resistance

Be Wise As Serpents and Innocent As Doves

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16 “Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves. 17 Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, 18 and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. 19 When they deliver you over, do not be anxious how you are to speak or what you are to say, for what you are to say will be given to you in that hour. 20 For it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father speaking through you. 21 Brother will deliver brother over to death, and the father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death, 22 and you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But the one who endures to the end will be saved. 23 When they persecute you in one town, flee to the next, for truly, I say to you, you will not have gone through all the towns of Israel before the Son of Man comes.” – Matthew 10:16-23 ESV

Try to put yourself in the sandals of the disciples. It was still early in their relationship with Jesus, and He had just told them that He was going to send them out on their own with the responsibility of sharing the news of His Kingdom with their fellow Jews. Not only that, He has informed them that they will be able to perform the same incredible miracles He has done. All of this must have sounded strange but also a bit exciting. They were being commissioned by the Messiah and given a level of responsibility that must have seemed way above their pay grade. After all, they were simple fishermen, laborers, and tax collectors. Yet, Jesus had chosen to send them, and this assignment must have left them with a sense of pride. However, Jesus was about to tap the brakes on their enthusiasm.

He could probably tell from the looks in their eyes that they were thrilled with the prospect of being able to perform miracles. They couldn’t hide their excitement at being able to pronounce blessings and curses on those to whom they spoke. That kind of power and authority would make anyone’s head swim. So, He threw a bit of cold water on their enthusiasm by telling them, “I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves” (Matthew 10:16 ESV). He had just described the people of Israel as “lost sheep” (Matthew 10:6). Now, He compares the disciples to sheep, a reference they would have well understood. Sheep are innocent and highly vulnerable animals. They are virtually defenseless, lacking the capacity to protect themselves from harm. Which made Jesus’ next warning even more distressing. These men would be as vulnerable as innocent, unprotected sheep grazing among wolves. – not exactly an encouraging picture. Then He followed this up with a warning that borrows from two other creatures of the animal kingdom. 

“…be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.” – Matthew 10:16 ESV

The Greek word translated as “wise” implies prudence or shrewdness. This kind of street savvy would allow them to survive in a very difficult environment. The phrase, “Be wise as serpents,” was likely a common proverbial statement familiar to the disciples that needed no explanation. They understood that snakes avoided danger at all costs. They were well-adapted creatures adept at concealment and the avoidance of confrontation. But to prevent them from becoming jaded and ruthless in their behavior, Jesus warned them to maintain a sense of innocence. They were not to mimic the defensive posture of a cornered snake, lashing out at those who threatened or opposed them. They were also to avoid the temptation of mirroring the behavior of wolves. Jesus didn’t want His disciples to become predatory or ruthless in the face of cancer. Rather, they were to be aware of the enemy’s wiles without emulating his ways.

Earlier, Jesus warned His disciples about false prophets “who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves” (Matthew 7:15 NLT). This thinly veiled reference to the religious leaders of the day was intended to expose their hypocrisy and duplicity. Jesus said, “You can identify them by their fruit, that is, by the way they act” (Matthew 7:16 NLT). The disciples would need shrewdness to discern the actions of the Jewish religious leaders who would oppose them in their efforts to share the good news.

The prophet Ezekiel recorded God’s indictment of such men.

“What sorrow awaits you shepherds who feed yourselves instead of your flocks. Shouldn’t shepherds feed their sheep? You drink the milk, wear the wool, and butcher the best animals, but you let your flocks starve. You have not taken care of the weak. You have not tended the sick or bound up the injured. You have not gone looking for those who have wandered away and are lost. Instead, you have ruled them with harshness and cruelty. So my sheep have been scattered without a shepherd, and they are easy prey for any wild animal. They have wandered through all the mountains and all the hills, across the face of the earth, yet no one has gone to search for them.” – Ezekiel 34:2-6 NLT

The disciples were called to minister in that environment. What they didn’t realize at the time was that Jesus was preparing them for the days after His death, resurrection, and ascension. He knew that when He returned to His Father’s side in heaven, the focus of the religious leaders’ wrath would fall on His disciples. But even when confronted by the hatred of the Pharisees, the disciples were to remain innocent as doves. This was a call to remain pure and guileless in the face of persecution. Jesus talked about this very thing in His Sermon on the Mount.

“Blessed are you when others revile you and persecute you and utter all kinds of evil against you falsely on my account. Rejoice and be glad, for your reward is great in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you.” – Matthew 5;11-12 ESV

Jesus’ command to be innocent as doves was not a call to gullibility or weakness. It was a reminder that purity and holiness must mark the life of a true disciple. That is why Jesus told them to love their enemies and to pray for those who persecute them. Vengeance and retribution have no place in the life of a Christ follower. Innocence is also not a call to ignorance. He wanted His disciples to be fully informed of the dangers they faced. That’s why He refused to withhold the sinister nature of their future ministry.

Beware of men, for they will deliver you over to courts and flog you in their synagogues, and you will be dragged before governors and kings for my sake, to bear witness before them and the Gentiles. – Matthew 10:17-18 ESV

What the disciples didn’t know was that Jesus was talking about the future. He was addressing events that would take place after His death, resurrection and ascension. At this point in their relationship with Jesus, they had no way of knowing that His earthly ministry would end in His violent death by crucifixion. He had yet to break that news to them. They were oblivious to the fact that, upon His return to heaven, they would find themselves serving as His ambassadors and earthly representatives, tasked with the responsibility of taking the good news of His sacrificial death on the cross to the world. They would be His witnesses “in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth” (Acts 1:8 ESV). And they would find themselves facing stiff resistance in the form of persecution and even death.

