Date: Tue, 18 Apr 1995 09:49:53 +0100
Reply-To: t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl
Sender: Christian explanation of the Scriptures to Israel
From: Teus Benschop
Subject: The Scriptures opened, 27
Contents
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1. Weekly reading, Deuteronomy 14:23
2. Psalm 111:10 - The fear of the LORD
3. New Testament, Matthew 16:15-17
1. Weekly reading, Deuteronomy 14:23
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And thou shalt eat before the LORD thy God, in the place which he shall
choose to place his name there, the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and
of thine oil, and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks; that
thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always.
In this verse are several things to speak about. When you read it
through, several times, you see that is spoken about the tithes, the
firstlings, the eating them before the LORD, the place God chooses, and
the fear of the LORD. Let we look at those things, one by one.
Thou shall eat the tithe before the LORD, "in the place which he shall
choose to place his name there". Immediately, we see that God is
sovereign. He is our LORD, and He is it, Who chooses the place for His
worship. When it pleases Him, He honours a place to place His holy Name
there. When it also pleases Him, He takes away His Name from there, and
the knowledge of God is lost. He gives the salvation to whom it pleases
Him, and He withholds His service from other people, according to His
will. He will not ask us: "May I dwell here?" No, He does not ask us, but
acts according to His will. For a time, He has chosen Zion, as is
written: "For the LORD hath chosen Zion; he hath desired [it] for his
habitation. This [is] my rest for ever: here will I dwell; for I have
desired it." (Psalms 132:13,14) Later on, through the sins of the
Israelites, He left that place, like is written: "And the glory of the
LORD went up from the midst of the city, and stood upon the mountain
which [is] on the east side of the city." (Ezekiel 11:23) Through that
departure, the city will lay waste. God chooses to dwell in a place, but
we, through our sins, drive Him away. And when He, nevertheless, returns,
it is in His grace, not according to our merits. It is grace, when God
dwells in our heart, but it is righteousness when He leaves us. So, fear
Him, asking if He will stay in us.
They shall come, and eat before the LORD, their God, "in the place
which He shall choose", to place His Name there. We see that there is one
place, appointed by God, where the worship is done. Why one place, and
not more? Because God is one, His worship is one, and there ought to be
one way of fearing and serving Him. Likewise is it now. There is one God,
and all the believers in His Name are one. All who believe and serve God
with a sincere heart, are one. They understand each other, for they are
the children of the same God. Own fabrications in the service of God are
abhorred. God is served according to His will, and not according to human
inventions. "In vain they do worship Me, teaching [for] doctrines the
commandments of men." (Matthew 15:9) All the human inventions of the oral
Torah are in vain, for it are but human inventions, without any ground in
Moses' Torah. Many of these oral traditions destroy Moses' commandments,
and are thus harmful. The people think to worship God by it, but it is in
vain. May their eyes once be opened by the true spiritual light of the
Spirit of God, namely when God pours out His Spirit in their hearts.
"Thou shalt eat the tithe of thy corn, of thy wine, and of thine oil,
and the firstlings of thy herds and of thy flocks." The tithes were given
to the Levites, "for he hath no part nor inheritance with thee."
(Deuteronomy 14:27) "And the LORD spake unto Aaron, Thou shalt have no
inheritance in their land, neither shalt thou have any part among them: I
[am] thy part and thine inheritance among the children of Israel."
(Numbers 18:20) When the people ate the tithes and the firstlings before
the LORD, their God, it showed that all came from Him. God gave the fruit
of the land, to live from. Therefore, the firstlings were offered unto
Him. God is the First, and He gives all. He gives the growth. This is so
in the natural things, but also in the spiritual things. God makes all
corn, wine, oil growing, and He gives the life to the people and the
beasts. Likewise in the spiritual things. He gives the natural birth, but
also the spiritual rebirth. He created the people and gave them natural
life. He also gives His chosen the spiritual life. Like we cannot give
life to ourselves, even so can we not give the spiritual life to
ourselves. People are not able to give the life, but they are well able
to kill others. Likewise are we in spiritual things unable to give new
life, but we are well able to kill spiritual life through our sins. "Your
iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have
hid [his] face from you, that he will not hear. (Isaiah 59:2)
In the last place is said in our text, "that thou mayest learn to fear
the LORD thy God always." What is that, fearing the LORD? Our text says
that they must come before the LORD, to learn fearing Him. So, when they
stay at home, and do not come, they learn not to fear Him. In the place
where He dwells, in Zion, there they will learn that. To explain what the
fear of the LORD is, that is above my power. You must experience it, and
only then you will understand. Yet, to say something about it, I will
quote some places of Scripture.
