level, extend His forgiveness for our past mistakes and cleanse us within from the results of our sins, and even, through repetition, remove the power of that sin to control us.
Whew! I don’t know about you, but spending this time thinking about God’s righteousness and salvation has left me with a feeling of awe and gratefulness toward God and Jesus Christ!
So, since it is essential that we feel this way every day as a reminder of our salvation, don’t forget to obey Paul’s command today…
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