Having gone verse-by-verse through the Book of Ruth, in this session we look at the models that God had intentially woven into the naritive of this incredible book.

We will see how the story itself is a model of the gospel; how Naomi is a type of Israel, Ruth a type of the Church, Boaz a type of Christ, Orpha a model of the unbeliever, and even the position of the book is by Diving design!

We also look at the one character that, up to now, has not been mentioned! He plays a major role and yet is never mentiond in the book! But unlocking the mystery of this man who ‘hides in plain sight’ it helps us to see the brethtaking magnitude of God’s plan of Redemption!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study!

The post Ruth – Session 5 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In this final chapter of the book of Ruth we see Boaz go up to the city gate to settle the legal right of redemption before ten elders of the city. Though a nearer kinsman initially agrees to buy the land, he quickly backs out when he learns he must also marry Ruth the Moabitess, refusing to risk marring his own inheritance. Boaz triumphantly steps forward to perform the kinsman’s part, drawing off the shoe to confirm the covenant, buying back all that belonged to Elimelech’s family, and purchasing Ruth to be his wife. This magnificent climax beautifully mirrors how Jesus Christ made Himself of no reputation, willingly making the sacrifice to purchase His Gentile Bride and buy the field of this world. Ultimately, Ruth’s barrenness is turned to fruitfulness in Bethlehem as she brings forth Obed, completing a breathtaking design that perfectly anticipates the lineage of King David and the ultimate restoration of blessing.

We look at the Biblical significance of ‘gates’, ‘shoes’, ‘the tenth man’ and discover an incredible hidden code within the text of Genesis 38 and see how this highlights God’s preference for using what the world disqualifies. David’s line should have been ruined by the shame of Genesis 38. The line was infused with Gentile blood through Tamar, Rahab and Ruth the Moabitess. Yet, God took a line that was legally “shut out” for ten generations, redeemed it through a faithful Kinsman-Redeemer (Boaz), and used the tenth man to establish the eternal royal throne of Israel.

It serves as a direct blueprint for how Jesus (the ultimate descendant of this line) takes our spiritually bankrupt, disqualified status and legally qualifies us to sit with Him in heavenly places!

May you be blessed and ancouraged by this study.

The post Ruth Chapter 4 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In this study we continue over verse-by-verse joutney through the book of Ruth. It has been said that this book stands out like a diamond on a black cloth, ‘a beautiful day in the midst of a season of storms’. Spurgeon said “The Book of Ruth is like a lovely flower in a garden of weeds. It shows us that even in the darkest times of the Judges, God had a people, and His grace was at work in the most unexpected places”. 

If the surface story in the book of Ruth is wonderful, then the models that God has given us are nothing short of breath-taking! As we look at the similitudes, we will begin to see how this book is a wonderful and powerful model that prefigures God’s work of redemption and plan for mankind. Specifically, we see how Naomi, as a type of Israel, through unbelief and rejection of God is expelled from the land, being dispersed among the gentiles, later to be brought home in bitterness before being restored. •We also see Ruth, as a type of the Church, being a gentile bride who finds grace in the eyes of Boaz who, as a Kinsman-Redeemer, purchases her for himself! •Then there is the land itself; as in the book of Ruth where the land was lost, only to be redeemed again by Boaz, so Adam lost the ‘title deed’ of this earth to Satan, only to find that the Second Adam, our Kinsman-Redeemer will redeem this earth and claim back what Adam lost!

Chapter 2

As we move into chapter two we meet the kinsman-redeemer, Boaz, who was of the family of Elimelech.

The opening verse is the type of verse that preachers like Spurgeon would have spent an entire sermon expounding! We must be careful not to just read over the magnitude of what this verse is saying, for it ultimately speaks of Jesus Christ. Psalm 40:7 tells us “in the volume of the book it is written of me”, and many Bible commentators have pointed out that you can find Jesus on every page of the Bible, either boldly presented, or subtly concealed in the types, shadows and details. Proverbs 25:2 says: “It is the glory of God to conceal a thing: but the honour of kings is to search out a matter”, and Paul explains, in regard to the feasts of Israel, that they too are “a shadow of things to come; but the substance (i.e. the fulfilment) is of Christ” (Col 2:17).

It seemed to have slipped Naomi’s mind that there was a relative who could, potentially at least, act as the kinsman-redeemer, to purchase back that which had belonged to Elimelech. As we will go on to see, Boaz was a wealthy man and of great standing in the community, but it’s when we turn to the types and shadows we see the depth in this verse. Four key facts that are revealed:

1) Naomi had a kinsman,

2) He was a mighty man of wealth

3) He was of the family of Elimelech

4) His name was Boaz

Firstly, Naomi had a kinsman: Later in the book we will not find Naomi complaining that she didn’t have a number of able kinsmen who could have redeemed her, nor will she complain that it was too restrictive, narrow and dogmatic to only have been offered one way out of her predicament – a predicament that had been brought about by her decision to leave the Land God had given her, ultimately, the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh, and the pride of life (1 John 2:16). The incredible fact here is the Naomi had a kinsman, there was a way, it was possible for a sinner to be restored because there was a kinsman-redeemer! Of course this speaks of Jesus; He is The way, The truth and The life. None can come (back) to the Father but through Him (John 14:6). The world may foolishly complain that Christianity is too exclusive, that it is narrow and dogmatic to affirm there is just One way to heaven – through Jesus Christ, but the most amazing fact is, that there is A way. It is actually possible. We have a Kinsman; one who is able and willing to redeem us (purchase us back). Furthermore, our Kinsman came to rescue us while we were yet sinners, lost and alienated from the commonwealth of Israel (just as Naomi had been). 

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him” (Rom 5:6-9).The second point to mention is that ‘he was a mighty man of wealth’. Speaking of Boaz, we know that he was a wealthy land owner with a number of servants, and also that he was a man of great importance within the town, and the Hebrew implies he was mighty in valour. But this verse also speaks of Jesus. You could have a mighty man who had little in the terms of wealth; or you could have a wealthy man who had little or no might, but our Boaz (Jesus Christ) is both Mighty and of unfathomable wealth. Not only do we have a Kinsman, but He is mighty to save (Isaiah 63:1); He is the captain of the armies of the LORD (Joshua 5:14), who will destroy His enemies with the brightness of His coming (2 Thess 2:8). 

In regard to His wealth, Paul says: “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! how unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!” (Rom 11:33) God’s riches are not just confined to the material, and here Paul speaks of the unfathomable depth of the riches of both God’s wisdom and knowledge. God is all knowing, all powerful and all wise. I wonder how poverty stricken Ruth felt to discover she was related to a philanthropist millionaire?  How would you react to such a discovery? To discover that you have such a Kinsman in Jesus Christ, who is willing and able to redeem you, provide for your, establish you, and Whom will never forsake you, should fill your heart and mind with unspeakable joy and peace!

The third fact we are told is that Boaz was of the family of Elimelech. As we have noted, the name Elimelech means ‘God is my king’. Boaz was of the family of ‘God is my king’; his was a Godly family. His mother was Rahab, a gentile who had been saved by her faith in Yeshua. Although Rahab had once been known as a harlot, even by the time we are introduced to her in the book of Joshua, there is evidence that her life was changing, for we are told she was drying flax in the roof of her house. This was time consuming and would have been to produce garments for sale, to earn her living in a more honourable way (linen etc. was made from flax). Rahab’s encounter with the God of Israel changed her forever, and as Jesus Himself testified of another ex-harlot “Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little” (Luke 7:47). As with Boaz, Christ also is of the family of ‘God is my King’. God alone was His King; He came to do the will of His Father (John 5:30 / 6:38). Only one who seeks first the kingdom of God can be truly pleasing to Him (Matt 3:17 / Matt 6:33).