This disconcerting news must have left the disciples slack-jawed and dumbfounded. All this talk of courts, floggings, and death must have left them shaking their heads in confusion. Their eager enthusiasm would have turned to abject fear and revulsion at the thought of enduring such things. But Jesus gave them some good news, informing them that the Spirit of God would be with them, so they had no reason to be anxious. The Holy Spirit would give them the words they needed to defend themselves when standing before the courts. And even if their own families turned against them and they found themselves facing the hatred of those who once claimed to love them, they could rest in knowing that God would be with them. They would be saved. This doesn’t mean they would escape death, but that they would ultimately be delivered to eternal life.

None of this would have sounded like good news to the disciples. They must have been staring at one another in disbelief and confusion, trying to comprehend all that Jesus told them. It’s important to remember that they believed Jesus to be the Messiah, but their understanding was that He had come to set up His Kingdom on earth NOW. They were looking for a new day to dawn for the people of Israel. They had joined up with Jesus because they thought He would restore Israel to its place of power and prominence, and they hoped to get in on the ground floor of His new administration.

But now, Jesus had clouded their vision of the future. In essence, Jesus was revealing that God’s agenda was far different than their own. There was a divine plan in place that would include not only Jesus’ first coming, but a second one that would finalize God’s plan for the redemption of mankind and the recreation of the world. But in the meantime, some important events would have to take place, including Jesus’ death on the cross, His return to heaven, the Rapture of the church, and His Second Coming at the end of the Tribulation.

The disciples lived with a here-and-now mentality that focused all their attention on the time in which they lived. They weren’t thinking about the distant future and were unconcerned about things that might happen after they were gone. But Jesus was trying to expand their understanding and open their eyes to the reality that His mission was far greater than they imagined. The redemptive plan of God went beyond the physical restoration of the nation of Israel as a political force on earth.

The Son of Man had come, but He would have to come again. And it would be at His second coming that Jesus would accomplish many of the things the disciples were expecting. They would be long gone by that time, but they were the first of many who would spread the good news about Jesus to the world. They would start with the Jews, but after Jesus’ death, they would be told to take the gospel to the nations. After the disciples were gone, the offer of salvation through Christ would be carried around the world by future disciples who would face persecution, rejection, and even death. But one day Jesus will return to complete the mission He has been given by God.

In the meantime, we are called to be like our Teacher. We are to serve as He served, love as He loved, share as He shared. As a result, we will suffer as He has suffered. We will be falsely accused and maligned just as He was. But we have the knowledge and reassurance that one day He is coming back. We also rest in the fact that our destiny is secure and our eternal state guaranteed by His death and resurrection. We have nothing to fear and everything to look forward to. In the meantime, we must be wise as serpents and gentle as doves.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Where There’s HIS Will, There’s Always a Way

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17 The king sent an answer: “To Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe and the rest of their associates who live in Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River, greeting. And now 18 the letter that you sent to us has been plainly read before me. 19 And I made a decree, and search has been made, and it has been found that this city from of old has risen against kings, and that rebellion and sedition have been made in it. 20 And mighty kings have been over Jerusalem, who ruled over the whole province Beyond the River, to whom tribute, custom, and toll were paid. 21 Therefore make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me. 22 And take care not to be slack in this matter. Why should damage grow to the hurt of the king?”

23 Then, when the copy of King Artaxerxes’ letter was read before Rehum and Shimshai the scribe and their associates, they went in haste to the Jews at Jerusalem and by force and power made them cease. 24 Then the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia. – Ezra 4:17-24 ESV

After a letter-writing campaign to King Artaxerxes, the enemies of the Jews finally got their wish. The king took the advice of the letter’s authors and searched the royal archives where he found ample evidence of Israel’s former glories and past rebellions. The records revealed that powerful kings had once ruled over this kingdom “Beyond the River” (Ezra 4:17 ESV), a reference to the Euphrates. Men like David and Solomon had established far-reaching empires that exacted the payment of taxes and tribute from the surrounding nations. Unwilling to risk a Jewish insurrection if the walls of Jerusalem were rebuilt, Artaxerxes ordered the immediate cessation of all rebuilding efforts. He addressed his letter to Rehum who served as the “lord” over the province once known as Judah. Rehum’s exact role is unclear but he either served as governor or as the head of the Persian military high command stationed in Judah. Artaxerxes gave Rehum the royal authority to force the Jews to stop building.

“…make a decree that these men be made to cease, and that this city be not rebuilt, until a decree is made by me.” – Ezra 4:21 ESV

The king was buying time to consider a more permanent solution to the problem. But, in the meantime, Rehum and his cohorts had the authority to use military force to outlaw any efforts to rebuild the walls. They had gotten what they wanted. It would be two years before King Artaxerxes allowed construction on Jerusalem and its walls to begin again. His change of heart came at the behest of one of his servants who just happened to be a Jew. Nehemiah, who served as cupbearer to the king, received news of the sad state of affairs back in Judah.