- It is a hate of evil. "The fear of the LORD [is] to hate evil: pride,
and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate."
(Proverbs 8:13)
- The true wisdom begins therewith. "The fear of the LORD [is] the
beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy [is] understanding."
(Proverbs 9:10)
- The years of the life of him, who fears the LORD, will be prolonged.
"The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall
be shortened." (Proverbs 10:27)
- All life flows from the fear of the LORD. God is the only fountain of
life, and He gives it to those who fear Him. "The fear of the LORD [is] a
fountain of life, to depart from the snares of death." (Proverbs 14:27)
"The fear of the LORD [tendeth] to life: and [he that hath it] shall
abide satisfied; he shall not be visited with evil." (Proverbs 19:23)
So, we see what a blessed result the fear of the LORD yields. We also see
now how good the law was. The law commanded to go up to God's house,
"that thou mayest learn to fear the LORD thy God always". In other words,
that you may have a long life, the beginning of wisdom, that you may hate
evil, that you may receive spiritual life of God. This, and much other
benefits are contained in fearing the LORD. In doing so, we will renounce
our own will.
2. Psalm 111:10 - The fear of the LORD
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The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of wisdom: a good understanding
have all they that do [his commandments]: his praise endureth for ever.
What is the beginning of wisdom? With "the beginning" is also meant the
main point of the wisdom. Wherewith begins the wisdom, the true wisdom?
What is the main point wherein the wisdom consists? It is the fear of the
LORD; that is the beginning of wisdom. The world counts it for wisdom
when you are clever, when you have success in your work, when you reach a
high and honourable position in society. Or when you are so clever, that
the court can never get you. God, however, judges otherwise. Whatever the
world may err, the true beginning of wisdom is the fear of the LORD. Our
text says the same in the next sentence, where is written: "A good
understanding have all they that do [his commandments]". The world,
again, counts it for dull when you walk in God's law, but God judges
otherwise. Doing His commandments is a sign of a good understanding. Let
the world count it for a waste of time to fear the Lord, and to keep His
commandments. They err, and perish, running headlong into destruction.
Only those who fear the LORD are really wise, and nobody has any
understanding but who keeps the law. "His praise endures forever", in
contrast with the praise of the worldly, which endures but for a time.
"The fear of the LORD [is] the beginning of knowledge: [but] fools
despise wisdom and instruction." (Proverbs 1:7)
Why are we born, and put in this world? We read in our text that it is
to be truly wise, namely to fear God. How dull is it then when we give
our time to the vain things of the world. We ought to apply ourselves to
the true wisdom, which consists in the fear of the LORD, and the
obedience of His voice. Let we therefore stop with the idle things, which
are but temporal. Being busy herein all the day is a sign of a mind not
understanding. He who is empty of any true wisdom, will count it for
wisdom to live a pleasant life on this earth. But who is true wise, will
seek for the heavenly things. He is seeking God, and the eternal things.
All what he is doing, have these godly things as their goal. He does his
temporal work thus, that He may fear the LORD more and more. He rejects
the jobs wherein he cannot serve God, or wherein they hinder him, or such
jobs which cause him to transgress God's commandments.
The truly wise fear the LORD, and do His commandments. Concerning the
things belonging to this earthly life, they put them on the second place.
They have heard and obey Christ's voice, Who said: "Therefore take no
thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or,
Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the
Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all
these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his
righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take
therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought
for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day [is] the evil thereof.
(Matthew 6:31-34) Who fears the LORD will be helped in times of need. Who
not fears him, will be left alone in times of need. Who fears the LORD
will experience that He is a careful Father for them. They experience His
love. Who, however, not fears Him, will experience His fiery wrath. So,
reader, do not deceive yourself. I say not that when you are in rest,
that this is a sign of God's love. Maybe you are in rest to be fattened
for the day of slaughter. Only when you fear the LORD, you are safe, and
wise, and understanding. Negligence of keeping God's commandments is
dangerous, yes, it will bring you to death. Unto man God said, "Behold,
the fear of the Lord, that [is] wisdom; and to depart from evil [is]
understanding." (Job 28:28)
3. New Testament, Matthew 16:15-17
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He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered
and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus
answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh
and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father which is in
heaven.
Jesus here is talking with His disciples. He has just asked them, whom
men say that He, the Son of men, is. Some consider Him to be John the
Baptist, some Elias, and some others Jeremias, or one of the other
prophets. And then, we come to our text, wherein Jesus asks for the
opinion of His disciples, concerning Him. He asks: "Whom say ye that I
am?" And Simon Peter, who was often the first, and the most hastily, also
this time was the first. He gave the right answer:
Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God
Jesus right away confirmed this excellent answer, and said "Blessed art
thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood has not revealed it unto thee,
but My Father which is in heaven". This is in short our text, but it
needs further explanation.