Finally, we are told that ‘his name was Boaz’. Boaz’ name means ‘to strengthen’. You can mix sand, stones and water together all day long and you will have a soggy mix of sand, stones and water. However when you add cement to your sand, stones and water you have something that you can make the largest buildings from. This is what Christ does for us. He puts into us something that was not there before. “I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me.” (Phil 4:13). Christ is our strength, and His strength is made perfect in our weakness (1 Peter 5:10 / 2 Corinthians 12:9). He was strong enough to endure temptation in the wilderness, to endure the trial in Gethsemane, to endure the mockery and scourging of the Pharisees and Romans, to endure the agony and humiliation of crucifixion, and ultimately to endure the wrath of God poured on Him for the sins of the world. What strength! What a Saviour!

“For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds” (Heb 12:3). Boaz must have make an impression on his great grandson, Solomon, for when Solomon was building the temple “ he reared up the pillars before the temple, one on the right hand, and the other on the left; and called the name of that on the right hand Jachin, and the name of that on the left Boaz.” (2 Chron 3:17) Jacinth means ‘to establish’, and Boaz, ‘to strengthen’.

As we continue through this chapter there are many more insights and shadows that point to Christ.

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Ruth Chapter 2 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

The book of Ruth is considered one of the most beautiful stories in the Bible. The events recorded took place during the time of the judges, which was a period of national spiritual chaos and darkness where ‘every man did that which was right in his own eyes’ (Judges 21:25)  Against this background the book of Ruth stands out like a diamond on a black cloth, a beautiful day in the midst of a season of storms. However this book is far more than just a story of love and commitment. As we will discover, the key theme to the book is ‘redemption’. One dictionary definition of ‘redeem’ is: “to recover possession or ownership of by payment of a price or service; regain” On the surface we see the account of Naomi and her loss and subsequent regaining (redemption) of that which was lost. We also see the redemption of the land that had been sold, and the redemption and purchasing of Ruth by a kinsman-redeemer named Boaz. However, as we will see, the book also has another level. In Hosea 12:10 God says: “I have also spoken by the prophets, and I have multiplied visions, and used similitudes, by the ministry of the prophets.”. The word ‘similitudes’ means a ‘type’ or a ‘model’. A model is simply a representation of something for our insight and instruction. 

If the surface story in the book of Ruth is wonderful, then the models that God has given us are nothing short of breath-taking! As we look at the similitudes we will begin to see how this book is a wonderful and powerful model that prefigures God’s work of redemption and plan for mankind. Specifically we see how Naomi, as a type of Israel, through unbelief and rejection of God is expelled from the land, being dispersed among the gentiles, later to be brought home in bitterness before being restored. We also see Ruth, as a type of the Church, being a gentile bride who finds grace in the eyes of Boaz who, as a Kinsman-Redeemer, is a type of Jesus. Then there is the land itself; as in the book of Ruth where the land was lost, only to be redeemed again by Boaz, so Adam lost the ‘title deed’ of this earth to Satan, only to find that the Second Adam, our Kinsman-Redeemer will redeem this earth as we see unfolded in the book of Revelation.

For a book that is only 85 verses long, it is truly amazing!

As we have noted, there are at least 3 levels to the book:

1. Firstly, it is an historical account of the events that took place at that time
2. Secondly, it serves as a tutor for all who read it in regard to commitment, faithfulness and trust. The lessons we learn here are practical instructions for every day living.
3. Thirdly, it is a model laid out in advance of God’s plan of redemption through Jesus.

In the 85 verses:

• God’s name is used 17x (When you see LORD written in capitals it means that in the Hebrew it was written as YAWH, which we pronounce as ‘Yahweh’ or ‘Jehovah’ and was considered by the Jews to be the unpronounceable name of God.)  ‘the God who keeps His covenants’
  • El hoeim is used x 3 (this is the plural for God and hints at the trinity – Father, Son & Spirit.) – ‘the Creator God’
  • El shadai x 2 – God almighty / all powerful
  • Redeem / Redeemer / Kinsman over 20 x in just 85 verses.

Hence the theme of the book is established as the ‘redemption by God’.

Timing: – As we have mentioned the events in the book of Ruth occurred during the time of the Judges (Ruth 1:1). Judges itself covers the period around 1400 – 1050 B.C. We know from the genealogy in Matthew 1 that Boaz’s father was Salmon and his mother was Rahab – who was spared in the destruction of Jericho by Joshua. This would place these events fairly early on and probably around the time of chapter 3 – 4 of Judges. It is just a conjecture but we read in Judges 3 that God raised up a man called Ehud to deliver Israel from the hand of the King of Moab. After Ehud’s personal victory, we read in verses 27 – 30, how Ehud blew a trumpet in Ephraim and rallied an army that went and defeated the Moabites. It may have been that Elimelech, being from that area and old enough to fight, was part of the army that went into and conquered Moab. We are told that as a result of this victory: “So Moab was subdued that day under the hand of Israel. And the land had rest fourscore years.” (Judges 3:30) Given this situation, it would make sense that Elimelech, having already been to Moab on a military exercise, and in order to escape the famine now in Israel, chose to take his family to a land that Israel had subdued and was therefore under Israeli control at that time.

If this conjecture is correct, how ironic (and yet familiar in our own circumstances) that whilst being given a victory from God, Elimelech was impressed by the land of Moab, and hence it becomes the place he chooses to go to at this time. The blessing that God had given became the very thing that drove him and his family away from their God. How often have we enjoyed blessings from God’s hand, only to let them become that thing that drives a wedge between us and God? Maybe you have prayed that God will give you a new job, but when you get it you find that now you are too busy to read the Bible or pray anymore, or attend church meetings; maybe you have prayed for a child, only to find that when God answers your prayer, unlike Hannah in 1 Samuel, you don’t always go to church because you want to spend time with your family. The list goes on so fill in the blanks. Blessings that are not given back to God but kept for ourselves are like the manna that was taken and ‘hid under the tent’, they turn to rottenness. (See Exodus 16:14-20) 

Author? – Some think that it may have been Samuel and that one of the reasons for writing the book was to show the genealogy of King David as recorded in chapter 4.

Position of the book: It is interesting to note that the book is the eighth book in the Bible. Eight signifies new beginnings – 8th note in an octave is the start of a new octave; 8^th day of the week is the start of a new week; 8^th colour in the rainbow starts a new spectrum etc. The book records a new beginning for Naomi, Ruth and Boaz and prophetically speaks of a new beginning for Israel, the Church and Jesus who will be united with His bride and begin to rule.

The book is a story of grace and bridges the gap between the darkness and chaos of the times of the Judges and the time when God’s appointed king will be established in Jerusalem as recorded in Samuel. Again, viewed prophetically, the world was in spiritual darkness until Jesus came, who is the light of the world. Since the cross we are now living in a period of God’s grace and are looking forward to God’s appointed King of Kings to establish His throne and rule from Jerusalem.

Importance of the book: All scripture is God-breathed and is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction and instruction in righteousness so that we might be thoroughly furnished – have all that we need – in order that we might do work of Him who called us. This book is no exception; there is abundant instruction here.

Without this book the reason why the Messiah was born in Bethlehem would not be known, and the field that the shepherds were in when the angel spoke may have been unoccupied if it were not for the events that take place here. Again, as we have noted many times, this book serves to remind us that there are no meaningless details in the Bible. Every number, every word, every name and every place-name are all there by deliberate supernatural design proving once again that the Bible is the work of someone outside of our space-time who can tell the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done!

(2 Timothy 3:16 / Isaiah 46:10)

May you be blessed and ancouraged by this study.

The post Ruth Chapter 1 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In chapter 12, Paul urges believers to offer their bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God – this is our logic, and reasonable spiritual act of worship. He then emphasises the importance of not conforming (or constantly being confiormed) to the patterns of this world but insted we should be continually transformed by the renewing of our minds, so we can discern God’s will and walk pleasing to Him.