“The remnant there in the province who had survived the exile is in great trouble and shame. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates are destroyed by fire.” – Nehemiah 1:3 ESV

Using his access to the king, Nehemiah put in a request to return to Judah to help oversee the rebuilding of the walls.

“If it pleases the king, let letters be given me to the governors of the province Beyond the River, that they may let me pass through until I come to Judah, and a letter to Asaph, the keeper of the king’s forest, that he may give me timber to make beams for the gates of the fortress of the temple, and for the wall of the city, and for the house that I shall occupy.” – Ezra 2:7-8 ESV

In his record of the occasion, Nehemiah writes, “the king granted me what I asked, for the good hand of my God was upon me” (Nehemiah 2:8 ESV). Nehemiah and a contingent of fellow Jews made the long trip back to Judah accompanied by Persian troops sent by the king. When he arrived in Judah, Nehemiah met with the local officials and handed over the king’s letters.

Then I came to the governors of the province Beyond the River and gave them the king’s letters. Now the king had sent with me officers of the army and horsemen. But when Sanballat the Horonite and Tobiah the Ammonite servant heard this, it displeased them greatly that someone had come to seek the welfare of the people of Israel. – Nehemiah 2:9-10 ESV

Despite the negative reception, Nehemiah would begin work on the walls and gates of Jerusalem.

However, the two-year delay must have been difficult for the Jews living in Jerusalem. They had no way of knowing that God would one day move Nehemiah to use his position on the king’s staff to request royal authority to restart construction on the walls. So, each day, they would walk by the dilapidated walls and wonder why God had allowed the enemy to win. They had faithfully tried to carry out God’s plans but had failed.

So why the delay? Why were the Jews seemingly thwarted in their attempt to remain faithful to God? It is easy to sit on this side of the story and question why the people did not persevere and simply continue to build in the face of opposition. But they were greatly outnumbered and ill-equipped to stand against their enemies. This was a time of great discouragement and disillusionment. The people of God had to feel confused by the events surrounding them. They had to question whether God was in control. They had to wonder whether they should have ever returned.

In verse 24, Ezra returns the story back to the days of King Cyrus. He states that “the work on the house of God that is in Jerusalem stopped, and it ceased until the second year of the reign of Darius king of Persia” (Ezra 4:24 ESV). Verses 6-23 serve as a parenthetical section that was meant to accentuate the ongoing persecution of the Jews as they attempted to carry out God’s plans for the rebuilding of Jerusalem. Work on the Temple was stopped in 536 B.C. and would not begin again until 520 B.C., 16 years later.

Setbacks and standstills are common in our spiritual journeys. We should not be surprised by them, but instead, we need to learn to expect them and push through them. Despite the unexpected delays, Ezra and his fellow Jews needed to know that God was not done yet. He was still sovereign and all-knowing. He was fully aware of the opposition and the pressure being put on the Jews to give up on their God-given task. The enemy was alive and well. The temptation to throw in the towel and give up on their divine commission was real. But their God was great.

We too will face opposition. We will be tempted to give up when the going gets tough. But we have to remember that God is with us. He will not leave us or forsake us. The rebuilding did begin again. After a delay, the people once again took up the task of completing God’s Temple. God was still in control. Distraction, discouragement, and delays are inevitable. But in the end, God’s will always wins out.

God is always there, even when things look bleak and the opposition seems too strong. When we face delays in our spiritual journey, it is easy to lose hope and give up. But we must never lose sight of His constant presence, all-prevailing plan, and limitless power. We must never be surprised when facing opposition; it is part of the process. It is par for the course. But we must also never forget that God is always working. He never gets distracted or discouraged. He is always there, behind the scenes, fulfilling His will in His way and according to His perfect timing.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Obedience Is Never Easy

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8 Rehum the commander and Shimshai the scribe wrote a letter against Jerusalem to Artaxerxes the king as follows: 9 Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, the judges, the governors, the officials, the Persians, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites, 10 and the rest of the nations whom the great and noble Osnappar deported and settled in the cities of Samaria and in the rest of the province Beyond the River. 11 (This is a copy of the letter that they sent.) “To Artaxerxes the king: Your servants, the men of the province Beyond the River, send greeting. And now 12 be it known to the king that the Jews who came up from you to us have gone to Jerusalem. They are rebuilding that rebellious and wicked city. They are finishing the walls and repairing the foundations. 13 Now be it known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and the walls finished, they will not pay tribute, custom, or toll, and the royal revenue will be impaired. 14 Now because we eat the salt of the palace and it is not fitting for us to witness the king’s dishonor, therefore we send and inform the king, 15 in order that search may be made in the book of the records of your fathers. You will find in the book of the records and learn that this city is a rebellious city, hurtful to kings and provinces, and that sedition was stirred up in it from of old. That was why this city was laid waste. 16 We make known to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls finished, you will then have no possession in the province Beyond the River.” – Ezra 4:8-16 ESV

This incident was inserted into the text to illustrate the long-term nature of the assault against Judah’s repatriation. The letter mentioned was likely sent around 446 B.C. when Artaxerxes ruled the Persian Empire (464 to 424 B.C.). He was the successor to Xerxes (Ahasuerus) and the fifth in line to the crown passed down from Cyrus. Nearly 92 years had passed when the disgruntled Samaritans wrote their letter to Artaxerxes decrying the ongoing efforts of the Judaens to rebuild the city of Jerusalem. By this time in the narrative, the Temple would have already been completed and the rebuilding efforts would have shifted the city’s walls.

