WITHOUT

“For a long time Israel has been without the true God, without a teaching priest, and without law" (2 Chron. 15:3 NKJV).

Our verse is part of a message to king Asa of Judah to encourage him to reform Judah. It is also important to note that the word “without” appears three times in the verse and point to three serious problems in Israel at the time. We also face the same problems today, which if not addressed will spell ruin for our land.

Without the true God - Few people are interested in God today. God did not abandon us; we knowingly and intentionally left Him. This is evident in how people spend their Sundays - instead of Sunday being a day of worship, it has become a day of business and a day of pleasurable pursuits. It would seem like the less of God we have the better most folks like it. And all the while we still worship our false gods of self, pleasure, money, and business. Truth be told - false gods beguile and destroy.

Without a teaching priest - The role of the priest in Israel’s day was to teach right from wrong (Eze. 44:23). Today, we have very little of that kind of work in our society. Teaching right from wrong today will result in a preacher or teacher being criticized, and labeled as judgmental and unloving. Folk do not want to be rebuked about their sin. We can teach sex in our schools with the most immodest of language, but we dare not teach right and wrong about it.

Without law – It is a fact that we live in a lawless society. In spite of the many laws that were passed by our legislatures, we are a law breaking society. Ours is a society filled with crime. Why are we without law? The answer is found in our verse – “we are without the true God and with a teaching priest.” When we depart from God and are not taught right from wrong, lawlessness will abound. Now, while many folk are concerned about the “without law” problem, they are not concerned about the true God or His teaching. However, if we are to correct the “without law” problem, we must first correct the problems of “without” God and “without” teaching right and wrong.

(Adapted from Butler Daily Bible Reading)

Soli Deo Gloria (To God Alone Be The Glory)

Quotation of the Week

“God can take the place of anything, but nothing can take the place of God!”

Anonymous

Word Study

Disclose (make clear)

In Heb. 11:14 we read, “For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own” (NASB).

Disclose (make clear) is the Greek word emphanizo (ἐμφανίζω = em-fan-id'-zo). It is made up of two words: “en” which means in, into and “phaino” which means show, make visible, make conspicuous. The word therefore means to make visible, to lay something open to view so all can see, exhibit, reveal, make known, appear.

In Classical Greek, the word means to demonstrate, to show, to make manifest, to become visible. In the Septuagint, emphanizo carries the idea to manifest, make known, reveal. In the New Testament, emphanizo carries the sense of to demonstrate, to appear. For example, in John 14:21-22, Jesus “emphanizo” (manifests, reveal, made known) Himself only to those who love Him and who are loved by the Father.

Prophecies Fulfilled by Jesus

Old Testament Prophecy – That the Messiah would be tempted by Satan (Psalm 91:10-12)

New Testament Fulfillment – Matt. 4:5-7

Bible Facts

The Bible warns against eating birds of prey (Lev. 11:13-19). Scientists now recognize that those birds which eat carrion (putrefying flesh), often spread disease.

Bible Quiz

According to Revelation 3, what city had Christians in it who were described as being “neither cold nor hot?”

**Answer to last week’s trivia: According to 3 John, what was Diotrephes doing wrong? Gossiping (3 John 1:9-10).

That’s in the Bible

"Be of good cheer”

“These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world” (John 16:33 KJV).

“Be of good cheer” is another way of saying happy and content. In a final note of encouragement, Jesus promised the disciples peace through their union with Him. He knew that He would overcome the world by rising from the grave. As a result He told His disciples to take courage (“be of good cheer”). Despite the inevitable struggles they would face, they would not be alone. Just as the Father did not leave Jesus alone, He will not abandon us to our struggles either. With the ultimate victory already won, we can claim the peace of Christ in the most troublesome times.

Did You Know – Christian History

Ulrich Zwingli was born January 1, 1484 in Wildhaus, Switzerland. He was a leader of the Reformation in Switzerland. As a boy he distinguished himself at studies and music. He determined to become a priest and was ordained at the age of 23. Zwingli hand-copied and memorized Paul’s letters in the original Greek. Impressed by the reform writings of Erasmus, he moved toward reformation even before Luther.

In 1519, Zwingli became the pastor of the Grossmünster in Zurich where he began to preach ideas on reform of the Catholic Church. In his first public controversy in 1522, he attacked the custom of fasting during Lent. In his publications, he noted corruption in the ecclesiastical hierarchy, promoted clerical marriage, attacked the use of images in places of worship as well as the selling of indulgences. Zwingli believed that Christ alone was sufficient for salvation. In 1525, Zwingli introduced a new communion liturgy to replace the Mass. He also clashed with the Anabaptists, which resulted in their persecution.

With Protestant and Catholic in Switzerland still at odds with each other, the Protestants established a blockade, threatening Catholics with starvation. However, in 1531 the Catholic cantons marched against Zurich and attacked at a moment when Zurich was ill-prepared. Zwingli was killed in battle at the age of 47. His body was quartered and mixed with dung. Told the news, Martin Luther, who disliked Zwingli, replied, “all who take the sword die by the sword.” Zwingli’s legacy lives on in the confessions, liturgy, and church orders of the Reformed churches of today.

A Little Humor

A nearsighted minister glanced at the note that Mrs. Jones had sent to him by an usher. The note read, “Bill Jones having gone to sea, his wife desires the prayers of the congregation for his safety.” Failing to note the punctuation, the minister startled his audience by announcing, “Bill Jones, having gone to see his wife, desires the prayers of the congregation for his safety.”

Thought Provoking Church Sign

“Christ believed is salvation received!”