He then urges unity and diversity within the body of Christ, using the analogy of a human body with many members. Each believer has been given unique gifts that should be used humbly and in service to others.

The concluding practical exhortations are focused on how to live in community of beleivers, including:

• Genuine love and abhorrence of evil.
• Devotion and honor towards one another.
• Zeal and serving the Lord.
• Joy in hope, patience in affliction, and perseverance in prayer.
• Sharing with those in need and practicing hospitality.
• Blessing persecutors and living in harmony with everyone.
• Avoiding revenge and overcoming evil with good.

In essence, Romans 12 is a blueprint for Christian living, emphasising transformation, unity, service, and love in action.

May you be encouraged and strengthened in His Word through this study.

The post Romans Ch12 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

As Jesus continues His journey toward Jerusalem, He meets an expert in the Jewish Law who tries to entrap him with a question. The question itself is a good one, and one that we should all ask: “What shall I do to inherit eternal life?” How sad that so many people go through life never giving a through to their eternal destiny. This has to be one of the most important questions of all. Certainly, it is of more importance than ‘Who am I’ or ‘What am I doing here’ – for you can have oodles of self-confidence and a great career plan for your life, but as Jesus said, what’s the point in gaining the world but ultimately losing your soul? (Matt 16:26). 

However, this lawyer’s question wasn’t out of a genuine concern for his own eternal destiny, it was an attempt to justify himself and expose some flaw in Jesus’ teaching.  

As was typical with Jesus when asked a question, He turned the question around and asked the lawyer “What is written in the Law? How do you read it”. As an expert, this man surely should have known what the Law said, so Jesus puts him in the spotlight.  

John Gill, friend and colleague of Charles Spurgeon, highlights how blessed we are to have access to the written Law in the first place: “It is a great mercy that we have the law written, that we have it thereby reduced to certainty, and that thereby it is capable of spreading the further, and lasting the longer.  Having it written, it is our duty to read it, to read it with understanding, and to treasure up what we read, so that when there is occasion, we may be able to tell what is written in the law, and how we read. To this we must appeal; by this we must try doctrines and end disputes; this must be our oracle, our touchstone, our rule, our guide. What is written in the law? How do we read? if there be light in us, it will have regard to this light.”

The lawyer’s answer is spot on: “love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself”, but there is a slight twist. His question had been “What single thing must I do…” He was looking to justify himself and his way of living, a ‘quick fix’ solution that would allow him to carry on right as he was. Jesus tears through the heart of his self assuredness, saying that if he can continually do this, continually without ever wavering, never for a moment ceasing to love God fully, or to always and consistently unfeignedly love his neighbour, then he would be saved!   

John Gill, once again, gets to the heart of this: 

“We must love God with all our hearts, must look upon him as the best of beings, in himself most amiable, and infinitely perfect and excellent; as one whom we lie under the greatest obligations to, both in gratitude and interest. We must prize him, and value ourselves by our elation to him; must please ourselves in him, and devote ourselves entirely to him. Our love to him must be sincere, hearty, and fervent; it must be a superlative love, a love that is as strong as death, but an intelligent love, and such as we can give a good account of the grounds and reasons of. It must be an entire love; he must have our whole souls, and must be served with all that is within us. We must love nothing besides him, but what we love for him and in subordination to him.

We must love our neighbours as ourselves, which we shall easily do, if we, as we ought to do, love God better than ourselves. We must wish well to all and ill to none; must do all the good we can in the world and no hurt, and must fix it as a rule to ourselves to do to others as we would they should do to us; and this is to love our neighbour as ourselves.”

Rather than expose a flaw in Jesus’ doctrine, this lawyer had exposed the problem that we all face in reged to God’s perfect Law… namely, we can’t keep it! 

In the book fo Romans, the Apostle Paul explains the real purpose for the Law: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19). In other words, the Law was given to show us that we cannot meet or keep God’s righteous standard.  

 Paul continues in Galatians: “For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them.” (Galatians 3:10). Even if you could keep 99% of the Law, and only make one mistake, you would be guilty before a holy God whose standard is (and has to be) absolute perfection! ‘Close’ is a gulf still so fathomlessly great as to still separate man from God for all eternity.     

This underlines the very purpose for the Law. “But the scripture hath concluded all under sin, that the promise by faith of Jesus Christ might be given to them that believe. But before faith came, we were kept under the law, shut up unto the faith which should afterwards be revealed. Wherefore the law was our schoolmaster to bring us unto Christ, that we might be justified by faith”.

In a nutshell, the Law was given to show us that we cannot come close to God’s perfect holy standard, so we need a Saviour! 

Maybe for the first time in this lawyer’s life he had come face to face to face with his own predicament, but rather than humbly seeking salvation from the One before Him, in Whose name alone salvation can be found, he sought to justify himself, and so asks “And who is my neighbour?” 

Jesus then tells the famous story of ‘The Good Samaritan’. A number of commentators think this may have been an actual event that may have recently have happened, and that Jesus’ hearers would have been aware of. Certainly, the road from Jerusalem to Jericho was a treacherous winding path down from the mountainous region around Jerusalem to the flat plain around Jericho.

The story is self-explanatory, our neighbours are anyone in need that it is in our power to help, regardless of colour or creed. But there is also within this account the whole of the Gospel message:

• We were (before the fall) in a place of blessing and God’s presence (represented by Jerusalem in this account)

• We ended up descending to a cursed place (represented by Jericho here)

• We were robbed by an enemy and left for dead.
• The Law and religion offered no help.
  • The Priest represents all religion.
  • There is the hope of help and restoration, but it cannot perform it
  • The best religion can do is leave you in the same condition you were found!
  • The Levite represents the Law. Note the statement “and looked on him”
  • The Law knows our condition……yet “passes by on the other side”
  • There is a gulf between the Law and Salvation
  • As with religion, it cannot redeem fallen humanity.
• Then One despised and rejected of men came our way.
• He rescued us, bound our wounds took it upon Himself to pay for our restoration.
  • Note that the robbed and injured man had nothing to pay for his sojourn, restoration…
  • Nor had he anything with which to repay the Samaritan.
  • This was entirely the work of Grace.
• He entrusted us to the care and safekeeping of another whilst we remain in this temporary accommodation – all our needs are taken care of!
• He promised to return, our gratitude will be great!

We are not told what the lawyer did. Maybe he humbled himself at the feet of Jesus, and now genuinely sought the salvation he had initially so casually inquired about? Maybe he hardened his heart and walked away, unwilling to acknowledge his own desperate need?

His response is not your concern, for it is your response that matters.

This is what you must do to inherit eternal life: Accept the mercy of the One who was despised and rejected of men, yet Who picked you up when you were without strength, bound your wounds, paid for your restoration in His own blood, has undertaken to provide all you need, and leaves you in the safekeeping of the Holy Spirit until He return.

May you be blessed by this teaching.

The post Luke Ch10 25-42 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In Chapter 2, Zephaniah lays out the coming judgment upon the gentile nations surrounding Israel, for two key reasons: 1) they had not been content with the land allotted to them by the Lord and had wanted more – at Israel’s expense, 2) they had treated Israel cruelly and provoked God’s wrath.

In chapter 3, the attention turns once more to Israel’s leaders, who were given ample opportunity to change their ways, yet continued in immorality and injustice. God reminds them He had been in their midst all along and seen everything they had done, now it was time to give account!

Then Zephaniah zooms out to show that what took place in 606 B.C. and the following years, was a dress rehearsal for the ‘main event’ that is due to be played out on the world’s stage any moment now!