In the book that bears his name, Nehemiah shares how he heard about the disheveled condition of Jerusalem’s walls and the demoralized state of the people.

In late autumn, in the month of Kislev, in the twentieth year of King Artaxerxes’ reign, I was at the fortress of Susa. Hanani, one of my brothers, came to visit me with some other men who had just arrived from Judah. I asked them about the Jews who had returned there from captivity and about how things were going in Jerusalem.

They said to me, “Things are not going well for those who returned to the province of Judah. They are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem has been torn down, and the gates have been destroyed by fire.” – Nehemiah 1:1-3 NLT

All of this points to the fact that the people of Judah endured nearly 100 years of relentless persecution and attack from “the people of the land.” From the moment they arrived in Judah, God’s people faced intense opposition from the hodge-podge of transplanted people groups who were determined to maintain their hold on the land.

Sometime during the reign of Artaxerxes, three prominent dissidents decided to draft a letter of protest, outlining their concerns and grievances to the king. These men enlisted the support of other local leaders which included “Rehum the commander, Shimshai the scribe, and the rest of their associates, the judges, the governors, the officials, the Persians, the men of Erech, the Babylonians, the men of Susa, that is, the Elamites” (Ezra 4:9 ESV). Evidently, all of these men signed their names to the letter in a show of solidarity. The letter begins with a reminder to Artaxerxes that they had been placed in the land by order of Osnappar (Ashurbanipal), the former Assyrian ruler. They wanted Artaxerxes to honor their rights as the legal occupants of the land. In essence, they asserted that Cyrus had been wrong to award the city of Jerusalem to the returning Jewish exiles because it was not his to give.

But the main focus of the letter was to convince the Persian king that the Jews were a rebellious and unruly people who would never submit to outside control. If he allowed them to complete the construction of Jerusalem’s walls, they would revolt and refuse to pay tribute to their Persian overlords.

“The king should know that the Jews who came here to Jerusalem from Babylon are rebuilding this rebellious and evil city. They have already laid the foundation and will soon finish its walls. And the king should know that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, it will be much to your disadvantage, for the Jews will then refuse to pay their tribute, customs, and tolls to you.” – Ezra 4:12-13 NLT

The Jews mentioned in this letter would have been those who returned in 458 B.C. under the leadership of Ezra. As chapter seven makes clear, Ezra had been commissioned by Artaxerxes himself to rebuild the Temple.

“I, Artaxerxes the king, hereby send this decree to all the treasurers in the province west of the Euphrates River: ‘You are to give Ezra, the priest and teacher of the law of the God of heaven, whatever he requests of you. You are to give him up to 7,500 pounds of silver, 500 bushels of wheat, 550 gallons of wine, 550 gallons of olive oil, and an unlimited supply of salt. Be careful to provide whatever the God of heaven demands for his Temple, for why should we risk bringing God’s anger against the realm of the king and his sons?” – Ezra 7:21-23 NLT

With the Temple completed, the Jews had turned their attention to the walls of the city, prompting the local residents to fire off their inflammatory missive to the king. They wanted him to know that his earlier edict granting the Jews permission to rebuild the Temple was going to come back to haunt him. The Jews had not been satisfied with restoring their sacred worship center; now, they wanted to restore the entire city, including its walls and battlements.

This letter attempted to portray the Jews in as negative a light as possible. It describes them as rebellious and threatening the Persian’s hold on the land. If Artaxerxes allowed the Jews to rebuild the walls of the city, they would do what they always did, foment rebellion and foster a spirit of stubborn independence in the region.

“We declare to the king that if this city is rebuilt and its walls are completed, the province west of the Euphrates River will be lost to you.” – Ezra 4:16 NLT

They asserted that a thorough search of the royal records would provide more than enough evidence of Judah’s seditious past.

“We suggest that a search be made in your ancestors’ records, where you will discover what a rebellious city this has been in the past. In fact, it was destroyed because of its long and troublesome history of revolt against the kings and countries who controlled it.” – Ezra 4:15 NLT

“The historical justification for the claim that Jerusalem is a chronically rebellious city will have consisted in such events as Hezekiah’s withholding of tribute from Assyria (2 Kings 18:7, ca. 724 B.C.) and Zedekiah’s abortive bid for freedom from the Babylonians, which led to the cataclysm of 587 (2 Kings 24:20ff). The Assyrian and Babylonian annals were evidently available to the Persian kings. And it is clear that a nerve is touched.” – J. G. McConville, Ezra, Nehemiah, and Esther. Daily Study Bible series

The authors of the letter were desperate to portray the Judahites as dangerous insurrectionists and revolutionaries. Their use of overwrought and inflammatory rhetoric was meant to convince Artaxerxes to send in troops to put a stop to the rebuilding efforts. Little did they know that they were opposing God Almighty. God had ordained the rebuilding of the Temple and Jerusalem and was behind the decree issued by Cyrus that made it all possible. God had also prompted Artaxerxes to issue his own edict providing Ezra with permission to rebuild the Temple. Yet God knew that the rebuilding and repopulating of Judah would not take place without a fight. There would be resistance. The enemy would stand opposed. And, even as the rest of chapter four will reveal, there would be setbacks. But God’s will would prevail.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