We see that Jesus asks His disciples, whom they say that He is. This
question will be asked to everybody, inevitably. Concerning Jesus, men
are for or against Him. A middle course there is not. Either you confirm
Him to be the Christ, or you deny Him to be so. He puts men before the
choice: Are you for Me or against Me? It is but one of both. "He that is
not with Me is against Me;" (Matthew 12:30) This question will be asked
also to you, reader. Either now, or in the day of judgement, when Jesus
comes on the clouds of heaven to judge the quick and the dead. Be then
for Him, before it is too late! Give now answer for yourself: Whom say
you that Jesus, the Son of man, is? Give answer: Is He the promised
Messiah, the Son of God, or not?
Simon Peter gave the only right answer. Jesus is the Christ, the
Messiah, the Son of men, and the Son of God, even the living God. This is
the only right answer. All others are wrong. The unbelievers are now in
daily danger of the wrath of God, for they have not believed in His only
begotten Son, Jesus of Nazareth. But I must add something here. It is not
enough to confess Jesus to be the Messiah, with your mouth only.
Necessary is also that you show with your good works, that you truly
believe in Him. All His believers are righteous, for He makes them so. Do
not like the people of old did. "They did flatter Him with their mouth,
and they lied unto Him with their tongues. (Psalms 78:36) The confessed
the LORD to be their God, but it were but words. Their heart was not
upright. Likewise who confesses Jesus to be the Son of God (what is true
and undeniable), with his mouth only, does the same as those just
mentioned people of old. When you do so, you flatter Him with your mouth,
and lie unto Him with your tongue. In the true believer, the words and
the deeds correspond.
What is Jesus answer on the right confession of Him? Listen to what He
says. "Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona". You are blessed, because you
have done the only right confession of Me. Peter confessed Jesus to be
the Son of God. Yes, Jesus is God Himself. Peter, so doing, confirmed the
words of Isaiah, the prophet, who foretold that they would confess the
LORD as their God. He said: "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this
[is] our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this [is] the
LORD; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his
salvation." (Isaiah 25:9) It shall be said in that day, which is now: Lo,
this Son of man, this Jesus is our God. We have waited for Him; we will
be glad and rejoice in the salvation of Jesus, the Christ, the Son of
God. We rejoice in the salvation, which He has earned for us through His
suffering, death, and resurrection. We rejoice in that salvation, which
we were utterly unable to earn ourselves.
Jesus continues to explain why Peter is so blessed. He is blessed,
"for flesh and blood hath not revealed [it] unto thee, but my Father
which is in heaven." The Father in heaven has revealed unto Peter, that
Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God. Peter was not able to believe that
in own strength. He believed because the Father had revealed it unto Him.
He was taught by God, as the prophet has foretold. "And all thy children
[shall be] taught of the LORD." (Isaiah 54:13) Peter was taught by God
the Father. Also we have need of that. We cannot believe that Jesus is
the Son of God, when the Father not teaches us that. Of course, many can
flatter with their mouth that they believe in Christ. However, when they
do that in own strength, it are but words and lies. Nobody can believe in
Christ, unless he be taught of the Father in heaven. This is the reason
why many Jews not believe that Jesus is the Son of God, the promised
Messiah. They are not taught by God. That is the whole problem. Reader,
are you one of these? I assure you, that when God teaches you, you will
believe at once. Until taught by God, you will persevere in your present
unbelief. But when you become a child of God (may God give that), you
will be taught by Him. The present unbelievers are not children of God,
but of Satan, the father of all unbelief. He teaches you the unbelief,
and you are gladly accepting his lies. The reward of that kind of
unbelief is the death. Choose then the life. Listen to the Messiah, who
also now calls to you: "Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth
on Me hath everlasting life." (John 6:47) And again: "This is the will of
Him that sent Me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on
Him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day."
(John 6:40) Do then, with Peter, the right confession, in order that you
may have eternal life. Jesus, despised by you and your forefather, for
centuries, is the Messiah. Who believes in Him will live, but who rejects
Him will die. What? Do you not believe this testimony? You will see it
with your eyes, and experience it, but then it is too late. Therefore,
"Today if ye will hear his voice, Harden not your heart, as in the
provocation, [and] as [in] the day of temptation in the wilderness.
(Psalms 95:7,8)
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Chr-Exp, a Christian explanation of the Tanach and the New Testament
Editor: Teus Benschop - t.benschop@pobox.ruu.nl
No copyrights on this publication
Institution Practical Bible-education, the Netherlands
End of The Scriptures opened, 27
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