Just as God had judged the gentile nations in Zephaniah’s day, so He will gather all the nations of the world together as sheep and goats. Those who have treated Israel well, will be granted the joy of entering the millennial kingdom of Jesus. Those who have treated Israel with contempt will be destroyed, just as Philistia, Edom, Assyria and Babylon were long ago.

Zephaniah ends with a wonderful song of praise to the God who faithfully kept His word to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, to give their descendants the land of Israel as a possession forever. The dispersed of Judah will return to their land from all the nations they had been driven to. There will be peace, healing, justice and joy. God will rule over the house of Israel and they, through their affliction, will come to the place of loving and serving their God and Messiah.

May you be blessed and encouraged by the faithfulness of our covenant-keeping God!

The post Zephaniah Ch2 – 3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In chapter one, Habakkuk begins by crying out to God regarding the violence, oppression and immorality that filled Judah, that God was seemingly not dealing with. “How long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear!” (Hab 1:”) The iniquity that filled the land was overwhelming to this righteous and God-fearing man.

God’s response was that He was not going to let it continue. As we see time and again in the Bible, God will only allow things to go on for so long before bringing judgment. That, in itself, was good news to Habakkuk, but then God tells him something startling: “For, lo, I raise up the Chaldeans, that bitter and hasty nation, which shall march through the breadth of the land, to possess the dwelling places that are not theirs” (Hab 1:6). Yes, God’s method of judgment on Judah was to let the Babylonians loose on them!

“But how can you use the Babylonians?” Habakkuk asks, “They are worse than we are!”.

In Habakkuk chapter 2, God explains that Israel’s sin is great so is deserving of great judgment, nevertheless, Babylon’s pride would be their undoing. God was raising them up as His instrument of judgment, but they would go far beyond their remit, and under Nebuchadnezzar they would, at times, resemble the Assyrians that God allowed to be destroyed for their cruelty. As a result, God would judge the pride of Babylon, exposing their deceit and  treachery by which they intoxicated their enemies with lies before overthrowing them.

Though, no doubt, still somewhat bemused, in chapter 3, Habakkuk breaks out into a song of praise. He might not fully understand what God is doing, and even why He would uses Israel’s enemies to bring them to repentance, but Habakkuk knows enough by now to know that God is God. He calls us to trust Him through what we do understand, and through what we don’t.

Job, in the midst of his sufferings, once uttered this incredible statement of faith:

“For I know that my redeemer liveth,
and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth:
And though after my skin worms destroy this body,
yet in my flesh shall I see God:
Whom I shall see for myself,
and mine eyes shall behold,”

Habakkuk’s closing three verses resemble Job’s remarkable faith for their resolve and bold statement of trust in a Sovereign and all-powerful God. Habakkuk declares:

Although the fig tree shall not blossom,  (the fig tree being an emblem of Israel, which prophetically we are told here, from this time,  will not blossom)
neither shall fruit be in the vines; (Israel were as God’s vineyard, but, because of the coming judgments, would cease to be fruitful in the land))
the labour of the olive shall fail, (much olive oil was produced in the land, but that would fail also)
and the fields shall yield no meat; (just as prophesied in Deuteronomy 28, on account of Israel’s sin the land would cease to produce)
the flock shall be cut off from the fold, (the people also would be removed from the land)
and there shall be no herd in the stalls: (the land would become desolate)
Yet I will rejoice in the Lord, (even so, despite the dark times the nation was heading into, Habakkuk now knows enough to walk through this ‘valley of the shadow of death’ by faith)
I will joy in the God of my salvation. (his joy would not be found in the false hope from the mouths of the false prophets, nor in any other thing, but in the LORD alone)
The Lord God is my strength, (His strength would not be in Israel’s might, or a sense of courage, but his strength would be in God alone. God who is faithful and never abandons His own)
and he will make my feet like hinds’ feet, (There was hope! He was not going to be downcast, but free like a deer)
and he will make me to walk upon mine high places. (Habakkuk knew that God would, one day, once again bring the Children of Israel back into their own land, and they will walk on the mountains of Judea, into the gates of Jerusalem!).

If you are facing a challenge you cannot see  a way through, be encouraged by this book of Habakkuk that reassures us that God is good and in control, and all things work together for good for those who love God.

The just shall live by FAITH!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Habakkuk Ch2v5 – Ch3 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Amos, was a shepherd. He lived at a time when the Northern Kingdom of Israel were given over to idolatry, immorality and injustice. Amos was called to go to the center of idol worship, Bethel, and before the people declare the God – the God of Israel – was now going to bring judgment upon them on account of their sin. Amos begins his message by prophesying against six neighboring gentile nations. You can image the nods of approval by those who sat at the gate of the city – the public meeting place and where the town council would gather. After all, Israel’s neighbors deserved God’s wrath! But then, Amos turns to his gathered audience and, like a hammer breaking glass, tells them they are next! God will no longer ignore their sin and the injustice they were showing to the poor of the land. Enough was enough! IT was time for them to give account before God (Ch4 vs 12).

Yet, in the midst of Amos’ thunderous message, we see the tender, Father-heart of God, pleading with His people to turn from their worldly ways and seek Him.

Chapter 5 begins with God’s lamentation; His sorrow that Israel, the nation that had known the leading, guiding and blessing of Jehovah, had strayed so far.

In Ezekiel 18:23 we read: “Have I any pleasure at all that the wicked should die? saith the Lord God: and not that he should return from his ways, and live?”

God had warned them, since the time of wandering in the wilderness (see Leviticus 26), that if they obeyed God, God would ,multiply blessing to them. But if they chose to not listen to God, if they walked after the dictates of their own evil hearts, judgment would follow.

Five times in this chapter God pleads with Israel to “seek me and live!” (v4, v6,), “seek me” (v8), “seek good and not evil” (v14),”Hate evil and love the good” (v15).

Numerically, in the Bible, the number 5 always seem to speak of Grace. That is exactly what we see here. God’s grace, calling a rebellious people to turn back to Him that He might relent from the coming judgment .

God even gives a number of reasons why they should hearken to His voice. He is creator; He made the stars, He holds them together. He makes the day and the night. None of their idols could claim this! He has brought judgment on the ungodly in the past, particularly at the time of the flood, when he called the waters in the sea to be rained down on the earth.

Sadly, despite the message Amos brings, they did not turn back. They even tried to silence the voices that rebuked them for their injustice. This is so reminiscent of the world today! Good men are not allowed to speak. Evil men continue to propagate lies and falsehood’s, through the media and the pulpit!

God then tells them that He is not interested in their religious celebrations. ‘Doing church’ on  Sunday does not cut it with God. He is looking for those who worship Him in Spirit AND truth. Sadly, the truth – the Word of God – has been dumbed down, silenced and replaced with motivational pep talks in so many churches. Is it any wonder the world has lost it’s moral compass when the people God had called to be His own have embraced the things God abhors? What was true for Israel is true for the church at large today. The time to repent is now; the time to earnestly pray for revival is now.

May you be blessed and challenged by this study.

The post Amos Ch5 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Daniel 6:1

It pleased Darius to set over the kingdom an hundred and twenty princes, which should be over the whole kingdom;

Chapter 6 starts at the beginning of the ‘reign’ of Darius over Babylon following the collapse of the Babylonian Empire in 539 B.C. We know from History that Cyrus was the overall head of the Medo-Persian Empire. At the beginning of Ch 9 Daniel confirms that Darius “was made king over the realm of the Chaldeans”  – i.e. not over the whole Empire. Although there is some debate amongst scholars about the secular identity of Darius, we should note that ‘Darius‘ was a title meaning “holder of the scepter”. Certainly there are five later Persian rulers with the same title.

Some, including Donald J Wiseman of the British Museum, have postulated that ‘Darius’ was indeed a title and our character in question was in fact Cyrus himself. Scholars have noted that the closing verse of this chapter could also be translated in such a way as to imply that Darius is Cyrus. (NB: It is translated this way in the notes in the N.I.V.), however this does not fit with Daniel’s own comments, and why would Daniel not just call him Cyrus?