Plague Number Four

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20 Then the Lord said to Moses, “Rise up early in the morning and present yourself to Pharaoh, as he goes out to the water, and say to him, ‘Thus says the Lord, “Let my people go, that they may serve me. 21 Or else, if you will not let my people go, behold, I will send swarms of flies on you and your servants and your people, and into your houses. And the houses of the Egyptians shall be filled with swarms of flies, and also the ground on which they stand. 22 But on that day I will set apart the land of Goshen, where my people dwell, so that no swarms of flies shall be there, that you may know that I am the Lord in the midst of the earth. 23 Thus I will put a division between my people and your people. Tomorrow this sign shall happen.”’” 24 And the Lord did so. There came great swarms of flies into the house of Pharaoh and into his servants’ houses. Throughout all the land of Egypt the land was ruined by the swarms of flies.

25 Then Pharaoh called Moses and Aaron and said, “Go, sacrifice to your God within the land.” 26 But Moses said, “It would not be right to do so, for the offerings we shall sacrifice to the Lord our God are an abomination to the Egyptians. If we sacrifice offerings abominable to the Egyptians before their eyes, will they not stone us? 27 We must go three days’ journey into the wilderness and sacrifice to the Lord our God as he tells us.” 28 So Pharaoh said, “I will let you go to sacrifice to the Lord your God in the wilderness; only you must not go very far away. Plead for me.” 29 Then Moses said, “Behold, I am going out from you and I will plead with the Lord that the swarms of flies may depart from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people, tomorrow. Only let not Pharaoh cheat again by not letting the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.” 30 So Moses went out from Pharaoh and prayed to the Lord. 31 And the Lord did as Moses asked, and removed the swarms of flies from Pharaoh, from his servants, and from his people; not one remained. 32 But Pharaoh hardened his heart this time also, and did not let the people go. – Exodus 8:20-32 ESV

As a result of Pharaoh’s stubbornness, the Egyptians have already had to endure rivers of blood, the stink of dead and rotting fish, an infestation of frogs, and the frustration of billions of irritating gnats. With each judgment, God increased the intensity of the suffering and pain, but Pharaoh remained unwaveringly committed to resisting the demands of Moses and the will of his God. He was not going to give in. Even when his magicians confessed to him that this latest affliction was “the finger of God” (Exodus 8:19 ESV), Pharaoh continued to dig in his heels like a spoiled toddler.

But Pharaoh’s heart remained hard. He wouldn’t listen to them, just as the Lord had predicted. – Exodus 8:19 NLT

Everything was going according to God’s preordained plan. Each of these devastating displays of God’s power was intended to demonstrate His status as Lord and the one true God. And it should not be overlooked that these signs were all direct attacks on the false gods of the Egyptians.

The Egyptians had a plethora of deities, most of whom were tied directly to the natural world. Many of their gods were displayed with animal features used to illustrate their particular power or area of domain. Egyptian deities, even those that featured human heads, often had animal-like characteristics. It was not uncommon for these hybrid images to appear on statues and in the hieroglyphics that adorned the walls of their palaces and burial places. Virtually every animal indigenous to Egypt was linked to one or more of their gods. And their deification of the animal and insect kingdom is in keeping with the assessment of fallen humanity that Paul gives in his letter to the Romans.

They traded the truth about God for a lie. So they worshiped and served the things God created instead of the Creator himself, who is worthy of eternal praise! – Romans 1:25 NLT

Even the lowly fly was afforded god-like status in Egypt.

Even the humble fly (called aff in Egyptian) was worn as a homopoeic amulet. Fly amulets were distinctly v-shaped, emphasizing the head and wings of the insect. They varied in size but most were 2cm or smaller and could be strung on a single necklace or bracelet, often interspaced by beads. Small fly amulets have been found in Egypt made from gold, silver, bone, lapis lazuli, faience, carnelian, and amethyst. Wearing a fly amulet was probably believed to protect the wearer from insect bites or ward off pesky flying creatures through apotropaic magic. – http://www.nilescribes.org

The Hebrew word translated as “flies” is ʿārōḇ, and it literally means “swarm.” It could refer to any of a number of swarming insects, including flies and mosquitos. But whatever it was, it was larger in size that a gnat and far more vicious in its attacks. The book of Psalms contains a description of these flying insects that reveals that they were far more than just a nuisance.

He sent swarms of biting insects against them,  as well as frogs that overran their land. – Psalm 78:45 NET

From stinging gnats to biting flies, the Egyptians were getting no rest from God’s judgment. And no amulet with the image of an insect was going to immunize the Egyptians against the wrath of God. Their magic was no match for Jehovah. But that didn’t phase the recalcitrant king of Egypt.

So, God ordered Moses to deliver a “stinging” message of His own to Pharaoh.

“Let my people go, so they can worship me. If you refuse, then I will send swarms of flies on you, your officials, your people, and all the houses. The Egyptian homes will be filled with flies, and the ground will be covered with them.” – Exodus 8:21 NLT

But this time, God added a rather novel addendum to His warning of pending judgment. When the flies came, they would somehow avoid the land of Goshen, where the people of Israel lived. In other words, God was going to supernaturally protect His own people. No amulets or good luck charms would be necessary.