Another view is that Darius was Cambyses, the son of Cyrus, although his age as revealed at the end of chapter 5 would seem to discount this; as would the fact that this would then leave a gap of approximately four months with no king over Babylon from the death of Belshazzar until Cambyses was eventually appointed as king of Babylon in 538 B.C.

There is a much simpler explanation regarding the identity of Darius that fits both the Biblical narrative and history – we will come to that in a moment, but it is worth highlighting that Bible critics try to claim that Daniel’s assertion that ‘Darius the Mede was king of Babylon’ is ‘proof’ that the book of Daniel was not an eyewitness account, but rather the work of a much later author who was confused about the details of this period. Once again, critics are quick to make bold assertions that are based on biased opinions rather than objective facts. Professor Robert Dick Wilson who spent a lifetime studying these things states: “When one asserts that the author of Daniel has “confused” events or persons, it is not enough for him to affirm that the author was thus confused. This confusion is a matter of evidence. With all due deference to the opinion of other scholars, I am firmly convinced that no man to-day has sufficient evidence to prove that the author of Daniel was confused. There are no records to substantiate the assertions of confusion. Neither is it clear to the critics nor can they make it clear to others, that the author of Daniel either did not understand the facts with regard to Darius the Mede, nor clearly express himself about them.” (Studies in Daniel)

So who was Darius the Mede? The view that seems most consistent with what we know from the Bible and history, is that Darius the Mede was Gubaru, the general of Cyrus’ army who had taken Babylon on the night of Belshazzar’s feast, aged about 62, and according to Nabonidus. Cyrus rewarded Gubaru with a regional governorship for capturing the capital of the Babylonian Empire. What we do know from the ‘Nabonidus Chronicle’ and Josephus is that on October 12^th 539BC, Gubaru entered Babylon at night, killing Belshazzar and conquering the city without a fight. On October 29^th Cyrus entered the city, being met at the gates by Daniel with a scroll of Isaiah in his hand. Over 150 yeas before Isaiah had prophesied:  “Thus saith the LORD, thy redeemer, and he that formed thee from the womb, I am the LORD that maketh all things; that stretcheth forth the heavens alone; that spreadeth abroad the earth by myself; That frustrateth the tokens of the liars, and maketh diviners mad; that turneth wise men backward, and maketh their knowledge foolish; That confirmeth the word of his servant, and performeth the counsel of his messengers; that saith to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be inhabited; and to the cities of Judah, Ye shall be built, and I will raise up the decayed places thereof: That saith to the deep, Be dry, and I will dry up thy rivers: That saith of Cyrus, He is my shepherd, and shall perform all my pleasure: even saying to Jerusalem, Thou shalt be built; and to the temple, Thy foundation shall be laid. Thus saith the LORD to his anointed, to Cyrus, whose right hand I have holden, to subdue nations before him; and I will loose the loins of kings, to open before him the two leaved gates; and the gates shall not be shut; I will go before thee, and make the crooked places straight: I will break in pieces the gates of brass, and cut in sunder the bars of iron: And I will give thee the treasures of darkness, and hidden riches of secret places, that thou mayest know that I, the LORD, which call thee by thy name, am the God of Israel. For Jacob my servant’s sake, and Israel mine elect, I have even called thee by thy name: I have surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. I am the LORD, and there is none else, there is no God beside me: I girded thee, though thou hast not known me: That they may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside me. I am the LORD, and there is none else.” (Isaiah 44:24 – 45:6)

Only a few weeks before, Cyrus had instructed Gubaru to take the ‘impenetrable’ city of Babylon by diverting the river Euphrates into a canal upriver so that the water level dropped “to the height of the middle of a man’s thigh” (Herodotus). Thus the city’s flood defenses were rendered useless and the Persian army were able to march right into the city through the river bed. As Cyrus is now reading this portion of Isaiah he must have been ‘blown away’. Not only does this Jewish prophet, who had been dead for 150 years, mention him by name, but the passage describes how the city would be taken and the fact that  Belshazzar’s loins were loosened – something that was no doubt common knowledge by now.

No doubt as a result of this, Cyrus, approximately one and a half years later in 537 BC, went on to sign a decree allowing the Jews to return to their homeland and rebuild their temple. This decree is recorded at the end of 2 Chronicles and at the beginning of Ezra: “Now in the first year of Cyrus king of Persia [NB: 539 to 538 = Ascension year, therefore 538 to 537 = first year of reign], that the word of the LORD by the mouth of Jeremiah might be fulfilled [see Jer 29:10], the LORD stirred up the spirit of Cyrus king of Persia, that he made a proclamation throughout all his kingdom, and put it also in writing, saying, Thus saith Cyrus king of Persia, The LORD God of heaven hath given me all the kingdoms of the earth; and he hath charged me to build him an house at Jerusalem, which is in Judah. Who is there among you of all his people? his God be with him, and let him go up to Jerusalem, which is in Judah, and build the house of the LORD God of Israel, (he is the God,) which is in Jerusalem. And whosoever remaineth in any place where he sojourneth, let the men of his place help him with silver, and with gold, and with goods, and with beasts, beside the freewill offering for the house of God that is in Jerusalem.” (Ezra 1:1-4)

In addition to this decree recorded in the Bible there has been found a cylinder, now known as the ‘Stele of Cyrus’, which now resides in the British Museum. On the cylinder are the words:

“…without any battle, he entered the town, sparing any calamity:….I returned to sacred cities on the other side of the Tigris [river], the sanctuaries of which have been ruins for a long time… and established for them permanent sanctuaries. I also gathered all their former inhabitants and returned to them their habitations”

 
Returning to the ‘who is Darius?’ question: From archaeological discoveries we know that Cyrus was known as ‘king of lands’ (i.e. ruler of the empire), and because the empire was so vast, it was normal to appoint kings over districts or regions. Thus it is reasonable to assume that Cyrus would have appointed someone he trusted to be king of Babylon, and who better than his trusted general Gubaru who had just taken the city for his king? This starts out as a plausible theory but is soon confirmed by rereading the closing verse of chapter 5:“And Darius the Median took the kingdom, being about threescore and two years old.” Initially we read ‘and Darius became king…’ but that is not what this verse states. What we are told is that ‘Darius the Median took the kingdom…’ The word translated ‘took’ is ‘qebal’ (Aramaic) meaning ‘to acquire’, also translated elsewhere as ‘receive’ or ‘take’. As we have already mentioned, it was Gubaru who acquired the kingdom on behalf of Cyrus, thus this verse would seem to identify Darius the Mede as Gubaru. This is also consistent with Daniel 9:1 where we are told that Darius was ‘made king over the realm of the Chaldeans’ (made = ‘malak’ (Aramaic) ‘to induct into royalty’).

(NB: Gubaru is also sometimes written as Ugbaru or Gobryas (Greek))

Daniel 6:2

And over these three presidents; of whom Daniel was first: that the princes might give accounts unto them, and the king should have no damage.

Thus continuing from verse one, Darius had 120 governors with three presidents overseeing everything; and Daniel was the chief president, second to the king himself.

Daniel 6:3

Then this Daniel was preferred above the presidents and princes….

Not only did Daniel outrank all the other government officials, we are told that he was preferred above them all. Now, human nature being what it is, you can almost hear the murmuring in the background already ‘who does he think he is…?’.

…because an excellent spirit was in him;

Daniel’s whole life seems to be an example of what God can do in a life that is yielded to Him. We are called to be salt and light in this world, that men may see our good works and glorify our Father in Heaven (Matt 5:13-16). We are to be an example in word, conversation, charity (love), spirit, faith and purity (1 Tim 4:12). We are to work hard for our employers so that the name of our God and His doctrine are not blasphemed (1 Tim 6:1). We are to allow no corrupt communication to proceed from our mouths, but only that which is helpful and will build others up (Eph 4:29).

How do we measure up to these things?

Could it be said of us that we have an excellent spirit?

…..and the king thought to set him over the whole realm.

This did not go down well with the other officials. No doubt Darius had enlisted some of the best men of Babylon and added them to his own Persian staff, probably people that had served with him in the army. Now this ageing Jewish exile is almost being made king!

Daniel 6:4

Jealousy is a powerful motivator

Proverbs 6:34-35 says: “For jealousy is the rage of a man: therefore he will not spare in the day of vengeance. He will not regard any ransom; neither will he rest content, though thou givest many gifts.”

Once the ‘ball of jealousy’ is rolling, nothing will stop it.

But notice again, despite trying to find fault in Daniel there was nothing in his life that he had to hide, no secret sins, nothing to regret or hope won’t be discovered.

Cf 1 John 1:8-9 – the Christians bar of soap!

Daniel 6:5

Then said these men, We shall not find any occasion against this Daniel, except we find it against him concerning the law of his God.

What a testimony this is. It was clear to all, that Daniel was unwavering in his relationship with his God. If this is the only chink in our armour we need not worry!

Daniel 6:6

Then these presidents and princes assembled together to the king, and said thus unto him, King Darius, live for ever.

As an aside, Chuck Missler points out that the idea of kings and rulers being immortal continues to this day but has its root in Genesis 6 with the Nephilim.

Daniel 6:7

All the presidents of the kingdom, the governors, and the princes, the counsellers, and the captains, have consulted together to establish a royal statute, and to make a firm decree, that whosoever shall ask a petition of any God or man for thirty days, save of thee, O king, he shall be cast into the den of lions.

As we saw in chapter three with the Chaldeans trying to entrap Hananiah, Mishael and Azariah, so we see here. Do you notice the lie in their speech? ‘All the presidents…’ – no it wasn’t! Do not be put off by people who try to unsettle you with ‘everyone knows….’ Or ‘all scholars agree…’ type statements. Usually, the bolder the statement the shakier the foundation.

Their petition is calculated to appeal to the kings ego; yet as is so often the case, behind the things that puff us up is a cess pool of deceit.

These men started with jealousy, moved onto hatred, then onto scheming, then onto lying and deceit. As we have mentioned before, sin will always take you further than you want to go, keep you longer than you want to stay, and cost you more than you want to pay.

Regarding the lions den, see notes on verse 9 and 24.

Daniel 6:8

 Now, O king, establish the decree, and sign the writing, that it be not changed, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

As we mentioned earlier in our study, whatever king Nebuchadnezzar said went, He was the Law! And hence was represented as the head of gold in chapter two. But now in the Medo-Persian kingdom, the king is bound by the law, and so although the Medo-Persian was physically larger, its power was not as great so was represented by silver and not gold.

There is also a lesson here for those in leadership, that motives be tried before requests are granted. Paul warned Timothy in 1 Tim 3:1-6 “This is a true saying, If a man desire the office of a bishop, he desireth a good work. A bishop then must be blameless…….Not a novice, lest being lifted up with pride he fall into the condemnation of the devil.”

Daniel 6:9

Wherefore king Darius signed the writing and the decree.

“The decree of Darius the Mede with regard to the den of lions was easy of execution, inasmuch as at that time lions were common in all that part of the world. The Assyrian kings were wont to hunt lions as a pastime. Thus Tiglath–Pileser I says that he killed 920 lions in one hunting expedition; and Ashurnasirpal says that he killed at one time 120 lions and that at another time he captured 50 young lions and shut them up in Calah and in the palaces of his land in cages and let them produce their young. At another time he killed 370 strong lions. In his menagerie, he says, also, that he had herds of wild oxen, elephants, lions, birds, wild asses, gazelles, dogs, panthers, and all animals of the mountains and of the plains, to show to his people. Moreover, the Hebrew poets and prophets were familiar with lions; the people, also, made proverbs concerning them; and their heroes, such as Samson and David, are said to have slain them. So, also, the oldest story in the Aramaic language (that of Achikar from the fifth century B.C.) treats the lion as a well known animal. Herodotus says that lions interfered with the march of Xerxes army to Greece. Surely, if we can believe that the Romans imported lions from Africa and threw the Christians to them in the Coliseum, we can readily believe that a Median king of Babylon may have had a den of lions into which to throw those who had disobeyed his laws. Certainly, at least, there was no physical impossibility in the matter.”

(Robert D Wilson – Studies In Daniel)

Daniel 6:10

 Now when Daniel knew that the writing was signed, he went into his house; and his windows being open in his chamber toward Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

This is another hugely significant verse. Jerusalem lay in ruins, Daniel had not seen it for almost 70 years, and yet he prays towards it in accordance to Solomon’s petition as recorded in 2 Chron 6:34-39: “If thy people go out to war against their enemies by the way that thou shalt send them, and they pray unto thee toward this city which thou hast chosen, and the house which I have built for thy name; Then hear thou from the heavens their prayer and their supplication, and maintain their cause. If they sin against thee, (for there is no man which sinneth not,) and thou be angry with them, and deliver them over before their enemies, and they carry them away captives unto a land far off or near; Yet if they bethink themselves in the land whither they are carried captive, and turn and pray unto thee in the land of their captivity, saying, We have sinned, we have done amiss, and have dealt wickedly; If they return to thee with all their heart and with all their soul in the land of their captivity, whither they have carried them captives, and pray toward their land, which thou gavest unto their fathers, and toward the city which thou hast chosen, and toward the house which I have built for thy name: Then hear thou from the heavens, even from thy dwelling place, their prayer and their supplications, and maintain their cause, and forgive thy people which have sinned against thee.”

It is from this passage that devout Jews even today pray toward Jerusalem and it is also the reason that Muslims pray toward Mecca, because after Mohamed was rejected by the Jews he established Mecca instead of Jerusalem as the place of worship for his new religion.

The fact that his windows were open, demonstrates readiness and preparation, but what is also interesting is that Daniel doesn’t panic when he finds out about the decree. He has never lived in the fear of man and he is not going to worry now. Daniel’s prayer life was habitual and it was the easiest thing in the world for him to pray when trouble arose. How often do we stumble at the first hurdle when trials come simply because we are not in the habit of taking everything to God in prayer?

he kneeled upon his knees… There are many ways to pray, and limitless places to pray, but shutting yourself away and praying on your knees seems to make our physical body more in tune with the spiritual. Jesus said: “But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly” (Matt 6:6). Bowing our knees when we pray emphasises the fact that we are addressing the God of Heaven, whose presence we should never enter lightly – yes we have an advocate with the Father in the person of Jesus, but we should still fear (reverence/respect) God. In probably Jesus’ most intense prayer in the garden of Gethsemane we read “he was withdrawn from them about a stone’s cast, and kneeled down, and prayed,”  (Luke 22:41)

In the book of Acts we read of Peter when he prayed for Tabitha (also called Dorcas) after she had become sick and died; we read: “But Peter put them all forth, [i.e. got the people out of the room] and kneeled down, and prayed; and turning him to the body said, Tabitha, arise. And she opened her eyes: and when she saw Peter, she sat up.” (Acts 9:40)

It is said that Peter was known as ‘old camel knees’ because of the calluses on his knees because of the hours he spent in prayer.

When Luke and Paul landed at Tyre, Luke records in Acts: “And finding disciples, we tarried there seven days: who said to Paul through the Spirit, that he should not go up to Jerusalem. And when we had accomplished those days, we departed and went our way; and they all brought us on our way, with wives and children, till we were out of the city: and we kneeled down on the shore, and prayed” (Acts 21:4-5)

When we address the Creator God of the Universe we should do so with humility of heart, that will naturally overflow into the physical.