“…this time I will spare the region of Goshen, where my people live. No flies will be found there. Then you will know that I am the Lord and that I am present even in the heart of your land.” – Exodus 8:22 NLT

God Almighty was going to put a hedge of protection around His children so that the flies would only affect the people of Egypt. Even the flocks and herds of the Israelites would be supernaturally spared when this judgment came upon the land of Egypt. And God lets Pharaoh know that this seemingly impossible dome of protection around Goshen will prove that He is not some regional deity relegated to the land of Canaan. No, He insists, “you will know that I am the Lord and that I am present even in the heart of your land” (Exodus 8:22 NLT). In a sense, God is stating that He will be the protector of His people. His presence will provide all the immunization they need from the coming judgment. And this miraculous display of divine differentiation between one group and another was meant to be a powerful reminder to the people of Israel that they belonged to God, and He was more than capable of caring for them.

And God delivered on His word.

“A thick swarm of flies filled Pharaoh’s palace and the houses of his officials. The whole land of Egypt was thrown into chaos by the flies.” – Exodus 8:24 NLT

Notice that God did this. There is no indication that either Aaron or Moses did anything to bring about this plague. No staff was raised. No words were spoken. Moses simply states, “And the Lord did so” (Exodus 8:24 ESV). This was all the handiwork of God. No help or assistance was necessary. Moses and Aaron simply stood back and watched as God did His thing.

And God’s actions brought about apparent results. Pharaoh finally gave in and gave his permission for the Israelites to offer sacrifices to their God, but with one caveat. They had to do so within the land of Egypt. He forbade them to cross the border.

But Moses rejected Pharaoh’s last-minute revision to the plan.

“That wouldn’t be right. The Egyptians detest the sacrifices that we offer to the Lord our God. Look, if we offer our sacrifices here where the Egyptians can see us, they will stone us. We must take a three-day trip into the wilderness to offer sacrifices to the Lord our God, just as he has commanded us.” – Exodus 8:26-27 NLT

Under great duress, Pharaoh finally caved into Moses’ demands, allowing them to make the 3-day journey into the wilderness to worship their God. But he insisted that they hurry and that they offer up a prayer for him before they go. Moses agreed to the terms and promised to bring the plight of Pharaoh and his Egyptians to the attention of God. Yet he warned him not to renege on his agreement.

“As soon as I leave you, I will pray to the Lord, and tomorrow the swarms of flies will disappear from you and your officials and all your people. But I am warning you, Pharaoh, don’t lie to us again and refuse to let the people go to sacrifice to the Lord.” – Exodus 8:29 NLT

And Moses kept his end of the bargain. Immediately after leaving the palace, he prayed and, within minutes, God removed every last fly from the land. It was yet another supernatural display of God’s power and authority. Yet while the people of Egypt must have breathed a sigh of relief when the flies finally disappeared, Pharaoh sank back into his dark and defiant black hole of arrogant intransigence.

But Pharaoh again became stubborn and refused to let the people go. – Exodus 8:32 NLT

English Standard Version (ESV) The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001

New Living Translation (NLT) Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Resisting the Will of God.

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In the beginning of the reign of Zedekiah the son of Josiah, king of Judah, this word came to Jeremiah from the Lord. Thus the Lord said to me: “Make yourself straps and yoke-bars, and put them on your neck. Send word to the king of Edom, the king of Moab, the king of the sons of Ammon, the king of Tyre, and the king of Sidon by the hand of the envoys who have come to Jerusalem to Zedekiah king of Judah. Give them this charge for their masters: ‘Thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel: This is what you shall say to your masters: “It is I who by my great power and my outstretched arm have made the earth, with the men and animals that are on the earth, and I give it to whomever it seems right to me. Now I have given all these lands into the hand of Nebuchadnezzar, the king of Babylon, my servant, and I have given him also the beasts of the field to serve him. All the nations shall serve him and his son and his grandson, until the time of his own land comes. Then many nations and great kings shall make him their slave.

“‘“But if any nation or kingdom will not serve this Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon, and put its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon, I will punish that nation with the sword, with famine, and with pestilence, declares the Lord, until I have consumed it by his hand. So do not listen to your prophets, your diviners, your dreamers, your fortune-tellers, or your sorcerers, who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon.’ For it is a lie that they are prophesying to you, with the result that you will be removed far from your land, and I will drive you out, and you will perish. But any nation that will bring its neck under the yoke of the king of Babylon and serve him, I will leave on its own land, to work it and dwell there, declares the Lord.”’”

To Zedekiah king of Judah I spoke in like manner: “Bring your necks under the yoke of the king of Babylon, and serve him and his people and live. Why will you and your people die by the sword, by famine, and by pestilence, as the Lord has spoken concerning any nation that will not serve the king of Babylon? Do not listen to the words of the prophets who are saying to you, ‘You shall not serve the king of Babylon,’ for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. I have not sent them, declares the Lord, but they are prophesying falsely in my name, with the result that I will drive you out and you will perish, you and the prophets who are prophesying to you.”