Now we get to the real meat of this verse:

…….he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.

Many of us, if we are honest, struggle to pray once a day ‘on our knees’ i.e. actually putting time aside specifically to pray. It is of course right and proper that we pray ‘on the go’, Paul said that we should “pray without ceasing” (1 Thes 5:17), “praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit” (Eph 6:18);  However, this is not to be a substitute for going into our room, shutting the door and spending some quality time with God. For Daniel on the other hand, this was a way of life, …as he did aforetime.  Faced with this situation Daniel just did what he had always done since coming to Babylon almost 70 years ago; he had purposed in his heart to be separated unto his God and no distraction would keep him from this task.

How often the attractions of our ‘Babylon’ become the subtle distractions that keep us from a life of prayer and an undefiled walk with God. Paul said: “All things are lawful unto me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but I will not be brought under the power of any” (1 Cor 6:12)

It is also important to notice how Daniel behaves in this situation, for the days are coming where those who would accuse us will be watching our every move, looking for an opportunity to entrap us. Already in Canada it is an offence to declare that Jesus is the only way under their ‘hate crimes’ laws. In various European countries pastors have been arrested for taking a Biblical stand against homosexuality. It is true that the church won’t go through the Great Tribulation, but we would be naive if we thought we would escape persecution altogether. Jesus said that in this world we would be persecuted, and that the world would hate us (John 16:1-3). This has been the case for the last 2000 years in most of the world. In the west we have largely escaped the persecution that many Christians face on a daily basis. It has been said that more Christians have been martyred in the last century than in all the previous centuries combined. So how did Daniel behave in this situation?

The first thing to notice is that he didn’t panic, nor did he do anything to intentionally draw attention to himself. He did not set out to provoke his accusers; he simply carried on serving God as he had always done. All that we do should be done in an attitude of love. Love does not provoke. As we noted in chapter three, we are to obey the laws and ordinances of men so long as they don’t contradict the commands of God; but if and when such occasions arise that mans laws become contrary to the word of God, we should have no hesitation in serving the Lord, regardless of the cost.

Daniel 6:11

Then these men assembled, and found Daniel praying and making supplication before his God.

The whole thing was such an obvious set-up; we are not told how many men gathered outside Daniel’s house to ‘catch him in the act’, but if ‘these men’ refers to the same crowd mentioned in verses 4 & 5, it may have been all 120 princes and the other two presidents.

Daniel 6:12

Then they came near, and spake before the king concerning the king’s decree; Hast thou not signed a decree, that every man that shall ask a petition of any God or man within thirty days, save of thee, O king, shall be cast into the den of lions? The king answered and said, The thing is true, according to the law of the Medes and Persians, which altereth not.

They had no need to ask if the king had signed such a decree because they had written it and taken it to him to sign in the first place!

Daniel 6:13

Then answered they and said before the king, That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah, regardeth not thee, O king, nor the decree that thou hast signed, but maketh his petition three times a day.

Now their plan comes to light, as does the fact that they had been watching him. Notice how they try to insult Daniel and put him down: ‘That Daniel, which is of the children of the captivity of Judah’ – ‘this guy is only a slave anyway, and from Judah at that’.

Daniel 6:14

Then the king, when he heard these words, was sore displeased with himself, and set his heart on Daniel to deliver him: and he laboured till the going down of the sun to deliver him.

Notice that the king is not cross with Daniel, he is cross with himself for being so naive. How quick we are to try and undo what has been done when we realise the error of our ways. How was Darius going to explain this to Cyrus next time he was in town and asked to speak to that incredible old Jewish man?

Daniel 6:15-16

15 Then these men assembled unto the king, and said unto the king, Know, O king, that the law of the Medes and Persians is, That no decree nor statute which the king establisheth may be changed.

16 Then the king commanded, and they brought Daniel, and cast him into the den of lions. Now the king spake and said unto Daniel, Thy God whom thou servest continually, he will deliver thee.

With no way out the king does what he had to do. Did Darius have faith that God would deliver Daniel, or was he just hoping?

Daniel 6:17-18

17 And a stone was brought and laid upon the mouth of the den; and the king sealed it with his own signet, and with the signet of his lords; that the purpose might not be changed concerning Daniel.

18 Then the king went to his palace, and passed the night fasting: neither were instruments of musick brought before him: and his sleep went from him.

There are few mental traumas worse than remorse, for there is nothing that can be done to change the circumstances – unless of course you know the one true ‘Superman’ who, being outside of time, entered into His creation at a specific point in history and paid once and for all for every wrong thing we have ever done, said or thought thus wiping the slate clean.

“And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” (1John 2:2)

Daniel 6:19-20

19 Then the king arose very early in the morning, and went in haste unto the den of lions.

20 And when he came to the den, he cried with a lamentable voice unto Daniel: and the king spake and said to Daniel, O Daniel, servant of the living God, is thy God, whom thou servest continually, able to deliver thee from the lions?

I’m just curious how long a pause Daniel left before answering?!

Daniel 6:21-22

21 Then said Daniel unto the king, O king, live for ever.

22 My God hath sent his angel, and hath shut the lions’ mouths, that they have not hurt me: forasmuch as before him innocency was found in me; and also before thee, O king, have I done no hurt.

How incredible it must have been for Daniel to have spent a night in safety knowing that God had sent His angel and that the lions couldn’t harm him.

How incredible also for us to know that our adversary, who roams about like a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour, cannot harm us because we also are protected by the angel of the Lord (Heb 1:14 / Heb 13:5). Could it have been the same ‘angel’ who protected the three in the furnace? Throughout the Old Testament the Angel of the Lord is no mere angel but the commander of the armies of the Lord – i.e. Jesus Christ.

It is worth noting that when a lion is about to move in for the kill they are silent, not wanting to disturb their prey. However, generally speaking, the only times they roar is when they feel threatened; such as behind bars at a zoo. Jesus said in Luke 10:19 “Behold, I give unto you power to tread on serpents and scorpions, and over all the power of the enemy: and nothing shall by any means hurt you.”. John states: “greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world.” (1 John 4:4). Our enemy is also behind bars, he can roar all he wants, and little children my still be frightened, but those who are mature in the faith know they need not fear because between us and him there is the impenetrable barrier of the blood of Jesus and we are safe in His hands (John 10:27-28).

Daniel 6:23

Then was the king exceeding glad for him, and commanded that they should take Daniel up out of the den. So Daniel was taken up out of the den, and no manner of hurt was found upon him, because he believed in his God.

“For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to show himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him.” (2 Chron 16:9)

There is someone else who was faultless yet betrayed, handed over to death, went down into a pit, a stone was rolled into place and sealed to stop Him escaping, yet on the third day He was taken ‘up out of the den and no manner of hurt was found upon Him*, because He believed in His God’

* Except for the nail prints in His hands & feet, which will serve as an eternal reminder of His love and sacrifice for you and I.

Daniel 6:24

And the king commanded, and they brought those men which had accused Daniel, and they cast them into the den of lions, them, their children, and their wives; and the lions had the mastery of them, and brake all their bones in pieces or ever they came at the bottom of the den.

We should not be envious of the workers of iniquity for their day is coming. David wrote: “Fret not thyself because of evildoers, neither be thou envious against the workers of iniquity. For they shall soon be cut down like the grass, and wither as the green herb…… fret not thyself because of him who prospereth in his way, because of the man who bringeth wicked devices to pass. Cease from anger, and forsake wrath: fret not thyself in any wise to do evil. For evildoers shall be cut off: but those that wait upon the LORD, they shall inherit the earth. For yet a little while, and the wicked shall not be: yea, thou shalt diligently consider his place, and it shall not be. But the meek shall inherit the earth; and shall delight themselves in the abundance of peace. The wicked plotteth against the just, and gnasheth upon him with his teeth. The Lord shall laugh at him: for he seeth that his day is coming. The wicked have drawn out the sword, and have bent their bow, to cast down the poor and needy, and to slay such as be of upright conversation. Their sword shall enter into their own heart, and their bows shall be broken”. This is exactly what happened to the wicked ones who plotted against Daniel; their ‘sword’ did indeed enter their own heart.