Then I spoke to the priests and to all this people, saying, “Thus says the Lord: Do not listen to the words of your prophets who are prophesying to you, saying, ‘Behold, the vessels of the Lord‘s house will now shortly be brought back from Babylon,’ for it is a lie that they are prophesying to you. Do not listen to them; serve the king of Babylon and live. Why should this city become a desolation? If they are prophets, and if the word of the Lord is with them, then let them intercede with the Lord of hosts, that the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem may not go to Babylon. For thus says the Lord of hosts concerning the pillars, the sea, the stands, and the rest of the vessels that are left in this city, which Nebuchadnezzar king of Babylon did not take away, when he took into exile from Jerusalem to Babylon Jeconiah the son of Jehoiakim, king of Judah, and all the nobles of Judah and Jerusalem— thus says the Lord of hosts, the God of Israel, concerning the vessels that are left in the house of the Lord, in the house of the king of Judah, and in Jerusalem: They shall be carried to Babylon and remain there until the day when I visit them, declares the Lord. Then I will bring them back and restore them to this place.” – Jeremiah 27 ESV

It’s difficult not to feel a bit of sympathy for Jeremiah when you stop and reflect on all that he had to put up with as God’s messenger. It was one thing to have to deliver God’s prophetic word concerning Judah’s destruction day after day. But on top of that, God required Jeremiah to do a number of bizarre acts designed to be living illustrations or lessons for the people of Judah. Back in chapter 13, God had commanded Jeremiah to buy linen undergarments, wear them for a period of time, then bury them. Many days later, Jeremiah returned to find the linen shorts ruined and no longer good for anything. They were intended to symbolize how Judah had gone from having an intimate relationship with God to being marred by sin and worthy of being discarded as worthless. In chapter 16, we saw that God denied Jeremiah the right to have a wife and children. In a culture where marriage and family were primary symbols of God’s blessing, this would have been very difficult for the prophet to accept. Later on, we will see Jeremiah instructed by God to buy a field. What made this particularly difficult was that Jerusalem was under siege by the Babylonians and the entire nation was enduring famine and a financial crisis. The prophet was investing in property that would soon belong to the Babylonians. But once again, this was meant to be an illustration or visible proof that God would one day return the people of Judah to the land.

In today’s chapter, we see God commanding Jeremiah to make a yoke, like that used with oxen in order to plow fields. But this yoke was to be sized to fit Jeremiah’s neck. And he was commanded by God to wear this yoke as a visual aid to the kings of Edom, Moab, Ammon, Tyre, and Sidon. Their ambassadors had come to see King Zedekiah in Jerusalem and Jeremiah was to deliver to them a message from God.

“This is what the Lord of Heaven’s Armies, the God of Israel, says: With my great strength and powerful arm I made the earth and all its people and every animal. I can give these things of mine to anyone I choose. Now I will give your countries to King Nebuchadnezzar of Babylon, who is my servant. I have put everything, even the wild animals, under his control. All the nations will serve him, his son, and his grandson until his time is up. Then many nations and great kings will conquer and rule over Babylon. So you must submit to Babylon’s king and serve him; put your neck under Babylon’s yoke! I will punish any nation that refuses to be his slave, says the Lord. I will send war, famine, and disease upon that nation until Babylon has conquered it.” – Jeremiah 27:4-8 NLT

These nations, just like Judah, were expected by God to submit to His will for them. He had ordained that Babylon would conquer not only Judah, but also the surrounding nations. Each of the ambassadors represented a nation which had lengthy ties to Israel as either a vassal-state or ally, dating all the way back to King David. At one point, they had all been enemies of Israel. And now, God was warning them that they too would be subject to His will. But as the yoke around Jeremiah’s neck suggested, they would have to submit to God’s will for them. If they chose to reject God’s will, they would suffer greatly, just as Judah would. God warns these men to return home and deliver His message to their respective kings, and to refrain from listening to the false words of their sorcerers, wise men, magicians and fortune-tellers who would try to contradict God’s word. Jeremiah delivered God’s ultimatum to them:

“But the people of any nation that submits to the king of Babylon will be allowed to stay in their own country to farm the land as usual. I, the Lord, have spoken!” – Jeremiah 27:11 NLT

Submit and survive. The will of God was going to be done. You could either come under it or be devastated by it. The will of God is not just for the people of God, but for all mankind. He rules over all. He has plans that include all men and women of all nations. And while anyone is free to resist the divine will of God, they can never prevent His will from taking place. The entire promised land and everyone who lived in it, including the Edomites, Moabites, Amonites, as well as the residents of Tyre and Sidon, would find themselves subject to God’s will. They would all feel the wrath of God as exhibited through the might of the Babylonians. And they could submit to God’s will by subjecting themselves to the Babylonian’s rule and remain in the land, or they could resist and suffer the consequences.

And Jeremiah reminds the people of Judah that they too will need to submit. Years earlier, King Nebuchadnezzar had invaded Judah and conquered the city of Jerusalem. He had not destroyed it at that time, but had plundered the city and taken many of its residents captive.

Nebuchadnezzar took from there all the riches in the treasuries of the Lord’s temple and of the royal palace. He removed all the gold items which King Solomon of Israel had made for the Lord’s temple, just as the Lord had warned. He deported all the residents of Jerusalem, including all the officials and all the soldiers (10,000 people in all). This included all the craftsmen and those who worked with metal. No one was left except for the poorest among the people of the land. – 2 Kings 24:13-14 NLT

Now, Jeremiah warns King Zedekiah and the people of Judah that they must subject themselves to the reign of Nebuchadnezzar or face complete destruction for their resistance to the will of God. If they will willingly place themselves under the yoke of God, they will survive and one day see the return of the captives to the land, along with all the treasures of the temple that had been taken by the Babylonians. The yoke of God appears difficult to bear, but in the long-run His will is always best.

Jesus used the imagery of the yoke when speaking to the people of Israel in His day. He told them:

“Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” – Matthew 11:28-30 NLT

Submission to the will of God appears difficult, but always proves the right choice. It is interesting that Jesus promises relief from burdens by offering a yoke, an instrument designed for bearing burdens. A yoke was an instrument of work, designed for the oxen to accomplish the will of the farmer. But if they would submit to the yoke, they would find their work was much easier. Fighting the yoke would only make the burden more difficult and the work, more painful. God’s will is always best.

English Standard Version (ESV)
The Holy Bible, English Standard Version. ESV® Permanent Text Edition® (2016). Copyright © 2001 by Crossway Bibles, a publishing ministry of Good News Publishers.

New Living Translation (NLT)
Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

The Message (MSG)Copyright © 1993, 1994, 1995, 1996, 2000, 2001, 2002 by Eugene H. Peterson

2 Corinthians 10

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On the Offensive.

2 Corinthians 10

We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:5 NLT

Paul was under attack. There were those in Corinth who were questioning the legitimacy of his apostleship and causing others in the church to reject his authority. For Paul, this meant war. Not because he was prideful and in need of their praise and respect. He wasn’t upset because people were talking about him or even because they disliked him. It was all about his God-given authority and the integrity of the Gospel. Paul had been commissioned by Jesus Christ Himself as he lay by the side of the road to Damascus, having lost his sight due to the glory of the risen Lord. Jesus had told Paul that day, “The God of our ancestors has chosen you to know his will and to see the Righteous One and hear him speak. For you are to be his witness, telling everyone what you have seen and heard. What are you waiting for? Get up and be baptized.  Have your sins washed away by calling on the name of the Lord” (Acts 22:14-16 NLT).

Ever since that day, Paul had been on a mission to fulfill his commission. The church in Corinth existed because Paul had obeyed God’s call on his life. He had told them about the life-changing, sin-cancelling, grace-giving salvation available through Jesus Christ. Paul had told them all that he had seen and heard. He had been a faithful, unfailing spokesman for God, and now his authority was being questioned. These new believers in Christ were being led to doubt Paul’s word and to reject his teachings as authoritative. Paul could have cared less about what they thought about him as a person, but when they stopped accepting his words as coming from God, he was forced to go on the offensive. He viewed this as a battle for the spiritual lives of the believers in Corinth. “We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments” (2 Corinthians 10:3-4 NLT). Paul was going to do everything in his power to tear down the false teachings and human presuppositions that were wreaking havoc on the church in Corinth. They may have been well-meaning, but their efforts had been destructive. By questioning Paul’s authority, they had led others to reject the very word of God. Paul knew that his authority had been given to him by God. He had been sent to Corinth by God. Everything he had taught them had been in keeping with the message given to him by Christ Himself. Paul had never strayed outside the boundaries of his God-given authority.

Paul had had to address some fairly difficult issues in his letters to the Corinthians. He had tackled some tough topics that probably offended many in the church there. He had dealt with moral and ethical issues. He had exposed areas of sin that they would have preferred had remained hidden. In his “severe letter” written some time between 1st and 2nd Corinthians, he had evidently addressed some topics that were difficult for the Corinthians to accept. But he had done it all as part of his authority as an apostle of Jesus Christ. His ministry had never been a popularity contest. He wasn’t out to win friends and influence enemies. He was a messenger of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, and he had been faithful to his calling. He had a right and responsibility to speak honestly and boldly, proclaiming not only the Good News of Jesus Christ, but the bad news regarding sin and its impact on the lives of men. Paul didn’t just preach salvation. He proclaimed sanctification. He made it painfully clear that a new life in Christ required a new way of living. Eternal life was to have temporal ramifications. An encounter with the Savior was to result in a change in behavior. Paul preached a message of sanctification or being set apart. He called the people of Corinth to live lives of distinctiveness, modeling what it means to be transformed by the power of God. And that was a message that was no less popular then as it is today. But Paul was willing to do battle over it. If the Gospel doesn’t transform lives here and now, it has no power. If it can’t make us new creations in this life, it doesn’t have the power to provide us with eternal life. That was a message Paul was willing to fight and die for. So should we.

Father, we sometimes shy away from saying those things we fear might come across as negative or unacceptable. We play it way too safe, mincing our words and lowering our expectations out of a fear of man. Give us the boldness and faithfulness of Paul. May we recognize that we too have been commissioned by God to deliver His message to a lost and dying world. Not only are we to call the lost to salvation, but the saved to sanctification. We are to call Your people to a life of distinctiveness. We have a God-given authority and responsibility to call one another to daily life change through the power of the Holy Spirit. Help us to live up to our calling, boldly and unapologetically.  Amen.

Ken Miller
Grow Pastor & Minister to Men
kenm@christchapelbc.org