Regarding this verse, Robert Wilson says the following:

“The possibility of the destruction of the one hundred and twenty satraps and their families by lions is shown from the fact that the monuments of the kings of Assyria say that they had menageries containing “all the animals of the mountains and of the plains,” including elephants, panthers, and lions. Further, it is shown that lions at that time were the pest of the Euphrates Valley, hundreds of them being killed in a single hunting expedition, and that in one case mentioned by Ashurnasirapal, king of Assyria, fifty young lions were captured alive and shut up by him in the city of Calach.” (Robert D Wilson – Studies In Daniel)

Once again, the Bible is not a collection of quaint stories, it really is His-story.

Daniel 6:25-27

25 Then king Darius wrote unto all people, nations, and languages, that dwell in all the earth; Peace be multiplied unto you.

 26 I make a decree, That in every dominion of my kingdom men tremble and fear before the God of Daniel: for he is the living God, and stedfast for ever, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed, and his dominion shall be even unto the end.

27 He delivereth and rescueth, and he worketh signs and wonders in heaven and in earth, who hath delivered Daniel from the power of the lions.

So just as with Nebuchadnezzar, Darius now acknowledges and gives glory to the God of Daniel, who is steadfast forever and whose kingdom is without end!

Daniel 6:28

So this Daniel prospered in the reign of Darius, and in the reign of Cyrus the Persian.

Just as Joseph had prospered because he trusted his God regardless of the circumstances, so Daniel did. Jesus said in Luke 16:11“If therefore ye have not been faithful in the unrighteous mammon, who will commit to your trust the true riches?” He also told us to be as wise as serpents but as harmless as doves (Matt 10:16). Paul tells us that Christians should work even harder for their employers than the world does because we should work as unto the Lord (see 1Tim 6:1 / 2 Tim 4:9-10 / Titus 2:7-10)

And so ends the first (historical) section of the book. Chapters 7-12 will see Daniel having breathtaking visions that foretell the future of the Medo-Persian, Greek, Roman and final world empires. We will be introduced to the ‘little horn’ speaking great things, and we will see some of the most incredible prophecies in the Bible that help to unravel the days that we are living in right now and prove beyond doubt that Jesus Christ is the Messiah of Israel and He is destined to return and rule on the throne of David and establish an everlasting kingdom!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The post Daniel Ch6 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

Last week we looked at why God would send seemingly obscure shepherds to see Jesus at the time of His birth.

Far from being a random choice, we noted that the shepherds on this hills around Bethlehem had a very specific job – namely to inspect lambs that would be later offered in sacrifice 8 miles away in Jerusalem. They came to confirm that Jesus was indeed the perfect Lamb of God, slain from the foundation of the world.

With that in mind, we now ask the question: Why Magi?

Why would God choose to send a group of people hundreds of miles, from another county? More to the point, why would a group of people from another country agree to travel hundreds of miles, bringing gifts, to see a small child?

In this study we look at the truth behind the tradition.

• Who were the Magi?
• What significance did they have?
• How many of them were there really?
• Why does the world believe there were only 3?
• What evidence do we have that they actually visited Bethlehem?
• When did they arrive in Jerusalem?
• Why was Herod and all Jerusalem shaken at their arrival?

What few people seem to have realised was that some 600 years before, Daniel, whilst in Babylon, had been made the head of this Persian priestly group known as ‘Magi’. Seemingly, Daniel revealed some secrets to them that had been handed down for generations – secrets concerning a king who was to be born ‘king of the Jews’.

All the more poignant is the fact that, because of their supposed ability to see the future, one of the Magi’s principle responsibilities was to appoint kings.

Just as the shepherds arrived to confirm that Jesus was the perfect Lamb, the Magi arrived to appoint Jesus as the King of the Jews.

Around 600 before they arrived, the ‘crown’ of Israel had literally been taken to Babylon as the final king of Israel – Zedekiah – was taken away captive by Nebuchadnezzar. Now, the Magi bring the crown back and appoint the one whom their chief (Daniel) had declared would have an everlasting dominion!

May you be blessed and encouraged by this study.

The PowerPoint slides used in this study are  available for free download.

The post Why Magi? first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.

In this study, we consider one of the most important acts of worship recorded, as Mary (sister of Martha and Lazarus) poured some very expensive perfume over Jesus. Why is this so important?

Because it teaches us just how valuable worship is in God’s eyes. To worship God is greater than your most valuable and treasured possession. When you worship it breaks chains of oppression, it causes principalities and powers to bow. It conquers fear and comforts grief. It destroys doubt and invites God’s very presence into your midst. It banishes sin and crushes iniquity, it replaces sorrow with joy and lifts us to the very throne of God!

Whether Mary understood the significance of what she was doing we cannot say, but clearly, Jesus saw this as an anointing in preparation for His burial. A body would not normally be anointed before the death of the person, but this just goes to emphasise that, at this stage, Jesus was ‘as dead’ in as much as there was no way He was backing out now. He had come to do His Father’s will, and he would not fall at the last hurdle.

In both Matthew’s and Mark’s account, Jesus states:“Verily I say unto you, Wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, there shall also this, that this woman hath done, be told for a memorial of her”. (Matt 26:13) Mary thus becomes an example of the way we should worship Jesus – i.e. without reservation. Yet that is not what common sense tells us, and to pour out the equivalent of £30,000 worth of perfume just seems an extravagant waste! No wonder the disciples murmured!

Yet, as Oswald Chambers comments:

• Faith in active opposition to common sense is mistaken enthusiasm and narrow-mindedness, and common sense in opposition to faith demonstrates a mistaken reliance on reason as the basis for truth.
• Common sense and faith are as different from each other as the natural life is from the spiritual, and as impulsiveness is from inspiration. Nothing that Jesus Christ ever said is common sense, but is revelation sense
• Suppose God tells you to do something that is an enormous test of your common sense, totally going against it. What will you do?
• We tend to say, “Yes, but— suppose I do obey God in this matter, what about…?” Or we say, “Yes, I will obey God if what He asks of me doesn’t go against my common sense, but don’t ask me to take a step in the dark.”
• Jesus Christ demands the same unrestrained, adventurous spirit in those who have placed their trust in Him that the natural man exhibits. If a person is ever going to do anything worthwhile, there will be times when he must risk everything by his leap in the dark. In the spiritual realm, Jesus Christ demands that you risk everything you hold on to or believe through common sense, and leap by faith into what He says

Whilst giving to the poor is not discouraged by these verses – indeed we are told:  “Blessed is he that considereth the poor: the LORD will deliver him in time of trouble” (Psalm 41:1)  – and throughout the ages Christian institutions have certainly led the way in this area, we must take note that we will not ‘make poverty history’ all the time the world system is as it is. Only when Jesus is on the throne will we see true social justice. Satan would like nothing more than to sidetrack Christians by getting them on-board the social bandwagon, tackling the world’s problems. We have a much more pressing social problem to fight: the sin that resides in every human heart, for which the only remedy is Jesus Christ. We must recognise our calling to preach the Word, teach all nations, in all seasons, for what is the point of a socially perfect world, with poverty eradicated, if the fate of all the inhabitants is an eternity separated from God?

May you be blessed and challenged to worship Him in Spirit and Truth through this study.

Every blessing,

Pastor Barry.

The post The Gospel of Mark 14 1-11 first appeared on Calvary Chapel Portsmouth.